Showing results by author "Joseph Lallo" in All Categories

For some creatures, running and hiding is the only way to stay alive. But no one can run forever. Sorrel and her twins are malanthropes, creatures hated by the people of their world. Years of searching for a place where they can be safe has brought them to a mysterious new land. It would be a paradise if not for the terrible beast who casts its shadow on the people who call it home. The Story of Sorrel is a short novel in the Book of Deacon series, picking up the story of Sorrel and her children shortly after The Rise of the Red Shadow left off.

Ferris Tusk has lurked in the shadows of his society since it began. His name is spoken with hushed reverence by the fug folk, and the balance of power of the whole continent is a meticulously maintained mechanism of his own design. But even the finest machine can be broken with a well-placed wrench. Until now, Cap'n Mack and the Wind Breaker crew have weathered scheme after scheme. They've fought for their lives, perpetually on the defensive. Such is the life of a hero.

How could a good photo-op go so wrong? A perfect time-lapse of the lunar eclipse should have earned Alan some cash and acclaim. Instead, he came home with an invader in his dreams and a terrible feeling of being watched. Now his life is a tangle of cults, mysterious white-suited visitors, and scheming shadows. Overnight, Alan's finely trained eye has gone from spotting photo-ops of local celebrities to unraveling a political plot that could shift the balance of light and darkness. Surviving the next few days will take teamwork, guile, and an awful lot of coffee.

Trevor "Lex" Alexander's life has been less than blessed. In the past year he's had to battle corrupt corporations, deranged techno-terrorists, and a robotic scourge. Now he's received the opportunity to finally return to the racing career that had been cut short by some poor decisions. One could excuse him for not wanting to be embroiled in another insane adventure when he is so close to returning to his life's calling. Sometimes the call of duty will not be denied.

The Northern Alliance and its southern neighbor, Tressor, have been at war for generations. Almost since the war began an assassin has stalked the northern lands, quickly becoming a legend among the people for both its skill and its elusiveness.

Freshly certified for forensics, Alan is ready to do something meaningful with his photography. He’s teamed up with his friend Jessie on the police force, and not a moment too soon. A serial killer seems to be copying the infamous Metro Ghoul. Lives hang in the balance, and the killer may be more than the police can handle without some help from the shadows.

In the chaos following the fall of the empire, Benita Castor wants nothing more than to live a nice quiet life. She thought she made all the right decisions. What could be safer than becoming an accountant? Where could she be more secure than the industrial fringe of the empire’s most civilized planet? Yet somehow, she finds herself in the employ of a crime boss and is shipped off to audit a recent acquisition in a forgotten corner of the system.

The bad news? You died. The good news? You have an extra life! After a terminal diagnosis, Jazz had nothing to lose in testing a prototype brain scanner, right? Wrong. Dead wrong. Now she’s locked in a digital afterlife called The After-Image. How did she end up in this chaotic post-life roleplaying game? Is there a way out? She’ll have to find some friends and gain some levels, but one way or another Jazz is determined to get to the bottom of things.

A little curiosity can be a dangerous thing. Rustle should have been content in his little pond, hidden away from the world where hopefully nothing exciting would ever happen. But the sea was so near, with all of its mysteries and secrets. He couldn't help but sneak away from time to time and gaze upon the surface, wondering what lay beneath. Little did he know that on this fateful day, there was something equally curious staring back.

This short novel, set after the events of The Book of Deacon, follows the blessed and cursed life of Jade Rinton. Stripped of her family and kept in a tall tower by a fierce dragon due to the scheming of a mysterious stranger, Jade seems to be living in a twisted fairy tale. She soon learns, though, that fate has its own ideas of who should play each part, and that family is where you find it.

In the final novel of Joseph R. Lallo's Book of Deacon series, Myranda and the Chosen face their greatest challenges yet. Time is running out, and the Generals are growing desperate. Through victory and defeat, reunion and betrayal, neither the heroes nor their foes will rest until they have seen their task through to the end. The only question is, will it be the end of a war, or the end of times?

One man's prison is another man's fortress. Alan grew up believing that justice was as simple as throwing criminals in jail. He also grew up believing there was no such thing as a shadow with a mind of its own. A special request to put his photographic talents to use for an interview at the local prison reveals a dark plan brewing there. To stop it and keep his family safe, he may have to form some uneasy alliances.

After narrowly surviving their last adventure, the Masker family knows there are forces plotting against them. Worse, a precious artifact is unaccounted for, almost certainly in the hands of a dangerous foe. The only option is to head north to follow the trail of the thief. When the hunt leads them to a plague-ridden forest not far from Fel’s sister, he has to make a choice. Does he risk the disease to recover what’s his? Or does he leave empty handed?

Generations of war have been put to rest. The D’Karon scourge has been wiped away. All that remains for Myranda, Deacon, and the other Chosen is the long slow road to recovery for their weakened kingdom. It is no small task, as dark magic has taken a terrible toll on the land. Crops struggle to grow. The scars of war are slow to fade. But from across the sea comes hope. The haughty King Mellawin presides over the kingdom of Sonril. His people, the elves of South Crescent, have grown concerned with their place in history.