The Golden City by John Twelve Hawks

The Golden City by John Twelve Hawks

My favorite kind of story to read, (the ones that suck me right in) are almost always full of action and are set in some sort of dystopic world - a society in which conditions of life are miserable and characterized by poverty, oppression, war and/or the abridgment of human rights, resulting in widespread unhappiness, suffering and other kinds of pain. I know, I know all happiness, rainbows and sunshine but somehow those are the stories I enjoy the most. The trilogy started with The Traveler, where the reader is introduced to the idea of alternate realms that a select few (Travelers) can get to while the everyday actions of all citizens are consistently monitored by The Brethern. This group seeks to control the world. They are involved in all aspects of life including business, research, health, and government. They also seek the Travelers so they can control the course of history. The Harlequins are individuals who protect the Travelers above all else. The books are set in what is a modern world where technology enables the Brethern to follow the transactions of anyone they choose. I have been impatiently waiting book three of The Fourth Realm Trilogy for some time now and sped through the novel in a few hours. The Golden City completes the story started in The Traveler and continued in The Dark River. One of the Travelers Michael Corrigan has joined with The Brethern. He travels to the realm of the half gods and obtains information for advanced technology and a plan to create a worldwide prison where no one is free. His brother, Gabriel is also a traveler and is leading the resistance to stop his brother. The story takes us on a journey all around the world and through other realms including secret, real-life ancient rivers flowing beneath the streets of London, Los Angeles, London, Japan, and the realm of Hell. In some aspects, the world shown in this trilogy is similar to the one portrayed in Corey Doctrow's Little Brother. If your a fan of action, secrecy, discovering hidden agendas, and resistance consider this trilogy.

From The Golden City
"Privacy is the ability to control access to information about one's Self. It's easy to see that this invisible, all-pervasive system will destroy any sort of privacy. Well lose the power to protect our Self from the scrutiny of unknown groups or individuals.

And some of you may ask: 'Is there any value to privacy?'

All new ideas are dependent on some kind of mental privacy - the potential for peace and reflection. The Vast Machine provides information about us and gives the authorities a wide variety of ways to manipulate our thoughts with a subtle power. Everything we hear and see can be shaped to create certain prejudices. Free will- that is, our ability to make real choices about significant issues- becomes an illusion. Gradually, we are surrounded by targeted messages that destroy the opportunity to make our own decisions."

Song Yet Sung by James McBride

This is about slavery before the Civil War. It takes you on an adventure through the swamps of Maryland's Eastern shore. How one runaway slave, Liz, stirred up ideas of freedom in other slaves. Slaves were sometimes stolen and resold for profit. Liz and nine others were held captive in a thief's attic. One old woman tried to teach Liz the "code". The "code" was the language of the slaves on the run. It told them when it was safe to travel and which way to go, how to make a friend, and more. No one gave up the code. They would die first. Once I started reading this I couldn't put it down.