The Dark Path [Kindle Edition]

Luke Romyn (Author)

Book Description

VOTED ONE OF THE TOP 10 HORROR NOVELS OF 2009.

TOP 20 BEST SELLING HORROR ON AMAZON.

#1 BEST SELLING HORROR ON FICTIONWISE.


"The 21st Century's Newest Master-of-Horror... Rivaling both Stephen King and Thomas Harris, without doubt, the edgy and provocative Luke Romyn is destined to emerge as the 21st century's newest Master-of-Horror." -- Dee Marie - Award winning author of the Sons Of Avalon saga


New York's underworld quivers at the mention of his name. Evil courses through his veins like blood and his conscience has lain dormant for over a decade while he has slashed and burned his way to the top of the food chain.

Vain.

The Dark Man, born of torment into an existence of death. In the underworld of killers he reigns supreme. And yet he is chosen for a task of supreme benevolence. Why would he be selected to save a young boy, the Avun-Riah, and then protect him against a horde of enemies, both mortal and demonic?

Because he is the only one with any hope of success.

The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse have risen from the pits of Hell and, along with a fanatical army of cultists, are ranged against Vain. If the boy is slain then Sordarrah will be raised to destroy the Earth, a feat even Lucifer never managed.

Evil is being used to fight evil in the ultimate battle for the outcome of all existence. Armageddon sits upon the horizon and all that stands in its way is a man whose path has always been dark....


"Astonishing insight into apparently amoral evil, derived from pain... To term this novel "A Psychological Thriller" would, IMO, misrepresent its sensitivity and power. The Dark Path is a book that seems to defy categorization, which is an amazing accomplishment... This book casts a spell that is, for me, more beautiful than horrifying." -- Mysterious Microburst "Apocryphal Raven"


"Ah, this is seasoned writing. 5 PLUS STARS... This deserves wide acclaim. The Dark Path is one fantastic thrill ride." -- Glen Cantrell


"A compelling, thought provoking...EXCELLENT MUST read!! ... The book is brilliantly written...bringing such vivid life to his characters...and mind provoking predicaments... It has been a very long time since I found myself so involved in a work of fiction." -- A.J. Luck


"If you are a lover of this genre, then The Dark Path would be an excellent book to read." -- 4.4 Stars - Anthony Wessel (reviewer for The Kindle Book Review) and founder of DigitalBookToday.com

Editorial Reviews

Review

"If you like a fast moving, thrilling fantasy that keeps you thinking, then The Dark Path by Luke Romyn belongs on your bookshelf." --Clifford Bye - The Deepening

"Will keep you on the edge of your seat and turning the page in a relentless quest to find out more." --5 stars - Nicole Morgan - Books I Review

"One of the very best horror stories I've read in a long time." --4 Tombstones - Bitten By Books

"The storyline is so unique that readers will not find anything remotely similar." --5 stars - Strictly Reviews

"I would definitely recommend The Dark Path." --4 Stars - The Book Huntress Review

About the Author

Luke Romyn spent many years, over nineteen in fact, working in the security industry. From doorwork in some of Australia's roughest pubs and clubs to protecting Mickey Mouse and the Disney crew from the overzealous jaws of tenacious toddlers, Luke has worked throughout Australia and internationally in a vast array of roles.

He's done close protection for UK celebrities in Fiji and chased feral pigs and snakes out of the jungle film sets on Steven Spielberg's and Tom Hank's epic: The Pacific. There are few things Luke hasn't seen.

With all this experience behind him, it would have been tempting to write a set of memoirs. Instead, Luke utilized it to fuel his own expansive imagination and began writing fiction. Initially starting with short stories, Luke rapidly progressed onto novels.

All three of Luke's books have been category best sellers on Amazon, with over a quarter of a million copies being distributed to date.

Product Details

• File Size: 475 KB
• Print Length: 304 pages
• Page Numbers Source ISBN: 1482548151
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
• Language: English
• ASIN: B006SBUDNE
• Text-to-Speech: Enabled
• X-Ray: Enabled
• Lending: Enabled
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #89,017 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

52 of 55 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars And I thought I didn't like horror... February 19, 2011

By Eric B. Thomasma

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

Let me state for the record that this is not my genre. I usually avoid the horror aisle in the bookstore and I don't like horror movies. I even feel cheated when I go to a sci-fi movie that is actually horror with sci-fi elements. I bought this book because I enjoy the author's interactions on Twitter and wanted to support his writing. I knew that The Dark Path has won awards and that fans of the genre had praised it highly. But, as I said, I don't like horror.

But I loved The Dark Path. I was quickly drawn into the story and couldn't put it down. If it weren't for real life interruptions, I would have been lost in Vain's world for the duration. Vain is not the sort of person you want to identify with. He is both feared and revered, but mostly just feared. The life events that created Vain are horrific, and give real insight into how he came to be. Those insights set the stage for the journey he makes and helps the reader understand why he does what he does, both before and after meeting the mysterious Priest, even if Vain doesn't always understand it himself.

Now, don't be deceived, this is indeed a horror story with plenty of blood, gore, and horrific acts, and this is what normally keeps me away from the horror genre. I seldom think they add anything to the story being told, but in The Dark Path, these events come across as almost reluctantly shared. Not the reason for telling the story, but simply a necessary element for understanding it.

I highly recommend The Dark Path for adults who enjoy a great story, well told.

28 of 33 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Astonishing insight into apparently amoral evil, derived from pain May 29, 2011

By Mysterious Microburst

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

I'm not typically a fan of the "Horror Genre". The Dark Path is in no sense typical, nor does any of the violence seem to be gratuitous or illogical. To term this novel "A Psychological Thriller" would, IMO, misrepresent its sensitivity and power. The Dark Path is a book that seems to defy categorization, which is an amazing accomplishment.

'Vain' is not an amoral, psychopathic man. He has, like many humans who begin to inhabit an existence most would consider absolutely evil, experienced trauma so devastating that his mind cannot contain it. Anyone who has had a father, brother, friend who has been in the front lines of a war who "survived" physically but were haunted all their lives by the memories of watching buddies die just feet away may recognize how a human being can become torn apart and often irreparably changed by these terrible events when they are unable to intervene.

When the rage of killing becomes a reflex in a world that ceases to make sense, where there seems to be no justice to deliver but your own, human beings sometimes appear to become monsters. Luke Romyn understands and is able to communicate with uncanny fluency what can happen when a human mind is overwhelmed by agonizing pain.

For too many people, no matter how much time passes the memories are as fresh and the wounds so raw that a decade or many decades pass and yet the feeling and vision remains as potent as it might have happened yesterday or is happening here and now.

'Vain' is extreme in his response to trauma, but so are people who become violent and brutal alcoholics attempting to drown their sorrows only to find their sorrows growing deeper with time as they alienate even the most loving and courageous persons in their lives. Individuals react differently to Post-Traumatic Stress. Humans who cannot make peace with the pain within their hearts and minds very often become destructive and dangerous.

I immediately felt empathy for this man some reviewers called an "anti-hero". When Priest looks into eyes perceived as utterly dark and evil by all others and sees Pain, this is the reality. Pain is felt by all within this spiritual place, because everyone there has lived it, acted upon it, committed acts that they regret having done and cannot undo. Yet, for some, life must go on. How?

The spirituality in The Dark Path is extraordinary, magical in a way I can only compare to extremely powerful spiritual leaders who have lived and died a hundred times in the span of one existence seeking nothing more than to perfect genuine compassion within themselves for the sake of themselves and therefore all others. Like Shaman, who choose paths of fire rather than walks in the park and know that to fear demons is the surest way to die, but to show genuine respect and understanding means the demon will do them no harm ~ this is the spirituality that quiets the angry beast within us and reveals to us what we are capable of doing, of becoming, when our hearts seem broken beyond all hope of repair.

This is a truly unique book. Luke Romyn's understanding of "what makes people tick" causes me to wonder if he has undergone great trauma, gotten lost for awhile and found reason to turn his life around. He writes as though he's inhabited the skin of these various characters, if only in his intense imagination. I agree with the other reviewers who've written that once you begin reading, The Dark Path compels you to continue reading. This book casts a spell that is, for me, more beautiful than horrifying.

17 of 20 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A compelling, thought provoking...EXCELLENT MUST read!! December 28, 2010

By Aj Luck

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

I met Vain on Christmas afternoon. I found him when I peeled back the electronic pages of my Amazon Kindle.

He was in the middle of doing what he does best...torturing and killing for a price. I found him while reading Luke Romyn's debut novel..."The Dark Path."

From the very beginning I was intrigued. I wanted to know who this Vain person was. Was he a person, a demon, or simply a figment of someone's imagination??

I was hooked from the first paragraph on. The book is labeled to be a spiritual thriller... I wanted to know why. Actually... I NEEDED to know why. At first I hated this "Vain." He was doing unimaginable things in cold blood with no remorse. He is someone I would have written off...but Luke Romyn brilliantly continues to pull you into this fascinating story...He made me WANT to keep going...to find out who VAIN really was and why.

The back cover reads:

Vain is an assassin - and he is very, very good at what he does.The underworld cowers at the mere mention of his name and wherever Vain walks, death soon follows.

Vain must battle the evil within his own soul as well as the minions of Sordarrah in order to save the boy from the ritual that will prove the undoing of all of existence. They have no chance at success, and yet they cannot surrender.Will Vain overcome his own instincts and save the boy, or will he condemn him and the entire planet to an eternity of suffering? Will Vain stray from his Dark Path through life? Only time will tell... and that is running out.
This man is the last person on Earth who should be put in charge of the safety of a young boy who could hold the salvation of mankind in his future. This man is more likely to kill the boy than to keep him safe.... This man is the boy's only chance.

I was finding myself inside this killer's mind and wanting to know what drove him to this place. The book is brilliantly written...bringing such vivid life to his characters..and mind provoking predicaments... It has been a very long time since I found myself so involved in a work of fiction.

For a Thriller, this book is so much more...I highly recommend this thought provoking read, you will NOT be disappointed.

And finally...a THANK YOU to Mr. Romyn...You have truly challenged me to continue in my craft....and UP MY GAME in the Spiritual Thriller genre. I truly look forward to more books from you in the very near future.

Here is where you can find this book. You can also follow Luke Romyn on Twitter...just like his novel...his tweets will not disappoint either!! I promise!!!

More About the Author

Luke Romyn spent many years, over nineteen in fact, working in the security industry. From doorwork in some of Australia's roughest pubs and clubs to protecting Mickey Mouse and the Disney crew from the overzealous jaws of tenacious toddlers, Luke has worked throughout Australia and internationally in a vast array of roles.

He's done close protection for UK celebrities in Fiji and chased feral pigs and snakes out of the jungle film sets on Steven Spielberg's and Tom Hank's epic: The Pacific. There are few things Luke hasn't seen.

With all this experience behind him, it would have been tempting to write a set of memoirs. Instead, Luke utilized it to fuel his own expansive imagination and began writing fiction. Initially starting with short stories, Luke rapidly progressed onto novels.

All three of Luke's books have been category best sellers on Amazon, with over a quarter of a million copies being distributed to date.