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The Kincaids
The classic, Golden Spur Award-winning novel of a man, a family, and a nation.
He came off the a buffalo hunter, a gambler, a loner. In Abilene he won a saloon at cards, and earned the fear of a lawless town. From then on, Jake Kincaid would not be stopped. He began a rampage of ambition and deal-making that forever changed a land called Kansas and the Indian Territories. But along the way the deeds and misdeeds of Jake Kincaid affected more than the frontier-- they shaped the lives of his two sons. One who became a lawman. One who became an outlaw. Both destined to come face-to-face behind blazing guns...
From Wild Bill Hickok to the Dolan outlaw gang to Teddy Roosevelt's Rough Riders, The Kincaids tells the classic saga of America at its most adventurous-- through the eyes of three generations who made laws, broke laws, and became legends in their time.
He came off the a buffalo hunter, a gambler, a loner. In Abilene he won a saloon at cards, and earned the fear of a lawless town. From then on, Jake Kincaid would not be stopped. He began a rampage of ambition and deal-making that forever changed a land called Kansas and the Indian Territories. But along the way the deeds and misdeeds of Jake Kincaid affected more than the frontier-- they shaped the lives of his two sons. One who became a lawman. One who became an outlaw. Both destined to come face-to-face behind blazing guns...
From Wild Bill Hickok to the Dolan outlaw gang to Teddy Roosevelt's Rough Riders, The Kincaids tells the classic saga of America at its most adventurous-- through the eyes of three generations who made laws, broke laws, and became legends in their time.
- GenresWesterns
518 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published April 30, 1976
About the author
Matt Braun
113 books46 followersMatt Braun is an author of fifty-six books, most of which are in the Western genre and has over 40 million copies in print.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
April 3, 2019
Excellent historical fiction.
March 28, 2026
The ambitious buffalo hunter Jake Kincaid arrives in the cowtown of Abilene, Kansas in 1871 and figures out how he's going to make his fortune. He turns a well-positioned gambling hall into an attraction for travelers and cattle punchers with liquor and honest gambling. Upon marrying the saloon girl Sadie he pivots to land speculation around Wichita ahead of the railroad expansion.
"The Kincaids" (1976) is basically a history of the post-Civil War West, specifically Kansas and Oklahoma 1871-1924, so let's say from the late-cattle-drive days to the oil boom and Prohibition eras, told from the perspective of three generations of the Kincaid family. It won the 1976 Spur Award for best historical novel.
This epic story begins with two hundred long mostly boring pages of almost-textbookish relations of events like land speculation, politics, grifting schemes, and business deals around interpersonal conversations and internal monologuing, with the force of nature Jake Kincaid holding a sheer contempt for other people as he acquires his vast fortune. It set me in an early state of wishing Jake Kincaid would just enter ruin and disfavor but no such luck. Eventually it becomes obvious that is the author's intent; we're seeing Braun argue that without unscrupulous, ambitious, forceful people with foresight, there'd have been no progress, and morality be damned. Gordon Gecko of the West.
It is telling that in one early moment the ambitious Jake tells us that the fountainhead of power is making one's will the will of all men in his sphere of influence. That stuck out for me because I recently finished Ayn Rand's "Fountainhead" in which she argued via her protagonist Howard Roark that the fountainhead of success and contentment is complete self-determination - not needing any effort, pity, favor, help, or even compliments from others. By contrast, Kincaid isn't a hero; he's a manipulative unscrupulous bully leech who prospers off the hard work of others, and an irredeemably unrelatable one at that. This isn't a bad guy you'll root for... but his son Owen might be.
On that score, differing opinions and more interesting narratives carry the second half when we see how Jake's sons Owen and Brad turn out, and then Owen's son Morgan and daughter Beth.
Verdict: An interesting historical fiction epic with some classic stubborn western characters with more modern sensibilities, honest discussions of morality and obligations, with a rough first half that had me tempted to quit but a final third that nicely rounded out a meaningful family legacy story.
Jeff's Rating: 3 / 5 (Good)
movie rating if made into a movie: R
"The Kincaids" (1976) is basically a history of the post-Civil War West, specifically Kansas and Oklahoma 1871-1924, so let's say from the late-cattle-drive days to the oil boom and Prohibition eras, told from the perspective of three generations of the Kincaid family. It won the 1976 Spur Award for best historical novel.
