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To Be A King #1
To Be A King, Volume 1
There is a new cover edition for this work here
Omnio "King" Falcone is the grandson of Don "The Butcher" Falcone, the feared and powerful boss of Detroit’s reclusive Mafia faction, known simply as the “Syndicate.” As the last Falcone, King is the heir-apparent to his grandfather's throne. Except there is one problem. A big one. He is a “difetto,” not of pure Sicilian blood. As a result, he has been ostracized by much of the Syndicate. Even worse, the Commission, a secret pantheon of Mafia bosses from all over the country, has named his Machiavellian uncle the new Boss.
But King is a brilliant tactician. Even with the odds stacked against him, he rises through the Syndicate ranks. Many of the Family capos have grown to respect and fear him, for he commands a faithful crew of ambitious young wiseguys who have sworn their lives to him.
After years of methodical planning and forming strategic alliances, King is on the brink of finally being accepted by the Commission when a beautiful young Mafia princess arrives into town from Sicily. Smitten, he decides he must have her as his own. Unfortunately, his arch nemesis— his nefarious cousin Anthony—has already laid claim to her. A war for her affection ensues. When the smoke clears, King is left serving a life sentence in federal prison, while Anthony is elevated to Syndicate underboss, ranked second only to his father, the Syndicate's new "Capo di tutti Cappi," Boss of all Bosses.
Don Falcone, however, does not intend to dishonor his ancestors by allowing the last Falcone to die in prison. He has kept a favor on the books for over fifty years, and when he finally calls it in, King emerges from prison a free man. And not only does King intend to take his rightful place at the head of his grandfather's crime family, he also intends to seat himself at the head of the entire Syndicate. But first he must dethrone his uncle and usurp his treacherous cousin.
Can King Falcone execute a coup d'etat and seize control of the Syndicate? Or will he incite an all-out Motor City mob war? Can he overcome his own mixed blood and earn the right to his grandfather's throne, or will he be banished from the Family? To find out, read on and learn what it takes… To Be A King
Omnio "King" Falcone is the grandson of Don "The Butcher" Falcone, the feared and powerful boss of Detroit’s reclusive Mafia faction, known simply as the “Syndicate.” As the last Falcone, King is the heir-apparent to his grandfather's throne. Except there is one problem. A big one. He is a “difetto,” not of pure Sicilian blood. As a result, he has been ostracized by much of the Syndicate. Even worse, the Commission, a secret pantheon of Mafia bosses from all over the country, has named his Machiavellian uncle the new Boss.
But King is a brilliant tactician. Even with the odds stacked against him, he rises through the Syndicate ranks. Many of the Family capos have grown to respect and fear him, for he commands a faithful crew of ambitious young wiseguys who have sworn their lives to him.
After years of methodical planning and forming strategic alliances, King is on the brink of finally being accepted by the Commission when a beautiful young Mafia princess arrives into town from Sicily. Smitten, he decides he must have her as his own. Unfortunately, his arch nemesis— his nefarious cousin Anthony—has already laid claim to her. A war for her affection ensues. When the smoke clears, King is left serving a life sentence in federal prison, while Anthony is elevated to Syndicate underboss, ranked second only to his father, the Syndicate's new "Capo di tutti Cappi," Boss of all Bosses.
Don Falcone, however, does not intend to dishonor his ancestors by allowing the last Falcone to die in prison. He has kept a favor on the books for over fifty years, and when he finally calls it in, King emerges from prison a free man. And not only does King intend to take his rightful place at the head of his grandfather's crime family, he also intends to seat himself at the head of the entire Syndicate. But first he must dethrone his uncle and usurp his treacherous cousin.
Can King Falcone execute a coup d'etat and seize control of the Syndicate? Or will he incite an all-out Motor City mob war? Can he overcome his own mixed blood and earn the right to his grandfather's throne, or will he be banished from the Family? To find out, read on and learn what it takes… To Be A King
452 pages, ebook
First published April 15, 2017
36 people are currently reading
63 people want to read
About the author
Gunner Alan Lindbloom
2 books14 followersThe best way to share my story and background is simply to repost (with permission) my interview that I did recently with Craig Timmins, of the website The National Crime Syndicate:
The NCS: Alan, thanks for taking the time out to speak with us at the NCS we really appreciate this opportunity. I guess the first question is to take you back to where things all started out, and how you got involved in this type of life?
