Lit Reviews: Thunderstar’s Echo
Book Title: Warriors: Legends of the Clans: Thunderstar’s Echo
Author: Erin Hunter (Clarissa Hutton)
Spoiler-Free Verdict: Wait, what’s the echo? There was no echo.
My rating: 1.25/5
Complete, spoiler-ridden review under the cut:
Who’s Clarissa Hutton?! She isn’t an Erin Hunter I’m aware of. In fact, I looked her up and she has never written a Warriors book. No matter why the verb ‘said’ was used in this book instead of ‘meowed.’
Don’t get me wrong: I loved the beginning of the Dawn of the Clans arc. But the characters never seem to grow up. Especially Thunderstar.
Thunderstar is a leader, for StarClan’s sake! And yet his characterization remains that of a child. Sure, he leads. But he does not try to solve his cat’s problems, and he blindly leaps into danger. When the dogs entered the ravine, he barely did anything to help his Clanmates and, when they left, offered no word of comfort to his Clan. Instead, Violet Dawn comforts him.
His characterization during Violet Dawn’s pregnancy is as follows: “What if my kits don’t like me?” I’m sure every father has that fear, but it’s all he thinks about. He keeps saying that he’ll end up like Skystar, but Skystar is actually a good father to his new kits.
Thunderstar’s decision to take only himself and Lightining Tail to fight the dogs was stupid. Of course they both died; did anyone expect any different? ThunderClan even mentioned that the dogs were huge and vicious. Why wouldn’t they bring anyone else? Thunderstar hasn’t learned that he needs to trust his fellow warriors?
I remembered when Firestar took his nine lives. He said he wasn’t ready to be leader, but went and became the greatest leader and did what he had to as quickly and efficiently as possible. Thunderstar, on the other hand, said he wasn’t ready to name a deputy and proceeded to wait for a few days before naming a new deputy. I know the warrior code did not mention naming the deputy at moonhigh yet, but my goodness what a long time to leave your Clan without full power!
This was Hutton’s debut in the Warriors universe, and she blew it. The only reason why I gave this novella a 1.25/5 is because the pacing, while not the best, is fine and the scene in which Lightning Tail and Thunderstar are in StarClan together is interesting.
That’s all.
Who is Hutton, and why is she writing a book in a series she has no part of? Honestly the language and style she uses is so alien to the Warriors universe that this feels nothing like a Warriors book. Because of the poor characterization and the use of ‘said,’ this seems much more like a fanfiction from a beginning writer.
These are, of course, my opinions and reflect my years of reading Warriors and growing tired of the same plots over and over again. I mean no disrespect to the authors or the fans, and only wish to express what I thought of the books.
That’s all I have to say for Thunderstar’s Echo. Happy reading!