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The Familiars

(The Familiars #1)

Adam Jay Epstein (Goodreads Author),

Andrew Jacobson (Goodreads Author)

Peter Chan (Illustrator)

Kei Acedera (Illustrator)

4.08 · Rating details · 7,333 ratings · 709 reviews

Is the kingdom's fate in the hands of an orphan cat? Running fast to save his life, Aldwyn ducks into an unusual pet store. Moments later Jack, a young wizard in training, comes in to choose a magical animal to be his familiar. Jack thinks his birthday pet is magical, and Aldwyn plays along.

He just has to convince the other familiars -- know-it-all blue jay Skylar and unsu ...more

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Hardcover, 360 pages

Published September 7th 2010 by HarperCollins

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4.08 ·

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· 7,333 ratings · 709 reviews

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Jun 03, 2012 Shannon marked it as will-never-read

Shelves: think-about, baked-beans-and

Not interested in this one.

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Jul 10, 2011 Dawn (& Ron) rated it really liked it

Recommends it for: animal lovers, fantasy fans

Shelves: fantasy, annas-abc-and-d-bookclub, animal-tales, childrens-fiction, two-fer-read, tbr-challenge, ya

The Familiars Read for Anna's ABC&D bookclub

Both Ron and I read this fantasy tale, about three familiars; a tabby cat, a tree frog, and a blue jay, and their three young wizards in training. The story centers around the familiar's journey to save their wizards. Along the way they learn about each other, themselves and big secrets that affect the entire land of Vastia. We both appreciated the map to help us follow them on their amazing journey. Our combined average rating is 3.75, rounded up The Familiars Read for Anna's ABC&D bookclub

Both Ron and I read this fantasy tale, about three familiars; a tabby cat, a tree frog, and a blue jay, and their three young wizards in training. The story centers around the familiar's journey to save their wizards. Along the way they learn about each other, themselves and big secrets that affect the entire land of Vastia. We both appreciated the map to help us follow them on their amazing journey. Our combined average rating is 3.75, rounded up to 4 stars.

"How had the fate of Vastia fallen upon a tree frog, a blue jay, and himself, a fake familiar without even the tiniest whisker of magic?"

The story is seen and told through the eyes of Aldwyn, an ordinary tabby cat who suddenly finds himself pretending to be a familiar to escape a bounty hunter. The authors do a wonderful job of capturing the inner thoughts of a feline, and little touches that cat lovers will find themselves shaking their heads along in acknowledgement. The scene where Jack picks Aldwyn and there is that instant connection between them, is how we feel when all of our rescued pets have adopted us. Aldwyn must keep his secret from the other familiars, as well as the young wizards, while at the same time learning the world of magic, which becomes more difficult when they must save the young wizards. But is Aldwyn only an ordinary tabby cat?

"How quickly a journey can be made in one's mind when the travels by foot took so long!"

Dawn's thoughts. I liked the clever use of all kinds of magical animals used as familiars in this tale, chameleon crabs, pocket dragons to riding lizards and everything else in between. I appreciated how the three animal familiars learned of each other through discovering things about their childhoods and backgrounds, helping them to accept and learn to trust each other, showing that there is normally a reason behind someone's behavior. Though I really enjoyed these aspects and more, other things left me not so sure. Some things are not explained, not sure if this is intentional to keep readers curious, while other things are too conveniently discovered. Is my adult self getting in the way or the fact that I'm not used to reading broad fantasy like this (no, not even Harry Potter, yet), its hard to say. After reading other books in the series, I many have to come back and adjust my assessment. My rating is 3-1/2.

Ron's thoughts. I liked how the three familiars worked together and learned to accept each other's differences. The unexpected twist that a secret reveals sheds a different light on everything as they and the reader know it, which opens up interesting possibilities for the future books. I feel the way it is written makes it easy for young readers to follow, especially considering all the characters and magical beings sprinkled throughout. Overall, I found it a fun enjoyable read and rate it 4 stars.

We would like to mention a few scenes for adults to consider. There are two character's deaths, one where a witch gets boiled alive (157), a fight on a bridge where two people are thrown over the side (224-8) and the magical use of a wolf's snout as a tracking device which can only be obtained one way (201-2). These scenes are generally brief and not overly detailed or in anyway gratuitous, but could be a bit too graphic for some children.

As Gilbert the frog says. "You know, life isn't just about looking into the past and future, it's about living in the moment and appreciating what's right in front of you." That pretty much sums up the fun of this book, just sit back and enjoy the journey before you.
...more

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Apr 20, 2010 Crowinator rated it it was ok

Shelves: arcs, booklist-review, 2010-reads, genre-fantasy, childrens-middle-grade

Maybe 2.5 stars. Here's another older review from my LJ blog; I'm adding them to GR to keep track of them. I wrote this one back in 2010.

I think this book should have popularity, let me first say, at least among grade school kids, because of the spin of having a bunch of animals do the heroic questing and saving the world. And a motley group of animals they are, too -- an alley cat, a blue jay, and a tree frog. Still, it is terribly generic as a quest fantasy. It is, for lack of a better word, c Maybe 2.5 stars. Here's another older review from my LJ blog; I'm adding them to GR to keep track of them. I wrote this one back in 2010.

I think this book should have popularity, let me first say, at least among grade school kids, because of the spin of having a bunch of animals do the heroic questing and saving the world. And a motley group of animals they are, too -- an alley cat, a blue jay, and a tree frog. Still, it is terribly generic as a quest fantasy. It is, for lack of a better word, cute. I read that the two authors wrote this book to spur a movie contract, and it reads like it, like the skimpy novelization of a children's animated movie (which, to be honest, I would probably rent, as long as it's not one of those creepy, too-realistic computer-animated features, like The Polar Express). It's also been picked up by a movie studio and has a big web site, so all the powers of publicity may be behind this thing. All of the characters are clichéd: think Harry Potter with animals -- the orphaned, misunderstood, always-in-a-scrape hero, who turns out to have amazing powers and a prophetic DESTINY; the bookish, know-it-all girl who is always telling everybody what to do; the dim but sweet-natured friend who is along for comic relief; the wise old mentor who isn't any help; the evil villain with not one single redeeming point . . . you get the idea. There are some scenes -- such as when Jack, apprentice wizard, goes to the shop to pick out his magical familiar -- that are very, very Harry Potter (in this case, a mix of HP picking out his wand and his owl). Even the plot twists are predictable, unless you have never read another fantasy nor seen a fantasy movie nor played a fantasy game in your whole life. (view spoiler)

Nevertheless, despite all my complaining, it has some fun world-building with the way the familiars interact with their magicians and an appealing lead (the scruffy alley cat Aldwyn, who relies on his smarts for most of the book instead of magic, which is at least something. Of course, it's because he doesn't think he can do magic, except when he really, really needs to, it just happens, like it always does in these books).

It's very plotty and action-oriented, it has some funny moments, and though it feels a like a gimmick, it'll provide an entertaining, uncomplicated read for kids, who will probably get a kick out of picturing a cat, a frog, and a bird on the road together. ...more

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Oct 15, 2012 Angela Oliver rated it it was ok

Shelves: animals, adventure, childrens, fantasy

Entertaining enough for me to finish, but not an overly great read. The characters seemed a little one dimensional - brave feline, sly/brainy jay and foolish frog (sound a little familair? It's like a furry Harry Potter). I felt sorry for Gilbert, his entire presence in the plot seemed to be to bumble around, make an idiot of himself and get mocked by all and sundry (ok, so he's more a Neville than a Ron). Plus there is no way you could disguise a frog as a chicken! Why did the jay with her awes ...more

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Jan 11, 2017 BAM The Bibliomaniac rated it liked it

Shelves: children-s, audiobooks, library

The thing I'd like to ask about this book is at what age group is it being aimed? Because I think the chapters may be a bit too long for many child readers
But I will say it will probably keep the reader's interest most of the time. There is constant activity with a simple, fully explained plot line. So kudos to the author's for that!
I picked this book because I needed to read a book with a cat on the cover. This was a pleasant surprise. The familiars are very protective of their "loyals" and a ...more

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May 02, 2018 Fefi rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: ebook, fantasy, ragazzi, quadrilogia, serie-terminate

Storia decisamente adatta ai più piccoli,ma per chi ama i fantasy con protagonisti animali parlanti è comunque una buona avventura.
I personaggi sono molto bizzarri e variegati, la magia non manca,così come il nascere delle amicizie,della fiducia e il senso della famiglia.
La scrittura è molto semplice e quindi la lettura scivola via velocemente.
Quello che mi ha piacevolmente stupito è il rapporto tra gli umani maghi,qui chiamati dagli animali "leali"e i loro famigli, rapporto che spero venga magg ...more

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Jul 27, 2010 Kathryn rated it liked it

Shelves: annie-and-katie-bookclub, children-s-novels, fantasy-sci-fi

Here is the story of Aldwyn, the brave and resourceful ally cat who accidentally becomes a familiar to the young wizard Jack. Jack and his older sister Marianne and their friend Dalton are being trained by a wise wizard and Marianne and Dalton have their own familiars, a good-natured if sometimes bumbling frog named Gilbert and a wise and somewhat uppity bird named Skylar. At first, Aldwyn relishes his time finally belonging to someone and learning about the wizarding world. But when the childre Here is the story of Aldwyn, the brave and resourceful ally cat who accidentally becomes a familiar to the young wizard Jack. Jack and his older sister Marianne and their friend Dalton are being trained by a wise wizard and Marianne and Dalton have their own familiars, a good-natured if sometimes bumbling frog named Gilbert and a wise and somewhat uppity bird named Skylar. At first, Aldwyn relishes his time finally belonging to someone and learning about the wizarding world. But when the children are captured by a good queen gone bad, it is up to the familiars to save them. And part of the plan to save them involves Aldwyn using his familiar power of telekinesis, which he lied about having in the first place. Will they still be able to save the children, or will Aldwyn find his secret outed and himself outcast?

Though I enjoyed the basic premise and cast here, overall I was not captivated by the story. I probably would have stopped reading it had it not received such high reviews, including starred reviews from some professional reviewers. Perhaps the humor just didn't quite strike me in the right way, because I found most of it rather predictable and pedestrian. While Aldwyn, Gilbert and, to a lesser extent, Skylar, were certainly likable and I was rooting for the success of their mission, I never felt transported to another world. I was always conscious of reading a story. Too, a familiar pattern is repeated here (seen most famously and recently, perhaps, in the Harry Potter books) of the unlikely hero in a new (wizarding) world (Aldwyn), his kindly and humorous guy best friend (Gilbert), and the skilled and intelligent but not-always-easy-to-get-along-with girl (Skylar) and I'm not sure this book brought anything new or refreshing to the equation. Too, I was a bit confused for awhile what the book would actually be about. I would have liked a bit more build up getting to know Jack, Marianne and Dalton, too, so that I wanted them to be rescued for their own sake and not just because the familiars wanted it. I must say that I found the scene where Aldwyn and Jack first meet to be quite touching and very well written. It reminded me of meeting cats at the sanctuary where I volunteer. I felt that was pitch-perfect!

The plot, while engaging enough, was a bit action-/quest- heavy for me. And some of the writing was a bit too "obvious"--stating things that we already gathered. The authors have worked in television but I think this is their first novel and it shows. However, there is also potential here and I did find myself enjoying it at times though it was not a "must read" and, despite its short length, it took me two months to finish it. Still, I think the authors really care about their characters and the world they created and this helps the reader care, too. I am not sure that I will pick up more books in the series, but as the second half of this book gained strength, I hope that the second book will be stronger than the first and provide a good read to those who are eager to carry on with the next adventure for The Familiars.

PS I love the cover art! How cute is Aldwyn!? ;-)
...more

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Sep 07, 2010 Melissa rated it it was amazing

Shelves: magic, ya, absolute-favorites, animals, childrens, fictional-world

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Hmmm I hate starting reviews. I always have trouble on what to say. I will say this "HOLY FREAKING FAMILIAR BATMAT THIS BOOK WAS AMAZING!!".

I know it took me awhile to read this book, but it was not from lack of interest. It was merely because my work schedule and training kept my occupied. Seriously i cannot emphasize how good this book was.

First thing first: This book is directed towards the kid/YA crowd. The writing is simple and sometimes just silly at some points. Some adults may not like ...more

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Oct 06, 2011 Ann rated it liked it

Shelves: katie-and-annie-bookclub, animals, cats, fantastical-creatures, fantasy, friendship, middle-grade, illustrated, witches-and-wizards

What is a Familiar? The animal companion of a witch or wizard — a companion with which the witch or wizard can speak with, a companion that will learn with you, fight with you, and protect you. But, in this tale, the book is not from the perspective of the witch or wizard, but instead the perspective of the familiars, and one familiar in particular, a jovial alley cat named Aldwyn.

I absolutely loved the early chapters of this book, especially the part where Aldwyn receives his first ever contact What is a Familiar? The animal companion of a witch or wizard — a companion with which the witch or wizard can speak with, a companion that will learn with you, fight with you, and protect you. But, in this tale, the book is not from the perspective of the witch or wizard, but instead the perspective of the familiars, and one familiar in particular, a jovial alley cat named Aldwyn.

I absolutely loved the early chapters of this book, especially the part where Aldwyn receives his first ever contact with a human, and realizes the connection and special bond right away. To me, it read as if the authors truly understood that special bond between humans and pets. From there I had high hopes for this book!

Unfortunately, that was the last time my hopes were so high. The book quickly reverted to less than stellar prose and less than stellar structured plot.

I thought the book was going to be about Aldwyn becoming familiar with, well, being a familiar! and the construction of his bond with his Loyal (his wizard) Jack. Instead, though, the plot revolved around Aldwyn and his fellow familiars trying to save their loyals and taking down a tyrannical queen. And while I wouldn't have any issue with this plot, I think the problem here was that it felt like this plot should have been the plot of the sequel. There wasn't enough "set-up" for me to really care about the goings-on in this book. There wasn't enough with Aldwyn and Jack before Jack was taken away for me to feel the hurt of that separation. We didn't become sufficiently familiar with the world to realize how shocking it was when the queen goes suddenly evil. Instead, I felt like the authors were "telling" us what to feel instead of it coming naturally. This choppy narrative continued through out the book, where there wasn't enough set-up, and so everything felt rather contrived. The book is full of mini-adventures, but we're given back story, climax, and resolution, all in one chapter, and then moved on to the next "event." Because of this, nothing felt connected or like it was advancing the overall story or emotional connection of the characters, so I was often left with a lackluster kind of feeling. Plus, there were a few scenes that I thought were too disturbing for the otherwise very young-feel of this book.

Obviously others adore this book, but I can't quite figure out why, nor why it's received so many accolades. I really wanted to like this book, and there were some surprising twists — but I'm afraid I just never cared enough about the characters, and none of the plot points felt developed enough to be carry much impact when the "ta-da" moments finally arrived. ...more

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May 15, 2010 Kristen rated it it was amazing

Shelves: paranormal-fantasy, signed, bluestem-2013

Why I read this: I thought The Familiars looked like a fun, middle grade fantasy and it's also a debut novel.

Plot: A Typical fantasy plot - three human wizard apprentices are captured and the familiars must save them. Definitely full of twists, as Aldwyn has to hide his secret of having no magical abilities. Action-packed with time to build relationships, The Familiars is a great middle grade fantasy that many kids and teens will get a kick out of.

Characters: I really loved Aldwyn. He's an alley ...more

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Jun 08, 2010 Katieb (MundieMoms) rated it it was amazing

Shelves: arcs-i-own, 2010-100-book-challenge, mundie-moms-review, mundie-kids-book-reviews, debut-author-challenge

The Familiars is such a great, action packed, full of humor, quick, fun and engaging read. I think this is one book that middle graders, and fans of good old magical adventures will enjoy reading. With a loyal trio of unlikely heros, Aldwyn, Gregory and Skylar had me laughing out loud, and wishing I had pet companions like them.

The familiars are animal companions with magical abilities who become life long companions with a young human apprentice. When Aldwyn, Gregory and Sklyar's Wizard appren ...more

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Sep 18, 2010 Kelsey Ketch rated it it was amazing

Shelves: favorites, middle-grade, adventure, fantasy

This is a book I would recommend! It's fun and at times heart-stopping. I loved the main character, Aldwyn. And the best part, in my opinion, is the character Gilbert. He brings lots of light and humor to the storyline as the three friends face their first adventure together.

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Mar 22, 2018 Chicca Palmentieri rated it liked it

Magia, viaggi, fughe rocambolesche e momenti di paura sono tra i pregi di questo carinissimo romanzo per ragazzi. I due autori si sono divertiti molto a creare un mondo in cui la simbiosi uomo-animale è così sentita.
La storia scorre benissimo proprio perchè non ci sono mai pause e l’avventura è assicurata.
I tre famigli, a cominciare dal gatto Aldwyn sono un trio che funziona alla grande, forse perchè ognuno di loro ha delle capacità innate ma allo stesso tempo delle fragilità e dei segreti che i ...more

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Jan 13, 2012 Ary89 - Romance e non solo rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Un romanzo con i personaggi più bizzarri e coinvolgenti che io abbia letto da un po' di tempo.

The familiars è il primo romanzo di una serie dove i protagonisti di questo romanzo fantasy non sono i maghi o le streghe, ma piuttosto i loro famigli, animali magici che accompagnano, aiutano gli umani nelle loro missioni.

Ma cosa accadrebbe se un mago sceglie un animale privo di poteri magici?

