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The Forbidden List #3
The Red Plains
The war has finally begun.
With the enemy at the Wall, the Empire is in grave danger. But it is just one part of the ongoing conflict. In the Realm of the Spirit, the war has been fought for hundreds, if not thousands of years.
Old allies have been lost, new friends are around the corner. The Wu, the spirit sorcerers, are wounded and the Taiji almost extinct.
More is at stake than any realise. Even those on the Forbidden List do not know the whole truth.
With the enemy at the Wall, the Empire is in grave danger. But it is just one part of the ongoing conflict. In the Realm of the Spirit, the war has been fought for hundreds, if not thousands of years.
Old allies have been lost, new friends are around the corner. The Wu, the spirit sorcerers, are wounded and the Taiji almost extinct.
More is at stake than any realise. Even those on the Forbidden List do not know the whole truth.
- GenresFantasyEpic Fantasy
495 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 4, 2016
4 people are currently reading
45 people want to read
About the author
G.R. Matthews
19 books248 followersG. R. Matthews is a British fantasy and science fiction author best known for Seven Deaths of an Empire (Solaris, 2021), a grimdark epic praised for its visceral combat, dual perspectives, and rich world-building inspired by Roman and Celtic history.
Born in Wiltshire, surrounded by chalk hills, white horses, and ancient stone circles, he grew up immersed in landscapes steeped in ancient myth. Matthews began his publishing journey with self-published works including The Stone Road—the first of The Forbidden List trilogy drawing on ancient China—and the Corin Hayes underwater sci-fi thrillers, before breaking into traditional publishing with Seven Deaths of an Empire.
A passionate gamer as well as a self-taught guitarist, Matthews brings discipline, imagination, and resilience to his storytelling, crafting tales of loyalty, honour, and political intrigue. He continues to expand his fictional worlds with upcoming projects such as The Silencing of the North, while engaging readers with his blend of history, myth, and character-driven drama.
www.grmatthews.com
Born in Wiltshire, surrounded by chalk hills, white horses, and ancient stone circles, he grew up immersed in landscapes steeped in ancient myth. Matthews began his publishing journey with self-published works including The Stone Road—the first of The Forbidden List trilogy drawing on ancient China—and the Corin Hayes underwater sci-fi thrillers, before breaking into traditional publishing with Seven Deaths of an Empire.
A passionate gamer as well as a self-taught guitarist, Matthews brings discipline, imagination, and resilience to his storytelling, crafting tales of loyalty, honour, and political intrigue. He continues to expand his fictional worlds with upcoming projects such as The Silencing of the North, while engaging readers with his blend of history, myth, and character-driven drama.
www.grmatthews.com
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
February 8, 2016
A well written ending to a wonderful story! Enjoyed reading the last part of the stories of Haung and Zhou very much. I'd recommend this series to anyone!
June 5, 2016
The wait is finally over!
The red plains is the last book in the Forbidden List series.
If you look at this review, you will most likely already have read the other two books.
I can tell you – they get better with each instalment! The first was good, the second great and the third is brilliant!
GR Matthews has real talent. What I enjoy most in his writing is his easy way of describing things. He manages to let you delve into the story, see the world, feel the breeze, smell the snow and get goosebumps from the cold – and all that with one single paragraph. The second thing he is really good at is characters. Everything I read by this author has been character driven. In this series we start off with two main characters, who are enemies – but we get to see so much through their eyes, that it is impossible to choose one over the other. And now in book three we still see those two men – but how they have grown and changed in the meantime! Realistic character development and very well written emotions that will catch you right up and have you feel with the protagonists are a sure way to keep you right in the story, and make it impossible to put the book down once you started it.
I love how much depth the world and story has gained by now – how much more background and history we get to see in book three. I am especially interested in the Wu and devoured every bit of their lore. I just wish I was a Wu myself. :)
I wholeheartedly recommend this series and hope it will find it’s way into a lot of readers hands, because it absolutely deserves to get a lot of attention and fans to spread the word.
The red plains is the last book in the Forbidden List series.
If you look at this review, you will most likely already have read the other two books.
I can tell you – they get better with each instalment! The first was good, the second great and the third is brilliant!
GR Matthews has real talent. What I enjoy most in his writing is his easy way of describing things. He manages to let you delve into the story, see the world, feel the breeze, smell the snow and get goosebumps from the cold – and all that with one single paragraph. The second thing he is really good at is characters. Everything I read by this author has been character driven. In this series we start off with two main characters, who are enemies – but we get to see so much through their eyes, that it is impossible to choose one over the other. And now in book three we still see those two men – but how they have grown and changed in the meantime! Realistic character development and very well written emotions that will catch you right up and have you feel with the protagonists are a sure way to keep you right in the story, and make it impossible to put the book down once you started it.
I love how much depth the world and story has gained by now – how much more background and history we get to see in book three. I am especially interested in the Wu and devoured every bit of their lore. I just wish I was a Wu myself. :)
I wholeheartedly recommend this series and hope it will find it’s way into a lot of readers hands, because it absolutely deserves to get a lot of attention and fans to spread the word.
March 28, 2016
G.R.Matthews has created and sustained a unique world in this trilogy that takes what we thought we knew about Imperial China and re-imagines it in a way that feels both different and authentic.
In this concluding installment of the forbidden list trilogy, a struggle that began (In the Stone Road) as a dispute between two city states and their rival dukes has escalated to a conflict that threatens to consume not just the Empire, but the whole of creation.
Matthews keeps that epic scale firmly grounded through the same approach seen in the first two books. The reader follows two key participants in a series of alternating Point of View chapters. There is Zhou, the diplomat, who through the trauma of losing his wife and child discovered the raw power of the spirit realm and his link as a wu to the primal spirit of the Panther. There is Haung, the soldier trained in two forms of warrior magic and elevated like Zhou to the forbidden list, those servants of the Emperor to whom no-one may offer any let, hinderance or harm as they serve his majesty.
In some ways Zhou and Huang are unlikely protaganists of this tale; there are others with greater powers and higher stakes. At times Matthews' heroes serve as the readers' eyes and ears, witnesses to the power of greater beings. Jeff Salyards in his Blooodsounder Arc trilogy had the scribe Arkimondos tell the tale of intrigue and warfare from a worm's eye view. While Zhou and Haung are far more formidable than Akimondos ever could be, their own development - attending as guests at the table of power (like hobbits at the council of Elrond) - means Matthews can and does use them effectively to guide the reader through his incredibly complex world of multiple realms and ancient conflicts.
In his afterward and elsewhere, Matthews has written of his great hatred for info-dumps - those long chapters of exposition, those prologues of pretend history - in which some authors have unwisely indulged. Epic fantasy must have a backstory of course, and the author must know it - know it all, but like seven eights of an iceberg (or a building's foundations) most of it should be hidden from view, not thrust down the reader's throat.
So Matthew's story builds through the experiences and observations of Zhou and Huang as they follow very different paths. Battles are fought, friendships forged, heroes discovered and secrets revealed all in an entertaining way and at a lively pace. The use of chinese terms and names lends a sense of immersion in a different world without going to the extremes of unpronouncable invented names with a muliplicity of apostrophes.
Plot seeds laid in the earlier books get to sprout and flower here in surprising ways and at the heart of this tale there is a theme of family. Not just the family that Zhou lost, or the family that Huang has vowed to protect, but other families who must resolve their differences or else the Jade Emperor and the world as they know it will fail.
In this concluding installment of the forbidden list trilogy, a struggle that began (In the Stone Road) as a dispute between two city states and their rival dukes has escalated to a conflict that threatens to consume not just the Empire, but the whole of creation.
Matthews keeps that epic scale firmly grounded through the same approach seen in the first two books. The reader follows two key participants in a series of alternating Point of View chapters. There is Zhou, the diplomat, who through the trauma of losing his wife and child discovered the raw power of the spirit realm and his link as a wu to the primal spirit of the Panther. There is Haung, the soldier trained in two forms of warrior magic and elevated like Zhou to the forbidden list, those servants of the Emperor to whom no-one may offer any let, hinderance or harm as they serve his majesty.
In some ways Zhou and Huang are unlikely protaganists of this tale; there are others with greater powers and higher stakes. At times Matthews' heroes serve as the readers' eyes and ears, witnesses to the power of greater beings. Jeff Salyards in his Blooodsounder Arc trilogy had the scribe Arkimondos tell the tale of intrigue and warfare from a worm's eye view. While Zhou and Haung are far more formidable than Akimondos ever could be, their own development - attending as guests at the table of power (like hobbits at the council of Elrond) - means Matthews can and does use them effectively to guide the reader through his incredibly complex world of multiple realms and ancient conflicts.
In his afterward and elsewhere, Matthews has written of his great hatred for info-dumps - those long chapters of exposition, those prologues of pretend history - in which some authors have unwisely indulged. Epic fantasy must have a backstory of course, and the author must know it - know it all, but like seven eights of an iceberg (or a building's foundations) most of it should be hidden from view, not thrust down the reader's throat.
So Matthew's story builds through the experiences and observations of Zhou and Huang as they follow very different paths. Battles are fought, friendships forged, heroes discovered and secrets revealed all in an entertaining way and at a lively pace. The use of chinese terms and names lends a sense of immersion in a different world without going to the extremes of unpronouncable invented names with a muliplicity of apostrophes.
Plot seeds laid in the earlier books get to sprout and flower here in surprising ways and at the heart of this tale there is a theme of family. Not just the family that Zhou lost, or the family that Huang has vowed to protect, but other families who must resolve their differences or else the Jade Emperor and the world as they know it will fail.
February 7, 2016
These words won't do justice to G.R who I now class as a friend .
My book of 2015 was to me and many a shock The Blue Mountain , this lead to a hunger for this the final book in the series.
