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The Path of a Titan: The Proving
John Bennett's DEBUT NOVEL, The Path of a Titan is a suspenseful roller coaster ride that channels the excitement of Red Rising by Peirce Brown, and The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins"Bennett creates a believable futuristic world with characters you can actually relate to." -- You Should Try ReadingCarson Paul is troubled boy living in the first territory of the new world called Harmony. Built around corruption, almost anything goes in the streets of his hometown of Redding. His parents disappear, and the military is behind it. Stricken with doubts, and uncertainty, Carson must risk everything to find the answers he's searching for. Even if that means becoming someone else to do so.
- GenresScience Fiction
355 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 2, 2021
70 people are currently reading
83 people want to read
About the author
John Bennett
460 books5 followersLibrarian note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
July 11, 2023
The writing was a little rough and could definitely have used some more editing. Some of the storyline was a little hard to believe. That being said, I really enjoyed the story and had a hard time putting it down. I am excited for the rest of the story and would definitely read the sequel. I am a huge fan of Red Rising and Hunger Games, and this book had a similar feel to it. Keep writing!!
June 7, 2022
The Path of a Titan, The Proving, by John Bennett
“You either win or you die.”
Bennet does a fantastic job with his debut novel. I was extremely impressed with the amount of character development in this novel. He does a wonderful job.
At the start of the story, we have Carson and Kylie. They are living a normal life attending school and fighting off bullies. They are relatively happy at the start until their world is dumped on its head. Their parents are gone. They are taken to an orphanage and life really takes a turn as they struggle to fit in and move forward. Things happen and bring the two to their breaking point and the two find themselves living in an odd place.
Carson struggling to make ends meet and take care of his sister and himself gives up his dream of becoming a titan until Kylie surprises him. Carson enters an intense tournament to gain a spot for the Proving to become a titan. An unlikely ally steps in and changes his course. With strange occurrences and life altering events Carson’s only choice to move forward is the get into Tyke’s military. He must uncover secrets left behind by his father while also surviving the Proving. Can he do all this before it’s too late?
I absolutely loved Carson and Kylie. As a reader you follow them as they grow from an easy going highschooler to a survivor. The things these two go through and how they manage them was impressive. The world Bennett created for these two is intense. Only the strongest survive here.
The storyline of this novel was full of action and easy to follow. There were multiple climatic events that kept me hooked. The author easily hooks you at the start of the series with a classic bully picking on his little sister. Carson steps up and teaches him a lesson while also teaching his sister how to defend herself.
The world building in this novel was extraordinary. There are different cultures scattered out with different social norms. It was interesting to see how they all interacted and how Carson was from a culture considered the scum of the planet. His view on life is radically different than those he meets along his path to the Proving, and I can only hope in this author’s future books that Carson rubs off on those he meets.
This book overall made me think of a mash up between Iron Man and the Hunger Games. I think anyone from age 16+ would enjoy this book. Specifically, those interested in coming of age, fantasy, sci-fi, underdog, and adventure stories. There are a few scenes where there is fighting and blood but it’s not over the top. I highly recommend this author.
“You either win or you die.”
Bennet does a fantastic job with his debut novel. I was extremely impressed with the amount of character development in this novel. He does a wonderful job.
At the start of the story, we have Carson and Kylie. They are living a normal life attending school and fighting off bullies. They are relatively happy at the start until their world is dumped on its head. Their parents are gone. They are taken to an orphanage and life really takes a turn as they struggle to fit in and move forward. Things happen and bring the two to their breaking point and the two find themselves living in an odd place.
Carson struggling to make ends meet and take care of his sister and himself gives up his dream of becoming a titan until Kylie surprises him. Carson enters an intense tournament to gain a spot for the Proving to become a titan. An unlikely ally steps in and changes his course. With strange occurrences and life altering events Carson’s only choice to move forward is the get into Tyke’s military. He must uncover secrets left behind by his father while also surviving the Proving. Can he do all this before it’s too late?
I absolutely loved Carson and Kylie. As a reader you follow them as they grow from an easy going highschooler to a survivor. The things these two go through and how they manage them was impressive. The world Bennett created for these two is intense. Only the strongest survive here.
The storyline of this novel was full of action and easy to follow. There were multiple climatic events that kept me hooked. The author easily hooks you at the start of the series with a classic bully picking on his little sister. Carson steps up and teaches him a lesson while also teaching his sister how to defend herself.
The world building in this novel was extraordinary. There are different cultures scattered out with different social norms. It was interesting to see how they all interacted and how Carson was from a culture considered the scum of the planet. His view on life is radically different than those he meets along his path to the Proving, and I can only hope in this author’s future books that Carson rubs off on those he meets.
This book overall made me think of a mash up between Iron Man and the Hunger Games. I think anyone from age 16+ would enjoy this book. Specifically, those interested in coming of age, fantasy, sci-fi, underdog, and adventure stories. There are a few scenes where there is fighting and blood but it’s not over the top. I highly recommend this author.
August 15, 2021
The Path of a Titan follows the journey of a young boy on his mission to fulfil his goal of becoming a Titan- a revered law enforcer.
The book is written in first person present, and is mostly seen from the perspective of Carson- the boy who wants to be a Titan. I found it a little disorientating to read the chapters written from other perspectives, especially Jinx, who we knew barely anything about, and in that chapter parts of the story was revealed directly to the reader but not to Carson. That felt a bit like a cheat to me.
The story had a lot going on and the characters go through a lot. It’s quite fast paced and always something happening. The world building was fantastic, there was plenty of action and I found the fight scenes to be well written and exciting, but unfortunately I didn’t feel any sort of connection to the characters- even though they had been through so much. I think the main problem for me was the amount of suspension of disbelief needed to enjoy this story. Too much happens that is too unrealistic for my liking. They leave the orphanage with no solid reason- I mean, I understand why Kylie didn’t want to go back, but Carson could have retrieved their stuff before they disappeared into the night with no money or belongings. And how can two teenagers living rough in a scrap yard, possibly create a fully working Titan suit? Barely any money, no electric, only scrap to work with? I get that Kylie is ‘smart’ and it’s revealed later that she has the SPINE implant that her dad was working on, which enhances intelligence, but even smart people need resources to create things. Kyle is pushed off a cliff and has not a scratch on her? In the same vein, a character falls off a cliff and is damaged enough to be instantly paralysed, but can hold a full blown conversation seconds after. A story has to be believable for me to enjoy it. I also found the writing to be a little simplistic in places- entire paragraphs where every sentence is short and begins with ‘I’ which really took away from the story and made it dull to read.
What I did enjoy was the subtle lessons about team work and unity woven through it. And about how come we can be different- different races, different classes, but if we all unite as one, we can accomplish more than we can alone. And the humanity- that Carson is from the worst/poorest/roughest place imaginable, but he is the most decent of them all.
The book is written in first person present, and is mostly seen from the perspective of Carson- the boy who wants to be a Titan. I found it a little disorientating to read the chapters written from other perspectives, especially Jinx, who we knew barely anything about, and in that chapter parts of the story was revealed directly to the reader but not to Carson. That felt a bit like a cheat to me.
The story had a lot going on and the characters go through a lot. It’s quite fast paced and always something happening. The world building was fantastic, there was plenty of action and I found the fight scenes to be well written and exciting, but unfortunately I didn’t feel any sort of connection to the characters- even though they had been through so much. I think the main problem for me was the amount of suspension of disbelief needed to enjoy this story. Too much happens that is too unrealistic for my liking. They leave the orphanage with no solid reason- I mean, I understand why Kylie didn’t want to go back, but Carson could have retrieved their stuff before they disappeared into the night with no money or belongings. And how can two teenagers living rough in a scrap yard, possibly create a fully working Titan suit? Barely any money, no electric, only scrap to work with? I get that Kylie is ‘smart’ and it’s revealed later that she has the SPINE implant that her dad was working on, which enhances intelligence, but even smart people need resources to create things. Kyle is pushed off a cliff and has not a scratch on her? In the same vein, a character falls off a cliff and is damaged enough to be instantly paralysed, but can hold a full blown conversation seconds after. A story has to be believable for me to enjoy it. I also found the writing to be a little simplistic in places- entire paragraphs where every sentence is short and begins with ‘I’ which really took away from the story and made it dull to read.
What I did enjoy was the subtle lessons about team work and unity woven through it. And about how come we can be different- different races, different classes, but if we all unite as one, we can accomplish more than we can alone. And the humanity- that Carson is from the worst/poorest/roughest place imaginable, but he is the most decent of them all.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 20, 2022
I’ll start by saying I’m an avid reader. I typically read 4-5 books a month. I found The Path of the Titan by Author John Bennett and I was immediately intrigued by the cover and the synopsis was engaging. Well, I was hooked by the middle of the first chapter. The story center around Carson Paul, a sixteen-year-old who lives on another planet that is a colony. His dad, Christian Paul is obsessively working on a project that will completely alter military warfare. Christian’s half-brother is aware of the research and knows the implications. He tells him to “name his price” when trying to get him to share the project. Christian refuses. Years later, Carson’s parents go out to celebrate their anniversary leaving Carson and his younger sister Kylie at home. They never return. Subsequently, the police show up and inform them that their father was withholding government property and also killed their mother. If that wasn’t enough, they go on to say that he resisted arrest and killed himself. However, Carson suspects foul play and knows that his father only owned a single pistol. He locates it before they are transported to a foster care center located on a farm. To avoid any spoilers, I just say the story takes off from there at an even faster pace and ends in a surprising way.
This is a well written, action-packed, suspenseful, and gripping story not to be missed. The author did a terrific job and obviously put in a great deal of thought into crafting this wonderful tale. The character building really stood out as well as the graphic descriptions throughout the book. This is by far the best book I’ve read in the past twelve months! I can’t wait to read other books by this talented author.
This is a well written, action-packed, suspenseful, and gripping story not to be missed. The author did a terrific job and obviously put in a great deal of thought into crafting this wonderful tale. The character building really stood out as well as the graphic descriptions throughout the book. This is by far the best book I’ve read in the past twelve months! I can’t wait to read other books by this talented author.
December 31, 2021
Carson and his sister have had a tough life. Their parents have died, and now they've been taken to an orphanage forced to work for little pay and in terrible conditions. Most of the kids there aren't exactly very nice and as you might imagine, some not so great things happen to them while they're there. Despite this, their sibling bond is unbreakable. Carson looks out for his sister Kylie just as much as she looks out for him, and despite everything he's been through he never loses his sense of self.
The world building in this story is well defined and imaginative. There was a ton of action and many emotional moments as the two siblings pushed forward with their lives and Carson embarked on his mission to fulfill his dream of becoming a Titan. However, the story wasn't without its flaws. It's told from numerous points of views, and I often found difficult to figure out who was narrating since it wasn't always clear at the beginning of the chapter. There were also some chapters told by secondary characters that I felt wasn't really necessary to the story. Overall, though, a wonderful story about working together and overcoming adversity.
The world building in this story is well defined and imaginative. There was a ton of action and many emotional moments as the two siblings pushed forward with their lives and Carson embarked on his mission to fulfill his dream of becoming a Titan. However, the story wasn't without its flaws. It's told from numerous points of views, and I often found difficult to figure out who was narrating since it wasn't always clear at the beginning of the chapter. There were also some chapters told by secondary characters that I felt wasn't really necessary to the story. Overall, though, a wonderful story about working together and overcoming adversity.
May 15, 2025
An Excellent and Action-Filled Science Fiction Story
To be honest, I didn't know what to expect. I didn't realize "The Path of a Titan" was a young adult marketed book. With that comes a softening of language and profanity. In my opinion, it became a little silly that each f-bomb was replaced with the word "hex." The author did a good job of keeping it clean.
Set on another planet in the distant future, a teenage brother and sister lose their parents and are taken to an orphanage. Soon, the brother is drawn into a rough world of violence and fighting. The two siblings make friends and enemies as they bond over the dire circumstances. They are adopted by a family who may have information about their deceased parents.
This is the first in a series of "The Path of a Titan" books. I gave it four stars due to some typos, but overall it was a very enjoyable and quick read.
To be honest, I didn't know what to expect. I didn't realize "The Path of a Titan" was a young adult marketed book. With that comes a softening of language and profanity. In my opinion, it became a little silly that each f-bomb was replaced with the word "hex." The author did a good job of keeping it clean.
Set on another planet in the distant future, a teenage brother and sister lose their parents and are taken to an orphanage. Soon, the brother is drawn into a rough world of violence and fighting. The two siblings make friends and enemies as they bond over the dire circumstances. They are adopted by a family who may have information about their deceased parents.
This is the first in a series of "The Path of a Titan" books. I gave it four stars due to some typos, but overall it was a very enjoyable and quick read.
May 14, 2022
A really good book.
This is one of the best sci-fi books I’ve read. I even managed to get my husband who never reads to read it and he loved it! I honestly love the way John approaches the orphanage situation. As someone with a similar background, I get tired of books diminishing the struggles of that upbringing. I felt John did Carson and Kylie’s situation justice. He emphasized how it affected them both and that was important to me. Another reviewer called this the best sci-fi book of 2021 and I have to agree!
This is one of the best sci-fi books I’ve read. I even managed to get my husband who never reads to read it and he loved it! I honestly love the way John approaches the orphanage situation. As someone with a similar background, I get tired of books diminishing the struggles of that upbringing. I felt John did Carson and Kylie’s situation justice. He emphasized how it affected them both and that was important to me. Another reviewer called this the best sci-fi book of 2021 and I have to agree!
November 16, 2023
This YA sci fi book was a fun read. I thought the storyline was good, full of action, conflict, suspense and was easy to read. The world building was well done, and the character development also good.
The book could definitely benefit from some editing, but I don’t feel that it detracted from the overall book. I would definitely read the next book in the series to see how Carson’s story plays out and if he is able to accomplish what he wants to accomplish at the end of book 1.
Good read! I would definitely recommend if you like YA sci fi novels.
The book could definitely benefit from some editing, but I don’t feel that it detracted from the overall book. I would definitely read the next book in the series to see how Carson’s story plays out and if he is able to accomplish what he wants to accomplish at the end of book 1.
Good read! I would definitely recommend if you like YA sci fi novels.
December 21, 2021
Can't wait for more!
I saw this book recommended as a Red Rising itch scratcher, and it delivered tenfold. I was hooked from the start all the way to the end with Carson's wild ride. I'll be the first to recommend this to any SciFi fans, or anyone just looking for a new read. Very enjoyable read.
I saw this book recommended as a Red Rising itch scratcher, and it delivered tenfold. I was hooked from the start all the way to the end with Carson's wild ride. I'll be the first to recommend this to any SciFi fans, or anyone just looking for a new read. Very enjoyable read.
May 5, 2023
I really like the storyline and the characters.
What I'm struggling with is the genre. It's supposed to be sci-fi but it feels more dystopian with almost sci-fi plopped in here and there.
I wish he had picked one or the other.
There were also a lot of typos which was a bit distracting.
All in all, it's a very good storyline. I'll definitely read a sequel.
What I'm struggling with is the genre. It's supposed to be sci-fi but it feels more dystopian with almost sci-fi plopped in here and there.
I wish he had picked one or the other.
There were also a lot of typos which was a bit distracting.
All in all, it's a very good storyline. I'll definitely read a sequel.
August 20, 2024
John B created an exciting and realistic future that draws the reader in, wanting to know more about what will happen to the two orphaned children of a genius scientist determined to help the human race survive on their distant planet. Great read and I can’t wait to see how Carson and Kylie’s journey and struggle unfolds.
February 12, 2024
An impressive debut!
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews