The Bibliophile's Bookshelf

Title: Septimus Heap: Flyte

Series: Septimus Heap #2

Author: Angie Sage

Genre: Middle Reader, Fantasy, Adventure, Magic

Rating: 4 stars

Review:

Septimus Heap has settled into his new Apprentice role and is getting to know his family. Jenna Heap has moved into the Palace with Silas and Sarah. What happens when a mysterious stranger appears?

Again, I really enjoy the characters in this book. All of the characters, most notably the protagonists, are very well written. This book takes place 1 1/2 years after the events of Magyk. It took a minute to get used to this time change, but I really enjoyed it. There was less Aunt Zelda and the Marram Marshes, but we met Septimus’s new friend, Beetle, and got to explore the Castle more. There was also the introduction of a dragon, and we got more Dragon Boat!

I wish there was more of Septimus getting to know his family. I think that was such a big part of the ending of Magyk and Septimus isn’t with them very much. Also, Silas wasn’t a very big part of this story, which was a disappointment because one of the things I loved most about Magyk was the family aspect.

I have the same problem with Flyte that I did with Magyk. All the characters are really well done except for the antagonist. The antagonist is Simon Heap this time, and you don’t entirely know why. I can guess based on the information why Simon is doing what he is doing, but I don’t think the intended age range would necessarily understand all of the emotional components that are hinted at in regard to Simon’s decisions. I still wish there was a more direct way of exploring why Simon is doing what he was doing. Also, Merrin’s story ended so abruptly, and I don’t know what exactly happened to him.

Overall, Flyte was a wonderful sequel to Septimus Heap’s series. I enjoy the characters, and Angie Sage never forgets a character; all characters get their due. I do wish there were some small characters changes. I recommend this book to anyone who wants a cozy, wizard story.

Goodreads Page for: Flyte by Angie Sage