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Peter Fallon #4
City of Dreams
"Can I interest you in saving America?"
That's the text message Peter Fallon receives from a Wall Street bigwig. It's not a challenge he can turn down, especially since the country is in the midst of the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression.
Hidden somewhere in New York City is a box of 1780 bonds with a face value of ten thousand dollars. The Supreme Court is about to decide if these bonds still have value. If the decision is yes, those ten thousand dollars, at five percent interest, will be worth a very pretty penny...
Peter Fallon and his girlfriend, Evangeline Carrington, must find the box--and fast. Suddenly, their race against time becomes a race through time as Peter and Evangeline track the stories of New Yorkers whose lives have been changed by the bonds... and all the while they'll unravel the thrilling and inspiring origins of the City of Dreams.
That's the text message Peter Fallon receives from a Wall Street bigwig. It's not a challenge he can turn down, especially since the country is in the midst of the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression.
Hidden somewhere in New York City is a box of 1780 bonds with a face value of ten thousand dollars. The Supreme Court is about to decide if these bonds still have value. If the decision is yes, those ten thousand dollars, at five percent interest, will be worth a very pretty penny...
Peter Fallon and his girlfriend, Evangeline Carrington, must find the box--and fast. Suddenly, their race against time becomes a race through time as Peter and Evangeline track the stories of New Yorkers whose lives have been changed by the bonds... and all the while they'll unravel the thrilling and inspiring origins of the City of Dreams.
448 pages, Hardcover
First published May 4, 2010
33 people are currently reading
578 people want to read
About the author
William Martin
373 books393 followersMeet 'the king of the historical thriller' (Providence Journal). William Martin is a New York Times bestselling author of twelve novels, an award-winning PBS documentary, book reviews, magazine articles, and a cult classic horror movie, too. He is best known for his historical fiction, which has chronicled the lives of the great and the anonymous in American history while bringing to life legendary American locations, from Cape Cod to the Sierra foothills during the California Gold Rush. His latest, December '41, sweeps us across America in the weeks after Pearl Harbor and has been hailed as "propulsive," "cinematic,' and "riveting" by critics. He was the recipient of the prestigious 2005 New England Book Award, given to "an author whose body of work stands as a significant contribution to the culture of the region." And in 2015, the USS CONSTITUTION Museum gave him the Samuel Eliot Morison Award. He has three grown children and lives near Boston with his wife.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 105 reviews
February 1, 2018
Another delightful entry in the Peter Fallon historical novel/modern day thriller series. The setting of this one shifts from the usual Boston to New York City where Peter’s fiancé Evangeline is living. As always in this series, the story is split between a modern day (2010 in this case) thriller story and a series of historical episodes that we readers get to experience firsthand and which serve to provide clues to the modern day story. It’s a wonderful way to tell a story, especially for arm-chair historians like myself, and nobody does it better than William Martin.
I will say that I was a little worried about this particular entry in the series. Not only would we be leaving the comfortable environs of Boston but the McGuffin this time around was not to be some cool lost treasure like Paul Revere’s silver tea set, or a copy of a lost version of the US Constitution. But rather, the lost treasure is a box of 1780 Continental bonds with a face value of about $10,000. Maybe it’s just me but that sort of lost treasure just isn’t as exciting. But, happily, I was wrong. It’s not just the fact that depending on an upcoming Supreme Court decision, the current value of those bonds would be well over $1 billion. It’s the story and the characters that drive the story and therein lays the real value of this novel. The combination of the thriller-level action both in the present day and the historical sections certainly kept me on the edge of my seat. The plot is tightly woven throughout and is amazing to watch unwind as Peter and Evangeline gather clues from history to make progress in the present. Perhaps the best parts are when we get to encounter all of the historical places in NYC, seeing them in their historical context as well as now.
I love these books and like to spread them out so that I will always have another one to look forward to. At this writing, there is only one more book published (The Lincoln Letter) but I was happy to learn from the author’s website that another will be published this year. Nevertheless, I’ll have to control my desires to turn to the next one right away…but that will be difficult.
I will say that I was a little worried about this particular entry in the series. Not only would we be leaving the comfortable environs of Boston but the McGuffin this time around was not to be some cool lost treasure like Paul Revere’s silver tea set, or a copy of a lost version of the US Constitution. But rather, the lost treasure is a box of 1780 Continental bonds with a face value of about $10,000. Maybe it’s just me but that sort of lost treasure just isn’t as exciting. But, happily, I was wrong. It’s not just the fact that depending on an upcoming Supreme Court decision, the current value of those bonds would be well over $1 billion. It’s the story and the characters that drive the story and therein lays the real value of this novel. The combination of the thriller-level action both in the present day and the historical sections certainly kept me on the edge of my seat. The plot is tightly woven throughout and is amazing to watch unwind as Peter and Evangeline gather clues from history to make progress in the present. Perhaps the best parts are when we get to encounter all of the historical places in NYC, seeing them in their historical context as well as now.
I love these books and like to spread them out so that I will always have another one to look forward to. At this writing, there is only one more book published (The Lincoln Letter) but I was happy to learn from the author’s website that another will be published this year. Nevertheless, I’ll have to control my desires to turn to the next one right away…but that will be difficult.
May 10, 2015
I enjoyed reading this book and give it 4 out of 5 stars. It is part history, going back to 1776 and the Revolutionary War, part historical fiction, and part modern day thriller. The book opens with people trying to find twenty thousand dollars worth of US Revolutionary war New Emission bonds. These bonds could be worth over a billion dollars with compound interest.
One thread follows the persons who have possession of the bonds going back to 1780 up the present time. The second thread takes place in the present day, with a variety of people trying to find the bonds, some of whom are willing to kill to get these bonds.
This book is #4 in the Peter Fallon series, but it read ok as a stand alone. Peter Fallon is a rare book expert and at the center of the present day thread.
One thread follows the persons who have possession of the bonds going back to 1780 up the present time. The second thread takes place in the present day, with a variety of people trying to find the bonds, some of whom are willing to kill to get these bonds.
This book is #4 in the Peter Fallon series, but it read ok as a stand alone. Peter Fallon is a rare book expert and at the center of the present day thread.
April 13, 2015
Martin returns with another stellar novel in the Fallon-Carrington series. America is weighed down by the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression, with China finally refusing to bail them out. At the heart of America's financial heart, New York City, a box of 1780 Continental bonds is hidden, with a face value of $20 000. Calculating the compound interest and the promise by Alexander Hamilton that the US Government will honour them for perpetuity, a vast sum of money could await the holder. That is, if the Supreme Court rules in favour of their still holding any value. With the bonds scattered around the city, Peter Fallon and his fiancée, Evangeline Carrington must locate them and await the Court's decision. As they search, Fallon and Carrington discover the historical significance of these bonds as they pass through the hands of numerous New Yorkers, important in many ways. With a killer on their trail as well, Fallon and Carrington must fight for their lives on their most dangerous adventure to date. Martin ramps up the ante with this novel, using finance, history, and drama to weave a story about the epicentre of American commerce and the potential realities of frivolous spending.
Martin depicts New York as a City of Dreams, where ideas can come to fruition and lives changed in a generation, while also exemplifying the horrors of monetary dependancy. As always, themes emerge in the story and the historical branches chosen to illustrate the narrative to offer insight into Martin's areas of greatest interest. While not an economist or financial analyst, I found this novel quite insightful and the continued dependence, both by the government and Americans in general, to use the 'buy now, pay later' mantra quite intriguing. The attentive reader may see this nuanced soapbox approach very apropos of modern times, something sure not to change without a colossal mindset shift.
Kudos, Mr. Martin on entertaining and educating with this novel. I cannot wait to see what you have in store with the most recent Fallon instalment and how it will use history as a platform.
Like/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
Martin depicts New York as a City of Dreams, where ideas can come to fruition and lives changed in a generation, while also exemplifying the horrors of monetary dependancy. As always, themes emerge in the story and the historical branches chosen to illustrate the narrative to offer insight into Martin's areas of greatest interest. While not an economist or financial analyst, I found this novel quite insightful and the continued dependence, both by the government and Americans in general, to use the 'buy now, pay later' mantra quite intriguing. The attentive reader may see this nuanced soapbox approach very apropos of modern times, something sure not to change without a colossal mindset shift.
Kudos, Mr. Martin on entertaining and educating with this novel. I cannot wait to see what you have in store with the most recent Fallon instalment and how it will use history as a platform.
Like/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
February 18, 2018
This was a really good read for me. I settled in and was quite comfortable with it. It sucked me in and would not let me give it up until I was done. I love a book that is either so suspenseful or so compelling that dishes go unwashed and clothes unfolded and invitations unaddressed (the invitations was what I was supposed to be doing) until done and that was this book for me. I also love a book where I already have a relationship with the characters and I had many years back read the first three in this series so I knew Peter and Evangeline well.
It pops into and out of a history lesson of the growth of New York City, the immigrants who move there, the various neighborhoods and who lived within and why, of scripophilists (I previously knew nothing of these collectors of antique stocks and bonds), of insider traders, of Russian investors/mobs, of 9/11 and all the sights, sounds, tastes and smells of all of the above. Those who live, work, play and undermine others in the "City of Dreams" figure into the story of ill begotten gold and the 1780 bonds it financed as well as the lives those bonds touched and destroyed. Peter and Evangeline are asked to "save America" by finding that box of bonds hidden somewhere in that huge city.
Now I wonder why I waited so long to read book 4 having owned it for some time. I will certainly put book 5 of the series on my TBRs.
It pops into and out of a history lesson of the growth of New York City, the immigrants who move there, the various neighborhoods and who lived within and why, of scripophilists (I previously knew nothing of these collectors of antique stocks and bonds), of insider traders, of Russian investors/mobs, of 9/11 and all the sights, sounds, tastes and smells of all of the above. Those who live, work, play and undermine others in the "City of Dreams" figure into the story of ill begotten gold and the 1780 bonds it financed as well as the lives those bonds touched and destroyed. Peter and Evangeline are asked to "save America" by finding that box of bonds hidden somewhere in that huge city.
Now I wonder why I waited so long to read book 4 having owned it for some time. I will certainly put book 5 of the series on my TBRs.
April 21, 2010
This review is based on a set of advance proofs which I won in a Goodreads Giveaway.
Boy HOWDY but this book was good! A walloping good time, a rollicking read!
William Martin weaves four stories together, all from different eras, all related to a lost set of "New Emission Money" bonds issued in the late 18th century. In the 2010 story, Peter Fallon and Evangeline Carrington chase down clues to find the bonds before other folks with more nefarious plans do. The three stories set in the past trace the bonds from their origin through the mystery of their multiple disappearances and reappearances.
Martin is able to create a second story out of the concept of debt, and what debt means to an individual, an economy, and a nation. This story is just as absorbing as the thrilling mystery part of the novel. The bonds represent great opportunity to each owner, but also great heartache and suffering. These pieces of paper are more than just money, and Martin brings that to the fore of his work again and again.
I heartily recommend this book to anyone who enjoys good mysteries, good thrillers, good novels, or musings on the hidden value of money.
Boy HOWDY but this book was good! A walloping good time, a rollicking read!
William Martin weaves four stories together, all from different eras, all related to a lost set of "New Emission Money" bonds issued in the late 18th century. In the 2010 story, Peter Fallon and Evangeline Carrington chase down clues to find the bonds before other folks with more nefarious plans do. The three stories set in the past trace the bonds from their origin through the mystery of their multiple disappearances and reappearances.
Martin is able to create a second story out of the concept of debt, and what debt means to an individual, an economy, and a nation. This story is just as absorbing as the thrilling mystery part of the novel. The bonds represent great opportunity to each owner, but also great heartache and suffering. These pieces of paper are more than just money, and Martin brings that to the fore of his work again and again.
I heartily recommend this book to anyone who enjoys good mysteries, good thrillers, good novels, or musings on the hidden value of money.
March 7, 2014
William Martin is a wonderful writer, and I can't put his books down for very long. This one was read in five days or less! His main characters, Peter and Evangeline, soon to be married, found themselves embroiled in a dangerous situation in New York City, where Evangeline lives. It is about some bonds issued during the Revolutionary War to help fund the cause of freedom. Martin takes us from that time period up to 2008-09, talking about the growth of New York City, and the various families who had connections with these bonds. The author never fails to engage me. I love to learn the history of places, as well as of the families living in them, and the movers and shakers in the same time periods.
February 27, 2012
Good God, where do I begin? Let me begin here: I rarely give 1-star. And I certainly didn't think this book, which had very few poor reviews and an interesting premise, would merit it. But this book is so bad and has me so angry that rather than try to format this into the solid, coherent review that I am not capable of writing right now, I will list my reasons for dishing out but 1-star:
1. I don't know if the author has spoken to a person from the working-class since he made it in this racket but the dialogue sounds like it was written by someone with his nose in the air the whole time.
2. Two dimensional characters that were impossible to get invested in. Also, the reader is reminded every 20 pages are so that the main protagonist is from Boston and is a Red Sox fan suffering in Yankee-land, just in case you forgot this fact from the last 20 pages.
3. Given the book's mostly upper-class tenor, I'm not surprised at all that the author's personalization of Italian, Russian and African-American characters is bigoted at best but, hey, this is America as we are constantly reminded throughout. Anyone can make it. Even a black character written in such brazenly stereotypical fashion that the writer probably broke the apostrophe key on his computer typing the character's lines.
4. The detour through 9/11 was wholly unnecessary, did nothing to enhance the narrative and spoiled the only good will I felt toward the book (the other flashback scenes to olden New York are not too bad and are semi-educational).
5. The conspiracy is kind of predictable and not that interesting.
6. Women are sex objects who use their sex to lure men into thinking thoughts of sex and sex, sex, sex.
7. This is a bad imitation of a Dan Brown novel, which should tell you all you need to know right there.
There are probably more but I'm tired. Read at your own risk.
