I have previously read the book, “The Darkest Path” by Jeff Hirsch, and thought that I would share my opinion on it. The book creates a fictional answer to the question, what would happen if a large militant force tried to take over the United States? It is placed in the year 2027 and provides realistic events that would occur in such a crisis.
The book mainly focuses on a 15 year old boy by the name of Callum Roe and his brother Alex. The two boys are captured by a military group known as The Army of the Glorious Path, a large militant force that bases their actions on the religious teachings of a man known as Nathan Hill. Whoever is caught by them is forced to make the choice, convert, or be killed. Cal and Alex are forced to work for the path and do so for six years. Cal works for a commander who trains dogs for attacks. When Cal is told to go catch another dog, he is overwhelmed by its friendliness and innocence and befriends it instead of capturing it. This sends the commander into a rage and Cal ends up killing him in order to save the dog. This sends Cal on a run for his life and rollercoaster of emotions and events that the fate of the entire country rest on.
I really enjoyed the book due to its ability to capture ones attention and how well the story is tied together. The book sends both the reader and the main character through many emotions and keeps the reader on the edge of their seat, anxious for what will happen next. People of similar age of the main character will possibly enjoy the book more than others because they will find it easier to relate to the character and what they feel.
I would recommend this book to anybody who likes to read. It is a very well tied together story and interesting theme. You can find it almost anywhere, your local library or you can also find it online with audiobooks as well. Happy reading.