The Darkest Path
Teen warriors populate a great deal of young-adult fiction. Coming up with a fresh take on these protagonists, especially in the dystopian genre, is not an easy feat, but in Callum Roe, Hirsch has created a hero who stands out. First there’s his loyalty to the mutt he rescues—he literally kills for the dog. Then there’s his ability to walk away from his younger brother when it becomes clear the boy has been swallowed up by the fanaticism of the Glorious Path, a military-religious cult that holds half of America under its sway. The brothers were kidnapped by the Path years before, and Cal never gave up on the idea of returning to their true home in Ithaca, New York. Forced to run, Cal treks with his dog through the desert Southwest, seeking to cross into Federal territory. His encounters with those who help or hinder him always surprise. Only at the end of his journey, in a series of convenient plot twists, does the novel falter. Still, recommend this to thrill-seeking, adventure-loving readers.       HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: Hirsch hit it big with The Eleventh Plague (2011) and subsequently got a big publisher push for Magisterium (2012). Expect similar national advertising this time around, too. Grades 7-10. --Karen Cruze