The Furies (Kent Family Chronicles, #4) (2024)

This was a darker book than the previous one, but featured Amanda, possibly my favorite character in the entire series. We follow her from the Alamo to NYC where things are heating up for the Civil War. As usual, Jakes does a great job showing both sides of the conflicts from a personal view. He drops a lot of historical information in well connected threads throughout, too.

Handling the feelings on both sides of the argument that would become the Civil War was particularly masterful, especially since the South's side was seemingly indefensible. It wasn't from their point, though. Their entrenched economy, fears, & opinions were well represented. The division among the North was also well shown. Immigrants couldn't find enough work to feed their families & the city was bursting as more flowed in. Any competition for the few jobs couldn't be born & that included freed slaves, yet it was obvious that blacks weren't subhuman, simply raised & treated that way - all this while those of the North treated factory workers & servants in much the same fashion.

Jakes makes the point in a particularly poignant way when hours go by before Amanda casts the deciding vote as to whether to provide medical care for workers injured in an accident. She also has to fight to get free schooling & 'limited' hours for the child-workers. Which made me think back to the gin-soaked 8 & 10 year olds that Phillipe met in the first book of the story in London.

The scariest part was reading about how the positions in the question of states' rights & slavery polarized society. Neither side could see the others point of view, so no compromise was possible. Slavery was obviously no longer viable, yet its proponents kept trying to expand it. Moderates were forced into taking sides by the actions of the fanatics on both sides which ripped families & communities apart.

We're seeing similar tensions now as Orson Scott Card also points out so well in Empire. The gov't is in its 8th day of shutdown due to a few fanatics refusal to compromise & a few others refusal to do what is right since it threatens their position - not their ability to feed their family, just their continued power. They lack a single issue to rally behind & tear the nation apart the way the slavery issue did, but the rhetoric is remarkably similar in its uncompromising divisiveness.

Overall, I didn't care for the composition of this book as much as the rest. It jumps through time fairly quickly & also back & forth between the normal perspective & that of a diary of a completely different character. I found that jarring, probably more so because I didn't care for the character, although he was perfect for the point Jakes was trying to make. Scenes with Louis seemed an afterthought, tacked on to provide continuity with future books. I doubt they were, but he didn't ... have the depth or ring true... (not really sure) the way other characters did, even more minor ones. Something about that character was off, anyway.

Still, I'm giving the book 4 stars because it is so timely, yet it is 30 years old & written about events over 150 years ago. I'd say that's quite an accomplishment!

Another good one - on to Book 5 and the Civil War.....

John Jakes once again brings History to life in this Historical Soap-Opera! I was originally going to take a short break from the series after reading The Seekers, because I don't want to finish it too quickly, but after the way The Seekers ended, I had to read the next book, because the ending of The Seekers leaves us in a cliffhanger!

The Furies takes place 20 something years after the events in The Seekers, the story this time approximately in the 1830 period, revolves around Amanda Kent, now all grown up. The story opens up with Amanda, residing in The Alamo, shortly before the horrific massacre. Amanda interacts with more Historical figures, such as James Bowie, Davy Crockett, and Susanna Dickinson. Amanda is one of the many survivors of the Battle of The Alamo, and is taken before Santa Anna, who led the Mexican Forces against the Texans. He attempts to grant Amanda clemency and let her go free, which she declines, putting herself in danger. She is later rescued by Major Luis Cordoba, one of Santa Anna's top officers, who does not fully support his rule. Amanda and the Major fall in love and have a baby boy together, but Luis does not live to see him born because he fights in the Battle on San Jacinto, during which he is killed. Amanda gives birth to their son, naming him Louis Kent, in honor of his deceased father.

The second half takes place in San Francisco, during that time period, known as Yerba Buena. There she raises Louis, and at the same time runs a small Tavern. Later on Amanda learns that her late fathers firm Kent and Son's, originally founded by Phillip Kent, is still in operation, bought out by an old enemy, Hamilton Stovall. Hoping to buy back the company for the family heritage, Amanda becomes obsessed and at the same time obtaining the California Gold Rush, which provides her the means to return to her homeland.

With the beginning of the Gold Rush, Amanda expands her Tavern into a hotel and because many came seeking the gold, the new establishment made Amanda a great deal of money.

In another half of the story we are introduced to Jephtha Kent, son of Jared Kent, Amanda's cousin. Jephtha's presence in the story is largely confined to his diary entries that appear throughout the book. Jared wanted Jephtha to remain with him in the West, but he moves to Lexington, Virginia, to become a Methodist Minister, and in his Diary entries we learn of his Gold mining venture.

The Saga really begins to expand with this book, new characters and new layouts! A must-read for History lovers!!

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 would not recommend this series, save book #4, which was excellent. I loved the heroine of Amanda more than all of the rest of the family combined, and I was rooting for her all the way.

4.5. My favorite of the series so far!

4.5***

The Kent family has entered into its third American generation and Amanda Kent shows that not only the men are daring and brave. Texas fights for its independence from Mexico and Amanda witnesses both the atrocities and glories of war. This is the only John Jake’s novel (and I've read almost all of them) that has a woman as the main character. The gold rush and immigration westward to California and the Pacific coast are related in thrilling and picturesque prose. That makes this volume unique as does the period of American history. Much is written in or about the time of the American Revolution and American Civil War. This book fits nicely between the two. Much was accomplished in this time but tends to be overshadowed by the war preceding and following. A great read in the John Jake’s tradition.

The sweeping historical scene and extremely vivid - and complex - characters are the highlights of this book. The main character, Amanda, is fierce. However the fact that Jakes insists in having one or more of the female characters be raped, sometimes horrifically, in every book is quite off putting. Jakes does a fantastic job of creating complex and compelling stories, but the sexual assault and his constant need to constantly kick in the teeth such few of the main characters as are likeable - many of the main characters are not remotely sympathetic and there is precious little redemption - makes me really hesitate to recommend these books.

I keep reading the series. The history is good. There are interesting characters but sometimes the characters, frequently the characters, do something which seems out of character and stupid and plain wrong. The author was just trying to add something interesting and dramatic.
The characters are not "heroic". You might say that is realistic. Humans aren't really heroic. But also they aren't just plain idiots.

The whiplash between the main characters doing things which are heroic and noble and then proceeding to be stupid and malevolent just to give the story a twist. That gets really tiring.

Added 7/30/12.
Finished this book in September 2012. A good read.
I loved meeting the historic characters in this book of historical fiction.
While the book was not as compelling as some other books I've read, I always enjoyed going back to where I left off.
On to the next book in the series, The Titans!

Yay, this one was really good. A female as the central character! She takes charge!

Side note: All this leisurely reading--I must have a paper due on Friday.

Great read!

Excellent

When I was growing up, many people I knew were reading the Kent Family Chronicles, which was written by John Jakes as a celebration of the American bicentennial. Last year, I confessed to my wife that I had never read any of the eight books in this series. She promptly called me a literary boor. Which is a very accurate statement related to my lack of interest in reading as a younger person. To atone for my prior literary sins, I felt it was appropriate to check out the Kent Family chronicles to see what I was missing. And I have to say – shame on me for never reading any of these amazing books. I started the Bastard (Book 1) last spring and made my way through each one over the last few months. I can’t believe what I missed out on. I just finished The Furies which tells the story of Amanda Kent and her survival of the Battle of the Alamo, her relocation to California to capitalize on the Gold Rush and her subsequent move to New York City to reclaim her grandfather’s printing business in the 1850s. The title “The Furies” is particularly appropriate because Amanda Kent is a woman who will not be deterred…from anything. She is a fascinating character who is conflicted in a way that parallels America’s division leading up to the Civil War. The fury with which Amanda pursues what she believes is rightly hers is both her biggest strength and her weakness. This mirrors the fury and passion that divided America over slavery. When Amanda questions whether war would break out over slavery, one of the characters responds, “I sometimes think we were immortal fools to start this country with a revolution. It’s helped put a stamp of respectability on violence ever since.”

Overall, The Furies is a beautifully written novel that both envelopes the reader into a compelling plot and at the same time, teaches some American history. The characters in the book encounter real persons of history such as General Santa Anna and Frederick Douglass, among others, which draw the reader into the historical milieu of that time. I felt like I was transported back into the mid 19th century with a front row seat to observe all that happened from Texas’ independence from Mexico to the California Gold Rush to precipice of the Civil War. It’s one thing to write about history, it’s another thing to develop a compelling plot and characters that move through that history. I can’t say enough good things about this book and the series. The only downside is that you really shouldn’t start this series with anything other than The Bastard. I mean, you could, but I wouldn’t recommend it. The context from the first three books are most helpful in framing what happens in The Furies. Besides, the first three books, (The Bastard, The Rebels, and the Seekers) are also amazing. If you are a fan of historical fiction, do yourself a favor and dive into the Kent Family Chronicles – it is a journey through American history that is compelling with some unforgettable characters that put the “fun” in dysfunctional family dynamics.

Favorite quote: “The family,” he finished. “I guess I’ll never appreciate what that family means to you. But I’ll say this and be done. A family feeling as strong as yours is a curse, not a blessing.” “You’re wrong,” Amanda said. “It’s both.”

Picking up approximately 20 years after The Seekers ended, this book starts with a narrative of Amanda and what happened to her/who she became after being abducted from her beloved cousin, Jared. Following mostly Amanda throughout her life, and a distant relative of hers, Jeptha Kent, this novel in the series covers the Texan fight for independence, Californian gold rush and the beginnings of abolitionism and State strife. The past is never far from the present with the Kent family and the struggles to survive and recover some of the reputation that they had during the Revolutionary era remain.

Most of the novels in the Kent family series have revolved around the men of the family; this novel is a pleasant divergence. While Anne Ware (Phillip’s wife) was a strong female, she wasn’t a main character/narrator. Amanda really takes the reins of this story and makes the chapters that revolve around her distant cousin, Jeptha seem to take forever. A compelling character, she is a survivor and is not to be underestimated. I really enjoyed her story and admire her even though she is “just a character”. Women like her shaped this country (the US) in more ways than are known and without them the US wouldn’t be the country it is today. This was a very compelling story and I am excited to see what lies in store for Louis and the remaining Kent family members.

This was my favourite book of The Kent Family Chronicles so far, I loved it. Amanda Kent de la Gura was a fascinating, ruthless and engaging character and I deeply cared for her and her story. No Kent story is without it's tragedy and setback and Amanda suffers from many of these, however she works single mindedly throughout the narrative at restoring her family legacy and by the end of the novel, the Kent Family is back to their rightful place. The reliance on rape as a plot point is also much smaller in this book than in the last (thankfully so), though there is one in the last third of the book. However, Louis Kent suffers grave consequences for his actions unlike characters in previous volumes.

This book covers the period roughly from 1836-1852 and once again our characters meet many of the famous figures of American history. I felt for the most part that Jakes relied less on these famous figure cameos in this book, especially as we got deeper into the narrative (although there was a gratuitous cameo by Lt. William Sherman in California). This was the most compelling Kent Family book yet and I am sad to be leaving Amanda behind. Our characters are facing the looming darkness of the Civil War and I look forward to following Louis, Jeptha and Michael Boyle in the next volume.

After reading Book III of the Kent Family Chronicles, I was feeling a bit drained and somewhat dreading beginning this fourth installment. The previous book felt extremely dark and had themes that were difficult to handle. I was pleasantly surprised by this story which follows the life of Amanda Kent.

Amanda is an amazingly strong female character within the Kent Family who has undergone many dark struggles including living through rape, being sold off as a wife, losing a husband she loved, and surviving through the Alamo. Her dream in life is to see the Kent legacy grow once again. Amanda’s determination and strength were inspiring as a character and it was captivating to read about her life.

If I had any major complaints about this book it would be that Jared’s branch of the family felt underdeveloped. Jared went from being a main character to just a side plot and, though Amanda’s story was more engaging than his would have been, it just felt as if his character and descendants had been tossed aside.

Of the 4 books I have completed, this was my second favorite. I am excited to begin the 5th installment of the series.

A better book than the last in the series as it had a more complete storyline covering the life of Amanda Kent. An important issue was resolved from the last book, namely dealing with Hamilton Stovall, who had damaged Amanda’s cousin Jared. The book could be a little melodramatic, particularly at the end as Amanda hides a runaway slave from the father-in-law of Jeptha Kent, while confronting Stovall and a mob of Irish gangsters in New York all at the same time...but it was nothing if not exciting!

The story starts out in Texas during the siege of the Alamo, which Amanda, of course, experiences, but it was interesting to get a little more of the background of that event in American history. The growing division between the north and the south is also an important part of the story, including some debates prior to the civil war, such as the arguments around allowing new states into the union, including Texas and California, as either slave or free and the creation of the fugitive slave law as a compromise to keep the country out of war, woven into the story well.

I look forward to the next installment in the saga.

(4.4) This book does a great job following Amanda Kent from her time as the Indian time to the Alamo and Mexican War then out to California as right before the gold rush where she meets back up with her long lost cousin Jared. Jared dies from being shot but not before giving her his stake in the gold. She takes the money out east to buy back the printing company and finds out that her grandfather (Philip Kent) passed down his investment with Rotham to his son (Gil, Amanda's father). Amanda finds out she has millions and tries to use that to gain back Kent & Son printing press from the evil man who swindled it all those years ago. She also hides a runaway slave as the fugitive slave law is passed and tensions between north and south are really heating up. In the end, she shoots the bad man and is shot herself by men who came to burn her place down (after hearing about her aiding the runaway slave). She leaves behind her son Louis (whom she had with a Mexican soldier) in the care of Michael (an irishman she hired to settle her affairs) and Jared's son, Jephtha (a pastor in hiding because he is against slavery).

My husband, his aunt and I read this whole series during the 1970's when they first came out - all three of us would read them in less then a weekend and couldn't wait for the next one to come out. They were so very good you felt like you were right there living the story with them!
"Amanda Kent heads west to build a family dynasty in the era of the Gold Rush.
Opening twenty-two years after the events of The Seekers, John Jakes’s fourth Kent Family novel spans the blood-soaked era of America’s relentless expansion into the West. Amanda Kent, daughter of Gilbert Kent and Harriet Lebow, is one of the few women to escape the massacre at the Battle of the Alamo. Uncommonly brazen and focused, Amanda seeks to make a new life for herself by restoring the Kent family name. Her efforts to build a dynasty take her to northern California, just in time for the Gold Rush. Her passion and determination during these frenzied years make The Furies an exhilarating page-turner."

Read the first 3 books in this series... and this one is a Did Not Finish for me. Last book left off when the main character of this book, Amanda, was about 11 years old (or 12 or 13, I'm not sure). The usual horrific rape scene in that last book... and now here we are, Amanda is grown, and AT THE ALAMO. Okay, I've read a lot of these books and can usually deal with the fact that the main characters are always at pivotal historical events, but Amanda grown at AT THE ALAMO... I'm sorry, that's just one too many preposterous events for me. I'm giving this series a rest for now. I can already see where this is going... she's going to be abducted by the Mexican army, undoubtedly raped again, etc. etc. Maybe I'll come back to this series at some point down the road, but for now, I'm out. Giving 2 stars, but my rating is a moot point, because of the DNF.

The Furies is the continuation of the story of the Kent family. The very beginning takes place at the final stage of the seige of the Alamo. So very sad. My goodness did Amanda Kent lead a very interesting and episodic life. So much happens to her. From her time with the Indigenous people, to her life with a trapper, as a brothel madam, the Alamo, with the Mexican army, San Francisco gold strike times to New York city so much to read about. Her cousin, Jared's son, so sad. Hope it works out for him in the next book. Who knows what will happen to Louis and Michael. It is great how the story goes full circle in starting with a siege and ending with one. Like how the reader finds out what happens to many of the older characters such as Jared Kent, Bart McGill and evil Mr Stovall. A good summer read.

My favorite of the series so far. I especially liked Jared and Amanda, the cousins who lost one another, but then reconnected. The book mainly centered around Amanda beginning at the Alamo, and following her to California and then back to New England. She was a strong, gutsy woman, and I was sad when the book (and Amanda) ended.
Unfortunately, the next book in the series focuses on two characters, Jeptha, the son of Jared, and Louis, Amanda's son. I don't really care for either one of them. Jeptha is too preachy and his speech is too flowery, while Louis is a non-feeling, noncaring jackass. I tried to read the first twenty pages but had to put it down for this reason - plus I was still mourning Amanda. I certainly hope the Titans improves, but don't plan to pick up the series until the fall.... time for easy, breezy, summer reading.

As far as quality of writing goes, this is a 5 star book. I highly recommend it to fans of historical fiction. I didn't know it was part of a series and I was not lost for not having read the first book, so it's a great standalone story, covering a lot of the time and territory and social circles of early America, from war in Texas to the California gold rush, to the rich elite on the east coast grappling with the concept of liberty and justice for all, including black people, Irish immigrants, and women. I personally didn't need all the sex scenes, particularly the rape scene near the end, though it wasn't graphic and was portrayed as a horrible thing to do, but those are easy enough to skim past.

The eight-volume epic of the Kent family continues as a new generation struggles to survive within a nation rife with conflict. Amanda Kent was a woman of great courage, but nothing prepared her for the massacre she witnessed at the Alamo. Now she's returned to Boston to rebuild the Kent legacy. But the man who stole the family publishing business stands in her way. There are many subplots in this saga. Suffice it to say that this book deals with her struggles and also notes the final days of her cousin Jared with whom she is reunited only briefly. She and Jared each have a son to carry on the legacy.

3.5 stars. Book Four in the Kent Family Chronicles series, which spans the years from the Alamo through the Gold Rush and ends just before the Civil War. Once again Jakes delivers an entertaining and well-written tale where fictional characters serendipitously come into contact with real American heroes all while maintaining a high degree of historical accuracy in the telling of the events. And, with a strong female lead, this may be my favorite story in the series so far.

Consistent with my past reviews, I would recommend this series to those who enjoy history or epic novels, but caution that there is a fair amount of violence.

I’ve loved almost every JJ book I’ve read, but in this one, he makes his “strong female” lead be governed by only her emotions. She makes rash and stupid decisions that lead to hurt and hardship for others. I didn’t love what he made Amanda Kent into.
Also didn’t love how Jared was the main character in the previous book, only to be all but entirely left out of this one. It tells nothing of his story growing up into the man he became, and then when he does show up, he’s gone again almost immediately.

Overall, a pretty engrossing book and a good story, but I didn’t love the way the characters went and found their arcs a little cheap.

Another volume in American history

I enjoy this series because I want to read more historical fiction. The characters and story are great and I want to see what happens with the family. Had some great events from history. The problems I had were with the main character to be a strong woman shouldn't mean they have to have so many male characteristics. Also I don't understand the need to be well known. I guess my family didn't put so much steak in preserving our name but my complaints are minor overall I like it.

This has been my favorite book in the series so far. I have read that Amanda seems to be the Kent that readers like the most. I will say she reminded me very much of her great-grandmother Marie Charboneau - focused on one goal that is for her son, a child out of wedlock, and a scandalous career. I found this story to be very engaging and an enjoyable read. I even shed some tears at the ending.

Even though the Kents frustrate me tremendously, I am really enjoying this series. I have already started book 5. I love the history behind everything. There are times when I want to give up because I don't understand how one family has so many dysfunctional people in it. There are some good traits though. They aren't all bad. I just enjoy the fact it is helping me learn some history I never new.