I've never read anything else by Stephen Crane, so I was pleasantly surprised to find that this is one of the best written novels I have ever read. Ever. While I haven't been in a war, Crane describes the sights, sounds, and general chaos of battle so aptly. You feel the stomach churning fear and panic of Henry Fleming as he tries to cope with the madness around him.

I will say that I am not one who likes or reads many war stories. So while that aspect of The Red Badge of Courage was not really fascinating to me, this book definitely deserves five stars and definitely should continue to be read widely because of the author's amazing writing ability and his realistic descriptions of battle.