Death Marked

Modern Necromancy #1

by Justin Sloan, Michael La Ronn

Everything you thought you knew about necromancy and the occult was dead wrong.

All Rohan wanted was a bit of closure and maybe, if what he’s been told was right, the chance to bring his fiancé back from the dead.

He certainly never signed on to help a madman breach the gates of hell to retrieve his own dead wife.

Now, running for his life with powers he doesn’t understand, Rohan must figure out how to stop the madman from destroying everything and unleashing evil upon us. All he has on his side is a Kahin monk to train him, and a ghost to guide him. Will that be enough, or will he risk everything just to lose in the end?

They say those marked for death can’t escape her grasp, but even when Rohan has been “Death Marked,” anything is possible.

Genres: Urban Fantasy, Fantasy, Paranormal, Amazon, Audiobook, Ebooks, Mystery

203 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 5, 2016

About the author

JUSTIN SLOAN wrote video games before becoming a full-time author, with credits on such games as Game of Thrones, Tales from the Borderlands, Walking Dead, and Marvel and mobile games. Now you can find his military science fiction and space superheroes books on Amazon, KU, and Audible.com. He taught Muay Thai kickboxing and Marine Corps Martial Arts, and can play three songs on the bagpipes. Justin holds advanced degrees in international relations/economics and creative writing. Oh, and he acted in movies for a bit - all small roles though.

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Reviews

[Trish R. · Rating 2 out of 5]

The same author that wrote Justice is Calling and Claimed by Honor wrote this? I loved them but I hated this one.

The first 50 or so pages were of Rohan, Altemus and Lev climbing through the Ural Mountains in Russia, on their way to steal a skull, which they did in just a few minutes and with only a minimum of violence, then they went to the desert in Turkministan for some kind of ritual. Oh, all this is happening because Rohan believes the other two will bring back his dead fiancé. So, our hero is very, very gullible, or an idiot.

And Rohan's name was used 778 times in this novella. That was waaaay too much.

Needless to say, those first pages were boring. Except for a page or two nothing exciting was happening. I was going to stop reading but since this only had 202 pages I decided to finish it. Even the dialogue was silly and nonsensical and juvenile. The guy on the cover was really handsome and looked like a grown up. If that was supposed to be the hero they got it all wrong. The hero in this story sounded and acted like he was 21 or 22 years old. Maybe the narrator gave Rohan a soft and a little feminine voice that’s why I never could see him as a hero. He spoke at the same boring level throughout the book.

And I absolutely hate it when someone is talking to a ghost and everyone starts to stare because it looks like the talker is talking out loud to themselves. That happens in every single ghost story I read. It’s time to come up with something new.

This entire story was just immature, but I won’t give up on this author since I loved the other two books, but this was really NOT for me. I’m glad it wasn’t longer.

As to the narrator: Michael Tamburrino did a fine job on some of the voices but he read without feeling or emotions. No laughing, whispering, yelling, nothing. Maybe I just got spoiled by Kate Rudd reading the other two books.

[Montzalee Wittmann · Rating 3 out of 5]

Death Marked (Modern Necromancy #1) by Justin Sloan and Michael La Ronn is a good fantasy story involving magic, action, adventure, and ghosts. It all starts when a man wants to bring back his fiance from the dead and gets involved with stealing an artifact from a temple in the high mountains. It all goes downhill from there! Good plot, good characters and worth the read.

[Rosemary · Rating 5 out of 5]

Death Marked (Book 1).

Devastated by the death of his fiancee, Rohan, the bereft hero of this enthralling book by Justin Sloan, is in despair and thus, in his quest to be reunited with his lost love, becomes an easy prey for the evil necromancer Frank Altemus.

Where does Rohan meet Altemus and where is he taken under false pretences?
What does Altemus seek? How does he force Rohan to help him?
Who is the Lich King and what is his role in the Underworld?
Whose spirit is trapped by Altemus - and for what purpose?
How does Rohan find his special powers?

An epic start to an amazing series, Modern Necromancy, which will hold you spellbound like nothing you've ever read before - more please!

[Kaila · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am not normally an urban fantasy person but heck necromancy caught my eye and I'm really glad it did because this was a really good story. It is fast paced and keeps you on your toes.. what will happen next... what is going wrong.. what will go right.. who is this person.. all these questions go through your head and you have to keep reading as fast as possible to find out the answers to all of it. There is dark arts.. there is danger. there is sadness and happiness.. there is love and hate... all of this is in this story as well as adventure and if yo enjoy that I highly recommend this story.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the best books I've ever read. There was never a dull moment. I was on the edge of my seat the whole way through. There wasn't even time to catch my breath. This is a great Halloween read. The characters Rohan deals with are as eerie as the environment around him. But he will do anything to bring his beloved back to life. I really felt for him. This is not like a horror movie. It's a great Urban Fantasy. There are, however lots of spine tingling moments. I couldn't even put the book down to eat or sleep hardly. If you like action and adventure, you will love this!

