What do you think?
Rate this book
Paladins of Darkness #8
The Darkness Beyond
An online game of cat and mouse leads a Paladin warrior on a deadly rescue mission to claim the irresistible lover who should be his greatest enemy.
D.J. Clayborne has finally met his match. After weeks of playing cyber tag, a mysterious hacker bests D.J. at his own game. His nemesis downloads a top-secret history of the Paladins, forcing him to go on the hunt. The trail leads D.J. straight to Regina Morrison, a woman who is as sexy as she is talented in the cyber world.
Reggie has been working around the clock to stop a legendary computer hacker from accessing her clients’ files, but the last thing she expects is to have D.J. show up at her door. Or that he’s even hotter than his evasive avatar. Soon they’re flirting with a dangerous line between duty and desire.
Now, Reggie’s investigation gets her kidnapped by the Others and forced across the hostile energy barrier into an alien world. And it’s up to D.J. to track down the captivating woman whose ability to break through his firewalls is also breaking through to his warrior’s heart.
D.J. Clayborne has finally met his match. After weeks of playing cyber tag, a mysterious hacker bests D.J. at his own game. His nemesis downloads a top-secret history of the Paladins, forcing him to go on the hunt. The trail leads D.J. straight to Regina Morrison, a woman who is as sexy as she is talented in the cyber world.
Reggie has been working around the clock to stop a legendary computer hacker from accessing her clients’ files, but the last thing she expects is to have D.J. show up at her door. Or that he’s even hotter than his evasive avatar. Soon they’re flirting with a dangerous line between duty and desire.
Now, Reggie’s investigation gets her kidnapped by the Others and forced across the hostile energy barrier into an alien world. And it’s up to D.J. to track down the captivating woman whose ability to break through his firewalls is also breaking through to his warrior’s heart.
374 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published May 31, 2011
23 people are currently reading
799 people want to read
About the author
Alexis Morgan
97 books999 followersAlexis Morgan grew up near St. Louis and received a B.A. in English from the University of Missouri-St. Louis. She and her husband have made the Pacific Northwest their home for more than thirty years, where she launched her career as a writer. She is published in paranormal romance, fantasy romance, American West historicals, and most recently, contemporary romances with her new Snowberry Creek series.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 59 reviews
October 14, 2015
Review posted on Got Fiction?
3.5
I'm a huge fan of this series. The Paladins of Darkness by Alexis Morgan is a very unique, I have yet to see anything similar, type of series. This is DJ's book. If any of you watch NCIS LA, think of Eric. Super hot geek. But he carries a sword. Rawr.
This book was good, but I wish we had seen more interaction between DJ and Reggie, and that the plot of what's going on with the Regents had been more...well, more.
For several books we've been following corrupt Regents and people who work for the Regents. This book is a big part of that, yet it's shoved into the background. And a big chunk of the storyline has Reggie kidnapped and separated from DJ. I liked the book, don't get me wrong, but I just wanted more between them.
That being said, DJ was a great hero, and I was really happy he finally got his book. I also was kind of surprised at the direction this looks to be going. In a good way, don't worry!
For good PNR that isn't vampires or shifters, this series is the way to go! But start with book 1, this series works best when read in order.
3.5
I'm a huge fan of this series. The Paladins of Darkness by Alexis Morgan is a very unique, I have yet to see anything similar, type of series. This is DJ's book. If any of you watch NCIS LA, think of Eric. Super hot geek. But he carries a sword. Rawr.
This book was good, but I wish we had seen more interaction between DJ and Reggie, and that the plot of what's going on with the Regents had been more...well, more.
For several books we've been following corrupt Regents and people who work for the Regents. This book is a big part of that, yet it's shoved into the background. And a big chunk of the storyline has Reggie kidnapped and separated from DJ. I liked the book, don't get me wrong, but I just wanted more between them.
That being said, DJ was a great hero, and I was really happy he finally got his book. I also was kind of surprised at the direction this looks to be going. In a good way, don't worry!
For good PNR that isn't vampires or shifters, this series is the way to go! But start with book 1, this series works best when read in order.
June 7, 2011
3.5 Stars
Also known as Knightwalker, D.J. Clayborne is a hacker with unmatched skills. That is until fellow hacker Regina Morrison not only uncovers his real identity, but also discovers documents that chronicle the history of the Paladins. Before D.J. could convince her to erase the file and forget everything she read, Reggie is kidnapped by Others and taken into another world. Now, D.J. will go through the barrier and risk everything to bring back the woman who has managed to capture his heart.
Aside from being an expectational Paladin (warriors who guard a barrier between our world and another) D.J. is a computer genius. He hacks into high security company computer systems for entertainment and when Reggie crosses his path, he decides to play online tag. Little does he know Reggie has been hired to find D.J.'s real identity and whereabouts and help bring him in to face criminal charges. What Reggie finds is more than D.J.'s real name and address. She uncovers the history of the Paladins and Regents (the administrative part of the Paladin organization). Ignoring D.J.'s warning to erase the information she downloaded and forget everything she read, Reggie falls into a trap laid by corrupt individuals who work within the Regents. She is taken prisoner by Others (those who live on the other side of the barrier) and her only hope for survival is the man she was hired to help take down.
I found the plot in The Darkness Beyond to be intriguing and exciting. Alien worlds, corrupt officials and courageous warriors to barge in and save the day. I really enjoyed all that. What I didn't like was Reggie. Aside from having a few good moves courtesy of her self defense classes, Reggie was boring. Her physical description sounded plain, she didn't participate in any activities or hobbies I could relate to and she never said or did anything that left me caring about her character. D.J. on the other hand I could not get enough of. His humor is contagious, he has a geeky charm to him, and the lengths he's will to go to in order to save Reggie makes him a great hero. Alone I loved his character but together I found a relationship that lacked any real spark.
My series favorites Devlin, Trahern, and Larem are there to lend support to their friend and comrade and we're introduced to a fun new character. Cody works with Reggie and discovers something about himself he never knew. He's a bit dorky, sweet, loyal and makes me think that's what D.J. was like when he was in college, which isn't a bad thing of course. I look forward to seeing his role in future books and hopefully one day reading his very own book.
The Darkness Beyond had an interesting plot and a great hero but it feels very similar to other books in this series. Paladin meets girl, he falls fast for girl but doesn't admit it, he has to save the girl from bad guys, he isn't sure she belongs in his violent world and then, well if you've read any paranormal romance you know how it ends. Reggie didn't impress me at all but I kept coming back for more because of D.J. and his fellow Paladins. Their camaraderie and devotion to each other showed what a real brotherhood they have. I was interested in finding our more about the corruption inside of the Regents and I hope we get to dive deeper into the organization in the next book. I'll keep continue on the series but I hope I'll find something to spice things up a bit in the next book.
-Stephanie
Also known as Knightwalker, D.J. Clayborne is a hacker with unmatched skills. That is until fellow hacker Regina Morrison not only uncovers his real identity, but also discovers documents that chronicle the history of the Paladins. Before D.J. could convince her to erase the file and forget everything she read, Reggie is kidnapped by Others and taken into another world. Now, D.J. will go through the barrier and risk everything to bring back the woman who has managed to capture his heart.
Aside from being an expectational Paladin (warriors who guard a barrier between our world and another) D.J. is a computer genius. He hacks into high security company computer systems for entertainment and when Reggie crosses his path, he decides to play online tag. Little does he know Reggie has been hired to find D.J.'s real identity and whereabouts and help bring him in to face criminal charges. What Reggie finds is more than D.J.'s real name and address. She uncovers the history of the Paladins and Regents (the administrative part of the Paladin organization). Ignoring D.J.'s warning to erase the information she downloaded and forget everything she read, Reggie falls into a trap laid by corrupt individuals who work within the Regents. She is taken prisoner by Others (those who live on the other side of the barrier) and her only hope for survival is the man she was hired to help take down.
I found the plot in The Darkness Beyond to be intriguing and exciting. Alien worlds, corrupt officials and courageous warriors to barge in and save the day. I really enjoyed all that. What I didn't like was Reggie. Aside from having a few good moves courtesy of her self defense classes, Reggie was boring. Her physical description sounded plain, she didn't participate in any activities or hobbies I could relate to and she never said or did anything that left me caring about her character. D.J. on the other hand I could not get enough of. His humor is contagious, he has a geeky charm to him, and the lengths he's will to go to in order to save Reggie makes him a great hero. Alone I loved his character but together I found a relationship that lacked any real spark.
My series favorites Devlin, Trahern, and Larem are there to lend support to their friend and comrade and we're introduced to a fun new character. Cody works with Reggie and discovers something about himself he never knew. He's a bit dorky, sweet, loyal and makes me think that's what D.J. was like when he was in college, which isn't a bad thing of course. I look forward to seeing his role in future books and hopefully one day reading his very own book.
The Darkness Beyond had an interesting plot and a great hero but it feels very similar to other books in this series. Paladin meets girl, he falls fast for girl but doesn't admit it, he has to save the girl from bad guys, he isn't sure she belongs in his violent world and then, well if you've read any paranormal romance you know how it ends. Reggie didn't impress me at all but I kept coming back for more because of D.J. and his fellow Paladins. Their camaraderie and devotion to each other showed what a real brotherhood they have. I was interested in finding our more about the corruption inside of the Regents and I hope we get to dive deeper into the organization in the next book. I'll keep continue on the series but I hope I'll find something to spice things up a bit in the next book.
-Stephanie
July 27, 2011
3.5 STARS
I did like this book more than the previous installment. It was great to go back once again to the original plot: Paladin warrior meets a nice human girl. Reggie was a great heroine. I'm a computer freak myself so it was hard not to love her. D.J. being a hacker and all was also an amazing hero to me too. My only problem was that the relationship never really got to develop IMHO. They spent a couple of days together and it wasn't enough for me. I wanted much more form this amazing characters and I never got it. With some books you just feel like you have learn so much about the characters and their lives, but with some others -which are the same length- you just feel like you didn't learn a thing. Those are the books I love, the ones I feel like I have been reading them for ages because all the things I learned by reading them and this one was definitely not one of those.
Still it was a nice read and I'll keep reading the books on the series for sure. I must admit though that the series lost its magic for me, it's just not the same it used to be. It can go back to that though, I still have faith in this series. I think the trick would be on involving the younger characters more and on giving us a wider intake on their world, and more into the characters lives.
I did like this book more than the previous installment. It was great to go back once again to the original plot: Paladin warrior meets a nice human girl. Reggie was a great heroine. I'm a computer freak myself so it was hard not to love her. D.J. being a hacker and all was also an amazing hero to me too. My only problem was that the relationship never really got to develop IMHO. They spent a couple of days together and it wasn't enough for me. I wanted much more form this amazing characters and I never got it. With some books you just feel like you have learn so much about the characters and their lives, but with some others -which are the same length- you just feel like you didn't learn a thing. Those are the books I love, the ones I feel like I have been reading them for ages because all the things I learned by reading them and this one was definitely not one of those.
Still it was a nice read and I'll keep reading the books on the series for sure. I must admit though that the series lost its magic for me, it's just not the same it used to be. It can go back to that though, I still have faith in this series. I think the trick would be on involving the younger characters more and on giving us a wider intake on their world, and more into the characters lives.
June 9, 2011
I was really looking forward to DJ's book, Finally! I really enjoyed it. Love DJ the computer nerd. He is just so hot! DJ is also one hell of a warrior. I thought that Reggie was great for DJ. They are both computer hacker and its is kinda funny how they are in the beginning trying to one up the other.
Great plot w/ kidnapping and battles and wonderful love scenes. The battle scene at the end wasn't as intense as say Larem's book but that was ok for me. I love that the other Paliden's were in this book and they all banded together to help a fellow warrior. Delvin almost seemed a little soft on his men. That was strange. But I loved it cause he was more fatherly than a tyrant which was nice for a change. They are truly each others family. We also get to meet a new member . Although he is young I hope to hear more about him later.
Great plot w/ kidnapping and battles and wonderful love scenes. The battle scene at the end wasn't as intense as say Larem's book but that was ok for me. I love that the other Paliden's were in this book and they all banded together to help a fellow warrior. Delvin almost seemed a little soft on his men. That was strange. But I loved it cause he was more fatherly than a tyrant which was nice for a change. They are truly each others family. We also get to meet a new member . Although he is young I hope to hear more about him later.
June 12, 2011
I have always liked DJ, he is a great character who really deserved his happy ending. DJ has been "living" in cyber space far too long and needed a little human (or woman) contact in his life. After finding out that his elusive cyber stalker is a woman, he falls instantly. She is just stubborn and talented enough to run circles around DJ. But her nosy mind gets her kidnapped by more of the leftovers from Kincaid's treachery. I don't particularly like it when the story goes over to Kalithia for most of the book, its a bleak world and has no romance to it at all. But it was crucial to this story and so I stuck with it. I think Reggie and Cody are going to make nice additions to this growing family of Paladins. Even though it's 372 pages, it's an easy read and all our favorite characters make a appearance.
November 1, 2011
ive been waiting to read this one for ages and it was a great read. D.J is a famous hacker and he meets his match in a woman; Reggie. of course this doesnt mean things go well, insert kidnapping, a few battles and a little unwanted 'holiday' in Kalithia and you have your story.
It was fun to read about all the Paladins and you can really sense how close they are in this book, so many moments of ' harsh brotherly love' had me smiling, and i think its about time DJ got himself a girl too.
definatly one of my favs for this series
It was fun to read about all the Paladins and you can really sense how close they are in this book, so many moments of ' harsh brotherly love' had me smiling, and i think its about time DJ got himself a girl too.
definatly one of my favs for this series
August 8, 2011
Another great entry in the series, read in order!
Paladins of Darkness
1. Dark Protector (2006)
2. Dark Defender (2006)
3. In Darkness Reborn (2007)
4. Redeemed in Darkness (2007)
5. Darkness Unknown (2009)
6. Defeat the Darkness (2010)
7. Bound by Darkness (2011)
8. The Darkness Beyond (2011)
Paladins of Darkness
1. Dark Protector (2006)
2. Dark Defender (2006)
3. In Darkness Reborn (2007)
4. Redeemed in Darkness (2007)
5. Darkness Unknown (2009)
6. Defeat the Darkness (2010)
7. Bound by Darkness (2011)
8. The Darkness Beyond (2011)
June 10, 2017
Finally, we see D.J. get his girl. I’ve been looking forward to this book since I started reading the series. From the beginning, I’ve had a soft spot for hyperactive geek of a hottie, and I felt for him as he watched everyone settle down and his life changed against his wishes.
Enter Reggie, hacker extraordinaire. Having been hired to find the ‘Nightwalker’ she forces herself into D.J.’s life, and against his better judgement, he shows up at her door planning to force her back out of it.
But things aren’t that easy. The corrupt Regents catch wind of her meddling in their files, and plan to use her in their betrayal of the Organisation. This is when things get a little crazy and D.J finds himself in the one place he’d rather not be!
As with all the other instalments, this one is packed with a healthy helping of romance, action, and suspense. It’s a great read that’s hard to put down.
Enter Reggie, hacker extraordinaire. Having been hired to find the ‘Nightwalker’ she forces herself into D.J.’s life, and against his better judgement, he shows up at her door planning to force her back out of it.
But things aren’t that easy. The corrupt Regents catch wind of her meddling in their files, and plan to use her in their betrayal of the Organisation. This is when things get a little crazy and D.J finds himself in the one place he’d rather not be!
As with all the other instalments, this one is packed with a healthy helping of romance, action, and suspense. It’s a great read that’s hard to put down.
February 2, 2017
Reggie is a professional computer security expert and has been working to bring down the ‘Knightwalker’ hacker for a long time. Then he walks into her life and tells her to stop before the wrong people find out what she’s doing and she gets hurt.
D.J. has been working too hard at tracking a frustrating computer security breach until finally Delvin orders him to go home. But that just gives him more quiet time to work.
Other than Reggie’s first e-mail mistake, she’s a pretty smart girl at how she leaves a trail.
I like Cody, but I had a hard time remembering that he was a grown man and not a teenage kid.
Footnote: 1) red-dirt rock sounds just like country rock so why not say so instead of confusing people.
Fave scenes: the cyberroom meeting, Reggie’s cold bath, Chance & Cody’s sandwitch and the taxi.
D.J. has been working too hard at tracking a frustrating computer security breach until finally Delvin orders him to go home. But that just gives him more quiet time to work.
Other than Reggie’s first e-mail mistake, she’s a pretty smart girl at how she leaves a trail.
I like Cody, but I had a hard time remembering that he was a grown man and not a teenage kid.
Footnote: 1) red-dirt rock sounds just like country rock so why not say so instead of confusing people.
Fave scenes: the cyberroom meeting, Reggie’s cold bath, Chance & Cody’s sandwitch and the taxi.
February 10, 2020
DJ and Reggie were amazing! Reggie gave me definite Charlie, from Supernatural, vibes and I fell instantly in love with her. DJ has been a fun character since book one, so I'm glad we finally got his story.
March 18, 2017
Great series.
August 26, 2017
Loved D.J.'s story. Meeting his own match in the hacking world, being thrown back into the world of the others - great story.
January 15, 2019
Quick and easy read. I'm invested in the characters and plot need more love making though lol
May 12, 2020
Started out fine. Ended with a shrug from me. 🤷🏻♀️
December 4, 2017
Love this series, still going strong
February 27, 2016
Paladins: The Darkness Beyond (No Spoilers)
Another brilliant book in the Paladin series from Alexis Morgan, and probably the one that that the majority of Paladin readers have been waiting for - DJ's story. This is the eighth book in the series and features the Paladin warrior/super computer whizz D.J. Clayborne and Regina (Reggie) Morrison the 'hacker catcher'.
For anyone who hasn't read the series so far then I will try to quickly explain what the series is about before I delve into the book some more. I would also recommend reading the series from the beginning otherwise some of the story probably won't make sense.
The Paladins are warriors who defend our world from the others (also known as Kalith), they are a secret organisation headed/ran by the Regents (who aren't Paladins just normal human beings). The Paladins are not only warriors but warriors who can come back to life from fatal wounds, however they can only come back so many times before the madness envelops them and they ultimately have to be killed permanently. The series is primarily based in Seattle with the Paladin contingent based there, where in the tunnels below the three peaks of Mount Rainier, Mount Adams and St Helens there is a barrier between our world and the Others (Kalithia). The Paladins job is to stop the Others (Kalith) from crossing over that barrier into our world when the barrier fails due to earthquakes as for the Others to attempt to cross over means that they have already gone crazy with the madness that is destroying their people. In Kalithia there is no light like in our world and they are surrounded in darkness apart from the light they make from the crystals in their world. The majority of the Kalith succumb to a sort of madness from the dark that has them trying to enter our world of light when the barrier fails even though they know that they are either going to be killed by the Paladins waiting for them to try to cross over or be thrown back into their world when the barrier is down again. The whole other world and Paladins are kept secret from the rest of humanity and the world has no idea of the battles that take place regularly.
D.J. Clayborne is not only a Paladin warrior but a computer genius, there isn't a computer system he can't hack in to and his notoriety as the cyber hacker named Knightwalker goes well before him. Reggie works for a computer firm who specialises in hunting down cyber hacker's and put quite simply she is the best. She has been on the trail of the legendary Knightwalker and unknown to both him and the company she works for, she has actually already identified who he is but has been playing 'cyber tag' with him for the last few weeks. Reggie manages to hack into the Paladins computer records and read the history of the Paladins. D.J. finds out that she has managed to read the history and sets out to warn her in person to delete the copy she has made and forget all about what she has read before she gets in any more trouble. Reggie falls into a trap set by a couple of the corrupt Regents (the Regents are the administrative side of the organisation and overlook the Paladins) who hope to use her computer skills to find some money that one of the other corrupt Regents hid before they were caught and Reggie ends up being taken over the barrier into Kalithia by a couple of Others. D.J. feeling responsible for her and also by this point knowing how much he likes her travels over the barrier to rescue her, but will he manage to do so in time and get the both of them home safe?
I really enjoyed D.J.'s story even more so that I didn't have to wait so long for it from the last one (Larem's story). I didn't particularly like Reggie all that much compared to some of the other ladies from the other books but I think because I've been waiting so long for D.J.'s story that no-one would have lived up to my expectations for him! Another brilliant installment in the series and Alexis Morgan has even managed to introduce another future Paladin into the mix in the form of the young Cody, so hopefully a future story for him when he's a bit older.
Another brilliant book in the Paladin series from Alexis Morgan, and probably the one that that the majority of Paladin readers have been waiting for - DJ's story. This is the eighth book in the series and features the Paladin warrior/super computer whizz D.J. Clayborne and Regina (Reggie) Morrison the 'hacker catcher'.
For anyone who hasn't read the series so far then I will try to quickly explain what the series is about before I delve into the book some more. I would also recommend reading the series from the beginning otherwise some of the story probably won't make sense.
The Paladins are warriors who defend our world from the others (also known as Kalith), they are a secret organisation headed/ran by the Regents (who aren't Paladins just normal human beings). The Paladins are not only warriors but warriors who can come back to life from fatal wounds, however they can only come back so many times before the madness envelops them and they ultimately have to be killed permanently. The series is primarily based in Seattle with the Paladin contingent based there, where in the tunnels below the three peaks of Mount Rainier, Mount Adams and St Helens there is a barrier between our world and the Others (Kalithia). The Paladins job is to stop the Others (Kalith) from crossing over that barrier into our world when the barrier fails due to earthquakes as for the Others to attempt to cross over means that they have already gone crazy with the madness that is destroying their people. In Kalithia there is no light like in our world and they are surrounded in darkness apart from the light they make from the crystals in their world. The majority of the Kalith succumb to a sort of madness from the dark that has them trying to enter our world of light when the barrier fails even though they know that they are either going to be killed by the Paladins waiting for them to try to cross over or be thrown back into their world when the barrier is down again. The whole other world and Paladins are kept secret from the rest of humanity and the world has no idea of the battles that take place regularly.
D.J. Clayborne is not only a Paladin warrior but a computer genius, there isn't a computer system he can't hack in to and his notoriety as the cyber hacker named Knightwalker goes well before him. Reggie works for a computer firm who specialises in hunting down cyber hacker's and put quite simply she is the best. She has been on the trail of the legendary Knightwalker and unknown to both him and the company she works for, she has actually already identified who he is but has been playing 'cyber tag' with him for the last few weeks. Reggie manages to hack into the Paladins computer records and read the history of the Paladins. D.J. finds out that she has managed to read the history and sets out to warn her in person to delete the copy she has made and forget all about what she has read before she gets in any more trouble. Reggie falls into a trap set by a couple of the corrupt Regents (the Regents are the administrative side of the organisation and overlook the Paladins) who hope to use her computer skills to find some money that one of the other corrupt Regents hid before they were caught and Reggie ends up being taken over the barrier into Kalithia by a couple of Others. D.J. feeling responsible for her and also by this point knowing how much he likes her travels over the barrier to rescue her, but will he manage to do so in time and get the both of them home safe?
I really enjoyed D.J.'s story even more so that I didn't have to wait so long for it from the last one (Larem's story). I didn't particularly like Reggie all that much compared to some of the other ladies from the other books but I think because I've been waiting so long for D.J.'s story that no-one would have lived up to my expectations for him! Another brilliant installment in the series and Alexis Morgan has even managed to introduce another future Paladin into the mix in the form of the young Cody, so hopefully a future story for him when he's a bit older.
July 18, 2011
I really really love Alexis Morgan's Paladins. They're strong silent types (except that they're not so silent with each other -- they yell, throw things, have temper tantrums and brawls...) who protect our world from the crazed Kalithians who attempt to cross over a barrier between their dimension and our own that exists deep in caves along the faultlines of the Earth. (Not that all the Kalithians are crazed, but the bulk of the ones who try to cross the barrier are.) Kalith is a dying planet. And apparently, the Paladins share some DNA with them. They're warriors, and they're always male. And just to make it *that* much better, they can, for an indefinite period of time, come back to life after being killed -- although each death and resuscitation (resurrection?) takes something out of them, and eventually they go crazy and have to be killed.
D.J. Clayborne is a Paladin and a computer genius/hacker who is *famous* in the cyberworld as the hacker Knightwalker. Regina (Reggie) Morrison works for a company that is hired by other companies to track hackers. She's been tracking Knightwalker anyway because she's curious and can't resist a challenge, but lately, her company was actually hired to find him. Part of her's reluctant to admit that she's found him, because she enjoys their little game of barb-and-prod, cat-and-mouse. But on a side trip while trying to confirm details, she accidentally stumbles into the system of the Regents, who manage and fund the Paladins, and finds, downloads and prints a history of the Paladins. Also, I should mention there's been some internal unrest in the management levels between the Regents and the Paladins (security, finance, medical...all that fun stuff).
I'm gonna stop there because I tend to get all involved in synopsis stuff and don't want to tell the bare bones of the story in under six paragraphs.
Ms. Morgan has managed to write a series that is just as interesting and compelling in the 8th book as it was in the first, or the fourth (which is actually where I first picked up the series and started glomming. Seriously glommable.) We get some time with past characters, and just enough of some new and interesting ones, and some of the bad guys too--but just enough that we know a little about where things are going rather than so much that we begin to wonder just who the series is about. But the primary focus of the book is D.J. and Reggie. They get moments of fear and joy, anger and love. And, of course, the bad guys get got. Spectacularly. AND we get a new Paladin out of the whole thing--Reggie's friend and coworker Cory, who grew up in the foster system and always amazed and freaked out his foster parents with his amazing healing abilities and crazy energy and metabolism.
I just can't wait to see who's next of the Paladins to get his HEA!!
D.J. Clayborne is a Paladin and a computer genius/hacker who is *famous* in the cyberworld as the hacker Knightwalker. Regina (Reggie) Morrison works for a company that is hired by other companies to track hackers. She's been tracking Knightwalker anyway because she's curious and can't resist a challenge, but lately, her company was actually hired to find him. Part of her's reluctant to admit that she's found him, because she enjoys their little game of barb-and-prod, cat-and-mouse. But on a side trip while trying to confirm details, she accidentally stumbles into the system of the Regents, who manage and fund the Paladins, and finds, downloads and prints a history of the Paladins. Also, I should mention there's been some internal unrest in the management levels between the Regents and the Paladins (security, finance, medical...all that fun stuff).
I'm gonna stop there because I tend to get all involved in synopsis stuff and don't want to tell the bare bones of the story in under six paragraphs.
Ms. Morgan has managed to write a series that is just as interesting and compelling in the 8th book as it was in the first, or the fourth (which is actually where I first picked up the series and started glomming. Seriously glommable.) We get some time with past characters, and just enough of some new and interesting ones, and some of the bad guys too--but just enough that we know a little about where things are going rather than so much that we begin to wonder just who the series is about. But the primary focus of the book is D.J. and Reggie. They get moments of fear and joy, anger and love. And, of course, the bad guys get got. Spectacularly. AND we get a new Paladin out of the whole thing--Reggie's friend and coworker Cory, who grew up in the foster system and always amazed and freaked out his foster parents with his amazing healing abilities and crazy energy and metabolism.
I just can't wait to see who's next of the Paladins to get his HEA!!
June 28, 2011
Paladin DJ Clayborne, computer whiz and hacker extraordinaire, finally gets his turn in the spotlight with a woman who not only can match him in cyberspac,e but who also appeals to him just as much in the flesh. When Reggie who hunts hackers for a living manages to track down the illusive 'Knightwalker", and decides to play with him a bit before turning him in, she cracks the Regents website and ends up shanghaied to the alien world of Kalitha by those involved with the 'Others' conspiracy. Knowing that it is his fault that Reggie is danger, DJ mounts a rescue mission and despite being the most fun loving and playful of the Paladins, DJ is also formidable warrior who won't stop until he's brought Reggie back across the barrier.
I really liked The Darkness Beyond. I loved Morgan's favorite Paladin DJ (it's his blog you sign up for on her website) and I really liked Reggie too. DJ is just the right mix of cocky and caring and Reggie is both smart (on the whole) and sensual enough to appeal to both DJ's brain and body.
I also really enjoyed the parts of the story that followed Reggies' fellow hacker Cody, he was quite likeable but what really 'made' this thread is that it allowed for lots of interactions with the supporting cast of past Paladin leads and mates which wouldn't have been possible with Reggie and DJ off in another world.
My only nits with The Darkness Beyond were the 'how' of how Reggie ends up in the bad guys clutches and the 'why' of why the human bad guys give her to the Kalith 'Others' - I can see stashing Reggie beyond the barrier, but giving her to the Kalitha for a little 'fun time' to make her more cooperative, not so much. Even though I didn't think either of these things made a lot of sense, I just just went with it because the end result was Reggie and DJ in peril in Kalitha which gives them a chance to form a bond.
Well, with The Darkness Beyond and the previous book Beyond the Darkness Morgan has overcome the mid series slump and the Paladins are going strong. With the exception of a Paladin short this summer, I am not sure what's in store for us next, but if you need something to hold you over until then and haven't checked out Morgan's website, you are missing out on a whole slew of after the HEA story snippets for past Paladin pairs.
I really liked The Darkness Beyond. I loved Morgan's favorite Paladin DJ (it's his blog you sign up for on her website) and I really liked Reggie too. DJ is just the right mix of cocky and caring and Reggie is both smart (on the whole) and sensual enough to appeal to both DJ's brain and body.
I also really enjoyed the parts of the story that followed Reggies' fellow hacker Cody, he was quite likeable but what really 'made' this thread is that it allowed for lots of interactions with the supporting cast of past Paladin leads and mates which wouldn't have been possible with Reggie and DJ off in another world.
My only nits with The Darkness Beyond were the 'how' of how Reggie ends up in the bad guys clutches and the 'why' of why the human bad guys give her to the Kalith 'Others' - I can see stashing Reggie beyond the barrier, but giving her to the Kalitha for a little 'fun time' to make her more cooperative, not so much. Even though I didn't think either of these things made a lot of sense, I just just went with it because the end result was Reggie and DJ in peril in Kalitha which gives them a chance to form a bond.
Well, with The Darkness Beyond and the previous book Beyond the Darkness Morgan has overcome the mid series slump and the Paladins are going strong. With the exception of a Paladin short this summer, I am not sure what's in store for us next, but if you need something to hold you over until then and haven't checked out Morgan's website, you are missing out on a whole slew of after the HEA story snippets for past Paladin pairs.
September 20, 2015
I've been meaning to catch up on this series so I thought I'd knuckle down and read this installment but I have to admit I had a hard time getting into it. Don't get me wrong, I love this series and I love Ms Morgan's writing but Reggie, the heroine stumped me. Why? Because she is a hacker and I despise hackers, even if she is a white hat hacker.
The story starts with Reggie trying to track down DJ and to bring him to justice because apparently he's a well known black hat hacker. I had a hard time liking Reggie because of her profession and as a result, it was a hard slog through the first 50% of the book. She didn't leave well enough alone even when she was warned which of course, gets her captured by the bad guys and her needing to be rescued by DJ. I had so little sympathy for her being captured, I even wondered what the heck was the matter with me. Reggie was not unlikable. In fact, none of Ms Morgan's heroines are. She tends to write great heroines who are level headed, strong and brave, and Reggie is no different. However, I was blinded by my own personal prejudices against hackers, so I overlooked the fact that she was tenacious, strong and resilient. She was also inquisitive and persistent, which probably led to her accepting her new reality with Paladins and Kaliths a lot easier. I got to like her a lot better when she let her stubbornness take over, standing firm when DJ told her to leave and then fighting for her man. You gotta admire a woman who will lay it out on the line and fight for who she loved.
As for DJ, he's such an enigma. On the one hand, he's this mischievous hacker who hacks for fun and games (I get that my prejudices to hackers didn't extend to DJ since he's the hero and he was not a malicious hacker!) and on the other, he's this kick ass Paladin who lays his life on the line many times over to keep the ignorant safe. I loved that when he realized he messed up, he tried to clean up his mess and when he needed help and couldn't do it himself, he fessed up to his brothers in arms. DJ is such a charming fellow.
I love the Paladins and the series. The sense of brotherhood and camaraderie. The men who fight to keep the world safe, not asking anything in return and then finding the other halves of their souls and their happy ending. I'm moving right on to the next book in the series.
The story starts with Reggie trying to track down DJ and to bring him to justice because apparently he's a well known black hat hacker. I had a hard time liking Reggie because of her profession and as a result, it was a hard slog through the first 50% of the book. She didn't leave well enough alone even when she was warned which of course, gets her captured by the bad guys and her needing to be rescued by DJ. I had so little sympathy for her being captured, I even wondered what the heck was the matter with me. Reggie was not unlikable. In fact, none of Ms Morgan's heroines are. She tends to write great heroines who are level headed, strong and brave, and Reggie is no different. However, I was blinded by my own personal prejudices against hackers, so I overlooked the fact that she was tenacious, strong and resilient. She was also inquisitive and persistent, which probably led to her accepting her new reality with Paladins and Kaliths a lot easier. I got to like her a lot better when she let her stubbornness take over, standing firm when DJ told her to leave and then fighting for her man. You gotta admire a woman who will lay it out on the line and fight for who she loved.
As for DJ, he's such an enigma. On the one hand, he's this mischievous hacker who hacks for fun and games (I get that my prejudices to hackers didn't extend to DJ since he's the hero and he was not a malicious hacker!) and on the other, he's this kick ass Paladin who lays his life on the line many times over to keep the ignorant safe. I loved that when he realized he messed up, he tried to clean up his mess and when he needed help and couldn't do it himself, he fessed up to his brothers in arms. DJ is such a charming fellow.
I love the Paladins and the series. The sense of brotherhood and camaraderie. The men who fight to keep the world safe, not asking anything in return and then finding the other halves of their souls and their happy ending. I'm moving right on to the next book in the series.
July 3, 2011
When I started reading this book, it came back to me again, the question I had when I first started reading this series: Why can't they just plug the "barrier" with mortar and concrete? Or a boatload of TNT! Looked effective enough when Kolar blew up that "barrier" section at the lava caves... But then again if they do that, we won't need Paladins to defend our world and then we won't have a story!! That is one logic flaw in the world building which I chose to ignore while reading this series. However, it is starting to nag me now. I like it better if the world building does not have gaping flaws staring right back at me like that. And another thing, it is also starting to read like same old, same old. I love the world of the Paladins, mind, just wish that this book didn't have the feel of "same old, same old" kinda thing. And I sure do like the man-candy on the cover!! The story telling is the same masterpiece quality so the story flowed well and the book read fast. Despite this being Book 8 in the series, there is enough info there so that a reader who is new to the series can keep up and understand the story, fine. So I think this book can be read on it's own, though I do not suggest it because it mentions characters and events from previous books which will spoil the previous books for a reader if planning to read them after this book. Which you will want to read because this author has such a compelling author's voice. The ending is another HEA and am happy. Overall, I enjoyed this book and would give it a 4 out of 5.
October 28, 2015
Review
The Paladins series is a lot like that really good bottle of red wine that you discover quite by accident but then love to have every time you make Bolognese sauce…consistently good, works for any mood and delicious right to the last bit. The Darkness Beyond is another great installment. While the book starts out in our world, much of the action and romance take place in Kalithia. I personally love the scenes between humans in our world and their challenges with the Others. Larem also plays a good side role in this story, which gives us a picture of an Other trying to live in our world.
D.J. has been playing cat and mouse with another hacker for months. He is not only impressed with their skill, but intrigued to find out if the sexy avatar is really the hacker or just some random jacker. Sure enough, he meets Reggie and he realizes that for the first time in his life, he has met someone he can’t live without. So what does he do…push her away, of course.
As Reggie is only more intrigued by D.J. and his “day job”, she follows a lead straight into a trap. As her best friend (and love sick puppy dog) Cody works with the Paladins to uncover the newest threat within the Reagents, D.J. crosses the barrier into Kalithia to bring Reggie home. Their bond is instant, but their friendship and trust is built over days and lust-filled nights trying to survive in Kalithia. I enjoyed D.J.’s internal struggles and his unflinching belief in his role as protector and guardian. It was so great to see someone fight for him for a change. Enjoy!
The Paladins series is a lot like that really good bottle of red wine that you discover quite by accident but then love to have every time you make Bolognese sauce…consistently good, works for any mood and delicious right to the last bit. The Darkness Beyond is another great installment. While the book starts out in our world, much of the action and romance take place in Kalithia. I personally love the scenes between humans in our world and their challenges with the Others. Larem also plays a good side role in this story, which gives us a picture of an Other trying to live in our world.
D.J. has been playing cat and mouse with another hacker for months. He is not only impressed with their skill, but intrigued to find out if the sexy avatar is really the hacker or just some random jacker. Sure enough, he meets Reggie and he realizes that for the first time in his life, he has met someone he can’t live without. So what does he do…push her away, of course.
As Reggie is only more intrigued by D.J. and his “day job”, she follows a lead straight into a trap. As her best friend (and love sick puppy dog) Cody works with the Paladins to uncover the newest threat within the Reagents, D.J. crosses the barrier into Kalithia to bring Reggie home. Their bond is instant, but their friendship and trust is built over days and lust-filled nights trying to survive in Kalithia. I enjoyed D.J.’s internal struggles and his unflinching belief in his role as protector and guardian. It was so great to see someone fight for him for a change. Enjoy!
August 9, 2021
We've gotten little hints throughout the series that D.J. has been cyber-battling another hacker so I was excited to read THE DARKNESS BEYOND and see what type of woman could get D.J. so tangled up.
I liked D.J. and Reggie together but I would have liked a bit more on D.J.'s past. Like most of the Paladins from the previous books he's had a less than ideal upbringing and this has shaped how he views the world. D.J. has the typical honor, strength, and protective instinct found in all Paladins but this also means that he felt a little too much like all the previous heroes in the series -- other than saying whatever comes into his head. He does have a roguish charm that comes through but a lot of the book is Reggie and D.J. trying to survive in Kalithia so he's not as easy going. I did feel that Reggie makes a great match for D.J. because she understands the thrill of hacking and she's tough enough to handle the world he lives in.
I was hoping we would see more of the Kalith world since the majority of the book takes place there, however, it's all spent hiking across land with Reggie and her kidnappers. Though we don't see any towns we do get to see Berk and some of his men; I'd love to get his story one day since he seems to be the only ally on that side of the barrier.
Content Warning: Reggie is kidnapped and repeatedly threatened with sexual abuse
I liked D.J. and Reggie together but I would have liked a bit more on D.J.'s past. Like most of the Paladins from the previous books he's had a less than ideal upbringing and this has shaped how he views the world. D.J. has the typical honor, strength, and protective instinct found in all Paladins but this also means that he felt a little too much like all the previous heroes in the series -- other than saying whatever comes into his head. He does have a roguish charm that comes through but a lot of the book is Reggie and D.J. trying to survive in Kalithia so he's not as easy going. I did feel that Reggie makes a great match for D.J. because she understands the thrill of hacking and she's tough enough to handle the world he lives in.
I was hoping we would see more of the Kalith world since the majority of the book takes place there, however, it's all spent hiking across land with Reggie and her kidnappers. Though we don't see any towns we do get to see Berk and some of his men; I'd love to get his story one day since he seems to be the only ally on that side of the barrier.
Content Warning: Reggie is kidnapped and repeatedly threatened with sexual abuse
August 22, 2011
I really enjoyed this latest venture into the world of the Paladins! It took me a couple of chapters to warm up to Reggie, but I really liked her in the end and DJ was such a wonderful hero. He was a little too stubborn in his reluctance to trust her with his secrets, and while the reasons were eventually revealed, I thought it was almost too little too late. Fortunately for our HEA, Reggie didn't! ; ) I liked that in the end, she was strong enough to stand up for what she wanted especially when it seemed that DJ wasn't willing to fight himself. For some reason the suspense in this book was harder for me than in the others, probably because they were trapped where their friends couldn't help them. I didn't like that and wanted them back in their own world and back on their computers!!
July 28, 2016
Out of all of the books in the series, this one has the best plot twists. There was more than one place that had me going, 'Seriously?' Plus, D.J. Oh yeah.
I love her characters and her snarky sense of humor. I have a hard time not giggling out loud.
The books are quick reads, but I did still have nights where I had to tell myself, 'Look, you need sleep. The last fifty pages can wait.'
I've actually just finished the series. So maybe I'm sensitive to this, not sure, but despite being in a different character's head, she still uses similar phrases. Yes, there are only so many ways to say certain things, but it sort of takes you out of the moment when you have to stop and think, 'Hey, didn't X say the same thing in the other book?' But that's being nit picky.
I can guarantee, I'll be picking up the series again at some point.
I love her characters and her snarky sense of humor. I have a hard time not giggling out loud.
The books are quick reads, but I did still have nights where I had to tell myself, 'Look, you need sleep. The last fifty pages can wait.'
I've actually just finished the series. So maybe I'm sensitive to this, not sure, but despite being in a different character's head, she still uses similar phrases. Yes, there are only so many ways to say certain things, but it sort of takes you out of the moment when you have to stop and think, 'Hey, didn't X say the same thing in the other book?' But that's being nit picky.
I can guarantee, I'll be picking up the series again at some point.
March 8, 2012
I gave this 3 stars in spite of the fact that I really loved this book. I love it when geeks get together! (By the way, Penelope Garcia from Criminal Minds...hottest hacker ever!) And there is just something about hackers that is idealized in my mind. Morgan is great (to me) when it comes to having really strong characters, especially the heroines who are self sufficient and just living life when said hero steps on the scene. Overall the story flows with the exception of when they are in on the other side of the divide in Kalithia. I just thought that the relationship needed more time to develop, therefore they needed to spend more time in Kalithia. Things just advanced a bit too quickly.
June 5, 2011
Wow another great foray into the world of this mythical Paladin warriors and their Kalith counterparts (both good and bad). With heat, laughter, and passion this couple's story just leaps off the pages and leaves you unable to even stop to breath. DJ has been a personal fav for a while and i am so happy that Ms Morgan did his story such justice. And way to got on his heroine, Reggie. She was the perfect partner for this fun-loving, playful warrior and i can't wait to see more of them in future stories. Yay for another HEA story.
Read
June 6, 2011Good read. Continuation of the Paladin series. DJ is a Paladin and a computer genius. So when someone hacks his programs and gains information about the Paladins, he has to investigate. He finds out that Reggie is one behind the hacking. He finds himself reluctant to turn her into the Paladins and wants to get to know her. He is intrigued by her intelligence and the chemistry they share. But then The Others find out about Reggie's investigation and come after her. DJ has no choice but to pull in the help of the other Paladins and protect Reggie.
July 7, 2011
This will be a short review.
DJ Clayborne has meet this match! He has found a hacker who is good at what she does. I didn't really care too much for Reggie. Her personlity turned me off. To make it short, she finds out about the Paladins by hacking in their computer files and after DJ finds out who the hacker is he tells her to trash all evidence and leave enough alone. Stupid Reggie won't listin and actually goes to meet up with some people who promise to tell her all about the Paladins instead she is kidnapped by some Kalithians and taken to their world. In the end DJ saves her.
DJ Clayborne has meet this match! He has found a hacker who is good at what she does. I didn't really care too much for Reggie. Her personlity turned me off. To make it short, she finds out about the Paladins by hacking in their computer files and after DJ finds out who the hacker is he tells her to trash all evidence and leave enough alone. Stupid Reggie won't listin and actually goes to meet up with some people who promise to tell her all about the Paladins instead she is kidnapped by some Kalithians and taken to their world. In the end DJ saves her.
April 19, 2013
It took me a long time to read this. Part of the reason is I buy way to many books, but the other reason is I knew that besides for a ebk this was the last book in the Paladin series. I hate to see them end because I love them. The Darkness Beyond is D J Clayborne and Regina (Reggie) Morrison story. These two have played a game of tag for a long time. It's now time to meet. When they do both of their worlds change forever. This is a wonderful series that you'll love to read.
February 26, 2015
Alexis Morgan has done it again. I love her Paladins series and this one focuses on D.J. the cyber hacker. His skills are in question when he plays cat and mouse with another hacker. Once he tracks down his "nemesis", things don't go the way he imagined. D.J's story then takes him to Kalithia, while his Paladin buddies track down the ever present corruption in the company. I felt almost sad finishing this book because I did not want to leave their world. I look forward to more in this series.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 59 reviews