Though I suppose I should authors since Erin Hunter is the nom de plume of several different authors. But honestly this post isn’t about them. I decide to go on a binge and reread these series. Well reread the first series, the rest are entirely new to me and see if they still hold up.

I haven’t gotten to them all since there’s almost 50 (I think) and my library has this messed up system of not having the first book in the series or the last. And I mean they don’t have it. No one checked it out because it’s not in the catalogue. So this was a slow going hunt but I’ll update this post once I get to the other series. Or maybe make individual ones later on for a more in-depth review.

Warrriors

Remember when everyone was obssessed with these books? Well my phase was way back when in fourth grade and this has been the first time in years since I read it. I was amazed how well it holds up (probably because I forgot a lot of it).

It’s exciting and intricate in its world-building with the different clans, ranking and family trees. Rusty’s journey to becoming a leader was actually very poignant as he deals with betrayal, and loss for the first time during the precarious existance of the clans in the midst of a great prophecy.

Survivors

Following the adventures of Lucky the Lone Dog after the events of what seems to be a human apocolypse but what the dogs refer to as The Big Growl, Lucky is set adrift and inadvertedly ends up leading a pack of formerly leashed dogs (including his litter mate Bella) so they can learn to survive the wild. But surviving is more than learning to hunt and living independently of long-paws (humans). There are rival packs of Wild Dogs which brings about a revolving series of infiltration, betrayal and exile as Lucky struggles to figure out whether he wants to continue his lone dog route or commit himself to a pack and earning status starting from the omega position. I enjoy how distinct the heirarchy works in this series compared to Warriors, emulating wolf packs with its betas, alphas and omegas. The only drawback is that sometimes it’s hard to take the dogs seriously with names like Sunshine, and Daisy (they were formerly leashed dogs) who suitably act all peppy, affetionate and sweet like a good family pet. It just makes me want to go “Awww.” On the other end, because they are dogs, I am much more saddened when they’re hurt or killed.

Bravelands

The latest series by the Hunter authors brings readers to the wilds of the Savannah with three different animal groups and the trials they go through, all connected by the greater search for the Great Father and Great Mother. There’s the pride of lions who is currently run by the tyrant, Titan whom Fearless seeks to overthrow and regain his father’s pride. There’s the baboon, Mud of the troop who knows a secret about the ruthless current leader but can’t convince anyone of his duplicity. Finally, there’s Sky, an elephant whose prophetic dreams lead her to try to search for the Great Mother. A search derailed when several frauds step in and she has to challenge their claims. While each mainly deal with their own narratives, Hunter does weave them together for climatic crises and battles.