Rating: 
Summary: You'll end up reading all eight books of the series...
Review: ...so you might as well order all of them now! It was an agonizing wait in the 1970s for each volume to appear. Each book in this series sold millions of copies, and you'll see why once Jakes gets you hooked. A great history lesson and a wonderful read.
Rating: 
Summary: Dalton's Reading List
Review: Enjoy all his books. Good story teller.
Rating:
Summary: Dalton's Reading List
Review: Enjoy all his books. Good story teller.
Rating:
Summary: Bravo!
Review: I am now 36 years old and I never read the series when it came out, nor did I see the mini-series movie on tv. But I was inspired by the movie THE PATRIOT to read historical fiction of this era, so what else but John Jakes books would do! I was not disappointed. The history was woven well into the fictional story of Philip Kent. The romance and adventure were enthralling, and you almost believed that Philip met the characters thrown in like Ben Franklin and Sam Adams. An excellent book.... I can't wait to read the next one!.... and maybe all eight.
Rating: 
Summary: Too didactic
Review: I didn't really "finish" this book, but rather quit reading it in the middle. Written in 1974, it is the first in a series of eight books following one family through 200 years of American history, commemorating the Bicentennial celebrated in 1976.
Although Jakes is a skillful writer, I couldn't shake the feeling that the history lesson was too obvious. The prose often seemed didactic, particularly when one character conveniently knew so much more information that he would be likely to know. I got the impression that the author built the novels around a framework of the history lessons he wanted to tell. Granted, everyone who writes historic fiction has to do this to some extent, but no other author I've read made it so obvious.
Specifically, what made me give up on the book was the stilted way that the protagonist reached the conclusion that emmigrating to the American colonies was his best choice; i.e. he wanted to be free in a land where a man could prosper with his abilities and appetite for hard work.
"The Bastard" (and probably the rest of the series) could have been better if the author had spent more time making the characters seem real. As it is, his characters are little more than devices to move the plot along.
Rating:
Summary: Fascinating Historical saga
Review: I do admit that I love historical fiction. I've read a lot on the Civil War that way ~~ and now I am reading John Jake's American series. I have forgotten how wonderful a story-teller John Jake is! From the very first word he manages to ensnare the reader into a life very different from our own. He fires the reader's imagination to the hardships and the horrors, the inspirations and dreams of ordinary people that help shape our country to be what it is today.
This novel focuses on Philip Kent, an illegimate son of a Duke in England. Though born and raised in France, Philip was taught by his mother to be educated in spite of their poverty. His mother's dream was to see her son walking among the nobility. Circumstances destroyed that dream and his mother and forced them to flee France and England to the colonies across the sea. Caught up in the fervor of the times, Philip becomes one of the Colonies' fighters and dreamers.
If you're interested in reading a bit on the Revolution ~~ this book is a great start to get you going. I wish I had read this series years ago. This is wonderful ~~ full of stories of all humans from all walks of life and it definitely fires your imagination as you read about lives past.
12-20-04
Rating:
Summary: An romantic adventure that combains action and plot.
Review: I have read many books of this type but none as
fun to read and as hard to put down as this one.
It has romance with a kick and I would recommend this book to anyone with that sense of adventure.Its a story thats entertaining to the end
Rating: 
Summary: Stilted dialog; inconsistent & unsympathetic characters
Review: I love John Jakes and after finishing vol I, I expect the story to get better and better. The writing style is excellent, easy to follow and flows perfectly....Can't wait to read the remainder of the chronicles. If they are half as good as North and South, I will be happy.
Rating:
Summary: Just ordered the next 2 volumes....
Review: I love John Jakes and after finishing vol I, I expect the story to get better and better. The writing style is excellent, easy to follow and flows perfectly....Can't wait to read the remainder of the chronicles. If they are half as good as North and South, I will be happy.
Rating:
Summary: Addicted Me to the Series
Review: I picked up this book at a garage sale and made the mistake of buying this book and then reading it. It was a mistake because this book is so good and addictive that I had to find the succeeding books in the series, which was no easy task. This book introduces the Kent clan's founder Phillip Kent. Forced to flee his native England he sneaks his way to the colonies. Along the way he meets several interesting historical characters from his good friend Lafayette to Ben Franklin. A ton of historical fact is presented here that the reader will remember more than if they read a textbook.
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