We've got your back. With the Tough-O-Meter, you'll know whether to bring extra layers or Swiss army knives as you summit the literary mountain. (10 = Toughest)
1-2 Sea Level
Even it deals with profound issues and themes, The Killer Angels is pretty easy reading. There's no crazy vocabulary or James Joyce-style wordplay, and the books moves at a clip. The only thing you might find challenging is keeping track of troop movements and battle tactics, which Shaara describes in detail—he even includes maps of the armies' positions throughout the course of the battle.