The Forbidden City

The King's Lion #1

by Alexander Grant

Alternate cover edition of ASIN B01I25E10Y



They sent his own legions to hunt him down. Assassins lurk behind every corner. The woman he loves is in danger. As if that is not enough, they want to unleash a terrible ancient evil to plunge the world into warfare and bloodshed.
But he is not an everyday man. He is a legend. General Leandros, the undefeated King's Lion. Now he is coming back armed with steel and magic. In a world full of intrigue, magic and enchantment, where Gods and humans play dangerous power games, the King's Lion fights one breathtaking battle after another across an entire continent. The future of the Empire and of the woman he loves depends on him. Will his strategic genius manage to save an entire Empire?

Explore the magical world of the Eagle Empire through the first book of the King's Lion Tales. Spectacular battles, high level strategy, romance, Gods, shamans, magicians and miraculous spices are making a truly entertaining read.

Genres: Fantasy, Fiction, Romance, Magic, Amazon

381 pages, ebook

Published July 5, 2016

About the author

Alexander Grant grew up by the shores of the Mediterranean Sea. He studied geology and dreamed of discovering a rare dinosaur fossil. However, the call of his seafaring ancestors proved overwhelming and this, coupled with a growing interest in international politics, led him to travel to four continents while pursuing a career in media and, ultimately, working in an International Organisation.
He now lives in Flanders, Belgium tending a big garden, playing basketball and devising epic fantasy tales. He combines two of his great passions, writing and strategy, to produce the King's Lion series.

Reviews

[Alaina · Rating 2 out of 5]

I feel like I lost five years of my life.

The Forbidden Kingdom was a nightmare. The entire thing was frustrating to read and I’m so glad that I didn’t have to spend money on it. I was excited to dive into this book because the synopsis made it sound amazing but I ended up disappointed in everything.

First off, who doesn’t love an evil king? Throw in some evil go worshipping, a mysterious city, a bastard heir, and some battle action going on - and you’ve intrigued me. Yet, it didn’t happen. I felt nothing towards these characters or the story. I wanted it to end so badly. I honestly had to motivate myself to read a certain amount of pages/chapters every day just so I could inch closer to the end. It took FOREVER!

Now that it’s over, I want nothing to do with it or it’s series. The romance seemed so freaking forced that I wanted to cut out my own eyeballs so I didn’t have to see it anymore. Then there’s confusion about who this book was actually about. This book probably could’ve had less POVs in my opinion. Maybe I would’ve liked it more,,but no promises.

I’m glad I’m done with it

Thank you, next.

[Jennifer · Rating 2 out of 5]

Leandros is an undefeated general in the King's army. When the King's brother, murders him and takes over the kingdom, Leandros decides the only honorable thing is to take some of his most trusted men and flee the kingdom toward Indra. When they arrive in Indra, they beg the Princess to become citizens and pledge their services as soldiers. When the new King (Assaf) decides to invade Indra in order to reestablish the Eagle Empire, it turns out the Princess is in need of the soldiers. They repel the "Emperor"/Assaf. While in Indra, Leandros is shown a secret city that exists outside the current timeline. Its purpose is eventually revealed by Solon - an illegitimate heir to the throne. What lies within the city must be contained and hidden from the Emperor at all costs. After their victory in Indra, Leandros, Solon, and the Princess end up waging war in the desert in an attempt to beat Assaf and establish Solon as the Emperor instead.

I found this book to be very frustrating. It has so many things that would make it good - a mysterious city with a hidden purpose, a brilliant general who is honorable and cannot be beaten, Magic!, an evil king that sacrifices people to a strange god in exchange for power, a battle for the right to rule, and romance. BUT......it wasn't executed well. We are offered so many plotlines, but just as they are being fleshed out, the focus shifts to something else. It is very disorienting.
Likewise, all the characters are paired up for romance, but their relationships are underdeveloped. And don't get me started on the multiple POVs - there are too many. I was under the impression given the name of the series that this book was going to be about Leandros, but the POV jumps around so often that we barely get a sense of who he is as a character. The dialogue deteriorates about halfway through the book too, making it very cheesy. In a nutshell, I am disappointed.

[The Mysterious Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Spectacular battles, high level strategy, romance, Gods, shamans, magicians and miraculous spices”

That’s what the publisher’s blurb for Alexander Grant’s The Forbidden City (book 1 in his The King's Lion Tales) promised - and that’s what it delivered, along with a fantastic cast of lead and supporting characters and a perfectly crafted world. Read that blurb for a summary. It’s good and says all that’s needed. The rest is quite simple really: if you like that blurb you’ll love the book. I certainly did.

Highly recommended.

[Kimberlyisreading · Rating 3 out of 5]

One to lead the legions, the King's Lion.
Another to kill his own brother, the king, to take the throne. Secure those that oppose. Except the King's Lion and his newest force get away.
This story has some great battles, diverse characters, and a few surprises to throw at you, which make for a great book.
Yet I'm not the biggest fan of love at first sight, at least when it happens for more than one character as it does here. And this book needs a good bit of editing, which is why I gave it a 3 star vs 4.

