This was an enjoyable and informative read. The author provided just enough context and detail to inform yet did not get bogged down in minutia so that the narrative flowed well. The story is told concentrating on three main characters- Benedict Arnold, Horatio Gates and lesser known Philip Schuyler. While the Revolutionary War is lengthy and complex, the author did an excellent job of starting the narrative with the rebels taking of Fort Ticonderoga, moving to the failed invasion of Canada, and culminating the events surrounding to the main topic concerning Valcour Island.

The author provides an objective and balanced account of both the characters and events above. A recommended read which can be appreciated by novices and those with a deeper background into the Revolution. ( )

If you you would like to glimpse a little of the circumstances of Benedict Arnolds decision to turn traitor, then this is a good book to read. It vividly paints a picture of what was one of the revolutionary wars most important battles. If not the most important. The Battle of Lake Champlain. The snubbing of Arnold by Congress after this battle is dumbfounding. ( )

Valcour is one of those battles that I always wanted to see a good blow-by-blow overview of, and this book was satisfactory enough from that perspective. The problem, of course, is that means dealing with the inconvenient hero Benedict Arnold, and his obsessions and virtues loom large in this story. Still, it's one of those works where I came away a little unsatisfied, as one gets the impression that Kelly would liked to have told an exemplary tale of patriotic heroism, but knew that he really couldn't get away with it. ( )

I always love reading historical novels of any kind really. They bring forward the people and places that built the world as we know it today. This is a little known tale from 1776 that features some of the biggest names of the time, people like young George Washington, an enterprising general a few years short of his well documented crossing of the Delaware, and Benedict Arnold, the most notorious traitor. In the dawning days of the country known as the United States of America, these men were involved in a life or death fight against the British. The British had a well documented history of navel superiority that was unmatched. The fledging Americans without an organized Navy hurriedly built a battalion of boats on the inland Lake Champlain. Their sole purpose was to defend the passage into New York and prevent the British from moving down and overtaking the meager forces stationed at Ticonderoga and other forts along the route. A David vs Goliath tale featuring the young Benedict Arnold. A young man with a mind made for military strategy who would lead the ragtag group of naval boats in a campaign to stop the British advance at all costs. The author gives us an in depth historical view of life at this time with many paragraphs almost having a poetic quality to the writing. It’s a fascinating story that reminds all of us of the blood, sweat and tears that were spilt to give this nation life. It can be a little dry especially early on in the book, but it does pick up steam and is generally fascinating. Thank you to Netgalley for the copy in exchange for an honest review. ( )

Kelly is a great writer and provides context, balance, and measured excitement. It was easy to follow on Google Maps and I now have an enduring mental picture of the lake and environs, as told through this interesting story, the first major engagement of the US Navy (weirdly on a lake). Also learned a lot about Benedict Arnold, and the American invasion of Canada brought low by smallpox. As someone who has never read a general history of the war, this is filling in the story like a jigsaw piece, one book, battle and person at a time, each a new discovery. ( )