Destroyer of Worlds

By: J.F. Penn

Narrated by: Veronica Giguere

Length: 6 hrs and 44 mins

Publisher's Summary

A bomb explodes in the center of London and a fragment of an ancient Hindu sculpture is stolen from the ARKANE Headquarters by a secret organization bent on mass murder. If the sculpture is put together again, it will reveal the key to the Brahmastra, a weapon with the power of a nuclear explosion.

As those they love are threatened, ARKANE agents Morgan Sierra and Jake Timber must search for the pieces of the relic before it can be activated at the Kumbh Mela, the greatest pilgrimage on earth.

In a fast-paced adventure from the slums of Mumbai to the temples of Kolkata, the Taj Mahal in Agra to the killing fields of Rwanda, Morgan and Jake must find the pieces of the sculpture before it's too late.

Destroyer of Worlds is Book Eight in the ARKANE action adventure thriller series, but can be listened to as a stand-alone story. If you love an action-packed conspiracy thriller, download a sample or buy Destroyer of Worlds now.

©2016 J.F.Penn (P)2016 J.F.Penn

fast paced, good read!

A fast-paced adventure, packed with a fast paced story.
This is the first book I have read of the series, and I wasn't lost. This book can be read as a stand alone. If I was a little confused, the writer filled me in.

I was gratefully provided this audiobook at no charge by the author, publisher and/or narrator for an unbiased review via Audio Boom..

1 person found this helpful

Stands on its own

I haven’t listened to other books in the series, but while I felt the series and there were a bunch of references to prior books, this novel stands on its own. There is a great pace to the action (no one ever seems to sleep!). There are plot twists between action scenes and some heartfelt drama.

My criticism is largely around the easy way that people handover important relics they’ve inherited or spent blood tracking down. Someone says can I keep it? And they just say yes.... a bit facile.

My other pet peeve was the narrator. Americans should not be narrators for books where the characters English accent is referenced repeatedly. I find it drops me right out of the story. Also, the pacing was off. Long pauses between phrases and sentences but very fast speech in between meant that scaling the speed up was annoying and yet without it the pauses were too long and annoying. I don’t usually have comments for narrator performance beyond a cursory note, but this time...


I received a free copy of the book in exchange for a review.

Another well-written & enjoyable tale of suspense

Destroyer of Worlds (ARKANE #8), my sixth read from author J.F. Penn, was captivating, with well-developed characters coupled with an outstanding suspense story-line with its intricately woven twists and turns. I'm a character reader, I get into what makes characters tick, who and what they are. Penn does a good job with her character development; you can like and/or hate these characters. I was given an Audible copy of this book and am voluntarily reading & reviewing it. Narrator Veronica Giguere's narration adds to the book's enjoyment. I'll be reading more by this author as I get more of her books. (RIP Marley January 20, 2014 - July 24, 2018).

Great Story

Pretty good series. I like getting information about different locations while the team is there. I like the dark history of religions mentioned as well.

The Returns of Dr Morgan Sierra and Jake Timber

Dr. Morgan Sierra and Jake Timber returned in the eighth book, Destroyer of Worlds. The ARKANE Headquarter has been bombed and a piece of Hindu artifact has been stolen. Marietti, their Director has been severely injured. As Morgan and Jake placed the pieces together, they discovered Shiva Nataraja is so dangerously that it can end the world, the sculpture has been broken in three pieces and hidden in three locations in the world. Now Morgan and Jake must retrieve the pieces before an unknown enemy.

Destroyer of the Worlds is a fact-paced action packed adventure that takes the readers to the slums of Mumbai to the temples of Kolkata, the Taj Mahal in Agra to the killing fields of Rwanda. The author has done a very thorough research on the Hindu culture and its important Holiday, Kumbh Mela, the greatest pilgrimage on earth. This is one of the main reason, readers will never be disappointed in the ARKANE series and will keep coming back for more and to discover more about Morgan and Jake.

The narrator, Veronica Giguere has a wonderful voice to listen to. What can I say, she is one of my favorite narrator who can really bring a story to live.

I was given this ebook by the author in exchange for an honest review. I was not compensated or influence in any way for writing this review.

Scavenger Hunt

This is my first foray into the world of ARKANE. The basic concept reminds me of the TV series "Warehouse 13," in that the organization is in the business of recovering, researching, and hiding dangerous artifacts. If you liked that series, I predict you'll like this story as the ARKANE team races to find the pieces of a statue of Shiva, the Destroyer of Worlds, before they can be reassembled. This detail (Shiva statue divided into three pieces) is eerily similar to another book I recently read. I don't know who wrote what when, but I'm deducting an originality point...just because.

I received a free copy of this audiobook in exchange for an unbiased review.

An exciting perspective on global terrorism

What did you like best about Destroyer of Worlds? What did you like least?

I liked that author's take on what a global terror even could be. Stepping outside the box and incorporating ideas from a culture that I'm not very familiar with added an exciting dimension to the book, as I was learning about this culture as I read.

I liked the ending the least. After all of the buildup and detective work, the pivotal scene seemed anticlimactic at best. It was on and then gone all too quickly for my taste.

What was your reaction to the ending? (No spoilers please!)

Again, I thought that the ending was slightly thin and lacked the thoroughness that had gone into the rest of the book. It felt very abrupt and a little too "cookie-cutter" compared to the rest of the book. Then again, perhaps the first 3/4 of the book was so well-written, exciting and interesting that the ending could not keep up.

What about Veronica Giguere’s performance did you like?

She narrates at a good pace, and all of the characters sound distinct from one another. She ups the pace during action scenes and inserts timely pauses during critical thinking/ detective scenes which allow the reader to catch up and/or think of solutions for themselves.

Could you see Destroyer of Worlds being made into a movie or a TV series? Who should the stars be?

Perhaps a movie but not a TV series. I could easily see the basic premise being made into something like Mission: Impossible.

Any additional comments?

This book was provided to me free of charge in exchange for an honest, unbiased review via Audiobook Boom.

Well written, incredible attention to detail

What did you love best about Destroyer of Worlds?

I love the fast-paced action in this story. We are whisked from London to India and many spots between. Each scene is presented with just the right level of detail to paint a clear picture. Penn excels at this light touch with her adjectives.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Morgan - readers have gotten to know her well over the previous books in this series. This work keeps her arch going. I'm not going to spoil any of the details, but you will like how she progresses in this book.

Which scene was your favorite?

Towards the end at a huge Hindu religious festival. Incredible scene, it felt like I was there with the characters.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Some of the parts made my stomach turn a bit. I thought to myself, "ugh, nasty!"

Any additional comments?

One thing did not happen in this book that I really wanted to happen. I'm hoping it happens in the next book in the series. I can't wait to see what Penn has in store for these characters next. If you like Dan Brown or Indian Jones, but with a lot more true facts and historical detail, this book is for your.

Destroyer of Worlds

Any additional comments?

This was a very good book. I haven't listened to the other books in this series, but after listening to this book, they're now on my list. The book has a great story line and is full of action. The narrator did a very good job and brought the characters to life.

I was voluntarily provided this free review copy audiobook by the author, narrator, or publisher.

Another great story by JF Penn

JF Penn writes exciting, action-packed page-turners which you don't want to put down. This is one more, although the narration was a bit lacking in the ability to convey the intensity and differences between characters. Great story and concept. Enjoyed the book and will recommend.

Extremely good

This is a great thrilling story that it so good that I have to get the next book. Its a great story and shows India wonderfully.

Gripping plot and globe trotting action

What made the experience of listening to Destroyer of Worlds the most enjoyable?

I've read or listened to all the books in JF Penn's Arcane series. I especially enjoyed Destroyer of Worlds because the plot hit the heart of the Arcane organisation and I got to know more about other Arcane members. I'd like to read more storylines that weave in the roles and lives of the wider Arcane team.

What other book might you compare Destroyer of Worlds to, and why?

The Arcane series is a good choice for anyone who enjoys the Da Vinci Code.

Have you listened to any of Veronica Giguere’s other performances? How does this one compare?

Veronica Giguere's performance is professional and she can bring light and shade to each of the characters with subtle changes to her voice. I am not over keen on the voice of the main heroine Morgan Sierra, but it does tell you a lot about her - feminine but strong.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

Jake and Morgan, a brief moment of nearly telling each other how they feel for one another. I like the small hints of will-they-won't-they that is developing over the series.

Any additional comments?

The author works hard at transporting you to locations in the book that you can visualise, where you can hear the bustle of the streets and smell the spices in the air. I think the descriptions come across even stronger in the audio version than the written version.