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Shadowed Path #2
Candle in the Storm
The malign shadow of the Devourer has darkened the land, extinguishing life and hope. The followers of the benevolent goddess Karm are hunted mercilessly and cut down by an army of bewitched slayers led by Lord Bahl, the Devourer’s flesh-and-blood incarnation. Only two people stand in the way of an apocalyptic bloodbath that will literally bring hell to a man and a woman linked by a love as strong as it is unlikely–Honus, a grim-faced warrior dedicated to Karm, and Yim, a beautiful former slave with the divine power to stop Lord Bahl.
But that power will prove a terrible curse as Yim is called upon to make a costly sacrifice–a sacrifice that will not only put her love for Honus to the test but call into question her very faith. As the evil storm descends, can the flame of hope endure?
But that power will prove a terrible curse as Yim is called upon to make a costly sacrifice–a sacrifice that will not only put her love for Honus to the test but call into question her very faith. As the evil storm descends, can the flame of hope endure?
384 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 2009
5 people are currently reading
192 people want to read
About the author
Morgan Howell
11 books73 followersMorgan Howell is the pseudonym of author Will Hubbell. Hubbell uses his own name when writing childrens' picture books and for his science fiction novels published by Ace. He uses the name Morgan Howell for his recent fantasy writing, citing the darkness of the writing.
A graduate of Oberlin College and the Rochester Institute of Technology, MORGAN HOWELL is a full-time writer who lives in upstate New York.
A graduate of Oberlin College and the Rochester Institute of Technology, MORGAN HOWELL is a full-time writer who lives in upstate New York.
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
April 11, 2012
To me it felt like this book dragged, bogged down by slow pacing and lots of exposition. It's the big boggy middle magnified. And I don't know if it's just that I'm distanced from the first book, or if it's only really a problem in this book, but it seems like the narrative doesn't value women beyond sex and babies, which is a pity because there are plenty of opportunities to highlight that women can do other things. Speaking of, the only other prominent female character was straight up annoying - though she's supposedly a leader she acts like a teenager who seems to be mostly there to keep the plot moving at all. Also, be prepared to see the word 'zounds' a lot.
There are some good ideas in here, new ideas, like the author's previous trilogy. I like how the author took the risk of not necessarily taking the cheap 'happy' ending. But the follow through is weak. I'll read the last book in the trilogy, but overall I'm disappointed.
There are some good ideas in here, new ideas, like the author's previous trilogy. I like how the author took the risk of not necessarily taking the cheap 'happy' ending. But the follow through is weak. I'll read the last book in the trilogy, but overall I'm disappointed.
June 30, 2010
Got four stars instead of five because the Goddess insists on having the chosen sleep with her enemy for the win. I am willing to put up with a lot of crap in a book and suspend my disbelief for unbelievable things-- but never that a higher power insists the only way out is by self-degradation or "embracing" darkness.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 15, 2019
The center of the trilogy.
This tale filled with hardships, trials and sorrows.
As a major battle looms between good and evil.
Yim and Honus come across other characters, that we get to like briefly.
Only to have them cut down and lost.
Having come to care about these two characters.
The story is very dark. Plus how things work out for them.
The sacrifices made.
Just does not seem to leave much. For either of them to have joy in.
Some good ideas, and details along the way.
Yet not much kindness or good happens for either of them.
This tale filled with hardships, trials and sorrows.
As a major battle looms between good and evil.
Yim and Honus come across other characters, that we get to like briefly.
Only to have them cut down and lost.
Having come to care about these two characters.
The story is very dark. Plus how things work out for them.
The sacrifices made.
Just does not seem to leave much. For either of them to have joy in.
Some good ideas, and details along the way.
Yet not much kindness or good happens for either of them.
July 25, 2013
After the end of the A Woman Worth Ten Coppers, Yim has become Honus' Bearer for real. As they travel around, they stop at more and more houses where people have forsaken Karm and begun to worship the Devourer instead. Howell also introduced Daijen as a third perspective, which I liked because it's always easier to follow along with the bad guys when you get a consistent POV from one of them. Daijen knows that Yim is the biggest threat to Lord Bahl and the Devourer, so he follows them and sets several traps in hopes of killing Yim.
Meanwhile, Honus' personality changes drastically. He knows that he loves Yim, and protecting her becomes the entire focus of his personality. He's still lethal, don't get me wrong, but he just doesn't seem as sharp or as focused as he was before. He went from a grim, battle-hardened warrior Sarf to a gentle, puppy-eyed lover. While I understand that love changes people, and it's usually good for the angry, bitter heroes to find love and happiness, Howell carried it too far with Honus.
While Honus is looking at her with sad puppy eyes, Yim is questioning whether or not she is even capable of love. This too was overdramatic in my eyes. She had parents before living with the wise woman, and just because the wise woman didn't tell her about love doesn't mean she trained her to be incapable of it. Yim is kind-hearted and sweet to the impoverished people they run into, she talks about loving children, and then all of the sudden she wonders if she's incapable of loving Honus. It seemed too forced, too dramatic, and too stupid, especially when she very predictably discovers the true depth of his feelings for her and even more predictably, discovers that she reciprocates.
URG the end though.
Meanwhile, Honus' personality changes drastically. He knows that he loves Yim, and protecting her becomes the entire focus of his personality. He's still lethal, don't get me wrong, but he just doesn't seem as sharp or as focused as he was before. He went from a grim, battle-hardened warrior Sarf to a gentle, puppy-eyed lover. While I understand that love changes people, and it's usually good for the angry, bitter heroes to find love and happiness, Howell carried it too far with Honus.
While Honus is looking at her with sad puppy eyes, Yim is questioning whether or not she is even capable of love. This too was overdramatic in my eyes. She had parents before living with the wise woman, and just because the wise woman didn't tell her about love doesn't mean she trained her to be incapable of it. Yim is kind-hearted and sweet to the impoverished people they run into, she talks about loving children, and then all of the sudden she wonders if she's incapable of loving Honus. It seemed too forced, too dramatic, and too stupid, especially when she very predictably discovers the true depth of his feelings for her and even more predictably, discovers that she reciprocates.
URG the end though.
December 27, 2013
I had a lot of hope for this book and the series in general that I after the first I immediately bought the second and third at once...BUT now I find myself regretting that decision.
IF YOU WERE KINDA IFFY ABOUT THE FIRST BOOK AND WANTED TO CONTINUE THE SERIES IN HOPE OF IT GETTING BETTER STOP AND BACK AWAY RIGHT NOW!!!!!
To be honest I felt depressed the whole book, and continued in hope of a silver lining but never found it. At the end of this book I feel lost and disconcerted. There is not a SINGLE bone in my body that wants to continue on with this series or Author. For the first time in the hundreds of books that I have read I don't think I can finish the series--its just too much for me.
If someone else felt/feels the way I do but continued on and knows it ended positively or at very least closure PLEASE comment or message because I feel so unsettled about not finishing the series, but right now my life is shitty enough that I need to get lost in worlds where even if its all crap theres some semblance of hope or happiness at the end of the road.
IF YOU WERE KINDA IFFY ABOUT THE FIRST BOOK AND WANTED TO CONTINUE THE SERIES IN HOPE OF IT GETTING BETTER STOP AND BACK AWAY RIGHT NOW!!!!!
To be honest I felt depressed the whole book, and continued in hope of a silver lining but never found it. At the end of this book I feel lost and disconcerted. There is not a SINGLE bone in my body that wants to continue on with this series or Author. For the first time in the hundreds of books that I have read I don't think I can finish the series--its just too much for me.
If someone else felt/feels the way I do but continued on and knows it ended positively or at very least closure PLEASE comment or message because I feel so unsettled about not finishing the series, but right now my life is shitty enough that I need to get lost in worlds where even if its all crap theres some semblance of hope or happiness at the end of the road.
August 31, 2010
I stumbled across this book in the library. Once upon a time, I couldn't ever bring myself to not finish a book -- or, for that matter, skip to the end. But now that I've gotten older, time is precious! And this just didn't cut it. 30 pages in, I had zero vested -- harsh, I know, but I figured I could skip to the end (especially this being a trilogy) and I wouldn't have missed much. Not quite right, though -- I skipped to the last quarter, found some interesting bits which I thought was worth going back just a smidge for -- I started up again somewhere between the last 1/2 and the last 1/3 and thought it was perfect to catch me up. Yes, there were some things I didn't really know, but I felt fine. Once #3 comes out, I'll try to read again from the beginning, but I'm not holding my breath for the last book.
September 16, 2011
I enjoyed this book, I did. Morgan Howell, however, has made me sad by making a "good" ending that isn't a "happy" ending.
I love Yim and Honus. They are a very adorable duo. I want them to be together so badly, and they just never seem to get any peaceful time together. Aside from that, Honus is quite the bad ass. His "mission" at the end of the book were the best couple of chapters in my story IMO. I loved his badassery.
Yim of course continues to stay on the straight and narrow path. But I still like her as a heroine. She does struggle with staying good, but of course end the end she always does.
I don't have much else to say about this book except that it was a solid sequel. I'm excited to continue with the final book.
I love Yim and Honus. They are a very adorable duo. I want them to be together so badly, and they just never seem to get any peaceful time together. Aside from that, Honus is quite the bad ass. His "mission" at the end of the book were the best couple of chapters in my story IMO. I loved his badassery.
Yim of course continues to stay on the straight and narrow path. But I still like her as a heroine. She does struggle with staying good, but of course end the end she always does.
I don't have much else to say about this book except that it was a solid sequel. I'm excited to continue with the final book.
March 29, 2017
Painful. I read the first and delighted in how strong and resolute Yim was, and how honorable and devoted Honus was. But all that was turned on its ear here with bad stuff happening to everyone on every page. It was relentlessly depressing and hopeless.
The thing I hated the most was that Yim basically had to offer herself up to her rapist. A man must have written this. Ugh. Also, the scenes where the Daithen tricks everyone were written at a third grade level, pushing and shoving the story along willy nilly, so we could get back to more terrible shit happening to Yim.
And another thing, the Fair Folk? Huge, huge disappointment.
I am going to read the 3rd book to see if there is anything to be saved out of this shitstorm, but I am very disappointed in this book.
The thing I hated the most was that Yim basically had to offer herself up to her rapist. A man must have written this. Ugh. Also, the scenes where the Daithen tricks everyone were written at a third grade level, pushing and shoving the story along willy nilly, so we could get back to more terrible shit happening to Yim.
And another thing, the Fair Folk? Huge, huge disappointment.
I am going to read the 3rd book to see if there is anything to be saved out of this shitstorm, but I am very disappointed in this book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 17, 2011
The good - There are mentions of Dar's ancestors.
The bad - Why can't this author let two people who love each other find a little happiness. Why does it have to be so sad and heart breaking. I thought after book #1 we would see Yim and Honus finally be together. But it was this horrible yo-yo of tiny bits of affection with tons of heartbreaking.
Although I've read the Queen of the Orcs series and I've read this second book, I can't handle it anymore. I'm not planning on reading the last book at all. There's one thing for a dark novel, but this one is just too much and I can't handle it.
The bad - Why can't this author let two people who love each other find a little happiness. Why does it have to be so sad and heart breaking. I thought after book #1 we would see Yim and Honus finally be together. But it was this horrible yo-yo of tiny bits of affection with tons of heartbreaking.
Although I've read the Queen of the Orcs series and I've read this second book, I can't handle it anymore. I'm not planning on reading the last book at all. There's one thing for a dark novel, but this one is just too much and I can't handle it.
August 5, 2016
More of the same, with some interesting additions to the world. Moves to the inevitable middle book conclusion. There were some other possible outcomes, but this was the one I was expecting pretty much all along. I wouldn't be surprised if it bothered some women or even some men, but they can't say they weren't warned! There were parts which would have been better handled by the women authors I read. Strength is still the characters which appeal to me, so started the next. If this were a longer series I might not have.
December 5, 2010
I really liked book one of this series and really enjoyed most of this book. Then, in the last few chapters, the heroine's big task is revealed, and she sets off to begin completing it. The only problem? Her attitude about completing it makes me feel that if she succeeds it will be in spite of herself, and it's not something I want to read.
I've also seen the idea of how to defeat the great evil used in this book done better in others.
I've also seen the idea of how to defeat the great evil used in this book done better in others.
December 9, 2025
This is one of my favorite series and I have no idea why no one knows about it 💖
As a series, you can expect
✨️ Slowburn
✨️ Courageous FMC
✨️ Badass MMC who would do anything for the FMC
✨️ Formidable villain
✨️ Unique plot
✨️ Emotionally intense / Heart wrenching
✨️ Dark
✨️ Complex
I read this series years ago and I still think about it to this day.
If you are sick of reading the same shit over and over again in Romantasy - try this. You will NOT be disappointed.
As a series, you can expect
✨️ Slowburn
✨️ Courageous FMC
✨️ Badass MMC who would do anything for the FMC
✨️ Formidable villain
✨️ Unique plot
✨️ Emotionally intense / Heart wrenching
✨️ Dark
✨️ Complex
I read this series years ago and I still think about it to this day.
If you are sick of reading the same shit over and over again in Romantasy - try this. You will NOT be disappointed.
May 14, 2011
Loved book 2! Wasn't expecting the ending. There is so much to gain from not knowing which way to go but where your heart tells yout to. Now I must wait to get out to get the last installment and see what happens next. Wonderful addition to the Orcs trilogy that Howell has written. This is the same landscape just centuries later and one character remains from that trilogy to this one!
May 28, 2010
I just finished this book. It's the second in this series, and definitely a middle book. I wish the third book was out so that I could read it and get this melancholy story line wrapped up. It was a smidgen too sad for me.
April 20, 2011
A sorrowful tale that once again focuses on the battle between good and evil/ a female loving goddess vs. a male entity of death. Makes allusions to Dar of Queen of the Orcs. We see that this story takes place generations after the events in M. Howell's previous trilogy.
August 23, 2011
Decent offering from the author, the story reads super fast and certainly isn't deep literature. Still, I liked the story and the nod to Dar's world from the orc books was nice.
I'd recomend to anyone who likes this author or is looking for a light fantasy read.
I'd recomend to anyone who likes this author or is looking for a light fantasy read.
August 2, 2012
I... had way more issues with this one than any of Howell's previous books. Yim's choices often seem completely arbitrary and without wisdom but hang on a wise hook. Difficult to root for that.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 9, 2009
This 2nd vol of an on-going trilogy is dark and gloomy, as 2nd vols of fantasy trilogies so often are. The author has her work cut out to wrap this all up in vol 3 and give us a good ending.
January 13, 2010
It was about love vs. duty, forgiveness, and self-sacrifice. The heroine has infinite compassion for others, but is absolutely ruthless towards herself, and by extension the man she loves.
October 25, 2012
The trials and tribulations of Yim and Honus continue in the second book of The Shadowed Path triology. I love the blend of the Old Ones and Karm and the Devourer.
April 12, 2010
2nd book. Really enjoyed it, some sad twists and turns, with a cliffhanger ending. I haven't read the author's Orc series, but this one appears to tie into that series a bit.
June 15, 2012
The series really kicked up a notch for me with this one. Excited to read the final installment, and glad I thought ahead to bring it along with me today on the train!
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews