Path of the Heretic

The Beholder #2

by Ivan Amberlake

After Emily Ethan is gone, Jason is left with too many questions unanswered. Betrayed by the one he loved and yet hurting after losing her, Jason is eager to find out what actually happened to Emily.

When he least expects it, the Darksighted return to New York City, but they are not after Jason. They seek to destroy those who may know something about where Emily can be.

The more Jason gets to know the world of Energy and Sight, the harder it is for him to belong in this world. He can’t enter the Sight when there are too many people around. And then Emily comes to his dreams and gives him clues of where to look for the answers.

The question is: should he believe her, or is it just another attempt to get him killed?

Genres: Urban Fantasy

271 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 1, 2014

About the author

I write stories because they touch and excite me, and I need to put them down to share with my readers.

Reviews

[Dianne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Welcome back to Ivan Amberlake’s dark and chaotic world of good vs evil as Jason and his allies once again face off against Pariah and his dark minions. Path of the Heretic is the second fast-paced novel in the Beholder series and takes off out of the gates with all of the intensity and intrigue of its predecessor, Beholder.

Jason, prophesied to be the great warrior who takes down evil has grown from the disbelieving and uncertain new kid on the block to a much stronger, and wiser leader on a mission to destroy Pariah and his threat to the un-sighted humans. His path will not be easy and past losses will haunt him in dreams, but are his dreams of Emily really clues or visions? With his closest friends and allies surrounding him, Jason needs to learn how to defeat Pariah, discover who the Heretic is and what he knew that would aid him.

The Darksighted are coming, they are on a mission to search and destroy. What is their true ultimate goal? Are they after Jason or someone else? Could it be that Emily’s betrayal and death are not what they seem? Could she be alive on another plane of existence and not just fantasies in Jason’s tormented soul? Heroes will fall under Pariah’s spell, the pain of their loss worse than death, and the danger of their knowledge of the Lightsighted could mean the battle is lost. Will Jason fall prey to Pariah or will he find the Heretic and gain the weapons of knowledge he needs to save a world unaware their very souls are at stake?

Ivan Amberlake has once again taken over the controls as he leads the way through this truly complex and uniquely different, dark fantasy tale. With rapidfire pacing, brilliantly detailed scenes and emotions, reality fades away and Mr. Amberlake’s world is all you will see, feel or hear as each pulse-pounding page uncover’s another layer of intrigue. Not only has Ivan Amberlake brought greater depth to Jason, but each character becomes more lifelike in their wonderfully, humanly flawed ways. Is it all gloom, you ask? Why no, there are still brief moments of love, friendship and loyalty that peek through just enough to help balance this incredible tale of bravery against the odds, uncertainty of survival, and with willingness to die to make things right.

The most painful part for me? When I got to that last word on that last page, because this leg of the journey was over. That is what excellent story-telling is about, an author connecting with his readers so well, that he has to practically scrape them off to send them back to reality when it’s over.


I received this copy from Ivan Amberlake in exchange for my honest review.

Series: The Beholder - Book 2
Publication Date: March 5, 2015
Publisher: Breakwater Harbor Books
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Print Length: 248 pages
Available from: Amazon
Reviewed for: http://tometender.blogspot.com

[Lanie (Lanies Book Thoughts) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Path of the Heretic was even better than The Beholder quite frankly. I thought the character development was superb as was all the surprises in store for the reader. I felt like with this book you needed to pay more attention and keep things in mind as you read. Things weren't always as they appeared to be, so things you may anticipate to happen aren't gonna go down that way for sure.

Jason's still confused and dumbfounded by prior events and most importantly from Emilys betrayal. He's stills struggling to understand why she did it. Was his love not enough? Even though his feelings about her are so mixed, it's pretty obvious he does still love her. He's also torn about what his role in this world is. On top of all that, the poor guy has to try to figure out who's really his friend an who's his enemy. Defined roles such as who's good and evil aren't so easy to identify anymore. There may be a big gray area Jason needs to navigate.

This was a great squeal that dragged you further into this world and the conflict that's quickly coming to a head. I'd recommend and look forward to more books from this author.

I received this book in exchange for an honest review.
My Rating:4 stars

[Dani · Rating 5 out of 5]

Path of the Heretic by Ivan Amberlake
Rating: 5+ stars

If you’re reading this then I’m assuming you’ve already read book one— The Beholder, but nonetheless I’ll try to avoid spoiler. And if you haven’t read The Beholder, then I strongly recommend it! Seriously, you’re wasting time, go read it.


In Path of the Heretic, Jason is trying to defeat the Pariah, prevent harm to the unsighted, avoid getting killed, and trust me a lot of people want him dead, all while trying to figure out the truth behind the betrayal of the woman he loves— Emily. But if you’re not a fan of romance then don’t be steered off by this, it’s a fantasy book above all with only hints of romance.

Jason is a force to be reckoned with. He’s such a strong and likable character. I thought he would become weak and whiny and I was afraid the story would focus too much on the betrayal of Emily, but boy was I wrong. Yes, he does struggle and of course the betrayal did deeply affect him and Emily still plays an important role, but there was never a moment where I was annoyed or frustrated with his character or situation. His character development was pronounced and enjoyable. No doubt he’s an awesome hero. With that being said, there were some characters that just irked me to no end. Yes, I understand every book needs some of those, but gosh I just wanted to strangle them.


Path of the Heretic is full of action. There’s never a dull moment and nothing is predictable, which is refreshing and I was grateful for. There was just the right amount of romance, the ending was fantastic, and it’s beautifully written. I can honestly say that Amberlake’s writing is one of my favorites and I’ll gladly read anything he writes. I really couldn’t recommend this series enough.

[chucklesthescot · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars if the option was available.

I re-read The Beholder to refresh my memory as to who everyone was and how the events unfolded in our first adventure with Jason. It was the right decision as it helped me to just jump into the second adventure as if I'd never been away from it. This was an ARC kindly provided by the author, in exchange for an honest review.

Jason is trying to pick up the pieces over losing Emily, hurting from losing the love of his life and stinging from her betrayal. She is always there in his thoughts and dreams, and he cannot seem to forget about her. However, there is a battle to be won. Pariah is changing the rules, attacking in front of the Unsighted, and now has a weapon that he can use to deplete the side of Light, taking their strongest warriors from them. Light has it's own secrets and tricks, and Jason needs to unlock them if they have any hope of winning the war.

There was no easing the reader into the book-it starts with a bang and a battle, and in we go. It is faster paced than the first book, which is to be expected. The Beholder was introducing us to a new world and explaining how things worked. As this was not necessary in book two, the plot moved faster which suited me nicely. The writing again was smooth and had enought description to draw you into the story, without boring you with anything that didn't need to be there. The use of language again was excellent, something that is a trademark of this author. The story was certainly well thought through.

The POV switching between Light and Dark characters is constant, which kept you aware of what both sides were doing. I liked this, and it meant that there was always something happening in the plot but it didn't always flow smoothly. We would get a scene with Jason becoming aware that the enemy was ahead of him in the forest and he was about to be attacked, and the next chapter showed the enemy starting into the forest to look for him and then finding and attacking him. It felt as if we were taking half a step back at the beginning of some of the chapters which I'm not sure I liked. It was better when Jason went on his rescue mission mixed in with Debbie's story-it flowed nicely and led seamlessly to the battle starting. Then in the battle, we were back to the backward step version again with Jason arriving after we already know he has arrived as we saw it through Debbie. It made things a little disjointed in places. It is a minor niggle though. None of the niggles in this paragraph spoiled the overall enjoyment of the book.

I loved the never ending twists which began in book one and were carried forward into book two. First there is the mystery of Emily and what happened to her. Well, I never believed that she was dead or we would have seen her body, but I was unsure as to what form she would take if she appeared in the book alive. We do get to see exactly what led to her betrayal, the reasons behind it, what secrets she had and who she was working with. These parts of the story were fascinating and it gives the reader a whole new insight into several of the main characters, challenging what we thought we knew about them. I am not going to spoil the book by telling the secrets, but I must warn the reader to prepare to be surprised! We do finally get answers to all the questions about Emily's actions, so that was pleasing.

Moving on to the other characters, it was nice to see everyone who survived book one coming back. There are also a couple of surprises with 'new' characters. I never actually saw the point of Violet though. She seemed to be there just to look like Emily, to cause confusion for Jason, and to cling to him like a helpless female to let him do the macho protection thing. I never really took to her or cared much what happened to her. The surprise visitor to McAlester's was much more interesting to me, but we don't really see enough of him which is a pity. For me, the most interesting character in this book is Damien. Learning more about him was interesting but I was less than satisfied by the abrupt way his story was 'put aside' and never really mentioned again.

I felt the same about the secret that Tyler shared with Debbie during the battle-we are shown it briefly and not all readers may grasp what they are actually being shown. And that's it. I would've expected Tyler to say something about it-laugh, gloat etc, a reaction from Debbie, something with more depth like Debbie having to actually live the incident with the victims, given the importance of this revelation. But it is only mentioned once nearer the end of the book that Debbie tells the others about it. For such an important secret, an important part of Emily's past, I felt it was dealt with in a manner that was a bit low key. It was the shock of the book for me yet none of the characters talked about it, just a line by the author mentioning it in the aftermath of the battle. I found that a bit surprising. Usually when the shock is delivered it is a highlight of a scene, not just a few lines and then subject dropped.

Overall the standard of the series is kept the same with this book being slightly better than the first purely because I liked the pacing. Those who enjoyed the first adventure should enjoy this one just as much.

[Sandy S · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars--

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date March 5, 2015

After Emily Ethan is gone, Jason is left with too many questions unanswered. Betrayed by the one he loved and yet hurting after losing her, Jason is eager to find out what actually happened to Emily.

When he least expects it, the Darksighted return to New York City, but they are not after Jason. They seek to destroy those who may know something about where Emily can be.

The more Jason gets to know the world of Energy and Sight, the harder it is for him to belong in this world. He can’t enter the Sight when there are too many people around. And then Emily comes to his dreams and gives him clues of where to look for the answers.

The question is: should he believe her, or is it just another attempt to get him killed?

~~~

REVIEW: PATH OF THE HERETIC is the second installment in Ivan Amberlake’s dystopian-style The Beholder urban fantasy series. The continuing story finds Jason Walker aka The Beholder on the search for the Heretic and Emily Ethan. I would strongly suggest reading the series in order as a large portion of the world building and background information are revealed in book one-THE BEHOLDER.

Told from several third person perspectives, the storyline and the series focus on a dystopian future where the Lightsighted (good) are at war with the Darksighted (evil). The Sighted have the ability to manipulate energy using the ‘Sight’-a virtual world where everything is revealed in energy, color and light. The prophecies have foretold of The Beholder, and the Lightsighted have found their Savior, the ONE, in Jason Walker. Jason has yet to come into his full powers, and in this, the Darksighted and their leader Pariah have set their sights on the destruction of the Beholder. What ensues is an action packed storyline of cat and mouse; betrayer and the betrayed; friendship and loss.

As I had said in my previous review, the premise and world are very reminiscent of The Matrix, a film based on the Sci-Fi novel Neuromancer by William Gibson where the characters must enter into a virtual existence between worlds; where a battle rages for supremacy and control; where a Savior has been tasked with saving the world.

The secondary and supporting roles include all of the previous storyline characters. The ‘Trinity’ of Matt, Debbie and Jason continue on their quest to ferret out the Darksighted but find themselves involved in a war not of their making. Friends will become enemies; enemies will become allies; death and destruction are a heartbeat away. Emily Ethan, the woman with whom Jason had fallen in love, is a continuing mystery as to her real intent and purpose.

The world building continues to be complex, detailed and intriguing. We follow the Beholder’s evolution; his strengths, his weakness, and his inability to stop the Pariah. There are paths to be chosen; doors to be opened; boxes never to be touched. The reader is pulled deeper into the mind of the Darksighted, the Transcendent, and the Sighted. Path of the Heretic finds our hero on a journey where what is revealed is not always easy to understand; and what he is tasked to do, is not always easy to undertake. The Lightsighted continue to be at a disadvantage throughout most of the story. Those not gifted with the ‘Sight’-the unsighted-will become pawns and victims of the war. From New York to London we are pulled into the ‘otherworld’ of virtual time and energy.


Once again, there is a theologian-feel to the storyline: a savior, the apostles, a Judas, the Pariah and a heretic-but who is the heretic, the dissenter, the nonconformer? The man in charge knows that to send Jason into the world means that sacrifices will have to be made to achieve the ultimate goal. The search for the heretic reveals many paths, and many potential enemies and friends.

PATH OF THE HERETIC is an intense, wondrous and profound storyline. Ivan Amberlake’s style of writing is imaginative, intelligent and compelling. The reader is pulled into a virtual world of energy and light; where good does not always conquer evil; where the allure of power comes in many manifestations.

Copy supplied by the author.

www.thereadingcafe.com

[Dyane Forde · Rating 4 out of 5]

The novel, Path of the Heretic, begins a few months after book one, The Beholder. At this point, Jason, the main character, is dealing with a major loss, some unexplained limitations to his powers, the betrayal of a friend, as well as intensified attacks from the enemy. And more importantly, we get inside the head of Pariah. Bonus!

What I enjoyed the most about the novel were the following: 1) as in the first book, the pacing was good. There was rarely a dull moment, as the reader is exposed to the good and bad guys, the points of view of different characters, the developing conflict and the rising stakes, travel to various worldwide locations, and coolest of all, we get to witness how a dark one is recruited. Once again, there is rarely a dull moment. 2) I appreciated that this time, we got to see more of the baddies. We see much more of Pariah and his origins, more of his relationship with his minions, and learn Tyler’s history. Fleshing out the villains this way made them seem credible and more of a threat.

As in the first book, I struggled with some things: 1) I found certain details and description vague. For example, I found the flow of events during major fight scenes difficult to follow, and at times I couldn’t tell what was happening, where characters were, or how they got there. And, details about the structure/hierarchy of the Lightsighted was missing. In contrast, we have a very clear understanding of rank on the Darksighted side. And I wanted to know HOW the Lightsighted managed to fight of a major attack while sustaining the lives of a whole city for days on end. The concept was so cool that I wanted to be able to better envision the events. 2) Again, I found the rules about Energy unclear. At one point Jason says he isn’t the Beholder but everyone says he is. Why? And, the heretic wasn’t all that clear for me, as in why is he in hiding when he has the power to influence the course of events? Is he stronger than Jason, just as strong, less so? Is he limited somehow and therefore can't participate in the conflict? Why is he called the heretic, anyway? For me, struggling with these points affected the story’s cohesion and comprehension.

That said, the ideas presented in the novel are still as interesting and creative as book 1, and Amberlake writes with an energy and zeal that is sure to attract readers. Clearly, he enjoys the story he is building as well as weaving his characters into each and every scenario. Readers of urban fantasy, speculative fiction, and those looking for something that has the feel of a comic book or graphic novel should enjoy this series very much.

Many thanks to Mr. Amberlake for providing me with a review copy of his novel.

[Mary Fan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Path of the Heretic is the sequel to Ivan Amberlake's urban fantasy, The Beholder, and those who enjoyed the first book will be eager to get their hands on its thrilling follow-up. Fast-paced and crackling with supernatural forces, the book wastes no time in dropping the reader into the thick of the battle against Pariah and his dark followers.

The main character, Jason, has evolved significantly since the series began. No longer the ordinary office worker he started off as in The Beholder, he has now fully embraced his destiny as the warrior and leader who will destroy the forces of evil. Overall, he's a stronger and surer character than before, and yet the vulnerability that makes him human remains. Having been betrayed by the woman he loves, Emily Ethan, Jason is left with many questions. Worse, Emily has vanished, and he's determined to find her and get some answers.

The action and intrigue hit the story with full force when the Darksighted return to New York City, seeking to destroy anyone with knowledge of Emily's whereabouts. Meanwhile, Jason is drawn further and further into the supernatural world of Energy and Sight. When Emily starts appearing in his dreams, dropping mysterious clues, Jason has to decide whether to trust her--or whether she'll betray him again.

Along with his closest friends and allies, Jason seeks to not only find Emily, but protect the world from Pariah and the Darksighted. With many twists and turns along the way, the journey winds its way through Amberlake's complex and richly imagined world. Readers who enjoy the darker side of fantasy will find themselves at home in the Beholder universe, with its demonic villains and paranormal forces. A story of courage, sacrifice, and the battle between good and evil, Path of the Heretic is a thoroughly satisfying follow-up to The Beholder.

[Brenda Todd · Rating 5 out of 5]

Path of the Heretic follows The Beholder continuing the battle between Light and Dark. The book steps immediately in where the first left off with Jason, the main character, suffering the loss of Emily and trying to discover what it means to become ‘The Beholder’. There is no rest from the battles they have endured as Pariah, the leader of the Dark, continues to manipulate and cause destruction.

As the book progresses Jason finds that some friends are not what they seem and neither are some enemies. Spies have infiltrated the Light and constantly undermine their plans as they seek to protect the unsighted from the devastation. We learn more about some of the characters and the circumstances in their past leading them to where they are now. There are also those who have sacrificed much along the way to protect the Lightsighted from the ever enduring dark. The plot has many twists and turns, some that will disappoint you as a character falters and some you will revel in as a character finds their strength. And behind it all is the mystery of Emily, did she betray them or was there something much larger to discover in the things she did. There are also a few new characters introduced that could lead to some interesting plots in possible future books in the series. I always look to the future because there is nothing worse than the end of a good book.

This book moves fast and I could not put it down. I wanted Jason to discover the meaning of the prophecy and the path to becoming The Beholder. I wasn’t disappointed. You will enjoy reading this book but I highly recommend reading ‘The Beholder’ first because the book moves quickly from one to another and you don’t want to miss anything!

[Sheri · Rating 5 out of 5]

Path of the Heretic (The Beholder, #2) by Ivan Amberlake

Jason does not expect the Darksighted to return to New York. This time they are not after him, but after those who might know where Emily is. After being betrayed by her, (and her disappearance) he is struggling to sort things out. He still has feelings for her even after everything that happened. He needs to know exactly what happened to her and why.

Emily comes to Jason in dreams and gives him clues and where to find answers he needs. He knows it is hard to live in this world as he learns more about the world of Energy and Light. But will Emily betray him again? Who exactly is she? He is determined to find the truth and do what ever it takes to protect those he loves and himself.

The perfect follow up to book one The Beholder, but great as a stand-alone. I liked Jason from the first time we met him, and I like him even more in this story. His friends old and new, all have likable qualities as well. They are unique and interesting and I loved getting to know each person. Then there are those who are not likable, that adds to the suspense and spice up the story.

There are some surprises, and shocking moments that kept me at the edge of my seat needing to know more. Well written story with action, suspense , mystery and surprises. Path of the Heretic is an enjoyable read. I strongly recommend to those who love (Urban) fantasy.

[Kyra Halland · Rating 4 out of 5]

Path of the Heretic is the exciting follow-up to The Beholder, and I liked it even more than the first book (which I enjoyed very much). Months after the events at the end of The Beholder, Jason is still trying to come to terms with what happened, but the battle between Lightsighted and Darksighted is ongoing. The book starts off with a bang and continues at a fast pace as Jason tries to learn the truth about Emily, protect the human world from the Dark Ones, and keep himself from being killed or turned by Pariah. In between the exciting magical battles, Pariah and his gang plot to get to Jason and his friends, Jason attempts to solve the mystery of Emily, and characters live, die, change sides, and discover new things about themselves. The book is darkly moody and atmospheric, but I also appreciate the touch of romance from the man's point of view.

It had been a while since I read The Beholder and Path of the Heretic dumps the reader right into the middle of the action, so while I remembered the characters from the first book (they're certainly memorable), it took me a while to get the hang of what was going on and remember some key points from the first book. But I stuck with it until I got it figured out, and the rest of the book was definitely worth it.

A more-than-worthy sequel to The Beholder, great reading for fans of urban/contemporary fantasy.

[Debra M Adrian · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great additon

A riveting next chapter in the Beholder story line. The writing was crisp and inviting. A thoroughly enjoyable and engaging read

[OpenBookSociety.com · Rating 5 out of 5]

http://openbooksociety.com/article/pa...

Brought to you by OBS reviewer Scott

Let nothing more be said about the dryness of the angst-driven urban paranormal novel: Path of the Heretic is a fast-paced, action ridden novel that stimulates the senses, drives the emotions and takes you on a roller-coaster ride of a lifetime. Praise must be lauded to Ivan Amberlake for creating a rich, vivid tapestry of a novel that outshines his previous two books, The Beholder and Diary of the Gone. Following closely behind the groundwork laid out in The Beholder, The Path of the Heretic delves into the further exploits of Jason Walker and friends. Not as naïve as his previous self, Jason Walker starts the novel in a full out war between the forces of the Lightsighted and the Darksighted.

The pacing and plot of this novel are ingenious. Ivan Amberlake often weaves the same event from a different character’s viewpoint and the all-pervasive “sight” fascinates and entwines the reader with a Matrix like feel and tone. Told vividly and forcefully, Path of the Heretic focuses its tight plot about the imminent war between Light and Darkness, the quest for Emily, hither to now thought as lost, the testing of friendships, and betrayal. The pace starts off at a breakneck speed and there are few moments to get introspective on. Much more direct and driven than its predecessor, this novel doesn’t wistfully tell its tale; rather drilling its point at the reader. The novel doesn’t let up until the final chapter is spun.

Every epic tale needs strong antagonists to challenge the protagonist, and Path of the Heretic delivers. The young hero Jason Walker is put to the test by the nefarious Pariah and his Darksighted companions. Partially told from the villain’s point of view, the characters are no longer black and white, in the first book in the series. Shades of gray draw chiaroscuro light over the cast of the novel, and trust becomes a major theme, specifically on where to place it amongst the horrors of an overwhelming arc of sheer malevolence that threatens to consume all involved. Taking the viewpoints of Jason, Tyler, Damian, the Pariah, and others spins loops through the mind, and some characters are seen longer than others. Each carries with them a story, be it a full front and center performance, or merely a walk on cameo. The interaction between the characters are real and cognizant, believable and tangible in the scenarios they are placed in.

The writing is the true treat of the novel. Dancing and playing with the readers senses. It is terse and blunt at one moment, and eloquent and classy the next.

*OBS would like to thank the author for supplying a free copy of this title in exchange for an honest review*

[Scott Toney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stunning. Breathtaking. I am in awe. Years ago I first stumbled upon the first book I read by author Ivan Amberlake. I remember picking up The Beholder and thumbing through its digital pages, intrigued by the concepts there and by the characters that immediately caught my attention and made me care for them. Jason is such a wonderful character, one that advances naturally as a person would under the Matrix-like conditions that this world is build upon. And Emily is brilliant the first time we see her, and enthralling throughout. It was The Beholder that made me such a huge Amberlake fan and his second book, Diary of the Gone, that so fully solidified me. Path of the Heretic is the sequel to The Beholder. If you haven't read The Beholder then I strongly suggest you pick it up now. If you have read it then you know that everything I've written above is true. But what you may not know is that Path of the Heretic is even better than anything Amberlake has already written. I loved how truly engrossed I became while reading this book. Each concept Amberlake built was fully tangible for me. Never before have I been able to see this type of concept so well in writing and that is a testament to the author's form. I have long held a few authors on a pedestal, Tad Williams being at the top, but as of late others have begun to creep toward him. Amberlake holds a cherished spot in my library, next to Tad Williams on the shelf.

Pick this up now. Expect to loose sleep in rapt reading, and know that the ending to this second in the series is simply stunning.

[Jayne · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is science fiction/fantasy. It is not my usual story to read but the author asked me to read this second story in the series.

I did find it enjoyable. For the descriptions alone I would read the book. Few authors can paint a clear picture with their words of the world they create. This is a world of Light, Darkness, Shadows all existing along-side a world unaware of world around them.

Jason, the hero from the first book, is continuing his story. He is less resistant this time, more accepting of what he is. He pays more attention to his world and what he finds in it. He is stronger, now, and seems to know more about his new world. He does not have all the answers but he understands that there are some things, some people, he must let go in order to move ahead.

It is not easy for Pariah, the Dark One, is out there and hell-bent on not only Jason's death, but the deaths of all beings in the world of Light. His character gets more development in this book, and he really is not at all likeable. He has a secret, and it seems even those loyal to him mean nothing to him as he practically walks over them as he rises and causes mayhem.

I definitely recommend this to everyone. This is an author to watch for you know he has more to bring to the table.

Thank you, Ivan.

[Kel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was provided a fee copy of this e-book in exchange for an honest review.

Path of the Heretic by Ivan Amberlake: In this continuation of the Beholder series, Jason not only searches for Emily, he fights the Darksighted, finds new friends and uncovers the truth to a mystery. There are so many things I want to say but I really don’t want to give away anything. I’ll say this… you find out who is playing spy and who actually killed Emily’s family.

Unlike so many other books, Ivan Amberlake has this great ability to tell a story with no bias. Throughout each book you see both the good and bad; Ivan doesn’t try to sway you toward one direction or the other. Yes Jason, Emily and Pariah are the main characters, but you don’t feel pushed to like one over the others.

I’m pretty excited about Book 3 – Creatures of Lumen coming out in 2016. With the way Book 2 ended, Book 3 is going to rock!

[Jola · Rating 5 out of 5]

'Path of the Heretic' is even better than the first book in the series. The plot is fantastic and you just can't wait to know more, so it's really difficult to put it down. I highly recommend it!

[Carrie · Rating 3 out of 5]

*Author provided a copy for an honest review.*

The Beholder started off with a man who knew nothing of the sighted world. But by the time Path of the Heretic rolled around Jason believed he had a handle on things. Except there was still a mystery to solve, one that made him question everything he thought he knew and everything that happened to him. Emily may be missing, but she's left behind a puzzle that he needed to figured out.

Suddenly having this epic power could change a man, and there was no question Jason grew during his experiences during book one, but he was still very much the same man from the beginning. Jason cared about others, believed in his friends, and wanted to protect innocent people.

Maybe it was his loyalty to his friends, maybe it was just basic hope, but Jason refused to believe Emily was a traitor. He refused to believe she was gone for good. As the clues started coming in, he was more than determined to find out the truth.

A lot happened in this book. We were taken all over the world to familiar places and to some new ones as we searched for clues and barely stayed on step ahead of the Darksighted. I liked seeing this sighted world, and all it's layers as we traveled.

This book was full of danger and heartache, but also full of hope and excitement. As you moved through the story, and things start to unravel, you got to see how things set up in book one were coming into play now. Even the thing I did not want to happen but knew was destined to occur.

Aside from a few things set up in book one that I figured must come about, or else why bother talking about them, I really did not know where this book was going to go. I had my theories of course, but things happened that would take the story one way one minute and we'd crash that ship and crawl across nails the next.

WORDS TO LIVE BY:
"Why did things have to change like this?...Something got broken. We're different people now, Debbie, you, and I. We're like strangers. Everything's not the way it used to be." (23%)
"There's an illusion in your minds that you all call hope, but it never gets you anywhere. Is it some kind of blissful deception that I don't understand?" (25%)
"Fleeing from them is admitting outright that we have no chance against them." (80%)

OVERALL:
Overall this was an interesting, quick read. If you like books that really make you think about right and wrong, and the line between good and evil, then this series may be for you.

[Paul Freeman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Path of the Heretic opens with an absolute blast of intense action, and doesn’t let up the whole way through. The story is fast-paced and will keep you on the edge of your seat as you turn page after page, unwilling and unable to put the book down. Yet, it is not all about action. Yes there are incredible supernatural fight scenes, where entire cities are brought to their knees, and yes the battles between the Lightsighted and Darksighted are so much larger than life, but, there is a super story here too. The characters and plot have developed well since book one as Amberlake shows us just how good he is at his craft of story-telling. I am still in awe that English is not actually this author’s first language.

Jason is the hero, The Beholder, yet for all his super-powers and superior strength over the other Sighted, he has his weaknesses. Doubt being one of them, as he explores the vast hidden world opened to him when he became one of the Sighted and the paths opened only to him. Emily is another, from the beginning of the book he is trying to come to terms with the fact that she’s gone, and more than that, that she betrayed him. It’s not so much that he’s a flawed hero but more that he is a humble one.

The line between good and evil is firmly defined in both books, and yet suddenly there is betrayal and mystery blurring the edges on both sides, making you realise that not everything is black and white, or is as at first seemed. A super story and fine addition to the series. Can’t wait for the next one now!

[Molly Smith · Rating 3 out of 5]

Initial Thoughts: The mythology continues to be fascinating but I was still unable to emotionally connect to the story and the characters. My intellectual "need-to-know" how the mythology played out is what compelled me to keep reading. However, I need more emotional connection, I found it easy for me to be distracted from reading because of this lack of emotional connection. Though I enjoyed how the plot thickened, how we learned more about the world, I had no emotional investment which did detract me from my enjoyment. This is a much more intellectual urban fantasy - not for those that want more emotional or romantic elements. The action and intrigue were all very well done, but again, I need the emotional attachment. One element that I really did not care for was the changing of timelines. On several occasions when the we changed character viewpoints, the scene would start previous or in the middle of the previous scene to give another perspective of that which we just lived through. I did not care for this. Not only having quite a lot of different viewpoints given in the story, the timeline bouncing just grated. I think this is a good series for the more intellectually, more action adventure inclined than one like me who wants more emotional elements. I would give this 2.5 stars but without that option, I rounded it. Please click on the link to my full review posted at That's What I'm Talking About blog: http://twimom227.com/2015/05/review-p...

[Megan · Rating 3 out of 5]

[Disclaimer: I received a free e-copy of this book from the author for review purposes.]

I really wish I could remember the first book better, because that would have made reading this one so much easier. Instead, I ended up struggling to remember who all of these characters were previously, and who they've become in the second installment. While this wasn't a completely insurmountable task, it did lessen my enjoyment a teensy bit.

I also really wish this author could get a good publishing deal (I've read a few of his other books and they were all quite good), because the book needed some editing which would have made it a four-star book for me. Mostly for grammar, but some style. I found some sentences to be pretty awkward, there was a lot of repetition of certain words, some timing was a bit off for me, and while the characters' names were oft repeated, there were times where it wasn't really clear who was speaking.

BUT despite all of that, it was an interesting second book. If you've read the first book you really should continue on into this one, at least for story's sake, because it will give you a little closure (although I'm still a bit confused as to Emily's whole motivation for what she did in the first book). I didn't like it as much as the first book, but it was still a good read.