Reckoning

Darkhurst #3

by Gail Z. Martin

Undertaker brothers fight the monsters who killed their family and uncover a dark secret that could destroy a kingdom.When Corran, Rigan, and their friends became outlaw monster hunters and fled beyond the walls of Ravenwood City, they thought they had defeated the source of the abominations that killed so many of their friends and loved ones. But the more successful they become at destroying the creatures, the more they realize that greater evil is at work—larger and more terrifying than they ever imagined.

The city state of Ravenwood is wealthy, powerful, and corrupt. Ambitious and ruthless leaders use betrayal and assassination to gain their ends. Blood magic conjures monsters to further the goals of the ruling class, and stolen power is paid for by the deaths of commoners. But now the magic extracts too high a toll, merchant princes scheme against each other, smugglers and pirates threaten the trade that holds the kingdom together, and old alliances shatter. Darkhurst’s wastrel king seems ill-suited to stop the collapse of the merchant league and the kingdom itself.

When fanatic priests begin a reign of terror to summon ravenous beings and cause the unmaking of the world, Corran, Rigan, and their friends face an impossible task. They must bind the monstrous First Being, stop the priests from bringing about their blood-soaked reckoning, and put a king on the throne that will end the cull forever. The price of failure is the destruction of Darkhurst and the world itself.

Reckoning is the fast-paced, action-packed conclusion to a monster-filled fantasy adventure with non-stop twists and turns, loyal brothers, found family, forbidden magic, vengeful ghosts, high-stakes intrigue, and dangerous secrets set in a vibrantly visualized world.

448 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2024

About the author

Gail Z. Martin discovered her passion for science fiction, fantasy and ghost stories in elementary school. The first story she wroteat age fivewas about a vampire. Her favorite TV show as a preschooler was Dark Shadows. At age 14, she decided to become a writer.

She enjoys attending science fiction/fantasy conventions, Renaissance fairs and living history sites. She is married and has three children, a Maltese and a golden retriever.

Gail Z. Martin is also Morgan Brice, which is her pen name for urban fantasy MM paranormal romance.

In addition to the online sites listed below, you can find me on
Facebook.com/Groups/MartinShadowAlliance
Facebook.com/Groups/WorldsOfMorganBrice
Twitter: @GailZMartin and @MorganBriceAuthor
YouTube: YouTube.com/c/GailZMartinAuthor
IG: @MorganBriceAuthorGail & Larry newsletter: http://eepurl.com/dd5XLj
Morgan Brice newsletter: http://eepurl.com/dy_8oL
BookBub for Morgan: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/morga...
Bookbub for Gail: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/gail-...
Amazon profile: https://www.amazon.com/Morgan-Brice/e...?
Amazon profile: https://www.amazon.com/Gail-Z-Martin/...
Pinterest (for Morgan and Gail) www.Pinterest.com/Gzmartin

Reviews

[Adena Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the epitome of noblebright meets grimdark fantasy. The Valmonde brothers only wanted to live quiet lives but when push came to shove, they took up arms to do the right thing. And look at what they inspired by their example - a king becomes king, hunters help protect the helpless and the people step forward to face the darkness. What a truly epic quest! I really enjoy the uprightness and stubbornness of the good characters the author has populating this world while I abhor the greasy ickiness of her villains and how they interact. The author's characters are the best part of her stories; they drive the story by the way they deal with their world. I cannot recommend this enough to fans of Steve McHugh, Theophilus Monroe, Elliott James, and William Stacey.

I received an ARC via Hidden Gems and I am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Pieter van der Ploeg · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found this book good, but not great—probably because my expectations were set so high by the first one.
Instead of building up, it gradually became less impressive, and the ending felt a bit rushed with solutions that came too easily.

[Lynne Sharpe · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quite repetitive at places