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Dark Justice: A Supernatural Thriller
During America's darkest days, a slave named Tobias suffers a fate worse than death at the hands of an enraged master. After a harrowing escape, Tobias searches nearby slave camps in search of a high priest of his native African religion. Seeking vengeance, they evoke the spirits of their elders and unleash a malevolent force upon his master.
Two hundred years later, the horror has reawakened, targeting an innocent man, paramedic Galen Morris. Suddenly, a seemingly unstoppable executioner stalks his every move. Forced to run, Galen must unravel clues while staying one step ahead of his otherworldly enemy.
Dark Justice tells the stories of two men, both running for their lives. While one man's run brings an unspeakable terror into the world, the other man's run is a dangerous quest to stop it.
Two hundred years later, the horror has reawakened, targeting an innocent man, paramedic Galen Morris. Suddenly, a seemingly unstoppable executioner stalks his every move. Forced to run, Galen must unravel clues while staying one step ahead of his otherworldly enemy.
Dark Justice tells the stories of two men, both running for their lives. While one man's run brings an unspeakable terror into the world, the other man's run is a dangerous quest to stop it.
- GenresThriller
232 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2006
14 people are currently reading
185 people want to read
About the author
Donnie Light
24 books23 followersDonnie Light is an American author of several novels and shorter works. He writes genre-bending dark fiction - paranormal stories that include elements of mystery and thriller.
His stories have been featured in two anthologies focused on dark fiction - Softly Creeping and Lyrical Darkness.
Donnie Light lives in rural Northern Illinois and is currently working on his next novel.
His stories have been featured in two anthologies focused on dark fiction - Softly Creeping and Lyrical Darkness.
Donnie Light lives in rural Northern Illinois and is currently working on his next novel.
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
August 23, 2010
This book was pretty trippy. It was pretty fast paced and hard to put down read. I'll be on the look out for future works by Donnie Light for sure and I have both Timothy James Dean (author of Teeth) & the Goodreads site to thank for this fantastic read.
July 14, 2010
Are you familiar with stories in which an exotic fetish steeped in magic shows up in the modern world? WW Jacobs' "The Monkey's Paw" is a renowned example - as are movies like "The Mask" starring Jim Carrey, and "Jumangi" with Robin Williams.
Donnie Light's "Dark Justice" is a glittering, diamond-hard addition to the genre.
In his tale, Mr. Light creates a shadowy world of African slaves and a sorcerer who conjures a supernatural talisman that will pierce the veneer of civilized America and cut a swath of destruction and terror. The author interweaves a tapestry of protagonists separated by two centuries. One is Tobias, a slave from the dark days of America, and the other is Galen, a paramedic in our present world.
Tobias was born in Africa, but now he is merely chattel on a hard taskmaster's plantation. He witnesses and barely survives the brutal murder of a member of his family. He kills a white man, and has one choice left if he would live.
He must become a runner.
Tobias' story is interlaced with Galen's (his name is a reference to the famous Greek healer). Our hero is a paramedic whose life turns topsy-turvey when his close friend, a world-traveler, dies in his care. His friend's last words send Galen in search of a particular object among the museum-quality collection in the dead man's estate. But instead of a dusty antique, Galen finds a fetish that burns suddenly with power - and immediately attacks and injures our hero. We soon discover that neither the thickest walls, nor distance, will keep the deadly ball from its target.
Galen, too, becomes a runner.
He must out-pace the murderous mystery on his tail, while it simply bores through anything that gets between it and its target. Things explode. People die.
With the assistance of the alluring Audra, Galen races to find his answer before his nemesis fulfills its name as "the Eater of Hearts" - in this case, his own.
Author Donnie Light is a former paramedic, and his portrayal of Galen's work and inner conflicts have the ring of veracity. The voice telling "Dark Justice" http://amzn.com/1449596878 reminded me of the young Stephen King in "The Running Man" (which the regent wrote under the pen name, "Richard Bachman").
I recommend this novel highly - and look forward to an outpouring of stories from the dark imagination of Donnie Light.
Donnie Light's "Dark Justice" is a glittering, diamond-hard addition to the genre.
In his tale, Mr. Light creates a shadowy world of African slaves and a sorcerer who conjures a supernatural talisman that will pierce the veneer of civilized America and cut a swath of destruction and terror. The author interweaves a tapestry of protagonists separated by two centuries. One is Tobias, a slave from the dark days of America, and the other is Galen, a paramedic in our present world.
