Spear of Destiny, ARKANE Thriller #13, Audiobook

I have only lately discovered J.F Penn books and got caught up in them.I have ordered all in the ARKANE series.A really great read. On to the next in order now .

Very good love these books

Wow JF, I loved reading your book as I’ve enjoyed all the others. It’s the mixture of history, faith & determination which runs through your books. I look forward to reading what comes next. Happy travels.

Having already read more than a dozen of Mr. Penn’s books, I am always eagerly awaiting her next book. She obviously spends a lot of time and effort researching the subject matter and visiting as many of the local environments as she can, then paints a vivid picture that presents itself as if the reader were watching a movie. She has a knack for blending religion, history, literature, art, science and creative license with current events in an easy-to-read style that pulls you in and keeps you interested. Each episode, while part of a series following ARKANE investigators Morgan Sierra and Jake Timber, reads like a stand-alone adventure, each one better than the rest! I heartily recommend this book, but I also suggest you read the series, to get the full effect.

Fascinating story. Love the solid research that makes it very interesting. Well worth reading and would recommend it as well as all J. F. Penn books

ARKANE is a secret society that investigates mysterious phenomena associated with religion artifacts. Morgan, the main character in this series, is one of their investigators. In this case, they are hot on the trail of a relic said to hold tremendous power, either for good or evil, depending on who controls it. The spear in question was allegedly use to impale Jesus in the side while he was hanging from the cross. The rumor, passed down through the centuries, is that the blood of Christ imbued the spear with these fantastical powers. So far, so good. The problem is, a bad guy wants the spear to do bad things. He is a general, but also a politician running for president. Think of a cross between Donald Trump and Alexander Haig. His secret plan is to get the spear, then utilize these powers to make the U.S. Army invincible and literally take over the world, united under one religion, under his sole control. Not good. Well, it turns out that many years ago the spear was divided into four pieces. So now the race is on between the good guys and the bad guys to gather the pieces together. Who will win? For that you will have to read the book. What I like about this series is the depths of the research the author goes to to describe the history and places that are featured in the book.

Penn admitted it had been a while since the last ARKANE novel. It seems she waits patiently until inspiration comes; she explains how the different facts were made known over time and finally, a plot develops. As a US citizen, I giggled as I recognized that she failed to nod at how our sad political situation here on this side of the Atlantic fit into her plot. I got a kick out of General Ezekiel Stronghold pontificating his rallying speeches, dividing the world between himself and his red banner-waving crowd and the evil adversaries clamoring at the gates. 'Our country must be strong again....' I also noted how I was ignorant of the way our leaders let the doctors and scientists be acquitted of their war crimes at Nuremberg to continue their biological warfare under the supervision of the US Army! Although Morgan and Jake are the heroes, I was pulling for the paranormal Gabriel as he chose to use his power over the supernatural relic for life, healing Morgan and her 5-year-old niece Gemma. This is another great ARKANE book deserving five stars!

Nothing is ever simple for Morgan Sierra and Jake Timber. After their last mission where they faced a horrible demon which attacked Morgan, leaving her with a horrible curse, even though the demon was destroyed, Morgan has felt since that time like she is carrying the curse within her. Just when Morgan begins to research the curse, she is informed that her niece Gemma is dying from a malady with no known cause or cure. When Morgan realizes that her niece’s condition may be caused by the curse, she and Jake are sent on a mission to recover the Spear of Destiny stolen from a museum in Vienna. This relic has a very mysterious history, and is considered to garner incredible powers for both incredible curative uses or for extreme evil. As they begin their hunt, they find they are competing with a very elite military squad which appears to be after the same relic. Once again they find they are running for their lives, staying just ahead of an army which serves a power mad wanna-be dictator. What’s even more peculiar, the military squad leader seems to have very extraordinary capabilities that seem to connect with Morgan. It is again the mystery of the curse? As Morgan and Jake travel the work chasing clues, from a museum basement full of Nazi memorabilia, to a magnificent castle in Nuremberg, to a secret library in a Tibetian temple, to the underground in the Library of Congress in Washington, DC, time is running out for Gemma and to keep the power of the Spear from being unleashed, and not for good. As with all the other stories written by this author, the stories are extremely well researched and excellently written. At the end of each story is a explanation of the author’s research and how it is applied to the story. As usually, these stories are highly recommended, either individually or the entire series.

I love how J.F. Penn blends history with the supernatural in her fast-paced thrillers. The Spear of Destiny particularly piqued my interest with its WW2 connections,. WW2 is an era I am very interested in, so I am delighted at the cameo of an Enigma cipher machine (I don't think that counts as a spoiler). The story follows Morgan Sierra and Jake Timber on a high-octane and international race against time to collect pieces of an ancient relic to prevent to misuse of untold power (and save someone close to Morgan). Joanna's writing is so gripping and atmospheric - in the Prologue I really wanted to be in that storeroom with the boxes of uncatalogued archives and I definitely did not want to be in the crypt where... well, you have to read it to discover that you wouldn't want to be in there either. Or listen to the book, as I did with the fabulous narrator, who narrates the entire ARKANE series and adds further depth and emotion to the already evocative descriptions.

I love reading Joanna's author note, which includes details of her research and how she blends fact and fiction. It isn't included in the audiobook version of the book, but I have been able to read it in the ebook edition and she posts more about her research on her JF Penn website so there is always somewhere to find out about where sites and relics in the book.

I received an advance ARC, from J.F. Penn, for my honest review and I also ordered it from amazon. Something I like to do to support my favorite authors and especially when I read advance copies from them. No spoilers! Absolutely addictive, J.F. Penn's writing style just sucks you in, your right their in the action, on the edge of the seat cheering that Morgan, Jake, Martin and the rest of the Arkane crew to defeat evil and it's a read that you don't want to see end. This is so well researched, like all the historic sites included in her reads, even if she adds extra elements to it, what an amazing imagination and it's always done right. Penn has mastered the ability to stay the straight and narrow keeping everything realistic, believable even with a supernatural element add to it, and the cool thing is she puts the reader right their into the pages, your right their for all the heart pounding action. Did like the Gabriel character in this one, just adds so much to the storyline, his doubts of his dad, the elements of the Nazi SS, with Hitler and the Spear of Destiny. the evil twist with General Stongbow's quest for all the pieces, to put the four pieces together and return the third Reich to glory in the US. Morgan was right to invite him to join the Arkane team. Guess just J.F. knows what in story for him in the future, he'd make a great character for a new series, short stories or the Arkane series. I don't read a lot of books in the supernatural genre, but absolutely love how J.F. Penn mixes historical religious sites into her Arkane Series books, that alone makes it worth while to read, you always learn something new and highly recommend.

I'm new to audiobooks and so glad I started with this series! Veronica Giguere's narration is fantastic. J.F. Penn cleverly interweaves the past with the present. The characters are connected in an intriguing net that unravels as the fast-paced thriller races towards the conclusion.

I couldn't stop reading/listening to this book. I pre-ordered the ebook from Amazon, and while I was waiting impatiently for its release, the author loaned me a review copy of both the ebook and the recorded version. All that day, I listened or read, shifting from ebook to recording (I cooked dinner while listening). This story is worthy of the ARKANE series. In fact, it may be one of the best. I especially liked that the female agent, Morgan, rescues the world solo (almost). So, try it; you'll like it! I preferred the audio book, both because it was well done, but also because I could cook without having to stop reading!
There's an author's note at the end of the ebook, which is a really interesting bibliography of the author's research into the real world story.

Ezekiel Stronghold is running for the White House. With the help of Gabriel Blackthorn, he seeks to gather all the fragments of the Spear of Destiny—the lance that pierced Christ's side—in order to make his power absolute. When Gabriel leads a special commando to retrieve a piece of the lance from a Viennese museum, he encounters Morgan Sierra. Though Gabriel manages to wrest the relic from her, he finds himself strangely drawn to her. The feeling is mutual. Their paths are destined to cross again on their quest to find the remaining pieces of the lance. But will they remain enemies or become allies? J.F. Penn weaves another masterful tale of suspense, adventure, and the supernatural. From Vienna to Tibet to Washington, D.C., Spear of Destiny delivers yet another thrilling rollercoaster ride in the ARKANE series. With its intriguing characters, engaging plot, and rich descriptions, Spear of Destiny is a joy to read.

It is an unfortunate truth that megalomaniacs often appear in the strangest of places. As happened here in the form of a general aspiring to become president and re-introduce the tenets of Nazi Germany. But for this he needs the Spear of Destiny. Except Morgan and Jake are also on the trail of the famous ( infamous?) Spear of Destiny that can destroy or heal. And perhaps cure the curse Morgan carries? Or heal her sister's young daughter? Too bad that a soldier by the name of Gabriel is hot on Morgan's heels to gain this spear for the said general. More so because Gabriel is an incredibly able soldier with skills that, quite frankly, are verging on the unnatural. This book, Spear of Destiny, really grabs one's attention from start to finish and it is no surprise to find yourself trying to finish this book in one sitting. It is good. Enjoy

I couldn't stop reading/listening to this book. I pre-ordered the ebook from Amazon, and while I was waiting impatiently for its release, the author loaned me a review copy of both the ebook and the recorded version. All that day, I listened or read, shifting from ebook to recording (I cooked dinner while listening). I just bought the Audible recording (I did say I liked it!)... This story is worthy of the ARKANE series. In fact, it may be one of the best. I especially liked that the female agent, Morgan, rescues the world solo (almost). So, try it; you'll like it! There's an author's note at the end of the ebook, which is a really interesting bibliography of the author's research into the real world story.

When I was offered a review copy of Spear of Destiny, ARKANE Book 13, I immediately accepted, and once I had the eBook and audiobook loaded into my BookFunnel app I set aside any other reading or listening plans.

I listened to Veronica Giguere’s excellent narration of this latest ARKANE thriller was a highly entertaining experience. She did a great job of providing voices for Morgan, Martin, Jake, and a couple characters who are exclusive to this story – Gabriel and General Stronghold. Veronica also took an already excellent story and brought it to life to the point if I closed my eyes I could see the scenes. Of course, being able to visualize the scenes wouldn’t have been possible without Joanna Penn’s descriptions of surroundings, and action.

Spear Of Destiny is a welcome addition to the ARKANE series. It has all the action, suspense, interpersonal interactions, and geographic destinations with full descriptions that readers of the ARKAKNE series have come to expect. This book had an extra twist that I found to be unexpected and an interesting element to the story line. If you want to know what the twist is, you will need to read or listen to Spear of Destiny.

I received an Advance Reader Copy of Spear of Destiny from the author through BookFunnel and chose to provide my review.