I read it 'inside out',ie the second volume last. Toll is a skilled researcher who can write, a felicitous combination. He provides in depth profiles of the key players-Nimitz, Spruance, Halsey, Yamamoto, Joe Rochefort, and others, too many to mention. It's a stunning work, and I couldn't recommend it highly enough. BTW, you've got to love an author who finds room for the word 'risibly.'