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4.15 AVERAGE
4.15 AVERAGE
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
- .5 ⭐'s for how frustrating everything regarding Tigerstar is in this book. I know these books are for kids so I don't want to be too harsh but the previous books weren't as insulting to the readers intelligence. Almost all interaction with Tigerstar is written for plot convenience and not written how any of the characters would actually act. Oh well. Still fun to read but surprisingly dark with Snowkit and Bluestar...
challenging
dark
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Death, Death of parent, Murder, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Toxic relationship, Blood
Minor: Dementia, Grief
Rising storm is that volume in the first series that you don't realise how hard it can hit you until it does. The final quarter has some moments that literally chilled me (a certain warrior name being one), and surprise tears burst out during the final scene. It was a little of a slow start, but the Erins did their best in terms of explaining the passage of time but keeping that tension. The enemies in this book earn their place as some of the best in the series, and I hope nothing like it comes back!
4/6
This is my 3rd or 4th reread. Fun fact, years ago I lost my original softcover of this book so I had to buy a new one. The fun fact is, while all my other books in this first series (1-4, and 6) have the price of $5.99, this, the newer copy, has $6.99 as the price on the back!
This is my 3rd or 4th reread. Fun fact, years ago I lost my original softcover of this book so I had to buy a new one. The fun fact is, while all my other books in this first series (1-4, and 6) have the price of $5.99, this, the newer copy, has $6.99 as the price on the back!
adventurous
emotional
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
emotional
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Characters: 6/10
Sure, Fireheart is the heroic golden boy, but he’s also as emotionally repetitive as a scratched-up CD. His personality at this point boils down to "trust issues + Clan guilt + protect everyone", rinse, repeat. Bluestar’s tragic decline had potential, but it got dragged out so long she felt more like a cautionary tale about untreated paranoia than a once-great leader losing her edge. The secondary characters were basically name tags with fur—Cloudtail got a moment, Bramblepaw brooded in the background, but everyone else blurred together. I could barely tell Darkstripe and Longtail apart without a scoreboard. And let’s not forget how Sandstorm's entire personality exists just to play emotional ping-pong with Fireheart.
Sure, Fireheart is the heroic golden boy, but he’s also as emotionally repetitive as a scratched-up CD. His personality at this point boils down to "trust issues + Clan guilt + protect everyone", rinse, repeat. Bluestar’s tragic decline had potential, but it got dragged out so long she felt more like a cautionary tale about untreated paranoia than a once-great leader losing her edge. The secondary characters were basically name tags with fur—Cloudtail got a moment, Bramblepaw brooded in the background, but everyone else blurred together. I could barely tell Darkstripe and Longtail apart without a scoreboard. And let’s not forget how Sandstorm's entire personality exists just to play emotional ping-pong with Fireheart.
Atmosphere/Setting: 7/10
Look, the burned forest was a cool vibe for a few chapters—but did we need to be beat over the head with it every time someone stepped outside? Yes, it’s gloomy. Yes, the prey is scarce. Yes, StarClan is giving everyone the silent treatment. We get it. The tension worked well at first, but the constant emotional gray cloud got old. Also, the whole setting felt a bit static—beyond “danger forest” and “the camp,” there wasn’t much world expansion. It’s the same forest we’ve seen five books in a row with slightly more dramatic lighting.
Look, the burned forest was a cool vibe for a few chapters—but did we need to be beat over the head with it every time someone stepped outside? Yes, it’s gloomy. Yes, the prey is scarce. Yes, StarClan is giving everyone the silent treatment. We get it. The tension worked well at first, but the constant emotional gray cloud got old. Also, the whole setting felt a bit static—beyond “danger forest” and “the camp,” there wasn’t much world expansion. It’s the same forest we’ve seen five books in a row with slightly more dramatic lighting.
Writing Style: 6/10
Functional? Yes. Elegant? Absolutely not. Erin Hunter writes like she’s afraid a single sentence without Fireheart’s inner monologue will cause the entire narrative to collapse. The repetition is brutal—how many times do we need to hear that Fireheart is worried about the Clan? The prose occasionally hits a poetic note, but most of it reads like it was run through a drama generator and given a modest budget. Dialogue sometimes veers into “awkward fanfiction” territory, and I found myself craving tighter editing. Less tell, more show, please.
Functional? Yes. Elegant? Absolutely not. Erin Hunter writes like she’s afraid a single sentence without Fireheart’s inner monologue will cause the entire narrative to collapse. The repetition is brutal—how many times do we need to hear that Fireheart is worried about the Clan? The prose occasionally hits a poetic note, but most of it reads like it was run through a drama generator and given a modest budget. Dialogue sometimes veers into “awkward fanfiction” territory, and I found myself craving tighter editing. Less tell, more show, please.
Plot: 5/10
Let’s be honest—the plot is essentially: “Dogs are coming, Bluestar is spiraling, Fireheart stresses out.” That’s it. The whole dog pack thing had real horror potential, but it’s teased and delayed for so long that the eventual showdown feels more obligatory than thrilling. And Bluestar’s arc? It’s a slow, predictable unraveling with no real payoff until she yeets herself into the river for redemption. There were so many missed opportunities for moral complexity or unexpected turns. Instead, we just got a lot of cats standing around looking sad while StarClan ghosts them.
Let’s be honest—the plot is essentially: “Dogs are coming, Bluestar is spiraling, Fireheart stresses out.” That’s it. The whole dog pack thing had real horror potential, but it’s teased and delayed for so long that the eventual showdown feels more obligatory than thrilling. And Bluestar’s arc? It’s a slow, predictable unraveling with no real payoff until she yeets herself into the river for redemption. There were so many missed opportunities for moral complexity or unexpected turns. Instead, we just got a lot of cats standing around looking sad while StarClan ghosts them.
Intrigue: 6/10
I stuck with it, but not without some heavy sighing. Every time I got invested, the narrative circled back to the same “oh no, Fireheart’s worried again” beat. The mystery of the dogs was intriguing at first, but it fizzled under too much internal monologuing and not enough action. And the “is Bramblepaw evil?” subplot barely simmers before being swept aside for the 900th Fireheart/Bluestar angst exchange. I wasn’t exactly racing to turn pages—more like meandering through them, hoping for something to finally snap.
I stuck with it, but not without some heavy sighing. Every time I got invested, the narrative circled back to the same “oh no, Fireheart’s worried again” beat. The mystery of the dogs was intriguing at first, but it fizzled under too much internal monologuing and not enough action. And the “is Bramblepaw evil?” subplot barely simmers before being swept aside for the 900th Fireheart/Bluestar angst exchange. I wasn’t exactly racing to turn pages—more like meandering through them, hoping for something to finally snap.
Logic/Relationships: 5/10
Consistency? Questionable. Fireheart distrusts Bramblepaw for having Tigerstar’s blood but happily promotes Cloudtail—who literally ignores the warrior code every other scene. Bluestar’s distrust of her entire Clan felt contrived, especially considering how conveniently she snapped back to heroic mode at the end. Relationships were surface-level at best. Sandstorm exists purely as Fireheart’s emotional pressure valve. Cinderpelt dishes out sage advice like a forest therapist on autopilot. I needed more nuance, more realistic dynamics, and fewer “let’s explain things we already know” conversations.
Consistency? Questionable. Fireheart distrusts Bramblepaw for having Tigerstar’s blood but happily promotes Cloudtail—who literally ignores the warrior code every other scene. Bluestar’s distrust of her entire Clan felt contrived, especially considering how conveniently she snapped back to heroic mode at the end. Relationships were surface-level at best. Sandstorm exists purely as Fireheart’s emotional pressure valve. Cinderpelt dishes out sage advice like a forest therapist on autopilot. I needed more nuance, more realistic dynamics, and fewer “let’s explain things we already know” conversations.
Enjoyment: 6/10
Did I enjoy it? Occasionally. Did I skim through large swaths of repetitive introspection to get to something—anything—with teeth? Absolutely. This book had so much potential to explore grief, trauma, and loyalty, but instead it spun its wheels in melodrama. I wouldn't go out of my way to recommend this unless someone is already knee-deep in the series and allergic to quitting. It’s not bad, but it’s not particularly good either. Just aggressively average—with claws.
Did I enjoy it? Occasionally. Did I skim through large swaths of repetitive introspection to get to something—anything—with teeth? Absolutely. This book had so much potential to explore grief, trauma, and loyalty, but instead it spun its wheels in melodrama. I wouldn't go out of my way to recommend this unless someone is already knee-deep in the series and allergic to quitting. It’s not bad, but it’s not particularly good either. Just aggressively average—with claws.
Final word? A Dangerous Path is a moody, slow-burn soap opera with fangs but no bite. It wants to be epic, but it settles for dreary.
emotional
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
adventurous
dark
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No