Septimus Heap
Encyclopedia
Septimus Heap is a series of fantasy novels featuring a protagonist of the same name
written by English author Angie Sage
. Six novels, entitled Magyk
, Flyte
, Physik
, Queste
, Syren
and Darke
, have been published, the first (Magyk) in 2005 and the most recent (Darke) in 2011. A full colour supplement to the series, entitled The Magykal Papers, was published in June 2009.
The series follows the adventures of Septimus Heap
who, as a seventh son of a seventh son
, has extraordinary magical powers. After he becomes an apprentice to the arch ("ExtraOrdinary") wizard of the series, Marcia Overstrand
, he must study for seven years and a day until his apprenticeship ends. In the first book, he is known as Young Army Expendable Boy 412, until his great-aunt, Zelda Zanuba Heap reveals his true identity. His adventures are placed in the context of the warmth and strength of his family, and developed alongside those of Jenna
, his adoptive sister, who is heir to the throne of the Castle, the community where they live. The novels, set in an elaborate fantastic world, describe the many challenges that Septimus and his friends must overcome.
The books have appeared on national bestsellers lists and received worldwide critical acclaim; Warner Bros.
acquired the rights to produce a movie based on the first book. The series has been noted for the realism and richness of its characters, the compelling nature of their adventures, and its humour. It has been compared with Harry Potter
and other works within the genre.
Author Angie Sage
has said that the character of Septimus Heap, his ultimate fate, and the world he inhabits, were fully formed in her imagination from the beginning, but she had not decided on the intermediate steps on his journey, nor on the characters he would meet. Sage described Septimus Heap's world as a place where numerous creatures and people suddenly appear and become involved in events.
Commenting on the development of the Septimus Heap character, Sage has described him as someone in a strange and hostile world who has no idea of his real identity. The series gained momentum with the development of the character of Marcia Overstrand, which Sage credits as an inspiration. Septimus Heap is centred around the warmth and strength of the Heap family. In an interview Sage said:
Sage keeps a boat (called Muriel) in real life, as does the character Sally Mullin in Magyk
. Other inspirations for the series included Sage's love of history and the misty landscape of Cornwall
, where she lived before starting the series. Another factor in the development of the series was her love of daydreaming: "Slowly ... lots of thinking, and daydreaming. I am a big fan of daydreaming and staring out of the window. Then keeping all my thoughts and ideas in a dog-eared old envelope for ages." With The Wilton Villager, Sage further expanded her inspiration behind the series.
(published in March 2005), revolves around the pauper Heap family: Silas, Sarah and their seven children. The story begins when Silas finds Jenna
in the snow. Septimus
is born on the same day, but is declared dead by the midwife, who robs the baby and brings him to the Supreme Custodian to help start a boy army. On her tenth birthday, Jenna learns from ExtraOrdinary Wizard Marcia Overstrand
that she is a princess, but that she—and the Heap family—are in danger. Jenna and Nicko Heap escape to their Aunt Zelda's cottage. They are accompanied by a member of the Young Army called Boy 412, who discovers his magic powers and a legendary ring on the journey. Marcia is imprisoned in Dom Daniel´s boat, Vengeance, and nearly dies, but is rescued by Boy 412, Jenna and Nicko after they find a flying Dragon Boat in a secret cavern by Zelda´s cottage. At the end of the novel, Boy 412 is revealed to be Septimus, and his family hears of his past.
The second book, Flyte
(published in March 2006), begins with Septimus (now the apprentice to ExtraOrdinary Wizard Marcia) witnessing the kidnap of Jenna by her older brother Simon. After seeking help from Nicko and a friend from the Young Army, Septimus finds Jenna at The Port, but they are followed by Simon. They fly to The Castle in the Dragon Boat, engaging in aerial combat with Simon on the way. Marcia's life is threatened by the reassembled bones of DomDaniel, but with Septimus's help, she destroys him. The novel also features the discovery of the lost "Flyte" charm, which gives the book its title, and an egg that hatches into a dragon Septimus names Spit Fyre.
The antagonist
of the third book, Physik
(published in March 2007), is the 500-year-old spirit of Queen Etheldredda, who is accidentally released by Silas Heap. She sends Septimus to her immortal son Marcellus Pye. He is transported back in time to become the apprentice of the young Marcellus Pye, an alchemist who teaches him about "Physik". In the present timeline of the novel, the Castle is infected by a deadly plague and Queen Etheldredda has a plan to acquire eternal life. Jenna and Nicko meet a young trader Snorri Snorrelssen with whom they travel in time to bring Septimus back, though Nicko and Snorri couldn't escape. There, Jenna is taken to the living Queen Etheldredda, but she escapes with Septimus and they return to the present Castle. Marcia then destroys the substantial spirit of Etheldredda and Septimus brews an antidote to the plague using his knowledge of Physik.
The quest of the fourth book, Queste
(published in April 2008), is a journey in time to the House of Foryx, in which "all times meet", to bring back Nicko and Snorri, who were trapped there after the events of the third book. Septimus is sent on this mission for nefarious reasons by a ghost called Tertius Fume. Assisted by Jenna and his friend Beetle, among others, he pieces together a map to the House of Foryx. When they reach the house, Septimus meets Hotep-Ra, the first ExtraOrdinary Wizard, while Jenna and Beetle find Nicko and Snorri. Marcia and Sarah Heap arrive outside the house on Spit Fyre, and they return together to their own time.
The fifth book, Syren
(published in September 2009), continues from where Queste ended. Septimus decides to bring back his friends from the House of Foryx country and he, Jenna and Beetle get trapped in a mysterious island. There he meets a mysterious girl called Syrah Syara who tells him about a dangerous plot by Tertius Fume to destroy The Castle. Together with the help of the others and a safe-charm jinnee
sent to him by Marcia and Aunt Zelda, Septimus stops the invasion of The Castle by Fume and his jinnee warriors and saves Syrah from a terrible enchantment of a malice ghost called the Syren.
The sixth book, Darke (published in America in June 2011 and England in October 2011), sees Septimus and his friends battling the Darke which has engulfed the Castle and everything and everyone in it. The only thing that is standing in between is Merrin Meredith and his gang of Things and his Darke Dragon. Alther Mella has been Banished (together with Tertius Fume) and Septimus wants to release him from the Darke Halls thinking he could help in undoing the Darke. When Marcia Overstrand, the ExtraOrdinary Wizard undoes the Darke spell with the help of the Paired Codes, all is well. Beetle becomes Chief Hermetic Scribe; Simon is reunited with his family after leaving his past behind and Princess Jenna is happy that the Palace and Castle is back to normal.
is a supplement to the series, which was published on July 2009 in a full colour larger format, with illustrations by Mark Zug
. Angie Sage said in an interview that she is enjoying the process of developing this guide-book and thinking about the book's structure and all its characters. Bloomsbury said that this Septimus Heap encyclopedia is a dazzling cornucopia
of information on every aspect of Septimus's world and the creatures that inhabit it, including the secret files, the journal excerpts, charm theory, the seven basic spells, dispatches from the Message Rat Office, the history, and the maps.
Sage has also expressed an interest in writing spin-off novels which focus on some of the other characters, once the seventh novel is complete.
. Karen Rosenfelt will produce the film, with Sage serving as an executive producer. According to Cinematical.com, the making of the movie will not start before the final Harry Potter
movie is completed. Sage said that the screenplay will be developed after the writer's strike was over.
It was announced on July 17, 2009 that the movie will be live action, with computer animated effects, and David Frankel
as director and Rob Lieber to adapt Magyk. At present, a re-write of the script is being done with screenwriter Mulroney and Warner Brothers are working with a studio to create some early conceptual design/look development. Sage commented: "It is very exciting to know that others are putting their creative input into my work—quite amazing really. [...] I'm really looking forward to seeing the whole Septimus world up there on the big screen coming to life."
ous protagonist
of the series is Septimus Heap. As the seventh son of a seventh son
, the aptly named Septimus has exceptional magical powers. He shares his birthday with Jenna, his adoptive sister, but is presumed dead at birth by his family. For most of the first novel
he appears as Boy 412, a child from the Young Army, where he has spent the first ten years of his life after DomDaniel
attempted to abduct him. Thereafter he is apprentice to the ExtraOrdinary Wizard Marcia Overstrand. He has a mop of curly hair, wears green apprentice robes and has a Dragon Ring on his right hand. In the second novel
, he acquires a dragon called Spit Fyre as a pet. According to a review in the Manila Standard Today
, the contrast between the caution he has learned from an early age and his longing for the love and affection of a family makes him an intriguing character.
Adopted by the Heap family as a baby in place of Septimus, Jenna Heap is the daughter of an assassinated queen. She is a small girl, with deep violet eyes and fair complexion; she wears a deep red cloak and the gold circlet of the princess on her head. She is portrayed as loving and caring at heart, but sometimes very stubborn. In the first novel she has a pet rock called Petroc Trelawney (presumably named after Petroc Trelawny
), which she loses when the Marram Marshes are flooded; she later acquires a pet duck called Ethel. The ambiguity of Jenna's characterization has been questioned, with one critic commenting: "[A]s the Princess or Queenling, she comes from a turbulent past and is thrust into the anonymous world of ordinary society without any inkling of her royal background. The reader is therefore left guessing whether or not she has it in her to rise to the tenets of her position as ruler of the Castle."
Marcia Overstrand is the powerful, ambitious and wilful ExtraOrdinary Wizard of the series. She is characterized as stern, bad-tempered and intimidating, but with a good heart beneath. Her affection towards her apprentice Septimus is manifest in the novels, as is the responsibility she feels to protect him and his sister, even with her own life. She is described as a tall woman, with long, dark curly hair and deep-green eyes, and generally wears a deep purple tunic with purple python-skin boots. Her symbol and source of power, an Akhu-Amulet, hangs around her neck. Her haughty and vain characterization has been praised as a "well-written stand-alone".
The main antagonist
of the first two novels is DomDaniel
, a Necromancer
and ex-ExtraOrdinary Wizard who wants to regain control of the Wizard Tower from Marcia Overstrand. He has been criticized as a rather dull villain, and compared unfavourably to Voldemort. The antagonist of the third novel
, Queen Etheldredda received a better critique, as a character who "leaves you shivering". Several other characters appear regularly in the novels, including Septimus's parents Silas and Sarah Heap, Septimus's friend Beetle, and a trader called Snorri Snorrelssen.
The character development has been praised, with one critic commenting:
novels, the Septimus Heap series is set in an imaginary world. Maps are provided in all of the books. Magyk
contains a map of the Castle and its surroundings to the Port in the south. An enlarged map of the Castle is also included. Flyte
has a map showing the Badlands and the Borderlands in the north. Physik
has an enlarged map of the Castle with more details showing the Alchemie chambers. Queste
has a map for the House of Foryx, drawn by Snorri for Marcellus. Syren keeps the past maps but adds the isles of Syren.
The Wizard Tower is the place where the ExtraOrdinary Wizard (Marcia Overstrand) resides along with Ordinary Wizards and the ExtraOrdinary Apprentice (Septimus Heap). Built by the first ExtraOrdinary Wizard, Hotep-Ra, it is a purple 21-floor tower with a gold pyramid at the top, surrounded by an aura of magic. The Palace is the royal residence, home to Jenna, Sarah and Silas. It is much older than the Wizard Tower with secret places, such as the Queen's room, which is accessible only to the Queen or the Princess, and has a secret passage to the Marram Marshes.
.
The Forest lies to the north-west of the Castle, and is feared by the Castle's inhabitants as a dark and dangerous area. The Wendron Witches and the witch community live there, as does Galen, Sarah Heap's mentor in "physiks". The Forest has many mysterious aspects, and is dominated by shape-shifting or carnivorous trees, wolverines, and secrets. The Forest has a secret way to transport a character to the path leading to the House of Foryx. Sage based the Forest on medieval forests, which were huge and a law unto themselves, free from the authority of the outside world.
The House of Foryx is a magical house situated somewhere deep in another forest, surrounded by perpetual winter. It is an octagonal building flanked by four octagonal pillars. Here all times meet, and characters can go from one time to another. Characters can come into the building from any time, but can leave it in their own time only if another from that time stands outside the main door; otherwise they are lost in time, and may even end up in a time when the House of Foryx did not exist, giving them no chance of ever returning. The house is named after Foryx, a huge elephantine creature in the Septimus Heap universe.
The Port lies in the extreme south near the sea, and is portrayed as a place full of strangers. Here ships load their cargo, which is verified by the customs officer, Alice Nettles(deceased). A dangerous coven called the Port Witch Coven can lure strangers into a trap or turn them into toads. There is a short cut from the Port to Zelda's house in the Marram Marshes. The author created the Port because of her love of the hubbub accompanying the arrival of boats. According to Sage, she sees the Port as full of "beginnings and adventures—and endings too."
The Badlands are a rocky and hilly valley on the northern borders of the Septimus Heap world, where DomDaniel once practised his dark magic in an observatory atop a hill. Simon Heap now lives there with Lucy Gringe. They are inhabited by Land Wurms, giant carnivorous snakelike animals, making them a dangerous place.
, became an international bestseller after it appeared at number one on the New York Times Best Sellers List.
Angela McQuay of Curledupkids said that the books were fast-moving and touching, with plenty of adventure, creatures, charms, spells and bad guys to keep both children and adults interested; although the reader does not get to know the characters as well as the Harry Potter
books, there is more action to keep the reader turning the pages. The reviewer added that the use of capitalization and of different fonts for the words referring to the charms and the spells allows youngsters to recognize the words more easily and also "lend[s] a magical quality to the book itself."
Gailgauthier.com said that the Septimus Heap books are well-written. The plot and world are more logical than other comparable wizard books:
Kimberley Pauley of Yabookscentral.com wrote that Sage's new series is an engrossing fantasy with a believable magical world and interesting, quirky characters. She also pointed out that comparisons with Harry Potter
are illogical as both are "one of a kind".
Epinions.com said it was "struck by the way Sage could convey complex thought processes and swirls of emotion in straightforward, almost intuitive prose". It also said that the Heap family in the story could be seen as having parallels to the real world. That is, the way the wizards and the other families are demonized and scapegoated by DomDaniel's terror regime can be related to the social quandaries in the world today, and Sage presents these themes in words, images and narratives that captivates the reader's imagination.
The Independent newspaper's review of the audio books stated that the chapters are short enough to keep children of seven-plus interested but, as there are ghosts, rats, soldiers and dragon boats to help Septimus and the young Princess fight the evil necromancer DomDaniel
, there is enough to keep the whole family amused.
, such as Petroc Trelawney (Jenna's pet rock) and Sybill Trelawney (a professor in Harry Potter); also both series feature Boggarts (which are intelligent Marsh creatures in Septimus Heap and shape-shifters in Harry Potter). In response, British author Phil Knight has commented:
GailGauthier suggests that the series might not have been so popular without the similarity of its themes with those of Harry Potter
: a boy who is a powerful wizard but does not know it for the first ten or eleven years of his life; a large, poor wizard family with one son who goes bad; a powerful evil wizard; a powerful good wizard; and ghosts—these all feature in Harry Potter.
The series has also been compared to other fantasy novels: for instance, Hotep-Ra's magical ring evokes The Lord of the Rings
, and the journeys in the series are "somewhat Narnia-esque in how they play out"; similarly the concept of a remarkably powerful seventh son of a seventh son
was previously employed in the Alvin Maker series of Orson Scott Card
. The sprinkling of borrowed ideas has not necessarily been regarded as a negative trait: these ideas play a part in developing the flavour of the series and "don't necessarily deviate it from its originality".
Septimus Heap (character)
Septimus Heap is the main protagonist in the bestselling book series Septimus Heap, by Angie Sage. He is the Apprentice to the ExtraOrdinary Wizard, Marcia Overstrand...
written by English author Angie Sage
Angie Sage
Angie Sage is the author of the Septimus Heap series which includes Magyk, Flyte, Physik, Queste, Syren, and Darke. She is also the illustrator and/or writer of many children's books, and is the new writer of the Araminta Spook series.Angie Sage grew up in Thames Valley, London and Kent. Her...
. Six novels, entitled Magyk
Magyk
Magyk is a fantasy novel by Angie Sage. It is the first book in the projected seven-book Septimus Heap series. The sequel, Flyte was released in March 2006, Physik in March 2007, Queste in 2008, Syren in September 2009, and Darke in July 2011...
, Flyte
Flyte
Flyte is the second book in the Septimus Heap series by Angie Sage. The cover is modeled after the in-story book: How to Survive Dragon Fostering: A Practykal Guide with the Flyte Charm lying on top. The book was released worldwide on March 2006...
, Physik
Physik
Physik is the third book in the Septimus Heap series written by Angie Sage. It is the sequel to Flyte. The novel was released on March 28, 2007. The sequel of Physik is Queste...
, Queste
Queste
Queste is a fantasy novel by Angie Sage. It is the fourth book in the Septimus Heap series. The book was released on 16 April 2008, in the United States. The cover of the book is modeled after the in-story Restored notes of Nicko bound by Ephaniah Grebe into a book, with the Queste stone lying on...
, Syren
Syren (book)
Syren is the fifth book in the child fantasy Septimus Heap series by Angie Sage. It was released on September 29, 2009 by HarperCollins and Bloomsbury Publishing...
and Darke
Darke (novel)
Darke is the sixth and penultimate book in the child fantasy Septimus Heap series by Angie Sage. The book was released in the United States on June 7, 2011 by Harper Collins, and in the UK in October 2011 by Bloomsbury...
, have been published, the first (Magyk) in 2005 and the most recent (Darke) in 2011. A full colour supplement to the series, entitled The Magykal Papers, was published in June 2009.
The series follows the adventures of Septimus Heap
Septimus Heap (character)
Septimus Heap is the main protagonist in the bestselling book series Septimus Heap, by Angie Sage. He is the Apprentice to the ExtraOrdinary Wizard, Marcia Overstrand...
who, as a seventh son of a seventh son
Seventh son of a seventh son
The seventh son of a seventh son is a concept from folklore regarding special powers given to, or held by, such a son. The seventh son must come from an unbroken line with no female children born between, and be, in turn, born to such a seventh son...
, has extraordinary magical powers. After he becomes an apprentice to the arch ("ExtraOrdinary") wizard of the series, Marcia Overstrand
Marcia Overstrand
Marcia Overstrand is a fictional character in the Septimus Heap series by Angie Sage. She is the current ExtraOrdinary Wizard and an extremely powerful one at that. She has Septimus as her Apprentice for the next seven years.- Description :...
, he must study for seven years and a day until his apprenticeship ends. In the first book, he is known as Young Army Expendable Boy 412, until his great-aunt, Zelda Zanuba Heap reveals his true identity. His adventures are placed in the context of the warmth and strength of his family, and developed alongside those of Jenna
Jenna Heap
Jenna Heap is a leading character in the Septimus Heap book series by Angie Sage. She is the adoptive sister to Septimus and the adoptive daughter of Silas Heap and Sarah Heap. Jenna has many friends in the book, yet also a lot of enemies...
, his adoptive sister, who is heir to the throne of the Castle, the community where they live. The novels, set in an elaborate fantastic world, describe the many challenges that Septimus and his friends must overcome.
The books have appeared on national bestsellers lists and received worldwide critical acclaim; Warner Bros.
Warner Bros.
Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc., also known as Warner Bros. Pictures or simply Warner Bros. , is an American producer of film and television entertainment.One of the major film studios, it is a subsidiary of Time Warner, with its headquarters in Burbank,...
acquired the rights to produce a movie based on the first book. The series has been noted for the realism and richness of its characters, the compelling nature of their adventures, and its humour. It has been compared with Harry Potter
Harry Potter
Harry Potter is a series of seven fantasy novels written by the British author J. K. Rowling. The books chronicle the adventures of the adolescent wizard Harry Potter and his best friends Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, all of whom are students at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry...
and other works within the genre.
Development
Angie Sage
Angie Sage is the author of the Septimus Heap series which includes Magyk, Flyte, Physik, Queste, Syren, and Darke. She is also the illustrator and/or writer of many children's books, and is the new writer of the Araminta Spook series.Angie Sage grew up in Thames Valley, London and Kent. Her...
has said that the character of Septimus Heap, his ultimate fate, and the world he inhabits, were fully formed in her imagination from the beginning, but she had not decided on the intermediate steps on his journey, nor on the characters he would meet. Sage described Septimus Heap's world as a place where numerous creatures and people suddenly appear and become involved in events.
Commenting on the development of the Septimus Heap character, Sage has described him as someone in a strange and hostile world who has no idea of his real identity. The series gained momentum with the development of the character of Marcia Overstrand, which Sage credits as an inspiration. Septimus Heap is centred around the warmth and strength of the Heap family. In an interview Sage said:
Sage keeps a boat (called Muriel) in real life, as does the character Sally Mullin in Magyk
Magyk
Magyk is a fantasy novel by Angie Sage. It is the first book in the projected seven-book Septimus Heap series. The sequel, Flyte was released in March 2006, Physik in March 2007, Queste in 2008, Syren in September 2009, and Darke in July 2011...
. Other inspirations for the series included Sage's love of history and the misty landscape of Cornwall
Cornwall
Cornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of...
, where she lived before starting the series. Another factor in the development of the series was her love of daydreaming: "Slowly ... lots of thinking, and daydreaming. I am a big fan of daydreaming and staring out of the window. Then keeping all my thoughts and ideas in a dog-eared old envelope for ages." With The Wilton Villager, Sage further expanded her inspiration behind the series.
The novels
The plot of the first book, entitled MagykMagyk
Magyk is a fantasy novel by Angie Sage. It is the first book in the projected seven-book Septimus Heap series. The sequel, Flyte was released in March 2006, Physik in March 2007, Queste in 2008, Syren in September 2009, and Darke in July 2011...
(published in March 2005), revolves around the pauper Heap family: Silas, Sarah and their seven children. The story begins when Silas finds Jenna
Jenna Heap
Jenna Heap is a leading character in the Septimus Heap book series by Angie Sage. She is the adoptive sister to Septimus and the adoptive daughter of Silas Heap and Sarah Heap. Jenna has many friends in the book, yet also a lot of enemies...
in the snow. Septimus
Septimus Heap (character)
Septimus Heap is the main protagonist in the bestselling book series Septimus Heap, by Angie Sage. He is the Apprentice to the ExtraOrdinary Wizard, Marcia Overstrand...
is born on the same day, but is declared dead by the midwife, who robs the baby and brings him to the Supreme Custodian to help start a boy army. On her tenth birthday, Jenna learns from ExtraOrdinary Wizard Marcia Overstrand
Marcia Overstrand
Marcia Overstrand is a fictional character in the Septimus Heap series by Angie Sage. She is the current ExtraOrdinary Wizard and an extremely powerful one at that. She has Septimus as her Apprentice for the next seven years.- Description :...
that she is a princess, but that she—and the Heap family—are in danger. Jenna and Nicko Heap escape to their Aunt Zelda's cottage. They are accompanied by a member of the Young Army called Boy 412, who discovers his magic powers and a legendary ring on the journey. Marcia is imprisoned in Dom Daniel´s boat, Vengeance, and nearly dies, but is rescued by Boy 412, Jenna and Nicko after they find a flying Dragon Boat in a secret cavern by Zelda´s cottage. At the end of the novel, Boy 412 is revealed to be Septimus, and his family hears of his past.
The second book, Flyte
Flyte
Flyte is the second book in the Septimus Heap series by Angie Sage. The cover is modeled after the in-story book: How to Survive Dragon Fostering: A Practykal Guide with the Flyte Charm lying on top. The book was released worldwide on March 2006...
(published in March 2006), begins with Septimus (now the apprentice to ExtraOrdinary Wizard Marcia) witnessing the kidnap of Jenna by her older brother Simon. After seeking help from Nicko and a friend from the Young Army, Septimus finds Jenna at The Port, but they are followed by Simon. They fly to The Castle in the Dragon Boat, engaging in aerial combat with Simon on the way. Marcia's life is threatened by the reassembled bones of DomDaniel, but with Septimus's help, she destroys him. The novel also features the discovery of the lost "Flyte" charm, which gives the book its title, and an egg that hatches into a dragon Septimus names Spit Fyre.
The antagonist
Antagonist
An antagonist is a character, group of characters, or institution, that represents the opposition against which the protagonist must contend...
of the third book, Physik
Physik
Physik is the third book in the Septimus Heap series written by Angie Sage. It is the sequel to Flyte. The novel was released on March 28, 2007. The sequel of Physik is Queste...
(published in March 2007), is the 500-year-old spirit of Queen Etheldredda, who is accidentally released by Silas Heap. She sends Septimus to her immortal son Marcellus Pye. He is transported back in time to become the apprentice of the young Marcellus Pye, an alchemist who teaches him about "Physik". In the present timeline of the novel, the Castle is infected by a deadly plague and Queen Etheldredda has a plan to acquire eternal life. Jenna and Nicko meet a young trader Snorri Snorrelssen with whom they travel in time to bring Septimus back, though Nicko and Snorri couldn't escape. There, Jenna is taken to the living Queen Etheldredda, but she escapes with Septimus and they return to the present Castle. Marcia then destroys the substantial spirit of Etheldredda and Septimus brews an antidote to the plague using his knowledge of Physik.
The quest of the fourth book, Queste
Queste
Queste is a fantasy novel by Angie Sage. It is the fourth book in the Septimus Heap series. The book was released on 16 April 2008, in the United States. The cover of the book is modeled after the in-story Restored notes of Nicko bound by Ephaniah Grebe into a book, with the Queste stone lying on...
(published in April 2008), is a journey in time to the House of Foryx, in which "all times meet", to bring back Nicko and Snorri, who were trapped there after the events of the third book. Septimus is sent on this mission for nefarious reasons by a ghost called Tertius Fume. Assisted by Jenna and his friend Beetle, among others, he pieces together a map to the House of Foryx. When they reach the house, Septimus meets Hotep-Ra, the first ExtraOrdinary Wizard, while Jenna and Beetle find Nicko and Snorri. Marcia and Sarah Heap arrive outside the house on Spit Fyre, and they return together to their own time.
The fifth book, Syren
Syren (book)
Syren is the fifth book in the child fantasy Septimus Heap series by Angie Sage. It was released on September 29, 2009 by HarperCollins and Bloomsbury Publishing...
(published in September 2009), continues from where Queste ended. Septimus decides to bring back his friends from the House of Foryx country and he, Jenna and Beetle get trapped in a mysterious island. There he meets a mysterious girl called Syrah Syara who tells him about a dangerous plot by Tertius Fume to destroy The Castle. Together with the help of the others and a safe-charm jinnee
Genie
Jinn or genies are supernatural creatures in Arab folklore and Islamic teachings that occupy a parallel world to that of mankind. Together, jinn, humans and angels make up the three sentient creations of Allah. Religious sources say barely anything about them; however, the Qur'an mentions that...
sent to him by Marcia and Aunt Zelda, Septimus stops the invasion of The Castle by Fume and his jinnee warriors and saves Syrah from a terrible enchantment of a malice ghost called the Syren.
The sixth book, Darke (published in America in June 2011 and England in October 2011), sees Septimus and his friends battling the Darke which has engulfed the Castle and everything and everyone in it. The only thing that is standing in between is Merrin Meredith and his gang of Things and his Darke Dragon. Alther Mella has been Banished (together with Tertius Fume) and Septimus wants to release him from the Darke Halls thinking he could help in undoing the Darke. When Marcia Overstrand, the ExtraOrdinary Wizard undoes the Darke spell with the help of the Paired Codes, all is well. Beetle becomes Chief Hermetic Scribe; Simon is reunited with his family after leaving his past behind and Princess Jenna is happy that the Palace and Castle is back to normal.
Septimus Heap: The Magykal Papers
Septimus Heap: The Magykal PapersSeptimus Heap: The Magykal Papers
Septimus Heap: The Magykal Papers is a supplementary book to the Septimus Heap series. Released on July 2009, the book is divided into four sections dealing with The Castle, The Palace, The Wizard Tower and the other parts of the Septimus Heap world. It consists of biographies of the main...
is a supplement to the series, which was published on July 2009 in a full colour larger format, with illustrations by Mark Zug
Mark Zug
Mark Zug is an artist and illustrator who is known for his work with the Septimus Heap series and Harlan Ellison's adaption of I, Robot. He has illustrated many collectible card games, including Magic: The Gathering and Dune, as well as books and magazines. He lives in Pennsylvania.- Biography...
. Angie Sage said in an interview that she is enjoying the process of developing this guide-book and thinking about the book's structure and all its characters. Bloomsbury said that this Septimus Heap encyclopedia is a dazzling cornucopia
Cornucopia
The cornucopia or horn of plenty is a symbol of abundance and nourishment, commonly a large horn-shaped container overflowing with produce, flowers, nuts, other edibles, or wealth in some form...
of information on every aspect of Septimus's world and the creatures that inhabit it, including the secret files, the journal excerpts, charm theory, the seven basic spells, dispatches from the Message Rat Office, the history, and the maps.
Future books
Angie Sage has written on the internet that she is now working on the seventh novel, which is for now untitled. She hopes that she is halfway through the book in October 2011, when Darke comes out in the UK.Sage has also expressed an interest in writing spin-off novels which focus on some of the other characters, once the seventh novel is complete.
Film adaptation
Warner Brothers bought the rights to produce a film version of the first book, MagykMagyk
Magyk is a fantasy novel by Angie Sage. It is the first book in the projected seven-book Septimus Heap series. The sequel, Flyte was released in March 2006, Physik in March 2007, Queste in 2008, Syren in September 2009, and Darke in July 2011...
. Karen Rosenfelt will produce the film, with Sage serving as an executive producer. According to Cinematical.com, the making of the movie will not start before the final Harry Potter
Harry Potter
Harry Potter is a series of seven fantasy novels written by the British author J. K. Rowling. The books chronicle the adventures of the adolescent wizard Harry Potter and his best friends Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, all of whom are students at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry...
movie is completed. Sage said that the screenplay will be developed after the writer's strike was over.
It was announced on July 17, 2009 that the movie will be live action, with computer animated effects, and David Frankel
David Frankel
David Frankel is an American director, screenwriter and executive producer. He is the son of Max Frankel, a former executive editor of The New York Times...
as director and Rob Lieber to adapt Magyk. At present, a re-write of the script is being done with screenwriter Mulroney and Warner Brothers are working with a studio to create some early conceptual design/look development. Sage commented: "It is very exciting to know that others are putting their creative input into my work—quite amazing really. [...] I'm really looking forward to seeing the whole Septimus world up there on the big screen coming to life."
Characters
The eponymEponym
An eponym is the name of a person or thing, whether real or fictitious, after which a particular place, tribe, era, discovery, or other item is named or thought to be named...
ous protagonist
Protagonist
A 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 series is Septimus Heap. As the seventh son of a seventh son
Seventh son of a seventh son
The seventh son of a seventh son is a concept from folklore regarding special powers given to, or held by, such a son. The seventh son must come from an unbroken line with no female children born between, and be, in turn, born to such a seventh son...
, the aptly named Septimus has exceptional magical powers. He shares his birthday with Jenna, his adoptive sister, but is presumed dead at birth by his family. For most of the first novel
Magyk
Magyk is a fantasy novel by Angie Sage. It is the first book in the projected seven-book Septimus Heap series. The sequel, Flyte was released in March 2006, Physik in March 2007, Queste in 2008, Syren in September 2009, and Darke in July 2011...
he appears as Boy 412, a child from the Young Army, where he has spent the first ten years of his life after DomDaniel
Domdaniel
Domdaniel is a fictional cavernous hall at the bottom of the ocean where evil magicians, spirits, and gnomes meet. It was first mentioned in the continued story of the Arabian Nights by Dom Chaves and Cazotte . It was described as being located in the sea near Tunis...
attempted to abduct him. Thereafter he is apprentice to the ExtraOrdinary Wizard Marcia Overstrand. He has a mop of curly hair, wears green apprentice robes and has a Dragon Ring on his right hand. In the second novel
Flyte
Flyte is the second book in the Septimus Heap series by Angie Sage. The cover is modeled after the in-story book: How to Survive Dragon Fostering: A Practykal Guide with the Flyte Charm lying on top. The book was released worldwide on March 2006...
, he acquires a dragon called Spit Fyre as a pet. According to a review in the Manila Standard Today
Manila Standard Today
The Manila Standard Today is the fourth-largest broadsheet newspaper in the Philippines as of 2006. Initially established as the Manila Standard, it merged with another newspaper of record, Today, on March 6, 2005...
, the contrast between the caution he has learned from an early age and his longing for the love and affection of a family makes him an intriguing character.
Adopted by the Heap family as a baby in place of Septimus, Jenna Heap is the daughter of an assassinated queen. She is a small girl, with deep violet eyes and fair complexion; she wears a deep red cloak and the gold circlet of the princess on her head. She is portrayed as loving and caring at heart, but sometimes very stubborn. In the first novel she has a pet rock called Petroc Trelawney (presumably named after Petroc Trelawny
Petroc Trelawny
Petroc Trelawny is a British classical music radio and television broadcaster, who joined BBC Radio 3 in 1998 where he regularly presents Music Matters, In Tune and Live in Concert....
), which she loses when the Marram Marshes are flooded; she later acquires a pet duck called Ethel. The ambiguity of Jenna's characterization has been questioned, with one critic commenting: "[A]s the Princess or Queenling, she comes from a turbulent past and is thrust into the anonymous world of ordinary society without any inkling of her royal background. The reader is therefore left guessing whether or not she has it in her to rise to the tenets of her position as ruler of the Castle."
Marcia Overstrand is the powerful, ambitious and wilful ExtraOrdinary Wizard of the series. She is characterized as stern, bad-tempered and intimidating, but with a good heart beneath. Her affection towards her apprentice Septimus is manifest in the novels, as is the responsibility she feels to protect him and his sister, even with her own life. She is described as a tall woman, with long, dark curly hair and deep-green eyes, and generally wears a deep purple tunic with purple python-skin boots. Her symbol and source of power, an Akhu-Amulet, hangs around her neck. Her haughty and vain characterization has been praised as a "well-written stand-alone".
The main antagonist
Antagonist
An antagonist is a character, group of characters, or institution, that represents the opposition against which the protagonist must contend...
of the first two novels is DomDaniel
Domdaniel
Domdaniel is a fictional cavernous hall at the bottom of the ocean where evil magicians, spirits, and gnomes meet. It was first mentioned in the continued story of the Arabian Nights by Dom Chaves and Cazotte . It was described as being located in the sea near Tunis...