[Momma Says: To Read or Not to Read · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is well written but just kind of fell flat for me. It's reminiscent of Dante, so maybe the comparison was throwing me off, but I just wasn't able to connect with this one.

[Ruby McDemon · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story is a bit like the ultimate love story or gesture of love. Wanting to bring back a loved one once they have died is just about everyone's most desperate wish. This story starts out with such a sweet idea with Rohan wanting to bring back his dead fiance and turns into a horrible nightmare and a race to save the world from a mad man. I really enjoyed this story and the different turns it took. There is something that didn't set right with me though throughout the story and I had to take off a star for that. I wish I could explain what it was but I can't put my finger on it. Michael did a great job narrating and really helped make the intense emotions and desperation feel real.

[Duane Petit · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wild ride!

Over all Death Marked was a very solid read.Justin Sloan and Michael La Ronn have quite the imagination.This book was crazy and very action packed.They did an excellent job in their scene discreptions so it was easy to visualize the crazy events that were happening in the scenes.Frank Altemus the doctor was a lunatic.It's hard to believe that anybody would do all the stuff he did to try and achieve what he was trying to achieve.Death Marked was definitely a page turner that I thoroughly enjoyed.I gave it not quite a five but a four and a half stars.Highly recommended.

[Alicia Utter · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rating: 6/10
Pages: 202

I found this to be a good start to a fantasy series (I do seem to be discovering a lot of them!), but Rohan's character is still a bit raw. I enjoyed the start of this story, and I look forward to the next in the series. It is definitely still filling out its stories and where the characters will go. But it is a fun read.

Kindle

[JB · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ok

I don’t like to give spoilers on the books that I read. I believe the blurb on the back is enough for you to decide if you will read the book or not. If you choose to read, enjoy!

[Alicia Huxtable · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really good introduction to this eries

Interesting and completely engaging. I loved the way this story developed along with the characters. It's well written and we'll paced. I look forward to the next in the series

[Dev · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a great idea but the execution is just so two dimensional. None of the characters feel like real people they're just vessels for the author to move the plot along. I was just sitting there most of the time like 'no one talks like this' or 'no one reacts to things like this'. Also there isn't a single woman in this book that isn't dead so like ...isn't that lovely *rolls eyes*

[Angel Graham · Rating 3 out of 5]

Decent. Not much more to say about it.

[Liza · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rohan wants to resurrect his fiancee. He asks Altemus for help in the process. Things don't go as expected. It's an enjoyable vision of possibility. Good book

[RBS]

Dnf

[Michelle VanDaley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall I enjoyed the audio version of Death Marked. At times I thought more inflection could be used, the narrator seemed monotone at times. The story itself was very interesting. I admit that I very much disliked Rohan in the beginning.. He seemed spineless and I was not believing that he would just blindly follow these strangers and do whatever they said - but then I thought about it and actually many people would do anything to get a loved one back so I came to understand why he was the way he was. I look forward to reading book 2 to see where the story goes from here.

[Alice Nieuwendijk · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dean marked. After Roan take a skull and then he get powers true a ritual.And get after ultimus who claimed HIM and ultimus is killing people . Roan and corinn are trying to stop HIM. With help from makmud a taxidriver.. He Goes to the underworld Chasing Ultimus. The chief from the skull is untroned and all the necromancers Chasing roan Deeper and deeper is roan after ultimus in the underwold and Soon is the staff on roans forhat and he thinks he is gonna die ,but iT isnt his time and he talk to sienna and he is going back and he is fine That she died.. Great narreted. I Really love iT.i cant wait for more. I reviewed on audible and goodreads. Thanks for the audio book

[Damian Southam · Rating 5 out of 5]

Having made a promise to his fiance Senna before she died, Rohan finds himself trekking through the snow covered Urel Mountains, seeking a way to keep his promise; or bring her back if on the off chance he could discover the means. Said to contain a powerful magical skull with the power to resurrect the dead and open the portal to the afterlife, the dangerous trek seeks a temple from whence the mythical skull might be found.

Stolen from him just three years after his proposal, by a sickness of the body and the mind, Senna died before Rohan could find a proper way to say goodbye. Her insanity had in the end led her to attempt to take her own life, thus his irrevocably changed world after meeting her was cut short by a bitter end. In the end nothing else surviving but his need to keep a promise.

If nothing else about his pursuance of the skull should've warned Rohan off, the pleading of the worshippers that warned of getting into something they could not understand, and the fact that the skull was being guarded but not used, should've been enough. Added together with the obvious signs that his companions were not who they seemed or declared themselves to be and you have a recipe for all that can go wrong to do so. As the days draw out and the promise he'll speak with his beloved drags on, Rohan's suspicions grow and his questions go unanswered. Desperate people do desperate things and its only a matter of time before his plans come undone.

As present time mingles with flashes of memories past the true nature of one of Rohan's companions is revealed. Dr. Altemus, his fiances carer, and Lev, the hired gun, both know much more than the third wheel Rohan; and in the end only Altemus knows the full extent of what it is they plan to do. Almost too late Rohan realises the goal was never as he'd imagined, a small but life alterating difference conveniently left out by the good doctor. Thwarting the goal but not before damage was done, Rohan now has a new companion Corrine, a released spirit determined to haunt him until he corrects his mistakes, allowing her to return to her proper dimension.

The signature of Rohan's spiritual body is altered by his involvement in a ritual gone wrong. As those with similar abilities explain it, he has become Kahin, or loosely translated, a necromancer. But just as Rohan suspected, the failure by Altemus has not seen him go quietly into the night; and as Rohan makes contact with a man who aided their first quest he learns of the damage and the danger the doctor has sewn. With Corrine he must now stop the doctor once again before he irrevocably alters the processes of life and death.

On this journey Rohan will learn what he could have become had he not listened to the moments of sanity between his grief. For the depths of Altemus' depravity and the manipulations he would commit in his own grief know no bounds. An exciting, direct and concise novel, with an economical choice of words that permit no dilly-dallying to achieve their goal. A look into the world of grief with the afterlife and spiritual empowerment as the platform from whence the story is told.

In grief one man has grown beyond anything he could've been prepared for, whilst another has sunken to the depths of hell. Two very different people looking to achieve a similar outcome; the former prepared to take the costs upon his own body, whilst the latter would use others to achieve said goals. In their midst are the ones who would benefit most, or who it would cost the most, depending whose will and wits should determine the outcome. A spiritual look at modern necromancy with a less magical, but more philosophical approach. I thoroughly enjoyed this entertaining read and expect that there'll be more Rohan adventures to come.

[Julie Hillman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Unusual plot

A very well written tale with an unusual plot. Strong characters fight - one on the side of good and one on evil, both for the same end. Plot runs through some very distinctive countries which the author describes with some experience.

[Aloysius Kling Jr. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Death Marked is book one in the Modern Necromancy series by authors Justin Sloan and Michael La Ronn. This story follows stage magician Rohan Evans as he attempts to bring his recently deceased fiancé, Senna, back from the dead. With the help of Senna’s doctor and a Russian guide, Rohan’s journey takes him from stealing magic skulls in the Ural mountains to opening underworld portals in the deserts of Turkmenistan. The good doctor turns out to be not so good after all, and soon Rohan is chasing him through the afterlife with the help of his new BFF, a spirit named Corinne.

“I didn’t realize his evil convictions until the knife was in my gut.”

The book was fast paced from start to finish. This surprised me a little, as it’s the first book in the series, but I was quickly pulled into the story when Rohan, Altemus, and Lev not-so-covertly broke into the monk’s temple in the first few pages. The pace never slowed down after that. It was action scene to action scene, which really shouldn’t be surprising when you consider the Hollywood trend of non-stop action in a lot of movies being made today.

The downside of all the action is that there’s less time to get the backstory of the characters. Honestly, I had a hard time connecting with Rohan. I don’t feel I got to know the character very well, but I find that’s sometimes the case with the first book of a series. However, I really liked the spirit Corinne. I think the authors did a great job developing and building the friendship between Rohan and her. I also think Altemus turned out to be a great bad guy, kind of a cross between Voldemort and Joseph Mengele.

“You don’t have much of a choice. The game is over. You’re fighting to the death now.”

This book falls into the urban fantasy genre. To be perfectly honest, before this, I didn’t even know what urban fantasy was. I’ve heard people throw the term around on podcasts, but I had to google it to find out what it meant. Apparently, the stuff I usually read is considered high fantasy.

