I really feel like Children's books of this genre didn't used to be so terrifying and stressful. As a child (and obviously still presently) I always read a lot of animal-themed books, and while many of them were frightening and dealt with themes maybe not present in other children's books (or books encouraged for children) I feel like they were on a different emotional level than what's being put out today. I think what it comes down to is no children's author has successfully created the overwhelming and suffocating feeling of an inescapable evil bearing down on the main characters as successfully as it was created in this book. During my entire reading of this book I felt as stressed, frightened, and alienated as Fireheart himself was, and at times almost looked forward to the end of it in a desperate plea to find out what happens and have it all over with. It was definitely surprisingly heavy, in a way that I would never expect of a book from this genre, and I will always be surprised that the homebody mother who recommended these books to me one day at an event I was running in Toys R Us did. I highly recommend them, but for those thinking about giving these to young children, I'd recommend a read through yourself first. Anyway, off to the last in this Warrior series, and I am looking forward to the conclusion!