John Jakes Books in Order: Kent Family Chronicles, North and South & More

John Jakes is best known for turning American history into sprawling family sagas. His Kent Family Chronicles follows generations of one fictional family across major periods of American history, while the North and South Trilogy focuses on the intertwined Main and Hazard families before, during, and after the Civil War.

Because Jakes wrote across several genres and published a large number of novels and stories, there isn’t one single reading order that makes sense for everything. For Whimsy Read, the most useful approach is to separate his major historical series from his earlier genre fiction and standalone books.

John Jakes Books in Series Order

The three major historical-fiction series most readers associate with Jakes are:

1. The Kent Family Chronicles — 8 books
2. North and South Trilogy — 3 books
3. The Crown Family Saga — 2 books

The first two are completely separate series, so you do not need to read the Kent books before starting North and South.

The Kent Family Chronicles in Order

The Kent Family Chronicles is an eight-book historical saga following the fictional Kent family through major events in American history. Jakes began the series in the 1970s, and all eight volumes became bestsellers.

1. The Bastard (1974)

The series begins with Philip Kent, whose journey becomes intertwined with the American Revolution. It introduces the Kent family and establishes the generational storytelling that continues throughout the series.

2. The Rebels (1975)

Philip Kent’s story continues as the American Revolution takes center stage. The novel expands the family saga while placing its characters alongside important figures and events from the Revolutionary War.

3. The Seekers (1975)

The story moves beyond the Revolutionary period as Abraham Kent leaves Boston and heads toward the American frontier. The novel shifts the family’s focus toward exploration, expansion, and the changing nation.

4. The Furies (1976)

The fourth book continues the Kent family’s expansion and puts a female member of the family at the center of the story. It also develops the family’s growing ambitions and conflicts as America changes around them.

5. The Titans (1976)

The Kents enter another generation, with family relationships becoming increasingly complicated as the country moves toward the Civil War. The book bridges personal family conflict with the larger political and social tensions of the era.

6. The Warriors (1977)

The Civil War becomes central to the Kent family’s story. While the country is divided by war, the family struggles with murder, betrayal, business, and its place among America’s emerging wealthy families.

7. The Lawless (1978)

The Civil War is over, but the Kent family’s troubles are far from finished. The story explores the uncertain postwar period and the threats facing the family as America enters another stage of development.

8. The Americans (1980)

The final Kent Family Chronicles novel brings the family’s long journey toward its conclusion. It looks at the Kent legacy and the future of a family that has been present through generations of American history.

Kent Family Chronicles reading order

The publication year for The Americans is sometimes listed as 1979 or 1980 by different databases; Jakes’s official site lists it as the eighth volume without emphasizing the discrepancy.

North and South Trilogy in Order

If you’re looking for Jakes’s Civil War novels, this is the series to read. The trilogy follows the Main family of South Carolina and the Hazard family of Pennsylvania, whose friendship and family relationships become complicated by the growing conflict between North and South.

1. North and South (1982)

The first book introduces Orry Main and George Hazard, who meet at West Point and become close friends. Their friendship is tested as their families and home states become caught up in the divisions that lead to the Civil War.

2. Love and War (1984)

The second novel moves into the Civil War itself. The Mains and Hazards find themselves on opposite sides of the conflict, while their personal relationships continue to collide with the realities of war.

3. Heaven and Hell (1987)

The trilogy’s conclusion deals with the aftermath of the Civil War. Although the fighting has ended, the Main and Hazard families still face major personal and social conflicts as they attempt to build new lives in a changed America.

North and South reading order

Jakes’s official site identifies North and South, Love and War, and Heaven and Hell as the three volumes of the trilogy.

The Crown Family Saga in Order

After North and South, Jakes returned to the idea of following a fictional family through American history with the Crown Family Saga. This time, the story moves into the twentieth century.

1. Homeland (1993)

Homeland introduces a German immigrant and his family as they try to establish themselves in twentieth-century America. It begins a new family saga quite separate from the Kents and the Main/Hazard families.

2. American Dreams (1998)

The story of the Crown family continues in American Dreams. The book expands the family’s experiences as they pursue their ambitions and deal with the rapidly changing American society around them.

Crown Family Saga reading order

John Jakes Standalone Historical Novels

Jakes wrote considerably more than his three major family sagas. His earlier career included westerns, historical adventures, crime fiction, science fiction, and fantasy. Bibliographies vary considerably in how they count these works, particularly because some were published under pseudonyms or involved collaborations.

