Charleston

“Sure to lure readers…[a] masterly tale…[an] extraordinary family…during the most violent era of Charleston's history.”

—
The Washington Post

“John Jakes has been called the ‘godfather of historical novelists,' and his latest novel,
Charleston,
combines those elements he knows so well: the cruel conflicts within a family, revenge mixed with love, and a family intrigue that stretches across sweeping historical events…a great read…fascinating historical anecdotes…well worth burning the late-night oil to enjoy.”

—
The Charleston Post and Courier

“For a combination of American history and an entertaining story, it's hard to surpass John Jakes…. Jakes fills his story with the rich details and little snippets of history that keep the pages turning in this five-hundred-page novel.”

—
The Sunday Oklahoman

“The author focuses on all levels of Southern society—the belles at their balls, the cowards and patriots—and shapes vengeance and melodrama with great force…. Popular historical fiction at its most readable.”

—
Kirkus Reviews

“Captivating…. A review can't adequately describe the sweeping scope of
Charleston
and the many characters that Jakes weaves together to tell his tale. The book is a great read and a wonderful escape.”

—
The Chattanooga Times

“The author, considered by many to be America's greatest writer of historical fiction, makes Charleston, SC, and its people come alive in a story that spans from the American Revolution through the rise and fall of the Confederacy.”

—
The Stuart News/Port St. Lucie News

“A dark tapestry of betrayal, revenge, and murder…. Fans of Jakes's earlier hits should find plenty of drama and antebellum flavor in this lusty epic.”

—
Publishers Weekly

“Jakes's attention to historical detail is ever present, and readers will emerge from this tale knowing Charleston, and the United States, better than they previously had…. Through war, love, murder, heroism, and deception, Jakes unveils one of the South's most fascinating locales as it sheds the chains of the past and emerges into the modern world.”

—
Tulsa World

“A fascinating history in humanized terms, something Jakes does masterfully and accessibly…. It is the action of this roiling history—loyalist against patriot, Confederate and Unionist, white and black alike—that will ignite the imagination of most readers…and place this novel high on bestseller lists. Readers will discover along the way, however, that they are learning some genuine history in painless ways. And not just in the broad outline, but in hundreds of small details…. Thank you, John Jakes.”

—
The State
(Columbia, SC)

“Jakes is one of our finest storytellers, and his passion for historical accuracy makes him one of our most authentic, as well. With the gifts he has demonstrated in such classics as the
North and South Trilogy, California Gold,
and
On Secret Service,
he paints an unforgettable portrait of the most beautiful city in the South.”

—
The Island Packet

“As he does so well, Jakes creates a set of charming, diabolical, and memorable characters and weaves their story into the tapestry of American history….
Charleston
paints a fascinating picture of one of the country's most historically significant cities and engrosses the reader with the bittersweet saga of the Bell family. Meticulous research, a Jakes hallmark, is evident throughout…. Jakes does not disappoint with this latest endeavor. Longtime fans and newly appointed readers alike will be held spellbound by his attention to historical detail and his undisputed talent for storytelling.”

—
Hilton Head Monthly

“The story is reminiscent of the author's previous Civil War saga,
North and South,
which is to say it's an excellent, enthralling story….
Charleston
is the Civil War in the South in microcosm. As such, it explores many of the issues that led the country to war and also shines a harsh light on those who profited from the hardships and deprivations suffered by the residents of Charleston.”

—
The Historical Novels Review

“John Jakes…has produced another wonderful volume…. Very fast-paced…. Jakes has written another winner and this reviewer recommends his work.”

—
The Civil War News

“John Jakes is the best historical novelist of our time.”

—Patricia Cornwell

“John Jakes is the godfather of historical novelists.”

—
Los Angeles Times

“Jakes's bent for historical accuracy is unmatched in commercial fiction.”

—
San Francisco Chronicle

“He is, quite simply, a master of the ancient art of storytelling.”

—
The New York Times Book Review

“Jakes shows you what people wore, what they read, and what they drank and ate…. What you get is the feeling that this is
life
. That's art.”

—
Chicago Sun-Times

“Jakes has few peers.”

—
Detroit Free Press

“It's been said before, but it can't be said enough—John Jakes makes history come alive, makes it stir your blood and excite your senses.”

—Nelson DeMille

ON SECRET SERVICE*

CALIFORNIA GOLD*

THE BOLD FRONTIER*

The Crown Family Saga

AMERICAN DREAMS*

HOMELAND*

The North and South Trilogy

NORTH AND SOUTH*

LOVE AND WAR*

HEAVEN AND HELL*

The Kent Family Chronicles

THE BASTARD

THE REBELS

THE SEEKERS

THE FURIES

THE TITANS

THE WARRIORS

THE LAWLESS

THE AMERICANS

*Published by Signet

SIGNET

Published by New American Library, a division of

Penguin Group (USA) Inc., 375 Hudson Street,

New York, New York 10014, U.S.A.

Penguin Books Ltd, 80 Strand,

London WC2R 0RL, England

Penguin Books Australia Ltd, 250 Camberwell Road,

Camberwell, Victoria 3124, Australia

Penguin Books Canada Ltd, 10 Alcorn Avenue,

Toronto, Ontario, Canada M4V 3B2

Penguin Books (N.Z.) Ltd, Cnr Rosedale and Airborne Roads,

Albany, Auckland 1310, New Zealand

Penguin Books Ltd, Registered Offices:

80 Strand, London WC2R 0RL, England

Published by Signet, an imprint of New American Library, a division of Penguin Group (USA) Inc. Previously published in a Dutton edition.

ISBN: 978-1-1012-0964-6

Copyright © John Jakes, 2002

Maps by Jeffrey L. Ward

All rights reserved

REGISTERED TRADEMARK—MARCA REGISTRADA

Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise), without the prior written permission of both the copyright owner and the above publisher of this book.

PUBLISHER'S NOTE

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

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In memory of two good friends at
The University of South Carolina

DR. GEORGE C. ROGERS, JR.
Department of History

DR. GEORGE TERRY
Thomas Cooper Library

The scholarship of George Rogers
drew me to South Carolina's dramatic past.
The library directed by George Terry
helped me study it.
I hope both of them might have liked
this retelling of some of that history.