Warriors: A Vision of Shadows #4: Darkest Night audiobook

Truthfully, I’m confused why this book got so many bad reviews on Amazon! I personally loved it, though I will agree that it read more as a filler than anything else, but considering how book three of Vision of Shadow ended, it makes sense why there would be a slight lull before the explosion that we all know will occur in books five and six.**WILL CONTAIN SPOILERS FOR BOOKS 1-3**Before I continue, there is a spoiler warning, so stop now if you have not read books 1-3 of Vision of Shadows.Okay, guys, so this wasn’t the most exciting edition of Warriors, but it was way better than the Dawn of the Clans books, and had more action, too. Firstly, my complaints against this: SkyClan gets their new territory (not surprising), but I feel like Twigpaw’s arc in this entire book was useless. She flip flopped all over the place. I get why her feelings are so mixed about being either SkyClan or ThunderClan, but most of her POV felt like it was simply a way for us to see into SkyClan while everything else was happening. I didn’t like it, and half of her conversations felt stupid, I’m sorry. Twigpaw, I love you, but no.I’m still not a fan of Violetpaw. She is still acting like a brat (yes, I think she’s a brat in the other books–after how she behaves in ShadowClan and her “superior” attitude over the situation with Darktail nearly got her killed).Now on to the good stuff. I was not expecting ShadowClan to be as destroyed as it was. until the first Gathering meeting, I thought they still had a fairly good number of warriors left, but no. They’re down to less than half of their clan, and Rowanstar is losing his courage. ShadowClan warriors are still acting disrespectful to him (gee, isn’t that why Darktail was able to come in so easily?), and I honestly cannot understand why they acted that way in the beginning.SkyClan now has their own territory. I have been waiting for this moment since Firestar’s Quest. Finally–FINALLY–SkyClan is back with the clans! You guys have no idea how excited I am that this has happened in the books. I genuinely wondered if it ever would.RiverClan: What the bloody heck are you doing in this book. (I will say this is becoming a nightmare with all of the clans being butthurt over stuff).When Onestar died in the end of book three, I’m not going to lie, I was happy, and that made me super sad. Onewhisker used to be one of my favorite characters of all time, and I absolutely hate his leader story arc. It made zero sense to me that he turned against Firestar and ThunderClan, and even the rest of the clans. He was a coward and had a fling? The whole “oooh, Darktail is his son” was stupid and made me super pissed. Onewhisker at that point in time did not act like Onestar. They’re basically two different characters. He would not have gotten a cat pregnant or even had a thing for a cat outside the clans. He was fiercely loyal to WindClan, so what the actual heck, Erin Hunter crew. I don’t get why you did that.I was super worried that Harestar would continue Onestar’s idiocy, but I’m happy he isn’t. Harestar seems to have a level head on his shoulders and is open to actually communicating and helping the other clans (finally).And then we come to Thunderclan. I don’t think I’m ever going to get past the fact that it is super weird to see Brambleclaw as the leader. Firestar was THE cat, and he’s gone, and I cried, but Bramblestar carries on as Firestar did, but he’s starting to feel like a Firestar copycat. I’ll wait to pass judgement until this series has ended.In a nutshell, I really appreciated this book for bringing certain things full circle and also for introducing new and old characters alike. We got to meet old SkyClan cats from Firestar’s Quest and even SkyClan’s Destiny and they’re back in the stories now. It introduced new characters, a new prophecy, and some impending doom. I’m assuming Darktail is dead, so I’m super curious to see what horror is coming that has StarClan in such a fuss. Also, Tree has amazing powers. why didn’t any of the Three have a power like his?A bridge book, but a good book.

I honestly had to look up which of the Erin’s wrote this book because reading it was such a different experience than any of the other Warriors stories that I’ve read recently. That is a good thing, too. Recently I’ve found myself enjoying the Warriors books less. The characters were annoying, their logic rarely made sense, and the plotlines were dragged out until they weren’t even worth the reveal anymore. Then I read this book and wow it is the best entry in the new series by far, including the Hawkwing’s Journey super edition. Unfortunately I still gave it four stars instead of five simply because of a few things that bothered me (view spoiler)[ the fact that there were quite a few grammar mistakes, my sneaking suspicion that the next few books might drag the same plotline until I get bored of it like the first three books did, and the weird bit where Alderheart was acting like a brat towards Sparkpelt (hide spoiler)] but overall I enjoyed reading this book greatly. There’s a vague sense of doom throughout the book which keeps me wanting to turn the page and find out what happens next, and even now I’m anxious to find out what is left for the Clans to face. There are a few other particular things I enjoyed about this book, so if you don’t want to be spoiled for what happens just know that I have high expectations now and I’m hoping the rest of the series will deliver. (view spoiler)[ One of my favorite parts of this story was the adorable couples. Finpaw and Twigpaw were so cute and I love how their feelings are taken seriously by the writers even though they’re still so young. I’m rooting for them to become mates and stay together, and seeing how Finpaw abandoned the Clan of his birth to be with Twigpaw they better be endgame or I’ll be upset. I also hope Finpaw meets Berryheart earl soon so he can get over his brooding about having half a tail. Also, yay, Ivypool finally found a mate! I’m sure we’ve all been waiting since the Erin’s first promised she’d be paired off like five books age. I also think it’s super cool that Fernsong offered to raise the kits so that Ivypool could spend time outside of the nursery. We haven’t had a reversal of gender roles in this book yet and I am all here for it, you be the best momma you can be Fernsong while Ivypool slays in her own way. The whole situation with Tigerheart and Dovewing was a bit frustrating because I want to know what happens, but I also know that it will likely be resolved in the next super edition. I’m also wondering if the super edition will revolve around Tigerheart finding his missing Clanmates and saving ShadowClan, but then I wonder why this book left on a cliffhanger about some cat doing just that. I think this is the biggest way a super edition has played into the main series, if I’m right about what will happen in it. I am a bit peeved at Mistystar and Rowanstar’s actions, but for once I can understand their motivations instead of them being petty like Onestar’s actions while he tried to hide from Darktail. Twigpaw’s struggle to accept her place in SkyClan was also very intriguing to me, and while Sandynose ticked me off for a while I’m happy that he ended up accepting and sticking up for Twigpaw. I’m also a little upset that Jayfeather’s whining about his herbs led to Snowbush being in camp longer than he should have been, causing his death. Didn’t anyone learn from what happened with Longtail and Briarlight? I guess everyone except for Jayfeather who is just stubborn and annoying. Even though I’m ranting about how annoying some of the cats have been it’s still an improvement from the last few books and I’m okay with it because their annoying habits are explained and rationalized. I can deal with a bit of stupidity from characters if there is viable motivation behind their actions. And the cuteness of the couples and the individual journeys and struggles that the characters have gone through makes a bit of annoyance worth it. This book seeemed to be one focusing on the growth of individual cats, and I am all for character development and change. (hide spoiler)]

I have a feeling this will be my least favorite book in the series. I was debating whether I should give this a 4 or 5. I finally settled on 5, considering how I was dying to get my hands on this book and how it tied well with the previous books in the series. Darkest Night in is a turn point in the series. There are more troubles and tensions between the Clans, and new prophecies. I feel like this book didn't really have a main point. Like in The Apprentice's Quest the main point of the book was the quest. In the next two books, Thunder and Shadow and Shattered Sky, it was about Darktail and the rogues and trying to get them out of the Clans. Personally, I felt like Darkest Night was a little everywhere. I love the budding relationship between Twigpaw and Finpaw. Twigpaw and Violetshine are growing up so fast!!

Everyone in Darkest Night:Alderheart: Getting mad at everyone but not expressing it because he's nice.Jayfeather: Getting mad at everyone and clearly expressing it because he's Jayfeather.Tree: Amazing.Twigpaw: *repeated clan switching*Violetshine: Confused.

I don’t even know where to begin…. But this book made me feel a lot of things (and not all of them were good). I’m not even sure what to write without spoiling anything but all I can say are things are getting dark…. But thankfully there are some happy things too. Maybe one day the Clans will get a break and have some happiness…

Erin Hunter (Victoria Holmes), book Warriors - Vision of shadows: Darkest Night Is a fiction book that is written by a collective number of authors that call themselves Erin Hunter.The story follows the lives of 3 main cats named Alderheart, Violetpaw, and Twigpaw, and there adventures in the forest, around a lake. with now 5 different clans Thunderclan, Windclan, RIverclan, Skyclan, and Shadowclan around the lake, all suiting the clans, Windclan is on the moor, Shadowclan, Skyclan, and thunderclan are in different forests, Riverclan on an island with rivers around it. But some clans don't think that skylcan should be here and everything is testing all the clan's fate.Erin Hunter expertly weaves in character, setting, and conflict to catch the readers attention. The setting of the lake adds the element of freedom and adventure for the story. The setting brings out many, many interesting characters including a cat with 6 toes on his hind leg. The character brings in conflict because of what special powers some cats have. All these elements bring in a great story together.Positives: 1. It was an awesome story because it wasn't too descriptive that it would bore you, had a great raising, climax, and falling actions.2. Had great suspense, always making you want more I give this book a 10/10. I recommend this to people who like action and adventures.

Sandy nose is making me so mad. I can’t tell if he is supposed to be a know it all, overprotective, or just really rude, but he can’t seem to make up his mind and contradicts himself with so much confidence. Other than sandy nose getting on my nerves this was a great book, and I’m glad it didn’t turn into a “traveling” book, I can’t wait to read the next one!

This was a good enough Warriors book, with a good amount of action that I’ve come to expect from this particular series. I have been enjoying it more than past Warriors arcs.

I thought this dragged on for a little while. I enjoyed it, but it wasn't the greatest. It was fun and I will read more Warriors later.

