Warriors (novel series)
Warriors is a series of novels based on the adventures and drama of multiple Clans of feral cats. The series is primarily set in fictional forests. The series is published by HarperCollins and written primarily by authors Kate Cary and Cherith Baldry, as well as others, under the collective pseudonym Erin Hunter. The concept and plot of the series were developed by former series editor Victoria Holmes.
There are currently nine sub-series, each containing six books: The Prophecies Begin, The New Prophecy, Power of Three, Omen of the Stars, Dawn of the Clans, A Vision of Shadows, The Broken Code, A Starless Clan, and Changing Skies. Other books have been released in addition to the main series, including lengthier "Super Edition" novels, several novellas, many guide books, several volumes of original English language manga, and graphic novels. The series has been translated into several languages, and has sold over 80 million copies worldwide.
Background
Origins
In 2001, publisher HarperCollins asked editor Victoria Holmes to write a fantasy novel about cats. Holmes did not like cats, so she enlisted the help of Kate Cary, who "loved cats". Cary wrote the first two volumes of the original series, [Into the Wild |Into the Wild] and [Fire and Ice |Fire and Ice]. For the third book, Holmes had to "speed up" to maintain the publishing schedule. Cherith Baldry joined the team and wrote the third volume, Forest of Secrets. Cary wrote the fourth book, then Baldry wrote books five and six. Meanwhile, Holmes came up with "the detailed storyline and the characters", as well as editing the finished books to "keep continuity". When Holmes finished creating a storyline, Tui T. Sutherland assisted in editing until both agreed on the storyline, and it could be sent to Cary and Baldry to write the final book.Inspiration
The authors have named several other authors as sources of inspiration when writing the novels. In an interview, Baldry stated that the writers who influenced her the most are Tolkien, C. S. Lewis, and Ursula K. Le Guin. According to the official website, other authors who have inspired the writers include Enid Blyton, Lucy Daniels, Ellis Peters, Tess Gerritsen, Kate Ellis, Lisa Gardiner, and Meg Cabot.The authors have also mentioned several other sources of inspiration. Holmes has cited the New Forest in southern England as inspiration for the forest where the first arc takes place. Other influential locations include Loch Lomond, as well as the Scottish Highlands. Nicholas Culpeper, a physician who used materials occurring in the natural world as medicine, also had an influence on the Warriors series. His book, Culpeper's Herbal, is used as a source by the authors for the many herbal remedies that the cats use. Holmes has cited the films First Blood and The Avengers as a source of inspiration.
Setting and universe
The Warriors universe centers around a large group of feral cats who initially reside in a forest, and later, around a lake. The cats are split into five groups called Clans: ThunderClan, WindClan, RiverClan, ShadowClan, and SkyClan. Each Clan has adapted to its own terrain. Relationships between different Clans are usually tense, and the Clans often come into conflict with one another. However, the Clans also sometimes show concern for each other; the idea of one Clan being destroyed usually causes deep distress and prompts urgent action on behalf of all Clans. The Clans have a unique naming and hierarchy system, in that their names are generally determined by their rank in the Clan.The Clan cats have a faith system based on the concept of StarClan, a group of the spirits of the Clans' deceased ancestors, who occasionally provide guidance to the living Clan cats. After death, the spirits of most Clan cats join StarClan and reside in a paradisaical forest similar to Heaven. StarClan often provides guidance to the Clans through dreams and other signs like omens. In addition to StarClan, there exists the Dark Forest, also known as The Place of No Stars, which takes the form of a never-ending forest, similar to Hell. The spirits of cats who caused great pain and suffering to others while alive reside there as a form of punishment.
Cats who live outside of the Clans are categorized into three groups: housecats, who are called "kittypets" by Clan cats and are looked down upon for their cozy and lazy lifestyle; loners, stray cats that choose to live on their own peacefully; and rogues, who may live alone or in groups, and may intend to cause harm to the Clans.
Series plot summaries
''Warriors: The Prophecies Begin'' (2003–2004)
The original Warriors series consists of six books: Into the Wild, Fire and Ice, Forest of Secrets, Rising Storm, A Dangerous Path, and The Darkest Hour. The series was subtitled The Prophecies Begin for the 2015 reprint. The series' protagonist is a former housecat named Fireheart, who is invited to join ThunderClan, one of four groups of wild cats in the forest. Throughout the series, he rises through the Clan hierarchy while trying to stop the treachery of ThunderClan deputy Tigerstar, who initially intends to usurp ThunderClan's leadership and later plans to take over all the Clans. Fireheart eventually becomes the leader of ThunderClan and takes on the name Firestar.''Warriors: The New Prophecy'' (2005–2006)
Warriors: The New Prophecy is the second sub-series, consisting of six books: Midnight, Moonrise, Dawn, Starlight, Twilight, and Sunset. In this series, the Clans' survival is put at risk as humans begin to destroy their forest home with machinery. The series revolves around a group of cats consisting of Tawnypelt, Crowfeather, Feathertail, Brambleclaw, Stormfur, and Squirrelflight, who embark on a quest to find a new home for the Clans after their forest is destroyed. The series also details the rest of the Clans' subsequent journey to find their new territories, and the struggles they face in establishing themselves again.''Warriors: Power of Three'' (2007–2009)
Warriors: Power of Three is the third sub-series, consisting of six books: The Sight, Dark River, Outcast, Eclipse, Long Shadows, and Sunrise. The series revolves around the search for three cats who are prophesized to have untold powers. A litter of three kittens is born. Two of them, Lionblaze and Jayfeather, possess supernatural abilities; their sister, Hollyleaf, does not.''Warriors: Omen of the Stars'' (2009–2012)
Warriors: Omen of the Stars is the fourth sub-series, consisting of six books: The Fourth Apprentice, Fading Echoes, Night Whispers, Sign of the Moon, The Forgotten Warrior, and The Last Hope. Omen of the Stars continues the plot of Warriors: Power of Three; the third cat in the prophecy is revealed to be Dovewing. The trio learn throughout the course of the series that the cats of the Dark Forest, led by Tigerstar, are preparing an attack on the living Clans, and recruiting living cats to their cause by training them for battle in their dreams. The series culminates in a battle involving all the Clans, as well as StarClan and the Dark Forest. Firestar defeats Tigerstar's spirit, ending the battle in the Clans' favor, but dies in the process.''Warriors: Dawn of the Clans'' (2013–2015)
Warriors: Dawn of the Clans is the fifth sub-series, consisting of six books: The Sun Trail, Thunder Rising, The First Battle, The Blazing Star, A Forest Divided, and Path of Stars. Dawn of the Clans is a prequel arc set before the events of Into the Wild. It revolves around cats from a tribe in the mountains leaving in search of a better home, ultimately forming the Clans and discovering the forest which became the Clan territories until The New Prophecy.''Warriors: A Vision of Shadows'' (2016–2018)
Warriors: A Vision of Shadows is the sixth sub-series, consisting of six books: The Apprentice's Quest, Thunder and Shadow, Shattered Sky, Darkest Night, River of Fire, and The Raging Storm. The series centers around Alderheart, Violetshine, and Twigbranch, as they try to help SkyClan, the lost fifth Clan, settle in a territory around the lake. Additionally, they face constant attacks from a group of rogue cats led by Darktail, who almost succeeds in disbanding ShadowClan.''Warriors: The Broken Code'' (2019–2021)
Warriors: The Broken Code is the seventh sub-series, consisting of six books: Lost Stars, The Silent Thaw, Veil of Shadows, Darkness Within, The Place of No Stars, and A Light in the Mist. Ashfur, a StarClan cat, severs the connection between StarClan and the living Clans, and possesses ThunderClan's leader Bramblestar. The protagonists Bristlefrost, Shadowsight, and Rootspring, must defeat him, restore the connection with StarClan, save Bramblestar's spirit, and change their Clans' laws to prevent more tragedy from occurring in the future.''Warriors: A Starless Clan'' (2022–2024)
Warriors: A Starless Clan is the eighth sub-series, consisting of six books: River, Sky, Shadow, Thunder, Wind, and Star. It revolves around Nightheart, Sunbeam, and Frostdawn, cats from different Clans. RiverClan's leader and deputy die, and StarClan does not show them who is to be the next leader. Additionally, there is growing unrest among the cats of the Clans regarding the changes made to the warrior code in The Broken Code.''Warriors: Changing Skies'' (2025–)
Warriors: Changing Skies is the ninth sub-series, consisting of The Elders' Quest, Hidden Moon, Chasing Shadows, Guiding Light, and two unnamed installments. It revolves around Leafstar, the leader of SkyClan, Starlingpaw, a SkyClan apprentice, Tawnypelt, a senior ShadowClan warrior, and Moonpaw, a ThunderClan apprentice. In this series, the Clans struggle with Twolegs encroaching on their territory.Standalones
Super Editions
Super Editions are stand-alone books in the Warriors series. The first Super Edition was Firestar's Quest, detailing Firestar's journey to rebuild SkyClan, the long-lost fifth Clan of the forest. There have been 18 Super Editions published thus far, with the most recent, StormClan's Folly, having been released in August 2025. All Super Editions between Bluestar's Prophecy and Onestar's Confession contain an exclusive original English-language manga chapter at the end.- Firestar's Quest
- Bluestar's Prophecy
- SkyClan's Destiny
- Crookedstar's Promise
- Yellowfang's Secret
- Tallstar's Revenge
- Bramblestar's Storm
- Moth Flight's Vision
- Hawkwing's Journey
- Tigerheart's Shadow
- Crowfeather's Trial
- Squirrelflight's Hope
- Graystripe's Vow
- Leopardstar's Honor
- Onestar's Confession
- Riverstar's Home
- Ivypool's Heart
- StormClan's Folly
- Darktail's Judgment
- TBA
Field guides
- Secrets of the Clans
- Cats of the Clans
- Code of the Clans
- Battles of the Clans
- Enter the Clans
- The Warriors Guide
- Warriors: The Ultimate Guide
- ''The Ultimate Guide: Updated and Expanded''
Original English-language manga
- Graystripe's Adventure
- # The Lost Warrior
- # Warrior's Refuge
- # Warrior's Return
- The Rise of Scourge
- Tigerstar and Sasha
- # Into the Woods
- # Escape from the Forest
- # Return to the Clans
- Ravenpaw's Path
- # Shattered Peace
- # A Clan in Need
- # The Heart of a Warrior
- SkyClan and the Stranger
- # The Rescue
- # Beyond the Code
- # After the Flood
- A Shadow in RiverClan
- Winds of Change
- Exile From ShadowClan
- ''A Thief in ThunderClan''
Graphic novels
- The Prophecies Begin
- * Volume 1
- * Volume 2
- * Volume 3
- The New Prophecy
- * ''Volume 1''
Novellas
- The Untold Stories
- * "Hollyleaf's Story"
- * "Mistystar's Omen"
- * "Cloudstar's Journey"
- Tales from the Clans
- * "Tigerclaw's Fury"
- * "Leafpool's Wish"
- * "Dovewing's Silence"
- Shadows of the Clans
- * "Mapleshade's Vengeance"
- * "Goosefeather's Curse"
- * "Ravenpaw's Farewell"
- Legends of the Clans
- * "Spottedleaf's Heart"
- * "Pinestar's Choice"
- * "Thunderstar's Echo"
- Path of a Warrior
- * "Redtail's Debt"
- * "Tawnypelt's Clan"
- * "Shadowstar's Life"
- A Warrior's Spirit
- * "Pebbleshine's Kits"
- * "Tree's Roots"
- * "Mothwing's Secret"
- A Warrior's Choice
- * "Daisy's Kin"
- * "Spotfur's Rebellion"
- * "Blackfoot's Reckoning"
Reception
Critical reception
The first book of the series, Into the Wild, was generally well-received, with Booklist calling it "spine-tingling", Sally Estes of the American Library Association calling it "thoroughly engrossing", and Publishers Weekly calling it an "exciting... action-packed adventure". Mary Alpert of School Library Journal praised the authors for "creating an intriguing world... and an engaging young hero". However, another reviewer criticized the characters and imagined world as being "neither... consistent nor compelling". Cindy Welch, writing for Booklist, stated about Rising Storm that "Hunter once again tells a good, suspenseful adventure story" and "teens may find their own journey toward adulthood echoed in the protagonist's struggles and self-doubts".The manga has also earned praise: a reviewer for Children's Bookwatch noted that Into the Woods "ends on a tense cliffhanger, leaving the reader in anxious anticipation for more... Into the Woods... is especially recommended for cat lovers everywhere." Its sequel, Escape from the Forest, was also well reviewed: a reviewer for Publishers Weekly believed that girls would benefit from reading about Sasha leaving the powerful Tigerstar due to his "growing violence". The art was also praised, with the reviewer writing that "Hudson's artwork brings Sasha's emotional journey to life, showing each moment of fear, anxiety, contentment, and joy. The cat's-eye perspective of many of the panels, in addition, add a dramatic, energizing element to the book." The reviewer also wrote that "a twist at the end will leave fans eager for the next installment of Sasha's saga", and that the book would appeal to young adults trying to find their place in the world. Lisa Goldstein writing for School Library Journal also gave the book a positive review, writing that the plot would attract new fans and appeal to old fans. Goldstein also wrote that "though the cover claims that this is a 'manga,' the straightforward illustrations are drawn in a simple, realistic style."
The large number of characters involved in the series has often been seen as a negative point; though one reviewer compared the "huge cast" to that of a Greek drama, others wrote that it was "hard to follow" and "a little confusing". The characters have also been criticized as being "somewhat flat" and "limited essentially to each individual's function within the Clan".
Booklist stated that the cats in the series are "true to their feline nature"; Kirkus Reviews commented that the books will "leave readers eyeing Puss a bit nervously", and wondering "what dreams of grandeur may haunt the family cat". However, this realism also means that the series contains a relatively large amount of violence, with Sharon Rawlings writing for School Library Journal stating that it is "not for the faint of heart". Several critics have compared Warriors to Brian Jacques' Redwall series, though Alpert commented that it was "not as elegantly written". The New York Times called the series a "hit with young readers", specifically because of its "sprawling universe", and the series appeared on the New York Times Best Seller list for a total of 117 weeks, as of 24 November 2013.
The graphic novel adaptations of The Prophecies Begin have received both praise and criticism from Kirkus Reviews. A review of Volume 1 wrote that the "vivid colors, dramatic action sequences, and appealingly expressive feline faces will grab readers' attention". A review of Volume 2 criticised the difficulty of visually recognising characters, "particularly since the illustrators admit to adding a few extras". A review of Volume ''3'' noted that "the visual format suits the violent, dramatic storyline".
Awards and recognitions
Into the Wild was nominated for the Pacific Northwest Library Association's 2006 Young Reader's Choice Awards, but lost to Christopher Paolini's Eragon. It was also listed on Booklists Top 10 fantasy books for youth in 2003 and was a Book Sense 76 Pick. The Sight was nominated for the best Middle Readers book in Amazon's Best Books of the Year and placed sixth out of the ten nominees, with six percent of the total votes. It was also nominated for the Children's Choice Book Awards. In 2006, Warriors also received an honourable mention for the best book series for Publishers WeeklyCultural impact
Abby Hargreaves of Book Riot wrote that Warriors could be "the Redwall of the next generation" and is also comparable to The Chronicles of Narnia. One of the authors behind Erin Hunter, Tui T. Sutherland, went on to write Wings of Fire, a similar book series about dragons. Warriors has a notably large fanbase on the social media platform YouTube, with fans posting animations based on the series as early as 2007. In a 2010 interview, Holmes stated that there is "a lot of role playing" online, and readers "create their own characters that interact with each other online in role-playing games". The 2017 video game Cattails "takes some inspiration" from a fan-made Warriors game, according to lead developer Tyler Thompson.Themes
Holmes has said that one of the good things about writing a book about cats is that "we can tackle difficult human issues such as death, racial intolerance, and religious intolerance ". When Holmes wrote the storyline, she included themes such as "death, religion, politics, betrayal, doomed romance, prejudice".A reviewer for Publishers Weekly noted that friendship and responsibility are taught to characters in the novels, while another reviewer pointed out the idea that, just as Clan cats shun house cats for their soft life, people should realize that it is necessary to experience hardship in life. A Storysnoops reviewer noted that a theme enforced in Warriors is that "it doesn't matter where you come from, only who you are inside". Charlotte Ahlin writing for Bustle stated that Warriors are "wildly complex novels filled with political intrigue, religious warfare, forbidden love, and violent cat death", also calling it a "multi-layer epic". Resilience is a theme often presented in the novels, as the Clans help each other when necessary, such as in Dawn. Other themes include "caring and community".
Publication history
All of the Warriors books except for the manga have been published as hardcovers, and the majority of them have also been published as paperbacks, audiobooks, and e-books. The ''New ProphecyForeign editions
The Warriors series was first published in the United States and United Kingdom. The editions published of the first two series—The Prophecies Begin and The New Prophecy—in the United Kingdom had slight variations in cover design from their United States counterparts. Warriors is also sold in New Zealand, Australia, and Canada. Translations into other languages such as Czech, Norwegian, Lithuanian, Finnish, Japanese, French, Spanish, Russian, Chinese, and Korean have also been published. The first six books have been published in Italy and Latin America, and the first five series in Germany and the Netherlands. Fans also exist in Trinidad and Singapore. Several series have been published in Poland as well.Other media
Website
The Warriors website previously featured Warriors screensavers, videos on topics such as the process of writing a manga book, and quizzes. In addition, there were browser-based games including the New Prophecy Adventure and the Warriors Adventure Game. An additional game for the website was planned for release in 2010 but was never released despite a report of having completed first-round testing. It has been stated that there is no plan for an official video game, but if one were to be made, it would likely be based on a movie adaptation of the Warriors series. Many fans have resorted to making their own games and websites, many of these sites being play-by-post role-playing game forums. The website was later redesigned and is now accessible via both browsers and an official mobile application. Much of the old content was not carried over to the new version of the website, though two new games, several character profiles, and an updated version of the family tree have been added.Film
On 20 October 2016, Victoria Holmes announced that Alibaba Pictures had bought the production rights for a film adaptation with David Heyman as producer, and a movie poster was released. On 14 May 2018, it was announced that STX Entertainment had come on board to co-produce the Warriors film, with STX board member Gigi Pritzker working alongside Heyman. It was also announced that screenwriters Jonathan Aibel and Glenn Berger would write the screenplay for the movie.On 25 January 2024, it was announced that Coolabi Group, which Working Partners is a part of, had signed a deal with Tencent Video to create an "animation" of Warriors.
Short stories
The first short story published is "Spottedleaf's Honest Answer". On 20 January 2009, another short story, "The Clans Decide", was released on the Warriors Ultimate Leader Election site, starring Firestar, who won an election through an online fan vote conducted in recognition of US President Obama's Inauguration Day. Two short stories, "After Sunset: The Right Choice?" and "The Elders' Concern", were previously available through the defunct Warriors mobile application. In 2009, an educator's guide was released.Plays
Written by Victoria Holmes for a tour, a play titled After Sunset: We Need to Talk was first premiered on 28 April 2007 at the Secret Garden bookstore in Seattle, Washington. It details a meeting between Leafpool of ThunderClan and Crowfeather of WindClan after the events of Sunset. The script was released to the public on the old official site for the Warriors series.During a fundraising event in Russellville, Arkansas, Brightspirit's Mercy was performed by various high school drama students. The second of two plays by Erin Hunter, Brightspirit's Mercy is about Jaypaw, Lionblaze, and Hollyleaf. In the play, the characters go to a Gathering where it is obvious all of the Clans except for ThunderClan are starving. Three cats from StarClan appear to them: Brightspirit and her parents, Shiningheart and Braveheart, who were created in memory of a 10-year-old Warriors fan, Emmy Grace Cherry, and her parents, Dana and Jimmy, all three of whom were killed in a tornado in February 2007. They tell the three young cats that they must help feed the other Clans.