The Kent Family Chronicles

{{Short description|Historical fiction series by John Jakes}} '''The Kent Family Chronicles''' (also known as '''The American Bicentennial Series''') is a series of eight novels by John Jakes written for Lyle Engel of Book Creations, Inc., to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence of the United States.<ref name=folkart>{{cite news | newspaper=Los Angeles Times | date=August 14, 1986 | last=Folkart | first=Burt A. | title=Lyle K. Engel; Force Behind 'Novel Factory' | url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1986-08-14-mn-6845-story.html}}</ref> The books became best sellers, with no novel in the series selling fewer than 3.5 million copies.<ref name="jones1">Mary Ellen Jones. [https://books.google.com/books?id=ZnuYKJSoHCMC&dq=%22kent+family+chronicles%22&pg=PA287 "John Jakes"], ''Dictionary of Midwestern Literature'', pp. 286-288</ref> With ''The Rebels'', ''The Seekers'', and ''The Furies'', Jakes became the first author to have three books on the New York Times best-seller list in a single year, 1975.<ref name="kipling">Kay Kipling. [http://www.sarasotamagazine.com/Articles/Sarasota-Magazine/2006/11/The-John-Jakes-Chronicles.asp "The John Jakes Chronicles"], ''Sarasota Magazine'', November 2006.</ref>

The books feature various members of the Kent family, connecting them with historical events at the time of the American Revolution. The first novel begins just before the American Revolution, with Frenchman Phillipe Charboneau, who travels to England and later to the New World, changing his name to Philip Kent along the way and meeting several key figures of the Revolution, including the Marquis de Lafayette, Benjamin Franklin, Samuel Adams, Paul Revere, Joseph Warren, and others. The saga ends some generations later in 1890, with the death of Gideon Kent in ''The Americans''. The series was originally intended to continue until 1976, covering 200 years.<ref name="jones2-29">Mary Ellen Jones. [https://books.google.com/books?id=2pzmvCXfuoAC&dq=%22kent+family+chronicles%22&pg=PA29 "Part Two: The Kent Family Chronicles"]. ''John Jakes: A Critical Companion''. Greenwood Press, 1996. p. 29.</ref>

The first two novels in the series were made into telefilms in 1978 and 1979, both starring Andrew Stevens as Philip Kent, with the third adapted as a 1979 telefilm starring Randolph Mantooth as the son, Abraham Kent. "Operation Prime Time" premiered in syndication with the first of these.

==Novels== * ''The Bastard'' (1974) * ''The Rebels'' (1975) * ''The Seekers'' (1975) * ''The Furies'' (1976)<ref>{{Cite news|title = New York Times Best Seller List|newspaper = The Miami News |url = https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=i9QzAAAAIBAJ&sjid=hOoFAAAAIBAJ&pg=2922,1435113&dq=the+furies+john-jakes&hl=en|date = 13 March 1976|accessdate = 4 July 2013}}</ref> * ''The Titans'' (1976)<ref>{{Cite news|title = Meet John Jakes: Instant Historian and Millionaire|url = https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=w_1IAAAAIBAJ&sjid=3oIMAAAAIBAJ&pg=2806,1688712&dq=the+bastard+john+jakes&hl=en|accessdate = 4 July 2013|date = 19 June 1977|author = L. H. Whittemore|newspaper = Youngstown Vindicator}}</ref> * ''The Warriors'' (1977)<ref>{{cite news|title=New York Times Best Sellers List|date=29 April 1977|accessdate=4 July 2013|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=0To0AAAAIBAJ&sjid=iOsFAAAAIBAJ&pg=964,4427279&dq=the+warriors+john-jakes&hl=en|newspaper=The Miami News}}</ref> * ''The Lawless'' (1978)<ref>{{cite news|title=Top 10 Paperbacks|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=XXFEAAAAIBAJ&sjid=ZbIMAAAAIBAJ&pg=4982,989402&dq=the+lawless+john-jakes&hl=en|date=7 May 1978|accessdate=4 July 2013|newspaper=The Albany Herald}}</ref> * ''The Americans'' (1979)<ref>{{cite news|title=Visionary pop-book impresario Engel dies at 71|newspaper=The Montreal Gazette|date=14 August 1986|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=kVkiAAAAIBAJ&sjid=WagFAAAAIBAJ&pg=4786,2424921&dq=the-americans+john+jakes&hl=en}}</ref>

== References == {{Reflist}}

==External links== * [http://www.johnjakes.com/kentchronicles.htm John Jakes Official Homepage] * [https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0077212/ ''The Bastard''] on IMDb * [https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0079783/ ''The Rebels''] on IMDb * [https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0079877/ ''The Seekers''] on IMDb

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kent Family Chronicles}} Category:Family saga novels Category:Novels by John Jakes Category:American historical novels Category:Novels set during the American Civil War Category:Fictional families Category:1970s novels Category:United States Bicentennial