The Golden City

The Fourth Realm, Book 3

By: John Twelve Hawks

Narrated by: Scott Brick

Length: 11 hrs and 55 mins

Publisher's summary

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, and startling plot twists that made The Traveler and The Dark River international hits.

John Twelve Hawks's previous novels about the mystical Travelers and the Brethren, their ruthless enemies, generated an extraordinary following around the world.

Internet chat rooms and blogs have overflowed with speculation about the final destiny of the richly imagined characters fighting an epic battle beneath the surface of our modern world.

In The Golden City, Twelve Hawks delivers the climax to his spellbinding epic. Struggling to protect the legacy of his Traveler father, Gabriel faces troubling new questions and relentless threats. His brother Michael, now firmly allied with the enemy, pursues his ambition to wrest power from Nathan Boone, the calculating leader of the Brethren. And Maya, the Harlequin warrior pledged to protect Gabriel at all costs, is forced to make a choice that will change her life forever.

A riveting blend of high-tech thriller and fast-paced adventure, The Golden City will delight Twelve Hawks's many fans and attract a new audience to the entire trilogy.

Listen to the first two books in the Fourth Realm trilogy: The Traveler and The Dark River.

©2009 John Twelve Hawks (P)2009 Random House Audio

The story must be continued

I enjoyed reading this series. Good solid characters but the ending is not really an ending. The auther, Mr. Hawks, said that this is it. That he will not be continuing this story line. Well, I think that's really too bad since there's a lot more to this story that has remained untold.

Left me wanting more closure...

Unlike the first two volumes in the trilogy, which kept me completely engaged and on the edge of my seat, the third and final (?) part of the story was a bit of a let-down for me. I supposed I expected more of a definite ending, especially to the Tabula, yet it seems like the third volume is really setting us up for another, follow-on story where, perhaps, freedom will finally triumph.

Good but not Great

I loved the first book, really liked the second but the third is anticlimatic. I enjoyed it and would recommend it for everyone that loved the first. It's still a good read, just not what I expected.

was hoping for a better ending...

was hoping for a better ending...this book draggednon a bit and ending in a rather flat way

Eerily depicts/predicts our current society.(2021)

I read this series at release and blissfully forgot just how doomsday-esque the theme was. On re-listen I was reminded just how spot on the series is. The characters aren't immediately relatable but soon find their way to your conscience. A great read/listen for those that remember the time before information at your fingertips but also amazing tech.

Disappointing End to a Promising Trilogy

What did you like best about The Golden City? What did you like least?

The first 80% of the book I enjoyed, and Scott Brick once again does a fantastic job narrating. I just can't seem to wrap my head around the final stages of the book. It seemed to come to a rather abrupt ending, as if John Twelve Hawks decided he had better things to do.

better than i would have thought

previous reviews left me hesitant to buy, but it was good. I thought the ending was handled quite well, even though it did leave room for a fourth book. the rants and raves sounded a little like ayn rand, but instead of focusing on capitalism, it focused on government control and loss of freedom. It is certainly extremist in it's view, but it does make you think. It is along the lines of george orwel's "big brother", but with an air of hope for the future, more excitement, and less depressing. I wonder if Big Brother is still required reading in the schools?

More please...

Would you listen to The Golden City again? Why?

Possibly you hear differenent things the second time

Who was your favorite character and why?

Gabriel and Myia equally

Any additional comments?

This is a trilogy yet it seemed as if there should be a sequel. Great books though!

Another awesome book by J12H

Would you consider the audio edition of The Golden City to be better than the print version?

I never read the print version but I love the audio version because Scott Brick is an amazing narrator!

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Golden City?

There's too many to mention - and the ones I felt moved by would give too much away - suffice to say - the whole book is fabulous!

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

All of his books are ones you want to listen to in one sitting but generally can't and in a way that's good because you also don't want them to end and making yourself stop for a bit makes them last longer.

Any additional comments?

This was a great book and good conclusion to this series....though it wouldn't break my heart if there were more books in this series and the story could continue.

Where's the series?

I read the trilogy non-stop. l had previously read the first two novels, but had forgotten the complete story by the time the 3rd novel came out. I will buy the series if an anime or movie/series comes out. I'm looking forward to the heir of the traveler.
The one thing I did not like was the character of Hollis capitalizing on profanity as if that is his native language.
Otherwise, this is a very believable fantasy. I, myself, died and returned at a very young age and had a similar experience as the traveler.
I recommend the whole trilogy.