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The Narrowing Path #2
The Treacherous Path
In a world that burns up every six years, only the very fittest survive. Against all odds, Bowe is still alive. But as soon as one Infernam ends, the countdown starts for the next one. Bowe has to return the Bellanger family to its former glory before time runs out. And when one of the other families openly attacks the Bellangers, it seems Bowe won't even make it to the next Infernam. Bowe is forced to flee the city where he has spent all his life. Powerful forces threaten war and rebellion throughout Arcandis, and Bowe has to take advantage of the upheaval or be overwhelmed by it. The second book in The Narrowing Path Series takes Bowe on a harrowing journey where he'll face a terrible decision that will decide not just his future, but the future of the entire society.
290 pages, Paperback
First published March 24, 2014
About the author
David J. Normoyle
25 books56 followersDavid was born in Australia, but moved to Ireland at an early age. The early globe crossing must have gone to his head, as he has since backpacked through and lived in numerous countries. He grew up on a farm as the eldest of nine unruly siblings, but since his escape, he prefers city living. His electronic engineering degree is currently gathering dust while he tries new and strange pursuits such as novel writing.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
December 19, 2018
So this is the second in the trilogy (I will not be reading the third), and the writing quality is still horrible. There is still a desperate need for further editing, and the plot makes less sense than before.
So our MC was able to maneuver himself in such a way that he, and those of his house were able to get into the refuge, and survive the Infernim. He has until the next Infernim to regain his family's wealth, and things aren't going so well as everyone is still out to get him.
Bowe – the MC – has to flee his castle because of old grievances, and he, and one of his men convince a drunken bum to trade clothes with Bowe, cover themselves in feces, and walk their way past the guards.
Again - everything, and everyone on the surface was burnt to a crisp three years ago so where do these bums come from?
After getting outside the city he's escorted through the forest to a small village where he pretends to be a scribe for an old blind man who used to be a member of Bowe's family. This guy has a lot of records going back decades all written on paper.
How? Every six years the surface of the planet reaches upwards of 1400 Fahrenheit, and everything burns so how can these documents exist?
Were not told, however, very convenient he discovers a document that might save him, and return his family wealth. /golf clap
Yet again he's found out, and has to flee. Admittedly this small part was pretty cool, but the quality of the writing is still lacking.
After he flees he finds out his homeland is being invaded, and after being captured he learns how humans came to this world. A tired, boring, overused, and frankly stupid plot line of how humans destroyed Earth because of technology. Blah, blah, blah.
Finally, in order to stave off the invasion, and save his family he drums up a plan that is savage, barbaric, brutal, and sociopathic to the point I hate him as much as those trying to kill him.
At this point, not even the characters I'm interested in can draw me into reading the final book.
So our MC was able to maneuver himself in such a way that he, and those of his house were able to get into the refuge, and survive the Infernim. He has until the next Infernim to regain his family's wealth, and things aren't going so well as everyone is still out to get him.
Bowe – the MC – has to flee his castle because of old grievances, and he, and one of his men convince a drunken bum to trade clothes with Bowe, cover themselves in feces, and walk their way past the guards.
Again - everything, and everyone on the surface was burnt to a crisp three years ago so where do these bums come from?
After getting outside the city he's escorted through the forest to a small village where he pretends to be a scribe for an old blind man who used to be a member of Bowe's family. This guy has a lot of records going back decades all written on paper.
How? Every six years the surface of the planet reaches upwards of 1400 Fahrenheit, and everything burns so how can these documents exist?
Were not told, however, very convenient he discovers a document that might save him, and return his family wealth. /golf clap
Yet again he's found out, and has to flee. Admittedly this small part was pretty cool, but the quality of the writing is still lacking.
After he flees he finds out his homeland is being invaded, and after being captured he learns how humans came to this world. A tired, boring, overused, and frankly stupid plot line of how humans destroyed Earth because of technology. Blah, blah, blah.
Finally, in order to stave off the invasion, and save his family he drums up a plan that is savage, barbaric, brutal, and sociopathic to the point I hate him as much as those trying to kill him.
At this point, not even the characters I'm interested in can draw me into reading the final book.
January 21, 2018
These are good books, with an adventurous plot. Can’t wait to see where it finishes.
June 25, 2018
didn't enjoy this as much as the first but builds up well for the next.
April 1, 2014
http://koeur.wordpress.com/2014/04/01...
Publisher: Normoyle
Publishing Date: March 2014
ISBN:9781311103888
Genre: Fantasy
Rating: 2.2/5.0
Publisher Description: He did the impossible.
This is book 2 of the The Narrowing Path Series. Book 1 is called The Narrowing Path.
He did the impossible. Bowe Bellanger broke all the rules in surviving The Narrowing Path.
The victory is short-lived. Three years of trying to return the Bellanger family to its former glory comes to nothing when one of the other families attacks, forcing Bowe to flee the city. At the same time, powerful forces threaten war and rebellion throughout Arcandis, and Bowe has to take advantage of the upheaval or be overwhelmed by it.
The second book in The Narrowing Path Series takes Bowe on a harrowing journey where he’ll face a terrible decision that will decide not just his future, but the future of the entire society.
Review: The cover art is so-so. A little cartoony.
WTF happened to this story-line? We went from awesome adventure and daring do in the Narrowing Path, to Bowe finding his ineptitude at life in the form of a failed hipster douche bag Guardian.
So Bowe’s house of Bellanger is out of time and support, and House Lessard wants to take over. So everyone splits, Bowe makes deals with the guild and later on, the forest heathen to expedite his escapes. Pretty much it. Add in a love interest, Dulnato the Bad dying at the hand of the White Spider and a Jarindor invasion into Ascor and you’re done.
Throughout this second installment, we have Bowe walking around in disbelief and whining about everything. Suddenly he finds himself a backbone and a way to end this invasion…..with an army of cooking pot wielding Escay and the support of the Guardians and the Guild. Double Fug. Really don’t like story lines that canvas the lame-o and unbelievable in search of reader sympathy.
The Narrowing Path was one of the best novels I have read in a long time. This sucked ass in comparison. Why not continue Bowe’s rise to manhood with experience as the Guardian of Bellanger? Could he not have built something in three years time? Crafted some type of ties with the Guild? This myopic rendition is just that,…three years of self-centered behavior, then thrust into escape, survival and ultimately, victory. Better yet, set out on a quest to save Bellanger with a sea adventure to Jarindor for trade and perhaps find another hidden refuge from the infernam that no one knows about. But nooooooooooooooooooooooo, we have to traipse around the un-interesting countryside with Whiny the Small-Minded.
Publisher: Normoyle
Publishing Date: March 2014
ISBN:9781311103888
Genre: Fantasy
Rating: 2.2/5.0
Publisher Description: He did the impossible.
This is book 2 of the The Narrowing Path Series. Book 1 is called The Narrowing Path.
He did the impossible. Bowe Bellanger broke all the rules in surviving The Narrowing Path.
The victory is short-lived. Three years of trying to return the Bellanger family to its former glory comes to nothing when one of the other families attacks, forcing Bowe to flee the city. At the same time, powerful forces threaten war and rebellion throughout Arcandis, and Bowe has to take advantage of the upheaval or be overwhelmed by it.
The second book in The Narrowing Path Series takes Bowe on a harrowing journey where he’ll face a terrible decision that will decide not just his future, but the future of the entire society.
Review: The cover art is so-so. A little cartoony.
WTF happened to this story-line? We went from awesome adventure and daring do in the Narrowing Path, to Bowe finding his ineptitude at life in the form of a failed hipster douche bag Guardian.
So Bowe’s house of Bellanger is out of time and support, and House Lessard wants to take over. So everyone splits, Bowe makes deals with the guild and later on, the forest heathen to expedite his escapes. Pretty much it. Add in a love interest, Dulnato the Bad dying at the hand of the White Spider and a Jarindor invasion into Ascor and you’re done.
