The second set of Guardians of Ga’Hoole books really leans into the World War II-esque/fantasy premise of the book by higghlighting the depravity of the Pure Ones and how one owlet manages to break free from the hateful ideology to help the side of good. That owlet is Nyroc, Kludd and Nyra’s sole son.

And yes, it vaguely feels like a rip-off of Lion King 2.

No matter. I enjoy that Lasky didn’t let reader demographics limit the amount of gore, violence or genocide she placed on these pages. Nor did she skim on the literary allusions to Shakespeare when it came to the wolf clan dynamics. Lots of elements are happening here and why she sometimes stumbles in tying them clearly, it all feels very grand. I just wish she had been able to transition POVs from Soren to Nyroc less abruptly as Soren is shoved to the sidelines once Nyroc enters the stage when I at least expected to them to share POVs.

This set also begins the Legend of Hoole trilogy which I’ll discuss below with the rankings:

1. Outcast: I know, I know, the epic finale comes at number one but it was really epic. I mean, it brought real Lion King 2 vibes with Coryn fighting his mother who is trying to avenge his father and their ideology. Soren and the band get equal amount of spotlight in the final battle. Also it brings the wolves into the fold and wolves are always a bonus in my book. Yeah, it’s a bit weird to have it only from Coryn’s POV after it being from Soren’s for so long but the story is worth it.

2. The Hatchling: While the story premise, showing Kludd and Nyra’s son-Nyroc growing up and realizing the truth of the Pure Ones and his evil parents is a bit cliche (especially where he makes his official turn because his mother kills his best friend Phillip by eating out his heart. Hardcore!), it’s still a riveting story. And again, Lasky goes all out in showing the cultish inner workings of the Pure Ones and their followers, Nyra’s insanity and cannibalism in the name of Kludd and Nyroc beginning to realize he doesn’t want to be like them. Cue Lion KIng 2’s Not One of Us.

3. The Burning: Lasky changes the game by killing off the main antagonist. Yeah, she’s not playing around. But even though Kludd is dead (at Soren’s talons no less!), his legacy and his values live on with Nyra. That actually might be worse. On the good guy’s side, the Guardians go to the Northern Kingdom to find allies (as well as some very dumb puffins) but end up in secret family drama. Turns out Ezylryb had brother, ifghar who went turnfeatehr during the Ice Claw wars and now is inadvertedly making things more difficult for the Guardians by seeking more glory for himself. It would be a cool plot but I found it so so dumb on Fighar’s part as they were all working on the same side this time. It gives more insight to Ezylryb but has no bearing on the rest of the series so it was all kinda unnecessary.

4. The Coming of Hoole: The second book in the Hoole trilogy fixes the issue I had with the first book by connecting the past (which features such interesting events as Hoole learning to be a leader, defending the kingdom in the previously mentioned War of Ice Claws, alliance with the wolves who have their own McBeth dynasty drama) to the present by alerting the guardians to the power and the danger the ember presents to those who possess it.

5. The first collier: This begins a frame story trilogy that details the legend of Hoole (and you guessed it, he founds the tree and the guardians way back when). Though this story isn’t about Hoole but his parents and how they found the tree and their tragic love story. It’s last because it really feels separate from the series though the remaining two books in the trilogy resolve this issue.