Protagonista fin dall'inizio della storia è Aldwyn, un gatto randagio, senza padroni e fissa dimora, che vagabo ...more

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Dec 20, 2013 Serena.. Sery-ously? rated it really liked it

Wow!!
~~Letto~~ Divorato in un pomeriggio, una cosa che non mi capitava da secoli.. La gioia di iniziare un libro, perdersi tra le sue pagine e finirlo prima di riuscire a realizzare che magari poi domani un po’ mi mancherà, che sono una tonta a leggere un libro in modo così famelico.. Certo, ha sicuramente aiutato la brevità del romanzo (poco più di 200 pagine) e la presenza di alcune pagine con disegni.. Ma è pur vero che la storia è super carina e scorre velocissima..
Lo consiglio caldamente, sopra Wow!!
~~Letto~~ Divorato in un pomeriggio, una cosa che non mi capitava da secoli.. La gioia di iniziare un libro, perdersi tra le sue pagine e finirlo prima di riuscire a realizzare che magari poi domani un po’ mi mancherà, che sono una tonta a leggere un libro in modo così famelico.. Certo, ha sicuramente aiutato la brevità del romanzo (poco più di 200 pagine) e la presenza di alcune pagine con disegni.. Ma è pur vero che la storia è super carina e scorre velocissima..
Lo consiglio caldamente, soprattutto se avete voglia di staccare un po’ la spina e leggere qualcosa di leggero!!
Alcuni elementi – soprattutto all’inizio – mi hanno riportato alla mente Harry Potter; e come potrebbe non essere? Ormai se si parla di maghi, di una scuola di magia, della fatidica soglia degli undici anni, di un mago potentissimo che ne ha sconfitti tanti altri in gioventù.. E’ difficile non pensare alla Rowling e al suo mondo, diciamolo! Ero già parecchio rassegnata all’idea di leggere una pallida imitazione di HP, quindi forse per questo che sono rimasta doppiamente sorpresa.. La storia prende velocemente un’altra via, si sviluppa in maniera diversa e soprattutto ha come protagonisti non i (soliti) maghi o streghe.. Ma i loro “Famigli” (sì, dal titolo e dalla trama avrei potuto anche intuirlo, direte voi.. Ma son dettagli di poco conto, questi!! :D), ovvero gli animali che vengono scelti dai maghi e che li accompagnano nel loro percorso.. Un po’ come l’Edvige o il Grattastinchi di Potteriana memoria, per capirci.. Sono loro i veri eroi della storia e il focus della narrazione (tanto che i maghi compaiono all’inizio e alla fine soltanto)!
Ogni famiglio è caratterizzato da un “potere”: Skylar, una ghiandaia è in grado di creare effetti illusionistici, Gilbert, la rana, ha la capacità di predifre il futuro nelle pozzanghere.. Poi ci sono i granchi camaleonte, lucertole da cavalcate, gatti telecinetici.. E tanti altri tutti da scoprire! (nel negozio dei famigli mi sono divertita un sacco! :D). Possono parlare tra loro, con i maghi più anziani che hanno la capacità di capire gli animali e soprattutto –cosa che trovo bellissima- con i loro “leali”, i maghi cioè che li scelgono come compagni di avventura.. Insomma, un grande legame di amicizia, non c’è dubbio!!
Mi sono piaciute molto le avventure che i tre famigli affrontano.. E soprattutto il modo con cui Aldwyn riesce a cavarsela usando l’intuito, la scaltrezza e.. un po’ di fortuna a volte! :)
In tutto ciò aiuta molto lo stile dei due autori, semplice, immediato e spesso molto divertente.. Alcune uscite intelligenti mi hanno davvero divertito!!
Certo, beninteso: è un libro pensato per un pubblico più giovane e si sente.. Però non per questo è un’opera meno meritevole! Non vedo l’ora di leggere il seguito.. Che tralaltro ho visto in libreria a 5,90 euro! YEI!!!!!
...more

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Jan 20, 2016 Arwenneke rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Ik heb een zoon van 5 jaar oud. Doet dat er toe? Natuurlijk wel!
Mijn zoon houdt van voorleesverhalen. Ik hou ervan om hem voor te lezen.

Mijn zoon houdt niet van veel plaatjes en korte verhalen.
Hij is al helemaal mee met het idee dat verhalen spannend mogen zijn en boeken inhoud mogen hebben.
Toevallig kwam ik bij Wonderdieren.
Op basis van de flaptekst en cover was mij totaal niet duidelijk dat het een eerste deel uit een reeks was.
Gelukkig heb ik dus eerst dit boek gevonden en niet een ander deel ...more

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May 29, 2010 Brenda rated it it was amazing

Recommends it for: Anyone who enjoys stories about animals or children's fantasy

Shelves: fantasy, favorites

First off let me say I really enjoyed this book. I think the authors demonstrated their passion for the genre and in my opinion created a very novel story.

The story is set in the kingdom of Vastia, a mangy stray black and white cat missing a chunk of his left ear begins to feel his whisker’s tingling. On this day it means that Aldwyn is hungry and he goes in search of food to the nearest fish monger. Unknowingly, he steps into a trap. After stealing a fish, Aldwyn finds himself fleeing from Grim First off let me say I really enjoyed this book. I think the authors demonstrated their passion for the genre and in my opinion created a very novel story.

The story is set in the kingdom of Vastia, a mangy stray black and white cat missing a chunk of his left ear begins to feel his whisker’s tingling. On this day it means that Aldwyn is hungry and he goes in search of food to the nearest fish monger. Unknowingly, he steps into a trap. After stealing a fish, Aldwyn finds himself fleeing from Grimslade the bounty hunter and seeks shelter in the closest place he can find. At the same time, it is young Jacks birthday and a strong and powerful wizard is about to purchase his young apprentice a very special birthday present. In his effort to escape Grimslade, Aldwyn has now become a familiar to young Jack. The focus of the story becomes one in which Aldwyn must join forces with Skylar and Gilbert on a quest to save their kidnapped loyal companions and also the kingdom from an evil Queen. However, the queen conjures obstacles for them to conquer along the way.

Early on the authors hint that this is a story about “the three T’s of animal companionship: temperament, toughness and talent.” More importantly, it is about a "connection that the familiars share with their loyals." It is this bond that is the driving force of the story and makes them so endearing to me. As a reader we begin to love Aldwyn because he chooses to stay and help the other familiars out of obligation, loyalty and a love of Jack despite his having misgivings of being just an ordinary common magicless animal . We laugh with Gilbert as he calls himself “amphibiously challenged” and tries to go to his “happy place” when scared. And we speculate as to what Skylar’s anklet really means and why was Aldwyn abandoned? And we wonder at the three companions magical abilities.

I especially like that these familiars have very strong virtues that are not revealed to early but allowed to develop as they go on their quest. I also really loved that Aldwyn changes as a result of his actions and because of the virtues that he innately had all along but doubted.

In the end, we are left with mysteries to ponder and further stories to come but also left with rich characters and an exciting world that you really would like to learn more about. Plus, we haven’t learned enough about Marriane, Dalton and Jack yet either.
...more

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Oct 14, 2012 Elisabetta rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, young-adult

Prendete 3 maghetti;
Aggiungete 3 animaletti "speciali";
Cospargete il tutto con un pizzico di pericolo e di avventura;
Infine mescolate il tutto con un abbondante dose di magia.
Et voilà, ecco a voi "The Familiars"!
Qualcuno potrebbe storcere il naso pensando che sia una copia del favoloso ed intramontabile "Harry Potter", ma non è assolutamente così perchè... -rullo di tamburi-
i protagonisti principali sono i tre animali!
Per l'esattezza loro sono "famigli", ovvero animali dotati di una parti ...more

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Aug 22, 2011 Mary (BookHounds) rated it it was amazing

Shelves: 2011, from-publisher-author, young-adult

This is a perfectly woven tale that should appeal to everyone! The story centers around three animal familiars who have magical capabilities (think the triumvirate of Harry Potter) and their human loyals. Familiars have been in story telling as long as there have been witches and are creatures who bond with humans and assist them in casting spells. Aldwyn, an alley cat on the run, hides in a magical pet store where he is quickly adopted by Jack and meets other familiars. Gilbert the tree frog (p ...more

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Oct 27, 2010 Lydia Presley rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2010, fantasy, fiction, middle-grade

Okay – so I’m not a fan of books where animals speak and the story generally revolves around animals (and no, I never read that Warrior series). I used to love the movies centering around animals as a kid (Hello, Homeward Bound and Beethoven), but outgrew them in my teenage years.