The journey continues for Zhou and co with the battle of the wall becoming a foregone conclusion and the Mongolian horde about to invade means a scrambling effort to retreat, a city und we drive . A rescue attempt turning to a journey, a simple task of escorting a foreign dignitary to the capital where upon arrival finding in besieged and having to find a way in . These all face the character's and lead to the meeting of the realms.
The twists and turns at play affects all some you don't see . The battles and fighting are wonderfully wrote . the ending few chapters are the crowning glory in this series but I found that the magical words at the end where G.R talks about the cast and how he feels about missing them and doing justice to Zhou show the emotion and passion he has poured in strikes home for me. I know this is the end of the series but I want more especially around the magic and the world even if brought in to a modern day world there could be a story to tell.....
My thoughts on this trilogy are
Book one was good
Book two was absolutely amazing
Book three was totally mind blowing
My book of 2015 was to me and many a shock The Blue Mountain , this lead to a hunger for this the final book in the series.
The journey continues for Zhou and co with the battle of the wall becoming a foregone conclusion and the Mongolian horde about to invade means a scrambling effort to retreat, a city und we drive . A rescue attempt turning to a journey, a simple task of escorting a foreign dignitary to the capital where upon arrival finding in besieged and having to find a way in . These all face the character's and lead to the meeting of the realms.
The twists and turns at play affects all some you don't see . The battles and fighting are wonderfully wrote . the ending few chapters are the crowning glory in this series but I found that the magical words at the end where G.R talks about the cast and how he feels about missing them and doing justice to Zhou show the emotion and passion he has poured in strikes home for me. I know this is the end of the series but I want more especially around the magic and the world even if brought in to a modern day world there could be a story to tell.....
My thoughts on this trilogy are
Book one was good
Book two was absolutely amazing
Book three was totally mind blowing
February 20, 2016
This is a incredible book! The thrilling conclusion to a wonderful trilogy that is truly something else! The bringing together of Fantasy and Kung fu is marvolous and the story is truly satisfying a full review will be coming soon!
If you have not read the forbidden list I highly suggest you do so!
If you have not read the forbidden list I highly suggest you do so!
March 28, 2016
This book isn't perfect, few are. It's not a million miles off though and I thoroughly enjoyed it. He's not bad this Matthews chap, I'll be looking for more from him.
November 26, 2016
Superb climax to a trilogy where each book just got better and better. Thank you Mr Matthews, what a ride!
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July 4, 2017Review pending
November 20, 2020
To be honest I started this series without big expectations.
I was looking for some light entertainment and the Asian setting made me curious.
I ended up reading all 3 books in a row without pause, finding all the entertainment I needed and much more.
The Asian setting, at least for me, was refreshing, I loved the world and its lore, but most of all I found great characters, not only the 2 main voices, but also the secondary ones and even the bad guy.
I didn't give 5 stars only because it was too short and I would have liked to read more, but I would definitely read the next books of this great writer.
I was looking for some light entertainment and the Asian setting made me curious.
I ended up reading all 3 books in a row without pause, finding all the entertainment I needed and much more.
The Asian setting, at least for me, was refreshing, I loved the world and its lore, but most of all I found great characters, not only the 2 main voices, but also the secondary ones and even the bad guy.
I didn't give 5 stars only because it was too short and I would have liked to read more, but I would definitely read the next books of this great writer.
October 6, 2017
Great conclusion. All the buildup from the previous book really paid off. I read this in two days. And this is the longest book of the trilogy. I also certainly wasn't expecting that final decision.
Magic got much more presence here and the aspects of different elements were well done, specially rock. Also, Mongol zombies. Who would think of that?
New characters and revelations about older ones expanded not only the cast but the world. Although I did wish some of them had joined sooner with more story (Jing Ke) and others who were supposed to be super powerful and central to the problem simply disappeared or didn't really do anything (Boqin and the Emperor). And I also missed more Liu and Gang or a Mongol character from the current invasion. But the "deities" made up for it.
Haung and Zhou carried the story fine. The first developed his fighting skills well. While Zhou had more magic in him, I was a bit sad his diplomatic backstory and all the study required for that served for nothing and his companion was doing pretty much everything and she lectured him so much in how he knew so little that I ended up calling him Zhou Snow.
The pace was great and the conclusion satisfactory.
Magic got much more presence here and the aspects of different elements were well done, specially rock. Also, Mongol zombies. Who would think of that?
New characters and revelations about older ones expanded not only the cast but the world. Although I did wish some of them had joined sooner with more story (Jing Ke) and others who were supposed to be super powerful and central to the problem simply disappeared or didn't really do anything (Boqin and the Emperor). And I also missed more Liu and Gang or a Mongol character from the current invasion. But the "deities" made up for it.
Haung and Zhou carried the story fine. The first developed his fighting skills well. While Zhou had more magic in him, I was a bit sad his diplomatic backstory and all the study required for that served for nothing and his companion was doing pretty much everything and she lectured him so much in how he knew so little that I ended up calling him Zhou Snow.
The pace was great and the conclusion satisfactory.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews