That, however, is considerably more overlap than between the protagonists featured in H.W. Brands’s latest book, “The Last Campaign: Sherman, Geronimo and the War for America.” Despite their twin billing, the general and the Apache leader do not cross paths in the book, and apparently never met. Moreover, while “Heat” remains original and taut (despite its nearly three-hour runtime), “The Last Campaign” is predictable and baggy, following an established path now beaten to dust by generations of professional and popular historians. At first blush, author and subject seem well matched. Mr. Brands is a talented storyteller, with a novelist’s feel for pacing and detail.

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