Darken

The dead came back quietly at first, enigmatic and wraith-like, emerging slowly over time until there were too many to remain within the dark of night, too many to be denied existence. They’re everywhere now, a disturbing and unwelcome fact of everyday life . . . and the leading edge of an oncoming darkness. Doomsday prophets and madmen have proclaimed the end of the world, and they have no idea how right they are. Something unseen is stirring. Something is driving out the dead. Something that doesn’t mind snuffing out a few worlds to get what it wants.

Seventeen-year-old Jamie Ellis has already lost everything—his mother when he was a child, his best friend two years ago, and now his father. On the night Jamie’s father finally succumbs to a mysterious terminal illness two impossible events occur. First, the sudden attack of terrifying Demonic entities, like the stuff of nightmares made real. Then, the timely reappearance of Jamie’s only surviving relative—his uncle, Connor Ellis.

Connor manages to save Jamie from the monstrosities hellbent on abducting his nephew, and, as the two of them escape together, the truth is revealed. The Earth has become embroiled in the millennia-old machinations of Spirits and Demons. Demons are crazed, violent, and care nothing for the fate of mortals, but Spirits, who oversee existence and prefer order, can be more sympathetic. In rare cases, Spirits will even share their power with mortals, and the human beings who receive these gifts are called Neo-Shamans. Connor himself is a Neo-Shaman, and he offers Jamie the chance to become like him.

Jamie accepts, but not everything goes according to plan. The Spirit who gives Jamie his gift of power is far more dangerous than anyone is comfortable with. Even Jamie. However, the Neo-Shamans have more enemies than they realize, and whether they like it or not, they’re going to need the terrible power of Jamie’s benefactor if they hope to survive.