Some notable standalone or non-major-series novels include:

The Texans Ride North (1952)

One of Jakes’s earliest published novels, this western follows an adventure along the cattle trail and represents the kind of frontier fiction he wrote before becoming famous for his historical family sagas.

A Night for Treason (1956)

An early historical/adventure novel from the beginning of Jakes’s long career as a prolific genre writer.

Wear a Fast Gun (1956)

Another early western, published during the period when Jakes was establishing himself as a novelist.

The Devil Has Four Faces (1958)

An early suspense-oriented novel showing another side of Jakes’s writing before the large historical sagas became his signature.

The Seventh Man (1958)

Another early novel from Jakes’s prolific period of genre fiction.

I, Barbarian (1959)

An early fantasy-oriented novel published under the pseudonym Jay Scotland. Jakes used several pseudonyms during his career.

Veils of Salome (1962)

A historical/adventure novel from Jakes’s earlier period, before his major historical family series.

Ghoul’s Garden (1973)

A standalone novel generally classified among Jakes’s horror/fantasy-related works.

Brak the Barbarian Books in Order

Before becoming primarily known for historical fiction, Jakes was also an important writer of sword-and-sorcery fiction. Brak the Barbarian is his best-known fantasy character series.

1. Brak the Barbarian (1968)

Introduces Brak, a wandering barbarian whose adventures combine sword-and-sorcery action with Jakes’s often humorous approach to fantasy.

2. Brak vs. The Sorceress / Witch of the Four Winds (1969)

Brak encounters magical threats and a powerful sorceress in another fantasy adventure.

3. Brak vs. the Mark of the Demons (1969)

Another Brak adventure involving supernatural dangers and the darker side of the fantasy world.

4. When the Idols Walked (1978)

A later Brak story that returned Jakes to the character after a substantial gap.

5. The Fortunes of Brak (1985)

The final major Brak collection/volume, continuing the barbarian’s adventures.

Sources differ slightly in their treatment and dating of the Brak books, but the five-book reading sequence above is consistently represented in major bibliographies.

Johnny Havoc Books in Order

Jakes also wrote the Johnny Havoc crime/adventure books during the 1960s.

1. Johnny Havoc (1960)

Introduces the hard-edged protagonist Johnny Havoc and establishes the series’ crime and adventure style.

2. Havoc for Sale / Johnny Havoc Meets Zelda (1962)

The second Johnny Havoc volume continues his adventures through another pair of related stories.

3. Holiday for Havoc / Johnny Havoc and the Doll Who Had ‘It’ (1963)

Another collection of Johnny Havoc adventures.

4. Johnny Havoc and the Siren in Red / Making It Big (1968)

The later Johnny Havoc volume brings together additional stories featuring the character.

II Galaxy Books in Order

Jakes also wrote the science-fiction II Galaxy series.

1. The Planet Wizard (1969)
2. Tonight We Steal the Stars (1969)
3. The Wagered World (1969)

These belong to a very different part of Jakes’s career from the historical novels for which he later became famous.

Lou Largo Books

Jakes was also involved with the Lou Largo books associated with William Ard. Bibliographic sources identify Jakes as the ghostwriter for this series.

The books are:

1. Make Mine Mavis (1961)
2. And So to Bed (1962)
3. Give Me This Woman (1962)

Because these were ghostwritten works, readers looking specifically for Jakes’s own fiction may want to treat them separately from his author-attributed novels.

Gavin Black

The Gavin Black series consists of:

Witch of the Dark Gate (1972)

A fantasy novel associated with the Gavin Black character/series. It belongs to Jakes’s earlier fantasy-writing period rather than his later historical-fiction career.

Planet of the Apes and Other Adaptation-Related Work

Jakes also wrote Conquest of the Planet of the Apes, published in 1969, as part of the wider Planet of the Apes publishing universe. Because this is a multi-author franchise rather than an original John Jakes series, it is best kept separate from his primary bibliography.

John Jakes Books: Which Series Should You Read First?

There are several reasonable starting points depending on what kind of John Jakes story you’re looking for.

If you want American historical fiction

Start with The Bastard and continue through all eight Kent Family Chronicles books. This gives you Jakes’s longest major family saga and follows generations of the Kent family through American history.

If you want Civil War fiction

Start with North and South. The three books form a single continuous story, so reading them in publication order is the natural approach.

