#asc river spoilers

[sage-warrior-cats]

the dead guy

[fidgetclaw]

how could they do that to frostpaw, man. how could they just traumatize a baby with the horrific dying screams of her parent right in front of her. its not fair ;~;

[bonefall]

Nightheart's POV has been super misused imo, he keeps ending up just being a duplicate perspective who doesn't actually add anything to the wider conflict.

You know what should have happened in the Wind Excerpt, actually? Lean into how he's unpredictable and makes snap choices. If RiverClan is going to be swallowing stupid pills anyway, get him into RiverClan somehow.

Frame it like he knows Frostpaw is extremely concerned about her family and what Splashtail is going to do, so he decides to be her spy WITHOUT TELLING HER. It just looks like a betrayal at first, but everyone sees through it, knowing Night's either doing something very dumb or very rash or both.

Splashtail accuses him of spying. ThunderClan, pissed at his constant absences, assures him that he's not spying for them. ShadowClan reminds everyone that he failed his tasks and so isn't there to spy for them either. Splashtail says he's spying for Frostpaw, only to get countered with "oh so now the child is a mastermind with a spy network? I thought she was manipulated by her mother. Which is it"

"WHY does he want to join RiverClan anyway?"

"I have nowhere to go and my journey taught me that fish is fishalicious"

It wouldn't fix the OTHER problems with the scene, but FUCK man, at least Nightheart's POV would have a really good purpose

[harriertail]

there is nothing wrong in Riverclan

[bonebabbles]

The bit about Frostpaw receiving a vision to save WindClan's nursery is actually one of the best plot points in the book. That's solid and has some really nice character moments.

Frostpaw getting this vision solidifies WindClan's support of her. Good way to move the plot along and an actually good move on StarClan's part.

The unlikeliness of the one nearby tree falling adds to that. I was iffy when I first heard the idea, but it was executed well!

Whistlepaw in general. Her bond to Frostpaw is fantastic, the characterization of her being so self-sacrificing she got injured to save her sister is amazing

"It was nothing." "IT WAS EVERYTHING!" is going to be a breakout line from this book and it deserves it.

I liked how the Clan admits to not believing the vision at first... until the thunder started rolling in. THEN they were like "well uh. C. Couldnt hurt to take preemptive measures" Lmao

Frostpaw getting a glimpse of RiverClan territory across the border is delicious. I like her being homesick-- tho I am still wary that she'll forgive the people too quickly.

One thing I'd change; I'd have Harestar muse "why did Kestrelflight not receive the vision..." and Kestrelflight stand up, bravely, and answer, "I had a lesson to learn. The branch, the storm, and Frostpaw herself were an omen meant for me-- that I must trust her."

Like, really drive home his devotion to StarClan and make his faith look so solid it's almost self-punishing. Let them be a little afraid of StarClan's wrath, even if it isn't actually because the ancestors are furious, y'know?

[kingskyless]

improvised "thunder" pseudo-poster for funsies!

used doodles i made for my thunder review which u should totally check out

[sonknuxadow]

it was certainly a choice for warrior cats to put a fan's cat in the book and then have his backstory be that his owners put him in a bag and threw him in the river as a kitten

[yarnpika]

i hope that its revealed at curlfeathers trial she was given the chance to defend herself and she turned it down out of scorn for starclan

[amethyst-halo]

i think the only thing asc has given me that i enjoy fully is them describing and writing alderheart as "sturdy" and big. that man is a gentle giant in my heart and i am being vindicated

[troutfur]

You know, you would think Starclan was an actual real life religion that they are trying to push with how this is written.

They definitely give me God's Not Dead/PureFlix vibes. Like the atheist professor in the first one who was revealed to not be a legitimate nonbeliever but instead just angry at God? Cut from the same cloth as Splashtail. Cool to know precisely what this book series thinks about ex-Christians like me.

[thenamessparkplug]

I think the most frustrating thing about reading warriors (specifically the most recent arc) is that NOBODY remembers ANYTHING.

oh spoiler warning for the starless clan arc (i'm not finished with it myself actually (finished river and sky and partially through shadow) but my thoughts so far)

Mothwing. You had an apprentice before Frostpaw. Do you not remember when you had Leafpool teach Willowshine how to speak with StarClan when you couldn't yourself? Why don't you try that again, not with Leafpool of course, but yknow, anybody???

RiverClan. This isnt the first time a clan hasn't had a leader. I know you're figuring it out now or whatever but like the medicine cat has ALWAYS picked the new leader and/or deputy. You are not the first clan to have this problem.

and i dont even wanna TALK about Berryheart, respectfully (not), fuck you.

[dorcythebat]

I drew this after River came out last year

I love this scene and Nightheart is definitely my fav character so far /ᐠ｡ꞈ｡ᐟ\ hes just so emo and edgy

[yuridovewing]

people saying mapleshade was a dumb idiot who murdered her own kits and no one else can be blamed for their deaths at all not even oakstar because she didn’t do the 100% logical thing after being attacked and berated and thrown out of the only home she knows with three young children vs people saying curlfeather is even more evil than we thought for telling frostpaw not to trust anyone as she’s desperately trying to warn her before getting eaten alive

[harriertail]

"mothwing and tigerheartstar do not get consistent characterization" does anyone <3

No <3

I can legit never tell what any characters will do when faced with a certain situation and Tigerstar is the worst because he was supposed to be ‘better than Tigerstar 1’ and a nice guy aka mini ThunderClan leader, but Raging Storm/SqFlHope has him all cool and decisive and cunty but in TBC he’s back to generic ThunderClan leader and now hes cunty again so idk if its legit character development/change with the death of his son or just Erins needing him to do that

[morningmask27]

I'm going to be bitching about Star for a while now. I'll tag them all with #asc spoilers, but really what the fuck was this book?