The Dark Path [Mass Market Paperback]

Walter H. Hunt (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 29, 2004

Walter Hunt's debut novel, The Dark Wing was favorably compared to Ender's Game, Babylon 5, Honor Harrington, and C. S. Forester . . . and the story isn't over yet!

Man and zor, once sworn enemies engaged in a mutual campaign of xenocide, now live side by side.

The war is over, and Admiral Marais, the legendary "Dark Wing"--both Angel of Death and Species Savior--is long dead, though some of his companions and participants in that great war still survive and have even chosen to live among the zor.

Now a mystery from the past has become a threat to the present when an unholy menace jeopardizes both humans and zor alike.

Whole space fleets have disappeared, with survivors stricken mad.

And now man and zor alike must join forces to meet this adversary head on. . . .

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In this gripping sequel to The Dark Wing (2001), Hunt does a better job of depicting character and handling zor mythology and interspecies relations than in his debut novel. Humanity and the winged zor are now staunch allies, but the lurking alien menace hinted at in The Dark Wing, the shape-changing, mind-controlling vulh, now roars on stage red in tooth and claw. In the best tradition of Honor Harrington, Commodore Jacqueline Laperriere, commander of an outpost on the planet Cicero, breaks the rules to save some of her troops and warn others. Later Jackie must re-enact the quest of Qu'u, the legendary zor hero, on the Plain of Despite, seeking an ancient weapon that holds the key to defeating the vulh. While the ending may be a trifle rushed, it offers plenty of surprises.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Booklist

This fine sequel to Hunt's Dark Wing (2001) reads somewhat like a collaboration of David Weber and Orson Scott Card. It sports a valiant space navy, represented by Commodore Jacqueline Lapierre, an officer well suited to sit at the same table as Weber's Honor Harrington. And it includes the implacable vuhl, a shape-changing, mind-controlling, insectoid enemy race that recalls the original foes of Card's Ender Wiggin. The alien zor, formerly implacable enemies of humanity, are now staunch allies against the vuhl. Lapierre and her zor exec, Ch'ke'te, elude an early vuhl attack, after which they must play roles out of zor legend to retrieve a legendary talisman that holds the key to their common survival. Imaginative twists include the facts that the human and zor quest team employs the telepathic assistance of Ch'ke'te's dead mate, Th'an'ya, and that some human POWs are finding out how to penetrate vuhl disguises. Gripping stuff that, fortunately, presages a further book. Roland Green
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: Tor Science Fiction (July 29, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0765345641
• ISBN-13: 978-0765345646
• Product Dimensions: 6.7 x 4.1 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,257,104 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars delightful military science fiction, February 7, 2003

By 

Harriet Klausner - See all my reviews
(#1 Hall OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Dark Path (Hardcover)

The war between the birdlike Zor and humanity is over with the two species now at peace. Still not everything is idyllic in the galaxy. Known for their psychic ability, the Zor panic when the High Lord dreams of a nightmarish assault from the feral species residing in the racial memory of his people as demons. Also two human vessels have vanished and a rescue effort to save the missing crew fails.

On the Cicero Naval Base, Commodore Jacqueline Laperriere and her XO Ch'K'te the Zor learn that the "demons"(aliens) have used their powers to change shapes to infiltrate the outpost. The Vulh with their mind control abilities and their talent to phsyically mimic anyone including a commander and an XO have arrived. The only hope for mankind is Jacqueline, but her superior thinks otherwise, while the Zor believes she is the reincarnation of the legendary Zor hero Qu'u, here to defeat the Vulh if she can find the ancient weapon that succeeded once before.

THE DARK WING was an exciting war of the worlds that showcases a new talent in the military science fiction category. THE DARK PATH is a better tale as Walter H. Hunt provides incredible depth to the interspecies relationships yet never loses sight of the action expected by sub-genre readers. The story line is superb because the audience obtains a stronger understanding of the Zor, better insight into how humans relate to this species, and introduces in flaming red terror the Vulh. Obviously the military crowd will enjoy this thriller, but outer space sci fi fans will appreciate the novel too,

Harriet Klausner

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great storytelling!, February 10, 2003

By 

Stephen Z. Stein (Acton, MA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Dark Path (Hardcover)

Set in the universe that Hunt introduced in "The Dark Wing", "The Dark Path" is the first book in a larger story (that will take at least a couple more books to complete, I guess), and Hunt has me hooked!

Like "Dark Wing", this is classic space-opera sci-fi of the highest order. The plot is complex and compelling, the characters are well-drawn and sympathetic, and the story is finely crafted and well-paced, combining mystery and action in a way that will keep you in its grip until the final page, and leave you wanting more.

I can't wait to read the next installment!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Joint Review of Dark Wing Series; Solid - 3.5, January 24, 2006

By 

R. Albin (Ann Arbor, Michigan United States) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Dark Path (Mass Market Paperback)

These 4 books - The Dark Wing, The Dark Path, The Dark Ascent, and The Dark Crusade - exhibit many of the standard space opera devices. There are the winged and in many ways admirable aliens, the remorseless insectoid alien adversaries, the hidden powers attempting to manipulate human fates, and the sprawling and somewhat corrupt space empire. There is also more than a touch of mysticism with events mirroring myths of the winged alien species. Nor can it be said that Hunt has done anything particularly novel with these devices.
Nonetheless, Hunt is a more than competent practictioner and these books are a decent read. Hunt does quite well with reasonably tight plotting and characterization. His integration of the mythic elements is better than average. These books are better, for example, than David Weber's very popular books.