I rate Death Marked four stars. It’s not the type of book I typically read, but as a fan of Sloan’s Falls of Redemption series, I thought I’d check it out. I’ve never read anything by Michael La Ronn, though his Android X series looks interesting. The two make a good team. They write with one voice and kept things moving fast enough that they held my interest, even though it wasn’t my typical fare.

[Joseph at Readamax · Rating 4 out of 5]

An action-packed introduction to necromancy with a bit of philosophy!

I am usually not into stories involving death and sorcery. With that said, as a new watcher of "The Magicians" TV show, I thought why not give it a try? Well I'm glad I didn't pass on this book!

THE WORLD
I loved the fact that the story partly takes place in the Ural mountains. I haven't read many tales developing in the Russian region and I really enjoyed the hardcore setting the hero has to put up with. I hope we get to discover more places like this in the book #2!

THE CHARACTERS
I identified with Rohan's story in the very first pages. The fact that he is willing to risk his life to see her lover again while at the same time struggling with so much uncertainty kicks you right into the story. I think there was a missed opportunity to highlight Lev's personality a bit more though, as I found this character to be adding some extra spice to the crew.

THE PLOT
Well-developed and fast-paced. You will get shocked and surprised at about one third of the book. This special event got me going until the end. Between the lines, you get to think about good and evil, and how it is easy to turn to the darkness because of love. I also liked the way the author shows the horrific side of mental illness. The writing is stellar and very easy to read. I finished the book in about 4 hours total. No cliffhanger, just the promess of another book in the series, which I look forward to.

WARNING
A good part of the book takes place in disgusting places full of skulls and rotten flesh. I felt ported by the story and didn't really mind. If you're sensitive about these things, be prepared, this is dark magic after all! :)

IN THE END
A book I thoroughly enjoyed and recommend!

I have been offered this book for free as part of a giveaway. I decided to post an honest review about it because I enjoyed reading it.

[Darlene · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wasn’t sure how I would like this book not being an m/m, but Justin Sloan blew me away with his writing. The book is about Rohan, whose fiancée, Senna, died tragically. The doctor, Altemus who attended to Senna in the psychiatric hospital, told Rohan he could see her again for one last time, but only if he helped retrieve a skull from a remote temple in Russia’s mountains.

With that sole purpose in mind he agreed and Altemus, Rohan and a Russian guide named Lev traveled through extreme cold and snowy weather to obtain the skull. But the adventure turned out more than Rohan had expected and is caught up in a world of necromancy that whirls his life in trying to find Senna and chases the one man that caused so many deaths in seeking his wife in the afterlife. He had to put an end to what Altemus was doing.

The first attempt opened the portal to the afterlife which cost Lev his life and almost Rohan’s when a spirit escapes and follows Rohan until eventually they became friends and work together to put an end to Altemus’s madness. Their chase leads them in many directions; one into the afterlife, from the peaceful green fields all the way to hell dodging threats and attacks from spirits even the Lich King himself that rules the lowest part of the afterlife chasing after Altemus.

Sloan gives us beautiful vivid visual accounts that Rohan encounters and describes what’s happening to Rohan to where you are caught up in the emotions the man is feeling. There is action from the first chapter that does not stop throughout the book. I could actually feel Rohan’s exhaustion from his many adversities.

If you haven’t read one of Justin Sloan and Michael La Ronn, both who wrote this book, then you are missing out on some great reading. I would highly recommend at least reading one of their books. I’m sure you won’t regret it.

[Emily Pennington · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rohan’s fiancé died and he needed some kind of closure – or perhaps a chance to bring her back? That’s why he was trudging through the snow in the Ural Mountains with Altemus and their Russian guide, Lev. The other two were seeking a skull with the power to resurrect the dead. It was a difficult journey and the cave entrance they sought was guarded. They would have to kill to get past the armed guards.

Making their way into the temple, where a blood ritual was taking place by robed men, they found what they were looking for. But snatching the skull set off an alarm and they had to run for their lives. Men on snowmobiles pursued them relentlessly, but being on foot, they had an advantage and could hide out of sight. Finally they made it down past the heavy snow to rocky ground where the snowmobiles could not follow. They continued their journey, getting further away and heading toward the next dangerous adventure. Will each man get what he had expected? Or is far more awaiting them?

It was clever how the authors kept the reader tense and in suspense through Rohan’s character. He was not like the others and was experiencing things that were way outside his comfort level. The pace of the story was relentless. The threat of evil surrounded everything. This is a really good book that holds your attention and pushes you forward where sometimes you are not sure you want to go! Give it a try and you’ll appreciate a great story.

[KelticKat · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rohan just wanted closure with is dead fiancee, Senna - or if there was a slight chance to bring her back from the dead. Sounds simple, right?

He enlists or is enlisted by his fiancee's form Doctor: Altemus - however, all is not as it seems. Rohan, Altemus & a third man: Lev start off this story with a hike through the Ural Mountains which leads them even further across the Russian & former soviet union landscapes and eventually under them.

Rohan is a character that grew on me as the story progressed and we learn more about his history and his devotion to Senna. Along this journey he is helped and betrayed by several others some alive and some dead. He learns he has necromancer magic - possibly a result of a ritual Altemus attempts to perform. Rohan must learn to control this magic and the souls of the dead in order to accomplish his goal.

My favorite of his helpers of course is Coreen, an earth bound spirit. She encourages Rohan and also aids him on his journey. The gradual return of her memories was a blessing and a curse for her - but loved the ending that the author gave her.

There really was no happy ending - well happy-ish but the door is wide open for the second book. I couldn't seem to put this story down - it read like a great action/adventure movie - great action, complex intrigue, and split second decisions that changed everything.

I voluntarily and honestly reviewed this Advanced Reader Copy and was not compensated in any way.

[Penny · Rating 4 out of 5]

I jumped into this story with both feet, hoping for a good urban fantasy. The book wasn’t what I was expecting, but not in a bad way. The protagonist Rohan was really missing his love, and this book was more about love never ending, and doing whatever it takes to get it back. Throw in Rohan finding out his abilities as a necromancer, and you have a nice little book. I really felt for Rohan and found him to be very sympathetic. I really wish, though, that we would have been given a little more insight into Lev, the villain in the story. Or, more of his love story with his wife, the reason he was the bad guy in the first place. This leads me to the other tiny thing that bothered me about this book: the book felt more like a prequel than a first book in a series, especially as it really wasn’t that long. However, I really did enjoy this glimpse into a new series and can’t wait for the next one. It was well-written, the characters were interesting, and the action was great. Recommend!

Thanks to the author for the e-copy. This same review will be posted on both Goodreads and Amazon.

[Kim · Rating 1 out of 5]

I did not like it at all. I could not get my head around the premise. The main character was unlikable and his relationship with the "love of his life" seemed way to bizarre to work out.

[Rosemary Hughes · Rating 5 out of 5]

The story starts with the theft of a jeweled skull from a temple in Russia. Then the use of that skull to open a portal to the spirit world. All is not what it seems. For two men are motivated by two different ideals. One is to reunite with his wife at any cost. The other was a romantic desire to be reunited with his lost love, but not at the cost of another's life.
Some would call this a sinister plot to rule the world, by one man. However, there is another man, so grief striken at the death of his fiancée, that he was willing to go to the ends of the earth, and to hell and back, to find his lost love. So the extremes of good and evil fight it out. Dark magic against that of love.
I enjoyed this story, basically because it was different and an inspired story line.
I voluntarily submitted this review after reading an advanced copy of this book.

[Donte McNeal · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received Dearh Marked for free via Instafreebie! Now that that's out of the way, let's get to it!

Death Marked has us following a man named Rohan (gotta say, that's my first time meeting a character with that so kudos first that), who is on a journey with a doctor who has the ability to resurrect his fiancé Senna. Rohan will do anything to bring her back, but once he gets to the place where his dream can be realized, things go horribly wrong.

We tag along with him for a thrilling ride, rife with moral dilemmas, dark choices, and of course a bit of necromancy! A quick read, and a story of magic, adventure, and characters that grow on you (even if you're not into them at first). What more can you ask for?

Till next time, stay golden Ponyboy!

[Alice Nieuwendijk · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dean marked. After Roan take a skull and then he get powers true a ritual.And get after ultimus who claimed HIM and ultimus is killing people . Roan and corinn are trying to stop HIM. With help from makmud a taxidriver.. He Goes to the underworld Chasing Ultimus. The chief from the skull is untroned and all the necromancers Chasing roan Deeper and deeper is roan after ultimus in the underwold and Soon is the staff on roans forhat and he thinks he is gonna die ,but iT isnt his time and he talk to sienna and he is going back and he is fine That she died.. Great narreted. I Really love iT.i cant wait for more

[Allie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! What would you do if you lost the love of your life? How far would you go to bring them back to life? This is the basis for the latest book by Justin Sloan, and Oh what a book it is! I literally couldn't make myself stop reading. It thrilled me, it scared me, I felt like I was on a bullet shot out of a gun, and I loved every minute of it! Action packed from beginning to end, it's a white-knuckled thrill ride. Can't wait to read the continuation of this series!