This review is written with a GPL 3.0 license and the rights contained therein shall supersede all TOS by any and all websites in regards to copying and sharing without proper authorization and permissions. Crossposted at Bookstooge.booklikes.blogspot.wordpress.com by express permission of this reviewer   Synopsis: Annja, in the process of helping out a Chinese man find his long dead relative, stumbles onto a secret that both Garin and Leroux want. And there is a whole gang of Chinese triads under the direction of a ruthless business man involved as well. A lost city in the desert, traps and lots of action.   My Thoughts: This was a lot of fun.  Annja gets almost killed in California while looking for a corpse and that ends up with her teaming backup with her ersatz mentor Leroux and going against Garin, Leroux's former pupil.   And there is a sub-plot about some girl assassin, but besides literally providing a piece of a puzzle, she wasn't an integral part of the story.   But we get a booby-trapped city under the desert! That is what made me bump this up half a star. Swords, darts, spears, falling floors, a locked room with a descending ceiling, it was ALL good.   The magical item this time was some doodad that Leroux thought was terrible, so he and Garin join up to destroy it.   Overall, a good fun read. No complaints from me this time :-)   Rating: 3.5 of 5 Stars Author: Alex Archer " ( )

shelved in: Monograph Library - at: B12:51

Once again, our intrepid hero Annja Creed is confronted with an ancient mystery, this time leading to... the Triads, a mysterious artifact, an old family legend, and a hidden city full of deadly traps and temptations.

Set against the backdrop of Chinese history, this volume once again gets it right with correct archaeological technique and dig terminology (when these things are mentioned), a significant amount of discussion centered around history (particularly for an adventure novel!) and an ongoing sense that our poor heroine hasn't quite figured out what the heck she's gotten herself into with this Joan of Arc sword she possesses.

Pure, unadulterated fun, and a quick read. You can start this series anywhere (it can be hard to find the early books) as there are always recaps of who Annja is and why she has the sword, if you're interested. ( )

Creed is a part-time archeologist, part-time host of a tv show called Chasing History’s Monsters, and full-time adventurer.

While on a dig searching for a man’s ancestor out near Sacramento, Annja realizes too late that the man is not who he claims to be. Unknowingly endangering those around her, Annja goes begins to research the belt plaque she found at the dig site.

Meanwhile, a powerful and ruthless man in China seeks clues that will lead him to a mythical, long-buried city. Garin, who has plans of his own, makes a deal to partner up with him. And Roux comes along with Annja to find something he’s been searching for. Everyone has their own agenda, all leading up to a suspenseful climax at the end.

Forbidden City is the 5th book in the Rogue Angel series. But each is still a stand-alone. So don’t’ worry about reading them out of order. Each one is an action-packed adventure, filled with mystery and intrigue. And the amount of research that the author must do to talk about the history in each book is astounding. ( )