The Outcast is full of cheese and fluff and represents a cheap version of a prophecy fulfillment story. The problems I spotted in The Hatchling return tenfold in this book, to the point where not even nostalgia could win the day.

Let’s start with Nyroc/Coryn. Coryn consistently speaks in grandiose, cheesy statements, and is given advice that is also grandiose and cheesy. He’s not as familiar or as memorable a protagonist as Soren; in fact, he’s a rather flat character who is pretty much flawless in every way. The only thing Coryn struggles with in this book is fear that other people will confuse him with his mother. He does everything perfectly because, as this book tells us multiple times, he is the next owl king and everyone knows it and welcomes him and whoever doesn’t recognize that fact is evil.

The side characters also speak declaratively and pithily. Even the introduction of the dire wolves and their clan system is derailed by the clunky dialogue and lack of plot. Too much happens too fast, and there wasn’t enough buildup to this whole idea of a new owl king for the plot to be in any way coherent or believable.

Lasky tried to take this series in a different direction, but the lack of adequate development and buildup, lack of worldbuilding in terms of Hoolian knowledge (something she tries to rectify with her three prequels about Hoole) and prophecies, and the awkward, cheesy dialogue only make The Outcast a chore to read and difficult to finish.

I'm not sure how to feel about this one, I think now that the main quest is over I'm feeling that loss, and while I love Coryn, he's no Soren. I do like the introduction of the other species, and I already have the first book in the Wolves of the Beyond ready to go. I do love this world and all the magic within.

I grew to love this saga even more, because it not only focus on owl, now there is also other animals, like dire wolves. I love it.

Now the story about Coryn's journey (formerly known as Nyroc) to seek the ember of hoole which is said to have great power. Now there is another mystery and purpose after the death of kludd.

This book is okay. The storyline continues on well from the other books and the characters are good but I think there'd should have been more scenes and backstory to Soren and his mate. Also more chapters on the chaw of chats would have fitted in well. I personally didn't like how Coryn became the King and think it should have been Soren because of the previous trials he's face. Also Boren and Barrens death chapter was very abrupt and had no previous refernences in the book whatsoever. All in all it was an ok book but the storyline could have been improved and it wasn't one of the best books in the series so far.

I feel like it's time to call it quits with this series. So, as I won't be reading the next book, I'll turn this into a nostalgic review of this book, and the series as a whole.

Two years ago, I picked up The Capture from my school library, and thoroughly enjoyed it. I was already a fan of Erin Hunter's Warriors, so a similar book series about owls naturally attracted me. I then read the next five books, and found them to be just as good, if not better. The plotline was cool, the characters were unique and likable, the mythology was surprisingly well-developed for a series of children's books. After I finished reading The Burning, I was excited to see what would happen next to Soren and his friends, and eagerly picked up the next book, The Hatchling, over the summer...only to be sorely disappointed.

I think it would've been less of a let-down if Kathryn Lasky listed Hatchling, Outcast, etc. as a separate series, similar to Rick Riordan with The Heroes of Olympus, or Erin Hunter with the various arcs of Warriors and Seekers. I expected Soren, and what I got was Nyroc (a bland Gary-Stu of a protagonist). The characters I had grown to love over the course of six books were entirely absent, with the exception of Otulissa. But I kept reading, because I hoped that it would get better. I hoped that Nyroc would develop a damn personality, and actually struggle at something for once (if I wanted to read about a character who's perfect at everything, I'd read fucking Starkit's Prophecy).

Once again, my hopes were dashed.

Nyroc/Coryn is still a bland Gary-Stu. The previous characters are still mostly absent, though Otulissa gets some more prominence. While I'd like to say that the plot made up for this...it, quite honestly, didn't. Finding Ga'Hoole, which was previously Coryn's number one motivation, has taken a backseat to the Ember of Hoole subplot. Oh, and did I mention how this plotline kicks off? Coryn overhears a story that's kinda similar to something that just happened to him, so he decides to abandon his dreams and go off on a quest which may or may not be a suicide mission.



Honestly, though, even the first six books probably weren't as good as I remember them. Because, looking back on it, there's a shit ton of problems with this series, including but not limited to:

- The author is writing for the wrong target audience. Like, she wants to include murder, slavery, cannibalism, psychological torture and brainwashing of children, kidnapping, warfare, etc., in a book series targeted at elementary schoolers. Now, I'm all for including dark/mature stuff in kids' books. Talking down to kids never does them any favors. However, I believe that if these were young adult books (instead of middle grade), Lasky would be able to go more in-depth on the trauma that these events caused.

- The protagonists show a ridiculous amount of Fantastic Racism towards any creature that's not an owl (the treatment of nest-maid snakes is hella gross in particular), making them seem extremely hypocritical whenever they talk about how horrible the Pure Ones' ideals are.

- Lasky fails owl biology forever. In her "About the Author" page, it says that she did extensive research on owls...but apparently she still doesn't know that owl shit is wet? ok.



- Third person omniscient PoV. I know it's not bad in and of itself, but goddammit I hate it. It's really confusing for me.

- Lasky also fails geography forever. If you look at the maps, there's apparently deserts and tundras...in the same general area. Did I mention that these books take place in the distant future? Because holy fucking shit, climate does not work that way.

- Just what the fuck happened to all the humans anyway?

I loved how there were a few adorable and funny instances that served as a reminder that Coryn was just a little more than a hatchling. On more than one occassion I felt as if I was reading about Soren rather than Coryn, however, since I can't place whether it was good or bad in the entire scheme of things, I'm willing to give it the benefit of doubt.
All in all, it was a wonderful succession to the previous book.

I'd probably give this more like 3.5 stars. It just didn't quite have as strong a focus as the previous book so the emotions and characters felt a bit weaker. It did still have some heart-stirring moments, but overall it felt like a lot of parts either went to quickly or were resolved too easily. I probably would have preferred it if some of the plots had been drawn out a bit more and the story continued for at least one more book. That would have given the proper time and difficult to the struggles that felt weak in this book.

This book is AMAZING! Well the whole series is amazing. It's a sad book because Nyroc(also known as Coryn)has a evil family. All Coryn wants is to do good. So he flies away from his family. But is rejected by everyone else because they think he's Nyra(his mom). Until he realizes that he is the chosen one. He was chosen to become king of Ga'Hoole! Then he meats his uncle for the first time, and his whole life changes.

I really enjoyed Nyroc's journey in these books, I think it's genius to have a new pair of eyes to experience the same world we have already experienced with other characters, and at the same time we get to see the new adventures of "the chosen one" finally claiming its throne. Not only did we get more juicy lore of the owl world, we went deep into the world of wolves, and I'm glad their society and culture is explored thoroughly.

This was yet another heart throbbing book. My heart goes out to Coryn. Wolves and owls in one book two of my very favorite animals in one book! It was a real treat. I appreciated how Kathryn Lasky correctly wrote about the social order of wolves.

I can't wait to get the next book in the series. :-)

I didn’t love Coryn at first but man the Beyond of the Beyond saved it for me! I loved the culture of the wolves and learning about the ‘others’ the wolves superstitions and the Ember of Hoole. At first I figured that I would stop the series here since there was a happy ending. But then I remembered Nyra is still out there and after looking into the following books I am looking forward to continuing this series.
For those who are wondering the next trilogy is about Grank and King Hoole basically their origins and adventures.
The trilogy after that is about the new king and the Chaw of Chaws as they navigate this new age.
The final book in this series is about the origins of Ezylrib who is one of my my favorite characters so I am most looking forward to that book.

My son loved these! He read them in about 3rd grade. I didn't share his love, but then I'm an adult and I experienced the story from a totally different point of view (I mean, fighting owls??! It was hard for me to get into.) I was willing to let him read whatever it took to get him to reading fluently and I was just happy to see him immersed in a book.