, a Necromancer
Necromancy
Necromancy is a claimed form of magic that involves communication with the deceased, either by summoning their spirit in the form of an apparition or raising them bodily, for the purpose of divination, imparting the ability to foretell future events or discover hidden knowledge...
and ex-ExtraOrdinary Wizard who wants to regain control of the Wizard Tower from Marcia Overstrand. He has been criticized as a rather dull villain, and compared unfavourably to Voldemort. The antagonist of the third novel
Physik
Physik is the third book in the Septimus Heap series written by Angie Sage. It is the sequel to Flyte. The novel was released on March 28, 2007. The sequel of Physik is Queste...
, Queen Etheldredda received a better critique, as a character who "leaves you shivering". Several other characters appear regularly in the novels, including Septimus's parents Silas and Sarah Heap, Septimus's friend Beetle, and a trader called Snorri Snorrelssen.
The character development has been praised, with one critic commenting:
These characters remind us of the different types of people around us. Sage separates the qualities that make us who we are and typecasts them into these roles. The good and the bad characteristics are accompanied by the dull and the intelligent, the silly with the mature and the unapproachable with the loving. But this doesn’t mean that her characters are not well-rounded people. They are, but by highlighting certain aspects of their personality, she makes it easy for the reader to think of real people in terms of these characters. Thus an evil principal becomes the necromancer, the dead queen the beloved grandparent, Septimus as the most intelligent but quiet boy in class and Jenna, perhaps, as the new best friend in the neighbourhood.
Fictional setting
Like other fantasyFantasy
Fantasy is a genre of fiction that commonly uses magic and other supernatural phenomena as a primary element of plot, theme, or setting. Many works within the genre take place in imaginary worlds where magic is common...
novels, the Septimus Heap series is set in an imaginary world. Maps are provided in all of the books. Magyk
Magyk
Magyk is a fantasy novel by Angie Sage. It is the first book in the projected seven-book Septimus Heap series. The sequel, Flyte was released in March 2006, Physik in March 2007, Queste in 2008, Syren in September 2009, and Darke in July 2011...
contains a map of the Castle and its surroundings to the Port in the south. An enlarged map of the Castle is also included. Flyte
Flyte
Flyte is the second book in the Septimus Heap series by Angie Sage. The cover is modeled after the in-story book: How to Survive Dragon Fostering: A Practykal Guide with the Flyte Charm lying on top. The book was released worldwide on March 2006...
has a map showing the Badlands and the Borderlands in the north. Physik
Physik
Physik is the third book in the Septimus Heap series written by Angie Sage. It is the sequel to Flyte. The novel was released on March 28, 2007. The sequel of Physik is Queste...
has an enlarged map of the Castle with more details showing the Alchemie chambers. Queste
Queste
Queste is a fantasy novel by Angie Sage. It is the fourth book in the Septimus Heap series. The book was released on 16 April 2008, in the United States. The cover of the book is modeled after the in-story Restored notes of Nicko bound by Ephaniah Grebe into a book, with the Queste stone lying on...
has a map for the House of Foryx, drawn by Snorri for Marcellus. Syren keeps the past maps but adds the isles of Syren.
The Castle
The Castle is the main location in the series. It is situated by a river on a piece of land, circular in shape, which has been cut off from the surrounding forest by an artificial moat. The Wizard Tower, the Palace and the Ramblings are located in the Castle. Sage based the structure on that of ancient walled cities which were completely self-sufficient, like little nations in their own right.The Wizard Tower is the place where the ExtraOrdinary Wizard (Marcia Overstrand) resides along with Ordinary Wizards and the ExtraOrdinary Apprentice (Septimus Heap). Built by the first ExtraOrdinary Wizard, Hotep-Ra, it is a purple 21-floor tower with a gold pyramid at the top, surrounded by an aura of magic. The Palace is the royal residence, home to Jenna, Sarah and Silas. It is much older than the Wizard Tower with secret places, such as the Queen's room, which is accessible only to the Queen or the Princess, and has a secret passage to the Marram Marshes.
The lands around the Castle
To the south of the Castle are the Marram Marshes, a long stretch of marshland near the mouth of the river, which is inhabited by many creatures, such as Brownies, Quake Oozes, Boggarts and pythons. Zelda Heap's cottage is on Draggen Island, in the middle of the marshes. It is built above the secret temple where Septimus finds the Dragon Boat. Sage has stated that the marshes are based on boggy areas at the end of a creek near her home, and that the tides and the phases of the moon in the novels are based on those for Falmouth, CornwallFalmouth, Cornwall
Falmouth is a town, civil parish and port on the River Fal on the south coast of Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. It has a total resident population of 21,635.Falmouth is the terminus of the A39, which begins some 200 miles away in Bath, Somerset....
.
The Forest lies to the north-west of the Castle, and is feared by the Castle's inhabitants as a dark and dangerous area. The Wendron Witches and the witch community live there, as does Galen, Sarah Heap's mentor in "physiks". The Forest has many mysterious aspects, and is dominated by shape-shifting or carnivorous trees, wolverines, and secrets. The Forest has a secret way to transport a character to the path leading to the House of Foryx. Sage based the Forest on medieval forests, which were huge and a law unto themselves, free from the authority of the outside world.
The House of Foryx is a magical house situated somewhere deep in another forest, surrounded by perpetual winter. It is an octagonal building flanked by four octagonal pillars. Here all times meet, and characters can go from one time to another. Characters can come into the building from any time, but can leave it in their own time only if another from that time stands outside the main door; otherwise they are lost in time, and may even end up in a time when the House of Foryx did not exist, giving them no chance of ever returning. The house is named after Foryx, a huge elephantine creature in the Septimus Heap universe.
Other locations
The Badlands are a rocky and hilly valley on the northern borders of the Septimus Heap world, where DomDaniel once practised his dark magic in an observatory atop a hill. Simon Heap now lives there with Lucy Gringe. They are inhabited by Land Wurms, giant carnivorous snakelike animals, making them a dangerous place.
Reception
The Septimus Heap novels have been published in 28 languages worldwide and have sold over one million copies in the United States, with each of the books appearing on national bestsellers lists. Published in March 2005, the first book, MagykMagyk
Magyk is a fantasy novel by Angie Sage. It is the first book in the projected seven-book Septimus Heap series. The sequel, Flyte was released in March 2006, Physik in March 2007, Queste in 2008, Syren in September 2009, and Darke in July 2011...
, became an international bestseller after it appeared at number one on the New York Times Best Sellers List.
Critical reception
The series has received mostly positive reviews.Angela McQuay of Curledupkids said that the books were fast-moving and touching, with plenty of adventure, creatures, charms, spells and bad guys to keep both children and adults interested; although the reader does not get to know the characters as well as the Harry Potter
Harry Potter
Harry Potter is a series of seven fantasy novels written by the British author J. K. Rowling. The books chronicle the adventures of the adolescent wizard Harry Potter and his best friends Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, all of whom are students at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry...
books, there is more action to keep the reader turning the pages. The reviewer added that the use of capitalization and of different fonts for the words referring to the charms and the spells allows youngsters to recognize the words more easily and also "lend[s] a magical quality to the book itself."
Gailgauthier.com said that the Septimus Heap books are well-written. The plot and world are more logical than other comparable wizard books:
There are no parallel universes, for instance. (Just how does a wizard and human world co-exist, anyway? How can you possibly get from one to another? And if those wizards are so smart, why are they using parchment and quills when the lame humans have word processors?) There are no dramatic swings between cartoon portrayals of humans and deep important themes. There are no long stretches filled with clever details that don't necessarily move the story along.
Kimberley Pauley of Yabookscentral.com wrote that Sage's new series is an engrossing fantasy with a believable magical world and interesting, quirky characters. She also pointed out that comparisons with Harry Potter
Harry Potter
Harry Potter is a series of seven fantasy novels written by the British author J. K. Rowling. The books chronicle the adventures of the adolescent wizard Harry Potter and his best friends Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, all of whom are students at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry...
are illogical as both are "one of a kind".
Epinions.com said it was "struck by the way Sage could convey complex thought processes and swirls of emotion in straightforward, almost intuitive prose". It also said that the Heap family in the story could be seen as having parallels to the real world. That is, the way the wizards and the other families are demonized and scapegoated by DomDaniel's terror regime can be related to the social quandaries in the world today, and Sage presents these themes in words, images and narratives that captivates the reader's imagination.
The Independent newspaper's review of the audio books stated that the chapters are short enough to keep children of seven-plus interested but, as there are ghosts, rats, soldiers and dragon boats to help Septimus and the young Princess fight the evil necromancer DomDaniel
Domdaniel
Domdaniel is a fictional cavernous hall at the bottom of the ocean where evil magicians, spirits, and gnomes meet. It was first mentioned in the continued story of the Arabian Nights by Dom Chaves and Cazotte . It was described as being located in the sea near Tunis...
, there is enough to keep the whole family amused.
Comparisons with other fantasy novels
Some critics have noted similarities between names in Septimus Heap and those in Harry PotterHarry Potter
Harry Potter is a series of seven fantasy novels written by the British author J. K. Rowling. The books chronicle the adventures of the adolescent wizard Harry Potter and his best friends Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, all of whom are students at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry...
, such as Petroc Trelawney (Jenna's pet rock) and Sybill Trelawney (a professor in Harry Potter); also both series feature Boggarts (which are intelligent Marsh creatures in Septimus Heap and shape-shifters in Harry Potter). In response, British author Phil Knight has commented:
The Petroc Trelawney in the Septimus Heap books is nothing at all to do with Professor Trelawney. He is a Radio 3BBC Radio 3BBC Radio 3 is a national radio station operated by the BBC within the United Kingdom. Its output centres on classical music and opera, but jazz, world music, drama, culture and the arts also feature. The station is the world’s most significant commissioner of new music, and its New Generation...
presenter who may well be known to Angie Sage personally, but otherwise will be known over the air. Think: why would Jenna call a pet rock 'Trelawney'? To a Radio 3 listener like me, it's perfectly logical ... And as for Boggarts, they've been around here in the North of England for a long time. Manchester has Boggart Hole Clough, for example. They're not really like either Sage's or RowlingJ. K. RowlingJoanne "Jo" Rowling, OBE , better known as J. K. Rowling, is the British author of the Harry Potter fantasy series...
's creatures, but pre-exist either of them.
GailGauthier suggests that the series might not have been so popular without the similarity of its themes with those of Harry Potter
Harry Potter
Harry Potter is a series of seven fantasy novels written by the British author J. K. Rowling. The books chronicle the adventures of the adolescent wizard Harry Potter and his best friends Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, all of whom are students at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry...
: a boy who is a powerful wizard but does not know it for the first ten or eleven years of his life; a large, poor wizard family with one son who goes bad; a powerful evil wizard; a powerful good wizard; and ghosts—these all feature in Harry Potter.
The series has also been compared to other fantasy novels: for instance, Hotep-Ra's magical ring evokes The Lord of the Rings
The Lord of the Rings
The Lord of the Rings is a high fantasy epic written by English philologist and University of Oxford professor J. R. R. Tolkien. The story began as a sequel to Tolkien's earlier, less complex children's fantasy novel The Hobbit , but eventually developed into a much larger work. It was written in...
, and the journeys in the series are "somewhat Narnia-esque in how they play out"; similarly the concept of a remarkably powerful seventh son of a seventh son
Seventh son of a seventh son
The seventh son of a seventh son is a concept from folklore regarding special powers given to, or held by, such a son. The seventh son must come from an unbroken line with no female children born between, and be, in turn, born to such a seventh son...
was previously employed in the Alvin Maker series of Orson Scott Card
Orson Scott Card
Orson Scott Card is an American author, critic, public speaker, essayist, columnist, and political activist. He writes in several genres, but is primarily known for his science fiction. His novel Ender's Game and its sequel Speaker for the Dead both won Hugo and Nebula Awards, making Card the...
. The sprinkling of borrowed ideas has not necessarily been regarded as a negative trait: these ideas play a part in developing the flavour of the series and "don't necessarily deviate it from its originality".