Customer Reviews

Septimus Heap Box Set: Books 1 and 2

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

Pitched at 4th-8th graders, the Septimus Heap books are awesome and have wider appeal (my second grade son is now reading the 3rd and his mother and I devoured these with glee). They are well written with relentless page turning pace and, while packed with danger and excitement, light enough not to cause nightmares or anxiety. Septimus Heap novels are situated in a Tolkien-style magical world of medieval technology humans and a vivid pantheon of light and dark magical creatures (witches, brownies, boggarts, wraiths, talking rats, dragons, enchanted insects, etc...) The society is dominated by a sort of bicameral government of wizards with magical power and a political power dimension of a queen/princess (although it's held by a corrupt tyranny through most of Magyk). I'm not going to give any spoilers but I will say that the protagonists are children (age 10) and various pre and barely adolescent siblings who are smarter than the parental figures who are supportive and avuncular without having enough initiative or insight to spare the kids the lions share of the action. The struggle is the ageless one between good and evil and those elemental forces are echoed in the magyk and the nature of landscapes flora and fauna. The major themes are family, destiny, courage, and friendship. The central trope - magyk - is brilliantly conceived. The rules and behavior and appearance of magyk are really creatively and beautifully done. The story telling is brisk with great (relentless) pacing. Angie Sage has a great cinematic sense of action and a good ear for dialog. They are real page turners well pitched for middle school grades. Adults will like them too, I basically couldn't put them down until their conclusions. Highly recommended for the right kids (you know who they are) - and well recommended for parents to read it too. Tons of fun.

As for paperback versus hard cover issue - these are pretty thick chunky books (more than 500 brief quick reading pages each). The paperback adds some much needed lightness and flexibility and saves about 35% off the price. I was the 3rd person to read our particular paperback copies (after my son and wife). They were still in fine condition (no pages falling out or smudged ink). I have no problem recommending this dirt cheap edition.

I haven't read the second book yet but I really liked the first one. I would recommend Angie Sage. I am not a young reader and I still enjoyed the book.

We bought this as a grab bag gift for a library party for younger teens. Biggest hit at the party.

I came across a site that spoke of this series, so I decided to give it a try for my 10 year old son. I decided to read it at the same time so I could "book chat" with him. It turned out I fought him for the book, as I could not put it down. It was such an easy read, and great story. I couldn't want to start the second one, and since then, we have acquired the entire series. I highly recommend it!!!

I listened to the entire series (via [...]) and purchased this set for my 11-year old to read. This will a Christmas present.

Angie Sage does a pretty good job avoiding some of the common cliches you'd expect from a fantasy about wizards, dragons, princesses, and castles. The kingdom has no name. In fact, when in the fifth book, Septimus sends a carrier pigeon home, the address is something like, "to the castle, wet kingdom by the sea...." You can't get much more vague than that.

There is usually more than one plot per book. While the princess is in danger and getting out of danger, the wizard boy is having a separate adventure. Often, events lead people to a single point.

Additionally, the author throws in fun items like a dragon training manual which reads like a "Dragons for Dummies" book with testimonials the back cover, "I only lost one finger training my dragon Fluffy using this manual", etc.

In Magyk -- the first book -- Magyk is not really a story about a wizards apprentice. We don't really see any apprenticing happening until the end. The overall plot is that the Princess, who has been in hiding since the day of her birth, is now in direct peril. Of course, we meet all the basic characters. Things begin....

The absolute best part of this book is that we are introduced to the most powerful wizard as the "Extraordinary Wizard". At one point, said wizard is temporarily disposed and therefore referred to as the ex-Extraordinary Wizard until she's reinstated. Having listened to all the books, I was loved hearing the reader say "ex-extraordinary". You just don't expect the unexpected "ex".

We find out Septimus (the seventh son) is the seventh son of a seventh son, and therefore doubly magical. Septimus and the Princess are *not* romantically involved. They are basically brother and sister (but she is adopted).

In Flyte -- the second book -- Septimus Heap, the Extraordinary Apprentice, gets a baby dragon. The Princess is once again in peril. A boat which is also a dragon is one of many central ideas.

In Physik -- the third book -- Against his will, Septimus travels back 500 years to study alchemy with a master alchemist (not the Extraordinary Alchemist you ask? No indeed not). Is the Princess in peril again? For sure she is. Does our hero, Septimus ever return to his own time? Read the book to find out.

In Queste -- the fourth book -- we find the letter "e" is appended to many title words to give us the illusion of cool antiquity. Also, Septimus is sent on a quest, again against his will, from which no Extraordinary Apprentice has ever returned. The Princess goes along. Does Septimus escape the terrible fate awaiting all Queste apprentices? Well, there *is* a fifth book.

In Siren -- the fifth book -- much of the action occurs on an island and there is indeed a siren involved but there is also much else. There is sailing and there is a ship. The dragon is much bigger. A djinn occurs.

I'm really looking forward to the sixth book and bummed it won't be released until sometime in 2011.

I can't understand why these books haven't received the attention that the Harry Potter books did. They are well written, exciting stories for young kids and adults alike. I tried the first book because I liked the cover and size of the book and it caught my eye at the library. I am purchasing copies for my 21 year old son and will eventually read them to my 5 year old. I think it's a matter of advertising or the book publishers getting the word out because this writer is right up there with JK, no doubt about that. I hope that more people hear about these books and give them a try. I'm going to spread the word because I think they are worth the read.

I like the book Magyik, by Angie Sage. It's about a boy named Septimus Heap, who was stolen from his family when he was born. On the same day, the dad of the family finds a strange baby girl in the woods. They raise her like one of there own. But who could she be? And what happened to Septimus? The story is set in a world where there are wizards, witches, ghosts, kings and queens.

It's very surprising and entertaining, but it's a big book so before you read it, make sure you know it isn't too hard for you.
My favorite part is when they find out who Septimus is. I hope I didn't give anything away!

I command you,

READ THIS BOOK!!!

by Olivia

these books are very entertaining to read and any one child or adult who likes to read these kind of books would enjoy this story.

This is the best deal I found on the first of the series. They are great to share with the family. We read them together as a family and enjoy them as we do when we watch Harry Potter movies.

I bought these books for my 12 yr old daughter who is not into reading much. Once she started reading she couldn't put the books down. She enjoyed them soo much that she is asking for the rest of the books in the series.