1. I don't know if the author has spoken to a person from the working-class since he made it in this racket but the dialogue sounds like it was written by someone with his nose in the air the whole time.
2. Two dimensional characters that were impossible to get invested in. Also, the reader is reminded every 20 pages are so that the main protagonist is from Boston and is a Red Sox fan suffering in Yankee-land, just in case you forgot this fact from the last 20 pages.
3. Given the book's mostly upper-class tenor, I'm not surprised at all that the author's personalization of Italian, Russian and African-American characters is bigoted at best but, hey, this is America as we are constantly reminded throughout. Anyone can make it. Even a black character written in such brazenly stereotypical fashion that the writer probably broke the apostrophe key on his computer typing the character's lines.
4. The detour through 9/11 was wholly unnecessary, did nothing to enhance the narrative and spoiled the only good will I felt toward the book (the other flashback scenes to olden New York are not too bad and are semi-educational).
5. The conspiracy is kind of predictable and not that interesting.
6. Women are sex objects who use their sex to lure men into thinking thoughts of sex and sex, sex, sex.
7. This is a bad imitation of a Dan Brown novel, which should tell you all you need to know right there.
There are probably more but I'm tired. Read at your own risk.
March 20, 2011
I Loved this book. Martin has taken a slice of American history many of us know a little about but haven't really thought too much about, the use of revolutionary war notes to provision George Washington's army. He's done this in a setting coming alive with the details and minutia of early America. His research and background material about the City of New York gives the book great credibility coupled with insight and a sense of discovery. His characters bring a pretty dull subject alive. I especially enjoyed the manner he tied the Revolutionary story into his modern story. Very well done. I highly recommend it.
July 30, 2011
WIth City of Dreams, William Martin maintains the excellence shown in his previous work, "The Lost Constitution" and , if possible, exceeds it. The story is as relevant as tomorrow's newspaper, while taking the reader on a vital journey that begins on July 4, 1776. His exceptional skill at interweaving chapters from the past with chapters from the present is at displayed at its very best. The contemporary story reunites us with our old friends from his previous Peter Fallon books, but, as always, enhances our knowledge of each character through the course of the story. The bountiful buffet of other characters in both the historical and contemporary portions of the work makes each page a delight to read and savor. Having spent a week in New York recently with my daughter, I was especially pleased to see this Bostoner depict a rival city with such depth and affection. His willingness to let Peter wear a Yankees cap at one point was the ultimate courtesy a Red Sox fan could bestow. Please, please, please, keep writing about Peter and Evangeline and it's okay to have them travel, but give us some time for Chowdah at home before they set out again.
September 3, 2010
Excellent. I loved how Martin told the story of the Revolutionary Wars bonds, the curse placed on them, and all the people who get involved from the time of their issue to the present day economic crisis (which plays heavily into the plot, making this a very timely read). It is a thriller with a bit of a love story that uses much of America’s history to create an intriguing plot. Without giving too much away, City of Dreams centers upon the race to find the war bonds that could completely bankrupt the US if they can be redeemed with compound interest. As the story shifts between times, I rushed onward because I needed to know how the pieces would come together and what would happen next in each time period.
July 13, 2017
I continue to consider William Martin one of the best historical fiction authors. He moves so smoothly from the present time to history, and then back again. This City of Dreams is New York City, and obviously there are many familiar parts of the city as the setting for this story . The segments about the World Trade Center on 9/11 were just as hard to read now as similar ones were in 2001. This book is a Peter Fallon story; not all of Mr. Martin's books are about this character. As such, there is a good amount of sarcasm (Martin calls it "sass") in the dialogue, which makes for a great number of smiles while reading. I would encourage anyone who loves historical fiction to try this author, especially anyone who has an interest in the New York/Boston/New England areas.
November 29, 2017
After having spoken with the author on many occasions, I finally grabbed this and a few other of Martin's books. This was a fascinating trip back and forth through time following the journey of some post-Revolutionary war bonds. The power struggles with these bonds covered centuries and history. Quite an interesting read.
January 7, 2021
I read City of Dreams several years ago and put it in my mind for a reread at some point. Now is my rereading time. This story is a wrap around your heart and mind. It has been some time and like a newly opened book now. Grab a copy and start reading.
November 16, 2016
A truly enjoyable - and educational - read! Liked the dialogue between Peter and Evangeline. Going to read the other books in this series.
January 13, 2017
Another great one from William Martin. If you like historical fiction, add this to your list. Believable, suspenseful, and paced just right.
August 4, 2013
I recently finished William Martin’s historical thriller, City of Dreams (originally published in 2010). This is the fourth book in Martin’s series about antiquarian bookdealer Peter Fallon and his (now) fiancée, Evangeline Carrington, a travel reporter. The first Fallon thriller was Back Bay (published in 1991, I finished it 1-19-2009). In it, Fallon is a history graduate student at Harvard who is in search of The Golden Eagle Tea Set, an exquisite 31-piece silver tea set presented to George Washington by the merchants of Boston. The set is stolen by Horace Pratt, a member of a prominent Boston family, from the White House in 1814 during the British invasion for grievances against the government. The tea set is buried in Back Bay and the only clues are buried in a Pratt diary. Fallon and Carrington, a Pratt descendent, try to unravel the clues and find the tea set before dangerous rivals do. The novel moves back and forth in time to tell the story of the tea set’s journey, along with the Pratt family’s, while in the present Fallon and Carrington race against time and danger to find the tea set. This chronological back and forth is a common device used by Martin to great success in all his Fallon adventures.
In 2003, Martin published the second Fallon thriller, Harvard Yard (I finished it 6-20-2008). In this adventure, Fallon, now a Harvard graduate and antiquarian bookseller is at Harvard for a fundraiser when he is asked to find an undiscovered Shakespearean play that was brought to Harvard and lost there. Once again, Fallon’s life is endangered in his quest to discover the play. And once again, Martin travels effortlessly from the past to the present in telling the story of the people involved and the lost play.
In 2007, the third Fallon adventure, The Lost Constitution (I finished 7-14-2008), reunites Fallon and Carrington, now a travel reporter. This time the quest is to find a lost early draft of the Constitution that has handwritten notes on it by a member of the Constitutional Convention. As with the previous novels, the events move back and forth through time to seamlessly tell the story of the document and the people involved.
And so, in 2010, Martin published City of Dreams. Again, Fallon and Carrington, now his fiancée are involved in a search for ancient American relics. This time they are on the prowl for 200 $100 New Emission Money bills. This was currency issued by states and backed by the Federal government to remove old worthless currency and also buy gold and precious metal with a promise to redeem it with 5% interest after five years. Most were redeemed in 1785, the date of redemption. However, a consecutive lot of 200 have been missing since their original purchase in 1780. A few of these bills had turned up in the late 1800s and early 1900s. A hedge fund manager, Austin Arsenault, who owns two of them, wants to find the rest and redeem them in what he claims is an attempt to save the United States. As such, there is a case before to Supreme Court to see if the United States must honor the bills and also whether the interest rate is still valid. If the decision is that the US must honor the debt and its ensuing interest, the bills would be worth 7.4 million dollars apiece and the entire lot of 200, 1.4 billion dollars (Note: using Martin’s numbers this corresponds roughly to 5% interest compounded annually for 229 years). The impending Court decision is the cause of the rush to secure possession of the bills. To no surprise, Fallon’s and Carrington’s search leads to danger as the Arsenault is not the only one looking. Several others are as well, including the Russian mob. As with all of Martin’s previous Fallon adventures, he weaves back and forth from the American Revolution to current times. And during these adventures, we get a wonderful history of New York City, including the 9/11 disaster which plays its own role in the book.
I thoroughly enjoyed the novel, as I did with the previous ones. I confess this type of historical thriller greatly interests me. This is part of Dan Brown’s appeal to me (although he also adds a religious context to his thrillers featuring Robert Langdon). I am fascinated by American history and Martin’s novels featuring Peter Fallon and Evangeline Carrington offer a treasure hunt and a journey through our past. I find these novels gripping and difficult to put down. I didn’t discover Martin until the summer of 2008. Because of that, after reading the first two I discovered (Harvard Yard and The Lost Constitution), I found them very reminiscent of the Nicholas Cage films: National Treasure (2004) and National Treasure 2: Book of Secrets (2007). Neither of these were great films, but I confess I loved them because of the stories. The Martin novels reminded me of the films. Of course, had I done things in the correct order, it would have been more accurate to say the movies reminded me of the books. Be that as it may, I love the books and easily give them my highest recommendation. I am looking forward to reading the next Fallon and Carrington adventure, The Lincoln Letter, which I just recently purchased.
In 2003, Martin published the second Fallon thriller, Harvard Yard (I finished it 6-20-2008). In this adventure, Fallon, now a Harvard graduate and antiquarian bookseller is at Harvard for a fundraiser when he is asked to find an undiscovered Shakespearean play that was brought to Harvard and lost there. Once again, Fallon’s life is endangered in his quest to discover the play. And once again, Martin travels effortlessly from the past to the present in telling the story of the people involved and the lost play.
In 2007, the third Fallon adventure, The Lost Constitution (I finished 7-14-2008), reunites Fallon and Carrington, now a travel reporter. This time the quest is to find a lost early draft of the Constitution that has handwritten notes on it by a member of the Constitutional Convention. As with the previous novels, the events move back and forth through time to seamlessly tell the story of the document and the people involved.
And so, in 2010, Martin published City of Dreams. Again, Fallon and Carrington, now his fiancée are involved in a search for ancient American relics. This time they are on the prowl for 200 $100 New Emission Money bills. This was currency issued by states and backed by the Federal government to remove old worthless currency and also buy gold and precious metal with a promise to redeem it with 5% interest after five years. Most were redeemed in 1785, the date of redemption. However, a consecutive lot of 200 have been missing since their original purchase in 1780. A few of these bills had turned up in the late 1800s and early 1900s. A hedge fund manager, Austin Arsenault, who owns two of them, wants to find the rest and redeem them in what he claims is an attempt to save the United States. As such, there is a case before to Supreme Court to see if the United States must honor the bills and also whether the interest rate is still valid. If the decision is that the US must honor the debt and its ensuing interest, the bills would be worth 7.4 million dollars apiece and the entire lot of 200, 1.4 billion dollars (Note: using Martin’s numbers this corresponds roughly to 5% interest compounded annually for 229 years). The impending Court decision is the cause of the rush to secure possession of the bills. To no surprise, Fallon’s and Carrington’s search leads to danger as the Arsenault is not the only one looking. Several others are as well, including the Russian mob. As with all of Martin’s previous Fallon adventures, he weaves back and forth from the American Revolution to current times. And during these adventures, we get a wonderful history of New York City, including the 9/11 disaster which plays its own role in the book.
I thoroughly enjoyed the novel, as I did with the previous ones. I confess this type of historical thriller greatly interests me. This is part of Dan Brown’s appeal to me (although he also adds a religious context to his thrillers featuring Robert Langdon). I am fascinated by American history and Martin’s novels featuring Peter Fallon and Evangeline Carrington offer a treasure hunt and a journey through our past. I find these novels gripping and difficult to put down. I didn’t discover Martin until the summer of 2008. Because of that, after reading the first two I discovered (Harvard Yard and The Lost Constitution), I found them very reminiscent of the Nicholas Cage films: National Treasure (2004) and National Treasure 2: Book of Secrets (2007). Neither of these were great films, but I confess I loved them because of the stories. The Martin novels reminded me of the films. Of course, had I done things in the correct order, it would have been more accurate to say the movies reminded me of the books. Be that as it may, I love the books and easily give them my highest recommendation. I am looking forward to reading the next Fallon and Carrington adventure, The Lincoln Letter, which I just recently purchased.
March 9, 2018
Great read. The author weaves history and drama throughout the book. It it set in New York city as it is now and as it was during the Revolutionary War. For me it was a "can't put it down" book.
May 7, 2010
If you had told me that a work of fiction about finance and war bonds could be really exciting, I wouldn't have believed you. Now, I have to be honest and admit that I obtained this book via a first reads giveaway and the edition I received was an "uncorrected proof". Honestly though, I hope that the story and the flow of the book remain the same for the books release because this book was really really good.
At the center of this story are New Emission bonds with a face value of 10,000 that were purchased near the close of the Revolutionary War (or the American War of Independance depending on which side of the ocean you live on). The Supreme Court is close to deciding if the US must honor this debt which with compound interest would be well over a billion dollars. Add to this a nation beleaguered by debt, the uncrupulous people who only made a bad situation worse and the Russion mafia willing to kill for this potential pay-day and you have a very tense thriller.
Martin tells 4 stories across time beginning just before the American Revolutionary War. The stories include the purchase of the bonds and traces the lives of the people associated with the bonds. Martin also places his story against the background some of the most devastating wounds ever inflicted on the US generally and New York City specifically. The 1776 Great Fire of New York, the 1919 anarchist bombings and yes, the September 11 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center. The use of these historic touchstones is in no way a cheap vehicle to garner thrills. They truly make sense in the context of the lives of the characters. To not use them, would be somehow disingenuous.
In the modern story Peter Fallon and his fiace Evangeline must locate the lost box of bonds using historial documents and ledgers. Their search is peppered by danger and intrigue including mysterious strangers whose motives are completely unknown. Who can be trusted?
At the center of this story are New Emission bonds with a face value of 10,000 that were purchased near the close of the Revolutionary War (or the American War of Independance depending on which side of the ocean you live on). The Supreme Court is close to deciding if the US must honor this debt which with compound interest would be well over a billion dollars. Add to this a nation beleaguered by debt, the uncrupulous people who only made a bad situation worse and the Russion mafia willing to kill for this potential pay-day and you have a very tense thriller.
Martin tells 4 stories across time beginning just before the American Revolutionary War. The stories include the purchase of the bonds and traces the lives of the people associated with the bonds. Martin also places his story against the background some of the most devastating wounds ever inflicted on the US generally and New York City specifically. The 1776 Great Fire of New York, the 1919 anarchist bombings and yes, the September 11 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center. The use of these historic touchstones is in no way a cheap vehicle to garner thrills. They truly make sense in the context of the lives of the characters. To not use them, would be somehow disingenuous.
In the modern story Peter Fallon and his fiace Evangeline must locate the lost box of bonds using historial documents and ledgers. Their search is peppered by danger and intrigue including mysterious strangers whose motives are completely unknown. Who can be trusted?
February 23, 2013
It's a captivating, creative story with fascinating historical details drawn relevantly to current events and pressing modern issues. I have enjoyed many of Martin's books, and I will continue to seek out his other books.
But I have to be frank: the writing is not good. The dialogue, in particular, can be downright painful, especially when read aloud.
Knowing the story would be great and the writing mediocre, I got this on Audible so my husband and I could listen to it as we drove from FL to VT -- a 30-hour drive over several days. It kept us alert --mostly because the story was that intriguing, but also because the dialogue had us groaning and laughing. And it made the time pass quickly. we even talked about the story and the history when we weren't driving, guessing what might happen next, pondering the history made real and personal through Martin's characters and details.
Don't read it as literature, don't read it for the writing -- but if you like learning history in a well-constructed mystery, read it for the story.
But I have to be frank: the writing is not good. The dialogue, in particular, can be downright painful, especially when read aloud.
Knowing the story would be great and the writing mediocre, I got this on Audible so my husband and I could listen to it as we drove from FL to VT -- a 30-hour drive over several days. It kept us alert --mostly because the story was that intriguing, but also because the dialogue had us groaning and laughing. And it made the time pass quickly. we even talked about the story and the history when we weren't driving, guessing what might happen next, pondering the history made real and personal through Martin's characters and details.
Don't read it as literature, don't read it for the writing -- but if you like learning history in a well-constructed mystery, read it for the story.
January 22, 2013
City of Dreams follows the typical Peter Fallon script, but it is entertaining nevertheless. I really like his formula. This time it is set in New York City and walks through various stages in the history of that city--from its base of British activity in the early stages of the American Revolution to its being capital of the early republic and birthplace of its commerce under Hamilton's design, its growth as immigrants flooded the city, its role as epicenter in the stock crash of '87, and its being the major scene of the 9/11 attacks--but in addition it had several highlights on the history of money in the United States. There were more than a few comments about the future of this country's economy that were more than just inflammatory bombs, all woven into the plot. The ending was, typically, quite exciting, action-film material but included some twists that brought the entire story together, which made it especially intriguing.
February 3, 2011
“Can I interest you in saving America?”
That’s the text message Peter Fallon receives from a Wall Street bigwig. It’s not a challenge he can turn down, especially since the country is in the midst of the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression.
Hidden somewhere in New York City is a box of 1780 bonds with a face value of ten thousand dollars. The Supreme Court is about to decide if these bonds still have value. If the decision is yes, those ten thousand dollars, at five percent interest, will be worth a very pretty penny...
Peter Fallon and his girlfriend, Evangeline Carrington, must find the box—and fast. Suddenly, their race against time becomes a race through time as Peter and Evangeline track the stories of New Yorkers whose lives have been changed by the bonds… and all the while they’ll unravel the thrilling and inspiring origins of the City of Dreams.
That’s the text message Peter Fallon receives from a Wall Street bigwig. It’s not a challenge he can turn down, especially since the country is in the midst of the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression.
Hidden somewhere in New York City is a box of 1780 bonds with a face value of ten thousand dollars. The Supreme Court is about to decide if these bonds still have value. If the decision is yes, those ten thousand dollars, at five percent interest, will be worth a very pretty penny...
Peter Fallon and his girlfriend, Evangeline Carrington, must find the box—and fast. Suddenly, their race against time becomes a race through time as Peter and Evangeline track the stories of New Yorkers whose lives have been changed by the bonds… and all the while they’ll unravel the thrilling and inspiring origins of the City of Dreams.
June 23, 2010
Wow! I throughly loved this wild goose chase of a story through New York city that literally, takes you all the way back to the birth and brings you back up to current times. I've never been to New York, but this book put me right there during each time period. This was a joy to read. The pacing was great. The story was fun and Kept me guessing most of the way through. The writing, to me, was excellent. I enjoyed all the complicated and even, the not so complicated characters throughout this book. A definite, now, favorite out of the books I've read thus far in my life.
May 10, 2012
William Martin's "City of Dreams" is a brilliant bit of storytelling. If you enjoy historical fiction--but with the history impacting the present--Martin's books are some of the best around. This one is bound up with the history of New York City, from the American Revolution to 9/11. In the present, rare book dealer Peter Fallon and his fiance, travel writer Evangeline Carrington, are appealing as always, interesting people with whom I enjoyed spending time. It's history, it's a thriller, it is simply great storytelling from a fine American writer.
May 19, 2013
For those who enjoy historical fiction as well as the enticing action of a political thriller, City of Dreams is an excellent book, capturing the early history of New York City, going back and forth with the exciting efforts of Peter Fallon, the main character. William Martin continues to amaze me in his ability to write compelling historical fiction of this variety -- not shying away from length, while capturing the time and place as well as the mind and thinking of his characters. It's why he is one of my top three favorite authors.
February 2, 2015
always a fun read
William Martin's stories are always a fun read. Hopping back and forth through some of the more memorable points in our history, it's always entertaining to see how a bunch of disparate stories get tied together...
William Martin's stories are always a fun read. Hopping back and forth through some of the more memorable points in our history, it's always entertaining to see how a bunch of disparate stories get tied together...
June 29, 2019
Another brilliant book from Martin. A must read!!
May 9, 2010
Is New York the City of Dreams, Schemes or Nightmares? No-Pete and the E-Ticket are about to find out in a quest to locate bonds from America's powdered wig days. This fast-paced adventure story follows Peter Fallon and his fiance up and down Manhattan as they are menaced and / or aided by a fun assortment of gangsters, rich muckety-mucks and idealists.
The plot twists plus everyone's shadowy motivations kept me interested but the story really shone when describing the 2008 financial crisis and passing historical landmarks. Now I have a list of fun places to visit next time I'm in the area - Castle Clinton, Fraunces Tavern, New York High Society Library and The Ramble in Central Park.
The one drawback was Peter Fallon's character was your generic independently wealthy yet inexplicably down to earth handsome man. Yawn. I did like the off color jokes he made...especially the one with Ted Williams' spinning in his grave.
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I won this in a goodreads First Reads giveaway. It's early in the book but there is already an intriguing plot set up with strong themes involving high finance, history's mysteries and adventure - my three favorites. Can't wait to see where it goes.
The plot twists plus everyone's shadowy motivations kept me interested but the story really shone when describing the 2008 financial crisis and passing historical landmarks. Now I have a list of fun places to visit next time I'm in the area - Castle Clinton, Fraunces Tavern, New York High Society Library and The Ramble in Central Park.
The one drawback was Peter Fallon's character was your generic independently wealthy yet inexplicably down to earth handsome man. Yawn. I did like the off color jokes he made...especially the one with Ted Williams' spinning in his grave.
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I won this in a goodreads First Reads giveaway. It's early in the book but there is already an intriguing plot set up with strong themes involving high finance, history's mysteries and adventure - my three favorites. Can't wait to see where it goes.
April 17, 2014
I continue to be enamored of the Peter Fallon series, although this one is not my favorite of the bunch. The story centers on New Emission Bonds, issued by the young United States to finance their war for independence. As usual, the history was woven into the current-day mystery in a manner I found both appealing and seamless. However, I found the current-day mystery to have a few too many threads and had a bit of trouble keeping track. I also admit that my imagination is stretched a bit too far when an object lost for over 200 years is found by two groups at the same moment. The relationship between Peter and Evangeline was given a lot less ink than in some of the other books, and I missed that.
I've given this one four stars, and I will continue to look forward to more in the Peter Fallon series.
I've given this one four stars, and I will continue to look forward to more in the Peter Fallon series.
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October 23, 2012No spoilers! Was very pleased that the action and plot moved from Boston to a different locale (nothing against Boston but the readers really needed a change of scenery). Loved the ending - the author has gotten much better at tying up loose ends and bringing all threads (from the past to the future) to a satisfying conclusion. Very timely topics (national debt and our financial future) and asks some very basic questions about what it means to be a patriot without being preachy. The protagonists are much more developed and the author has no trouble ending the story line on any one character. Very enjoyable and highly recommended.
July 9, 2013
Another novel with his characters of Peter and Evangeline. Instead of taking place in the Boston area, this takes us to New York where once again Peter is searching for an item. I think this is the best one I have read in the series. I have always enjoyed how the author writes about Peter's search and also writes about the item's journey to where the object will be discovered. It is like reading two books in one. It is always interesting to see notable figures from our history and different time eras. If you enjoy Dan Brown's books with Robert Langdon, you owe it to yourself to read the stories of Peter Fallon.
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