Septimus Heap by Angie Sage

Book One: Magyk

This is the story of the Heap family and the basis of the story is one sad night they lose their newborn son Septimus and then bizarrely acquire a new baby girl as a kind of replacement but, this is not just any ordinary girl, the girl they call Jenna is heir to the throne! However, there is an evil necromancer and he wants Jenna dead, this makes for the Heap family having to split up and hide and to somehow find how to get the throne back!

The Heap's 'lost' son is in fact the seventh son of a seventh son, and does he remain lost forever? Hmmm, well the series title probably explains he doesn't, and how he re-appears is very interesting!

This is a brilliant beginning to what I hope is a great trilogy, there is a wide cast of characters each added their own to the book, a brilliant easy young adult series which has sprinklings of similarities to another well known magical series ....

Book Two: Flyte

It's been a year since Septimus Heap, the seventh son of a seventh son, discovered his real family and true destiny to be a wizard. As Apprentice to ExtraOrdinary Wizard Marcia Overstrand, he is learning the fine arts of Conjurations, Charms, and other Magyk, while his best friend Jenna (the adopted girl who lived with his family for ten years until it was discovered that she was royalty!) is adapting to life as the Princess and enjoying the freedom of the Castle.

But, as is the way with all good fantasy stories, something sinister is still afoot. The evil necromancer DomDaniel may have been has been disposed of, but something Darke is undeniably stirring. A Shadow pursues ExtraOrdinary Wizard Marcia Overstrand, following her every move, growing stronger every day. Septimus realises the danger but, before he can act, Jenna is snatched, taken by the most unlikely kidnapper. Could it really be his jealous brother Simon who is responsible? Septimus must rescue his sister but does not, at first, realise the nature of the threat apparent.

The second book in this series sees yet more characters and this one I found a little slow to begin with but, it soon picks up and with the Heap family growing up and branching off and with so many twists and turns and with DomDaniel believed to be dead Jenna is enjoying a peaceful life, for now. And with Simon (one of the Heap's sons) believing he is the apprentice of DomDaniel he goes to the Palace to upset Jenna's peaceful life.

A fabulous second book, though not as good as the first but, still brilliant!

Book Three: Physik

When Silas Heap unseals a forgotten room in the Palace, he releases the ghost of a Queen who lived five hundred years earlier. Queen Etheldredda is as awful in death as she was in life, and she's still up to no good. Her diabolical plan to give herself ever-lasting life requires Jenna's compliance, Septimus disappearance, and the talents of her son, Marcellus Pye, a famous Alchemist and Physician. And if Queen Etheldredda's plot involves Jenna and Septimus, then dark adventure awaits.

The third instalment from Septimus Heap deals with more Dark issues but, with the usual humour elements from Angie Sage it keeps it not too dark and yet again we see even more new characters making things more interesting. One of the new characters is Queen Ethelredda which while though maybe not one of the nicer characters of Septumus Herap I certainly found her very fascinating and amusing.

Overall a really good series, which I understand is far from finished with apparently at least another 2 instalments planned.

This series has drawn some similarities to a certain other series of magical books all I can say is if you enjoyed Harry Potter I am sure you will love this but, if you are a die hard HP fan you man not enjoy this as much. You may think the Heap are similar to the Weasleys, I personally didn't think they were that similar but, anyway read this and make your own decision.