PathFinder

TodHunter Moon #1

by Angie Sage

Tod has grown up a PathFinder, one of an ancient seafaring tribe. Her mother, who died when Tod was young, had a very different history. She was from a mysterious magykal desert-dwelling family. When Tod's father disappears she is not only alone, but soon finds herself swept into the path of an evil sorcerer. Now Tod must choose which of her pasts will help her to survive: PathFinder or Magician. Magyk will allow her to fight like with like, but her PathFinder heritage gives Tod something special – the edge.

Angie Sage's new book combines breathtaking action with fabulous plotting. The characters are instantly engaging, the tension is relentless and Angie's superlative storytelling weaves the threads seamlessly together for an utterly satisfying read.

Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult, Middle Grade, Magic, Fiction, Adventure, Childrens

340 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 2014

About the author

Angie Sage (born 1952) is the author of the Septimus Heap series which includes Magyk, Flyte, Physik, Queste, Syren, Darke and Fyre. She also wrote the Todhunter Moon series, and the Magykal Papers, an additional book with extra information about Septimus' world. She is also the illustrator and/or writer of many children's books, and is the new writer of the Araminta Spookie series.

Angie Sage grew up in Thames Valley, London and Kent. Her father was a publisher. He would bring home blank books that she could fill with pictures and stories. Sage first studied medicine, but changed her mind and went to Art School in Leicester. There she studied Graphic Design and Illustration. She began illustrating books after college. Then she progressed to writing children stories, including toddler books and chapter books. Her first novel was Septimus Heap: Magyk. Angie Sage is married and has two daughters, Laurie and Lois.

Reviews

[Nancy]

WHY DID I NOT KNOW THAT THIS WAS GOING TO BE A THING? IT'S GOING TO BE A THING. OH MY GOD. I NEED IT. I NEED IT LIKE I NEED AIR.

[Dana Salman · Rating 3 out of 5]

2016:

Well, finally did it. It's been 2 years since its actual publication but I finally went ahead and bought the book (after having to accept that no edition without those really annoying unevenly shredded page edges was going to come out and no way was I passing up this gorgeous cover) and finally read it. I told myself I'd refresh my memory and reread Fyre before starting on Sage's new sequel trilogy to one of my favorite series, but I'm in such desperate need for new books to read every year now that I didn't feel like spending the extra time on one I'd already read.

I'm going to admit now, I was pretty worried - worried that the Septimus Heap charm would no longer work on me and that any attachment I still have to the series was purely due to nostalgia (it's been awhile since my last reread of any of the previous books). Also, my anticipation for starting PathFinder was somewhat lessened after flipping through its pages every time I saw a copy in a bookstore and frequently running across familiar names from the original series; Marcia, Septimus, Nicko, Jenna, Snorri - practically everyone is here, at least mentioned in passing if not actually present. I know I was excited about the original cast being in this book when it was first announced, but I was really looking forward to a story completely separate from the Castle and its inhabitants, would in fact have been completely content with small cameos in a single scene.

And at first it was actually going really well; we're introduced to Tod and her friend Oskar, both of whom live in a village by the sea far away from the Castle, and we get a nice setup of Tod and Oskar wanting to rescue Oskar's sister Ferdie. We've got an interesting new location, new protagonists, new villains. And it kept being good in typical Angie Sage fashion, with crazy antics ensuing and escapes and animals and monsters.
But then somewhere along the line (in fact when the setting returned to the Castle) the story screeched to a halt and seemed to switch over the reins to the characters from the original series. Tod started to feel more like a guest in her own story, and even halfway through the book I still felt like I hardly really knew her.

Then I just sort of got caught up in it again, like it was just another Sep Heap book... but Todd's presence kept nagging at the back of my mind. (Particularly since Septimus asked her to be his apprentice at the end, because I don't think she ever displayed any real prowess at magyk, aside from her Pathfinder powers, to make Sep think she'd be great apprentice material.) It wasn't all bad though, because heck, I really love the original Sep Heap characters, and missed them. It was cool seeing grown-up versions of Septimus and Jenna, both of whom are laden with their own responsibilities. I found it kind of funny that their overall personalities haven't changed too much, even if they have to act authoritative most of the time. I also loved being able to see Simon and Lucy again. As far as plot goes, again, for Angie Sage, it was pretty typical of her; but I mean that in the best way. I only stop at giving this four stars because I felt like the ending was a bit lame, but I don't really expect grand and epic things from Sage to be honest - I expect characters in lively costumes and contrary attitudes, charming animal companions and creatures, mystical, exotic places and bustling, friendly locations, and of course, magyk charms and spells. And all is definitely present here.

******

2013:

Aaaaaahhhh!! The cover! When did that happen?? Never mind, it's here, and it's awesome, and it looks just so Septimus Heap!

Wait, what, never mind the cover, we have a plot synopsis! OH MY GOSH SEPTIMUS IS GOING TO BE IN IT YES!!!!

*****

Ohmigosh, a trilogy set in the world of Septimus Heap, seven years after Fyre?!? I'm dreaming!

I don't even care if it's not going to be about Septimus, Jenna, and all the rest of the Septimus Heap clan, it's a given we'll be seeing some of them again anyway (and years older, too!), and the characters for TodHunter Moon have such awesome names - Alice TodHunter Moon, Oscar Sarn and his twin sister Ferdie Sarn - that I know they'll be just as loveable as the old characters. And after all, it's Angie Sage writing! Looking forward to it! Can't wait to see the cover!

[Sara Saif · Rating 4 out of 5]

"You choose between two courses. And that is the trouble with choosing-there is always the one you didn't take. It may have been better, it may have been worse, but that's not the point. You could not choose both. And sometimes, when the tide is running fast, you have only one chance to decide. You do your best at the time, with what you know then. It's tough, but that's how it goes."

It's Septimus Heap, what did you expect?

Twice I was hit with vicious pangs of feels while I was reading PathFinder. First, when I met Septimus and Co. again, all grown-up and together like old times and second when I was reading this:

The Wizard Tower

On MidWinter Feast Day
The Extraordinary Wizard, Septimus Heap,
Invites you to the Apprentice Supper
In Honor of His Apprentice,
Alice TodHunter Moon.

It made me nostalgic for the time Septimus himself was having his Apprentice Supper thrown by Marcia back in the very first book. My baby, all grown up and taking on apprentices of his own now.

The legend of PathFinders fits well into the world of Septimus Heap in every way bar one: the setting indicates that the world is primitive and yet at the end of Fyre Angie Sage quoted someone, saying that "all advanced technology is Magyk" and here too PathFinders are supposed to have traveled in a spaceship to the stars and back. It is very curious.

Like all her previous books, here too, things started off all at the same time but slowly it all effortlessly came together and made sense.
The other interesting aspect was the prejudice and hate towards PathFinders. In a book like this, you don't expect seriousness of that kind but it was there albeit lightened considerably.

Tod, Oskar and Ferdie, like Septimus, Jenna and Nicko were adorbs. I love them all. I also have a very special appreciation for how Simon is treated in these books. All he ever wanted was to be recognized for his Magyk and slowly through the years he's been provided with opportunities to prove himself and his biggest wishes have been granted, despite being a minor characters. This makes me happy. I expected to see Wolf Boy, sorry, Marwick, but he didn't show. I know he will because he has an important role in this, being the one who discovered the Ancient Ways and all.

Bottom line is: GIVE ME ANOTHER.

[Jason Koivu]

Not bad, but too teen-oriented for my tastes.

[Skip · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book has been poorly marketed -- it is a sequel to the excellent Septimus Heap series. However, the protagonist is a young girl named Alice TodHunter Moon, who prefers to be called Tod. After her father goes missing, and her village is burned, she goes off to the Castle following the wishes of her long deceased mother (poorly explained.) Meanwhile, Tod's friends and William Heap are kidnapped by the evil Garmin. Much of the Heap family are involved and together they go on a journey to liberate the captives from an evil wizard in the ice kingdom searching for an egg that could give him almost limitless power. Cliffhanger ending so there will be more.

[Aleshanee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ein neues magisches Abenteuer, eine zauberhafte Heldin und ein Wiedersehen mit Septimus Heap!

Die junge Todi steht vor einem aufregenden Ereignis: Mit 12 Jahren wird sie endlich von ihrem Vater in die Rituale der FährtenFinder eingeweiht. Kurz darauf ist Todis Vater spurlos verschwunden. Gemeinsam mit ihrem Freund Oskar begibt sich Todi zum Zaubererturm, weil sie sich Hilfe vom Außergewöhnlichen Zauberer erhofft. Dieser ist niemand anderes als Septimus Heap. Und er hat es gerade mit einem mächtigen Feind zu tun: dem Hexer Oraton-Marr, der den Palast der Schneeprinzessin in seine Gewalt gebracht hat. Im Palast aber ist der magische Lapislazuli versteckt, und der darf auf keinen Fall in die falschen Hände geraten …

Meine Meinung

Obwohl ich Septimus Heap nicht gelesen hab, war ich neugierig auf die neue Reihe und habe eine spannende und unterhaltsame Geschichte erlebt.

Den Aufbau fand ich etwas ungewöhnlich, denn manche Ereignisse, die anfangs dazwischengeschoben wurden, ergeben im Verlauf der Geschichte zwar ein stimmiges Gesamtbild und wecken natürlich auch die Neugier, was es damit auf sich hat. Trotzdem fand ich es etwas unglücklich gewählt und hat mich etwas verwirrt.

Insgesamt kommt man aber sehr gut mit und auch der Schreibstil ist für ein Kinderbuch ansprechend und sehr anschaulich geschrieben. Man kann sich die Welt und die verschiedenen Orte sehr gut vorstellen, genauso wie die Charaktere - hier gibt es eine ganze Menge, aber man behält gut den Überblick, weil es auf einige wenige fokussiert wird.
Etwas schade fand ich (für mich), dass es doch viele Anspielungen auf die Familie Heap gibt und sicher auch einige andere kleine Momente aus der Vergangenheit angesprochen werden - was natürlich für Fans der Bücher super ist, aber wenn man die Septimus Reihe nicht gelesen hat, kann man damit leider wenig anfangen. Deshalb werde ich wohl diese Reihe erstmal lesen, bevor ich mit Todhunter weitermache.

Todi, die 12jährige Fährtenfinderin, muss sich von einen Tag auf den anderen auf ein ganz neues Leben einstellen. Grausame Garmins entführen ihre Freunde, es gibt spannende Fluchten und Rettungsmissionen und Entscheidungen, die nicht leicht für sie zu treffen sind.

Aber auch die anderen Figuren spielen eine große Rolle, wie ihr bester Freund Oskar, seine Schwester Ferdie, natürlich der Außergewöhnliche Zauberer Septimus Heap und seine Geschwister und Marcia, die sich sehr für Todi einsetzt.

Es gibt viele überraschende Wendungen und immer wieder spannende Momente, so dass man gut unterhalten wird. Vor allem die Fülle an originellen Ideen hat mir hier sehr viel Spaß gemacht!

Das Cover finde ich übrigens wirklich gelungen und im Buch gibt es auch wunderschöne Zeichnungen, die jeden der 12 Teile, in die das Buch gegliedert ist, sehr gut einstimmen. Die beiden Karten vorne im Buch haben mich die Wege von Todi sehr gut verfolgen lassen und geben der Geschichte auch noch einen optischen Rahmen.

© Aleshanee
Weltenwanderer

TodHunter Moon

1 - Fährtenfinder
2 - SandReiter (erscheint im Herbst 2017)
3 - SternenJäger

[Alyssa · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was more than I hoped it would be. I'll write more once I've sorted out my feelings...!!!

[Barb Middleton · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought this was a new series but it is a mixture of the Septimus Heap characters with newcomers, Alice TodHunter Moon, nicknamed Tod, and siblings, Oskar and Fergie. Tod is at an initiation of PathFinders, a group of children that have the unique powers of being able to breathe underwater. Not everyone has this ability and the only way to find out is to risk drowning. When Tod observes her aunt eavesdropping on the secret meeting, she talks to her dad about it. He says he'll ask the aunt to leave but then disappears at sea on a fishing expedition. Tod's mother is dead and the aunt takes care of her but is abusive. Tod and Oskar are worried about the village. Children are disappearing and when Oskar's sister, Fergie, does late one night while sleeping in bed, it becomes personal. When Oskar becomes suspicious of some comments made by the aunt, he rescues Tod from monsters. The two set out to find Fergie and uncover a villainous plot. While the action sequences are good and the monsters interesting, the distractions from referring to incidents in the previous Septimus Heap series from crossover characters left the plot lacking in tightness and cohesiveness. If you read that series then you'll probably like this but if you haven't you might be scratching your head in spots.

I received an advanced reader's copy and some of the beginning chapter transitions and some backstory were clunky. Perhaps it will appear differently in the final copy. Once the action kicks into high gear and the plot sticks mainly with Tod then I was hooked. I would have preferred less Septimus Heap characters. I thought they were a distraction to Tod's storyline. I also think that readers will enjoy it most if they are familiar with the Septimus Heap series. It is confusing otherwise because Sage mentions many past incidents that happened to characters but doesn't explain them all. If she did it would slow the plot down even more which is why I think there should have been less.

The author creates tension by having the characters disagree with each other even if it contradicts the character's traits. Sometimes Oskar would be level-headed and other times impulsive. Sometimes the adults believed the kids and other times they didn't even though their past history would suggest otherwise. I found the pattern tiring, but then I read the book in one sitting and most readers won't do that. (I was stuck on an airplane for for 10 hours.) A light entertaining read.

[Lemurkat · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was unimpressed by the writing style and felt their was an over abundance of characters as many from the Septimus Heap series made appearances. Overall, unsatisfactory. Might be enjoyed by a younger reader, but I found the "she was this" and "he was that" writing style combined with the point-of-view jumping to make for unlively reading.

[Jaina Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is going to be SO awesome. Fyre left me pining for more, and while it's not exactly Septimus Heap, at least I still have something to look forward to in the Septimus department! I absolutely, positively, cannot wait. But somehow I have to.

[Andy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nie hätte ich gedacht so etwas zu sagen, doch Angie Sages Schreibstil hat sich in diesem Buch im Vergleich zu "Septimus Heap" verändert.
Zu seinem Nachteil.
Die Grundidee der Geschichte, der Plot hat mir so gut gefallen. Doch die Autorin schafft es plötzlich nicht mehr, dass sich dessen Magie entfaltet. Mit einem mal begeht sie Anfängerfehler.
Die will zu viel auf einmal. Zu viel Ereignisse, Personen, Ideen und keiner widmet sie sich ausreichend. Hektisch flattert man hier hin und dort hin. Ihre Sensibilität für Situationen ist ihr völlig abhanden gekommen. Und mit am schlimmsten macht sie auf einmal ein "tell not show".
Warum erzählt sie z.B. nur, dass Todi dad erste mal in ihrem Leben und dann noch mit vielen uns bereits bekannten Zauberern, einen mächtigen Zauber wirken wird. Sie geht hin. Sie kommt zurück. Sie ist begeistert. Ich nicht.
Saß Angie Sage der Zeitteufel im Nacken? Es las sich überhaupt nicht wie von ihr geschrieben, eher wie ein erstes Manuskript. War das der Grund, warum die letzten beiden Teile nicht vertont wurden?
Was für eine Enttäuschung.

[BookishStitcher · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really love Angie Sage's novels! The only sad thing is that I listened to the audiobook (which was good), but it didn't have the whimsical pictures that the actual book would have. So I might look though the actual book next time I'm in the bookstore. It was so heartwarming revisiting old characters from the Septimus Heaps books. I love that series, and now I want to reread it!

[Afrah · Rating 2 out of 5]

That was fun. It was so refreshing to see all my favorite characters again. After reading a bunch steamy YA books, it was kind of nice to read a really fun middle grade book.

Firstly we saw Septimus Heap, who is supposedly very handsome and a total flirt ( according to Jenna). I think we met all of the Heap brothers, but I can't be sure, I lost count... Also Marcia was there and she was just as kickass as always. However the new main character Todhunter Moon is also pretty amazing. She actually never annoyed me and kind of reminded me of Septimus; fun, adventure-loving, and the kind of person who has the knack of getting into trouble then saving the world.

Why 3 stars?
The book started off pretty well, Sage introduced us to a whole new world of Pathfinders and this amazing journey to another universe. But then then we found ourselves back in the Wizard Tower. That was great for a while because I felt like I was reading about Septimus Heap, but what I really wanted to see was something different, I wanted explore something else in the magical world and find out about Tod's pathfinder abilities.
Another thing about the plot that bothered me was that it seemed to be going in one direction. There was no mind blowing twist or complicated subplots. Because of that, I didn't feel any suspense or nervous tension and ended up being really bored at times. Like I said before, the whole "pathfinders traveling to the stars" seemed really interesting, but Sage just didn't go there.

But then again this is the first book and maybe Sage will explore the Pathfinder Universe more later. However, all hope of that happening kind of faded away when Tod became Septimus's apprentice. I don't really want to read another series about an Extraordinary Wizards's apprentice (I kind of did that already). And I know I'm being redundant, but I can't emphasize enough how much I feel like the series should take its' own path

All in all, I did enjoy reading it and will definitely read the next book :)

[Stacy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm a huge fan of the Septimus Heap series, especially on aduio. When I discovered another series, I immediately decided to listen to it. There is a new narrator, which makes sense since the primary character is a girl (Alice TodHunter Moon) instead of a boy (Septimus Heap), but was also disappointing because pronunciations changed. For example, Marcia's title was always read as "Extra Ordinary Wizard" - but now it's "Extraordinary Wizard." At least she kept "Mar-see-uh" instead of "Marsh-uh" for her name...but it's those little things that jump out at me, pulling me out of the story.

And, while I did like this book, I feel like it was all so predictable. It's for a younger age, perhaps? This story felt like I spent quite a bit of time waiting for the plot to hurry up and get to the point that I knew was coming.

Don't get me wrong - I'll still read every book in the series! And keep wishing for a movie adaptation!!

[Alatea · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved Septimus serie, but I guess I've outgrown this one. I read it super fast and everyting was kinda ok, but I know that if I have had another possibility, I would have chosen another book.

Anyway, had only this one at the beach and I am happy I read it. Tod is sweet and it was fun to read about Septimus again, but even he felt... somewhat different ://

[Michelle Elizabeth · Rating 2 out of 5]

2* means it was fine to me. I'd like to read the next book, but Tod didn't interest me as a character like seeing the old characters from the Septimus Heap series did.

You don't need to have read the Septimus Heap series to understand this series, but you're going to connect more with the characters and their dynamics if you do.

Though this installment has Tod and her friends at the heart of the story, it heavily features the main characters from the SH series, and it takes place several years in the future. It'll fill you in enough for this series to progress, but these characters have years of interactions that influence their actions.

For example: Queen (formerly Princess in SH) Jenna has a stepmother now, but you'll have to read the SH series if you want to know what happened to her bio mother, how she came to an adoptive mother, or how her dad and step-mom are a very cute opposites-attract story.

I promise that such storylines aren't actually as complex as you might think, the previous series is just seven books that has room to build lore, and it's nice to see the characters doing new things they weren't doing in the last series (Marcia, in my case - she's my fave). Just make the best decision for you if you'd like to know these things going in or maybe find out later. :)

[Jenny · Rating 4 out of 5]

So excited about this spin off series to Septimus Heap! The series starts off great, with all of the great adventure and fun I've come to expect from Angie Sage's books. We also get a reappearance of some of our favorite characters from Septimus Heap, and a whole new group of people called Pathfinders. I loved this element to the story!

This was such a fun read, can't wait to read the next one!

[SohCahToa · Rating 5 out of 5]

هذه القصة عن فتاة اسمها "تود". غاب أباها يوما ما, و تبقى لوحدها مع خالتها. توفت أمها و هي صغيرة, لذا شعرت بالوحدة. و في إحدى الليالي بعد شهرين من غياب أبيها, تقوم مجموعة من الوحوش بالتعدي على بيتها. صديقها "اوسكر" يقوم بإنقاذها. و من هنا تبدأ مغامرتها لإنقاذ أخت "اوسكر" التي خطفها الوحوش... و تكتشف "تود" عالما جديدا مليئا بالسحر

[Patty · Rating 5 out of 5]

TodHunter Moon, Book One: PathFinder (World of Septimus Heap)
By
Angie Sage, Mark Zug



What it's all about...

I must say that it took me awhile to figure this book out. I think I should have read the series before this one...you don't really need to but I think it might have made the characters and their magical actions more clear to me. The book summary says the events of this book take place seven years after the original Septimus Heap series...but I never read those books. But then again...maybe I am placing way too much emphasis onto the past series. Once I just became familiar with the characters...and relaxed and began to enjoy the book...I was fine. This book focuses on Tod. Actually her name is Alice TodHunter Moon and she is a PathFinder. But...her father vanishes and her evil aunt sets Garmin...horrible snake like creatures...on her and her entire village and tons of people and children disappear because of a Lady...evil of course and a wizard. So this book is filled with wonderful magical stuff as well as really bad stuff happening to good people and children and it's all about getting everyone back and saving them.

Why I wanted to read it...

I wanted to read this book because I love magic, fantasy, quests, and saving people and rats, too and this book seemed to have it all!

What made me truly enjoy this book...

Oh my...I loved Ferdie and her brother Oskar...plus Oskar was Tod's best friend. I love the magic and I love the rats! The message rats...they were awesome! Lucy and Simon were my favorites, too...they would do anything and everything to save their son.

Why you should read it, too...

This book was a bit of a slow start for me at first but once I was really into it...probably within the first 60 pages...I could not stop reading it. The pictures in my head of the wizards and the ships and the magic were incredible. Plus the book is divided into sections with a key illustration at the beginning of each section. I loved it all. I think middle grade readers will really enjoy this book and the others that are coming to this series.

[Elise Edmonds · Rating 4 out of 5]

This new book from Angie Sage is set in the world of Septimus Heap with new characters. Seven years after the end of Fyre, we meet Alice TodHunter Moon (Tod), learning about her heritage as a Pathfinder. Soon we are pulled into a world of adventure as the evil Garmin take away her friends and then come for her. Many of our old friends from the Septimus Heap books join us for the ride.

The book starts quite slowly and has the feel of a middle-grade read. As the adventure with Tod progresses, it feels simple and straightforward, and things happen a little too easily for my liking. It feels like things are being brushed over for the younger readers.

Once Septimus and his friends come back into the story the plot is taken to a new level, and it becomes clear how Tod's adventure is tied in with the plan of an evil emperor to steal the fabled Orm's egg, a source of power. The latter half of the book is equal to the Septimus Heap books in excitement and pace.

If you haven't read the Septimus Heap books you would struggle with this one, simply because there is a large cast carried forward and you won't have a clue who anyone is, and you won't particularly care about them, not having gone through the history. So as a stand-alone book, especially for younger readers, I don't think it works that well. You must be familiar with this world already to fully enjoy the book.

[Cathy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked Tod and the Pathfinders, but this book wasn't the thrill that I was hoping for. It didn't have the humor that I've come to expect from Sage, the little plays on words or funny insights into the characters that always made me chuckle aloud as I was listening to the books in the Septimus Heap series. The narrator, Nicola Barber, was very good though, and she had big shoes to fill with the men who read Septimus Heap. Allan Corduner, who read book one, is tied with Jim Dale as far as I'm concerned, and Gerard Doyle, who did the rest, is very good too. I suspect that I did enjoy this book more as an audiobook than I would have in print, Barber added a lot of emotion and depth to the characters. But the book still felt slight, and much more juvenile than I expected it to. Which is OK if that's what the author intended, if she was skewing toward a younger audience. I liked that the first series was good for youngish kids but still enjoyable for a wide range of ages, but this one didn't feel as substantial.

[Charlyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's been too long since I've read a juvenile fantasy, but what a great book to re-enter the realm. Angie Sage continues the Magykal series with a new heroine, Alice Todhunter Moon (Tod) a young Pathfinder. Tod's mother died before Tod learned all about the land from which she came and her father just passed on the secrets of the Pathfinder when she turned twelve. But now, he is gone, too, never returning from a fishing trip. And she is left with an aunt she both fears and detests when monsters arrive in the night to grab her just as they had little Torr.

Yes, Tod escapes, but that's just the beginning of an adventure that brings together Pathfinders and Septimus, Jenna, and others from the Magykal castle to try to stop the plundering of an ice princess' kingdom. And, because this is the beginning of another series, not all is resolved at the end of the book, but it's so good to know the Magyk continues with old and new friends.

[Chris Lemmerman · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I discovered that Angie Sage was writing a second series based in the Septimus Heap world, I was pleased. When I realised that this book was basically a sequel to the entire series, and would feature almost everyone we've come to know and love after the past 7 books, I was even more pleased! This book is a great start to a new series, introducing a new tribe of characters and opening up the world beyond the Castle with promises of even more to come. The story takes a little while to get going, and it's a little easy to connect the dots before the story explains them, but the characters are as much fun as ever, and the fact that there's such a large amount of them and they all get to share the spotlight is no small feat. Eagerly awaiting Book 2.

[Connor · Rating 4 out of 5]

[3.75 Stars] I'm having a hard time rating this one. I thought the addition of this new culture in this world was really interesting, and I loved the backstory for how their culture came to be different than all the others. While it was cute, imaginative, and had the perfect amount of characters from the first series involved, it had a lot of build up for almost nothing. I was hoping for more resolution in this book that I didn't get. It was also very predictable. I didn't guess some of the small stuff, but I knew what was going to happen in terms of the overall plot.

[Agent_bugs · Rating 5 out of 5]

Does this deserve five stars? Maybe not. But I love Septimus Heap and have missed reading about the characters so much that the chance to be in the world again inflated my score 😍

I will admit that there was a problem with balance. To begin with I was a little sad but understood that the book was going to be about Tod and her adventures, with only passing mention of my old favourites. But then a little way in the cute cameos turned into the focus shifting almost entirely onto the old characters, leaving Tod kind of pushed to the side. But, crucially, it was still Tod's story: which meant that paradoxically there wasn't enough of Sep and the gang. There was too much of them for this to fully be Tod's story, but there was still a distance which came from this being a separate trilogy so that it was obvious we weren't following the adventures of Septimus Heap. Which left me feeling like.... why couldn't I just be reading a new series based on the same characters? I would absolutely eat up a series based on young adult twenty something Sep, Jenna, Beetle and the rest. I get that these are technically children's books, so you kind of need a child protagonist, but if that's the case - as much as it pains me to say it - then the original characters should be mostly left as cute cameos and not major characters.

Regardless, I ate up this book very happily, only wishing for more Beetle. Tod's story does swing back around to centre stage eventually, and I'm super excited to find out more about the lore of the Pathfinders... which left me a little disappointed that Tod becomes Sep's apprentice at the end of it. We've read about the ExtraOrdinary Apprentice experience before, why not focus more on the new Pathfinder stuff? She can literally travel *anywhere* in the world, so why tether her to the Castle in such a major way? Whatever the case, the five stars stay and I'm looking forward to reading the next one!

[Fiona · Rating 3 out of 5]

rated 3.5/5 stars

This was a nice change from the normal septimus heap books. although this is not part of the septimus heap series, it takes place in the same universe and includes those characters, just 7 years later.

i really enjoyed the inclusion of the original septimus heap cast but as adults. it was a nice way to see what they have been up to since the events of the book Fyre, while also being able to expand on a new set of characters and adventures.

i really like Tod as a main character. she is capable of quickly adapting to the situation. i wish Tod’s series was also released when i was a kid, because i would have loved it immensely.

i did start to find some of this book a bit boring, but that was mainly because there would be parts where not a lot would happen. it felt like it was building up to something, but then that something never occurred. however, i am still planning on reading the other books of this series because the world and characters are still very enjoyable.

[Mary Ellen · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was ok. It ties for least favorite along with Flyte (SH b2). I almost quit the first series midway through Flyte and was glad I didn’t stop because Physik more than made up for Flyte. So, I’m going to give SandRider a try. Maybe it gets better?

The thing that put me off the most was that Tod was a side character in her own story. I was happy to see the Heaps back at first because there were a lot of unresolved plots I wanted finished up. But, Tod quickly got pushed to minor character for more plot that didn’t resolve the issues I needed to be resolved.

Also, where is Beatle? He was always my favorite character. I keep thinking of him as the character that left the book because he got a better offer as a lead in a different book. I want to read the Beatle spin-off series.

I was also really bothered how inconsistent the characters of Lucy Heap and Marcia Overstrand were from the previous series. They were so woman boss in the other books. I mean, Lucy did scream a lot, but by the end she was a force to be reckoned with. Sadly, like too many female characters after they are married and have a kid, she got demoted to cliche emotional wreck mom. And Marcia pretty much retired early and chooses to take the back seat in all that is going down? Not buying it for a minute.

[Nicole Gozdek · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rezi folgt ...

[Simon Steffanus · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is GREAT!

[CraftyChara · Rating 2 out of 5]

Meanders a lot, lacks a clear structure and objective which seems to be Sage's specialty.