Rising Storm ANNOTATION
Fireheart, the warrior cat, faces many challenges in his new role of ThunderClan deputy as his apprentice, Cloudpaw, resists following the warrior code, Bluestar weakens, and Tigerclaw continues to haunt the forest seeking revenge.
FROM THE PUBLISHER
Fire alone can save our clan...
Fireheart's traitorous enemy Tigerclaw has been vanquished and exiled from ThunderClan — but Fireheart can't shake the feeling that he's lurking out there in the forest, waiting for the chance to strike.
That's not the only problem facing the young ThunderClan deputy in these blazing summer months, as he struggles to handle ominous omens, a disrespectful apprentice with a shocking secret, and a devastated Clan leader who is a shell of her former self.
Meanwhile the forest gets hotter and hotter . . . and everyone braces for the coming storm. . . .
About the Author
Erin Hunter is inspired by a love of cats and a fascination with the ferocity of the natural world. As well as having a great respect for nature in all its forms. Erin enjoys creating rich mythical explanations for animal behavior, shaped by her interest in astrology and standing stones.
FROM THE CRITICS
Children's Literature - Kathleen Karr
Book 4 of the "Warriors" series finds the stalwart cat hero Fireheart with his paws full once more. Will his kittypet nephew Cloudpaw shape up as a Thunderclan apprentice? Will the clan's aging leader Bluestar get her act together or succumb to feline Alzheimer's? What will be the effect of the unusual heat and drought? And most pertinently, is the traitor warrior still Tigerclaw lying in wait? This "created by" a corporation series forges on relentlessly, but because a year or two has passed since its first episode, it is necessary to take into account the prolific nature of feral cats. Already it is becoming a burden to work through the clan genealogies, not to mention the succession of leaders as they drop like flies to warfare and treachery. Where is the Animal Humane Society when you really need it? 2004, HarperCollins, Ages 8 to 12.
VOYA - Kathleen Beck
Once a pampered "kittypet" (housecat), Fireheart is now deputy leader of ThunderClan, one of four groups of forest-dwelling, feral cats. Clan leader Bluestar lies lethargically in her den, traumatized by the treachery of her previous deputy, Tigerclaw, and the threat to the clan from his band of rogues. Fireheart struggles to defend ThunderClan territory, find his own runaway apprentice, and convince the other warriors that he is worthy of their trust. When fire threatens the forest, Fireheart must lead his band to safety, only to face Tigerclaw's renewed bid for power. The life of a feral cat is perilous indeed in this fourth volume of the Warriors series. Violence and death are common, and the complex story with its large cast of characters can be challenging to follow. Although this installment can stand alone, its many references to past episodes require the unfamiliar reader to puzzle out what came before. Nevertheless animal lovers will be drawn to this band of cats. The idea that a creature regarded as a pet can have a complex, danger-filled, independent existence is intriguing. The series lacks the quirky humor of Brian Jacques's Redwall series or the depth of Ratha's Creature (Atheneum/S & S, 1983/VOYA October 1983) and sequels by Clare Bell. But the series shares the appeal of an intricate society hidden from humankind, with its own history and code of conduct. Go ahead and buy the whole series. VOYA Codes: 3Q 4P M J (Readable without serious defects; Broad general YA appeal; Middle School, defined as grades 6 to 8; Junior High, defined as grades 7 to 9). 2004, HarperCollins, 336p., and PLB Ages 11 to 15.
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