"I am become Death, destroyer of worlds.” — Bhagavad Gita
London. A street cleaner walks into the middle of Trafalgar Square and blows himself up. No mere act of terrorism. The explosion rips open a crater to reveal the underground headquarters of ARKANE — the ultra-secret British agency tasked with investigating the supernatural.
Within moments, armed commandos rappel into the breach, blow open ARKANE’s vault, and steal a single box containing an ancient relic linked to the Indian god Shiva. By the time ARKANE’s best agents, Morgan Sierra and Jake Timber, arrive on the scene, it’s over. All they have is some video, a few thin leads, and the whispered words, “Don’t let the pieces come together.”
Soon, Morgan and Jake will find themselves on a quest unlike any they’ve experienced yet . Racing from the slums of Mumbai to the temples of Kolkata, from the unmarked graves in the killing fields in Rwanda to the most famous tomb of all — the Taj Majal. On the run from a mad scientist who wants to use ancient Indian relics to rewrite the genetic code of every human alive. In search of a threat woven into the very fabric of existence.
They’ve faced danger before, but never like this. Because in a place beyond madness, all that remains is Death, the Destroyer of Worlds.
New York Times and USA Today bestselling author J.F. Penn brings you her biggest thrill-ride yet in her eighth ARKANE adventure… Get your copy of Destroyer of Worlds and see if you can solve the mystery first!
The fast-paced ARKANE thrillers weave together historical artifacts, global locations, a kick-ass protagonist and a hint of the supernatural. Described by readers as "Dan Brown meets Lara Croft."
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I'm passionate about writing and I love reading. My favorite authors include James Rollins, Jonathan Maberry, John Connolly, Daniel Silva, and I also read a lot of travel books.
This fast-paced adventure sends Morgan Sierra and Jake Timber, the main players in this series, from the slums of Mumbai to the temples of Kolkata, to the Taj Mahal in Agra and to Rwanda looking for a fragment of an ancient Hindu sculpture stolen from the Arkane headquarters in London.
As all the books in this series this 8th installment can be read as a standalone and takes off right from the start and keeps an even pacing throughout. The story is fascinating I couldn’t helped but to zip through the pages in no time so deeply involved in the drama that I had a hard time to set it aside. This is by far my preferred series by this author ,“Destroyer of Worlds” tops it all. The vivid narrative and the colourful scenes create images in the mind, so easy to visualise what is going on. Of course Morgan and Jack, two interesting personalities, work so well together and I particularly love their kick-ass attitude...no- nonsense for them. In this story we are deeply into culture, mythology and beliefs all this beautifully mixed into a tale as scary as it is interesting. Ms. Penn research and attention to details is amazing. Only Ms. Penn can blend a bit of history and supernatural into an absolutely awesome read.
The 8th book in the Arkane series, Destroyer of Worlds can also be read as a standalone novel.
Arkane is a British Government agency that deals with religious and paranormal things and events. Morgan Sierra & Jake Timber are Arkane Agents who are set on a trail of someone who wants to put together a weapon of mass destruction. From a bombing in central London to the breach of Arkane headquarters to the missing piece of a sculpture, the story builds up momentum right from the beginning. As the protagonists follow the clues and the trail of the antagonist, this thriller becomes a chase that spans over a number of countries. Will Morgan & Jake able to catch up to the group in time? Will the devotees go the lengths to gain Goddess Kali’s attention and favour? With so many innocent lives on the line, the members of Arkane don’t have much room for error.
The story takes off right at the beginning and the pace never relents. As a result, I flew through the pages of this book and finished it in one sitting. I love it when thrillers are fast paced and we have to keep up with it. To match it, is the author’s very vivid narrative that creates images in the readers’ minds very easily. Her descriptions of places and settings bring strange new places to life in our minds. It also helps to get a closer look at her characters. I quite liked the characters of Morgan & Jake. They are interesting personalities individually, but it is also fun to see them work together. Morgan is really tenacious. However, I really didn’t buy the motivation of the antagonist. I wish I could say more about it without giving any spoilers. It is just that at no point did the antagonist really scare me or had me believe that Morgan & Jake could possibly fail. I guess what I am trying to say that there was a lack of conviction and challenge there. I still do have a few questions about the leading characters and Arkane which probably has already been talked about in the previous books. The small details and background info always helps in getting close to the story & its characters which is why I usually like reading books in order. If you, as a reader, are not a freak about knowing everything there is to know about the characters then reading this as a standalone will not bother you.
It is clear from the way the author has set up the places in the book (and also from her bio) that she has travelled widely and has experienced most of the places and cultures herself. Seeing and reading about our culture and mythology through someone else’s experiences and mind is always interesting. It was that aspect of the story that kept me entertained as I tried to understand what & how the author looked at things. This book will attract the international readers to whom Goddess Kali may feel like an exotic God. From an Indian point of view though, the plot line felt a bit bland to me. To be fair, having grown up reading about these Gods and Goddess and the many points of views about them, it would take something really big and complicated to wow me.
To round up, this book fell a bit short for me for the reasons stated above. But the Authors writing style and narrative did make an impression. As such I plan to read a couple of books more by this author to see how her plots feel when it is about something that is new to me.
Excellent read! I haven't read the whole series yet but each book I have read stands on its own. Fast paced and new twists at every turn! This book is right up there with the other books I have read by this author! Keep up the great stories!
I received an advance copy from J.F. Penn for my honest review and I also purchased it from amazon.com.
Absolutely awesome, my first read with anything supernatural in it, and surprised that I would like it. Guess it helps that J.F. Penn's writing style just grabs you, has your undivided attention with a tale of good verse evil and you just don't want it to end.
Destroyer of Worlds an international thriller that starts in London with a bomb going off, then has you crisscrossing India, Rwanda, Bangladesh, and a few other places.
It's really my type of book, due to the fast pace, it's action packed, full of suspense, tension filled, has you on the seat of your pants, an extra load of twist and turns and like the good very evil theme.
I like the mythology parts about India, it's well researched, makes it an educational read in away and it's always good to learn something new.
Penn's characters are amazing the good ones or the evil ones, they just come to life, making the story all that better and your right their in the midst of the action.
I liked both Dr. Morgan Sierra and Agent Jake Timber, they are strong, tough, vulnerable and they just don't give up. my favorite read of the year so far.
Penn's one of my favorite authors, definite worth it to check out Destroyer of Worlds. I have the others in the series buried on my TBR list and will start from the beginning of the Arkane Series too catch up. Can't wait for next in the series coming in the fall.
After the events of One Day in New York, Morgan and Jake are reunited for this new ARKANE thriller. As with every book in the series, the pair must stop a villain from gaining access to a dangerous weapon. This one has the power to destroy thousands, if not millions, and ARKANE itself comes under attack as Asha Kapoor seeks to do the bidding of Kali, the Hindu goddess keen on destruction. It follows the usual twists and turns of a thriller, in the form of a treasure hunt, only this time the treasure is capable of apocalypse.
One of the things I enjoy so much about J. F. Penn's books is that even though the general formula is the same, the events that occur along the way are always different. Morgan and Jake never find anything easy, and obstacle after obstacle lands in their way. A couple of the things that happened to other characters actually surprised me, and I like the fact that the main protagonists actually have to get their hands dirty.
I also like the fact that J. F. Penn has no problems with using female antagonists! The villains do seem to have a somewhat typical set of reasoning behind their lust for power, and I'd love to see one who genuinely believes what they're doing is for the betterment of all, but they're still multidimensional characters with their own motivations and desires, rather than just cardboard cut outs.
Can't wait to see when Penn goes next with the series!
Another excellent installment in Penn's ARKANE series.
Penn has really come into her own as an author. The characters have developed over the course of the books and become deep, interesting, and multi-faceted people that I thoroughly enjoy spending time with. She brought together the quick-pace and action of a thriller, with mythology, theology and stunning descriptions of places around the world. This is a book for people who enjoy thrillers with many layers than can be read again and again. There were many topics and concepts that were touched in throughout this book, yet none of them were heavy-handed or overbearing. It was exquisitely balanced and great fun to read. I can't wait for the next book in this fantastic series.
I received a free copy in return for an honest review.