[Gilbert Stack · Rating 4 out of 5]

I got this book hoping to see examples of superior generalship and great battles and it did not disappoint! General Leandros is both brilliant and charismatic and makes a very credible strategist, worrying as much about logistics and morale as he does about his actual battle plans. Yet The Forbidden City is much more than an account of war. There’s a fascinating mystery at the heart of this book with a handful of very clever plot twists and surprises that make it hard to put it down. I’ve read enough in this genre to think I know what’s coming next and I often didn’t. The book is a little slow getting started and the dialogue is awkward, but that’s easy to overlook because the action is more than solid. I’m definitely looking forward to the sequels.

[Angela Anderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was given a free review copy of this book by the author in exchange for an honest review.
A well written epic fantasy I enjoyed. When the kings lion and what men remain with him end up in Indra, he must use his military knowledge to help protect it. The future of the empire and the woman he loves depend on him to save them all.

[Victor Salinas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome book !!!

This book from the get go was like a breath of fresh air .I loved the plot and the way the author put them together was beautifully written.The main characters were put in realistic situations that were believable with a pace that did not let me go till I was finished .I highly recommend this book that will not disappoint anyone who loves a great book God bless and may you enjoy the ride !!!

[Gala Mertens · Rating 5 out of 5]

a great book but there are points where it becomes tedious and it's a little off but I liked it a lot

[Aviar Savijon · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Forbidden City

And outstanding work of fantasy and magic realms. Amazingly written by Alexander Grant. I Loved it! If you crave adventure this is your book to read.

[Burry F Bessee · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fantasy extraordinaire!

The characters were delightful, with lot of action. It’s really nice to have a good storyline with romance without pornography.

[Richard Myers · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book

A very well written book with wonderful descriptions of the lands and peoples. I look forward to reading the second book in the series as soon as possible!

[Piper · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good fantasy

A war fantasy with a great a General , Kings and Shamans. Battles filled with magic and mayhem. Suspend reality for a good read.

[Sabine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very well developed characters. I did not find a single one without a clear purpose for being in the book.
Romance lovers will not be disappointed either (I chewed a nail or two reading it). Those who love war scenes will find what they enjoy in abundance.
I must not forget magic! Not only there are several completely different kinds of magic in play but I confess that I never expected to encounters shamans in such a book. As for twists in the plot, they only stop at the last but one chapter.

[Gary Brinck · Rating 4 out of 5]

Entertaining light reading. Forbidden City is a basically a medieval military action novel set in a fantasy world where magic works and the gods sometimes take an active role in human events. The good guys are heroic fighters, the gals are beautiful & wise, and the bad guys are despicably evil. What's not to like about a tale like that?

[Mandy Walkden-Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very enjoyable fantasy series.

Characters are well-rounded, vivid and best of all, interesting. World building is very well done. Magic, war and evil, scheming antagonists and some downright enjoyable twists.

Epic fantasy, well written, fast paced and certainly no boring elements. A delight to see the tactical and logistical skills of General Leandros, the King's Lion, unfold.

[Cath · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first book in the King’s Lion series. The main character is General Leandros, the King’s Lion of the title. A man who brought a new manner of battle to the King’s armies and led to defeat of all their enemies and the coming of peace over the whole region. He is a legend, known for his military abilities and faithfulness to the King. He and his men had been out doing an inspection tour before his old friend and now the new King, Damon, toured the realm to learn more about the lands he was now in charge of.

While the General was away from the capital, the King’s younger brother, Prince Assaf, forces a military coup on the palace and kills all those who support King Damon and takes over the throne. Leandros and his men refuse to return under this murderer’s control and are now exiles. They are joined by about three hundred of his lancers, led by an old friend and Major. They have to flee as far from the Duchies of the Kingdom, the sea and the desert people as possible.

The only place they can possibly go is the far away Indra, the land of spices. These spices are essential to many parts of their life, for food, medicines and even for magical healing. Indra was a cold and isolated realm and did not have much interaction across its borders. Trade taking place at the end of the Spice Road. They reach Indra and must ask the Princess Roxanne for permission to stay and offer their services as part of her army.

Assaf sends Leandros’ own former army colleagues to hunt him and his men down. Somehow, a lot of the experienced soldiers retire suddenly or become injured! Baron Solon the dwarf, Arsenio a master spy and intelligence agent, Diego the lancers Major, Longwei a magician – looking for his long lost love, are a few of the Generals inner circle. He has a huge circle of loyal followers. Assaf has put a huge price on Leandros and the Baron and so there are armies of assassins after them.

The story continues with battles between those who follow Prince Assaf, who wants to bring back the Eagle Empire and become the Emperor of all the realms. To do this, he has called upon an ancient evil to bring about his success, without any thought to the destruction this will cause.

Leandros has been undefeated so far, even with smaller forces, and must now fight, no longer as the King’s Lion, but for the future of the whole Empire and the woman who he has come to love. He and his men face battles across the entire realm and especially into the desert regions, against the desert tribes that Assaf has recruited. Tribes with some still practicing human sacrifice for power and magic.

A great story of iconic battles between good and evil. Which side will succeed, can only be found out by reading the book. I can’t wait to see what happens in the next book in the series. The characters are a fascinating mix of good and evil, with depth and surprises at every corner. There is lots of action in battles, intelligence gathering and even romance as well. You see the characters in Leandros’ team evolving as they mix with others they cross paths with and overcome impossible odds together. Good signs of comradery among the men and lots of wit as well.

I look forward to seeing what happens next with the main characters, in the next books of the series. I received an ARC copy of this book from Hidden Gems and I have freely given my own opinion of the book above.

[Tiera McMillian · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have to start by saying that the blurb for this book is entirely misleading. This story is not about one person, it is about a kingdom and both its history and future. It was incredibly hard to tell whether or not the story really even had a main character, and there were multiple stories going on at once which in themselves were vague. The author had a very odd writing style switching between person and between viewpoints that made it hard to sink into and stick in the story. Also, not sure if it was just my version but all conversations were marked (') instead of quotes, even inner thoughts were marked with this that made it super confusing about what was said aloud and what was thought to the characters themselves.

I will say the author put a whole lot of thought into backstory for this kingdom, in fact there is so many long winded explanatory stories in this book that by the end of it I was begging not to see another one. Though General Leandros was cunning and his strategics and enemy behavior predictions started off interesting even he got long winded explaining his strategies.

The end of the book wrapped up nicely in the summary of loose ends style and I was just so happy to be finished! Stick a fork in me...I'm done!

[Musings of a Middle-aged Mum · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Forbidden City was my chosen 'G' from all the books I have unread on my kindle.

It tells the adventures of General Leandros, the King's Lion. Prince Assaf assassinated the king in order to take his place, and a group of soldiers loyal to the rightful king, plus General Leandros, abandon their old country and seek refuge in Indra. Unfortunately, Assaf has now pronounced himself Emperor and he looks to conquer all surrounding lands to expand his empire.

I enjoyed this story. I liked the plot, and though there is a lot going on (battles, deception, gods, magic, love) all the twists and turns make sense and though they may not always be expected, they do not come out of nowhere, itms. As expected when reading a story about a general, much of the book centres around the battles and strategies of warfare - that said, when I chose the book (based on the title alone, once I sorted by author for G) I didn't expect it to be as heavily based on battle.

This is the first book of the trilogy, but I have enjoyed it as a standalone.

[Nadia Stephens · Rating 3 out of 5]

Slow Start

The Forbidden City by Alexander Grant was dull and I lost interest after a couple of chapters. I was tired of rereading sentences after four pages. This is the first time I had to reread sentences while reading a book. I gave 3 stars instead of 2 because I am not sure if I like this book or not since I did not finish it. Since the book is only 600 pages, I plan on reading it later when I am bored.

[Anna · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is honestly a decent plot weighed down by clunky dialogue and forced romance. While the premise is interesting and the book starts promisingly, the author fills a significant portion of the first half of the book with expository dialogue. This slows the plot to almost a crawl, which makes for difficult reading in a book that promises action and adventure.

Unfortunately, due to those issues, this book was just not my cup of tea. I voluntarily reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy.

[Jerry Mercer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good Story

For the most part, this book had a good cast of characters who carried the plot to its conclusion. There were a few small errors, mostly typos, but that didn't affect the overall book. The story reached too far into fantasy for me and became confusing at times with several gods and their times of existence.

[izzie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some parts I was like omg I actually like this book and other parts I was literally forcing myself to read so overall it was okay.
It was a whole different writing style to what I'm used to though and a kind of different genre to what I'm used to.
I'm gonna have to read the whole series cuz I bought all the books 😭😭

[Ron · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting First Book

There's magic God's and a Great General who is cast out as a traitor by the usurping brother of the King.
The adventure follows the Generals he tries to save his country from ruin and the return of an ancient evil

[Lorna · Rating 1 out of 5]

Crude sexism is not charm.

I didn't make it past the first few pages of flowery prose and casual sexism and crude "boys talk"

No females in a fantasy novels army is generally a pretty good give away on where it's heading.

Your mileage may vary!

[Debra · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you like military stories, you will love this book. The characters are well developed, the battles are intense, the behind-the-scenes are fascinating. I couldn’t give it 5 stars because it’s not my type of book; but if it is your type of book, you will love it.

[Mike Valenzuela · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun and hard to put down

Diplomacy and Military might, come head to head with Magic and Love...

Fun and interesting world with lovely imagery, allowing you to get immersed in the landscape.

[Michelle · Rating 2 out of 5]

Awkwardly written, especially the dialogue. I gave up on it.

[Janice perry · Rating 2 out of 5]

not my type of book- couldn't get into it

[Mrs R C Offord]

I loved it

I loved the characters, they were very plausible and the detail of their thoughts and lives made the story very enjoyable

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book .