The Golden City: Book Three of the Fourth Realm Trilogy

I began reading The Golden City as soon as it was released. Maybe it was just the Kindle edition but I noticed a lot of grammar errors and typos that seemed to show a lack of editing. Beyond that distraction, the first part of the book was great - the story moved quickly but with a wealth of detail that really pulled you into the different realms. Once the rescue from the First Realm was accomplished, it seemed that the author started rushing through the story. The action continued moving quickly but the richness of detail was lost.As someone living in the Bible belt, I've heard "end-time" theories all my life and wondered what it would take to make people voluntarily submit to any type of tagging or branding especially for their children. The author's scenario feels so real that it blows the mind.Hollis' travails are spooky weird and the best modern day quest I've ever read.With a tale as realistic as this, I think a neatly packaged ending would have been a disappointment so, while the end was a little unsatisfying, it fit.The series has the feel of a 21st century "Lord of the Rings". I'm grateful that the author shared his vision.

A classic example of an author who has run out of ideas. Or an author who has kicked to touch while he writes a "proper" 4th book that should have been the third one. I feel that I must take some personal responsibility for the poor conclusion to this book, as obviously JTH had written the book that I described when I had a vision when I travelled to the 7th realm, which was filled with cake recipes and knitting patterns, the so called "Womans Realm". Just for your edification, I have included some of my review for The Traveller below....."what you need to give your books some direction is a "set piece". Look, (places guiding arm around Mr Hawks' shoulders, or can I call you "Twelvy") with your global super-villains, you need 3 things. Firstly they should have a big base under a volcano or in space or something, secondly they should have a clear mission statement detailing their evil plot ("We intend to be a world class evil organisation, which values its employees, instils a shared responsibility to meet organisational aims and plans to use giant lasers to make the sun explode (or similar). The Tabula promotes total evil quality management and is ISO 9001 certified) and thirdly, there needs to be a set piece in the third book where people in black tactical suits storm the evil base, there are some explosions, some shooting and sword play, and ends with the sexy Harlequin lady having a big swordfight with the head of the Tabula (who is actually UK TV presenter, Noel Edmonds), who although fatally injured, manages to escape to one of the other "dimensions" as he is a Traveller himself! Maya then engages in some nooky, settles down into a humdrum family life and has a daughter, who shock horror is a Traveller herself!! This leads to further books etc etc.. Now, there you go! .."So obviously, he had to use some of my ideas, but seriously, (plot spoilers) in this book, the Bretheren are relegated from some sort of global super villains to an organisation who can be defeated by some dreadlocked youths with spray cans and a "can-do" attitude (and possibly skateboards as well, it isn't clear), the Demi-Gods realm is based on the film "Flash Gordon" and the Golden City is closed for the winter, with only Corrigan senior giving the place a lick of paint and working on his golf game on one of the many 6th realm golf courses surrounding the golden city. I implore JTH to contact me through this site to go over his plans for the next book, as everyone would have been much more happy, if he had written the book I describe in the review above. The only change I might consider is that Noel Edmonds might be replaced with Simon Cowell who I feel is an obvious global super villain.

Great series. Really makes me think about the direction this world is heading. We aren't there yet but it's getting close.

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.

What a shame the author doesn't live up to his belief system. The third, and final book in this series is a complete rip off. I would hazard a guess, it was written in a hurry, without any regard for the readership. Perhaps to meet a deadline or JTH just lost interest? He is after all involved in several other projects. The book had no expansion of the main characters, locations, or plot line, just regurgitated content ripped off from both the previous books. There was so little action that I found myself skipping pages. As for the ending (won't spoil it here), what an utter let down. Come on, JTH we deserve better than this rubbish. I work hard for my money and don't expect this level of content from you, your editor nor the publisher. Hope the films and Sparks are an improvement.

As the finale of the trilogy I was hoping that all the various aspects of the previous two books would be brought together and given meaning and context. Sadly this is not the case. Individually the three books are a good rad but as a holistic trilogy they leave a lot to be desired. Quite simply at the end I wondered what it was all about. The ending was too quick but that is a flaw in each book. Within the three books there are several story lines that are very isolated from each other and they needed to be brought together in the final book. As I said this was not the case and sadly, at the end of the trilogy, I was left a little cheated of a good ending. The first two books do leave you with the need to keep reading to find out what happens. Sadly what happens is nothing.

Quite thought provoking. The main elements in this trilogy are now true. We are watched and monitored whilst under the guise of being free. I can't help but feel we are manipulated daily by the media world and are on our way swiftly to the time when we are inserted with control chips for "our protection". The other parts of the plot could be considered true by some or complete nonsense depending on your beliefs but be in no doubt, your freedom and speech are being eroded quickly. God help our grandchildren!

Although I thoroughly enjoyed reading the Golden City, I felt very disappointed with the last few chapters of the book. It seems as though the author got a little fed up and ran out of ideas, you are left wondering what has happened to Gabriel and Michael Corrigan and the suspected worldwide "demise" of the Evergreen Foundation has not been properly dealt with.The first two books, The Traveller and The Dark River were excellent and full of original ideas which I loved, but this third book in my opinion is rushed and feels a little tired. I do hope John Twelve Hawks can ressurect this story again in the future as the characters deserve more time to develop and we need more answers to questions raised.

I'm becoming a fan of John Twelve Hawks.Just read his latest 'Spark'The Golden City is the last of the 3 books in this series.I like his idea of the world we are now living in and it's possible he's hit on a raw nerve in places, so sometimes I wonder if he holds back in areas or he's been rumbled and made to change the story.I felt the ending was a little poor as I expected more.