Candle in the Storm

Former slave-girl Yim has now become Honus' Bearer in truth, and together they seek out both Yim's destiny and a way to stop the followers of the Devourer from destroying the land. Yim and Honus are united by a love so strong it can only be Karm's gift, yet both suffer due to Yim's visions and her knowledge of what her future holds. //Candle in the Storm// will reveal finally who is to father Yim's child, while also adding greater depth to both sides of the story. The followers of the Devourer are revealed somewhat, and the reader begins to understand them better. The characters of Yim, Honus, Cara, and Cronin are better developed, and the storyline gets ever more intriguing. Howell's writing is intricate and descriptive, and she weaves a world that is fascinating. The storyline here might not stand out amongst the droves of other fantasy novels out there, but this intriguing series is definitely better than many. Hopefully the conclusion to this series won't be far behind. Reviewed by Holly Scudero

Those remaining loyal to the Goddess Karm have little hope to defeat the dark forces of the Devourer. His horde led by his incantation Lord Bahl has devastated anything in their path. Despair from Averen to Vinden to Luvein and elsewhere is the norm as the Devourer's bewitched army massacres those foolish to remain loyal to Karm. Two Karm loyalists may be the last prayer of a world facing the abyss of the apocalypse. Honus the warrior and Yim the former slave with the power to potentially defeat Bahl remain united in love for each other and for the Goddess. However, their love is shaken to the core as Yim must perform a task that she loathes doing; she questions the worthiness of their side of the deadly dispute as she loses faith in the Goddess and perhaps in Honus too. The second Shadowed Path fantasy is a terrific middle book that builds directly from the previous tale so newcomers should first read A Woman Worth Ten Coppers. The story line is even grimmer than its predecessor as the world is on the verge of an extreme Dark Age while the lead couple is trying to prevent the sinister encroachment from occurring as they struggle internally; with their relationship being a microcosm of what is engulfing the heart and soul of humanity. On a world level and on a personal level, Candle in the Storm is a powerful quest thriller. Harriet Klausner

Having followed Yim and Honus's journey in the first installment of The Shadowed Path books, A Woman Worth Ten Coppers, I'd been wondering for months if the second part of the journey would be as engrossing as the first. I was not disappointed. As you'd expect, Candle in the Storm builds on Ten Coppers' themes - and distills them into more defined villains and allies. The Book also links together all of Morgan Howell's books into one canonic universe without contrivance or recycling. One of the best parts of this text is an increased focus on the villains of the story - including a delightfully evil new character, and considerably more examination of the Devourer's minions, goals, and history. With Karm's allies laid low at the end of the first book, a deeper look into the minds of the Devourer's armies, generals, and priests was expected - but they are presented well. Obviously the relationship between Yim and Honus continues to be refined through the story - and we see at least one other member of Honus' order, learing more about the beleaguered situation of Karm's followers. Further exploration of the shadowed path itself binds the story together - providing key moments in Yim and Honus' interactions and key information about the devourer. This is not to suggest that this book, which is a bridge between the first novel and the conclusion, is just more of the same or a deeper explanation of the themes of the first book. There are some VERY unexpected twists and turns here - don't assume you know what Yim's destiny is. There are only two real criticisms - one is a literary device that was necessary for the story and while I didn't love it, it was more than made up for by the rest of the novel. The other is the cover, which doesn't really fit with the book, and which isn't for shying violets. I read this book, in part, while taking the train to and from work - it's a bit too "romance novel." I've now read all five of Morgan Howell's books and in each case I didn't want to put them down. You won't be disappointed.