The Mortal Path Series by Dakota Banks
Deliverance: Mortal Path Book 3
Harper Voyager
Paperback, $7.99, ISBN-13: 978-0062049988
eBook, $4.99, ISBN-10: 0062049984
A demon’s assassin for centuries, Maliha Crayne has gone rogue, determined to save a life for every one she’s destroyed in order to free herself from an eternity of enslavement, damnation, and excruciating torment. But as the powers that sustained her in the past fade, she is wary of trusting those closest to her—especially her lover, Jake. Should Maliha listen to her heart or the alarms going off in her head? Then her closest friends begin to disappear, one by one. Amid her anger, suspicion, and sorrow, she feels her life spiraling out of control.
Worse still, a beautiful, Renaissance murderess is recruiting Maliha as her new assassin. Maliha is turning into a lethal puppet with an evil Immortal pulling the strings, forced to kill innocents or see her missing friends die horribly. Suddenly trapped in a moral no-man’s land, Maliha is damned if she does and damned if she doesn't ... and time is rapidly running out.
Read an Excerpt Now!
"Deliverance is a gut-kick of a read, with non-stop action and as inventive a world as I've ever seen. Maliha Crayne, not a character to be trifled with, could give other Urban Fantasy heroines a pointed lesson in real ass-kicking." - VICKI PETTERSSON
"A breakneck ride through worlds visible and invisible--who knew the ancient Sumerians were this thrilling?" - JOSEPH FINDER
"DELIVERANCE delivers everything I love in suspense fiction: great characters who jump from the page; a smart, layered plot, and pacing that screams. This is the kind of book that makes you look forward to a rainy day." - JOHN GILSTRAP
"Readers who like their paranormal romantic suspense novels to feature nonstop action, twisting plots, and deadly heroines will devour Banks' clever and compelling Mortal Path series. Assassins, demons and danger, oh my!" - LISA GARDNER
Sacrifice: Mortal Path Book 2
Harper VoyagerPaperback, $7.99, ISBN-13: 978-0061687327
eBook, $4.99, ISBN-10: 0061687324
A demon's enslaved executioner--a ravager of lives and souls--Maliha Crayne has been reborn, willing to sacrifice her immortality for a chance at freedom ... and salvation. Now she has an opportunity to prevent the death of thousands to help balance the countless lives she has obliterated over the centuries. To do so, she must locate and destroy an evil cabal of madmen in possession of a weapon of unspeakable power--and survive the immortal assassins who are now after her blood. But it means reverting to the old ways and surrendering once more to the darkness.
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"Chilling, thrilling, and a page turner!" - HEATHER GRAHAM
"Action packed. Tons of fun. Dakota Banks slams you through a wild tale of mayhem and murder. You'll love every page." - MARIO ACEVEDO
"Sacrifice was an intense read.... Rich characters, out of this world action, fast-paced and heart-wrenching romance. What more can I ask from a great urban fantasy series?" - LARISSA'S BOOKISH LIFE
"Like the first book in this series [Dark Time], Sacrifice starts off with a stunning action sequence and doesn't slow its pace as Maliha and her trusted friends battle an organisation that threatens countless lives. ... New characters prove intriguing; be they other Ageless or Maliha's mortal contacts, there are some amazing and breathtaking action scenes and a particularly heart breaking moment as a character makes the ultimate sacrifice. ... [Dakota Banks] is on to an absolute winner with this dark urban fantasy series." - BOOK ADDICT, AMAZON TOP 100 REVIEWER
"Sacrifice is thrilling urban fantasy at its best. ... This book was an incredibly quick read. I thought I'd start it one evening just to get a feel for the story, and 74 pages later, I realized I'd have to keep reading. There's action, adventure, excitement, horror, and a fantasy island in the middle of the Mediterranean." - TINK'S PLACE
"Maliha is a very complex and intriguing character. I learn something new about her every time. She is right up there on the list as one of the best ass-kicking chicks." - CHERYL'S BOOK NOOK
"I really enjoyed Sacrifice. I love the whole concept of Mortal Path and find Maliha to be fascinating. Mortal Path has become one of my favorite series." - MICHELLE'S BOOK BLOG
"With a knack for painting an extremely vivid picture in the readers mind, Banks story-telling will leave you chomping at the bit for more. Including fast paced development and edge of your seat excitement, Banks has expertly created a Dark Urban Fantasy series." - YZHABELLA'S BOOKSHELF
"Sacrifice is a whirlwind of action, emotion, passion and intrigue. Surprise and shock lurk on every other page. Like Dark Time it can be devoured hungrily. ... Dakota Banks has created a rare thing: a sequel that is as good as or better than the original." - BLOGCRITICS, Catherine Tuckwell
"...The book starts at full speed, at the pinnacle of the roller coaster. If I had to describe Sacrifice in one word it would be 'more'. More characters, more adventure, more action, more Maliha and more fun. ... This book is all about action. Imagine Indiana Jones as an assassin, a really hot female one *winks*, in a Mission Impossible story line. You will not blink while reading this book. If reading could invoke weight loss, this book would do it. From start to finish I was running with Maliha and she can run really FAST!" - INTENSE WHISPER
"I love this series! It's jammed with action and adventure that moves quickly from one harrowing event to another. Maliha is a strong kick-ass woman who survived not only a demon's control, but earlier the fires of burning after a false accusation of being a witch. Highly recommended for fantasy lovers as well as action and adventure fans...and more!" - BOOK READER'S HEAVEN
"The heroine of this story, Maliha Crayne, is a combination of Jason Bourne meets Lara Croft. She is strong, loyal, witty, and pretty much an all around kicka** person. Is it possible to be jealous of a fictional character? Because I definitely am! I loved it! Banks delivered in all aspects for me." - I SMELL SHEEP
"Fans of Tomb Raider and Lara Croft will find much to love in this series! In Sacrifice, Maliha must face a centuries-old madman bent on destruction. He's one nasty villain and it will take all of the resources that Maliha has at her disposal to beat him! The Mortal Path series is escapist fiction at its best, and I'll look forward to the next installment!" - MY BOOKISH WAYS
Dark Time: Mortal Path Book 1
Harper VoyagerPaperback, $7.99, ISBN-13: 978-0061687303
eBook, $4.99, ISBN-10: 0061687308
Susannah Layhem, a healer unjustly accused of witchcraft in the 17th century, is ripped from her husband's arms and thrown in jail. Abandoned by her husband and friends, she's tied to a stake and set afire. Her raging bitterness draws one of seven ancient Sumerian demons. The demon Rabishu pulls her from the flames, and she signs a contract to live forever—if she does his evil work. Susannah becomes the Black Ghost, an Ageless assassin gifted with otherworldly skills and superbly trained in martial arts.
She obeys Rabishu's orders and remains a beautiful young woman. Then she's given an assignment she can't bear to carry out. She chooses the mortal path instead, and emerges from three centuries of reluctant service as the demon's slave. Now Maliha Crayne, she discovers the fine print of her contract. If she balances lives taken with lives saved, she'll ascend to a paradise straight out of Sumerian legend. If she fails, she faces eternal torment at Rabishu's hands. The ticking clock? Every time she saves lives, she ages. The deck is stacked against her. She's got her own agenda, though. Payback time—killing Rabishu and his kin before he gets his punishing claws on her.
Intimately tangled with Maliha's yearning for personal redemption is her thrilling quest to stop a villain from selling America's security to the highest bidder. For both goals, she will need to relearn what it means to be mortal, to reach out in friendship, and to dare to believe she can love again.
DARK TIME is laced with ancient legends, a heady dash of the supernatural, and the warmth of awakening relationships.
"Sometimes you just need a kick-ass former demon's slave to tackle life's problems. Especially one wielding a whip sword. Dakota Banks' DARK TIME is a novel to be savored for both its edge of suspense and the pure joy of its storytelling. Part immortal, all human, Maliha is a heroine who will leave readers breathless and craving more. Not to be missed!" - JAMES ROLLINS
"Seductive, sophisticated, and imaginative, DARK TIME has a multi-dimensional quality with beguiling concepts and a labyrinth of fast-paced suspense. There's food for thought on every fascinating page. Dakota Banks is firing on all cylinders." - STEVE BERRY
"Sweeping across continents and centuries, DARK TIME by Dakota Banks is storytelling at its most vivid. The characters are fascinating, the plot nail-biting ... Curl up in your favorite chair - entertainment is guaranteed." - GAYLE LYNDS
"DARK TIME is a passionate, fascinating story packed with action and history. Three hundred years ago, Maliha Crayne was burned at the stake. Now she's in a race against time to save the world and her soul, and you will be with her step by step." - DAVID MORRELL
"Edge of your seat, breathtaking action ... DARK TIME is a must-read supernatural thriller." - DAVID DUN
"Fans of the supernatural and dark fantasy will be intrigued by Maliha Crayne's quest to save her soul." - PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
"The premise for this new series is exciting.... With a kick-ass heroine who's trying to get out of an unimaginably bad situation and tons of action, this is a terrific read." - RT BOOK REVIEWS
"DARK TIME is the first book in a new dark urban fantasy thriller series called the Mortal Path. DARK TIME introduces us to Maliha Crayne, a terrific new urban fantasy heroine that is multi-layered, passionate, and nuanced. ... The world building and back story of the demons is fresh and original with a nice scifi twist mixed with the metaphysical. ... DARK TIME is a thriller that synthesizes and delivers action akin to Mission Impossible and James Bond. Unlike many of the characters in those stories, Maliha is believable because she has the experiences, knowledge, languages and training from a lifetime of 300 plus years to back up her actions. ... A definite page-turner and I recommend it especially if you like thrillers and well drawn characters." - SCIFI GUY
"Maliha is a mix of Lara Croft and a human Terminator; she would be marvelous in a video game. She is also a strong character in any book. The real heart of the story lies in Maliha's past, at what she lost; her husband, her baby, her life. ... In DARK TIME, Dakota Banks combines daredevil action, poignant romance, the past, the present, the paranormal, all infused with modern technology. It is the first in a series of books that looks set to be a strong, intriguing story line." - Catherine Tuckwell, BLOGCRITICS
"This book was freaking awesome! ... The action was amazing and violent and just f'kin brilliant!" - Bella Phen, POP SYNDICATE
Writing as Shirley Kennett Other Books Available
Thrillers: 100 Must Reads
Oceanview PublishingHardback, 408 pages, $27.95, ISBN-13: 978-1-933515-56-4
eBook, $14.95
The most riveting reads in history meet today's biggest thriller writers in Thrillers: 100 Must Reads. Edited by David Morrell and Hank Wagner, Thrillers: 100 Must Reads examines 100 seminal works of suspense through essays contributed by modern thriller writers.
Thrillers: 100 Must Reads features 100 works-from Beowulf to The Bourne Identity, Dracula to Deliverance, Heart of Darkness to The Hunt for Red October deemed must-reads by the International Thriller Writers organization. Much more than an anthology, this book goes deep inside the most notable thrillers published over the centuries. Through lively, spirited, and thoughtful essays that examine each work's significance, impact, and influence, Thrillers: 100 Must Reads provides both historical and personal perspective on those spellbinding works that have kept readers on the edge of their seats for decades.
Shirley Kennett's essay is about The Eight by Katherine Neville.
“A great sourcebook not only for thriller fans, but also for anyone interested in the workings of the human mind, including psychologists, sociologists and even philosophers.” - Associated Press, Reviewed by Waka Tsunoda
“An intriguing list. Starting with Theseus and the Minotaur is perhaps unexpected but soon the list rolls along with more expected candidates each with a marvelously informing short essay. Thrilling reading in itself.” - Reference and Research Book News
