Title : Syren
Author : Angie Sage
Reading Dates : 21 Nov - 26 Nov 2009Book Summary of Syren
Syren picks up immediately from the end of Queste. Septimus Heap gets an unexpected early promotion to Senior Apprentice by ExtraOrdinary Wizard Marcia Overstrand since he is the first Apprentice to complete the Queste successfully. At the same time, Septimus's great-aunt Zelda breaks with the tradition of selecting females as Intended Keeper by nominating Wolf Boy for the position.
While completing his Task of stealing a piece of the Grim from the Port Witch Coven, Wolf Boy also rescues Simon Heap's girlfriend Lucy Gringe who was being kept prisoner by them. Unfortunately, they end up in worst trouble when they leap aboard the departing ship Marauder whose captain is in league with the troublemaking ghost of Tertius Fume.
Zelda prepares a live SafeCharm for Septimus Heap as a gift when she sees a vision of him in grave danger. The live SafeCharm which is actually a jinnee initially gets stolen by Merrin Meredith before it can be delivered to Septimus but does reach Septimus in the end when Zelda and the ExtraOrdinary Wizard Marcia Overstrand recapture the freed jinnee Jim Knee.
Meanwhile, Septimus had earlier flown off on Spit Fyre to the Trading Post where he intends to pick up Jenna, Nicko, Beetle and Snorri. Once there, he finds them aboard the ship Cerys with Jenna's biological father, Milo Banda. Septimus flies back with Jenna and Beetle, leaving Nicko and Snorri to travel back on the Cerys. Unfortunately, they are caught in a storm and crashes on an island when Spit Fyre is struck by lightning.
On the island, Septimus meets Syrah Syara, the Senior Apprentice of ExtraOrdinary Wizard Julius Pike. She was marooned on the island 500 years ago while escaping from the Queste and had been Taken by Syren, a Possession Wraith. Syrah heals the dying Spit Fyre in exchange for Septimus's help. She warns Septimus that the Castle is in danger but is unable to tell him more for fear that Syren will read their thoughts. Before Septimus can do more, Syrah is taken again by Syren and Septimus has to flee.
Wolf Boy and Lucy soon join Septimus, Jenna and Beetle when they escape with Miarr, lighthouse keeper of CattRokk Light, from the Marauder and its crew. They exchange stories with Wolf Boy and Lucy telling off how Marauder's Captain Theodophilus Fortitude Fry and the Crowe twins stole the Light of CattRokk LightHouse and tried to murder them.
Septimus realizes that Syara's warning and the stolen Light are somehow connected but is frustrated when his friends dismiss his concerns and treat the events that have befallen them as a great adventure. It is only when the Cerys is grounded near the island due to the Syren's trickery that the group learns what has been going on. Captain Fry, Tertius Fume and the Syren are actually in league with each other. In exchange for providing passage for Tertius Fume to invade the Castle with an army of warrior jinn, Tertius Fume has promised to remove the Light which prevents the Syren from wrecking havoc on unsuspecting sailors.
All seems lost when Tertius Fume releases the army of warrior jinn stolen from aboard the Cerys until the timely arrival of Septimus's jinnee. Jim Knee who is a more powerful jinnee than the warrior jinns has no problems capturing the warrior jinns and the Syren. Thus, the Light and Miarr are restored to CattRock LightHouse, the Castle is safe again and Syrah is finally free to live her life once again.
Book Review of Syren.While completing his Task of stealing a piece of the Grim from the Port Witch Coven, Wolf Boy also rescues Simon Heap's girlfriend Lucy Gringe who was being kept prisoner by them. Unfortunately, they end up in worst trouble when they leap aboard the departing ship Marauder whose captain is in league with the troublemaking ghost of Tertius Fume.
Zelda prepares a live SafeCharm for Septimus Heap as a gift when she sees a vision of him in grave danger. The live SafeCharm which is actually a jinnee initially gets stolen by Merrin Meredith before it can be delivered to Septimus but does reach Septimus in the end when Zelda and the ExtraOrdinary Wizard Marcia Overstrand recapture the freed jinnee Jim Knee.