This epic story begins with two hundred long mostly boring pages of almost-textbookish relations of events like land speculation, politics, grifting schemes, and business deals around interpersonal conversations and internal monologuing, with the force of nature Jake Kincaid holding a sheer contempt for other people as he acquires his vast fortune. It set me in an early state of wishing Jake Kincaid would just enter ruin and disfavor but no such luck. Eventually it becomes obvious that is the author's intent; we're seeing Braun argue that without unscrupulous, ambitious, forceful people with foresight, there'd have been no progress, and morality be damned. Gordon Gecko of the West.
It is telling that in one early moment the ambitious Jake tells us that the fountainhead of power is making one's will the will of all men in his sphere of influence. That stuck out for me because I recently finished Ayn Rand's "Fountainhead" in which she argued via her protagonist Howard Roark that the fountainhead of success and contentment is complete self-determination - not needing any effort, pity, favor, help, or even compliments from others. By contrast, Kincaid isn't a hero; he's a manipulative unscrupulous bully leech who prospers off the hard work of others, and an irredeemably unrelatable one at that. This isn't a bad guy you'll root for... but his son Owen might be.
On that score, differing opinions and more interesting narratives carry the second half when we see how Jake's sons Owen and Brad turn out, and then Owen's son Morgan and daughter Beth.
Verdict: An interesting historical fiction epic with some classic stubborn western characters with more modern sensibilities, honest discussions of morality and obligations, with a rough first half that had me tempted to quit but a final third that nicely rounded out a meaningful family legacy story.
Jeff's Rating: 3 / 5 (Good)
movie rating if made into a movie: R
August 19, 2018
“The Kincaids,” as suggested by its title, is a family saga, and having been written by Matt Braun, is of course set in the American West. Braun is a writer of Westerns, but “The Kincaids” is more specifically a novel set in the West; those expecting a “traditional” action-packed, shoot-'em-up Western would likely be disappointed.
Oh, there’s a little gunplay in the Golden Spur Award-winning “The Kincaids,” but an action novel this is not. It is a sprawling, multigenerational look at the family of the title, a book spanning 50-plus years and 600-plus pages, taking us from young Jake Kincaid’s buffalo hunting days in the 1870s into the 1920s. Jake wins himself a Kansas saloon in a card game, starting a long career of sometimes ruthless ambition as he collects power, land and money.
In “The Kincaids,” Braun gives us not only a compelling story of Jake, those in his orbit and his progeny, but a slice of the history of Kansas and the Oklahoma territory (and eventual state), a novel that encompasses railroad wheeling and dealing, land grabs, the oil boom, cattle towns, political scheming, very civilized Indians, the “Sooner” land rush in Oklahoma and the advent of automobiles and the roaring '20s in the American West.
Jake’s son Owen becomes a lawman, son Brad an outlaw. Both chafe against Jake’s domineering ways. As time marches on, Owen’s rebellious son, Morg, plays a large role as he takes up with an older man in pursuit of oil riches in the Oklahoma black-gold boom.
Braun takes great pains to put us there in the unfolding history of the area; much of the book feels like slowly building social history of life in Kansas and Oklahoma in the late 1800s into the 1920s — specifically how the towns grew, how the land was "tamed," how family dynasties were built — with more specific scenes of the Kincaids’ life sprinkled in among the lessons. Braun certainly puts you there, though at times you want a little more insight into the Kincaids.
So while “action” is rare, the world-building usually takes up the slack, and the narrative seldom drags despite its size.
Most significantly for a book of this length, “The Kincaids” is very well written. Those with an image of Braun as merely a writer of a stream of Westerns might have their eyes opened. Of the extremely prolific Western authors, those whose credits take up an entire inside page, Braun is certainly a standout as a writer — if his prose doesn’t rank in the top three or four, I’ll eat my (ten-gallon) hat.
Oh, there’s a little gunplay in the Golden Spur Award-winning “The Kincaids,” but an action novel this is not. It is a sprawling, multigenerational look at the family of the title, a book spanning 50-plus years and 600-plus pages, taking us from young Jake Kincaid’s buffalo hunting days in the 1870s into the 1920s. Jake wins himself a Kansas saloon in a card game, starting a long career of sometimes ruthless ambition as he collects power, land and money.
In “The Kincaids,” Braun gives us not only a compelling story of Jake, those in his orbit and his progeny, but a slice of the history of Kansas and the Oklahoma territory (and eventual state), a novel that encompasses railroad wheeling and dealing, land grabs, the oil boom, cattle towns, political scheming, very civilized Indians, the “Sooner” land rush in Oklahoma and the advent of automobiles and the roaring '20s in the American West.
Jake’s son Owen becomes a lawman, son Brad an outlaw. Both chafe against Jake’s domineering ways. As time marches on, Owen’s rebellious son, Morg, plays a large role as he takes up with an older man in pursuit of oil riches in the Oklahoma black-gold boom.
Braun takes great pains to put us there in the unfolding history of the area; much of the book feels like slowly building social history of life in Kansas and Oklahoma in the late 1800s into the 1920s — specifically how the towns grew, how the land was "tamed," how family dynasties were built — with more specific scenes of the Kincaids’ life sprinkled in among the lessons. Braun certainly puts you there, though at times you want a little more insight into the Kincaids.
So while “action” is rare, the world-building usually takes up the slack, and the narrative seldom drags despite its size.
Most significantly for a book of this length, “The Kincaids” is very well written. Those with an image of Braun as merely a writer of a stream of Westerns might have their eyes opened. Of the extremely prolific Western authors, those whose credits take up an entire inside page, Braun is certainly a standout as a writer — if his prose doesn’t rank in the top three or four, I’ll eat my (ten-gallon) hat.
September 14, 2017
The Kincaids saga gives the reader a view of how the Kansas and Oklahoma were developed in the 1800's and up through the early twentieth century. Generations of this family move from homesteading to building the states. Braun brings history to life.
August 12, 2022
This novel comprises five volumes highlighting Jacob “Jake” Kincaid. Jake’s rise to riches and power is quite remarkable. His relationships show a deeply hidden passionate side. His audacity, perception, business, political knowledge, and uncanny luck made him a man to be reckoned with. He never did get over the death of his first wife, Sadie. Kincaid’s prized possession was the Kincaid Land Company, along with the impressive growth of the Santa Fe Railroad. Zolia Blair was Kincaid’s next love interest. The bid for The Kincaids of Kansas. After the State Gubernatorial defeat by the Reform Committee, Jake and Zolia relocate to Oklahoma. Oklahoma Territory 1889-1906; The Oklahoma Land Rush. Jake’s processes and procedures to create an empire had worked in Kansas. It will work here too. A history of the cattle empire in 1860+ Kansas. Like Abilene, Newton, and Witchita, Caldwell and Dodge City would be the last of the great cow towns. Soon to fade into history as the railroads moved further west.
Jake is losing his sons to resentment, and a change of heart; rebelled, openly defiant, and went their separate ways. He now ruled an empty castle. Brad Kincaid turned outlaw, and Owen Kincaid Deputy Federal Marshal was in the unique position of hunting his brother. Life had a grizzly sense of humor. But Owen wanted nothing to do with hunting his brother. He wanted Brad to give up before it was too late. Julia Web and Owen had a see-saw relationship going. Everything continues as the world spins. Jake Kincaid continues his bulldog act on Oklahoma. His sights were now set on political Oklahoma, as was Kansas once upon a time. Jake was also becoming interested in oil. The demise of the Dolan Gang eventually settles Owen’s dilemma once and for all, but not his conscience.
The Battle of San Juan Hill was a major battle of the Spanish–American War in 1898. Owen returns home wounded after performing his service in the war. Oil has come to Oklahoma! The major oil companies swooped in, steamrolling over all the independent drillers. For the first time in his business career, Jake was taken back and felt just a sliver of doubt. As history tends to repeat itself, Oklahoma is following the same downward path as Kansas. For the first time, Jake considered his age. I don’t believe Jake could withstand another failure. He had to go out fighting.
After all is said and done, Jake was a visionary; Witchita, Kansas, Guthrie, Oklahoma, this is Jake’s legacy. Oklahoma 1920-1924; Prohibition. Introduction to Owen’s son, Morgan Kincaid, returning home after his service in France during WWI. The war to end all wars became a sham and a delusion. Within months, the stock market crashed, jobs were scarce, and farm prices slumped. Bringing an economic recession that left millions unemployed. Owen’s daughter, Elizabeth was a handful of “new women” in the 1920s. According to Owen, women receiving the vote was the height of folly. Elizabeth was a woman of that age. Grace “Six-killer” Kincaid retained her place in the house. War in Europe shot oil and gasoline prices through the roof. Even after the war, the oil prices boomed. Owen was out of his league in the business world. His timing and premonition were always amiss. Owen was no visionary. By the spring of 1921 seismographs were being used to map subsurface formations. Jake, by request of the Governor, took on one more wild town; Cromwell. Morg and Beth would assume the Kincaid legacy. This is an excellent historical fiction treatise on 1800s Kansas and Oklahoma, a tour de force on three generations of one family. Btw, does the narrator, Alex Boyles sound like Audie Murphy to any of you “boomers”?
Jake is losing his sons to resentment, and a change of heart; rebelled, openly defiant, and went their separate ways. He now ruled an empty castle. Brad Kincaid turned outlaw, and Owen Kincaid Deputy Federal Marshal was in the unique position of hunting his brother. Life had a grizzly sense of humor. But Owen wanted nothing to do with hunting his brother. He wanted Brad to give up before it was too late. Julia Web and Owen had a see-saw relationship going. Everything continues as the world spins. Jake Kincaid continues his bulldog act on Oklahoma. His sights were now set on political Oklahoma, as was Kansas once upon a time. Jake was also becoming interested in oil. The demise of the Dolan Gang eventually settles Owen’s dilemma once and for all, but not his conscience.
The Battle of San Juan Hill was a major battle of the Spanish–American War in 1898. Owen returns home wounded after performing his service in the war. Oil has come to Oklahoma! The major oil companies swooped in, steamrolling over all the independent drillers. For the first time in his business career, Jake was taken back and felt just a sliver of doubt. As history tends to repeat itself, Oklahoma is following the same downward path as Kansas. For the first time, Jake considered his age. I don’t believe Jake could withstand another failure. He had to go out fighting.
After all is said and done, Jake was a visionary; Witchita, Kansas, Guthrie, Oklahoma, this is Jake’s legacy. Oklahoma 1920-1924; Prohibition. Introduction to Owen’s son, Morgan Kincaid, returning home after his service in France during WWI. The war to end all wars became a sham and a delusion. Within months, the stock market crashed, jobs were scarce, and farm prices slumped. Bringing an economic recession that left millions unemployed. Owen’s daughter, Elizabeth was a handful of “new women” in the 1920s. According to Owen, women receiving the vote was the height of folly. Elizabeth was a woman of that age. Grace “Six-killer” Kincaid retained her place in the house. War in Europe shot oil and gasoline prices through the roof. Even after the war, the oil prices boomed. Owen was out of his league in the business world. His timing and premonition were always amiss. Owen was no visionary. By the spring of 1921 seismographs were being used to map subsurface formations. Jake, by request of the Governor, took on one more wild town; Cromwell. Morg and Beth would assume the Kincaid legacy. This is an excellent historical fiction treatise on 1800s Kansas and Oklahoma, a tour de force on three generations of one family. Btw, does the narrator, Alex Boyles sound like Audie Murphy to any of you “boomers”?
September 24, 2018
Couldn't put it down, read all three in a weekend.wow!!!
From the first page to the last I couldn't put it down I read all three books in one weekend didn't want to be disturbed the West came alive and the time periods were awesome great book.
From the first page to the last I couldn't put it down I read all three books in one weekend didn't want to be disturbed the West came alive and the time periods were awesome great book.
June 15, 2024
The Best Western Ever Written
This wonderful book made me think about my own life and those of my family. The old West was not so long ago, and the struggles of us all from the Civil War to the present are tightly interwoven.
This wonderful book made me think about my own life and those of my family. The old West was not so long ago, and the struggles of us all from the Civil War to the present are tightly interwoven.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews