Twisting Time: Forbidden City of Gold by D.F. Jones is a captivating fantasy novel that plunges readers into a cosmic tapestry of divine conflicts, mythical intrigue, and the eternal battle between good and evil. The narrative follows college students, including Blaine, Josephine, George, and Rose, drawn into a secret society on a quest for a sacred amulet that leads them to the mythical Forbidden City of Gold. As they navigate portal doors and encounter the Supreme Creator, the stakes are high, with the fate of humanity hanging in the balance. Jones skillfully explores profound themes, incorporating biblical references and delving into the nature of time, demons, and end-time events. While the novel's deliberate pace and abundance of characters may require patience, it offers a rewarding and intellectually stimulating experience for fantasy enthusiasts eager to explore the intersections of mythology, divine intervention, and the ageless struggle between good and evil.

This was a great overall concept for a fantasy thriller novel, it had a great concept and it worked with what I was hoping for. The characters had a great overall concept and they felt like they were supposed to. I enjoyed the mythology elements going on and it worked for the story. D.F. Jones does a great job in writing this and left me wanting more.

D.F. Jones https://dfjonesauthor.com is the author of more than a dozen novels. Twisting Time: Forbidden City of Gold was published in mid-December of this year. It is the 113th book I read in 2023.

Opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own!

Four students about to graduate from the small Three Crosses College are invited into a secret organization. They are told that membership will open the doors to wisdom. The two young men and two young women train under the direction of the Son of All Days. He is known as Soal, and is a member of the heavenly council and works with the network of warriors across the universe. The first mission undertaken by the four is to find and retrieve a sacred amulet and deliver it back to the Supreme Creator. Their quest will not be straightforward.

I had to call a Rule of 50 on this novel after investing just over 2 hours. I went in knowing it was targeted at Young Adult readers. After spending time with the book, it felt more like it was targeted at the pre-teen audience. I also found the mixture of Christian figures (Supreme Creator, warrior angels, etc.) along with Greek gods (Hades, Persephone, etc.) confusing. I don’t like to quit a book, but this one was a waste of my time. Based on what I read (about 38%), I have to give this novel a rating of 2 out of 5.

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