Tree

** spoiler alert ** Premise: Darktail and his vicious rogues have been defeated, but the devastating aftermath left in their wake and the arrival of SkyClan bring new troubles to the Clans beside the lake. Not only does SkyClan need territory of their own – ShadowClan's stability has been all but shattered and RiverClan has retreated into seclusion. Meanwhile, Twigpaw and Violetpaw must choose where their loyalties lie, and Alderheart must discover the meaning of a StarClan prophecy even vaguer than the one before. Can all the Clans survive this storm of suffering?Story/Writing: Now that I've started the second half of the "Vision of Shadows" arc, I can definitely say that I was pleasantly surprised at how different it felt from stories before it yet it was different in a way that made sense and I was on board with. Once more, the Erin Hunter team does such a fantastic job bringing in issues that most of us wouldn't think of but ring true to real life despite the focus on cats. I was kinda concerned when Darktail was killed off at the end of "Shattered Sky." While it was a fitting end, I wondered what kind of issues they were gonna deal with in the wake of the devastation Darktail unleashed on the Clans. Looking back, I'm glad this story wasn't as big as the last one, at least in terms of a villain on the outside to deal with. Half the time, the cats in this series are dealing with issues that resemble real-world human problems. Things like prejudice, complicated relationships, reaping what's sown, etc. Not to mention, the main conflict in this book centers around the arrival of SkyClan and them trying to adjust to living around the lake alongside the other four Clans. It's been thirty-eight years (according to my estimates) since SkyClan was first driven out, and that part in the Clans' history has long since been forgotten. Already they're facing opposition from the other Clans. But at the same time, the modern SkyClan is not used to living among four other Clans. Ever since Firestar first revived the Clan eight years prior at this point, they've lived on their own in the gorge and had to adapt to their environment and circumstances. And of course by the time they did get to the lake they'd been traveling for a whole year. What's also great about this book though is that SkyClan is not the only Clan facing trouble. A rockslide has all but destroyed ThunderClan's camp; WindClan has a new leader in Harestar; Darktail's reign has left RiverClan utterly devastated to the point where they cut themselves off like WindClan did in the book before; and the very foundations of ShadowClan are beginning to crumble. If this book has taught me anything, it's that the Clans are gonna go through a long and tedious (for them) recovery period before they're even remotely back to their old selves again.Characters: One of the best things about this book was how well-balanced the Clans' troubles are with the more personal dilemmas of our main characters. You care about both equally and want there to be solutions, even if it's a less than ideal one. Like with SkyClan as a whole, you get the feeling that they've come so far but still have a long way to go, in more ways than one.Alderheart – I really liked Alderheart's portrayal here. I guess the best way I can describe it is that he's like the MCU version of Spider-Man. He's one of the younger medicine cats. He's not as experienced as the others are but he's very genuine and heartfelt, and he will always do his best to follow the will of StarClan and make things right. His heart aches for all the sufferings that Darktail has brought upon the Clans, how they were not just dragged through the mud but savaged. But at the same time, he wants them to see what he knows is obvious but what almost everyone is blind to: That SkyClan wasn't meant to simply be found but return to be with the rest of the Clans like it was originally meant to be. And when he shares tongues with StarClan, he does everything he can to follow through with what they tell him, such as when he goes to relay StarClan's newest prophecy to all the Clan leaders, including Mistystar, despite having been turned away by a hostile patrol. He also goes out of his way to search the nearby Twolegplace for the six-toed cat. I also really empathized with his struggling relationship with his sister, Sparkpelt. Not only has she been mooning over Larksong and not seeing her brother as often, she also believes SkyClan should go back to where they came from, despite having accompanied Alderheart on his quest to find them. I mean, I will give her a bit of a break in that she's probably not doing it to be mean but just trying to think practically, but still. I did really like that scene when she rescues Alderheart when that kittypet Jasper jumped him, and then they argue as all siblings tend to do, trying to change what can be changed and trying to deal with what can't. It was also nice that Alderheart in turn saves her from the fox and then tends her wounds, so now they're even! That said, I also really felt for him when Snowbush died, despite his efforts to heal his broken leg and rid him of the infection. That's the second patient he's lost in his career as a medicine cat. And I don't think he'll ever get used to the feelings that often accompany those losses, even if he did do everything he could.Twigpaw – Despite knowing that she would most likely go back to ThunderClan, I really felt for Twigpaw and her dilemma. For the longest time, Violetpaw was her only kin. Now, not only does she find out she has a father – she has aunts and uncles, grandparents, and a whole other Clan that she was born into. And yet while she does help SkyClan build their camp and assists in making them feel at home – while also finding a potential mate in Finpaw – she not only doesn't feel at home in this environment herself, but also realizes just how much she does love ThunderClan, even though she wasn't born there. Lilyheart was really the only mother she's ever known. Ivypool was the best mentor she could've asked for. And of course Alderheart was the one who found her and saved her life, and was always there for every one of her bumps, aches, and scratches (in both senses). You can tell how hard she tries to fit in, how much she wants to fit in, how much she wants to please Leafstar and her grump of a mentor Sandynose, and how much she wants to be with her kin. And yet the Clan she was always the most emotionally attached to is the home where her heart is. I will admit though, at first I didn't know if I was on board with Finpaw going with her. But then I realized that this series already has plenty of forbidden romances.Violetpaw – I felt just as much for Violetpaw as her sister even if it wasn't in the same way. I'm so happy for her now that she's finally found out where she belongs, and that she's starting to realize just how loved she is. While I do wish Hawkwing got to spend equal time with both his daughters, you can tell Violetpaw is closer to him and is more like him, and not just because they go on the quest to retrieve their lost Clanmates together. I also loved how she's still dealing with the immense trauma, guilt, and grief she experienced when Needletail died, and how she feels she owes it to her to help get her spirit to StarClan. Stuff like that doesn't instantly go away. Despite knowing how flawed she was, Needletail was the closest thing to kin that Violetpaw ever had, aside from Twigpaw, whom she didn't see too often growing up. It makes sense that she feels like she let Needletail down and must be mad at her for it, even though Needletail told her to run and voluntarily sacrificed her own life for Violetpaw. That said, I like that she doesn't let that stop her from being an important asset to the group when they go to find the lost SkyClan cats. I loved how she came up with the idea to free Frecklewish from the apartment building (otherwise known as a Twoleg hive), and that she was determined to bring Tree home with them when she found him, not because Needletail wanted her to but for the sake of the Clans. And of course, I really felt for her when Twigpaw decided to go back to ThunderClan. You can tell she doesn't want her sister to be miserable, but that she wanted so badly for things to be a certain way given all the awful things she's gone through, and yet it doesn't turn out the way she wanted. I just hope she'll be able to cope with it all.Various Other Characters – Having missed him for the last few books, I honestly think this is the best Hawkwing has been since his super edition, which I read before this. He's finally reunited with his kits! And even if only one of them chooses to stay with him in SkyClan, you can tell that what matters most to him is that his daughters are well and safe. You can tell how proud he is of both of them and for their own reasons. Give him the "Clan-Daddy-of-the-Year" award 'cause he deserves it! It was also absolutely fantastic to see characters from his super edition – Cherrytail, Cloudmist, Fidgetpaw, Frecklewish, etc. – turn out okay after all! Not to mention they have some new members to add to their Clan! Frecklewish's escape was one of my favorite scenes in the book 'cause I knew how dangerous it was just going down the fire-escape, yet I was rooting for her the whole time! Plus, SkyClan has not just one medicine cat again but two, even if one of them is technically an apprentice! Speaking of which, the apprentice I bonded most with in "Hawkwing's Journey" was Finpaw, and seeing him and Twigpaw fall in love was just the cutest thing! All it took was him losing half a tail! Dark jokes aside, while I'm not always the biggest fan of the story idea of someone leaving everything they know behind because they love someone they've only recently met, here, I thought it really worked! Finpaw wasn't born in the gorge. He obviously loves his Clanmates but he doesn't necessarily feel the same sense of community that they take for granted because they had it for so long in the gorge. All his life, SkyClan has been wandering around. So it makes sense that, just like Twigpaw, he too is trying to figure out where he belongs. And shame on Sandynose for trying to keep them apart! It was great to see Leafpool volunteer to be SkyClan's temporary medicine cat. Even if I wanted Alderheart to fill the role as much as he did, having Leafpool fill it made more sense given she's the most experienced of the ThunderClan medicine cats. I also once again really liked how the leaders were portrayed, at least in terms of story. Leafstar arguably (and ironically) has it the easiest since all she has to do is to help her Clan settle in to their new home. Even if I don't agree with Bramblestar not paying as much attention to the prophecy as he should, I do understand why he's not. Given everything that's happened lately and how Darktail just about tore the Clans to shreds, it makes sense that he feels like he wants a bit of a break, even if he can't actually stop being leader. But then of course, a rockslide destroys ThunderClan's camp and kills one of his Clanmates. Truly, a leader's work is never done. I really liked how Harespring stepped up his game as deputy in the previous books and is now Harestar, the new leader of WindClan. One of the few really good decisions Onestar made in his later years. And I say that with sincerity 'cause I think Harestar is going to make a great leader. Not to mention the one WindClan kinda needs right now. With Mistystar, even though I didn't agree with her cutting herself and RiverClan off the same way Onestar cut himself and WindClan off, I did see where she was coming from. Two wrongs don't make a right, but she and her Clan are physically and emotionally drained if not traumatized given how Darktail tore through their home and starved the RiverClan prisoners. But out of all the leaders and their issues, I think we can all agree Rowanstar has the worst of it. Darktail and his rogues may be gone. But even before he came, things were bad in ShadowClan. Now things are arguably worse. Rowanstar still doesn't have the respect of most of his remaining Clanmates. Pretty much the only ones who really support him are Puddleshine and Tawnypelt. His deputy and son Tigerheart is gone. And of course the rest of his Clan is still unaccounted for. By the time he utterly gives up, surrenders all of ShadowClan's territory to SkyClan, and insists on being called Rowanclaw, I really wished he hadn't done all of that, but it did make sense given how he tried so hard to save his Clan. He helped defeat Darktail and yet he still failed. Last but not least though, we have Needletail and Tree. Even in death, Needletail is not only not angry with Violetpaw but is actively trying to make things right – not just so that she could get to StarClan but save the Clans from their awful state that she played a part in creating. I also thought Tree was a charming and laid-back sort of character. I was so glad he was the six-toed cat the Clans sought. I thought his power of making the dead appear was really cool. And I can't wait to read his novella that's coming out in April.Overall: I thought this was a great sort of aftermath book about dealing with the consequences of the suffering Darktail inflicted on the Clans. I'm glad that Violetpaw and Twigpaw now finally seem to know where they belong. And I once again can't wait for SkyClan to return to their rightful place as the fifth warrior Clan!

The Clan's once again show that working together is just impossible. SkyClan returns only to find themselves unwelcomed by the other four. There is more than enough space, yet they can't seem to work things out.Maybe one day they'll be able to sort things out without getting angry.

Book Theme Song: Once Again by TristamSo a lot happens in this book. Lots of prophecies which are annoying, but a lot of good character development as well. This is going to be a very spoilery review. Twigpaw's conflict was one of the most interesting parts of the book. I felt like I could relate to her in a way, though I don't want to go into detail because it's really complicated and personal. It seems like Warrior Cats is getting back to issues that are more relatable to kids, as this arc seems to me to be one of two siblings caught in a custody battle. Her relationship with Violetpaw/shine continues to be heartbreaking and cause me to make inhuman noises. Tree is a promising character. He's fascinated by Clan life and seems to have a sense of humor, even being self aware about how stupid his name sounds. Not sure how I feel about superpowered cats though. At least psychic medium is less crazy than literally indestructible and being able to see and hear across the lake (as much as I lovewing Dovewing). I've always been a fan of SkyClan and I'm glad to see them return to the forest, though ShadowClan seems to once again get screwed over. Rowanstar's loss of faith in himself is an interesting and heart-wrenching conflict, but holy crap ShadowClan cannot catch a break, ever! And in an unexpected move from RiverClan, Mistystar of all cats shuts down the border! This I don't get. ThunderClan has rebuilt their camp at least five times since moving to the lake because they chose the most structurally unstable location possible. Why does RiverClan need to close its borders to rebuild? Something about emotional scars, but I have no idea what that means so to me that's a bit out of character for Mistystar, who was one of the most levelheaded leaders. Then again she's really, really old so she might be senile. On the bright side, WindClan is no longer being led by a arsehole. Harestar doesn't really stand out as a leader other than not being Onestar which will take some getting used to, in a good way. One of my biggest issues with this book is Finpaw. No, his character is fine, though kind of a standard love interest it's still cute to see him and Twigpaw together. No, I don't get why his tail had to be amputated. Here is a list of what they could have done instead: 1. Dug him out, since ShadowClan territory is not known for rocky soil 2. Gotten more cats to help push the branch away 3. Chewed the branch into smaller pieces 4. Waited for the wood to rot, bringing him food and standing guard over him and stuff Literally anything would have made more sense than hacking away at his tail with a blunt stone. That seemed unnecessarily cruel. It would have made more sense if his tail got caught in a steel trap or even if he broke his leg or something instead. It would have had the same effect.

Great book overall and I defiantly reccommend the series to anyone interested in adventure and mystery. Its about a few cats from sky clan who have a quest to find the missing cats that got driven away by rouges that got killed in the last book I believe. There are a bunch of different prophecies to be solved and Twigpaw is falling madly in love with Finpaw. Anyways, at the end of the book, Twigpaw has to make one of the hardest decisions of her life. She can either stay in sky clan and stay with her kin OR return to thunderclap where she is happy and leave her family behind.