Warriors: SkyClan and the Stranger #3: After the Flood: A Manga About Danger, Unity, and the Warrior Code for Children

Warriors Manga: SkyClan & the Stranger #3

by Erin Hunter, James L. Barry (Illustrator), John Hunt (Illustrator)

Leafstar is struggling to keep SkyClan united in the wake of the flood that destroyed their camp, but her Clanmates are scared of what might happen next. Meanwhile, Sol continues to demand that Leafstar make him a warrior, but Leafstar isn't sure that Sol will ever be ready to embrace the warrior code. As SkyClan faces another devastating challenge, Leafstar must figure out what is best for her Clan—once and for all.

Genres: Manga, Graphic Novels, Fantasy, Animals, Comics, Cats, Middle Grade

112 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 12, 2011

About the author

Erin Hunter is the pseudonym of five people: Kate Cary, Cherith Baldry, Tui T. Sutherland, Gillian Philip, and Inbali Iserles, as well as editor Victoria Holmes. Together, they write the Warriors series as well as the Seekers and Survivors series. Erin Hunter is working on a new series now called Bravelands.

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 astronomy and standing stones.

Reviews

[jamie-ashton fabian · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book and it was a good end to this story, but I do have a few issues with it. I do feel this was a great introduction to Sol as it makes clearer his issues in the main arcs and gives him more depth. His story was honestly quite tragic and this manga made me feel more bad for him than I ever would’ve expected to. Not too much happens in this trilogy, but I did really like it and the extra Skyclan content and lore. However, my biggest issue is that so many cats were completely left out of it. Where was Macgyver, who I might’ve spotted in the background of one scene, Frecklewish, who was only in one scene in the beginning and never used as a medicine cat even though she’s clearly been given her full name and should be as much use as Echosong, Sagepaw, who must be Sage-something else by now as Mintfur is a warrior, and worst of all, WHERE WAS EGG?? Some very important characters didn’t appear in this entire trilogy and that made me really sad honestly. Beyond that, it was a good story and I wish there was more lore on Skyclan from this time period.

[Kirsti · Rating 4 out of 5]

The conclusion to this three part series, but not the end of the story! I enjoyed very much reading about Sol and his influence on Leafstar. All of the problems come to a head in this one and need resolving. Sol is an interesting character; on one hand you understand where he is coming from with his past, but on the other you can't resist the Warrior code and be in the Clan. I mean, it's called Warriors for a reason!

A cute, quick read. Definitely for fans of Erin Hunter/Warriors. Four stars.

[Frank N'Stein · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was okay, but left a lot to be desired. The Warriors Manga are always so short that it feels like the story just goes so fast. Some conflicts weren't fully resolved or in a satisfactory way, for example a bunch of cats say they want to leave, then there is a battle and they suddenly decide to stay, which given that they originally wanted to leave due to the danger of nature and battles, makes no sense at all. Also the rogue attack was completely random, and the rogues seemed dedicated to battling skyclan but with no motivation. They didn't seem to want to kill them, or get revenge, or even drive them out. They just called them weak, attacked them, and got beat up, then left. I would have liked more build up to the attack.

[Emma · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m glad that Billystorm stays with Skyclan, it makes the decision to move easier for him as a daylight warrior. If Skyclan ever did move their territory by the lake to the stretch behind Thunderclan, they could probably start having daylight warriors again. It really gives them a distinguished view as a warrior or a daylight warrior and makes it easier to remember the characters. I would still really like to see more on Sol and his encounter with midnight, and how he just happened to find the clans, and find them a good while before Skyclan did. Great little manga series, I really love Leafstar and it’s nice to have more to read about her.

[Heddeile · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tenk at Sol kunne gjøre noe sånt...men jeg forstår ham jo litt. Jeg sa litt ikke veldig😶😶😶

[Robbie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Modern SkyClan is so much better than the SkyClan we got in the prequels. And with this book read, I have officially read 100 books this year!

[Danielle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read December 31, 2022.

I did it! With this done, I've officially completed my reading challenge for 2022. And not a moment too soon! 😅

It's been a while since I read the first two instalments of this particular arc, so I had to flip through them a bit to refresh myself. Overall, it was nice getting to see our favourite SkyClan kitties again (I am, in fact, a Leafstar stan and think it's so cute that she and Firestar basically named their kids after each other) but I was left a little bit wanting by this volume.

This felt a bit like a rehash of the events of the previous two books, with Leafstar struggling in her role as leader vs as a mate and a mom, the gorge not being safe, and then we've got Sol being Very Suspicious. It wasn't really anything new, so I was a little let down.

It did, however, set the stage for some things I know come later in the series, so I'm very curious to see those play out. I think ultimately this little three-book arc fits well into the narrative of the series as a whole but on its own it's a little weak. Perhaps one day, when I'm finally done with my publishing order reread, I'll do a chronological reread and see if it makes a difference!

Anywhozles, I think that's all the reading I'm going to get done this year considered there's *glances at clock* an hour and a half left until 2023. Time flies! Hopefully next year will be another good one for reading and maybe I'll even finish my Warriors reread! Yeah, right 😂 Until then~

[Amory · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sol just isn't interesting enough for me to like this more, but I loved seeing Leafstar and Echosong get to hunt together.

[Gabrielle L · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5/5 stars

[Dolly · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the last book in the Skyclan and the Stranger series of manga/graphic novels, which details the experiences of Skyclan when they meet a kittypet who ends up becoming the rogue Sol.

This is an entertaining story and gives the reader more background about Leafstar's experiences as both a mother and a clan leader. As a working mother, I can empathize with her torn loyalties and angst about trying to be great at both.

The plot of the series shows how the clan matures and comes together when tragedy strikes. It also continues exploring the clan's struggles to maintain unity with daylight warriors (half warrior, half kittypet) as part of the clan.

It's a fast read and the illustrations are very good. Our youngest really enjoyed reading this book and we are a bit sad that we've read the last of the Warriors Manga graphic novels. We hope that more of these stories are published soon.

[Kendall · Rating 5 out of 5]

I like this book because it has an unexpected ending. Leafstar, leader of SkyClan, and her clanmates are rebuilding after the flood that raged through the camp. The new member, Sol, has become more impatient than ever to become a warrior. Leafstar's mate Billystorm told her kits he would take them to his Twoleg nest. One day the kits go missing, some of the warriors suspect that Billystorm took the kits, the warriors lead a patrol to search nest but the kits are not there. Shrewtooth, a warrior, follows Sol and discover that Sol has the kits, and Sol is drivenout of SkyClan.

[Kayla · Rating 5 out of 5]

As always, I enjoyed reading this manga. The mangas give you a better perspective/understanding of the cats that aren't main characters in the series. It's informative to know why Sol turned into an evil cat and cursed the Clans.

[Stephanie Allen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great closure for SkyClan! I'm glad we finally know what their individual decisions are. I'm also glad to know why Sol has such a grudge against StarClan and clans in general. It makes a lot of sense for the future books.

[Holly Letson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sol was an interesting cat to read about. But, what he ended up doing in this volume was unforgiveable. If he truly wanted to become a warrior, there was no reason for him to take the kittens. I fully respect Leafstar's decision in what she told him.

[Kurami Rocket · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good end to this manga.

Kits are always such trouble lol.

Here we finally see why Sol was at last banished from Skyclan. Even Starclan was like nope to him. He truly is just trouble indeed. He wanted so desperately to be a warrior and maybe with time he could have gotten some level of skill despite his lack of natural talent, but Sol's problem was that he was too impatient. He wanted to be a Warrior *now* and not wait a second longer. It made him bitter, resentful and resort to underhanded tactics to impress Leafstar. Not to mention, he tried to be innovative and look for alternative solutions to make things easier which isn't bad in itself, but I guess, his lack of knowledge was more cumbersome than not. Plus, he also wasn't the best at listening.

Anyways, this brings me to another problem I keep having with Skyclan - specifically its deputy. Sharpclaw is a strong and loyal cat, yes, but he always charges off and makes decisions without consulting Leafstar first. I think he just wants to let her rest from being exhausted from being leader and looking after 3 kits and just taking some of that stress and responsibility off from her, but again that's his major problem. He leads patrols into doing things without telling Leafstar first. He acts like he's leader. Imo, he needs to stop doing that and tell her things first. He's deputy not leader yet.

Also, Leafstar seriously need to do something about those confident issues she has. I know she has many doubts and fears of being both a mother and a leader and just keeping all these cats and Skyclan together as a whole and safe, but girl needs to get herself together. In this volume, her insecurities weren't as annoying, I felt, but she definitely needs to be more tough and unyielding when it comes to leading her clan and being strong. She's trying her best, sure, but I feel she lacks a certain air of authority to be a strong leader.

All in all, despite some of my gripes, as I said a good end to this manga. It was an entertaining read and what I have to expect from the Warriors series.

[Felix Choir · Rating 4 out of 5]

After the Flood is a decent ending to the Skyclan & the Stranger series, but I felt certain plot points could've done with been further explored, had the book been longer.

For being named as it is, you'd expect Sol to be the centrepiece of this trilogy, but these books are largely about Leafstar's days, not Sol's. At times, his inclusion felt more like an afterthought than a core part of the narrative. He is a lazy sack of bones for the most part, and until the final of the pages of the book, does nothing malicious other than whine like a snotty child every chance he has. He lacks every scrap of cunning and intelligence present in the main books and comes across more as a whiny brat rather than a scheming manipulator, which I suppose is ok considering this is a prequel - maybe he developed those traits later?

That being said, these books are very enjoyable to read, and Leafstar is an interesting character. If there was any cat these volumes had to be about other than Sol, I'm glad it was Leafstar. Billystorm (Leafstar's useless husband) should've gotten a scratch or two from that patrol, though. He sucked.🙏

[Ellen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I believe it was at the beginning of this book that the author included a note speaking about how the themes covered in these books are very serious and people in the real world face them every day. She mentions how floods on the scale that SkyClan experiences are happening in developing countries and that real suffering is a result. I appreciated this note, and felt that it made the series even more meaningful, as we watch the cats navigate real-world challenges of rebuilding their lives, dealing with disloyalty, and processing horrific family challenges, such as kidnapping and separation.

Altogether, it was an interesting conclusion, and as I am not very familiar with Sol, I am interested in rereading the rest of the Warriors series to see how and where he comes into play. It should be an interesting element. Overall, Leafstar proved to be the winner, a strong leader, and a good mother. I gained a lot of respect for her throughout these books.

[Emma Lane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Art: 10/10. This style suits me perfectly. The non cat animals sometimes seem a bit off, but we are here for the cats. What a perfect, perfect art style. We will forever forget the Sasha series Tigerstar!
Sol: Why is he so whiny? But so dangerous? What a loose cannon. Why is he so bad, seemingly without reason? What does it say that they made his mom a needy, whiny single mother? I believe Sol just misjudged her attitude. But what cute kittens!!
Leafstar: one day this series will figure out if you can have responsibility and motherhood. I am glad they show you can do both. The men could do more, but let's be honest, they're cats. It's not like he can wash formula bottles. But they don't always make the men the competent entertainers/babysitters compared to the other female cats, and there's no real reason why that should be the case.
Billystorm: the weirdest hard-rock-man-gone-father name.

[Taylor R · Rating 5 out of 5]

In the third, and the last book of the SkyClan and a Strangers manga series Leafstar attempting to keep her clan together and bonded after a massive flood destroyed their gorge camp that the Skyclan cats call home. But, all of Skyclan feels like some new danger will arise next. A cat named Sol, the newly joined member of Skyclan wants to become a warrior, and even begs Leafstar for the position. To get it, he will do anything. One day, LeafStars kits go missing, and someone in the Clan is responsible. In a huge turn of events, they find the real culprit of the kidnapping and banish them form Skyclan forever.

This is a fantastic book that is full of betrayal, teamwork, and mystery. I recommend this to all animal lovers in if anyone ends up reading this I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

[Stacey Adams · Rating 4 out of 5]

After the Flood Skyclan ats are questioning their survival if they stay with Leafstar and Skyclan. Should they keep their home where it is or could there be another flood? Food is really scarce. Billystorm and Leafstar are fighting because Billystorm thinks the kits should live with him for a while, they aren't safe in Skyclan. That makes Leafstar extremely mad and she banishes him from the clan. When her kits go missing she wonders if Billystorm has taken them. The clan looks for the kits for days and days. What they find out is one cat has been thinking only of himself and not of the clan at all.

[ʟ ᴇ ᴀ ʜ ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ · Rating 4 out of 5]

This Warriors Manga was okay. I mean, I guess it's as good as it's ever going to get. I don't really like the art.

Anyway, the story itself was good. Honestly, this would have been better as a full book. It's (partially) about Sol and before he encountered the four clans.

It deserves four stars though. Not my absolute favorite, but I definitely still liked it even though it was so short.

[Historyprincess · Rating 5 out of 5]

Premise: Ever since a summer flood devastated SkyClan's camp in the gorge, Leafstar has been overseeing its reconstruction. And it's already proving harder than she thought. Morale among her cats has weakened to the point where they're wondering if they should leave the gorge altogether. More than that, Leafstar has her kits to look after – and a potential warrior to train in Sol. The former kittypet has never been popular among his new Clanmates, but it's ultimately up to his leader to decide whether her student can be trusted…or not.

Story/Writing: Another graphic novel trilogy finished! When I first returned to this series a few months ago, I was really looking forward to reading this trilogy, because I knew it was Sol's origin story. Now that I've finished the whole thing, while it's always a bittersweet thing to finish a trilogy or an arc in this series, at the same time it was such a joy to read! I've always liked coming back to the new SkyClan every now and then, since they're unique among the Clans, not just in their location but in how they do things as a Clan with what they're given. The author's note at the beginning also helped me to really put this particular story in perspective. In the real world, rebuilding after disasters such as these can seem overwhelming. In SkyClan's case, it's particularly challenging because the cats – very few of whom were raised in a Clan – need a powerful reason to stay in the gorge and continue. And they ultimately find it in each other, and it's great! Few things in this world – if any – are more powerfully motivating than family and community. When you have friends and family whom you love, you'll go through just about anything with them, and I was so proud when the SkyClan cats came together and made that realization! Not to mention it also provides a great contrast to Sol's character and how different his mindset is. More on that in a moment.

Artwork: As always, the fantastic artwork is a huge part of what makes these graphic novels great! And having it in color just makes it even better! From the first page, the artwork and the choice of color really made me feel the devastation of the flood in the gorge. The use of ugly browns and grays really added to the nastiness of the whole situation. This might be a bit embarrassing to admit, but to be honest, I wasn't really expecting the flood to be this big of an issue, since it was kind of a short part at the end of "Beyond the Code." Now I realize how wrong I was. You can tell these cats have a TON of work to do. It's hard enough for human beings to help rebuild after things like this happen, but to see cats doing it is even more heartbreaking. It's made all the better though when the bright and happy colors come back in the end once they come together again!

Leafstar – I've always had serious respect for Leafstar as a leader, particularly as the first leader of a new SkyClan. With each entry in which she features, my admiration for her grows, and this was no exception! What makes Leafstar particularly good here is that she's a mate and a mother. She's always done a great job leading SkyClan, especially here, given that her cats were on the verge of despair. But personal issues are always harder to deal with. I got so sad when she and Billystorm started arguing. I knew they both loved and cared for their kits, but to see them butt heads like that was pretty tough to read. That said, it was great to see them get back together again and sort things out, even if it did take the disappearance of their kits. That being said, it was also their kits' disappearance that forced Leafstar to see Sol for who he really is. And it was great! She really lays it on him and I was enjoying every bit of it!

Various Other Characters – Speaking of whom, shame on you Sol! You should know better than to mess with a mother and her kits! If anything good came out of it though, it allowed for Sol to reveal his true colors (no pun intended), which are petty, self-pitying, and self-centered. He was willing to stoop this low simply because he wanted to be a warrior so bad. Well, we can't always have everything we want buddy! And I'm glad both Leafstar and Billystorm told you off and banished you! Again, speaking of whom, just as my admiration for Leafstar grows with every title she's in, so it is with Billystorm. He consistently proves why he's the perfect mate for her and the perfect father for their kits! He's always optimistic and supportive, but he's also willing to voice his opinion to Leafstar, even when she might not like it. That, and fathers can be just as fierce as mothers when it comes to their children being threatened, and Billystorm is no exception here, and I love it! Speaking of which, Sharpclaw, did you have to lead a potential raid on Billystorm's Twolegplace home without Leafstar's permission? I know you care about the kits and want to find them too, but that's just stupid.

Overall: A simply fantastic finishing title for the "SkyClan and the Stranger" graphic novel trilogy. I'm sad to see it end, but I guess that's a good thing because the trilogy was so good all the way through! Check it out! Doesn't matter if you're a fan of "Warriors" or just someone who likes graphic novels. Though, to be fair, it is a bit more rewarding if you're the former. But either way, you'll love it!

[Hannah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ah, the power of unity and the warrior code. It’s enough to make a heart melt. It certainly melted mine. The argument between Leafstar and Billystorm crushed me. I knew Sol was a rat. Ending scene was super awesome. Really liked the characters and the plot. Epic!

[Hannah Simpson · Rating 4 out of 5]

The finale of SkyClan's saga, and it finally seems like tthe worst of SkyClan's problems are over. But of course, Sol causes more problems for them. Will SkyClan finally know peace? Read and find out!

[TreeSpright · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm still not sure if sol was lying about his past, but in the end he betrayed skyclan and was banished. I don't quite understand why he thought taking the kits and "finding" them would make Leafstar make him a warrior. Even if she didn't find out about him taking them.

[Sky · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the most I've liked Leafstar yet and I have to say it does explain some things. Still no excuse if you ask me but atleast things later seem less weird and random now. Also they caught their mistake and Clovertail is back to looking like she should.

[Libby Bork · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very good ending to this trilogy, but also for the SkyClan saga in general. At least, until A Vision of Shadows. Sol’s bitterness towards Clans and warriors is obvious, and I’m excited to see him show up again later.

[Rainflight · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty good!

[ZiYue · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was happy, but there were one betrayal and that was Sol. Leafstar's kit went missing because Sol stoled them.

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing