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Fire and Ice (Warriors)
Encyclopedia
Fire and Ice is a children's fantasy novel, the second book in the Warriors series, written by Kate Cary
under the pen name
of Erin Hunter. The plot centers around Fireheart and Graystripe, newly promoted warriors of ThunderClan, which is one of the four groups of feral cats living in the wilderness. Fireheart learns that his best friend Graystripe has fallen in love with Silverstream, a warrior from RiverClan, even though it is against the cats' "warrior code".
The book was first published on June 1, 2003 in the US as a hardcover
. Since then, Fire and Ice has been released in paperback
and e-book
format in other languages. The main theme of the book is that the type of person one is inside is more important than the way one seems from the outside. The book received mixed reviews: the negative reviews criticized the flat characters, and how troublesome it was to flip back to the characters list due to the large number of cats; positive reviews praised the suspense and rising tensions in the book.
and WindClan, each of which lives in a territory best suited to their skills. The authors based the forest on New Forest
in southern England.
Soon after, Bluestar apprentices Cinderpaw to Fireheart, and Brackenpaw to Graystripe. During a hunting patrol, Graystripe almost drowns after chasing a vole onto thin ice, falling in the river separating RiverClan and ThunderClan, but is rescued by Silverstream, a RiverClan warrior. Graystripe and Silverstream fall in love; however, this is against the warrior code, a code of honor that all warriors must follow. Fireheart discovers their relationship, and unsuccessfully attempts to discourage them from seeing each other. Graystripe finally agrees to meet Silverstream only at the full moon at the Gathering, when the four Clans meet to share news. Fireheart, later realizes that Graystripe has not been keeping his promise. Because Graystripe is often gone to see Silverstream, Fireheart takes over training of Brackenpaw, as well as training his own apprentice.
Tigerclaw, in his ambition to become leader, sets a trap for Bluestar by the Thunderpath (road), intending to kill her, thus bringing him closer to becoming leader. Instead, Cinderpaw is crippled by the trap. Her leg is broken, and when it heals, she has a permanent limp, preventing her from becoming a warrior. She then trains under Yellowfang to become a medicine cat.
Fireheart is reunited with his sister, Princess, a kittypet living in the human town. Princess gives Fireheart her oldest kit, Cloud, to take into the Clan as a new apprentice. Although Fireheart agrees to accept the kit, his Clanmates, with the exception of Frostfur and Graystripe, are reluctant to accept him because of his kittypet blood. Bluestar allows him to stay, and Brindleface becomes his foster mother.
Later, ThunderClan becomes involved in a fight against RiverClan and ShadowClan, and WindClan allies themselves with ThunderClan. Graystripe only attacks ShadowClan warriors, afraid to hurt RiverClan cats in case they were friends of Silverstream. Silverstream mistakenly attacks Fireheart but releases him; he attacks her but sees Graystripe's look of dismay, and releases her. Darkstripe witnesses the event and reports it to Tigerclaw. When Fireheart is later attacked by Leopardfur, the RiverClan deputy, Tigerclaw watches as Leopardfur and Fireheart fight, and does not attempt to help Fireheart. Consequently, Fireheart becomes certain that Tigerclaw is not to be trusted.
by HarperCollins
in the US on March 27, 2003. The paperback
version was released on June 1, 2004, and an e-book
version was released on September 9, 2007. An English Kindle
edition is also available.
Fire and Ice was published in Canada on May 20, 2004, and in the United Kingdom
in June 2003. Other languages that Fire and Ice has been released in include German, Japanese, French, Russian, and Korean. A Chinese version has also been released that includes a 3-D
card made of stereoscopic lenticular prints featuring Bluestar.
observed that readers unfamiliar with the first novel would find this one difficult to follow and that the "characterizations of the animals are somewhat flat, although it is possible to tell them apart, and the plot's twists and turns seem mapped out and predictable". Kirkus Reviews
praised the increased tensions, noting that "Hunter's world keeps getting more finely drawn, and her characters more complex" though readers may be disappointed that Fireheart fails to resolve his "conflicting responsibilities". Booklist
likewise praised the novel's tension, noting that the "characters remain true to their feline natures, adding to the plausibility of events in this tension filled story". In a review for both Into the Wild
and Fire and Ice, Horn Book Review suggested Redwall
fans might find the series appealing.
Kate Cary
Kate Cary is one of the authors of the Warriors novel series, a story about wild cats, which she writes under the pen name of Erin Hunter. The other authors who also write the Warriors novel series under the pen name Erin Hunter are Cherith Baldry, Victoria Holmes, and Tui T. Sutherland...
under the pen name
Pen name
A pen name, nom de plume, or literary double, is a pseudonym adopted by an author. A pen name may be used to make the author's name more distinctive, to disguise his or her gender, to distance an author from some or all of his or her works, to protect the author from retribution for his or her...
of Erin Hunter. The plot centers around Fireheart and Graystripe, newly promoted warriors of ThunderClan, which is one of the four groups of feral cats living in the wilderness. Fireheart learns that his best friend Graystripe has fallen in love with Silverstream, a warrior from RiverClan, even though it is against the cats' "warrior code".
The book was first published on June 1, 2003 in the US as a hardcover
Hardcover
A hardcover, hardback or hardbound is a book bound with rigid protective covers...
. Since then, Fire and Ice has been released in paperback
Paperback
Paperback, softback or softcover describe and refer to a book by the nature of its binding. The covers of such books are usually made of paper or paperboard, and are usually held together with glue rather than stitches or staples...
and e-book
E-book
An electronic book is a book-length publication in digital form, consisting of text, images, or both, and produced on, published through, and readable on computers or other electronic devices. Sometimes the equivalent of a conventional printed book, e-books can also be born digital...
format in other languages. The main theme of the book is that the type of person one is inside is more important than the way one seems from the outside. The book received mixed reviews: the negative reviews criticized the flat characters, and how troublesome it was to flip back to the characters list due to the large number of cats; positive reviews praised the suspense and rising tensions in the book.
Setting
Fire and Ice takes place in a fictional forest which is home to four Clans of wild cats, ThunderClan, RiverClan, ShadowClanShadowclan
Shadowclan is a guild that gained notoriety within the online gaming community by taking the place of non-player character monsters in Origin Systems' massively multiplayer online role-playing game Ultima Online...
and WindClan, each of which lives in a territory best suited to their skills. The authors based the forest on New Forest
New Forest
The New Forest is an area of southern England which includes the largest remaining tracts of unenclosed pasture land, heathland and forest in the heavily-populated south east of England. It covers south-west Hampshire and extends into south-east Wiltshire....
in southern England.
Characters
- Fireheart is the main protagonistProtagonistA protagonist is the main character of a literary, theatrical, cinematic, or musical narrative, around whom the events of the narrative's plot revolve and with whom the audience is intended to most identify...
of the book. Originally a house cat named Rusty, he left his human owners to become an apprentice in ThunderClan. He is sent with Graystripe to find WindClan, who were chased out of their home by ShadowClan. Later, he realizes that Graystripe is in love with Silverstream, a warrior in RiverClan. Although he advises Graystripe against meeting her secretly, Fireheart agrees to keep it a secret. - Graystripe is Fireheart's best friend. After receiving his warrior name, Graystripe is sent with Fireheart to find WindClan, who were chased out of their home by ShadowClan. During a patrol, Graystripe is saved by Silverstream, a RiverClan warrior, when he falls into the river, and almost drowns. As a result, Graystripe and Silverstream fall in love and begin to meet each other in secret, against Fireheart's warnings.
- Silverstream is a RiverClan warrior and the daughter of RiverClan's leader, Crookedstar. After saving Graystripe from drowning in the river, the two fall in love. Since the warrior code forbids cats from different Clans to be in love, they begin to meet in secret, sneaking out of camp in order to see each other.
- Tigerclaw is the main antagonistAntagonistAn antagonist is a character, group of characters, or institution, that represents the opposition against which the protagonist must contend...
. Tigerclaw had previously killed his own Clanmate, Redtail, in hope of taking Redtail's place as deputy. Instead, Lionheart becomes deputy, but he too, later dies. Tigerclaw then finally becomes deputy. Only Fireheart, Graystripe and Ravenpaw know of Tigerclaw's plans, but they do not tell anyone out of fear of him.
Plot
Fire and Ice begins with Fireheart and Graystripe performing a traditional silent vigil after their promotion to warrior status in Into the Wild. As their first task as warriors, Fireheart and Graystripe are assigned to find and bring back WindClan, which had been driven out by ShadowClan, and bring them home. They succeed, finding WindClan under a tangle of Thunderpaths (probably a highway interchange), and bring them home.Soon after, Bluestar apprentices Cinderpaw to Fireheart, and Brackenpaw to Graystripe. During a hunting patrol, Graystripe almost drowns after chasing a vole onto thin ice, falling in the river separating RiverClan and ThunderClan, but is rescued by Silverstream, a RiverClan warrior. Graystripe and Silverstream fall in love; however, this is against the warrior code, a code of honor that all warriors must follow. Fireheart discovers their relationship, and unsuccessfully attempts to discourage them from seeing each other. Graystripe finally agrees to meet Silverstream only at the full moon at the Gathering, when the four Clans meet to share news. Fireheart, later realizes that Graystripe has not been keeping his promise. Because Graystripe is often gone to see Silverstream, Fireheart takes over training of Brackenpaw, as well as training his own apprentice.
Tigerclaw, in his ambition to become leader, sets a trap for Bluestar by the Thunderpath (road), intending to kill her, thus bringing him closer to becoming leader. Instead, Cinderpaw is crippled by the trap. Her leg is broken, and when it heals, she has a permanent limp, preventing her from becoming a warrior. She then trains under Yellowfang to become a medicine cat.
Fireheart is reunited with his sister, Princess, a kittypet living in the human town. Princess gives Fireheart her oldest kit, Cloud, to take into the Clan as a new apprentice. Although Fireheart agrees to accept the kit, his Clanmates, with the exception of Frostfur and Graystripe, are reluctant to accept him because of his kittypet blood. Bluestar allows him to stay, and Brindleface becomes his foster mother.
