4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
delightful military science fiction, 8 Feb 2003
By Harriet Klausner - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: The Dark Path (Hardcover)
The war between the birdlike Zor and humanity is over with the two species now at peace. Still not everything is idyllic in the galaxy. Known for their psychic ability, the Zor panic when the High Lord dreams of a nightmarish assault from the feral species residing in the racial memory of his people as demons. Also two human vessels have vanished and a rescue effort to save the missing crew fails.
On the Cicero Naval Base, Commodore Jacqueline Laperriere and her XO Ch'K'te the Zor learn that the "demons"(aliens) have used their powers to change shapes to infiltrate the outpost. The Vulh with their mind control abilities and their talent to phsyically mimic anyone including a commander and an XO have arrived. The only hope for mankind is Jacqueline, but her superior thinks otherwise, while the Zor believes she is the reincarnation of the legendary Zor hero Qu'u, here to defeat the Vulh if she can find the ancient weapon that succeeded once before.
THE DARK WING was an exciting war of the worlds that showcases a new talent in the military science fiction category. THE DARK PATH is a better tale as Walter H. Hunt provides incredible depth to the interspecies relationships yet never loses sight of the action expected by sub-genre readers. The story line is superb because the audience obtains a stronger understanding of the Zor, better insight into how humans relate to this species, and introduces in flaming red terror the Vulh. Obviously the military crowd will enjoy this thriller, but outer space sci fi fans will appreciate the novel too,
Harriet Klausner
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great storytelling!, 10 Feb 2003
By Stephen Z. Stein - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: The Dark Path (Hardcover)
Set in the universe that Hunt introduced in "The Dark Wing", "The Dark Path" is the first book in a larger story (that will take at least a couple more books to complete, I guess), and Hunt has me hooked!
Like "Dark Wing", this is classic space-opera sci-fi of the highest order. The plot is complex and compelling, the characters are well-drawn and sympathetic, and the story is finely crafted and well-paced, combining mystery and action in a way that will keep you in its grip until the final page, and leave you wanting more.
I can't wait to read the next installment!
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Joint Review of Dark Wing Series; Solid - 3.5, 24 Jan 2006
By R. Albin - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: The Dark Path (Mass Market Paperback)
These 4 books - The Dark Wing, The Dark Path, The Dark Ascent, and The Dark Crusade - exhibit many of the standard space opera devices. There are the winged and in many ways admirable aliens, the remorseless insectoid alien adversaries, the hidden powers attempting to manipulate human fates, and the sprawling and somewhat corrupt space empire. There is also more than a touch of mysticism with events mirroring myths of the winged alien species. Nor can it be said that Hunt has done anything particularly novel with these devices.
Nonetheless, Hunt is a more than competent practictioner and these books are a decent read. Hunt does quite well with reasonably tight plotting and characterization. His integration of the mythic elements is better than average. These books are better, for example, than David Weber's very popular books.