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Sacrifice (Mortal Path Series Book 2) Kindle Edition

by Dakota Banks (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.0 4.0 out of 5 stars 83 ratings
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“Chilling, thrilling, and a page turner!”
—Heather Graham, New York Times bestselling author of The Killing Edge

“Dakota Banks is firing on all cylinders.”
—Steve Berry, New York Times bestselling author of The Charlemagne Pursuit

Author Dakota Banks dazzles with dark magic in Sacrifice, the second book in her urban fantasy series Mortal Path featuring Maliha Crayne, the former immortal assassin known as the Black Ghost—a bewitching cross between  Lara Croft and Elektra. Banks offers a new twist on supernatural thrillers with this action-packed, edge-of-your-seat adventure that fans of Vicki Pettersson and James Rollins won’t want to miss. Join Maliha in her ongoing quest save her damned soul, as she battles unspeakable evil to atone for the countless sins of her long and bloody past.

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  1. Book 2 of 3
    Mortal Path Series
  2. Print length
    301 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Sticky notes
    On Kindle Scribe
  5. Publisher
    HarperCollins e-books
  6. Publication date
    August 31, 2010
  7. File size
    991 KB
  8. Page Flip
    Enabled
  9. Word Wise
    Enabled
  10. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
  11. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Review

“Sweeping across continents and centuries, The Mortal Path by Dakota Banks is story-telling at its most vivid. The characters are fascinating, the plot nail-biting, and the period pieces memorable. Curl up in your favorite chair - entertainment is guaranteed.”

From the Back Cover

A demon's enslaved executioner—a ravager of lives and souls—Maliha Crayne has been reborn, willing to sacrifice her immortality for a chance at freedom . . . and salvation. Now she has an opportunity to prevent the death of thousands—perhaps tens of thousands—to make up for the countless lives she has obliterated over the centuries. To do so, she must locate and destroy an evil cabal of madmen in possession of a weapon of unspeakable power—and survive the immortal assassins who are now after her blood. But it means reverting to the old ways and surrendering once more to the darkness. And if Maliha dies before the mission is accomplished, the hell she once knew will seem like a picnic compared to the eternal torments awaiting her.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B003V1WSWS
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ HarperCollins e-books (August 31, 2010)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ August 31, 2010
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 991 KB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 301 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.0 4.0 out of 5 stars 83 ratings

About the author

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Dakota Banks

Dakota Banks

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Dakota Banks has worn a number of hats, including those of corporate analyst, independent computer consultant, and pet store employee (the one who cleans the cages). When she tried on a writer's hat, something magical happened: It stuck to her head, no matter how hard she tried to shake it off and get back to something that paid the mortgage.

Growing up in a converted 1890s funeral home, complete with blood gutters in the basement floor, fueled Dakota's interest in the paranormal. Fascinated with archaeology since childhood, she found a way to blend her background with her passion in the story line for her Mortal Path series of urban fantasies.

Dark Time: Mortal Path Book 1 is a suspenseful paranormal thriller laced with ancient legends and a quest for redemption, a frightening scenario that could be tomorrow's headlines, and a heady dollop of romance. Maliha Crayne an action-oriented and sensual heroine. She walks among us, but lives a far different life as she risks her own in protection of the innocent. Sacrifice, book 2, and Deliverance, book 3 (March 2012), continue Maliha's adventures.

Dakota is a graduate of Washington University in St. Louis and lives in a St. Louis suburb with her husband, two sons adopted from Peru and Ethiopia, and two cats Snickers and Marble, who sometimes ghostwrite her books. Good stuff, too, if you speak Cat.

Visit her website at http://www.dakota-banks.com.

Customer reviews

4 out of 5 stars
4 out of 5
83 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

D. Roddick
5.0 out of 5 stars Someone to root for
Reviewed in the United States on May 2, 2018
Verified Purchase
I am enjoying this series very much. It is not simplistic and all puppy dogs and buttercups: people die that you wish wouldn’t. The world building is nice, since we have goals to fight for and lots of challenges. I do like the Clancy-style gadgetry a bit too. Not pages of loving description about a particular gun, but enough. The safe houses are pretty cool. I will definitely read onward.
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Kathy McCarthy
4.0 out of 5 stars Great Urban Fantasy novel with lots of conflict, suspense and compelling characters
Reviewed in the United States on June 6, 2012
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The mortal path isn't so smooth for Maliha. Since giving up her immortality and the life of an assassin, she is free to have friendships and people in her life; however, that also means having much more to lose. Since her quest is dangerous, she struggles with the decision to involve those she loves or to keep them at a distance to protect them. She is happy with her decision to become mortal but at the same time misses the power that comes with being Ageless.

In this installment, Hound's girlfriend Glass, is kidnapped by a band of Janjaweed in Sudan when delivering supplies for the World Health Organization. While there Glass sees inhumane experiments are taking place and manages to take a sample with her when they escape. Turns out the sample show the existence of a newly created nanite device that when ingested can destroy entire populations. Maliha knows this is her next quest.

Trying to find answers about these deadly nanites, death comes to everyone Maliha talks to including two friends. Worried for their safety, she pushes her friends into a safe house and away from the action. Then, a little too easily, she reverts back to the old Maliha - the Ageless Black Ghost. The lone assassin. The bad thing is...she finds herself enjoying the feeling of working on her own again and the power of being an assassin. Enough so, that she's tempted to become Ageless again when approached by Rabishu.

There's still her quest to find the missing diamond shards of the lens that will allow her to read the Tablet of the Overlord. If she can find all seven shards, she can destroy the demons and save countless lives. So along with locating the evil nanite makers, she spends time looking for these as well.

Dealing with death, lies and betrayal, she slips back into who she was before - unemotional, detached and distant. This is an understandable and realistic reaction to her situation and would explain some of the bad decisions she made while on the mission.

Maliha isn't a perfect heroine. Nowhere close. That's why I like her. She makes mistakes but isn't afraid to own up to them. Some of her actions may be atypical but that's ok. It's her imperfection that makes her such a great character and the reason why I enjoy this series so much.

We had a few new characters introduced to us. Glass (Hound's girlfriend) is quite spirited and endearing. I hope we get to hear more about her. Lucius is another very yummy Ageless one. After 1,000 years being an assassin, he pursues Maliha to find out how she got out of her contract with her demon. Their relationship was intense and I had high hopes for them. Abiyram is a contact from her past and he helps her find one of the men behind the nanite plot.

I enjoyed Sacrifice so much that I was ready to give it 5 bad boys but then the last chapter threw me. When Maliha was in the clinic, she seemed to realize her mistakes and what she needed to do. Her head was on straight and she made up with her friends. All was good. But then she started an internal dialogue about what choices she needed to make - giving it all up to stay on the island, rescuing Lucius, living with Jake, living with Abiyram in Jerusalem, living with Dac in Australia. It was a bit confusing for me. I wonder if this was a way to let us know that everything is not as settled as we thought and that the series can go just about anywhere?

Bottom Line
Banks delivers another great chapter in Maliha's struggle to redeem herself since choosing to give up immortality and live on the mortal path. Like the previous in the series (Dark Time), this novel has everything that makes a great Urban Fantasy novel - conflict, suspense, major obstacles and compelling characters. I really enjoyed reading it and I'm anxiously waiting for the next in the series - Deliverance on March 27th, 2012.

Happy Reading!!
4 Stars - Really Enjoyed It!!!!
2 people found this helpful
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C Blackmon
3.0 out of 5 stars Not as good as the first one
Reviewed in the United States on January 27, 2013
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I really liked the first book in the series, but this one does not rise to the same level. I really can't put my finger on what seems a bit sour in this book, but I find myself struggling to finish it which is saying a lot for me, I'm a prolific reader at around 900 pages a week worth of books.

I've put this one down to read others lately, not sure when I'll get around to finishing it (never?). If it doesn't spark my interest, it might not spark yours either. I would recommend you buy it only at a discount, and ONLY if you have read the first book, otherwise you'll be very lost and/or confused as it is not a stand alone book.
4 people found this helpful
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IronSpeedGuy
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent
Reviewed in the United States on July 25, 2012
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as good as the first, maybe better. I can't wait for the third book!! Hurry up already! Dakota Banks has a great style of writing, and I love her main character. There is such a great storyline as well, this series will be a keeper for sure.
One person found this helpful
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D. Baer
4.0 out of 5 stars Solid second in the series
Reviewed in the United States on January 17, 2011
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If you want an action-packed, intrigue-filled, non-stop ride, look no further. After setting the stage in  Dark Time: Mortal Path Book 1 , Dakota Banks pulls out all the stops in this book. Having established who and what Maliha is and what she needs to do in order to save herself from an eternity of torture at the hands of a sadistic Sumerian demon, we jump right in as she is nearly killed in a nasty spectacular car wreck (caused by a bullet). Whew, that was close!

In this episode, Maliha continues on her quest to find the remaining shards of the Diamond Lens and encounters several Ageless still in the service of their demons, one who has been tasked with collecting the shards from her as she finds them. As another reviewer indicated, this episode definitely takes on a Bond-ish feel due to the over-the-top nature of the villainous organization and weapon involved.

It seemed for awhile there that Maliha was settling down with her 'family,' but we see a return to her old ways as she once again dons the mantle Black Ghost in order to get to the bottom of the mystery central to this episode. Generally books like this don't consider the internal conflict within a character -- and this one isn't terribly deep -- but we do see some of Maliha's struggle between light and dark within herself, especially when she is tempted...

Summary: good, solid pulp fiction with better than average character development and a setup for the next episode.
3 people found this helpful
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Brenda Emmons
5.0 out of 5 stars Sacrifice
Reviewed in the United States on March 14, 2013
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OMG this was a great book. Am reading the third one and can't wait until she comes out with the next book in the series.
One person found this helpful
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GrumpyGranny
4.0 out of 5 stars Good entertainment
Reviewed in the United States on November 30, 2017
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These stories are complex and well written, but I fear our heroine is slipping back into her old ways even though she seems to be trying not to let that happen. I’m interested in her quest of personal redemption, but I must admit that her cavalier attitude about a man who sacrificed his eternity for her is unsettling, especially as she is thinking of him at the same time as she is envisioning visiting another man because she is uncertain of the man she loves? Convoluted and not cool. Certainly unheroic on all levels.
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Natalie K Wadge
5.0 out of 5 stars Mortal Paths
Reviewed in the United States on February 19, 2011
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I got the book as promptly as I ordered it and found it in the exact order as advertised. I will get a lot of use out of this book!
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Top reviews from other countries

Nick Brett
3.0 out of 5 stars A little too average
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 15, 2011
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I rather enjoyed the first novel in this series, I thought it had an interesting idea and approach (a Demon's slave/executioner who breaks their pact and has to try to redeem herself by saving as many lives as she had taken). It felt fresh and original amongst the many `urban fantasy' novels that are out there. This, the second book, lacks the originality of the first so we lose the `wow factor', but that could be balanced were the story of top quality. Unfortunately the story is a little average which does diminish the enjoyment of this one. Heroine Maliha is tracking down a nanobite virus that could kill entire nations, at the same time there are immortal assassins after her, and they have the powers she one had herself....

While there is still a lot to like in this, it also lets itself down at times. The author seems to have lost interest in her love interest from the first book and sidelines him somewhat - this makes Maliha's behaviour rather strange as she claims to love him but seems somewhat overly generous with her sexual favours!! The bad guy is an interesting choice and reveal, but otherwise the plotting felt a little obvious and forced and, dare I say it, lightweight. So it was okay, but nothing to write home about or make me rush for the next one in the series.
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Changechild
3.0 out of 5 stars Three Stars
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 12, 2015
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Arrived in good time and as described, well received by Dad.
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