Warriors (also known as Warrior Cats) is a novel series about the adventures and drama of multiple Clans of feral cats. Warriors is published by HarperCollins and written by a team collectively known as Erin Hunter. The concept of the series was developed by Victoria Holmes, who wrote the storylines until 2017.
Warriors has received praise from reviewers, for example for its immersive world, but also criticism, for example for its large number of characters. The novels have a variety of themes, from politics to religion and economics. Warriors has been translated into 38 languages,[1] and has sold over 80 million copies worldwide.[2]
Background
Origins and Erin Hunter
In 2001, publisher HarperCollins asked editor Victoria Holmes to write a fantasy novel about cats. Holmes did not like cats, so she enlisted the help of Kate Cary, who "loved cats".[3] Cary wrote the first two volumes of the original series, Into the Wild and Fire and Ice.[4] For the third book, Holmes had to "speed up" to maintain the publishing schedule.[3]Cherith Baldry joined the team and wrote the third volume, Forest of Secrets.[4] Cary wrote the fourth book, then Baldry wrote books five and six.[4] Meanwhile, Holmes came up with "the detailed storyline and the characters",[3] as well as editing the finished books to "keep continuity".[4] When Holmes finished creating a storyline, Tui T. Sutherland assisted in editing until both agreed on the storyline, and it could be sent to Cary and Baldry to write the final book.[5] Then, the book would be published under the pen name Erin Hunter.[3] Following a cancer diagnosis in 2017, Holmes stepped back from her involvement with the Erin Hunter team.[6] After 21 years, Cary left the Erin Hunter team to focus on "other projects".[7] The more recent books' storylines are written by five editors.[8]
Inspiration
New Forest, which became the base for the forest the cats live in
Holmes has cited the New Forest in southern England as inspiration for the forest where the first arc takes place.[10] Holmes has cited the films First Blood and The Avengers as a source of inspiration.[11]
The Warriors universe centers around feral cats who initially reside in a forest,[12]:131–132 and later, around a lake. The cats are split into five groups called Clans: ThunderClan, WindClan, RiverClan, ShadowClan, and SkyClan. Each Clan has adapted to its own terrain, and some are named after their specialized abilities.[12]:132 Relationships between different Clans are usually tense, and the Clans often come into conflict with one another. However, the Clans also sometimes show concern for each other; the idea of one Clan being destroyed usually causes deep distress and prompts urgent action on behalf of all Clans. The Clans have a unique naming and hierarchy system, in that their names are determined by their rank in the Clan.[12]:131–132
The Clan cats have a faith system based on the concept of StarClan, a group of the spirits of the Clans' deceased ancestors, who provide prophetic guidance to the living Clan cats.[12]:132 After death, the spirits of most Clan cats join StarClan and reside in a paradisaical forest similar to Heaven. In addition to StarClan, there exists the Dark Forest, also known as The Place of No Stars, which takes the form of a never-ending forest, similar to Hell. The spirits of cats who caused great pain and suffering to others while alive reside there as a form of punishment.
Cats who live outside of the Clans are categorized into three groups: housecats, who are called "kittypets" by Clan cats[13][14] and generally do not pose a threat;[12]:138 loners, stray cats who live outside of the Clan territories and who sometimes assist the Clans;[12]:138 and rogues, who may live alone or in groups, and may intend to cause harm to the Clans.[12]:138
The original Warriors series[15] consists of six books: Into the Wild (21 January 2003),[16]Fire and Ice (27 May 2003),[17]Forest of Secrets (14 October 2003),[18]Rising Storm (6 January 2004),[19]A Dangerous Path (1 June 2004),[20] and The Darkest Hour (5 October 2004).[21] The series was subtitled The Prophecies Begin for the 2015 reprint.[22] The series' protagonist is a former housecat named Fireheart, who is invited to join ThunderClan,[23] one of four groups of wild cats in the forest. Throughout the series, he rises through the Clan hierarchy while trying to stop the treachery of ThunderClan deputy Tigerstar, who initially intends to usurp ThunderClan's leadership and later plans to take over all the Clans. Fireheart eventually becomes the leader of ThunderClan and takes on the name Firestar.
