5 stars--If I could summarize this book with one word, it would be "WOW". In all caps. I just can't get over how amazing this was. I laughed, cried, raged, had deep thoughts, throughout the story--my emotions were all over the place. In a GOOD way. I haven't read such great books in a long time, and diving into the lush world of The Guardian Herd felt like opening a Christmas present. The characters, the world building, the plot--all of it was beyond amazing. I will admit, some of it wasn't exactly the most original (the characters' names, for instance), but that didn't make the book any less awesome. I loved Star, the main character. He's a young pegasus who can't fly, who's bullied and taunted by the other pegasi in his herd. He's also the dreaded black foal--on his first birthday, he will become more powerful than any of them can imagine, and that power will be either good or bad. Star's herd-mates are scared that he'll turn out like Nightwing the Destroyer--a black foal who lived long ago, and who tried to destroy all the herds with his power. So Star's herd wants to execute him on his first birthday. Alvarez makes you feel like you're in the story, experiencing what the characters experience. I felt my heart pounding when Star was in danger, and bursting with happiness whenever something good happened to him. It was so fun to follow him on his journey--he has a caring and kind, yet complex personality that I loved. I could sympathize with almost all the characters, and put myself in their shoes (or I guess I should say hooves). I felt like there was more to every character, even the power-hungry, generic villain types like Rockwing. Another thing was that I haven't really seen many books at the library with pegasi in them--unicorns, sure. But pegasi? Not really. So this was a unique, intriguing read for me. Also, since I'd read the Riders of the Realm series by Alvarez beforehand (It's like a second arc to the Guardian Herd series, except it follows a different pegasus), I found it nice to meet a few familiar characters. So, I did love this book, and it has become one of my all-time favorites. The Guardian Herd is a series I hadn't heard of before it caught my eye at the library. And I feel like I have to put this last part in all caps: I NEED THE NEXT BOOK.
The Guardian Herd: Starfire
By Jennifer Lynn Alvarez
| Interest Level | Reading Level | Reading A-Z | ATOS | Word Count |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grades 4 - 8 | Grades 3 - 6 | n/a | 5.3 | 45389 |
The first book in a gripping new tween fantasy series about winged horses—perfect for fans of the Warriors, Survivors, and Guardians of Ga'Hoole series.
Once every hundred years, a black foal is born, prophesied to either unite or destroy the five herds of flying horses that live in Anok—fated to become the most powerful pegasus in all of the land.
Star is this black foal.
Even though Star has malformed wings that make him unable to fly, the leaders of each herd will take no risks and want to execute Star before his first birthday. With the help of his friends, Star must escape the clutches of the powerful leaders, and his epic journey of self-discovery turns into a battle between good and evil that will keep readers eagerly turning the pages.
Book Reviews (2)
![isabella](data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 12 12"%3E%3C/svg%3E)
I think this book it absolutely awesome I have met the author and she is awesome.