Tobias was born in Africa, but now he is merely chattel on a hard taskmaster's plantation. He witnesses and barely survives the brutal murder of a member of his family. He kills a white man, and has one choice left if he would live.
He must become a runner.
Tobias' story is interlaced with Galen's (his name is a reference to the famous Greek healer). Our hero is a paramedic whose life turns topsy-turvey when his close friend, a world-traveler, dies in his care. His friend's last words send Galen in search of a particular object among the museum-quality collection in the dead man's estate. But instead of a dusty antique, Galen finds a fetish that burns suddenly with power - and immediately attacks and injures our hero. We soon discover that neither the thickest walls, nor distance, will keep the deadly ball from its target.
Galen, too, becomes a runner.
He must out-pace the murderous mystery on his tail, while it simply bores through anything that gets between it and its target. Things explode. People die.
With the assistance of the alluring Audra, Galen races to find his answer before his nemesis fulfills its name as "the Eater of Hearts" - in this case, his own.
Author Donnie Light is a former paramedic, and his portrayal of Galen's work and inner conflicts have the ring of veracity. The voice telling "Dark Justice" http://amzn.com/1449596878 reminded me of the young Stephen King in "The Running Man" (which the regent wrote under the pen name, "Richard Bachman").
I recommend this novel highly - and look forward to an outpouring of stories from the dark imagination of Donnie Light.
May 18, 2010
In 1806 an escaped slave is on the run, seeking justice for crimes against him by his evil white master. He knows he can get some help from the ancient religion of his African ancestors, so he seeks out a priest (another slave) to help him. Over time, we find that the cure for the man's troubles is extremely potent and terrifying. Running as a parallel story, told every other chapter, is what happens when a hundred years later, the African cure that the slave used (Eater of Hearts) is uncovered, activated, and seeks to kill our hero, Galen. With my seat belt fastened, as the reader, I began to run with Galen and his girl Audra as this horrible nightmare chased him without stopping and worked to destroy him and anyone in its path.
DARK JUSTICE by Donnie Light is a tightly written, fast-paced thriller that won't let you put it down to rest. Not only was I worn out from worrying about the characters, I was anxious about the outcome. What was going to happen? Who would live and who would die? Thoughtfully composed with characters that were real and three dimensional, even the ending came as a surprise to me. Just when you think you know what's going to happen...
5-stars
Ellen C Maze
Bestselling Author of Paranormal and Vampire Fiction
Rabbit: Chasing Beth Rider
Coming Fall 2010 RABBIT LEGACY
May 10, 2010
A runaway slave seeks revenge on the master who murdered his wife in cold blood. A weird ball thing looking for blood pursues Galen and Audra almost 200 years later. Dark Justice is the tale of how these two seemingly unrelated stories are really just two sides of one intricately linked story.
The story is fascinating, at times down-right unbelievable, but fascinating nonetheless. I especially loved how dramatically the story unfolded; the author's way of interweaving between the stories of present and past made the story especially thrilling. In that sense, it reminded me a lot of 24 with a different plot and storyline, but the same suspense building techniques... You know the ones I'm talking about, where the story stops just as the trigger is pulled on a gun pointing at Jack Bauer's head, then the announcer's voice comes on and says "Stay tuned for a sneak peek of next week's episode." The same thing happened in Dark Justice: the ball is slowly gaining speed on the tiring Galen and is inches away from him when the chapter ends and we go back to the story of the runaway slave and his history with the weird ball.
The story is fascinating, at times down-right unbelievable, but fascinating nonetheless. I especially loved how dramatically the story unfolded; the author's way of interweaving between the stories of present and past made the story especially thrilling. In that sense, it reminded me a lot of 24 with a different plot and storyline, but the same suspense building techniques... You know the ones I'm talking about, where the story stops just as the trigger is pulled on a gun pointing at Jack Bauer's head, then the announcer's voice comes on and says "Stay tuned for a sneak peek of next week's episode." The same thing happened in Dark Justice: the ball is slowly gaining speed on the tiring Galen and is inches away from him when the chapter ends and we go back to the story of the runaway slave and his history with the weird ball.
April 15, 2010
This story drew me in from the very beginning. Honestly, I have not read an opening chapter this good in a very long time. Sometimes I’ll read the first chapter of a book in a bookstore and put it back because there just isn’t enough interest to make me go further. That is not the case, here. I was hooked almost immediately.
The rest of the book doesn’t disappoint, either. There are two storylines to follow, and both of them zip forward, yanking you along for the ride. Tobias, the runaway slave, seeks justice for his master’s cruelty. In 1991, Galen Morris is running for his life, chased by Tobias’s legacy.
DARK JUSTICE is a good, fast read, with a complex plot line and an energetic writing style that never quite lets you relax. No matter what Galen and his friend Audra are doing, in the back of your mind you are always thinking “You guys better get a move on. That thing is still coming.”
Lives in the balance, relentless pursuit, justice. This is the stuff great books are made of.
David McAfee, Author of 33 A.D.
The rest of the book doesn’t disappoint, either. There are two storylines to follow, and both of them zip forward, yanking you along for the ride. Tobias, the runaway slave, seeks justice for his master’s cruelty. In 1991, Galen Morris is running for his life, chased by Tobias’s legacy.
DARK JUSTICE is a good, fast read, with a complex plot line and an energetic writing style that never quite lets you relax. No matter what Galen and his friend Audra are doing, in the back of your mind you are always thinking “You guys better get a move on. That thing is still coming.”
Lives in the balance, relentless pursuit, justice. This is the stuff great books are made of.
David McAfee, Author of 33 A.D.
May 11, 2010
A thrill-ride from start to finish, Dark Justice unfolds in the telling of two stories separated by time. In 1806 a slave named Tobias desperately seeks justice for the cruel murder of his wife and giving-away of his twin sons. Evoking the spirits of his African ancestors, Tobias unknowingly unleashes a force in the world that will not end with his own covenant. In 1991, an innocent named Galen opens a door to an unfathomable evil. His race to escape this seemingly unstoppable stalker leads him to more answers than he bargained for.
I was very pleasantly surprised by this little known gem of a book I won in an blog giveaway. Donnie Light has a new fan in me, and I look forward to his next book!
I was very pleasantly surprised by this little known gem of a book I won in an blog giveaway. Donnie Light has a new fan in me, and I look forward to his next book!
December 2, 2025
Dark Justice by Donnie Light is a pulse-pounding thriller that bridges centuries of vengeance, weaving historical horror with contemporary suspense. Beginning in America’s darkest days, the story follows Tobias, a slave subjected to unimaginable cruelty, whose quest for retribution invokes the spiritual power of his ancestors. The narrative then leaps two centuries forward, where paramedic Galen Morris finds himself hunted by a seemingly unstoppable supernatural force.
Light excels at creating dual timelines that echo and amplify each other. Tobias’ past is brutal, harrowing, and vividly realized, while Galen’s present is tense, relentless, and fraught with peril. The novel balances historical context, psychological suspense, and supernatural horror, keeping readers on edge as the threads of vengeance stretch across generations.
Fans of The Shining, The Historian, or The Ancestor’s Tale will appreciate the layered storytelling the way historical injustices resonate into the present, and how supernatural elements are grounded in emotional stakes, moral dilemmas, and the fight for survival.
Light excels at creating dual timelines that echo and amplify each other. Tobias’ past is brutal, harrowing, and vividly realized, while Galen’s present is tense, relentless, and fraught with peril. The novel balances historical context, psychological suspense, and supernatural horror, keeping readers on edge as the threads of vengeance stretch across generations.
Fans of The Shining, The Historian, or The Ancestor’s Tale will appreciate the layered storytelling the way historical injustices resonate into the present, and how supernatural elements are grounded in emotional stakes, moral dilemmas, and the fight for survival.
March 23, 2024
Excellent writing
What a twist on the supernatural or paranormal thriller genre. Sit down, settle yourself into a comfy chair and be prepared to travel an epic journey for which you are not prepared. If you are an avid fan of audiobooks as I am, you might enjoy this edge of your chair suspense drama. I believe this is a first audio for author Light and it added such realistic intrigue to hear voice portrayals. I never stopped listening from opening sentence to final words. I will even admit to rewinding so I was able to hear a passage a second time because of the power it held. Easy 5 stars. Hope there are more audios in the future.
What a twist on the supernatural or paranormal thriller genre. Sit down, settle yourself into a comfy chair and be prepared to travel an epic journey for which you are not prepared. If you are an avid fan of audiobooks as I am, you might enjoy this edge of your chair suspense drama. I believe this is a first audio for author Light and it added such realistic intrigue to hear voice portrayals. I never stopped listening from opening sentence to final words. I will even admit to rewinding so I was able to hear a passage a second time because of the power it held. Easy 5 stars. Hope there are more audios in the future.
June 22, 2014
The premise and title of this suspense, supernatural thriller caught my attention and promised a big read. I was not disappointed. From the beginning the action moved fast, capturing my complete attention. And although things slowed toward the middle, I remained fixed on the story because by then I was invested in the success of the main character. I was happy about the ending. All the strings were tied into a nice, neat little bow and I felt good that justice had been served (spoiler alert).
One complaint I have about the ending and a few spots in the middle was that they felt rushed...almost like the author was running out of pages or patience and needed to condense some content and did this through the use of narration. But the narration was not overkill so it wasn't too much of a distraction.
This was a story that had two parallel stories running concurrently; a story from the past and a story from the present; two stories in one book. The author does a fine job of keeping both stories active and alive and does equally well in tying the two stories together in the end. I have to admit though that the one thing that surprised me was the time period for the contemporary story--the late 80s/early 90s. I would like to have known that fact earlier in the read instead of toward the end.
In spite of the minor distractions, I felt this was a superb story and highly recommend it. I will definitely read more books by this author.
One complaint I have about the ending and a few spots in the middle was that they felt rushed...almost like the author was running out of pages or patience and needed to condense some content and did this through the use of narration. But the narration was not overkill so it wasn't too much of a distraction.
This was a story that had two parallel stories running concurrently; a story from the past and a story from the present; two stories in one book. The author does a fine job of keeping both stories active and alive and does equally well in tying the two stories together in the end. I have to admit though that the one thing that surprised me was the time period for the contemporary story--the late 80s/early 90s. I would like to have known that fact earlier in the read instead of toward the end.
In spite of the minor distractions, I felt this was a superb story and highly recommend it. I will definitely read more books by this author.
January 16, 2011
Two books in one? Two different stories that form one amazing book! Donnie weaves together a unique story of a runaway slave who has lost his family to an evil Master and the story of a present day paramedic who is fighting emotional issues of his own. Through a stunning ceremony the Gods have decreed that Tobias, the slave, must return to his Master and present him with a mysterious gift as a peace offering for running. While Galen, a paramedic who has awaken the mysterious object in present day, and co-worker Audra by his side, must become modern day runners as the object relentlessly follows them causing massive destruction to anything in its path. Each stories conclusion brings both stories full circle to one explosive ending! Donnie’s first novel is an excellent read that I found I could not put down. I am looking forward to many other novels.
Ted Iverson
Author of Mission to the Stars: Book One: The Search for FTL
www.tediverson.com
Ted Iverson
Author of Mission to the Stars: Book One: The Search for FTL
www.tediverson.com
August 28, 2009
Fun. Thrilling. Eventful. Dark. Bittersweet. The characters are great and easy to relate to, especially Galen, one of the best "everyman" characters I've ever come across. He's well written, just like the rest of the novel. Dark Justice tells two stories that are separated by a great number of years, and the way that the two stories interconnect and unfold is just BRILLIANT. This book OWNS when it comes to suspense and plot development. Take a break from whatever kinds of novels that you're currently and read this one - there's nothing else like it.
July 19, 2011
I loved the dual story line, the quick pace and Donnie's style of writing. Donnie blended fantasy and his main characters' true struggles to stay alive. Really enjoyed the end, yet I never wanted the book to end at all. Definitely a must read--any season. I look forward to reading all of Donnie's novels. Rebecca Scarberry
June 30, 2014
I enjoyed the way the stories switched back from Tobias to Galen! it was a very interesting book with lots of twist and turns
February 17, 2015
A real page turner!
This is really the first time this phrase makes sense to use, because it really is a race against time to stay alive long enough to solve an age old mystery.
This is really the first time this phrase makes sense to use, because it really is a race against time to stay alive long enough to solve an age old mystery.
September 22, 2014
I actually give it 3 1/2 stars. I enjoyed it but it is pretty unbelievable.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews