Warriors, By Erin Hunter

[Nuile the Paracosmic Tulpa]

Who else adores this great series? I'm certainly a fan, and have been since shortly after its dawn. I've always been a cat person, and I fell in love with the series immediately.The Last Hope, of course, the dramatic climax, was released on the third day of this month. Please keep discussion of this novel, as well the other most recent installments, in spoiler tags. My thoughts:

The final battle has came and gone. And what a battle it was! Not only the Clans, but pretty much every character (including Lionheart with a classic, if cartoony, entrance) we've met since the beginning of the series returned to battle the Dark Forest for the epic, epic denouement of the tail (fwee I pun'd badly) we've all been following since the beginning! Some of us were still kits back then, or at least apprentices, at the time! And let's be honest, some of us still are apprentices; and most of us are kits at heart.So! Firestar was the Fourth. Yeah, I realized that at about the beginning of Forgotten Warrior, and was certain with the arrival of the burning reed. So a little predictable? Maybe. But awesome? Oh yes. I would have been disappointed had it been any other way. Firestar had his final moment to shine. And come now, admit it . . . he deserved it!Part of his shining moment was, of course, what I know I've been looking forward to most of all since Fourth Apprentice and, indeed, since Tigerstar's shocking death in Darkest Hour--the climactic showdown between Firestar and Tigerstar, the rivals to match all rivals! The dialogue was some of the best to be found in this novel, and their fight was one of the all-time best.And then the flare of lightning, burning log, topped off with rain? Oho, brilliant. And then his death. Priceless! When all his lives came to fetch him, and he bade farewell to his mate and closest friend--it could not have been better.I admit I was worried when I reached chapter twenty-seven with only ten pages left. But I have no complaints regarding this chapter. It summed everything up so wonderfully--addressed Dovewing's relationships, tied up once and for all the ever-turbulent romance between Brambleclaw and Squirrelflight. Jayfeather's words--"An end, and a beginning. . . . We'll see him again. When it's time." Beautiful. Irrefutably. It didn't bring me to tears, but I got that tingly feeling and I have it now from typing about it.One complaint I did have was how credulous everyone was throughout the book. There wasn't nearly enough emotion involved in all the revelations. "We need to find a Fourth cat? Oh, okay, whatever. Jayfeather didn't actually kill Flametail? Gotcha. No, I'm not sorry for believing he did. The Dark Forest is rising to kill us all, these three whippersnappers have the power of the stars in their paws, and we have to unite the Clans? Yawn. Great. Wake me when it's over. There's an army of ancient dead cats who lived here before us and a giant badger coming to save our tails? Cool, cool. Did we win yet? Oh, look, Jayfeather's in love with a dead cat. Big surprise. Like we all didn't see that coming." (Although, when you think about it, there hasn't been a ThunderClan medicine cat since before Firestar came to the Clans that didn't fall in love. But at least Cinderpelt had the sense to deny her feelings--toward Firestar, I assume. Unless they were toward Darkstripe. But I'm digressing. Which I like to do. On occasion. Or vacation. Or anytime. Or always. Or----)I was also disappointed that there was no mention of reuniting LionClan. Because that's exactly what they did. I was eagerly looking forward to Firestar saying "LionClan will fight together again!" or something such. But alas! it was not to be.Another thing, ThunderClan should have had at least one traitor. It was unrealistic that they didn't. I could have seen Berrynose doing so, but for his mate and kits. Blossomfall or Mousewhisker should have remained loyal to the Dark Forest, I think. Maybe even Birchfall; he shared Berrynose's haughty disposition at one point.My last objection is how few cats died. A big climactic battle and only three cats die, one after the fighting's over, and one an elder. I didn't want Vicky to go quite as overboard as J.K. Rowlings, but honestly, I would have preferred that. One thing she did overdo was the bone-crunching throat-biting of all the biggest villains.Oh, I lied, one other thing. I wanted there to be a chapter from Firestar's viewpoint, just one more time. (Yes, I think Firestar's the greatest character of the series, if you hadn't noticed.) But he did, after all, get seven whole novels all to himself. Plus a short story, if I'm remembering correctly. So I'm okay with that.One last question: Does anyone know who in the world Mapleshade was? o.OOverall, I think it's been a beautiful story the conglomerate Erin Hunter has painted from beginning to end, ever since Into the Wild, full of action and drama and climaxes and disappointments and love and tragedy. It's been everything I could have wanted from a story about my favorite mammals and more.

So, some questions unrelated to the final novel. For one thing, two rumors goin' round. First, that Tigerstar and Firestar are half-brothers; true or false? Does anyone know? Because that would be pretty neat.Second, that there's going to be a fifth series centering around the days before Firestar. Way back in the days that Skyclan was still in the forest. Does anyone know if there's any truth in this? It would be great to go back to the original setting.Lastly, a little something to spur conversation along lines for those who haven't read Last Hope. For one thing, why haven't you, crazy-head? For another, what was your favorite novel?For me, it's impossible to answer. But the closest thing to it I can give is Firestar's Quest. For one thing, I got my edition signed. A memory I will always cherish. But as for the story itself, I liked it because it brought back Firestar as protagonist, exhibited so well his character, and deepened the relationship between him and Sandstorm. And at the same time it brought to light a new mystery, a new story entirely apart from the rest of the series--which actually did tie in again later, at the end of The Forgotten Warrior, though I won't spoil how. Plus, Firestar's Quest was written at one of the better points, with regard to writing style, in the history of the series.One final thought: maybe we should start a meme. If that's the term for it. You know, change our avatars and signatures and give ourselves Clan display names. Lunaticstar--well, we'd have to be more creative than that. Okay. I've gabbed your eyes out. Your turn!

Sincerely, Nuile: Lunatic Wordsmith

Edited April 12, 2012 by Nuile: Lunatic Wordsmith

[Voxumo]

let me put it this way. i have seen the book it just could not catch my interest. although i was surprised to see that they actually made a spinoff manga for a specific character. if i remember it was about one of the wild cats who had been picked up by a human and about his time as a nonferal cat.

[hatok]

I used to really like the series, but I jsut don't have the time for it these days. I haven't had money to buy a new book since the middle of the Power of Three.Also, this forum has seen like a dozen of these topics... I wonder how long this one will last?

[Ektris]

Oh, I remember my stint into this series...I've read all of the original series, The New Prophecy, and most of Power of Three. I hadn't realized it carried on for so much longer until I thought to look it up after seeing this topic.Part of me really wants to go back and read all of them, but I'm not sure I'd enjoy them as much anymore.Firestar's Quest was definitely my favorite book as well.~|ET|~

[Nuile the Paracosmic Tulpa]

let me put it this way. i have seen the book it just could not catch my interest. although i was surprised to see that they actually made a spinoff manga for a specific character. if i remember it was about one of the wild cats who had been picked up by a human and about his time as a nonferal cat.

They actually made so many spinoff manga series I've lost track. I tried to follow at first, but they never interested me as much as the novels. I have nothing against their effect to expand the universe, however.

I used to really like the series, but I jsut don't have the time for it these days. I haven't had money to buy a new book since the middle of the Power of Three.Also, this forum has seen like a dozen of these topics... I wonder how long this one will last?

I've only ever seen one, at least for this series, and that was on the old site--but I admit I'm not very active in CoT.

Oh, I remember my stint into this series...I've read all of the original series, The New Prophecy, and most of Power of Three. I hadn't realized it carried on for so much longer until I thought to look it up after seeing this topic.Part of me really wants to go back and read all of them, but I'm not sure I'd enjoy them as much anymore.Firestar's Quest was definitely my favorite book as well.~|ET|~

I wasn't sure if I would enjoy Forgotten Warrior and Last Hope either, but as soon as I started I got sucked into them in a way a book hasn't effected me for some time. Power of Three starts to drag at the end and most of Omen of the Stars is rather slow, but it's all worth it for that tingling revelation in Fourth Apprentice, and to reach Sign of the Moon and Last Hope.

Sincerely, Nuile: Lunatic Wordsmith