Spear of Destiny by J. F. Penn (ARKANE #13)
Read in February 2025
The ARKANE series by J.F. Penn follows Dr. Morgan Sierra and Jake Timber as they confront supernatural threats rooted in religious artifacts and historical mysteries.
Summary:
Following the theft of a mysterious artifact from a Vienna museum, Morgan and Jake embark on a perilous mission to retrieve the legendary Spear of Destiny—the holy lance that pierced Christ's side. Their journey takes them through Nazi ruins, Tibetan temples, and iconic monuments in Washington, D.C., as they race against time to prevent a sinister plot that threatens to unleash an ancient evil upon the world.
Main Characters:
Morgan Sierra is an Oxford psychologist with a background in religion, and ARKANE agent. She's an ex-Israeli military officer who has experienced severe loss in her life.
Jake Timber is a seasoned ARKANE agent and Morgan's partner. He's South African and an ex-military officer who has experienced the loss of his entire family.
Ezekiel Stronghold: a corrupt Neo-Nazi politician running for president in the U.S.
Gabriel: a special agent of Mr. Stronghold. With supernatural abilities, not even he knows the origin of.
There are many others.
World-Building:
Since this is a thriller set in the modern world, there isn't much world-building. However, J. F. Penn does a fantastic job of describing the locations and setting the scene. She includes many historical details and information that make the world, and places come alive on the page.
Themes/Tropes:
- Religious and Powerful Artifacts
- Exotic Locations
- Ancient Secrets
- Religious Themes
- High Stakes
- Secret Agency
- Neo-Nazis
- Ticking Clock
- Larger-Than-Life Threat
- Supernatural
- Religious Extremists
- Conspiracy
- Dark Rituals
- Troubled Protagonist
Entertainment Value:
The book is fast-paced and full of historical facts. Although the pace sometimes slows down a bit, I quite enjoyed the information in this book. I loved all the ideas of Neo-Nazis and tying it to the Nazi's search for religious and mythical weapons. I also liked how the author presented the "Aryan Race" in this novel.
I loved the suspense it kept me at the edge of my seat. There's so much at stake in this book. The one thing I wasn't too keen on is the repetition of Jake Timber constantly being captured and Morgan having to find all the pieces of the relic in order to save him. It's getting kind of boring and repetitive.
As a fan of Dan Brown, I was happy to find an indie author with a similar writing style and plot. I devoured this book in less than a day!
Cover Art:
I love the cover for this book!
Would I read this book again?
Yes, I would. I'm already working my way through this series!
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