The Golden City

by John Twelve Hawks

Book Overview

A world that exists in the shadow of our own . . . the thrilling conclusion to John Twelve Hawks's Fourth Realm trilogy, The Golden City is packed with the knife-edge tension, intriguing characters,... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0385514301
• ISBN13: 9780385514309
• Release Date: September 2009
• Publisher: Doubleday Books
• Length: 358 Pages
• Weight: 1.48 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.3" x 6.4" x 9.3"

Customer Reviews

Amazing! Sad its the third book

That's all I can say, its amazing but I'm sad to say its the end of the trilogy...

A fantastic trilogy

The only thing that would make this book better is for me to find out that a fourth one was coming out! I loved this trilogy! In it, we find people who want to live "off the grid," out of the control of the "vast machine." Apparently, there are "travelers" who can travel in different realms (like different world) who in the past have brought hope to the world. Now the vast machine, in its attempt to control everything and everyone, in the name of peace, order, and harmony, want to destroy the travelers, and those who protect them (the harlequins -- warriors who spend their lives in service to the travelers). We come to care about the main characters, who often surprise us. I have to say that I never, ever thought one character would behave the way he did in the last book (I won't tell!). And haven't we all wondered about the ubiquitous webcams (in the name of law and order), red light cameras, and cards that give us discounts at the grocery store, but also record every purchase and log our preferences? Do we really want all this information in some computer? Of course it is harmless, but this makes for a great story. I hope everyone that loves fantasy will give this trilogy and chance!!

A fitting ending to a series that will make you think

To this day, when I wait at a traffic light and see the cameras, I think of The Traveler and John Twelve Hawks. His first book, The Traveler, told of a world gone to the nth degree of interfering with our privacy and trying to control things. I think of this when I'm at the grocery store, and the coupons that spit out after the transaction are the same type of products I've just bought - there is little those who want to follow our actions can't do with a flick of a computer, and what we've spent, where, when - there it is. Enter The Travelers - beings who can enter realms and have the freedom to elude the Vast Machine - in other words, they are a threat to those who want to control our every move. The Corrigan brothers seem to be among the last of these Travelers. These twins, Gabriel and Michael choose different sides - Gabriel with the Resistance and Michael with the machine. The travelers are usuallly guarded by folks who are called Harlequins. Maya is Gabriel's protector, but they have fallen in love. Not a good move when you're on a dangerous mission to save the world from domination! The latest, and apparent, last of this series, The Golden City, is the race of the brothers to reach the golden city - where the gods reside and can bestow powers. At least that's what they think - Both brothers appeal to the public via different ways - Michael has children kidnapped to create a campaign to put tracking devices into children, who, as they grow,can be tracked every second of their lives. Gabriel appeals to the masses to stop and see what's really happening - Whatever you say about John Twelve Hawks, he certainly makes you stop and think how much of the electronics we use, the cameras on the streets, etc. could be used for evil, and what can be done to potentially stop it. It is, as I said at the beginning of this review, a series to give pause -- and see the potential danger we could be in as individuals and collectively as a society.

A powerful and satisfying conclusion

THE GOLDEN CITY is a return to form for Twelve Hawks and a great conclusion to his epic thriller series. I was a bit let down by the second book, THE DARK RIVER, which had plenty of action but not as much of the cool stuff I loved in the first book -- the realms that Gabriel and Michael visit, information about the all-too-real Pantopticon we're surrounded with in real life. This book is an excellent balance between all the things I hoped for - more exploration of the parallel worlds of the realms, more concrete information about the implications of what the Tabula have been up to, more fascinating glimpses of actual technology at work around us (hello NSA!), and all without stinting on swordfighting mayhem. I particularly loved how characters accepted and even embraced their fates - for good or ill. All in all, I really, really enjoyed it, and while I expected a more definitive victory at the end (preferably for the good guys!), I was surprised and happy to see that the author didn't make things so neat and simple. The ending really makes you think about the choices you make in your own life...and the consequences of those choices. A deeply satisfying book. I am very sorry to see the series end.

A Spectacular Finish to an Important Trilogy

The final book in the Fourth Realm Trilogy, The Golden City, is full of the same fast-paced action and suspense that made his previous books such mesmerizing page-turners. John Twelve Hawks writes several chillingly realistic speeches delivered by the character of Michael, the Cold Traveler. I think an overwhelming number of educated people could easily see a power-hungry political leader using the technology described in the book, such as the Guardian Angel RFIDs (which exist outside of the novel currently), and foisting it on the public through the use of fear and rhetoric. In this final novel, you can really see the author maturing as a novelist. The descriptions are poignant and in some cases more nuanced than when he started with his first book. Also, several of the characters become fully fleshed out such as Hollis and Boone in this story. If you are a fan of The Traveler, you will most certainly not be disappointed with this book, nor its satisfying conclusion.