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Blood Mercenaries #2
Path of Shadows
The dragon egg has hatched…
...and a dark lord needs his sacrifice back...
…so he can become a god.
By some miracle, Aeron managed to rescue his sister from Lord Valdis's clutches. Together, they escape to the western mountains and hide out.
But their solace doesn't last long...
...because Lord Valdis's reach extends farther than they know.
And Aeron's sister is soon recaptured by Crimson Flame cultists in the service of Lord Valdis.
Now Aeron's only hope is to gather enough strength--in the form of legendary, god-forged weapons--to kill Lord Valdis and save his sister once and for all. But time is running out. If Aeron doesn't save her by the next new moon, his sister will be sacrificed as part of Lord Valdis's ritual.
Will Aeron manage to get ahold of the legendary weapons in time? And even if he does, will it be enough to snatch his sister from the claws of death yet again?
Path of Shadows is the second novel in an epic sword-and-sorcery series sure to thrill you with magic, action, and adventure. Dive into this unique fantasy world full of twists and mayhem, written by award-winning author Ben Wolf.
Get it now.
...and a dark lord needs his sacrifice back...
…so he can become a god.
By some miracle, Aeron managed to rescue his sister from Lord Valdis's clutches. Together, they escape to the western mountains and hide out.
But their solace doesn't last long...
...because Lord Valdis's reach extends farther than they know.
And Aeron's sister is soon recaptured by Crimson Flame cultists in the service of Lord Valdis.
Now Aeron's only hope is to gather enough strength--in the form of legendary, god-forged weapons--to kill Lord Valdis and save his sister once and for all. But time is running out. If Aeron doesn't save her by the next new moon, his sister will be sacrificed as part of Lord Valdis's ritual.
Will Aeron manage to get ahold of the legendary weapons in time? And even if he does, will it be enough to snatch his sister from the claws of death yet again?
Path of Shadows is the second novel in an epic sword-and-sorcery series sure to thrill you with magic, action, and adventure. Dive into this unique fantasy world full of twists and mayhem, written by award-winning author Ben Wolf.
Get it now.
- GenresFantasy
379 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 3, 2019
25 people are currently reading
79 people want to read
About the author
Ben Wolf
99 books117 followersAt the age of nine, Ben Wolf slayed his first dragon.
As the dragon perished, it bequeathed a measure of its power to Ben.
It told him, "You now have the ability to lie more creatively than any other being on this planet--except for politicians. Use this power wisely."
The dragon died with one final puff of smoke from its lungs, but Ben Wolf lived on.
For years, Ben honed his craft. At the age of twelve, he lied to his sister about having thrown darts at a poster of her favorite boy band.
At the age of sixteen, he lied to a policeman who'd pulled him over for speeding, and it got him out of a ticket.
At the age of eighteen, he lied to himself about what a good decision it was to go to Bible college and major in Pastoral Studies (that one has come back to haunt him several times).
Given the unique power he'd inherited from the dying dragon, Ben Wolf had expected his life to look very different from how it did when he turned twenty-three.
Then the dragon's words regarding his power returned to him: "Use this power wisely."
The truth was, Ben hadn't been using the magnificent power wisely. He'd been using it for personal gain, and to dig himself out of bad situations (or, in the case of Bible college, to get himself into them).
So he asked himself, "What would be a wise way to use this power?"
At that very moment, a bus drove past the street in front of him. On its side was emblazoned the phrase, "You should write a novel!"
Having graduated from Bible college a year earlier, Ben took it as a divine message. What's more, he'd already written one novel at that point, and he'd enjoyed it, so he figured he might as well write a few more.
That was 2009. Now, more than ten years later, Ben has written north of ten books, including an award-winning children's book and an award-winning novel.
Awards are great, but what Ben has found even more reassuring is the consistently great feedback he's gotten from readers. They've raved about his work and told him he was the best, most creative liar they'd ever heard of.
So now Ben is on the cusp of making serious headway with his lying skills. His debut fantasy saga, the Blood Mercenaries series of dark/epic/sword & sorcery novels, is raking in tons of stellar reviews from readers everywhere.
