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Joe Ledger #4.2
Borrowed Power
Some secrets should remain hidden.
Some secrets refuse to die.
Something evil is buried beneath the streets of Paris.
Time is running out.
Thirty years ago the man known as Mr. Church and the assassin called Lilith teamed-up to stop a terrible weapon from being used against the innocent.
Now that same evil rises again and Joe Ledger teams with Lilith’s daughter, the beautiful killer Violin, to keep the world from falling into darkness.
BORROWED POWER is an original Joe Ledger adventure featuring an action cameo by Mr. Church.
11,700 words
Some secrets refuse to die.
Something evil is buried beneath the streets of Paris.
Time is running out.
Thirty years ago the man known as Mr. Church and the assassin called Lilith teamed-up to stop a terrible weapon from being used against the innocent.
Now that same evil rises again and Joe Ledger teams with Lilith’s daughter, the beautiful killer Violin, to keep the world from falling into darkness.
BORROWED POWER is an original Joe Ledger adventure featuring an action cameo by Mr. Church.
11,700 words
53 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 30, 2013
13 people are currently reading
882 people want to read
About the author
Jonathan Maberry
523 books7,788 followersJONATHAN MABERRY is a NYTimes bestselling author, #1 Audible bestseller, 5-time Bram Stoker Award-winner, 4-time Scribe Award winner, Inkpot Award winner, comic book writer, and producer. He is the author of more than 50 novels, 190 short stories, 16 short story collections, 30 graphic novels, 14 nonfiction books, and has edited 26 anthologies. His vampire apocalypse book series, V-WARS, was a Netflix original series starring Ian Somerhalder. His 2009-10 run as writer on the Black Panther comic formed a large chunk of the recent blockbuster film, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. His bestselling YA zombie series, Rot & Ruin is in development for film at Alcon Entertainment; and John Wick director, Chad Stahelski, is developing Jonathan’s Joe Ledger Thrillers for TV. Jonathan writes in multiple genres including suspense, thriller, horror, science fiction, epic fantasy, and action; and he writes for adults, teens and middle grade. His works include The Pine Deep Trilogy, The Kagen the Damned Trilogy, NecroTek, Ink, Glimpse, the Rot & Ruin series, the Dead of Night series, The Wolfman, X-Files Origins: Devil’s Advocate, The Sleepers War (with Weston Ochse), Mars One, and many others. He is the editor of high-profile anthologies including Weird Tales: 100 Years of Weird, The X-Files, Aliens: Bug Hunt, Out of Tune, Don’t Turn out the Lights: A Tribute to Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark, Baker Street Irregulars, Nights of the Living Dead, Shadows & Verse, and others. His comics include Marvel Zombies Return, The Punisher: Naked Kills, Wolverine: Ghosts, Godzilla vs Cthulhu: Death May Die, Bad Blood and many others. Jonathan has written in many popular licensed worlds, including Hellboy, True Blood, The Wolfman, John Carter of Mars, Sherlock Holmes, C.H.U.D., Diablo IV, Deadlands, World of Warcraft, Planet of the Apes, Aliens, Predator, Karl Kolchak, and many others. He the president of the International Association of Media Tie-in Writers, and the editor of Weird Tales Magazine. He lives in San Diego, California. Find him online at www.jonathanmaberry.com
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
October 29, 2014
This short Joe Ledger story bridges the gap between Assassin's Code and Extinction Machine. It is set over two periods in the sewers of Paris.
In the first half we see a pre-DMS Mr. Church being the action hero as he discovers a threat and neutralises it. Then we see our friend Joe Ledger see the aftermath thirty years later and have to deal with a different threat.
Without revealing much, the story creates an interesting parallel between Church and Ledger which I suspect neither character really realises. Ledger also re-meets someone from the books so far. As always, it is set in the DMS sort-of-supernatural universe.
It's by no means essential reading but it was a nice extra and makes me look forward to reading Extinction Machine eventually.
In the first half we see a pre-DMS Mr. Church being the action hero as he discovers a threat and neutralises it. Then we see our friend Joe Ledger see the aftermath thirty years later and have to deal with a different threat.
Without revealing much, the story creates an interesting parallel between Church and Ledger which I suspect neither character really realises. Ledger also re-meets someone from the books so far. As always, it is set in the DMS sort-of-supernatural universe.
It's by no means essential reading but it was a nice extra and makes me look forward to reading Extinction Machine eventually.
May 3, 2013
this was a very good short story though not that that's a surprise. we get a little insight of Church's secretive past. not much action from Ledger but this time its replaced with Mr. Church. honestly I wouldn't mind a full novel or at least a couple short stories of Church's past. still this was a great story.
March 19, 2025
Very good read, can't wait to read more.
Recommend.....if you like adventure read the j. Mayberry books. Lots of run I love violin. Sheri a hot character. Ledger is a believable warrior.
Recommend.....if you like adventure read the j. Mayberry books. Lots of run I love violin. Sheri a hot character. Ledger is a believable warrior.
March 10, 2025
Some stories, despite being rather fulfilling, increase the hunger for more and bigger works. Those are the stories that we look for.
This is one such tale. It tells many things, hints even more, but eventually makes us all feel hollow inside— as if we need more, much more.
Outstanding tale.
This is one such tale. It tells many things, hints even more, but eventually makes us all feel hollow inside— as if we need more, much more.
Outstanding tale.
July 26, 2021
This is one of the best horror stories written. As readers become familiar with the genetically-engineered beasts of Maberry, they become even more impressed with his heroes and villains. This tale is fantastic (with emphasis on 'fantasy").
October 21, 2019
I enjoyed having a little bit of background on Mr. Church.
June 22, 2021
This is just a little bite of a story. Good flash back for Deacon and Lilith, so worth the time. Otherwise, not a great tale. Just fill. But fine.
May 22, 2022
Collected in Joe Ledger: Special Ops, this is short story #4.2 in the Joe Ledger series. Something evil is buried under the sewers of Paris, past and present. Smell aside, dark tunnels are creepy for bad and good guys.
In the past, thirty years ago, evil was averted when Mr. Church and Lilith teamed-up to stop a terrible weapon from being used against the innocent, taking on two of the Red order. I loved seeing Church in action, and this gave us more of Lilith and their association, fleshing out both characters backgrounds. It gave me major Underworld vibes.
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In the present, the evil that was thought vanquished arises anew. This time, Joe Ledger teams with Lilith’s daughter, the beautiful killer Violin to stop it. One can't help but be impressed at how Maberry plotted it so as to reveal the parallels between Joe and Mr. Church with one big difference. Joe knows Violin much better, and trusts in her abilities, making this a fun addition to the Ledger Universe.
In the past, thirty years ago, evil was averted when Mr. Church and Lilith teamed-up to stop a terrible weapon from being used against the innocent, taking on two of the Red order. I loved seeing Church in action, and this gave us more of Lilith and their association, fleshing out both characters backgrounds. It gave me major Underworld vibes.
[image error]
In the present, the evil that was thought vanquished arises anew. This time, Joe Ledger teams with Lilith’s daughter, the beautiful killer Violin to stop it. One can't help but be impressed at how Maberry plotted it so as to reveal the parallels between Joe and Mr. Church with one big difference. Joe knows Violin much better, and trusts in her abilities, making this a fun addition to the Ledger Universe.
May 4, 2013
This review will be, by necessity, short. Talking too long on this would give too much away. This action packed story covers two eras, beginning with Church in the early days, still a working operative in the field on a mission to recover an object from the sewers below the city of Paris. Things don't go as planned (do they ever for Church and Ledger? Where would the fun in that be?), and pulse-pounding action ensues. Flash forward to the present and our tale finds Joe Ledger in the same-said sewers below the City of Light and history appears to be repeating itself. Populated by characters from their past, Church and Ledger shine in this short tale punctuated with staccato bursts of action, wit, and genuinely interesting backstory that serves to flesh out a bit more of the mysterious Mr. Church while showing us a bit of the goings-on behind the curtain as the stage is set for what will become DMS.
Maberry's streak remains unbroken. The story is unrelenting, entertaining and has an ending (no spoilers!) unique to the series thusfar.
The fact that it's more Ledger is impetus enough to buy the tale, but rest assured it's another great addition to the DMS canon.
Maberry's streak remains unbroken. The story is unrelenting, entertaining and has an ending (no spoilers!) unique to the series thusfar.
The fact that it's more Ledger is impetus enough to buy the tale, but rest assured it's another great addition to the DMS canon.
May 8, 2014
This time it wasn't all about Joe Ledger even though he is present. I liked that while we, the reader, got some background information on the man known as Mr. Church in this book he still manages to remain a mystery and I think I'm starting to like this character because of this.
We get to see this character prior to the forming of DMS and it was especially nice to see some kick butt female characters such as Lilith and her daughter Violin. I hope to read more about theses characters in the rest of the Joe Ledger series.
We get to see this character prior to the forming of DMS and it was especially nice to see some kick butt female characters such as Lilith and her daughter Violin. I hope to read more about theses characters in the rest of the Joe Ledger series.
June 11, 2013
Mr.Church in action!!
May 6, 2013
Great short story set between the 4th and 5th books in Jonathan Maberry's Joe Ledger series. You get a little glimpse of Mr. Church's past and a bit of action. I enjoyed this short story.
May 4, 2013
A little bit of Mr Church's past, and Joe has a moment with a friend from a recent book. Funny the Church got all the action though.
July 3, 2013
Good short story. Story gives background info on Church and continues to build on Ledger/Violin relationship with some good action and intense situations thrown in.
August 16, 2013
Excellent... I love how Maberry fills in some of the blanks between novels... And Deacon rocks!
December 29, 2013
Nice to see a story told that gives a reader a little background on the Deacon. I've been a solid fan of this series since Patient Zero. The Joe part was almost icing on the cake.
January 18, 2015
A glimpse into the past of DMS. A little too short to be satisfying though.
November 25, 2016
If fan of Joe Ledger ,get too find a little bit about Mr Church
Short and sweet too the the point
That what a good short story should be ,no wasted dialogue
Short and sweet too the the point
That what a good short story should be ,no wasted dialogue
October 28, 2013
short but good!
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews