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347th out of 725 books
—
580 voters
The Seekers (Kent Family Chronicles #3)
by
John Jakes
The Kent Family Chronicles continue as Abraham Kent seeks to build a new life on the untamed Western frontier...
Paperback, 544 pages
Published
July 6th 2004
by Signet
(first published 1975)
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Volume 3 of the American Bicentennial Series (The Kent Family Chronicles) deals with the second generation Kents and a new and ever growing country. Westward expansion and the men that legends were made of, color this fast-moving and engaging novel. Many may find the actions as brutal as their perpetrators are beastly but that was the west. The settlers moving westward tamed the country and made it into a nation. In John Jake’s fashion figures of American history are brought to life and intertw...more
Jakes historical novel follows the story of the Kent family, and in doing so illuminates American history. In this case, the story covers the period around the War of 1812 with Britain, a time when Britain from its base in Canada and with strong Indian allies threaten to new republic. The book gives us insights into the anti-war sentiment of the New England States, concerned as they are about trade, contrasted against the desire for war from those in Washington and the south.
It is an era of gre...more
I still have 3 chapters to read of this book; however, I'm not sure I'm going to finish. This book is so graphic, so intense, and has so many horrifying incidents that - as never before - I get easily upset reading it.
Ok...so I finished...and the trauma moderated a bit so I could get through it. This book was about a Kent son moving off to the west to become a farmer...finding the severe difficulties of this...moving back to Boston with his young son after his wife was killed by Indians. Moving...more
Ok...so I finished...and the trauma moderated a bit so I could get through it. This book was about a Kent son moving off to the west to become a farmer...finding the severe difficulties of this...moving back to Boston with his young son after his wife was killed by Indians. Moving...more
The third book in the Kent Family Chronicles traverses two generations of the Kent family. During one section of the book, which skipped ahead several years to watch two of Philip Kent's grandchildren growing up, I suddenly remembered a very touching moment ahead (next book, I think) that brought me to tears when I first read it. Now I can't wait to get there! The Seekers had a lot of shocking, brutal action in it, fairly typical of why they called it "the wild west". It was very gripping and I'...more
Mar 28, 2013
Tim Meloche
rated it
3 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
Historical Fiction Lovers
Shelves:
my-ebooks,
historical-fiction
Book 3 of the Kent Family chronicles is my least favourite so far. With the exception of Jared Kent, the family members introduced are either undeveloped or simply unlikeable. Two story lines from the previous book converged in the third instalment but you are left feeling as if the characters and storyline has been wasted. This instalment is more disturbing than the first two. Rape is a recurring theme in the books but it is more disturbing in this instalment as it deals with children.
the 3rd book in the kent family chronicles, documenting the history of America in the context of a soap opera-ish, bodice ripper format. excellent fact-based story, with villians, an anti hero, and of course a few fare maidens, for color. easy reading, and a great way to get some history in someones brain without beating them over the head with a textbook.
This is book three of the Kent Family Chronicles. The next generation, this is Abraham, Gilbert, and mostly Jared Kent's story. Ranging from 1794 through 1814. Abraham in the 1794 Indian Wars, travels and trials living in the Ohio region, then sad return. Gilbert unhealthy body but strong mind trying to be family peacemaker, a modernist of the 1800's with Jeffersonian thinking in Boston that feels differently, and Jared that is abandoned, mentally abused but still has the spirit and spunk to fig...more
Volume 3 of the Kent Family Chronicles starts out with Abraham Kent and then moves on to cover his son Jared Kent and his adventures with his cousin Amanda Kent. This work of historical fiction cover the late 1700s and the early 1800s. Jakes does a good job of weaving a page turning story in with the history of what was going on in the United States at the time. I am looking forward to reading Volume 4 The Furies.
John Jakes' reputation for historical accuracy, his writing style, and the story he tells of the fictional Kent family combine to makes the entire 8-volume family saga absolutely wonderful. Reading this series was key in getting me "hooked" on the historical-fiction genre.
So i finished this book like 2 days ago it was different then the first 2 but none the less i loved it.but i must say it ended kind of abrubtly. but i know the next one will be just as good. John Jakes would be an amazing teacher he would make hisory fun!
