False Idols: A Reluctant King Novel

Book excerpt: In this gripping follow-up to The Reluctant King, the "Monarchy" of New York City's Five Points is in total disarray, giving way to a bloody battle for the crown AFTER THE ARREST OF CHANCELLOR KING and the murder of his eldest son and heir, Ghost, the King family and the streets of New York City are thrown into chaos. The throne of Five Points is without a sitting king for the first time since its inception. The vacancy doesn't last long, however, as Chancellor's older brother, Chapman, takes the opportunity to usurp the crown, breaking the line of succession and stepping over his nephew Shadow. Chapman's first act as the new king is to banish what remains of his broken family, branding them enemies of the crown. The coronation of a new king promises to bring back balance to the Monarchy, but there are some who question Chapman's claim to the throne and refuse to kneel to before a "false king." What follows is a war between different factions of the Monarchy, each with its own agenda, and the crown of Five Points as the prize. Stripped of all wealth and power, Maureen King and her son Shadow are forced to vacate their family estate and end up back where it all began for them: the slums of Brooklyn. Maureen refuses to sit idle while her brother-in-law reaps the spoils of what she and her husband built. In the raging conflict that ensues, Maureen places a seemingly impossible task on the shoulders of Shadow—to reclaim what was stolen from their family and take back the crown.