The Broken King

A McFalls County Story

By: Brian Panowich

Narrated by: Brian Troxell

A short story introduces listeners to Brian Panowich's brutal, mesmerizing North Georgia landscape, in preparation for Like Lions.

"No king lives forever, and Gareth was getting old."

Enter the world of Brian Panowich, where Gareth Burroughs runs McFalls county, in north Georgia, and all the criminal enterprises therein. Two of his three sons, Halford and Buckley, are aiming to follow in his footsteps. The third, Clayton, has turned his back on the family and become a lawman, a sheriff in town. In Bull Mountain, the brothers' inevitable confrontation will change life in the county forever. In Like Lions, the last man standing, Clayton, must finally reckon with his heritage, and with the expectations of everyone left in his father's and brothers' organization. But before Bull Mountain, before Like Lions, there was "The Broken King," and a final confrontation on a very cold night.

Critic reviews

<p>Praise for <i>Bull Mountain</i><br><br> "A satisfying and smartly constructed book whose time-shifting sequences build suspense even as they parcel out telling revelations. Once events are in full play, there’s no turning back.”—<i>The Wall Street Journal</i><br><br> “[Brian Panowich] pulls off [a] daunting undertaking with astounding success . . . The storytelling is mesmerizing." —<i>The New York Times Book Review</i><br><br> "One of the best multi-generational family sagas in years.” —<i>The Huffington Post</i><br><br> “Prose as punchy as rapid-aged whiskey.” —<i>Esquire</i><br><br> “A brilliant debut novel . . . extraordinary.” —<i>Atlanta Magazine</i><br><br> “<i>Bull Mountain</i> is a stone gas and a stone winner! It’s brother-versus-brother in the dope-damned South. This first novel has it all: moonshine, maryjane and mayhem! Read this book now – and succumb to a startling new talent.” —James Ellroy, author of <i>Perfidia</i></p>

WOW!!! Move over Penn Cage!

I don't remember how I ended up purchasing this novella but boy, am i glad i did!
If you are a fan of the Penn Cage Series by Greg Iles, you are going to love these books. This is book 0.5 of a 3 book series (so far). Wow! Are they terrific! Now, as soon as I finished this one, I immediately got the next two from my library. (sorry Audible)
Since I can't do a review for the other two on Audible, i am going to do a brief mention on this review, Hopefully Audible will allow it.
I listened to all three of these in 2 1/2 days. Back to back.
While this one is suppose to be an introduction to the series (?) It was actually written after the first one and before the third. So don't let that confuse you. Listen to them in the order intended.

The Broken King
Bull Mountain
Like Lions

Warning, these are a bit graphic. Extreme violence. But if you have read the Penn Cage books, you won't have a problem.
Read these books!! So good. I hope and pray there will be more. At least one more. The last one ended perfectly so another one would be wonderful!


Narrator: Brian Troxell is absolutely perfect for these books!

Good story

Good short story. I loved Bull Mountain, so I had to read this one too. I’ll definitely be reading the next one.

Appalachia Saga

A Crime family patriarch sends his sons out to bury a body and then goes to the barn that holds the chemicals and equipment for their new enterprise. A young kid gets the drop on him and a new era is near. A mountain story and authentic performance. Recommend

loved it

great addition to the series. gave some extra details about Gareth and the boys when younger. also about the people responsible for Gareth and the barn

One credit for less than an hour?

This book is less than an hour and told in bull mountain. Very disappointed in this