Warriors was one of my first obsessions. The world and the characters engaged me like never before. I would talk nonstop about the books, I watched YouTube videos (the fandom was wild back then) and I roleplayed my own characters and clans on the official forum. It's even the reason I ended up being called Warjay- based on my old RP account "JayWarriors".
So what happened? Well, the books lost their magic. I loved the original concept- the cats in a forest, fighting wars and living lives I could relate to, but still see as alien to my own. The world felt real and the twists and turns were shocking and suspenseful. I still get goosebumps thinking about the dog pack or Brokenstar's army. As it went on, however, the series drifted away from what I loved about it. I didn't care about things like romance drama or the Dark Forest, I cared about seeing the characters struggle for survival or train apprentices. I got sick of ThunderClan's shilling and the over-emphasis on Firestar's bloodline. I hated how they took their great villains and gave them backstories filled with sympathy bait, and I hated how they only gave Ashfur a slap on the wrist.
I stopped reading halfway through Omen of the Stars. I just couldn't enjoy it anymore. The plot threads and the logical inconsistencies kept piling up. The flaws kept growing. The story wasn't one I could find investment in anymore.
Warriors will always hold a special place in my heart. I have so many memories based on Roleplays and character debates. I discovered awesome music that I still listen to today. I will always love the classic series, and I will always be fascinated by how much potential the books had. But I will also never forget the things that made me give up on it forever, and no matter what happened after I stopped reading, I know the magic that made kid me adore it will still be gone- lost in a tangle of plot threads and drama, never to be seen again.
Loved it as a kid, lost the magic as I grew up
Warriors was one of my first obsessions. The world and the characters engaged me like never before. I would talk nonstop about the books, I watched YouTube videos (the fandom was wild back then) and I roleplayed my own characters and clans on the official forum. It's even the reason I ended up being called Warjay- based on my old RP account "JayWarriors".
So what happened? Well, the books lost their magic. I loved the original concept- the cats in a forest, fighting wars and living lives I could relate to, but still see as alien to my own. The world felt real and the twists and turns were shocking and suspenseful. I still get goosebumps thinking about the dog pack or Brokenstar's army. As it went on, however, the series drifted away from what I loved about it. I didn't care about things like romance drama or the Dark Forest, I cared about seeing the characters struggle for survival or train apprentices. I got sick of ThunderClan's shilling and the over-emphasis on Firestar's bloodline. I hated how they took their great villains and gave them backstories filled with sympathy bait, and I hated how they only gave Ashfur a slap on the wrist.
I stopped reading halfway through Omen of the Stars. I just couldn't enjoy it anymore. The plot threads and the logical inconsistencies kept piling up. The flaws kept growing. The story wasn't one I could find investment in anymore.
Warriors will always hold a special place in my heart. I have so many memories based on Roleplays and character debates. I discovered awesome music that I still listen to today. I will always love the classic series, and I will always be fascinated by how much potential the books had. But I will also never forget the things that made me give up on it forever, and no matter what happened after I stopped reading, I know the magic that made kid me adore it will still be gone- lost in a tangle of plot threads and drama, never to be seen again.