Rating: 
Summary: Disappointed
Review: After reading "Homeland", I eagerly awaited the next installment of what Jakes had promised would be a trilogy. Now, however, I don't care if there is a third volume or not. Each novel by Jakes has kept me transfixed; I couldn't put them down, but "Homeland" is entirely predictable with no climax. I couldn't decide whether Jakes was bored with the subject or simply rushing to finish the story. His subjects are usually engrossing and the saga of the Crown family uniquely American, I am just very, very disappointed. Please, Mr. Jakes don't write again until you regain your passion!
Rating: 
Summary: American Dreams had a slow start, but was still good.
Review: After reading the exciting book, Homeland, I couldn't wait to read American Dreams. When I began to read it, I was disapointed that Paul was no longer the main charactor. In Homeland, he proved to be an exciting, interesting charactor. But, as Fritzi began to prosper in Hollywood, and Carl flying airplaines, I began to get into the book. I kept hoping that Fritzi and Loy would get together, but there is always the next book! Although the book was slow to start, it turned out to be an excellent read. I am looking forward to the third book in the series.
Rating: 
Summary: A good book, but not his best
Review: After reading the rest of Jakes' historical fiction, I was prepared for this one to be just as intense and detailed. While the book is informative, and does move smartly along plot wise, I felt that the book lacked the depth of plot and character development that his earlier books had. I look forward to the next installment in this series, and hope that Mr. Jakes returns to his previous depth of devlopment as regards to character and plto.
Rating:
Summary: Lacks depth
Review: Although I enjoyed the book, I was disappointed by its lack of depth. I felt the book made for easy reading, but lacked the usually Jakes detail of the time, characters, and story.
Rating: 
Summary: A wonderful treat from John Jakes
Review: American Dream was a quick and delightful read. Mr. Jakes transports the reader to another time (years leading up to World War I). This was an era for which I learned the "Bare Bones" historical facts in school, but never the pulse. Turn-of-the-century political, social, labor, popular history never made this much sense. Mr. Jakes adds the "Life" to the history lessons learned in school. He weaves historical figures into the lives of his fictional characters, like no other author. Fritzi, Paul and Carl Crown don't just observe the upheavals of their time, they live it. I gained a new appreciation for Henry Ford and the birth of the American Auto Industry. The insight into the early days of the silent films and the birth of Hollywood, was a treat. The dedication to historical accuracy is fundamental and a delight to behold. Mr. Jakes is the leading writer of American Historical Fiction and I look forward to the next installment in his trip through American history. Thank you for a wonderful experience.
Rating:
Summary: Disappointing, but worth reading if you enjoyed Homeland
Review: American Dreams, the sequel to Homeland, follows the adventures of the children of the Crown family. Daughter Fritzi enters the world of acting, while son Carl experiments with car racing and aviation. I have to admit that this book was not as engrossing as Homeland. The characters were not given as much depth, and the story was somewhat simplistic. It seems like Jakes might have rushed through this second installment and given it less thought. Still, the story kept me interested and I'll be excited to read the next book when it comes out.
Rating:
Summary: Disappointing, but worth reading if you enjoyed Homeland
Review: American Dreams, the sequel to Homeland, follows the adventures of the children of the Crown family. Daughter Fritzi enters the world of acting, while son Carl experiments with car racing and aviation. I have to admit that this book was not as engrossing as Homeland. The characters were not given as much depth, and the story was somewhat simplistic. It seems like Jakes might have rushed through this second installment and given it less thought. Still, the story kept me interested and I'll be excited to read the next book when it comes out.
Rating:
Summary: Not up to par, Mr. Jakes!
Review: As an avid reader of everything John Jakes writes, and having been entranced by "Homeland", I waited, with great anticipation, the second installment of "The Crown Family Chronicles" as this story could be known. Unfortunately, this tome was not up to the standard which Jakes has previously established. While the interactions of the various members of the Crown family with famous personages from the period were eagerly expected, the plot was uninspired and seemed contrived only to place the characters in juxtaposition with the historical figures. Where "Homelands" plot and subplots were interwoven to create a "quiltlike" illustration of life in 19th century Chicago, the subplots in "American Dreams" were lineal and entirely predictable. As the novel approaches its conclusion, the story becomes more inventive, but the overall impression it leaves is not the thrill experienced at the conclusion of other Jakes's works. Similarly, unlike the volumes of "The Kent Family Chronicles", there is no denouement. Rather, in "American Dreams", the story simply stops. Conversely, this does create a sense of anticipation for the third volume of what was originally to be a trilogy. Another volume IS needed for a sense of conclusion to the story. While I have enthusiastically recommended Jakes in the past, I am left with mixed emotions after reading "American Dreams". Please, Mr. Jakes, find your muse and give your fans another "Homeland".
Rating:
Summary: Not up to par, Mr. Jakes!
Review: As an avid reader of everything John Jakes writes, and having been entranced by "Homeland", I waited, with great anticipation, the second installment of "The Crown Family Chronicles" as this story could be known. Unfortunately, this tome was not up to the standard which Jakes has previously established. While the interactions of the various members of the Crown family with famous personages from the period were eagerly expected, the plot was uninspired and seemed contrived only to place the characters in juxtaposition with the historical figures. Where "Homelands" plot and subplots were interwoven to create a "quiltlike" illustration of life in 19th century Chicago, the subplots in "American Dreams" were lineal and entirely predictable. As the novel approaches its conclusion, the story becomes more inventive, but the overall impression it leaves is not the thrill experienced at the conclusion of other Jakes's works. Similarly, unlike the volumes of "The Kent Family Chronicles", there is no denouement. Rather, in "American Dreams", the story simply stops. Conversely, this does create a sense of anticipation for the third volume of what was originally to be a trilogy. Another volume IS needed for a sense of conclusion to the story. While I have enthusiastically recommended Jakes in the past, I am left with mixed emotions after reading "American Dreams". Please, Mr. Jakes, find your muse and give your fans another "Homeland".
Rating:
Summary: Long Live The King!!!
Review: As most people of my acquaintance know, in my eyes, John Jakes is king. His characters never fail to intrigue; his seamless insertion of historical facts never cease to amaze, and his intermingling of fictional characters and real-life personages is his unequaled specialty. The eight-book series, "The Kent Family Chronicles," along with the "North & South Trilogy," remain my all-time favorites in the genre of historical fiction. These are the very books that inspired me to try my hand at novel writing. For that alone, Mr. Jakes has my undying gratitude and admiration. Needless to say, any and all new offerings by this extraordinary talent are eagerly anticipated. And how I eagerly anticipated "American Dreams," which begins where the marvelous "Homeland" ended, albeit a few years later. I will admit, I experienced mild disappointment when first I began reading. Oh, not that the characters, storyline, and historical details are anything but typical Jakes magic, but I was expecting the novel to feature Paul Crown, the young man who (in "Homeland") immigrated from Germany to Chicago in the late 1800s to make a new life for himself as a moving-picture camera operator during the Spanish/American war. Since Paul had proven himself a worthy lead character, I was hoping this sequel would dwell on his further adventures. Certainly, Paul does make an appearance, but in "American Dreams" he has been relegated to more of a minor role. Mr. Jakes, instead, has opted to feature Paul's cousins from Homeland, Fritzi Crown, and, to a lesser degree, her brother Carl. My disappointment, thankfully, was short-lived. It soon becomes clear that Fritzi Crown is worthy of the starring role she is given. Though not a standard beauty, with her skinny legs, flat chest, and shock of wiry and unmanageable blonde hair, this tomboy does have a "certain something," a uniqueness that makes her unforgettable to the many persons she will meet as the story progresses. Fritzi immediately charmed me. In the opening chapter, while thwarting a possible rape beside the waters of Lake Michigan, and without the aid of her trusty weapon of choice-a sharp hat pin-Fritzi relies on her natural-born gift for imitation. "Don't let the long hair fool you, bub," she says to her would-be attacker in a replica of his manly baritone. "You've got the wrong fellow." The tramp's vast shock gives her the seconds needed to make good her escape. This talent, along with her quick thinking and unwavering determination, will eventually make her a star. With dreams of a stage career (much to her father's dismay), Fritzi soon heads for New York City. Her road, however, proves difficult, and at times, perilous. We follow Fritzi's less-than-meteoric rise to stardom, from her days as a starving thespian seeking that ever-elusive noteworthy role, to her steady gain in popularity by becoming, in her desperation, an actress in silent pictures, a medium she rather detests. As with all of his previous historical work, Mr. Jakes comes through in spades, placing the reader smack dab in the center of the early motion-picture industry, from the hills of New Jersey to a one-horse town called Hollywood. While forging friendships with the likes of Mary Pickford, Charlie Chaplin, and Roscoe "Fatty" Arbuckle, Fritzi makes a name for herself in one- and two-reelers. Her comedic timing, unconventional appearance, and chameleon-like expressions prove a powerful box-office draw. Still, despite her healthy income and growing success, Fritzi yearns to return to the stage. She doesn't want to be labeled a "film" actress, but a "serious" actress. Can she make the split with Hollywood and return to New York City, especially after she loses her heart to a movie extra? Along with Fritzi's story, we also spend some time with her brother. Obsessed with all forms of transportation, the young Carl Crown heads for Detroit. There, he makes friends with Henry Ford, works on the racing circuit for Barney Oldfield, and forsakes love and marriage to a beautiful heiress, all for his dream to become an aviator. In England, Paul Crown continues his career as a camera operator. Married and with a growing family, he finds himself in the company of people like Winston Churchill, filming often-violent suffragette movements in London, and capturing on newsreel footage the darker moments in human history, especially with the outbreak of the first World War. The bottom line? Knowing how I feel about the author, do I even need to spell it out? Well, perhaps I should, in order to make it abundantly clear... Throughout these 500 pages, Mr. Jakes delivers the goods. I daresay, out of all Mr. Jakes's female characters, Fritzi Crown came extremely close to beating out "North & South's" Madeline Main as my favorite. And believe me, that says a lot. In my humble opinion, though "American Dreams" might not be the best book Mr. Jakes has ever written, I still believe it outshines 99% of all other historicals on offer. Like all commendable historical novels, the characters in are enchanting, complicated, and utterly human. The history is detailed, convincing, and absolutely flawless. The story is occasionally amusing, ofttimes poignant, and always gripping. For anyone who has an interest in the days leading up to World War I, early auto racing and manufacturing, or the film industry in its infancy, this book is a must-read. There, now, I've said it. And is anyone truly surprised? Long live the king! Trace Edward Zaber, Owner/Editor - Of Ages Past Magazine
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