Horrible. Surely, such terrible things happened to children at the turn of the 19th century, but that doesn't mean I want to read about them in a work of fiction. This novel made me feel physically ill. I will not continue to read this series.
This third book in the Kent Family Chronicles held my interest cover to cover. Most of the men in this family suffer from PTSD and alcoholism. And then you have the attempted and successful rapes of both men and women, murder and illnesses. It's not for the faint of heart. As I neared the end, I swore I would throw the book across the room if Jakes didn't give the last two surviving Kents some small hope of recovery. He did.
I love reading books that are in a series, but I can't read them one after another. So after refreshing my memory, I really got into this book and remembered why I like the series so much (it's been years since I read the prior one!!) These books are classic John Jakes, filled with scandal, history, violence, love, suspense. This one was very easy to read and kept my interest from beginning to end. I kind of rolled my eyes when one of the main characters just *happened* to, on the way from Bosto...more
This is the 3rd of 8 books in the Kent family chronicles. I did not like it as well as the first two because it was much more fiction, than history. There were times that Jakes just seemed to throw encounters with historical figures into the story just to keep the history aspect of the novel.
Great way to pick up a little American history and a very good flavor of the times. I wish I had had John Jakes as a professor or a teacher, he would have been great.
Aug 04, 2011
Nicole Gust
added it
Out of the three books I've read in this series this is probably the best one. I can't wait to start the next one to see how Amanda moves forward.
Volume 3 of the Kent Chronicles. Starts in 1794 and follows the son of Philip (Abraham Kent) and his son Jared. Goes to about 1815.
Honestly, this is how I truly learned American history. These books follow generations of the "Kents" and their lives in America.
I've been loving this series of historical fiction set in the time of the American Revolution. This book just had too much rape and yuck in it for me to enjoy it. I don't remember the previous two being like this. Do I continue the series or quit? I need to find someone else who's read it and can tell me if the next one is good or will leave me feeling sick to my stomach again.
Added 5/11/12.
I have read the first 2 volumes of the Kent Family Chronicles. This is the 3rd. I started this one on or about 6/10/12.
7/29/30 - I finally finished reading this book. It was an enjoyable read even though I wasn't able to give it the time it deserved because I was busy with other things. Nevertheless, each time I returned to it I was immediately engaged in the story. Jakes knows how to tell a good story!
On to Volume 4, The Furies!
I have read the first 2 volumes of the Kent Family Chronicles. This is the 3rd. I started this one on or about 6/10/12.
7/29/30 - I finally finished reading this book. It was an enjoyable read even though I wasn't able to give it the time it deserved because I was busy with other things. Nevertheless, each time I returned to it I was immediately engaged in the story. Jakes knows how to tell a good story!
On to Volume 4, The Furies!
One keep wanting to read to find out the answer as to what happen to the Kent family heirs.
Another great page turner that puts you into the front seat of totally experiencing history!
Jun 09, 2011
Cookie Lopez
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
historical-fiction,
series
All of the books I've read are hardcover, but I've chosen paperback because it's the correct image.
I thought this was a great series. I learned a lot about the early days of our country.
Great cover shot, and an interesting novel, passionate and real.
And so, on to THE SEEKERS - once again off to a slow start, but things pick up.
I read books 2-7 of this series in the last weeks of Feb 2013. While I liked the continuation of the family name through each generation, I could have done without every single important female of the Kent family being raped, sometimes repeatedly. They no sooner got power and money than they lost it, and family members ran the gamut from good to brilliant to corrupt to sleazy to fierce to insane to bloodthirsty. Lots of historical info, also, which made the story more real and interesting. But I...more
Another great book in The Kent Family Chronicles.
Love, Love, Love the book and the series.
Kent Family Chronicles volume 3 Great series!
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John Jakes, the author of more than a dozen novels, is regarded as one of today’s most distinguished writers of historical fiction. His work includes the highly acclaimed Kent Family Chronicles series and the North and South Trilogy. Jakes’s commitment to historical accuracy and evocative storytelling earned him the title of “the godfather of historical novelists” from the Los Angeles Times and le...more
More about John Jakes...
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Sep 03, 2009 02:12pm