John Jakes is known for his historical fiction. He crafted sprawling family sagas. These sagas often unfolded against the backdrop of significant moments in American history. You might recall the drama of the Civil War in *North and South*.
Or perhaps you remember the early days of the nation in * The Kent Family Chronicles*. If you enjoy authors with a similar feel for historical storytelling on a grand scale, here are some authors to explore.
If you enjoy historical fiction by John Jakes, you might appreciate author Jeff Shaara. Shaara skillfully combines historical accuracy with vivid storytelling in novels such as “Gods and Generals.”
This book explores the early years of the American Civil War from the viewpoints of influential figures like Robert E. Lee, Stonewall Jackson, and Joshua Chamberlain. Shaara’s storytelling weaves personal struggles and pivotal battles into a dramatic narrative.
Readers get a detailed look at the hardship, bravery, and complexities faced by these historical personalities on both sides of the conflict.
If you enjoy historical sagas by John Jakes, you might also appreciate the novels of James Michener. Michener masterfully tells stories spanning vast periods, often centered around specific places or regions.
In “Chesapeake,” he traces generations of families through centuries along Maryland’s Chesapeake Bay. Through multiple generations of settlers, farmers, sailors, and merchants, Michener weaves fictional personal histories into real events.
Readers experience the conflicts, ambitions, and struggles of families who shape—and are shaped by—their environment. The novel richly captures early colonial settlement, conflicts with Native American tribes, slavery, wars, and family legacies.
Michener creates a vivid narrative that makes history personal and memorable.
If you enjoy historical fiction by John Jakes, then Bernard Cornwell could be a great author to try next. Cornwell is known for action-packed storytelling and vivid portrayals of historical events.
His novel “The Last Kingdom” kicks off an exciting series set during the Viking invasion of Britain. The story follows Uhtred, a Saxon noble captured as a boy by Danish warriors.
Uhtred grows up torn between his Saxon heritage and Viking upbringing, facing tough choices about loyalty, power, and survival.
Cornwell’s attention to detail makes ninth-century England come alive, combining historical accuracy and dynamic characters into a memorable reading experience.
Ken Follett is an author known for epic historical tales filled with adventure and richly detailed characters. Readers who enjoyed John Jakes’ expansive narratives of American history may appreciate Follett’s storytelling style.
One of his best-known novels is “The Pillars of the Earth,” which follows the fortunes and struggles of a community in twelfth-century England. At its heart is the building of an ambitious cathedral, an enormous task marred by politics, sabotage, and human drama.
Follett weaves together religion, power plays, romance, and social upheaval into an absorbing tale set against the vivid backdrop of medieval life.
Edward Rutherfurd is a historical novelist known for expansive family sagas rich in detail and drama. If you’re a fan of John Jakes’ sweeping tales, Rutherfurd’s “Sarum” may catch your eye.
This epic novel spans thousands of years and several generations, centered around Salisbury, England. Readers witness the construction of Stonehenge, follow medieval knights, and see the struggles and triumphs of families throughout history.
With vivid characters and historical events, Rutherfurd brings the past alive in a style fans of John Jakes might appreciate.
Books by Herman Wouk often bring history to life with memorable characters and drama.
Readers who enjoyed American historical fiction by John Jakes might find in Wouk another author who blends vivid storytelling with thoughtful explorations of human character amid historical events.
His novel “The Winds of War” follows the Henry family, an American naval family stationed in various places around the globe, as World War II erupts. Wouk immerses readers in the family’s personal struggles and ambitions, in settings from Washington, DC to Nazi Germany.
The story examines both global conflict and intimate family tensions, creating a narrative that is both emotionally powerful and historically rich.
Gore Vidal was an American author famous for sharp wit, historical depth, and unapologetic portrayals of American life. If you enjoy John Jakes’ detailed storytelling and rich American settings, Vidal’s novel “Lincoln” might interest you.
The book is part of Vidal’s American Chronicles series, and it explores Abraham Lincoln’s presidency during the turbulent years of the Civil War.
Vidal portrays Lincoln as a complex, deeply human character who navigates politics, war, and personal tragedy with honesty and conviction. The dialogue sparkles, the historical backdrop feels vivid and real, and Vidal keeps readers deeply engaged until the very end.
Readers who admire John Jakes and his engaging tales of history and adventure might also enjoy Howard Fast. Fast was an American author known for novels rich with historical detail, memorable characters, and thoughtful storytelling.
His novel “April Morning” centers around a young man’s experience during the Battle of Lexington in the American Revolution. As fifteen-year-old Adam Cooper joins the battle, he faces the turmoil of war and the realities of adulthood.