And now you can be a part of his creative lying journey. If you've read Ben Wolf's work, love him as a person, or plain old just think he's a handsome guy (he is, and he is now making it known that it wasn't him who wrote this (but it was actually him)), then please review his books here and on Amazon.com.
Ben, who we swear didn't write this, thanks you.
As the dragon perished, it bequeathed a measure of its power to Ben.
It told him, "You now have the ability to lie more creatively than any other being on this planet--except for politicians. Use this power wisely."
The dragon died with one final puff of smoke from its lungs, but Ben Wolf lived on.
For years, Ben honed his craft. At the age of twelve, he lied to his sister about having thrown darts at a poster of her favorite boy band.
At the age of sixteen, he lied to a policeman who'd pulled him over for speeding, and it got him out of a ticket.
At the age of eighteen, he lied to himself about what a good decision it was to go to Bible college and major in Pastoral Studies (that one has come back to haunt him several times).
Given the unique power he'd inherited from the dying dragon, Ben Wolf had expected his life to look very different from how it did when he turned twenty-three.
Then the dragon's words regarding his power returned to him: "Use this power wisely."
The truth was, Ben hadn't been using the magnificent power wisely. He'd been using it for personal gain, and to dig himself out of bad situations (or, in the case of Bible college, to get himself into them).
So he asked himself, "What would be a wise way to use this power?"
At that very moment, a bus drove past the street in front of him. On its side was emblazoned the phrase, "You should write a novel!"
Having graduated from Bible college a year earlier, Ben took it as a divine message. What's more, he'd already written one novel at that point, and he'd enjoyed it, so he figured he might as well write a few more.
That was 2009. Now, more than ten years later, Ben has written north of ten books, including an award-winning children's book and an award-winning novel.
Awards are great, but what Ben has found even more reassuring is the consistently great feedback he's gotten from readers. They've raved about his work and told him he was the best, most creative liar they'd ever heard of.
So now Ben is on the cusp of making serious headway with his lying skills. His debut fantasy saga, the Blood Mercenaries series of dark/epic/sword & sorcery novels, is raking in tons of stellar reviews from readers everywhere.
And now you can be a part of his creative lying journey. If you've read Ben Wolf's work, love him as a person, or plain old just think he's a handsome guy (he is, and he is now making it known that it wasn't him who wrote this (but it was actually him)), then please review his books here and on Amazon.com.
Ben, who we swear didn't write this, thanks you.
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
Want to read
January 28, 2020🎁 FREE on Amazon today (1/28/2020)! 🎁
December 4, 2019
The story picks up where book one ends. Our heroes are separated and set to face each other in a standoff. The actions starts and the story moves forward at a rapid pace. I cheered for the heroes, booed the villains, and stared open-mouthed at the twists. Another exciting read from Ben Wolf.
July 17, 2023
In this sequel to the Crimson Flame, Aeron and his sister Kallie have been reunited. However, if he wants seither of them to survive, he'll have to face the dangerous cult that captured her.
My favorite character in the series is Kallie. In the first book, she was really just an object of Aeron's quest, so it's cool to see her coming into her own as a headstrong (and often foolish) character in her own right.
I also really enjoyed the worldbuilding! The wyverns in the first book were cool, but in this second volume we see a lot more of the history and magic of the world. (And you can never go wrong with dragons!)
My favorite character in the series is Kallie. In the first book, she was really just an object of Aeron's quest, so it's cool to see her coming into her own as a headstrong (and often foolish) character in her own right.
I also really enjoyed the worldbuilding! The wyverns in the first book were cool, but in this second volume we see a lot more of the history and magic of the world. (And you can never go wrong with dragons!)
September 14, 2023
It's a great book, and I look forward to finishing the series. I met the author at the GeekCraft Expo StL 2023 and based on our conversations started the Blood Mercenaries series. The books have been engaging, easy reads, with well-thought-out plot lines, and good character development. There are enough twists and turns and surprises to keep you interested and wanting to read just one more chapter before putting it down all the way through the series. I would really recommend the series.
March 30, 2024
Excellent and riveting follow up to the first book in this series. I enjoyed the evolution of each key character, the unexpected turns and the world setting. (At times it seems like an entirely unique world and others a very relatable "my world" setting, making for an interesting fusion of real feel and otherworldly fiction.) A wild ride and I'm enjoying the next book in the series now! Great writing!
January 28, 2020
A fantastic story, told by an outstanding writer.
The continuing adventures of the Blood Mercs does not disappoint! Ben Wolfe proves that he belongs at the top of anyone's TBR pile. If you like fantasy novels, this is one series you simply cannot miss!
The continuing adventures of the Blood Mercs does not disappoint! Ben Wolfe proves that he belongs at the top of anyone's TBR pile. If you like fantasy novels, this is one series you simply cannot miss!
February 22, 2021
Fantasy adventure
Dragons, giants, unique weapons and magic. Fast paced and violent, a fantasy adventure that includes the fights between good and evil along with all the human emotions, love, hate, greed, rage, etc.
Dragons, giants, unique weapons and magic. Fast paced and violent, a fantasy adventure that includes the fights between good and evil along with all the human emotions, love, hate, greed, rage, etc.
March 6, 2020
Still loving the characters and story...
On to the next book!
On to the next book!
October 10, 2020
Loved it!
After the first book in this series, I was hoping that the second book would not disappoint. My hopes were met and exceeded!
After the first book in this series, I was hoping that the second book would not disappoint. My hopes were met and exceeded!
October 24, 2025
Hilarious and cleverly written!
November 13, 2019
Love, loyalty, honor. Four unlikely characters: Ken, Mehta, Aeron and Garrison come together again forming the Blood Mercenaries and an unwavering bond to each other to right their wrongs and begin a quest to defeat a dark lord and ultimately save Aeron’s sister, Kallie. Each with their own strength and weapons, and reasons for bringing down the dark lord, only to find out they need more than brawn and brute force. They need each other and working together makes the Blood Mercenaries stronger and smarter than ever before. But is it enough? They run into some formidable opposition thwarting their attempts. Ben Wolf has created a story with characters that the reader can identify with and root for. Plenty of action, but I thought the story’s overall pace could have moved a bit quicker. Looking forward to the conclusion (I hope) in Frostbane.
September 9, 2019
The dragon egg has hatched.
A dark lord needs his sacrifice back so he can become a god.
Aeron's sister, Kalli must hide. She's recaptured by Crimson Flame cultists in the service of Lord Valdis. Aeron must rescue Kalli before the next new moon. Or else...
So much action. The tension continued to increase throughout the story. Gut-wrenching suspense filled the pages.
The characters are full of personality and adventure. And there is the dragon. I had many questions as I read. Questions that needed answers, so I kept reading. Kept pushing deeper into the story.
So very good. There were a lot of surprises. A lot of mysteries. I loved this book.
A dark lord needs his sacrifice back so he can become a god.
Aeron's sister, Kalli must hide. She's recaptured by Crimson Flame cultists in the service of Lord Valdis. Aeron must rescue Kalli before the next new moon. Or else...
So much action. The tension continued to increase throughout the story. Gut-wrenching suspense filled the pages.
The characters are full of personality and adventure. And there is the dragon. I had many questions as I read. Questions that needed answers, so I kept reading. Kept pushing deeper into the story.
So very good. There were a lot of surprises. A lot of mysteries. I loved this book.
September 6, 2019
Path Of Shadows is the second book in Ben Wolf's Dark Fantasy series The Blood Mercenaries. The story picks up right where The Crimson Flame left off.
With copious amounts of peril, traps, death, destruction, and mayhem, there is a lot to love with this book. The characters are great, the story is fast-paced and intense, and it's just an all-around great read.
Pick up a copy and give it a go!
With copious amounts of peril, traps, death, destruction, and mayhem, there is a lot to love with this book. The characters are great, the story is fast-paced and intense, and it's just an all-around great read.
Pick up a copy and give it a go!
September 5, 2019
This second book in the Blood Mercenaries series really has the story hitting its stride. The characters and storyline have gelled, even while the story tears the characters apart. Garrick, my favorite character, has competition in this one, in the form of a fun side character you won't see coming. Enjoy!
October 16, 2019
I have enjoyed reading Ben's mercenary series, and look forward to reading other books he writes. This is a great read for lovers of adventure, drama, mystery, and brotherhood. It's about men that put their lives in peril to save the sister of one of their own. They have many trials and tribulations along the way.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews