This addendum to Erin Hunter’s popular adventure series about feral cats follows up the fate of SkyClan, who have gained something of a cult following among Warriors fans. Leafstar, the leader of SkyClan, must contend with internal conflict over the controversial “daylight warriors” – cats who hunt and fight with the clan, but at the end of the day go back to human owners. During this time, Leafstar will discover what it truly means to be a clan leader.
This series as a whole is some of the best animal fantasy ever written – it does not contain many of the nuisances associated with the genre. The cats do not walk on their hind legs or wear clothes, or exhibit much anthropomorphic behavior beyond having a rudimentary organized society. Nor are they able to talk with humans or other animals, and for the most part they do not have magical powers. They are just cats. In addition, the books have some great adventure and drama.
While not every book Hunter turns out is amazing (most notably the first half of the third series, which was three books of adolescent whining), SkyClan’s Destiny is interesting in that it deals with some unusual situations that simply could not exist in the main arc. Also, the main arc is growing cluttered with names and personal baggage, so SkyClan’s short history and small cast are quite refreshing and make characterization much easier. Leafstar is wavering and inconsistant of Hamlet proportions, but in the very last chapter/page, it is at least implied that she matures enough in her role as leader to stand up for herself.
Caution: This series is heavily addicting. Attempt to read it may cause closet fandom, obsessive waiting for forthcoming books, and giving your pet cat a warrior name.
This book is available at Barnes and Noble, Borders, and the Red Balloon. The library has a manageable wait of a modest two dozen requests.
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