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

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AJ Adams - Dark, Messed-Up Romance and Crime

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