Warriors: The New Prophecy is the second sub-series,[24] consisting of six books: Midnight (10 May 2005),[25]Moonrise (1 August 2005),[26]Dawn (27 December 2005),[27]Starlight (4 April 2006),[28]Twilight (22 August 2006),[29] and Sunset (26 December 2006).[30] In this series, the Clans' survival is put at risk as humans begin to destroy their forest home with machinery. The series revolves around a group of cats consisting of Tawnypelt, Crowfeather, Feathertail, Brambleclaw, Stormfur, and Squirrelflight, who embark on a quest to find a new home for the Clans after their forest is destroyed. The series also details the rest of the Clans' subsequent journey to find their new territories, and the struggles they face in establishing themselves again.
Warriors: Power of Three is the third sub-series,[31] consisting of six books: The Sight (24 April 2007),[32]Dark River (26 December 2007),[33]Outcast (22 April 2008),[34]Eclipse (2 September 2008),[35]Long Shadows (25 November 2008),[36] and Sunrise (21 April 2009).[37] The series revolves around the search for three cats who are prophesized to have untold powers. A litter of three kittens is born. Two of them, Lionblaze and Jayfeather, possess supernatural abilities; their sister, Hollyleaf, does not.
Warriors: Omen of the Stars is the fourth sub-series,[38] consisting of six books: The Fourth Apprentice (24 November 2009),[39]Fading Echoes (23 March 2010),[40]Night Whispers (23 November 2010),[41]Sign of the Moon (5 April 2011),[42]The Forgotten Warrior (22 November 2011),[43] and The Last Hope (3 April 2012).[44]Omen of the Stars continues the plot of Warriors: Power of Three; the third cat in the prophecy is revealed to be Dovewing. The trio learn throughout the course of the series that the cats of the Dark Forest (spirits of deceased Clan cats who committed acts of evil during their lives; see above), led by Tigerstar, are preparing an attack on the living Clans, and recruiting living cats to their cause by training them for battle in their dreams. The series culminates in a battle involving all the Clans, as well as StarClan and the Dark Forest. Firestar defeats Tigerstar's spirit, ending the battle in the Clans' favor, but dies in the process.
Warriors: Dawn of the Clans (2013–2015)
Warriors: Dawn of the Clans is the fifth sub-series,[45] consisting of six books: The Sun Trail (5 March 2013),[46]Thunder Rising (5 November 2013),[47]The First Battle (8 April 2014),[48]The Blazing Star (4 November 2014),[49]A Forest Divided (7 April 2015),[50] and Path of Stars (1 September 2015).[51]Dawn of the Clans is a prequel arc set before the events of Into the Wild. It revolves around cats from a tribe in the mountains leaving in search of a better home, ultimately forming the Clans and discovering the forest which became the Clan territories until The New Prophecy.
Warriors: A Vision of Shadows (2016–2018)
Warriors: A Vision of Shadows is the sixth sub-series,[52] consisting of six books: The Apprentice's Quest (15 March 2016),[53]Thunder and Shadow (6 September 2016),[54]Shattered Sky (11 April 2017),[55]Darkest Night (7 November 2017),[56]River of Fire (10 April 2018),[57] and The Raging Storm (6 November 2018).[58] The series centers around Alderheart, Violetshine, and Twigbranch, as they try to help SkyClan, the lost fifth Clan, settle in a territory around the lake. Additionally, they face constant attacks from a group of rogue cats led by Darktail, who almost succeeds in disbanding ShadowClan.
Warriors: The Broken Code (2019–2021)
Warriors: The Broken Code is the seventh sub-series,[59] consisting of six books: Lost Stars (9 April 2019),[60]The Silent Thaw (29 October 2019),[61]Veil of Shadows (7 April 2020),[62]Darkness Within (10 November 2020),[63]The Place of No Stars (6 April 2021),[64] and A Light in the Mist (9 November 2021).[65]Ashfur, a StarClan cat, severs the connection between StarClan and the living Clans, and possesses ThunderClan's leader Bramblestar. The protagonists Bristlefrost, Shadowsight, and Rootspring, must defeat him, restore the connection with StarClan, save Bramblestar's spirit, and change their Clans' laws to prevent more tragedy from occurring in the future. The series concludes with Bristlefrost killing Ashfur, but dying in the process.
Warriors: A Starless Clan is the eighth sub-series,[66] consisting of six books: River (5 April 2022),[67]Sky (1 November 2022),[68]Shadow (4 April 2023),[69]Thunder (7 November 2023),[70]Wind (2 April 2024),[71] and Star (5 November 2024).[72] It revolves around Nightheart, Sunbeam, and Frostdawn, cats from different Clans. RiverClan's leader and deputy die, and StarClan does not show them who is to be the next leader. Additionally, there is growing unrest among the cats of the Clans regarding the changes made to the warrior code in The Broken Code.
Warriors: Changing Skies is the ninth sub-series, consisting of The Elders' Quest (7 January 2025),[73]Hidden Moon (4 November 2025),[74]Chasing Shadows (31 March 2026),[75]Guiding Light (6 October 2026),[76] and two unnamed installments.[77] It revolves around Leafstar, the leader of SkyClan, Starlingpaw, a SkyClan apprentice, Tawnypelt, a senior ShadowClan warrior, and Moonpaw, a ThunderClan apprentice. In this series, the Clans struggle with Twolegs encroaching on their territory.
Standalones
Super Editions
Super Editions are stand-alone books in the Warriors series. There have been 18 Super Editions published thus far, with the most recent, StormClan's Folly, having been released in August 2025.
The authors have also produced multiple "field guides", which include short stories, lists, and art that further detail various aspects of the series' universe.
The Ultimate Guide: Updated and Expanded (31 October 2023)
Original English-language manga
Several series of original English-language manga were produced by HarperCollins with Tokyopop.[83] With the shutdown of Tokyopop,[84] subsequent manga volumes have been published under the name HarperAlley.[85] All manga were illustrated by James L. Barry, with the exception of The Rise of Scourge and Tigerstar and Sasha, which were illustrated by Bettina M. Kurkoski and Don Hudson, respectively.
Graystripe's Adventure (colored release on 8 August 2017)
The Lost Warrior (24 April 2007)
Warrior's Refuge (26 December 2007)
Warrior's Return (22 April 2008)
The Rise of Scourge (24 June 2008) (colored release on 12 March 2024)
Tigerstar and Sasha (colored release on 8 July 2025)
SkyClan and the Stranger (colored release on 28 May 2019)
The Rescue (5 July 2011)
Beyond the Code (22 November 2011)
After the Flood (3 April 2012)
A Shadow in RiverClan (2 June 2020)
Winds of Change (1 June 2021)
Exile From ShadowClan (7 June 2022)
A Thief in ThunderClan (6 June 2023)
Graphic novels
On 28 September 2023, the official Warriors website announced that the first arc, The Prophecies Begin, would be adapted into graphic novels by Natalie Riess and Sara Goetter.[86]
On 25 July 2025, the official Warriors website announced that the second arc, The New Prophecy, was to be adapted to graphic novels by Gibson Twist and Sammy Savos.[90]
The authors have written several novellas, initially published solely as e-books before being published in anthology volumes of three novellas each.[93]
The first book of the series, Into the Wild, was generally well-received, with Booklist calling it "spine-tingling",[109] Sally Estes of the American Library Association calling it "thoroughly engrossing",[110] and Publishers Weekly calling it an "exciting ... action-packed adventure".[111] Mary Alpert of School Library Journal praised the authors for "creating an intriguing world ... and an engaging young hero".[112] Janice M. Del Negro, writing for The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, criticized the characters and imagined world as being "neither ... consistent nor compelling".[113] Cindy Welch, writing for Booklist, stated about Rising Storm that "Hunter once again tells a good, suspenseful adventure story", and "teens may find their own journey toward adulthood echoed in the protagonist's struggles and self-doubts".[114]
The manga has also earned praise: a reviewer for Children's Bookwatch noted that Into the Woods "ends on a tense cliffhanger, leaving the reader in anxious anticipation for more... Into the Woods... is especially recommended for cat lovers everywhere."[115] Its sequel, Escape from the Forest, was also well reviewed: a reviewer for Publishers Weekly believed that girls would benefit from reading about Sasha leaving the powerful Tigerstar due to his "growing violence". The art was also praised, with the reviewer writing that "Hudson's artwork brings Sasha's emotional journey to life, showing each moment of fear, anxiety, contentment, and joy. The cat's-eye perspective of many of the panels, in addition, add a dramatic, energizing element to the book." The reviewer also wrote that "a twist at the end will leave fans eager for the next installment of Sasha's saga", and that the book would appeal to young adults trying to find their place in the world.[116] Lisa Goldstein writing for School Library Journal also gave the book a positive review, writing that the plot would attract new fans and appeal to old fans. Goldstein also wrote that "though the cover claims that this is a 'manga,' the straightforward illustrations are drawn in a simple, realistic style."[117]
