Critical reception Main series The first
Warriors novel,
Into the Wild, was generally well-received, with
Booklist calling it "spine-tingling", Sally Estes of the
American Library Association calling it "thoroughly engrossing", and
Publishers Weekly calling it an "exciting ... action-packed adventure". Mary Alpert of
School Library Journal praised the authors for "creating an intriguing world ... and an engaging young hero". Janice M. Del Negro, writing for ''
The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, criticized the characters and imagined world as being "neither ... consistent nor compelling". Cindy Welch, writing for Booklist
, stated about Rising Storm'' that "Hunter once again tells a good, suspenseful adventure story", and "teens may find their own journey toward adulthood echoed in the protagonist's struggles and self-doubts". The large number of characters involved in
Warriors has often been seen as a negative point; a
School Library Journal reviewer compared the "huge cast" to that of a
Greek drama, and others wrote that it was "hard to follow", and "a little confusing". and
Publishers Weekly was left wondering "what dreams of grandeur may haunt the family cat". and it appeared on the
New York Times Best Seller list for a total of 119 weeks, as of 23 November 2014.
Manga, audiobooks and graphic novels The manga has also earned praise: a reviewer for ''Children's Bookwatch
wrote that Into the Woods
"ends on a tense cliffhanger, leaving the reader in anxious anticipation for more [...] Into the Woods
is especially recommended for cat lovers everywhere." Its sequel, Escape from the Forest
, was also well reviewed: a reviewer for Publishers Weekly'' said that readers would benefit from reading about Sasha leaving the powerful Tigerstar due to his "growing violence". The art was also praised, with the reviewer writing that "Hudson's artwork brings Sasha's emotional journey to life, showing each moment of fear, anxiety, contentment, and joy. The cat's-eye perspective of many of the panels, in addition, add a dramatic, energizing element to the book." The reviewer also wrote that "a twist at the end will leave fans eager for the next installment of Sasha's saga", and that the book would appeal to young adults trying to find their place in the world. Lisa Goldstein writing for
School Library Journal also gave the book a positive review, writing that the plot would attract new fans and appeal to old fans. Goldstein also wrote that "though the cover claims that this is a 'manga,' the straightforward illustrations are drawn in a simple, realistic style."
The New Prophecy audiobooks are spoken by Nanette Savard; a reviewer for
AudioFile wrote that "[h]er dazzling variety of voices (and tonal variety within voices) astonishes", and another that "[h]er narration is crisp and clear, and she knows how amplify the drama by building tension". The graphic novel adaptations of
The Prophecies Begin have received both praise and criticism from
Kirkus Reviews. A review of
Volume 1 wrote that the "vivid colors, dramatic action sequences, and appealingly expressive feline faces will grab readers' attention". A review of
Volume 2 criticised the difficulty of visually recognising characters, "particularly since the illustrators admit to adding a few extras". A review of
Volume 3 wrote that "the visual format suits the violent, dramatic storyline".
School Library Journal stated that the "unique and vibrant colors" would surely "help bring these stories to a new audience".
Accolades Into the Wild was nominated for the
Pacific Northwest Library Association's 2006
Young Reader's Choice Awards; it was also listed on
Booklists top ten fantasy books for youth in 2003.
The Sight was nominated for the best Middle Readers book in
Amazon's Best Books of the Year (2007) and placed sixth out of the ten nominees, with six percent of the total votes.
Cultural impact Warriors is read by both adults and children. Abby Hargreaves of
Book Riot wrote that
Warriors could be "the
Redwall of the next generation" and is also comparable to
The Chronicles of Narnia. one example is an animated adaptation of
Warriors, titled
SSS Warrior Cats. ==Themes==