Off Axis: A Modern Day Vampire Saga(2 Mars' Lair)

When seduction unfolds as pranic sacrilege... Join up again with Mars as he crashes through the gates of hell on a destructive wave of inadvertent drug abuse, plummeting relationships and mandatory murder, the residue of the latter, sticking to his hands like black tar. Fortunately, he has Anton, his friend, mentor and principal, who stands vigilantly by his side as he wrestles with the reality of the more provocative aspects of Lair life. But, as the dust settles around the carnage, what emerges? When Mars grows out of his old skin and it inevitably sheds, how does he feel about the new Vampire that stares back at him from the abyss? The Lair is his home, and the clan his family. He is a guardian, and it is his job and his honour to protect them and preserve their sanctuary. But what exactly does such a vocation demand? How deep is the pond? When the devil dives beneath the surface, how far down does he go? And for the sake of his kin, how far is Mars willing to follow? WARNING: This book contains frequent course language, violence, explicit sex and sexual violence.

Review :
This is the no-holds-barred life story of Mars McKinnon, a vampire with a unique species biology of the author's own making, who feeds on pranic energy from living prey. Book two picks up where the last tale left off as Mars descends into the destructive ways of Lair life, relying on his mentor Anton to guide him through the harsh realities of his adult vampire life. This central core relationship carries Mars through murder, deception, darkness self-discovery as the lore of the Lair is expanded and connected out into the modern world. I don't normally enjoy the extremes of violence, sex and gore, but for Off Axis the visceral quality is completely justified. Readers must be prepared for a dark, gritty journey that never shies away from blood and guts, but those who seek terrifying excitement will certainly find it in DD Scarlet's writings. The writing style is sharp and to the point, focused intently on character and action. Scarlet presents a true anti-hero in Mars, whose journey of reckless self-discovery is one which we revel in and root for despite his wild ways. Highly recommended for fans of genuine dark fantasy, violence and intrigue. I just finished Off Axis, and still reeling from this complicated story Ms Scarlet created. The richness of the world of the modern Vampire is layered, layer upon layer of intrigue and complexity. Off-Axis opens the reader up to the mindset of very primal creatures. Ms Scarlet has taken the trope of Vampire and made it feel like it is real in this world. Then she shows you how entirely broken that world is What a gritty read with well-developed characters intriguing plot. Love the way this gutsy author writes without candy coating the dark, twisted and horrible which is why I gave the 5 star rating. A strong second installment story-wise where Mars's integrity is put to the test, and we see the deeper complexity of Jade's psyche. Looking forward to seeing how Mars copes with his challenges I'm so hoping that Jade pushes through her demons and tears a certain monster to pieces. Literally. These vampires aren't sugar-coated, nor do they sparkle. It's also refreshing to read a work that hasn't been self-censored by the author. She's graphic in her depiction of sex and sexual violence, but the violence has a strong tie-in to character development as she's used it as an educational tool to send a very clear message about why it's unacceptable in society. As Mars learns how to recognise narcissism and domestic violence in his home, so too does the reader. That can be hard to read, but there is a clear moral message underlying the story, and that's if you're under the thumb of a narcissist or an abuser then you must find a way out. You must ask for help. That is a message worth respecting. A brilliant addition to the series, filled with struggle and a brutal reality as mars struggles with being a vampire, once again the reader is not shielded from reality which makes this series brutal and forces you to struggle along with mars as you take this next step with him. While some themes are hard to read the story remains compelling and you feel for mars every step of the way, Definitely not a book for the faint hearted and some readers will not be able to read some of the content. I found the reality of the book refreshing. Dark and confronting not your typical vampire novel. I enjoyed the level of character building DD Scarlet put into her work. She has developed an interesting blend of characters, each with their own motivations - both positive and negative.In particular, I like the bonding between Mars and his mentor Anton. Another dark and compelling journey into the world of DD Scarlet's vamps. I was drawn into a maelstrom of dark urges, compulsion and evil counterpointed by insight. So scary at times but so invested in the characters.