Throughout this second installment, we have Bowe walking around in disbelief and whining about everything. Suddenly he finds himself a backbone and a way to end this invasion…..with an army of cooking pot wielding Escay and the support of the Guardians and the Guild. Double Fug. Really don’t like story lines that canvas the lame-o and unbelievable in search of reader sympathy.
The Narrowing Path was one of the best novels I have read in a long time. This sucked ass in comparison. Why not continue Bowe’s rise to manhood with experience as the Guardian of Bellanger? Could he not have built something in three years time? Crafted some type of ties with the Guild? This myopic rendition is just that,…three years of self-centered behavior, then thrust into escape, survival and ultimately, victory. Better yet, set out on a quest to save Bellanger with a sea adventure to Jarindor for trade and perhaps find another hidden refuge from the infernam that no one knows about. But nooooooooooooooooooooooo, we have to traipse around the un-interesting countryside with Whiny the Small-Minded.
May 18, 2014
a solid follow up to an intriguing beginning!
Societies develop in different ways. On Arcandis, an outpost of Earth, communities had been formed under the threat of the Infernam, a condition of extreme heat visited once every six years, as the planet Helion passes within orbit. Actions are driven or tempered by the Infernam, that time when the planet burns so hot that all outside are scorched and die horribly. Only those who can secure a place in The Refuge survive. That place is earned and held by trial, by belonging, by bribery, by any means possible.
It's been three years since Bowe earned a place for the Bellingers when he survived the testing time on the Green Path [The Narrowing Path.]
He has not carved out the place for the Bellingers he had thought to. The Bellangers do not have an empire and hope of returning them to their original place is fading. Other family's are looking to displace them.
His latest venture looks to fail spectacularly. On that note it looks like Bowe's pack of card will come tumbling down. His realization that he has squandered the three years he'd had is slow to register.
Barely escaping with his life ahead of the Dulnato, his enemy from the Path, of the Grenier family, Bowe flees from the city after meeting with Coensaw the leader of the Guild, a powerful underbelly group in the society. Bowe runs into bandits and takes refuge as a scribe in a farming community where he begins to see things that might aid his cause. Then there's the invading army from Jarind led by Washima. This group from the neighbouring country were so shocked by the way Arcandis society works and it's way of dealing with the Infernam they took up arms to free the Aarcandis people from tyranny. The Arcandis people feel differently. They want self determination, not others making war on their our land. Theirs is the choice for their way of life. It is not for others to invade and make that decision for them.
Once more Bowe takes a hand in the game of harmony, albeit belatedly, and decides on a course of action.
A NetGalley ARC
Societies develop in different ways. On Arcandis, an outpost of Earth, communities had been formed under the threat of the Infernam, a condition of extreme heat visited once every six years, as the planet Helion passes within orbit. Actions are driven or tempered by the Infernam, that time when the planet burns so hot that all outside are scorched and die horribly. Only those who can secure a place in The Refuge survive. That place is earned and held by trial, by belonging, by bribery, by any means possible.
It's been three years since Bowe earned a place for the Bellingers when he survived the testing time on the Green Path [The Narrowing Path.]
He has not carved out the place for the Bellingers he had thought to. The Bellangers do not have an empire and hope of returning them to their original place is fading. Other family's are looking to displace them.
His latest venture looks to fail spectacularly. On that note it looks like Bowe's pack of card will come tumbling down. His realization that he has squandered the three years he'd had is slow to register.
Barely escaping with his life ahead of the Dulnato, his enemy from the Path, of the Grenier family, Bowe flees from the city after meeting with Coensaw the leader of the Guild, a powerful underbelly group in the society. Bowe runs into bandits and takes refuge as a scribe in a farming community where he begins to see things that might aid his cause. Then there's the invading army from Jarind led by Washima. This group from the neighbouring country were so shocked by the way Arcandis society works and it's way of dealing with the Infernam they took up arms to free the Aarcandis people from tyranny. The Arcandis people feel differently. They want self determination, not others making war on their our land. Theirs is the choice for their way of life. It is not for others to invade and make that decision for them.
Once more Bowe takes a hand in the game of harmony, albeit belatedly, and decides on a course of action.
A NetGalley ARC
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews