Thunderstar's Echo

Warriors Novellas #12

by Erin Hunter

In the earliest days of ThunderClan, its first leader faces down a new threat—and forges a new tradition for all the warrior Clans.

Genres: Fantasy, Animals, Middle Grade, Fiction, Short Stories, Childrens, Young Adult

86 pages, Paperback

First published April 11, 2017

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

[Chickadee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lightning Tail, let’s talk about him. He is honestly the best character in this book. He would’ve made a much better leader than Thunderstar. He is a natural at solving problems. But the way they wrote about him... it was obvious he was going to die sometime in this book. Owl Eyes is the obvious choice of a replacement and a good one but I don’t think anyone of the cats in this time period can top Lightning Tail.
And to Thunderstar: Your dad is a jerk! Don’t care what your jerk father thinks!
Thunderstar is worried about acting how Skystar was to him to his kits. Be present in their lives and you’re already better.
They did have some legit problems with some dogs trying to rip the clan to shreds (if Skystar would’ve said something to the other clans it might’ve been useful).

R.I.P Lightning Tail

[OtarySeal · Rating 4 out of 5]

Takie, no okay, nic nie wnosi, ale przynajmniej nie irystuje jak nowelka o Nakrapianym Liściu

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yet another delightful story. This, in my view, a little different to the usual flavour.

[Niffty · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dawn of the Clans: The Sun Trail ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
Dawn of the Clans: Thunder Rising ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Dawn of the Clans: The First Battle ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Dawn of the Clans: The Blazing Star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Dawn of the Clans: A Forest Divided ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Dawn of the Clans: Path of Stars ⭐️⭐️
Moth Flight's Vision (super edition) ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thunderstar's Echo (ebook) legends of the clan ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Shadowstar’s Life (ebook) path of a warrior ⭐️⭐️
Average: 3.278

This story is set after Moth Flight’s journey. This book was kinda unnessarry. It is about how Thunderstar lost a life. It doesn’t add much to Dawn of the Clans. No new traditions or changes to the clan.

Thunderstar, I liked him when he was younger. As he gets older he gets really boring because his main trait is he is a leader with daddy issues. A few times it is brought up his issues of Skystar abandoning him, not growing up with a father and wanting Skystar to be proud of him. I’m like “No, Skystar SUCKS. He burns everything he touches even when he is ‘redeemed’.” Thunderstar already had a father figure. Grey Wing even though wasn’t his dad still acted like one. Thunderstar seems to forget about Grey Wing a lot except when he thinks about the fact that he died. I’m sorry its been the POV for like 5 books. Daddy issues can be interesting but the way the author used it after Thunderstar forgave Skystar is boring and repetive. Thunderstar doesn’t have much else to him except low self esteem leader. He also spaced out a lot when there is an argument. The authors could of done something really good with Thunderstar but they didn’t have time.

The very disappointing thing that i knew was going to happen. Moth Flights kids added up to nothing. They did nothing with the kits except as a common clan member.

Lightning Tail was good in this one. He was brave and clever. He should of been leader instead of Thunderstar


Besides the fact of Skystar being an ASS by not warning Thunderclan, all the clan drama was dumped. Skyclan and Windclan was done arguing. When Thunderstar sent cats to warn each clan of a danger no clan kicked them out. Leaders acted more friendly to eachother even asking about the kits. And not in the “my clan is stronger” way. It was nice and i wish in more books that the clans were like this.


(Though i don’t like the nine lives thing because it makes it harder for a leader to get killed off and they stay around for WAY too long. Especially Skystar. GO DIE ALREADY!!!!!)

[max theodore · Rating 2 out of 5]

i need to stop reading new (which is to say, published after 2012) warriors books and wondering why they keep making them, because the answer is money. it's money. the battle cats belong to capitalism. and yet here i am, still reading them, because i'm on some kind of compulsion-fueled WC completionist kick, and here i am, asking why this novella was necessary. because i honestly don't think the warrior cat universe is out of things to explore - teenagers on deviantART and fanfiction.net come up with new and fascinating warriors OCs like it's their day job. but this book felt like 90 pages of filler; all of these plotlines (oh no dogs! trouble being a leader! Macho Man Cat and His Useless Preggo Wife) have been covered, probably more than once, in the body of WC proper. (the last "plotline" there bothered me the most - i honestly think thunderstar preparing to start a family could have been compelling, seeing as he has parental issues of his own, and the book TOUCHES on that a LITTLE, but it mostly disregards exploring his relationship with his father for "oh nooooo my wife is so big and pregnant and can't take care of herself, i know she wants me to treat her like an adult but i'm too worried about her :(((")

there was ONE part of this that was effective for me, and that was lightning tail :(. i was not expecting that one at ALL. + thunderstar resolving to tell lightning tail's story feels especially poignant because lightning tail was a character that existed in the WCverse long before dawn of the clans, as a figure of history/legend, and was ALWAYS associated with thunderstar, so it sort of feels like we've come full circle & his story has in fact been told. yes i do feel like a premium-grade clown trying to analyze warrior cats, yes, all the time.

[janna · Rating 4 out of 5]

hoezo is een van mijn fav characters dood gegaan😔

[Cami · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love the dynamic between Thunderstar and Lightning Tail, and I think it's sweet how large of a role the latter plays in the former's relationship with Violet Dawn. With that in mind, this novella is basically just ten chapters of these three caring rather intensely about each other, and I find that very entertaining and enjoyable.

My biggest nitpick is that, on the cover of the e-book (which features three novellas in one), this story is listed as "Thunder's Echo," while in the text of the book itself (and on GoodReads), it's called "Thunderstar's Echo." I had a bit of trouble finding a copy because of that, and while I understand that the characters' name changes can be tricky, especially in Dawn of the Clans (where the standardized naming system from the main series has yet to take effect), I wish that the published material set a better example by keeping things clear and consistent.

[TheGracefulReader · Rating 2 out of 5]

THE GOOD

Lightning Tail: I really liked this cat. He was brace and wise and always seemed to know the answers to problems. It was very sad what happened to him.

The Dogs; Dogs are always a good bad guy - that silent deadly threat that always looms just beyond the fence. The anxiety they cause is understandable and the way the problem is solved was actually pretty smart.

THE BAD

Thunderstar: He was my least favorite cat of the three novellas I just read. He's a new leader, the founder of ThunderClan, and he's so unsure of himself. And he spaces out a lot when trying to solve arguments among the clan. No doubt as he ages he will become a better leader, but right now in the early stages he only annoyed me.

[Daphne · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.8 stars! This has been one of the most interesting additions to the series so far. Now we know how the tradition of a vigil and the process of choosing a new deputy came to be. I also enjoyed getting to see a POV of what it's like for a leader to lose a life. It was unfortunate for Lightning Tail to die, but I feel like he had a really beautiful send off in the final pages of the story. Now, one of Thunderstar's kits is named after him: Lightning Stripe. And a storm echoes Lightning Tail's approval.

Reading this right after Moth Flight's Vision was a treat. Hunter took a different approach to writing this story and I enjoyed it thoroughly! I hope the next book is just as good!

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nov. 2021 I really enjoyed revisiting this story. I forgot how fast everything happened in it. On to Shadowstar's Life!

June 2017 I love seeing how some Clan traditions came to be, and I really enjoyed reading about the ancient cats' times again. I vote we get novellas for more parts of the warrior code!

[Fathleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Actually pretty nice and a much-needed breath of fresh air from Moth Flight's Vision. I felt like the characters were true to their personalities for once. I liked Thunderstar's anxiety and the way he grieved for Lightning Tail. I felt like it was actually a poignant end to his character.

[Frannie · Rating 5 out of 5]

live laugh love thunder and lightning tail<3

[Logan Barone · Rating 4 out of 5]

A sweet little story, it was sad, and happy at the same time. Great novella.

[Bella · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was a wonderful book! I always loved Lightning tail as a character and I was really sad that he died. Definitely a good short story that’s worth the read.

[Aubri · Rating 2 out of 5]

Really can’t remember much and plan on rereading it after I read DOTC at some point. But I remember Lightning Tail dying and Violet Dawn giving birth.

[tuttle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Am I crying over Lightningtail? Yes, yes I am.

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.0/5 ⭐️

[Lara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Da ich zuvor so viele Short Adventures der Reihe gelesen habe, hatte ich beim Lesen immer direkte Vergleiche. Die letzten Novellen fand ich so extrem gut, dass ich dachte, diese hier könnte mir ebenso fantastisch gefallen. Na ja, an sich fand ich „Pinestar’s Choice“ nicht schlecht, aber meiner Meinung nach hätten die Erins daraus lieber ein Special Adventure machen sollen anstatt eine Kurzgeschichte.

Mein größer Kritikpunkt ist eigentlich, dass die Zeitsprünge teilweise extrem groß waren. Im einen Kapitel ist der Protagonist noch der Schüler Kiefernpfote, im nächsten ist er der Zweite Anführer des DonnerClans. In der Zwischenzeit ist auch nur ungefähr die Hälfte des ganzen Clans gestorben, aber was solls… So kam es mir teilweise vor, und das hat mir den Spaß am Lesen ein wenig genommen.

Vom Schreibstil der Erins kann ich aber wieder mal nur schwärmen. Ich finde, sie haben ein außergewöhnliches Talent dafür, Tiere menschlich erscheinen zu lassen und gleichzeitig ihrem Wesen treu zu bleiben. Falls sich das überhaupt so sagen lässt.

Schon in der Hierarchie sind Fehler aufgetaucht. Natürlich verstehe ich die Erins, dass sie es bei so einer kurzen Geschichte mit so großen Zeitsprüngen bevorzugen, auch erst später auftauchende Charaktere darin aufzulisten. Das hat mich aber insgesamt so stark verwirrt, dass ich erst mal in Fandom nachschauen musste, ob das so gewollt ist. So waren nämlich in der Hierarchie Charaktere aufgelistet, die am Anfang der Geschichte noch nicht mal geboren waren, und am Ende der Geschichte schon erfahrene Krieger waren. Vielleicht ist das ein bisschen verständlicher ausgedrückt, als einfach drum herum zu reden.

Kiefernsterns Charakter gefiel mir insofern ganz gut, als dass ich seine Beweggründe, den Clan zu verlassen um ein Hauskätzchen zu werden, größtenteils verstehen konnte. Größtenteils deshalb, weil einige seiner Entscheidungen für mich einfach nicht plausibel waren. Er war mir einfach zu naiv und sein Charakter ist mir zu oft zwischen dem einen und dem anderen Extrem hin- und hergesprungen, als dass ich mich wirklich mit ihm hätte anfreunden können.


Fazit

Insgesamt fand ich „Pinestar’s Choice“ schwächer als die anderen Bände, aber trotzdem nicht schlecht. Die Geschichte kann chronologisch zwischen einige andere Sonderbände der Reihe eingeordnet werden, ohne dass es zu irgendwelchen Logikfehlern kommt, nur die Umsetzung hat mir nicht ganz so gut gefallen wie bei anderen Novellen.

[sleepybear · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good for a novella. Thunderstar and Lightning Tail are two of my favorite characters throughout the series, so I loved getting to read about them again! I couldn’t really understand what kind of dogs were running through the camp. At first I thought they were coyotes or wolves, then maybe Dobermans when I read Twolegs were involved, but then didn’t they have smashed faces? So then pit bulls? I guess it doesn’t really matter lol but it just helps my visual mind haha.


And then that ending. You just had to do that, DIDN’T YOU?! I was surprised they did something like that for a novella, and it made me sad….. I was also surprised they did the whole deputies/apprentices without even mentioning they came up with them, but I guess maybe that wasn’t supposed to be a big deal either?

[Charlie · Rating 5 out of 5]

How.. nice. Im kind of surprised, beginning it, i thought id spend the novella annoyed that they had failed to give a proper origin story for the clans in Dawn, but instead i was eased into thie new life that wasnt much different, with the addition of the friendship that i loved so much being solidified. Though im still by the opinion that Lightning tail would have been better as Thunders mate, I liked Violet Dawn much better from reading this!
I probably should have read Mothwings flight before this, seeing as some details were seemingly thrown in from no where here, so i wont judge any of that.

[Ashley Crouch · Rating 5 out of 5]

As someone who is reading the series slightly out of order (read The Prophecies Begin, Firestar’s Quest, & started The New Prophecy before now going back to catch up on things that happened between Dawn of the Clans - The Prophecies Begin), this makes for a nice story about Thunderclan’s first leader! It makes me excited to eventually go back and read Dawn of the Clans, and for now serves as a good exploration of what early clan-life was like.

Once I finally decide to sit down and read Dawn of the Clans, I’d like to revisit this story and see if my opinion of it changes once I’m more established on the history of these characters (like Skystar, etc.).

[Rebecca Chisam · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thunderstar's Echo:
5 stars
Ahhhhhhh! I love it!
I can just go out on a limb here and say that everything from the DotC era is good? I've yet to read a bad one.

Oh but this was just so sweet. Lightning Tail and Thunder dying together ah my heart. 😭 And then he had to go back... having nine lives isn't all it's cracked up to be sometimes!

Just everything about this was great. Dawn of the Clans has such a rich story. Makes me want to re-read that arc... I don't know if I have time for that though haha.

[Pauline Raisin-Robert · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mon cycle préféré a toujours été l’Aube des Clans. Alors un livre où les Clans viennent juste d’être formés, où les traditions ne sont pas toutes en places, où le code du guerrier n’existe pas encore officiellement et, surtout, où les Premiere Chefs et les créateurs des Clans sont encore à la tête de leur clans respectifs, ça me régale.
La paix, la confiance et l’harmonie qui règne entre les Clans fait du bien à lire (ça change des cycles lol).
Plume d’Éclair je t’aime. Étoile du Tonnerre aussi.

[Alyssa · Rating 3 out of 5]

*3.5 Nice and quick read, perfect "cleanser" before I jump into another book. The pacing was a little odd; for example, between two chapters 2 months had passed with no warning and then the rest of the novella takes place over one day. I understand with it being a novella, the author likely wanted to pack it with a lot of story, but it was a jarring time difference. So sad though that one of my favorite characters had to die.

[Alexandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thunderstar's Echo - 4 stars
There's really nothing wrong with it. It's a decent story. Since it's more slice-of-life than prophecy-based, though, since there was less character development, and since I haven't read the Dawn of the Clans arc in a long time (read: a bit less than a year), I really didn't think it was that impressive.

[Kaitlynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

To be honest, I think this was one of the best Warriors ever written. I also shed a few tears. It was the best Warriors novella I have read. It made me think of the other Warriors I read and happy and sad memories flooded back to me. You should most definitely read this if you like Warriors.

[Marcela Lozano · Rating 4 out of 5]

Una historia corta y triste donde la amistad entre los guerreros se forja desde cachorros, la lealtad y la aceptación del duelo en dónde es importante aceptar que la vida y sus deberes continúan para todos. Instauración de actividades que se irán haciendo parte de la cotidianidad de los Clanes.

[Libby Bork · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really like the characters, so I had a lot of fun with this one. Lightning Tail and Thunderstar were always an iconic duo. Over all, I really enjoyed the story and all of the characters were done well.

[S.L. Sullivan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read in one sitting this morning. I would say this is one of my favorite novellas, which isn't saying much since I don't really have much of an opinion on any of them, really. But this one was good! Thunderstar and Lightning Tail's friendship is one of my favorites in the series too.

[Joanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.4