I really did enjoy the book. I have read the complete series. I joined her Pennfriends and received an advanced readers copy. I like how the characters are evolving. Each book, I learn a little more about the characters. I have visited many places where the books have been set and definitely very accurate. This book kept my attention and loved the action. I am just a slow reader but will remember the plot for years to come. Morgan and Jake have become 2 of my favorite characters. I hope nothing stupid is done like have them start a romantic relationship. The tension is awesome. The story is fast paced and if I could have read it in one sitting, I would have. I highly recommend any of her ARKANE series to all who like Dan Brown, Steve Berry or even Clive Cussler. She has a little something for everyone.
Love this Arkane adventure – you can feel the heat and smell the streets as you read.
Having followed Jake and Morgan the lead characters through other adventures I know what they are capable of, and will their success and their happiness. Yet, Joanne holds us, the readers, at bay, not always giving us what we want which makes the stories all the more compelling.
The blend of magical, crime detection, and a local setting so well described that you are transported into the smells and sounds, is what gives Joanna’ writing an edge. The story starts as another journey of magical fantasy that is so familiar it seems real. While not based in England this time there is still an opening shock followed by fast paced excitement as we are raced from town to Indian town while the chase to prevent the ultimate destruction of life continues.
The reader is (willingly) taken on a non-stop rollercoaster ride, with Morgan and Jake, to stop those who would let loose the forces of evil. On this journey you learn more about the characters themselves, but also of other people's culture, myths and religion.
The reader is right there, experiencing everything. You can smell the spices, the sweat mixed with animal and human blood. Feel the heat, the unwashed bodies as they pass you by. See the sights, the blinding colours of the saris mixed with the blazing sunshine. All made possible via Penn's very descriptive words.
This is very well written, in my opinion, it's the best ARCANE novel (so far). Superb!
Another hit by J.F. Penn. I really enjoy reading Penn's books because everyone is a bit of a history lesson. I love history with a supernatural bent. The Arkane relationship between Morgan and Jake is great but building towards a more meaningful relationship without becoming erotic. Very suspenseful and globe hopping. Really liked this book and look forward to the next one. Thank you, J. F. Penn.
Once in a while, this series deviates from the traditional Judeo-Christian world. The last time it happened was with Day of the Vikings, where we learnt a little bit about Norse mythology. That was a short book, though, one of the “interludes” which featured only one of the ARKANE agents.
This one is the first “fully fledged episode” to do so. And it’s really good. I learnt a LOT about India and plenty about Hindu mythology that I never knew before.
That’s a common theme across the ARKANE books, I think. Although much of it is fictionalised, it’s still very well researched and there’s plenty of truth within its pages. I particularly like the fact that the author always explains her research in the afterword, so you know how much of what you’ve just read is real, and how much is not.
I also like the fact that every episode in this series can be read as a standalone, and/or a person could pick it up in the middle, really enjoy that book, and then pick up and read the rest from book one.
It’s a great series, and if you enjoy Indiana Jones and Lara Croft-style relic-hunting, you should definitely give it a try.
I won this book awhile back in a Goodreads giveaway. This is the first book in the series that I've read and the first book by the author I've read.
I'll start by saying you don't need to read the previous books to follow this one. If I could give fractional ratings this book would be higher than a 3.5 stars, so I rounded up. The pacing of the book starts with an explosion and continues at pace until the last chapter (which is really slow but short) the flow of the story is a little rough at times but it isn't a big distraction. I liked the characters some are a little week but in general the characters and their relationships are interesting. I definitely want to read the earlier books in the series.
It is difficult to believe how many variations of religion once held sway in India. It sure makes for interesting reading to get a glimpse of that in Destroyer of Worlds. Yet , having a fanatic and more trying to revive old time religious belief in Kali and revive her calamitous death oriented rituals involving human sacrifices sacrifices , is sometimes a lot more difficult to comprehend nowadays. More so when an ancient statue of Shiva Nataraja is at the centre of a series of break-ins and death seems to follow a young woman Asha. For Morgan and Jake of Arcane fame a lot is soon at stake starting with a bombing in London. Author J.F. Penny once again raised the stakes in this rather emotive race in time against annihilation of millions. Enjoy.
Destroyer of Worlds (ARKANE #8), my sixth read from author J.F. Penn, was captivating, with well-developed characters coupled with an outstanding suspense story-line with its intricately woven twists and turns. I'm a character reader, I get into what makes characters tick, who and what they are. Penn does a good job with her character development; you can like and/or hate these characters. I was given an Audible copy of this book and am voluntarily reading & reviewing it. Narrator Veronica Giguere's narration adds to the book's enjoyment. I'll be reading more by this author as I get more of her books. (RIP Marley January 20, 2014 - July 24, 2018).
Yet another well researched, fast-paced thriller in the arcane world. Starting in Trafalgar Square, it then spends much time in India with a few other excursions as they search for the pieces of a jigsaw which if completed could destroy the world. Well, we're still here, so we know how it ends, but it's a close call on more than one occasion. A definite excellent read you may even find you can't put it down.
The narrator brings a nice style to this thriller. Bringing out the distinct characters by tone and pitch, she does not fail to relate the underline story.
It is a pleasure listening to her reading the book.
Yet another well researched, fast-paced thriller in the arcane world. Starting in Trafalgar Square, it then spends much time in India with a few other excursions as they search for the pieces of a jigsaw which if completed could destroy the world. Well, we're still here so we know how it ends, but it's a close call on more than one occasion. A definite excellent read you may even find you can't put it down.
The narrator brings a nice style to this thriller. Bringing out the distinct characters by tone and pitch, she does not fail to relate the underline story.
It is a pleasure listening to her reading the book.
The story begins with a shocking act of terrorism in London, where a street cleaner detonates an explosion in Trafalgar Square, revealing the underground headquarters of ARKANE. The attackers steal an ancient relic linked to the Indian god Shiva, setting off a high-stakes adventure. Morgan Sierra and Jake Timber, ARKANE agents, race against time to stop a mad scientist who plans to use the relics to rewrite humanity's genetic code. Their journey takes them from the slums of Mumbai to the Taj Mahal, exploring themes of mythology, science, and the supernatural. It's a gripping tale filled with action, mystery, and historical intrigue.
Archaeological digs, ancient temples, human sacrifice, relics with the power of a nuclear bomb, conspiracy theories, history, mythology, loads of sightseeing – this book has it all.
I enjoyed the adventure through India, the insanity of the fanatics, Jake and Morgan flying everywhere to find a way to stop a statue from being used to kill people, how one person chanting the right mantra saved lives, and Jake’s toy helicopter.
Loads of thrills, gore, and difficult decisions.
A must-read for fans of religious, supernatural thrillers.
Even though I felt the ending was a little weak this book still get's 5 stars. I am thoroughly enjoying the Arkane series, they allow you to live a live of adventure and excitment from the safety of your favourite arm chair.
Penn brings to life ancient myths, introduces you to some of the darker aspects of religion and keeps you entertained throughout the death and destruction.
Why Morgan keeps going back for more and doesn't just retire before she is killed is beyond me but I'm glad she does and together with Jake they continue to save the world from the worst of humanity.
Intense and fast paced, like everything I've read by the author. The main, recurring individuals are strong and relate well to their jobs and their environment. The story is memorable, but I was equally impressed with the learning experience about religions and the people and sights of Mumbai, Kolkata, and more. I loved it, like always, but each book has it's own shining delight. It was interesting listening to the narrator.
Another great trip around the world with Morgan, Jake, Director Marietti and Ben Costanza - although not under the best of circumstances for all of them. Wonderful to visit so many places without getting out of one's chair. Oh! And let's not forget about the action, continuous throughout the book and some accurate historical facts, somewhat embellished to make the story more enticing.
Another thriller from J.F. Penn...she never disappoints. ARCANE agents Dr. Morga Sierra & Jake Timber travel to India to locate the Hindu statue of Shiva Nataraja and destroy the fabled weapon, Brahmastra. I learned so much about Indian culture. Quick read. A real page-turner. I love J.F.Penn's books that combine history, culture, archaeology, religion, and folklore.
This is another cracking archaeological thriller, I just could not put it down. I was engrossed from start to finish as these books are right up my street. What will the next one bring I wonder. Highly recommended.
As always, Joanna delivers another action-packed adventure in the vein of ARKANE. Jake has returned, stronger than ever, fighting the supernatural side-by-side!
Pretty good series. I like getting information about different locations while the team is there. I like the dark history of religions mentioned as well.