Then The Familiars made it’s way through the blogosphere.. well, I would say.. burst its way instead of made its way. I’m seeing this book everywhere. My dislike of animal books kept me from outright buying it.. but now ...more

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Dec 01, 2010 Mundie Moms & Mundie Kids rated it it was amazing

Shelves: 2010-100-book-challenge, 2010-debut-author, arcs-i-own, mundie-kids-reviews, mundie-moms-reviews

The Familiars is such a great, action packed, full of humor, quick, fun and engaging read. I think this is one book that middle graders, and fans of good old magical adventures will enjoy reading. With a loyal trio of unlikely heros, Aldwyn, Gilbert and Skylar had me laughing out loud, and wishing I had pet companions like them.

The familiars are animal companions with magical abilities who become life long companions with a young human apprentice. When Aldwyn, Gilbert and Sklyar's Wizard appren ...more

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Jul 17, 2011 Mason Jones rated it liked it

Our 7.5 year-old daughter read this one, and really liked it, so she encouraged me to read it too. For an adult it's a very quick read, of course, but a fun one. At first I was wondering if it was going to be too much of a Harry Potter pastiche, because the three familiars -- a cat, a bird, and a frog -- mimic the three friends. The cat is Harry, the bird is Hermione, and the frog is Ron's comic relief. But thankfully the story goes in a very different direction, and the animals have a great num ...more

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Apr 03, 2011 Colby Sharp rated it really liked it

Shelves: fantasy, mg-novel

I don't really like fantasy. Fourth quarter of fourth grade each year I am suppose to teach this genre that I don't really like or understand. I decided to try and read a fantasy middle reader book this year on spring break as I prepared for my unit on fantasy. Since the authors of this book said that they would be kind enough to talk with my class about writing fantasy I felt that I should give their fantasy novel a try...I really liked it. It was different. The book didn't focus on wizards and ...more

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Aug 12, 2012 Andy rated it did not like it

Shelves: 1-star

Can't believe they are making this one into a film. On second thought, the predictable plot and stock characters have sold tickets before, so why wouldn't they rip-off the old, repackage it, and sell it to us again?

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Oct 19, 2017 Dario Sajic rated it really liked it

I reread this book, since it has been years since I last touched this series and the nostalgia warmed my heart. I knew the gist of the novel still, but it was interesting to get back into it. This novel is about a cat who is a no one until he finds out he's a familiar. Familiars are pets that have magical powers and soon after the cat realizes this about him, he finds out about a prophecy where he is in the "Circle of Three". Those three are three familiars who are destined to protect the kingdo ...more

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May 10, 2015 Andromeda rated it really liked it

Shelves: read-2013

This one kind of reminded me of the Warriors series, in a passing way. Usually I don't do fantasy novels like these, with the exception of like Harry Potter, but I'm kinda glad I did pick this one up. It certainly has its good parts. For a novel meant for younger people than I, I actually enjoyed it.

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Sep 29, 2016 Claiborne rated it really liked it

Shelves: read-for-my-kids

Read this aloud to my 6-year-old. It was full of adventures and great for her age. Not much is original in terms of characters or plot, but my daughter didn't notice. She was excited to get the next one immediately from the library.

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Jul 06, 2011 Misslittlebookfeet rated it really liked it

I loved The Familiars; it was engaging, action-packed, entertaining and a good middle-grade novel. The idea of familiars is original and interesting - I'm glad that animals finally have the spotlight rather than humans. Human magic is always emphazized rather than the animals so points for this books because of that. I'm sick of seeing human wizards and witches in fantasy.

Anyway, Aldwyn an alley cat who steals to survive winds up in a odd pet shop where he is chosen to be a young human apprentic I loved The Familiars; it was engaging, action-packed, entertaining and a good middle-grade novel. The idea of familiars is original and interesting - I'm glad that animals finally have the spotlight rather than humans. Human magic is always emphazized rather than the animals so points for this books because of that. I'm sick of seeing human wizards and witches in fantasy.

Anyway, Aldwyn an alley cat who steals to survive winds up in a odd pet shop where he is chosen to be a young human apprentice, Jack's, familiar. He meets Skylar, an illusionist blue jay and Gilbert a tree frog who does puddle-viewing, who are two other familiars. He becomes accanquinted with them; enjoying Gilbert's company rather than Skylar's due to her know-it-all attiude. Unfortunately, a great peril is set upon them as a great evil kidnaps and threatens to kill their loyals which, result in the three familiars embarking on a journey to rescue their loyals and uncover a ancient history which they never knew...

My favorite character is Pakanshara. She is blessed with my favorite ability, shapeshifting, and is trying to place the animals at the top because the humans changed their proud history. I find that intriuging and I really did wish she succeeded in her goal and I hope she does even though my hope is futile. She's quite the character.

Otherwise, I enjoyed Aldwyn, Skylar and Gilbert. I loved Skylar the most 'cause Sky was as stubborn as a horse on a sunny afternoon. She flew with elegance and grace but had a whole slew of secrets in her aresnal. I'm glad that this story, though including wizards, had plenty of twists and nice touches rather than the endless slew of cliches and details in Harry Potter. I'm not a fan of HP as you can see.

This book should be meant for readers who are not ready for the heaviness, darkness and complexity of The Hunger Games and Percy Jackson. It should also serve as a relaxation book, to smile and laugh while reading along with it; basically a leisure book for it is certainly a good read. I'd recommend it to the above who want to have a nice lesiure book after a long, tiring day or just to read because it is certainly enjoyable and quite amazing. ...more

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Feb 15, 2011 Stacey rated it liked it

Shelves: juvenile-fiction, 11-year-old-boy, 11-year-old-girl, fantasy, has-a-movie

I have to review this for our meeting next week...
The back flap of the book says it all: "The Familiars combines the magic of Harry Potter and the adventure of the Warriors into an enchanting story young readers will love." --Michael Buckley, author of The Sisters Grimm and NERDS series.
I think that young readers will love it, but not children above 5th grade. The book will become an animated movie in 2012, and consequently parts of the book read like a movie script. I know the movie will trea I have to review this for our meeting next week...
The back flap of the book says it all: "The Familiars combines the magic of Harry Potter and the adventure of the Warriors into an enchanting story young readers will love." --Michael Buckley, author of The Sisters Grimm and NERDS series.
I think that young readers will love it, but not children above 5th grade. The book will become an animated movie in 2012, and consequently parts of the book read like a movie script. I know the movie will treat the action scenes much better because action is best shown instead of told (I also thought HP lacked intensity in it's action scenes). The book stars Aldwyn, an alley cat from Bridgetower in the Queendom of Vastia. One morning, after stealing a fish from the fishmonger, he is chased all over the city by a bounty hunter. He manages to escape by hiding out in a shop that sells Familiars--the enchanted animals that wizards use for companionship and to assist them in wizarding duties. Sure enough, a boy named Jack comes into the shop (on his 11th birthday--Harry Potter rip off!) to buy a familiar. He sees many fascinating creatures like chameleon crabs and pocket dragons, but decides he wants a telekinetic cat from Maidenmere--Aldwyn. The story ensues with Aldwyn returning to Stone Runlet where Jack lives with his sister, Marianne, and another apprentice, Dalton, and their Master Wizard, Kalstaff. The book picks up when the queen turns evil and kidnaps the three children and kills Kalstaff, because she saw a prophecy that the three were going to stop her evil plots. Now it's up to Aldwyn, Gilbert, the tree frog Familiar, and Skylar, a blue jay Familiar, to rescue the children. Adventure ensues, with challenges arising every few pages or so to keep the reader engaged. I haven't quite reached the end yet, but I'm sure it'll work out okay in the end, and be left open for a sequel. It doesn't really stand out as being very unique, but it will do as offering for kids who have read HP, Warriors, Guardians of Ga'Hoole, etc. already. ...more

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Jun 22, 2010 Alex Bennett rated it really liked it

I really had no idea what I would think of The Familiars. I knew, however, that I was very eager to read it. So eager, in fact that I abandoned another book I was reading just to read this one. And boy, am I happy I did.

One unique thing about this book was that the main characters are animals. I know talking animals may seem weird at first, but once you get to know them more as characters, you forget about their animal-ness. I knew I loved each of the familiars’ personalities and wanted each of ...more

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About Adam Jay Epstein

Adam Jay Epstein

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I grew up in Great Neck, NY loving all things fantasy and science fiction - from Dungeons and Dragons and the Legend of Zelda to Star Wars and Dr. Strange. I created and imagined new worlds and stories from an early age but never knew that I had the talent to be a writer until seventh grade, when my English teacher assigned our class to write the first ten pages of a sequel to The Good Earth. Afte ...more

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Quotes from The Familiars

“And I’m sorry I ever called you an arrogant know-it-all.” “I never heard you say that.” “Well, it wasn’t to your face.” — 1 likes

“Sorry about the scare,” said one of the frogs. “Those snakes are deadly, you know. I think it was intending to swallow the pretty lady whole.” “Well, thank you for saving me,” said Skylar. “Not you,” replied the tree frog. “The furry one.” It took a moment for Aldwyn to realize the frog was talking about him. “Actually, I’m not a girl.” — 0 likes

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