Meanwhile, Septimus had earlier flown off on Spit Fyre to the Trading Post where he intends to pick up Jenna, Nicko, Beetle and Snorri. Once there, he finds them aboard the ship Cerys with Jenna's biological father, Milo Banda. Septimus flies back with Jenna and Beetle, leaving Nicko and Snorri to travel back on the Cerys. Unfortunately, they are caught in a storm and crashes on an island when Spit Fyre is struck by lightning.
On the island, Septimus meets Syrah Syara, the Senior Apprentice of ExtraOrdinary Wizard Julius Pike. She was marooned on the island 500 years ago while escaping from the Queste and had been Taken by Syren, a Possession Wraith. Syrah heals the dying Spit Fyre in exchange for Septimus's help. She warns Septimus that the Castle is in danger but is unable to tell him more for fear that Syren will read their thoughts. Before Septimus can do more, Syrah is taken again by Syren and Septimus has to flee.
Wolf Boy and Lucy soon join Septimus, Jenna and Beetle when they escape with Miarr, lighthouse keeper of CattRokk Light, from the Marauder and its crew. They exchange stories with Wolf Boy and Lucy telling off how Marauder's Captain Theodophilus Fortitude Fry and the Crowe twins stole the Light of CattRokk LightHouse and tried to murder them.
Septimus realizes that Syara's warning and the stolen Light are somehow connected but is frustrated when his friends dismiss his concerns and treat the events that have befallen them as a great adventure. It is only when the Cerys is grounded near the island due to the Syren's trickery that the group learns what has been going on. Captain Fry, Tertius Fume and the Syren are actually in league with each other. In exchange for providing passage for Tertius Fume to invade the Castle with an army of warrior jinn, Tertius Fume has promised to remove the Light which prevents the Syren from wrecking havoc on unsuspecting sailors.
All seems lost when Tertius Fume releases the army of warrior jinn stolen from aboard the Cerys until the timely arrival of Septimus's jinnee. Jim Knee who is a more powerful jinnee than the warrior jinns has no problems capturing the warrior jinns and the Syren. Thus, the Light and Miarr are restored to CattRock LightHouse, the Castle is safe again and Syrah is finally free to live her life once again.
This book is the most exciting read so far in the Septimus Heap series. Plenty happens along the way to the myriad characters and Septimus gains new allies and Magykal items in the form of Syrah and the jinnee.
Best of all, we see Simon Heap truly take steps to redeem himself when he warns Marcia early on of suspicious doings by Tertius Fume. At the end of the story, Marcia is shown to have forgiven Simon of his past wrongdoings and it is to be hoped that a full reconciliation among the Heap siblings is soon possible. In the past, although Simon has often said he wished Septimus had died as a baby, Lucy does not believe this is truly Simon's wish and in this story continually helps either Simon's little brothers. Perhaps we will see Simon himself doing the same in the future as he has proven to be rather knowledgeable on many things as Marcia learned.
On the other hand, with such a powerful creature as the jinnee on Septimus's side one wonders if anything could ever pose difficulty for Septimus again. It would be interesting to see what happens in the next book.
Links of Interest.Best of all, we see Simon Heap truly take steps to redeem himself when he warns Marcia early on of suspicious doings by Tertius Fume. At the end of the story, Marcia is shown to have forgiven Simon of his past wrongdoings and it is to be hoped that a full reconciliation among the Heap siblings is soon possible. In the past, although Simon has often said he wished Septimus had died as a baby, Lucy does not believe this is truly Simon's wish and in this story continually helps either Simon's little brothers. Perhaps we will see Simon himself doing the same in the future as he has proven to be rather knowledgeable on many things as Marcia learned.
On the other hand, with such a powerful creature as the jinnee on Septimus's side one wonders if anything could ever pose difficulty for Septimus again. It would be interesting to see what happens in the next book.
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