Later, ThunderClan becomes involved in a fight against RiverClan and ShadowClan, and WindClan allies themselves with ThunderClan. Graystripe only attacks ShadowClan warriors, afraid to hurt RiverClan cats in case they were friends of Silverstream. Silverstream mistakenly attacks Fireheart but releases him; he attacks her but sees Graystripe's look of dismay, and releases her. Darkstripe witnesses the event and reports it to Tigerclaw. When Fireheart is later attacked by Leopardfur, the RiverClan deputy, Tigerclaw watches as Leopardfur and Fireheart fight, and does not attempt to help Fireheart. Consequently, Fireheart becomes certain that Tigerclaw is not to be trusted.
Publication history
Fire and Ice was first published as a hardcoverHardcover
A hardcover, hardback or hardbound is a book bound with rigid protective covers...
by HarperCollins
HarperCollins
HarperCollins is a publishing company owned by News Corporation. It is the combination of the publishers William Collins, Sons and Co Ltd, a British company, and Harper & Row, an American company, itself the result of an earlier merger of Harper & Brothers and Row, Peterson & Company. The worldwide...
in the US on March 27, 2003. The paperback
Paperback
Paperback, softback or softcover describe and refer to a book by the nature of its binding. The covers of such books are usually made of paper or paperboard, and are usually held together with glue rather than stitches or staples...
version was released on June 1, 2004, and an e-book
E-book
An electronic book is a book-length publication in digital form, consisting of text, images, or both, and produced on, published through, and readable on computers or other electronic devices. Sometimes the equivalent of a conventional printed book, e-books can also be born digital...
version was released on September 9, 2007. An English Kindle
Amazon Kindle
The Amazon Kindle is an e-book reader developed by Amazon.com subsidiary Lab126 which uses wireless connectivity to enable users to shop for, download, browse, and read e-books, newspapers, magazines, blogs, and other digital media...
edition is also available.
Fire and Ice was published in Canada on May 20, 2004, and in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
in June 2003. Other languages that Fire and Ice has been released in include German, Japanese, French, Russian, and Korean. A Chinese version has also been released that includes a 3-D
Stereogram
A stereogram is pair of two-dimensional panels depicting the view of a scene or an object from the vantage points of the right and left eyes. Observing the panels superimposed in a stereoscope results in the experience of three-dimensionality by virtue of the fact that object depth is encoded as...
card made of stereoscopic lenticular prints featuring Bluestar.
Themes
The main theme of Fire and Ice is that "it doesn't matter where you come from, only who you are inside". Fireheart is challenged by other cats because he was once a kittypet (house cat), despite having proven his loyalty and bravery as a warrior. Similarly, Cloudkit was initially not accepted by the Clan because he had kittypet parents. Other themes include loyalty, betrayal, and forbidden love.Reception
Fire and Ice received mixed reviews. The novel was well received by Voice of Youth Advocates, which observed that "Hunter works hard at incorporating authentic cat mannerisms and behaviors" and that "although more sophisticated teens might be put off by the coy dialogue attributes, younger readers probably will not notice and will be caught up in Fireheart's adventures". Children's Literature found the plot to be "flat, repetitious, much too long, and in the end unsatisfying except perhaps to devoted cat lovers or readers who revel in invented worlds". School Library JournalSchool Library Journal
The School Library Journal is a monthly magazine with articles and reviews for school librarians, media specialists, and public librarians who work with young people. Articles cover a wide variety of topics, with a focus on technology and multimedia. Reviews are included for preschool to 4th grade,...
observed that readers unfamiliar with the first novel would find this one difficult to follow and that the "characterizations of the animals are somewhat flat, although it is possible to tell them apart, and the plot's twists and turns seem mapped out and predictable". Kirkus Reviews
Kirkus Reviews
Kirkus Reviews is an American book review magazine founded in 1933 by Virginia Kirkus . Kirkus serves the book and literary trade sector, including libraries, publishers, literary and film agents, film and TV producers and booksellers. Kirkus Reviews is published on the first and 15th of each month...
praised the increased tensions, noting that "Hunter's world keeps getting more finely drawn, and her characters more complex" though readers may be disappointed that Fireheart fails to resolve his "conflicting responsibilities". Booklist
Booklist
Booklist is a publication of the American Library Association that provides critical reviews of books and audiovisual materials for all ages. It is geared toward libraries and booksellers and is available in print or online...
likewise praised the novel's tension, noting that the "characters remain true to their feline natures, adding to the plausibility of events in this tension filled story". In a review for both Into the Wild
Into the Wild (Warriors)
Into the Wild is a children's fantasy novel written by Kate Cary under the pseudonym Erin Hunter after concepts and outlines created and developed by Victoria Holmes. The novel was published by HarperCollins in Canada and the United States in January 2003, and in the United Kingdom in February...
and Fire and Ice, Horn Book Review suggested Redwall
Redwall
Redwall, by Brian Jacques, is a series of fantasy novels. It is the title of the first book of the series, published in 1986, the name of the Abbey featured in the book, and the name of an animated TV series based on three of the novels , which first aired in 1999...
fans might find the series appealing.