If you want a shorter family saga

Try Homeland → American Dreams, the two Crown Family Saga novels.

If you want fantasy

Start with Brak the Barbarian. The Brak books are much closer to sword-and-sorcery adventure than Jakes’s famous historical novels.

If you want to explore Jakes’s early career

Look at his westerns, Johnny Havoc novels, science fiction, fantasy, and other early genre fiction. His bibliography is considerably broader than the historical novels for which he is most recognized.

John Jakes Books in Publication Order

For most readers, publication order by series is more useful than attempting to read every John Jakes work chronologically. His bibliography contains numerous early genre novels, pseudonymous works, collaborations, anthologies, and short fiction, and different bibliographic databases count these differently.

His major historical-fiction publication sequence is:

1. The Bastard — 1974
2. The Rebels — 1975
3. The Seekers — 1975
4. The Furies — 1976
5. The Titans — 1976
6. The Warriors — 1977
7. The Lawless — 1978
8. The Americans — 1980
9. North and South — 1982
10. Love and War — 1984
11. Heaven and Hell — 1987
12. Homeland — 1993
13. American Dreams — 1998

This sequence covers the three major family-saga series without mixing in Jakes’s numerous earlier genre works.

Are John Jakes’s Books Connected?

No, not all of them are connected. The Kent Family Chronicles form one series, North and South is a separate trilogy, and Homeland and American Dreams form another family saga. His Brak, Johnny Havoc, II Galaxy, and other genre works belong to separate fictional worlds.

This is important because someone searching for “John Jakes books in order” does not necessarily need to read his entire bibliography from his first novel onward. You can choose one series and read that series from beginning to end.

John Jakes Books in Order: Quick List

Kent Family Chronicles

1. The Bastard
2. The Rebels
3. The Seekers
4. The Furies
5. The Titans
6. The Warriors
7. The Lawless
8. The Americans

North and South Trilogy

1. North and South
2. Love and War
3. Heaven and Hell

Crown Family Saga

1. Homeland
2. American Dreams

Brak the Barbarian

1. Brak the Barbarian
2. Brak vs. The Sorceress / Witch of the Four Winds
3. Brak vs. the Mark of the Demons
4. When the Idols Walked
5. The Fortunes of Brak

Frequently Asked Questions

How many John Jakes books are there?

The exact number depends on what a bibliography counts as a “book.” Different databases include or exclude short stories, anthologies, pseudonymous works, collaborations, and adaptation-related books, so totals vary substantially. One database lists 54 books, while another broader bibliography lists more than 100 works.

What is John Jakes’s most famous series?

Jakes is particularly associated with the Kent Family Chronicles and the North and South Trilogy. His official website describes the Kent series as an eight-volume saga and North and South as a three-volume Civil War saga.

Should I read The Kent Family Chronicles before North and South?

No. They are separate series. You can begin with North and South if the Civil War period interests you more.

Is North and South a trilogy?

Yes. The three books are North and South, Love and War, and Heaven and Hell.

What is the first Kent Family Chronicles book?

The Bastard is the first book in the Kent Family Chronicles.

What is the best John Jakes book to start with?

Rather than treating one book as universally preferable, the choice depends on what you want from Jakes. The Bastard is the starting point for the eight-book Kent family saga, while North and South begins his three-book Civil War trilogy. Homeland starts the shorter Crown Family Saga.

Final Thoughts

John Jakes’s bibliography is much broader than his two best-known historical series might suggest. The Kent Family Chronicles offer the longest American family saga, North and South concentrates on the Civil War and its consequences, and The Crown Family Saga moves the family-story approach into twentieth-century America. His earlier Brak, Johnny Havoc, science-fiction, western, and other genre novels are worth separating into their own categories rather than trying to force his entire career into one reading sequence.

Written by

Emon Anam

Hi, I’m Emon. I’m the voice and heart behind Whimsy Read. After nine years in the world of banking, I followed my passion for storytelling into the world of SEO and content strategy. Now, I blend that analytical eye with a deep love for literature to bring you book reviews that are thoughtful, honest, and always focused on the stories that stay with you. When I’m not reading or writing, you’ll find me enjoying joyful chaos with my wife and three kids, getting lost in a new series, or revisiting my old loves: theater, music, and gaming. At the end of the day, I believe great books are meant to be shared, and I’m so glad you’re here to share them with me.