Gunner: Well, as I touched on in The Lindbloom Chronicles, I got started in “the life” very young, although I never thought of it as “the life” back then. It was just me doing what I was raised to think was alright to do. When I think back on my life, that’s the interesting thing. I don’t condone my behavior, but in my own defense I was raised in an environment where it was acceptable, even encouraged, to bend the rules. And breaking them was a grey area. I was just too young to realize how I acted was so out of the social norm.
The NCS: Where did the nickname ‘Gunner’ come from?
Gunner: Believe it or not, my real middle name is Gunner. Originally, my father wanted to name me Gunner. But my Sicilian grandparents Tocco wanted my name to be Alanzo. There was a lot of contention between both sides of my family over this, but eventually a compromise was reached: my name would be “Alan” (a shortened Americanized version of Alanzo) and my middle name would be “Gunner.” Growing up, everyone just called me Al. But as I got older, some of the old-time wiseguys and my closest friends began calling me by my middle name, Gunner. Don’t laugh, but my wife calls me “Gunny.”
The NCS: How hard as it been for you to adapt to life on the outside? What have you found hardest to adjust to?
Gunner: Surprisingly, transitioning from 13 years of prison to freedom has been easy. Which I attest to (A) God and (B) my wife and family always having money on their phones so I could call home. Talking to her and my family helped me stay in touch with the “real world.” Guys tend to lose touch with reality if they never talk to anyone from the outside world. After years and years on the inside, with little or no contact with people from the outside world, their minds start to break. Prison life consumes them. They forget what reality is like. It’s both sad and sick at the same time. It’s not worth talking about the things I saw in prison, but just know that it isn’t pretty when a man’s mind breaks. It’s even worse when thousands of men with broken minds are housed in close proximity for years, even decades. Prison can be a very violent and evil place.
I suppose the hardest thing for me to adjust to has been modern technology. For example, I’m still figuring out how to pay for gas at the pump with a credit card. I never seem to get it right. I sometimes have to sign for things using a digital pen! I went from writing my books on a prison typewriter with 1960’s technology, to doing my final edits on a Mac Book Pro. The stereo system in my Jeep is controlled by an iPad. I’m bombarded all day long with Facebook notifications and messages. Before I went to prison, I’d never even sent a text message. Now I’m surrounded by Star Trek technology! Sometimes it can be hard to stay focused on work. And I know it also annoys my wife sometimes. But she understands I’m still adapting.
The NCS: Is there anything that you regret from your time in the mob, or wish you had done differently?
Gunner: I regret getting caught and going to prison! Haha, just kidding. Honestly, I regret it all. I know my previous life helped shape who I am, but I honestly regret it all. I lost so many years to prison and jail. But then, I also understand that this was God’s plan for me. Prison was my destiny. I know it sounds cliché, but prison was the best thing that ever happened to me. Before prison, I was on a road that surely would have led to death or at the very least life in prison. But prison saved me from myself and gave me the time to cultivate my lo
The NCS: Alan, thanks for taking the time out to speak with us at the NCS we really appreciate this opportunity. I guess the first question is to take you back to where things all started out, and how you got involved in this type of life?
Gunner: Well, as I touched on in The Lindbloom Chronicles, I got started in “the life” very young, although I never thought of it as “the life” back then. It was just me doing what I was raised to think was alright to do. When I think back on my life, that’s the interesting thing. I don’t condone my behavior, but in my own defense I was raised in an environment where it was acceptable, even encouraged, to bend the rules. And breaking them was a grey area. I was just too young to realize how I acted was so out of the social norm.
The NCS: Where did the nickname ‘Gunner’ come from?