The large number of characters involved in the series has often been seen as a negative point; though one reviewer compared the "huge cast" to that of a Greek drama,[118] others wrote that it was "hard to follow",[119] and "a little confusing".[112] The characters have also been criticized as being "somewhat flat"[119] and "limited essentially to each individual's function within the Clan".[113]
Booklist stated that the cats in the series are "true to their feline nature";[109]Kirkus Reviews commented that the books will "leave readers eyeing Puss a bit nervously",[120] and wondering "what dreams of grandeur may haunt the family cat".[111] However, this realism also means that the series contains a relatively large amount of violence,[112] with Sharon Rawlings writing for School Library Journal stating that it is "not for the faint of heart".[118] Several critics have compared Warriors to Brian Jacques' Redwall series,[109][113] though Alpert commented that it was "not as elegantly written".[112]The New York Times called the series a "hit with young readers", specifically because of its "sprawling universe",[121] and the series appeared on the New York Times Best Seller list for a total of 119 weeks, as of 23 November 2014.[122]
The graphic novel adaptations of The Prophecies Begin have received both praise and criticism from Kirkus Reviews. A review of Volume 1 wrote that the "vivid colors, dramatic action sequences, and appealingly expressive feline faces will grab readers' attention".[123] A review of Volume 2 criticised the difficulty of visually recognising characters, "particularly since the illustrators admit to adding a few extras".[124] A review of Volume3 noted that "the visual format suits the violent, dramatic storyline".[125]
Awards and recognitions
Into the Wild was nominated for the Pacific Northwest Library Association's 2006 Young Reader's Choice Awards, but lost to Christopher Paolini's Eragon.[126][127] It was also listed on Booklist's Top 10 fantasy books for youth in 2003[128] and was a Book Sense 76 Pick.[16]The Sight was nominated for the best Middle Readers book in Amazon's Best Books of the Year (2007) and placed sixth out of the ten nominees, with six percent of the total votes.[129] It was also nominated for the Children's Choice Book Awards.[130] In 2006, Warriors also received an honourable mention for the best book series for Publishers Weekly's "On the Cuff" awards.[131]
Cultural impact
Abby Hargreaves of Book Riot wrote that Warriors could be "the Redwall of the next generation" and is also comparable to The Chronicles of Narnia.[23] One of the authors behind Erin Hunter, Tui T. Sutherland, went on to write Wings of Fire, a similar book series about dragons.[23]Warriors has a notably large fanbase on the social media platform YouTube, with fans posting animations based on the series as early as 2007.[132] In a 2010 interview, Holmes stated that there is "a lot of role playing" online, and readers "create their own characters that interact with each other online in role-playing games".[3]Scratch users create Warriors-inspired video games, such as character designing games and adventure games.[133] The 2017 video game Cattails "takes some inspiration" from a fan-made Warriors game, according to lead developer Tyler Thompson.[134]
Themes
When Holmes wrote the storyline, she included themes such as "death, religion, politics, betrayal, doomed romance, [and] prejudice".[3]
A reviewer for Publishers Weekly noted that friendship and responsibility are taught to characters in the novels,[111] while another reviewer pointed out the idea that, just as Clan cats shun house cats for their soft life, people should realize that it is necessary to experience hardship in life.[135] A Storysnoops reviewer noted that a theme enforced in Warriors is that "it doesn't matter where you come from, only who you are inside".[136] Charlotte Ahlin writing for Bustle stated that Warriors are "wildly complex novels filled with political intrigue, religious warfare, forbidden love, and violent cat death",[137] also calling it a "multi-layer epic".[138] Resilience is a theme often presented in the novels, as the Clans help each other when necessary, such as in Dawn.[139] Katelynn Gilbert wrote that Warriors "explores themes of political and regional economics",[12]:131 such as when ThunderClan help return WindClan to their forest home, resulting in a political alliance.[12]:140 Territory is presented through "human and animalistic concepts".[12]:135 Thus, loyalty to the Clan is also a theme.[12]:137 Sarah Fimm, writing for The Mary Sue, stated that Warriors has themes like "complex political strife".[140] She also wrote that Warriors are "[t]ales of intrigue [...] and deep feline spirituality".[140] Other themes include "nature vs. nurture",[12]:144–146 and "caring and community".[141] A review by Kirkus Reviews noted that Exile from ShadowClan makes readers "ponder larger questions about violence, power, codes of law, community values, metaphysics, and individuals finding their niches".[85]
Publication history
All of the Warriors books except for the manga (excluding all manga published from A Shadow in RiverClan onwards) have been published as hardcovers, and the majority of them have also been published as paperbacks, audiobooks, and e-books. The New Prophecy's audiobooks are spoken by Nanette Savard,[142] whose performance has been praised by reviewers. A reviewer for AudioFile wrote: "Nanette Savard brings out the youth of the cats who are struggling to help their clan survive and to protect each other from outside danger".[143]Kirkus Reviews wrote that "[h]er dazzling variety of voices (and tonal variety within voices) astonishes".[144] The Omen of the Stars audiobooks are spoken by voice actress Veronica Taylor.[145]
The Warriors website previously featured Warriorsscreensavers, videos on topics such as the process of writing a manga book, and quizzes.[152][153][154] In addition, there were browser-based games including the The New Prophecy Quest and the Warriors Adventure Game.[155] An online game for the website was planned for release in 2010 but was never released.[156] The website was later redesigned and is now accessible via both web browsers and an official mobile application. Two new games,[157] several character profiles, and an updated version of the family tree have been added more recently.[158]
Film
On 20 October 2016, Victoria Holmes announced that Alibaba Pictures had bought the production rights for a film adaptation. With David Heyman as producer, it was set to be a "live-action film with computer-generated characters", similar to Paddington.[159] On 14 May 2018, it was announced that STX Entertainment had come on board to co-produce the Warriors film, with STX board member Gigi Pritzker working alongside Heyman. It was also announced that screenwriters Jonathan Aibel and Glenn Berger would write the screenplay for the movie.[160][161]
On 25 January 2024, Coolabi Group, which Working Partners is a part of, announced that a deal had been signed with Tencent Video to create an "animation" of Warriors.[1][162]
Short stories
The first short story published is "Spottedleaf's Honest Answer".[163] On 20 January 2009, another short story, "The Clans Decide", was released on the Warriors Ultimate Leader Election site, starring Firestar, who won an election through an online fan vote conducted in recognition of US President Obama's Inauguration Day.[164] Two short stories, "After Sunset: The Right Choice?" and "The Elders' Concern", were previously available through the defunct Warriors mobile application.[165] In 2009, an educator's guide was released.[166]
Plays
Written by Victoria Holmes for a tour, a play titled After Sunset: We Need to Talk was first premiered on 28 April 2007 at the Secret Garden bookstore in Seattle, Washington, United States. It details a meeting between Leafpool of ThunderClan and Crowfeather of WindClan after the events of Sunset. The script was released to the public on the old official site for the Warriors series.[167]
During a fundraising event in Russellville, Arkansas, Brightspirit's Mercy was performed by various high school drama students. The second of two plays by Erin Hunter, Brightspirit's Mercy is about Jaypaw, Lionblaze, and Hollyleaf. In the play, the characters go to a Gathering where it is obvious all of the Clans except for ThunderClan are starving. Three cats from StarClan appear to them: Brightspirit and her parents, Shiningheart and Braveheart, who were created in memory of a 10-year-old Warriors fan, Emmy Grace Cherry, and her parents, Dana and Jimmy, all three of whom were killed in a tornado in February 2007.[168] They tell the three young cats that they must help feed the other Clans.[169]
Physical media
Bramblestar on a Chinese trading card
In the Chinese translation of the series, "3-D trading cards" are packaged in each book. The 3-D effect is produced using stereoscopic lenticular printing. These cards feature pictures of various characters, their Chinese and English names, and biographical information.[170] In January 2019, when the official Warrior Cats Hub app was launched, several pieces of official, licensed merchandise were released.[171]
Mobile application
On 30 June 2011, an official iOS application and Android application was released on the iTunes App Store[165] and Google Play Store. It contained a multitude of information about the books, characters, and settings, as well as two exclusive short stories, a trivia game, and a list of all the Warriors books that had been released at that point. The app was eventually removed from the App Store. In January 2019, an updated Warriors app was released, called Warrior Cats Hub.[171][172]
Games
An official roleplaying Roblox game was released to the public on 7 May 2021 under the pillar of Coolabi Group's digital business, called Warrior Cats: Ultimate Edition.[173] It has since become one of the highest-ranking branded games on the platform, and was noted at number two on the list of Top 10 Roblox Brand Games in July 2023, having been played more than 430 million times.[174][175] As of January 2026, the game has been played over 675 million times.[176]
See also
Catwings– Children's book series by Ursula K. Le Guin
123"Hunter, Erin. Into the Wild". Booklist. 15 February 2003. Retrieved 21 August 2008. In this first spine-tingling episode in the planned Warriors series [...] sure to appeal ... to followers of Brian Jacques' ongoing Redwall series
123"Into the Wild (book review)". Publishers Weekly. 23 December 2002. Archived from the original on 11 October 2008. Retrieved 21 August 2008. In the first exciting installment of the Warriors fantasy series [...] the stage is set for more action-packed adventure.
1234Alpert, Mary (1 May 2003). "Hunter, Erin. Into the Wild". School Library Journal. Archived from the original on 12 January 2009. Retrieved 21 August 2008. The author has created an intriguing world with an intricate structure and mythology, and an engaging young hero. [...] The supporting cast of players is large and a little confusing [...] This is not as elegantly written as Brian Jacques's "Redwall" series
123Negro, Janice M. Del (1 March 2003). "Book review: Warriors: Into the Wild". The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books. 56 (7): 277. Retrieved 21 August 2008. The author's attempt to create a hierarchical warrior-clan society falls a bit short: neither the imagined world nor the characters within it are consistent or compelling. Characterization is limited essentially to each individual's function within the clan, and the cast therefore remains cartoon cats engaged in territory marking [...] while the pace occasionally flags there are a lot of bloody tooth-and-claw battles here that may engage readers of the Redwall series.
12Rawlins, Sharon (1 October 2003). "Forest of Secrets". School Library Journal. Vol.49, no.10. p.167. Retrieved 21 August 2008. This exciting book is not for the faint of heart as it is often violent [...] It is reminiscent of Greek drama, with its huge cast of characters
12Prolman, Lisa (1 September 2003). "Fire and Ice". School Library Journal. Vol.49, no.9. p.214. Retrieved 21 August 2008. Readers not familiar with the first book may find this one hard to follow. [...] The characterizations of the animals are somewhat flat [...] and the plot's twists and turns seem mapped out and predictable.
↑"Into the Wild". Kirkus Reviews. Vol.71, no.1. January 2003. p.61. Archived from the original on 22 February 2014. Retrieved 21 August 2008. Hunter debuts with a suspenseful animal adventure that will leave readers eyeing Puss a bit nervously.
↑Garner, Dwight (15 January 2006). "TBR: Inside the List". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 27 July 2018. Retrieved 20 August 2008. The Warriors books are a hit with young readers, in part, because of the sprawling universe they open up.
↑Resnick, Mitchel; Robinson, Ken (28 August 2018). Lifelong Kindergarten: Cultivating Creativity through Projects, Passion, Peers, and Play. MIT Press. pp.45–46.
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