Dawn of the Clans

The Sun Trail
Thunder Rising
The First Battle
The Blazing Star
A Forest Divided
Path of Stars
Average Rating:

I was apprehensive about reading Dawn of the Clans. Despite being disconnected from the main series, and theoretically accessible at any point, I feared that these six books would be a slog of references and exploring each aspect of how the Warrior code was formed. Basically, a Firestar’s Quest on steroids/

Thankfully, Dawn of the Clans was something different all together.

This arc is a breath of fresh air, and honestly so different from modern Warriors that it’s hard to understand how the two are even connected. The cats in these books form a cooperative culture, disavowing borders after the first major conflict. The lessons they learn require forming groups that trust one another, and who work together to ensure survival. Practically every character has kin in another clan. The only cat who really tests this arrangement is Clear Sky, one of the most interesting villains Warriors presents.

Clear Sky, brother of the main point of view character Gray Wing, goes from being an excited idealist, to a distrustful brute willing to betray those he grew up with. I love that Clear Sky is the brother of our main protagonist, the father of our second point of view character, Thunder, and then a point of view character himself. Clear Sky’s villany is a subversion in itself because his maliciousness partially stems from enforcing borders and keeping the clans separate - something which is expressly encouraged in the modern clans. He takes his unlikability even farther when he disowns his mate, her own surviving kit Thunder (twice), and ambushes Gray Wing’s group with the intent to kill. It would have been so easy to write Clear Sky as the main villain who needed to go down in the third book, yet instead, he’s allowed to change and grow. He’s not perfect, and I really don’t think I like him as an individual, but he was so interesting to follow. It’s also refreshing to see that Thunder never truly moves on from Clear Sky’s abuse, and can’t completely forgive him, even when he’s changed. The only shame here is the breakneck writing speed of these books meant that not all of the ghostwriters were consistent when it came to Clear Sky’s development (more on that later.)

Gray Wing and Thunder are also compelling points of view. Gray Wing is a gentle cat seeking harmony, but is hampered by his deteriorating health after inhaling too much smoke in a forest fire. Thunder grows from a bright eyed kit, to the self assured leader who forms Thunderclan. Wind Runner, Tall Shadow, and River Ripple all serve as compelling side characters with stories of their own.

However, as good as Dawn of the Clans is, it does have its issues. After The First Battle, the plot meanders and can't seem to decide who the next villian should be. One Eye makes obvious sense, yet he's killed prematurely and replaced with a random rogue for a final battle in Path of Stars. The love triangle between Star Flower, Clear Sky, and Thunder was also very uncomfortable and takes up a lot of time. Dawn of the Clans in general has issues with its treatment of the female characters, mainly that most of them exist for the sole purpose or propping up male characters or to just die. (Poor Bumble!)

It also feels like this arc needed more. Path of Stars ends with many loose threads that need the Super Edition, Moth Flight’s vision, to tie them up. And while refreshing to see borders being frowned upon, it still sends a message that conflicts with the modern Warriors arcs. Should the clans return to their origins and rid themselves of borders? Where did they come from? Why did Star Clan allow them? Many questions do not receive a satisfactory answer.

That aside, the core story of Dawn of the Clans is unique and interesting. While it had a rocky start, the series captures drama unexplored in the main series. Breaking away from pre-established norms, and getting attached to new points of view was a great move, and I hope to see more stories in this era.

Dawn of the Clans - Super Editions and Novellas

Moth Flight's Vision

With no sequel arc planned, Moth Flight's Visition has the unfortunate task of tying up all the loose ends from Dawn of the Clans, chielfy the establishment of Medicine Cats and Nine Lives. The book achieves these goals, but suffers from inconsistency and odd writing decisions.

After becoming a predestined medicene cat, Moth Flight falls in love with a new Star Clan chosen medicene cat, Micah. I knew this book would have an element of forbidden romance, but I did not predict Micah be a medicine cat, nor that he’d die prematurely. Micah and Moth Flight have a genuine and supportive relationship that takes a few chapters to develop, and I was surprised how much it hurt when he was killed.

That being said, it was beyond frustrating when, in the last few chapters, Moth Flight decides that having kits and being a medicine cat is impossible for her, and sends her kin away. Her decision is supported by Star Clan, and is mandated as a rule: Medicine Cats may not have mates or kits. This a widely disliked rule by fans and for good reason. Moth Flight IS able to do her job and have kits, she just needs extra help. It was completely doable, yet thrown in as a nonexistent conflict at the very end.

Speaking of confusing conflicts, the writing team was clealy not on the same page when it came to Clear Sky. Clear Sky completely regressed in his development and once again acts cruel, border hungry, and even refuses to let medicine cats cross his territory to save their clanmates. It's so frustrating to see his character growth from Path of Stars be stripped away for the sake of drama. It makes it all the more baffling when he becomes Skystar.

Riverstar's Home

This was a Super Edition I was really looking forward to, so it gives me no joy to say I was disappointed.

The Good:
- I enjoyed the first half of the book when it recounted the events of Dawn of the Clans from Riverstar's point of view. I love that his strength is his kindness and tolerance, and that those traits set him apart from the much more aggressive mountain cats.
- I'm glad that Night is not a romantic interest. It feels so rare to see such a well developed platonic friendship in these books.

The Bad:
- The structure of this book is baffling. The entire crux of the story is that Riverstar is torn between his new Clan life and his old Park life. Despite this, the book devotes no time to showing Riverstar growing up with these cats. They are immediately captured in the prologue not to be seen again for almost 300 pages.
- Speaking of underdeveloped cats, this book more than most was in dire need of a fuller Allegiances page. As it stands, the only cats in it are the Park Cats... from the prologue. I know this book spans a long period of time, but I could not keep track of characters to save my life.
- On the subject of new characters, Flutter should not have been here at all. She is yet another love interest who dies immediately, and is relegated to the confines of Riverstar's grieving. She adds nothing to this story except to enforce that Riverstar is definitely not gay.
- Last, but not least, the characterization of Riverstar that I loved just falls apart as the story goes on. He shifts into someone who stops meditating, is impulsive, impatient, snippy, and whiney. What happened to the calm mysterious cat he is supposed to be?

Thunderstar's Echo
Shadowstar's Life

Thunderstar's Echo - A bit on the boring side, but fine overall. Thunderstar gains a bit of confidence, but it’s unfortunate to see a likable character like Lighting Tail get axed. I like that it was inspired from a blurb from the field guide.

Shadowstar's Life - Overall good story, I liked Shadowstar as pov character, and the murder mystery element. Although, it was slightly annoying that Sun Shadow and Shadowstar die in the exact same why that Thunderstar and Lightning Tail died in Thunderstar’s Echo (dog attack). That said, I can forgive it because, like Thunderstar's Echo, it too is inspired from a blurb in the field guide.