Gunner: Believe it or not, my real middle name is Gunner. Originally, my father wanted to name me Gunner. But my Sicilian grandparents Tocco wanted my name to be Alanzo. There was a lot of contention between both sides of my family over this, but eventually a compromise was reached: my name would be “Alan” (a shortened Americanized version of Alanzo) and my middle name would be “Gunner.” Growing up, everyone just called me Al. But as I got older, some of the old-time wiseguys and my closest friends began calling me by my middle name, Gunner. Don’t laugh, but my wife calls me “Gunny.”
The NCS: How hard as it been for you to adapt to life on the outside? What have you found hardest to adjust to?
Gunner: Surprisingly, transitioning from 13 years of prison to freedom has been easy. Which I attest to (A) God and (B) my wife and family always having money on their phones so I could call home. Talking to her and my family helped me stay in touch with the “real world.” Guys tend to lose touch with reality if they never talk to anyone from the outside world. After years and years on the inside, with little or no contact with people from the outside world, their minds start to break. Prison life consumes them. They forget what reality is like. It’s both sad and sick at the same time. It’s not worth talking about the things I saw in prison, but just know that it isn’t pretty when a man’s mind breaks. It’s even worse when thousands of men with broken minds are housed in close proximity for years, even decades. Prison can be a very violent and evil place.
I suppose the hardest thing for me to adjust to has been modern technology. For example, I’m still figuring out how to pay for gas at the pump with a credit card. I never seem to get it right. I sometimes have to sign for things using a digital pen! I went from writing my books on a prison typewriter with 1960’s technology, to doing my final edits on a Mac Book Pro. The stereo system in my Jeep is controlled by an iPad. I’m bombarded all day long with Facebook notifications and messages. Before I went to prison, I’d never even sent a text message. Now I’m surrounded by Star Trek technology! Sometimes it can be hard to stay focused on work. And I know it also annoys my wife sometimes. But she understands I’m still adapting.
The NCS: Is there anything that you regret from your time in the mob, or wish you had done differently?
Gunner: I regret getting caught and going to prison! Haha, just kidding. Honestly, I regret it all. I know my previous life helped shape who I am, but I honestly regret it all. I lost so many years to prison and jail. But then, I also understand that this was God’s plan for me. Prison was my destiny. I know it sounds cliché, but prison was the best thing that ever happened to me. Before prison, I was on a road that surely would have led to death or at the very least life in prison. But prison saved me from myself and gave me the time to cultivate my lo
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
May 20, 2017
'ARC by the author for an honest review'
wow! amazing writing..with the drama and suspense of a high-tension thriller,Gunner Lindbloom reveals every incredible aspect of the jealously guarded world he penetrated and draws a chilling picture of what the mafia is,does,and means in American life..great combination of narrative and context..the author had to have a encyclopedic knowledge of the Italian/Sicilian families because of how he wrote about it all in this chilling and vicious reality of a storyline..nice cliffhanger and now i know the series do continue to Vol#2..i do encourage everyone to check this well written story out!!!
wow! amazing writing..with the drama and suspense of a high-tension thriller,Gunner Lindbloom reveals every incredible aspect of the jealously guarded world he penetrated and draws a chilling picture of what the mafia is,does,and means in American life..great combination of narrative and context..the author had to have a encyclopedic knowledge of the Italian/Sicilian families because of how he wrote about it all in this chilling and vicious reality of a storyline..nice cliffhanger and now i know the series do continue to Vol#2..i do encourage everyone to check this well written story out!!!
June 11, 2022
I just finished Gunner Lindbloom’s To Be A King, vol I. OmG! Every page just oozed authenticity and realism. I like when an author writes what he knows, and it is obvious that Lindbloom knows this genre very intimately. The story chronicles the rise and fall of a Detroit mafioso and the extended family around him. T also showed the real side of the characters, hw they justified their chosen business and how they led very normal lives. I never thought about the fact that police arrests of some made-men creates opportunities for expansion for his associates and for his rivals. It is such a fluid, fragile, world. I rather liked King the main character. He wasn’t all bad and just trying to do the best he could in the world he was born into. There is so much story yet to tell. I have already bought my copy of To Be A King, vol. II. If this was a tv mini-series, I would binge-watch it. Excellent read and five stars for Gunner Lindbloom and for To Be A King (both volumes). JAB, author of the conspiracy thriller, Not On My Watch.
April 18, 2017
Alan Lindbloom is a Genius!!!
This the best novel ever! I couldn't put it down I can't wait for Volume 2!!!! I would rate this novel 5 Stars. Alan Lindbloom has captured the true essence of crime families.
This the best novel ever! I couldn't put it down I can't wait for Volume 2!!!! I would rate this novel 5 Stars. Alan Lindbloom has captured the true essence of crime families.
September 19, 2023
Don’t waste your time. The plot is a muddled mess. A “romance” disguised as gangster book. The writing is mediocre at best. It’s like a Wish version of The Godfather, but done in a much worse in every way.
May 5, 2017
Five hundred pages of mafia. Five hundred pages spanning the rise and fall of the Falcone family. Going to be honest, I pictured Carmine Falcone from Batman the entire time.
So the story opens with Don Falcone asking Stanley Dunn for a favor. A huge one. He needs his grandson released from prison. While it opens slow, it piques interest. What could be so bad that the President has to pardon him? Why is it important? From there, it's slow progress to our answers.
The author created a very intricate story. Character's are always connected in some way. Together, they push the story along. There's so many to keep track of, though. It reads very much like Tolkien's "Aragorn, son of Arathorn, son of Arador..." Very long-winded. And the author pays very close attention to their details.
While attentive to detail, there was a little too much. I felt barraged by information constantly. A little background here, some character flaws there, oh! Can't forget that one barn back in 1969 'round the bend where Timmy fell down a well... Changing the paragraph breaks would have helped process the information easier. Paragraphs would span an entire page and it was all uninterrupted dialogue. Or sometimes it was the characters' complete background. Sentences were long, drawn out affairs. Some of it felt overboard and irrelevant to the plot. Cutting some of those out would help with pacing.
Most of the description was all related to the actions of the characters. Language was very blunt and straightforward. The tone of the novel is a disconnected narrator. Like a film voice-over. Especially when the author uses exposition to pass the time. And the time jumps were a little weird. Whether five years passed or ten, all the characters felt unchanged. So, while there was character development, the characters didn't reflect it that well.
There was some sex. On the explicit side, but not well-written. The budding romances peppered throughout gave way to some very annoying stereotypes. King, the Don's grandson, was appealing to every woman. They all wanted him. All the girls were perfect in every way. I didn't like timing of the "love" word. As it is with a lot of romances, character's tend to meet and know they're in love. Without letting you forget it. Sure, it's idealistic, but makes for boring relationship dynamics.
To Be A King is pretty standard when it comes to everything mafia, intricate story and all. Nothing very remarkable stands out. It's a little too long, and needs edits in several ways. The idea's there, it just needs refining.
So the story opens with Don Falcone asking Stanley Dunn for a favor. A huge one. He needs his grandson released from prison. While it opens slow, it piques interest. What could be so bad that the President has to pardon him? Why is it important? From there, it's slow progress to our answers.
The author created a very intricate story. Character's are always connected in some way. Together, they push the story along. There's so many to keep track of, though. It reads very much like Tolkien's "Aragorn, son of Arathorn, son of Arador..." Very long-winded. And the author pays very close attention to their details.
While attentive to detail, there was a little too much. I felt barraged by information constantly. A little background here, some character flaws there, oh! Can't forget that one barn back in 1969 'round the bend where Timmy fell down a well... Changing the paragraph breaks would have helped process the information easier. Paragraphs would span an entire page and it was all uninterrupted dialogue. Or sometimes it was the characters' complete background. Sentences were long, drawn out affairs. Some of it felt overboard and irrelevant to the plot. Cutting some of those out would help with pacing.
Most of the description was all related to the actions of the characters. Language was very blunt and straightforward. The tone of the novel is a disconnected narrator. Like a film voice-over. Especially when the author uses exposition to pass the time. And the time jumps were a little weird. Whether five years passed or ten, all the characters felt unchanged. So, while there was character development, the characters didn't reflect it that well.
There was some sex. On the explicit side, but not well-written. The budding romances peppered throughout gave way to some very annoying stereotypes. King, the Don's grandson, was appealing to every woman. They all wanted him. All the girls were perfect in every way. I didn't like timing of the "love" word. As it is with a lot of romances, character's tend to meet and know they're in love. Without letting you forget it. Sure, it's idealistic, but makes for boring relationship dynamics.
To Be A King is pretty standard when it comes to everything mafia, intricate story and all. Nothing very remarkable stands out. It's a little too long, and needs edits in several ways. The idea's there, it just needs refining.
May 18, 2017
Fans of traditional plot-driven mysteries will delight in To Be A King, which throws in plenty of curves, eventually bringing them together in a massive power struggle. Not only are characters vying for the throne at the Syndicate, the intricacies will keep readers turning the page and jumping from back alleys to other unsavory locales.
Check out the rest of my review at Best Thrillers.
Check out the rest of my review at Best Thrillers.
June 25, 2022
While the storyline was ok, I couldn't get past all of the typos. A better proofreader is needed. I won’t waste my money to see what happens in volume 2 due to the poor editing.
September 19, 2023
Dnf.
The flow was off.
The writing was clumsy.
The prologue was "infodumpy".
The flow was off.
The writing was clumsy.
The prologue was "infodumpy".
July 28, 2020
A famila for the lonely and lost
I am Jae Byrd Wells and I approve of this well developed, perfectly plot out novel.
Although I am an author myself, I have been way too busy to read books. It was suggested by several people that I cannot improve my own habits unless I read a good book. The more I open my eyes to new styles, the better I am becoming not only as a writer but a person.
This style is unique, inspirational and down right fascinating. It took me a bit to adjust to a style I barely touch, but once involved in the plot, I couldn't put it down. I came to admire this style.
My hubby doesn't like mob stuff, so it was funny when he took time to listen to the audio book with me. He laughed and enjoyed it.
To Be A King reeled me into a room with a cozy fireplace, listening to an uncle, a long lost grandfather or father I never had. I laughed, cried, worried about my favorite characters as if they were my familia from another town. Although I am a Kansan through and through, I connected to these down to earth characters and lost my distaste for City folks. They endured trials, made love, and shed tears. My heart bled for them. This book didn't feel like fiction, it felt like a documentary but it felt like it was a secret story passed down at a family reunion.
This book also helped me with research for my science fiction sequel. I am looking forward to continuing the story with volume 2. I can't wait for the merchandise supporting this series to arrive at my doorstep.
I am Jae Byrd Wells and I approve of this well developed, perfectly plot out novel.
Although I am an author myself, I have been way too busy to read books. It was suggested by several people that I cannot improve my own habits unless I read a good book. The more I open my eyes to new styles, the better I am becoming not only as a writer but a person.
This style is unique, inspirational and down right fascinating. It took me a bit to adjust to a style I barely touch, but once involved in the plot, I couldn't put it down. I came to admire this style.
My hubby doesn't like mob stuff, so it was funny when he took time to listen to the audio book with me. He laughed and enjoyed it.
To Be A King reeled me into a room with a cozy fireplace, listening to an uncle, a long lost grandfather or father I never had. I laughed, cried, worried about my favorite characters as if they were my familia from another town. Although I am a Kansan through and through, I connected to these down to earth characters and lost my distaste for City folks. They endured trials, made love, and shed tears. My heart bled for them. This book didn't feel like fiction, it felt like a documentary but it felt like it was a secret story passed down at a family reunion.
This book also helped me with research for my science fiction sequel. I am looking forward to continuing the story with volume 2. I can't wait for the merchandise supporting this series to arrive at my doorstep.
March 26, 2023
I finished TO BE A KING volume I and waiting for Volume II in the mail. It was powerfully written and it kept my attention all the way through. Because of that, I finished it in less than a week, as work kept me from reading it through sooner. I am not a gangster book reader. But this was one of the best reads I have experienced. The story between Vonni and KING was so vivid and compelling. The characters in the story, are so believable. You feel like you are hearing and seeing the same things as the characters of the story.
Gunner is a talented author of Mafia and gangster stories. His observation of the inner workings of this kind of life gave him a lot of material to work with. However, to be able to write this brilliantly is talent. He made it a fantastic read. I can't wait to read volume II. TO BE A KING has reached #3 in the audio, climbing Amazon's top 100 Mafia Genre catalog to #28.
I had the privilege of being interviewed on Gunner's radio show, "OUR THING" out of Detroit, in February 2023, regarding my own book, "Death by Vaudeville", a literary biography of my grand uncle who went to Folsom for murdering a Vaudeville Agent in LA 1924. I found him to be very animated, as in his writing. Very personable and observant to converse with.
Gunner is a talented author of Mafia and gangster stories. His observation of the inner workings of this kind of life gave him a lot of material to work with. However, to be able to write this brilliantly is talent. He made it a fantastic read. I can't wait to read volume II. TO BE A KING has reached #3 in the audio, climbing Amazon's top 100 Mafia Genre catalog to #28.
I had the privilege of being interviewed on Gunner's radio show, "OUR THING" out of Detroit, in February 2023, regarding my own book, "Death by Vaudeville", a literary biography of my grand uncle who went to Folsom for murdering a Vaudeville Agent in LA 1924. I found him to be very animated, as in his writing. Very personable and observant to converse with.
November 23, 2024
this book is unique !!!
A very real and deep story! This book is much more than an usual gangster story. The author has gone through a lot in his life, a lot of pain and overcoming. This is felt on every page. Most likely, this is what allows him to describe human nature perfectly. The main characters are tough, cunning guys and this is their reality. At the same time, they are not devoid of nobility.
The book is very dynamic, full of an intertwining labyrinth of events, a full range of feelings and large-scale dreams. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it, even though English is not my native language.
In some ways this work is reminiscent of The Godfather, but in some ways it is completely different. My opinion is that this book is unique and can be safely placed separately from similar ones.
A very real and deep story! This book is much more than an usual gangster story. The author has gone through a lot in his life, a lot of pain and overcoming. This is felt on every page. Most likely, this is what allows him to describe human nature perfectly. The main characters are tough, cunning guys and this is their reality. At the same time, they are not devoid of nobility.
The book is very dynamic, full of an intertwining labyrinth of events, a full range of feelings and large-scale dreams. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it, even though English is not my native language.
In some ways this work is reminiscent of The Godfather, but in some ways it is completely different. My opinion is that this book is unique and can be safely placed separately from similar ones.
January 3, 2024
Wish I could rate the book higher than 5 stars. I loved this book and can't wait to read #2 which I have purchased already. I loved the characters especially Omnio "King" Falcone and Vonni. The plot and description of these characters makes the reader fall into their world, rooting for them at every step. The conflict between family members is not unlike everyday families except with their status in the Mafia making it dangerous and a slippery slope on when to retaliate. The book was well written and keeps the readers interest. I would highly recommend the book and I can't wait to see what happens between Omnio and his uncle and cousin in the next book of the series.
March 11, 2024
Absolutely loved and enjoyed reading this book. I got so caught up and involved with the characters that I couldn't wait to see what happens next. Haven't been pulled in by a story to this level for six years I'm really looking forward to Volume II. Great job Gunner Lindbloom!
May 25, 2024
Great story. Googled the author - hope he's safe because he has obviously lived 'the life'. Detroiters will be delighted by this story as our landmarks are frequently mentioned. Kept me on the edge of my seat - and this is a long book but I never got bored!
September 25, 2020
Good read for first time novelist. However, I live in the area where the story takes place and the logistics are off. But that should not stop you from enjoying this novel.
January 4, 2022
Fantastic, addicting novel with many twists and turns. Keeps you on the edge of your seat.
October 17, 2022
Very detailed, great imagery and scene building. You feel like you are watching a miniseries on TV. If you like insights into the criminal mind and organized crime, you'll love this series.
September 21, 2023
Possibly the worst book ever written. Please save yourself the trouble and read anything else.
September 19, 2024
my my my
December 12, 2025
I absolutely loved this book. it is filled with relatable characters for the reader. the action and humor is appealing to all audiences.
April 30, 2024
Appreciated the inside look of the mob families.
But some of it was repetitive.
None the less, it was very entertaining.
But some of it was repetitive.
None the less, it was very entertaining.
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews