Skip to main content

Monsters, Revenge and the Abyss. AJ Adams talking about Rip, the hero from Dark Hunter

 

 

Nietzsche was interested in morality, particularly in truth, good and evil. The abyss theme is one of his most famous.

I'm interested in monsters too, and so I created Rip Marston, a perfect monster.

When we meet Rip, he's a day shy of his 18th birthday. Just weeks before, Rip was an actor, just a kid, taking on his first stage role, but on a path to a happy life on the boards - except, a criminal gang killed his family in a robbery.

Because of this, Rip is consumed by pain. In chapter one, he stalks and kills Greasy Sykes, just as he stalked and skilled Greasy's mates, because revenge is his only relief.

When Rip kills, the pain is replaced by power - aka his monster.

Nietzsche believed that unbridled hate, fear or righteousness feeds our inner shadow. So those who are consumed by fighting evil, become evil themselves.

I think he's right. So, in this zeta cartel novel, I take the classic setup. Unbridled hate, righteousness and monster slaying dominate the start of Dark Hunter.

In the first chapter, we don't just see Rip kill a monster, Greasy; we're witnessing the death of a talented young man. Rip dives headfirst into the abyss. By the time midnight strikes, Rip is 18 and no longer human. The monster has consumed him.

By the time we see him again, ten years have passed. The monster is in complete control. So much so that Rip is no longer capable of passing for human. The Mafia, the Camora, the Bratva, and the Zetas see right through him. They're violent as it's part of their business. Rip is different and they know it.  Their horror and revulsion are instinctive.

So, can Rip be saved? When Morgan is thrown in his lap, coughed up from the depths of a dark river, will she be able to salvage him? Or will he kill her? It's a cartel romance, but it's also dark romance. So I'm not hinting at the ending here.

See what happens and tell me if you think Rip was saved or not?

Dark Hunter is on sale April 2022 at US$2.99. Hit https://books2read.com/zeta4

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

AJ Adams talking about Ruthless Sinner: The universal theme of caring for loved ones

Ruthless Sinner is a murder mystery romance novel that might be a Hallmark title if it were set in a bakery but my Spirit is a stripper and Coop runs a drug lab, that's not likely to happen.  Talking about the universal ethic, taking care of loved ones.  My heroine, Spirit, is a classy lady, and she deserves a fairy-tale ending.  Read Ruthless Sinner and tell me if you consider Coop suitable prince material. There’s a sweet discount for the month of August. Find Ruthless Sinner in online bookstores everywhere

AJ Adams talking about her favourite scene in Dark Hunter - 2 mins, no spoilers

  Two mins only, what I love about bringing back previous characters and my fave bit in Dark Hunter where Chloe, Solitaire and Nats arrive. No spoilers, so you can watch safely Dark Hunter is on sale April 2022 at US$2.99. Hit https://books2read.com/zeta4

Why do women like dark romance?

It's the holiday season, so the cats are looking forward to treats galore and Tom and I are planning outings to the pub to meet up with friends. Hope you're having a great time!   If you're looking for an easy affordable gift, Helpless is discounted to $2.99 all December. Find Helpless at https://books2read.com/disciples1 This month's video answers the question: why do you write dark romance and why do women buy it? The video is less then three minutes but if you're busy, the transcript is below. Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah and wishing you a Happy New Year. See you in 2023! Love, AJ Transcript I'm often asked why I write violent bedroom scenes and why women enjoy it. There's lots of research about this, with some theories suggesting: In a society where sex is taboo, it may be a way to enjoy it guilt-free, 'cause they made me' Could be related to evolution: mammals tend to have the male pursue and subdue the female Could be that the stress is key: