Charleston

Rating:
Summary: COULD HAVE BEEN BETTER
Review: As someone who has followed John Jakes through his Kent Family Chronicles to the North and South trilogy and the subsequent novels, I found myself a bit disoriented by Charleston.

The book seems hurried and tries to fit so many events and so much history into one novel. And a short novel (by Jakes' standards, at least) at that. I felt that he could have taken more time to unravel the story aspect as opposed to the history aspect of the book.

I don't know if Jakes is starting to wind down but his latest novels are losing the detail and thoroughness that marked his earlier books. It feels like he's coasting. Which is sad considering that Jakes is one of America's premier historical novelists.

Rating:
Summary: Good, but not his best....
Review: I am a big fan of John Jakes, he is awesome and this book could have been....However good, it lacked the detail of his trilogy and 8 book chronicles....I guess that could be expected.....Charleston was good, just not great.

Rating:
Summary: A good book...from the best historical fiction author
Review: I love John Jakes' books. I have always found them to be incredibly well researched and deep. Charleston does not disappoint. The characters are interesting and well-rounded. I particularly liked Alex, Edward and Edgar. Mr. Jakes incorporates some little known aspects of the American Revolution, and Civil War into this book. I also liked how he occasionally mentions the Mains from "North & South" in this book.

There were times when the battle details went on too long for me, but over all it is a wonderful book--full of insanity, passion, and interesting parallels from the beginning to the end.

Enjoy!