The story vividly brings to life the courage, loss, and personal growth amid a critical historical moment. Fans of John Jakes’s historical fiction would appreciate Fast’s authentic depiction of people caught in events larger than themselves.
Shelby Foote was an American historian and novelist known for making history feel immediate and personal through vivid storytelling and well-paced narratives. Readers who enjoy historical fiction by John Jakes may appreciate Foote’s nonfiction work, “The Civil War: A Narrative.”
This three-volume series brings the American Civil War to life by weaving together perspectives of soldiers, generals, politicians, and everyday citizens. Foote’s writing captures the human emotions and drama beneath major historical events.
He describes battles like Gettysburg and Antietam with clarity and detail, immerses readers in military strategy, and pays close attention to personal struggles on both sides of the conflict.
His storytelling creates a sense of intimacy with historical figures, allowing readers to experience the war through their eyes.
Readers who enjoyed John Jakes and his detailed portrayals of historical family dramas may appreciate Colleen McCullough’s work.
Her novel “The Thorn Birds” focuses on the lives of the Cleary family in 20th-century Australia, tracking their hardships, conflicts, and deep-seated secrets over multiple generations.
At its center stands the ambitious priest Ralph de Bricassart, whose complicated bond with the Cleary daughter, Meggie, shapes the family’s destiny and offers readers a narrative rich in emotional complexity and vivid historical detail.
Penelope Williamson is an author known for historical novels rich with vivid detail, a flair for drama, and characters that feel thoroughly real. Readers who enjoy John Jakes’ historical epics could easily connect with Williamson’s “The Outsider.”
This novel is set in Montana during the late 1800s, and it centers around Rachel Yoder, a widow within a strict Amish community. Her life takes an unexpected turn when an injured outsider named Johnny Cain appears near her farm.
Cain, with his mysterious past as a gunfighter and outlaw, unsettles Rachel’s peaceful existence as he heals under her care.
The interaction between Rachel’s deep-rooted beliefs and Cain’s world-weary skepticism creates fascinating tension, challenging their separate definitions of faith, love, and redemption.
Williamson carefully crafts a story that explores powerful emotions and ethical dilemmas against a genuine historical setting. Fans of John Jakes’ broad-sweeping historical storytelling might find Penelope Williamson’s style and subject matter truly rewarding.
Sara Donati is an author of historical fiction whose richly detailed storytelling and robust characters will appeal to fans of John Jakes. Her novel “Into the Wilderness” brings readers to the late 18th-century frontier in upstate New York.
Elizabeth Middleton, an independent-minded Englishwoman, arrives to settle in the wilderness amidst tensions between settlers, indigenous tribes, and the aftermath of the Revolutionary War.
As she adjusts to frontier life and confronts local politics and prejudices, Elizabeth becomes entwined romantically and politically with Nathaniel Bonner, a rugged frontiersman with strong Native American ties.
The novel vividly portrays frontier hardships, cultural clashes, and romance, set against sweeping historical events.
Readers who enjoy the historical drama and vivid storytelling of John Jakes may also appreciate Philippa Gregory. Her novels often focus on fascinating figures from English history, especially women caught in political struggles and complex family rivalries.
In “The Other Boleyn Girl,” Gregory takes readers into the Tudor court through Mary Boleyn, the lesser-known sister of Anne Boleyn.
Mary finds herself entangled in the dangerous intrigue of King Henry VIII’s attention, torn between loyalty to her ambitious family and her own desires.
Gregory immerses readers in the emotional tension, betrayal, and rivalry at the heart of one of the most notorious periods in English history.
Diana Gabaldon is an author who crafts vivid novels blending historical fiction and adventure, similar to John Jakes. In “Outlander,” Gabaldon takes readers on an unforgettable journey with Claire Randall, a World War II nurse transported to 18th-century Scotland.
Caught amidst clan conflicts and political intrigue, Claire meets Jamie Fraser, a Highland warrior whose courage and loyalty shape her new life.
Gabaldon fills each page with richly detailed scenes, characters with depth, and historical accuracy, making “Outlander” a captivating read for anyone who enjoys epic storytelling of courage, love, and survival.
Readers who enjoy historical fiction by John Jakes might find Taylor Caldwell’s novels equally satisfying. Caldwell weaves rich historical detail into her stories, bringing to life eras of both triumph and hardship.
Her book “Captains and the Kings” is a powerful saga about the immigrant Joseph Francis Xavier Armagh, who arrives penniless in America during the mid-19th century but rises swiftly to wealth and political influence.
The novel chronicles his ambition, struggles, family drama, and moral choices in a rapidly changing America. Caldwell offers vivid characters and dramatic storytelling that capture all the passion, tension, and drama readers have appreciated in Jakes’ works.