Status
Available
Call number
Publication
Katherine Tegen Books (HarperTrophy)
Pages
564
Description
After learning that she is the Princess, Jenna is whisked from her home and carried toward safety by the Extraordinary Wizard, those she always believed were her father and brother, and a young guard known only as Boy 412--pursued by agents of those who killed her mother ten years earlier.
Description
The seventh son of the seventh son, aptly named Septimus Heap, is stolen the night he is born by a midwife who pronounces him dead. That same night, the baby's father, Silas Heap, comes across a bundle in the snow containing a new born girl with violet eyes. The Heaps take this helpless newborn into their home, name her Jenna, and raise her as their own. But who is this mysterious baby girl, and what really happened to their beloved son Septimus?
On her tenth birthday, Jenna Heap is taken from her family and hidden from DomDaniel, the evil soon-to-be ExtraOrdinary Wizard who wants to kill her. While in hiding, Jenna becomes friends with Boy 412, a former member of the Youth Army. Together, they begin to uncover some long-hidden secrets that lead to a wonderful discovery: Septimus Heap, the seventh son of a seventh son, lives!
The first book in this enthralling new series by Angie Sage leads readers on a fantastic journey filled with quirky characters and magykal charms, potions, and spells. Magyk is an original story of lost and rediscovered identities, rich with humor and heart.
On her tenth birthday, Jenna Heap is taken from her family and hidden from DomDaniel, the evil soon-to-be ExtraOrdinary Wizard who wants to kill her. While in hiding, Jenna becomes friends with Boy 412, a former member of the Youth Army. Together, they begin to uncover some long-hidden secrets that lead to a wonderful discovery: Septimus Heap, the seventh son of a seventh son, lives!
The first book in this enthralling new series by Angie Sage leads readers on a fantastic journey filled with quirky characters and magykal charms, potions, and spells. Magyk is an original story of lost and rediscovered identities, rich with humor and heart.
Series
Collection
Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
2005
Physical description
564 p.; 7.2 inches
ISBN
9780060577339
Similar in this library
Lexile
640L
User reviews
LibraryThing member phoebesmum
It would be easy to dismiss the 'Septimus Heap' series as 'Harry Potter'-lite, but it would also be untrue and unfair. The only real point of similarity is that the central character is a trainee wizard – well, that, and some of the spells are a little familiar sounding, but if cod Latin is going
The 'Septimus Heap' series is very much geared toward the ‘young’ end of the YA market, but is engaging enough for all that. It has a vast and sprawling cast of characters – including any number of ghosts, since very few people in this world appear to die and not become ghosts, which must make it very crowded – with more being added with each book. Quite apart from the Heap family, quite a lot of which gets dumped in a forest early on to get them out of the way, there are, in this and the succeeding books, Wizards both dead and alive, Witches both good and evil, a far too talkative talking rat, Alchemysts, a dragon, a dragon boat (occasionally sentient), a sojourn in the past, another one out of time altogether, plots, counter-plots, a cat disguised as a duck, and cabbage sandwiches. It’s a light, fun read for the most part, with some moderately scary, or at least icky stuff here and there. The one thing that does jar is the author’s tendency to reference something that’s outside the parameters of the book’s universe – for example, “like a black and white film” – but maybe that’s just me; I doubt the target audience would even notice.
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to be the chosen language of YA spellcasting, what can you do? Septimus Heap is, as his name suggests, a seventh son – in fact, the seventh son of a seventh son, and therefore destined for great magical things. Or he would have been, if he hadn’t died at birth. In his place, the Heaps find themselves tending for an unknown, abandoned girl baby, while around them their world collapses into chaos following a palace coup, the murder of the young Queen, the disappearance of the infant Princess (one guess …), and the rise to power of the Darke Magician DomDaniel.The 'Septimus Heap' series is very much geared toward the ‘young’ end of the YA market, but is engaging enough for all that. It has a vast and sprawling cast of characters – including any number of ghosts, since very few people in this world appear to die and not become ghosts, which must make it very crowded – with more being added with each book. Quite apart from the Heap family, quite a lot of which gets dumped in a forest early on to get them out of the way, there are, in this and the succeeding books, Wizards both dead and alive, Witches both good and evil, a far too talkative talking rat, Alchemysts, a dragon, a dragon boat (occasionally sentient), a sojourn in the past, another one out of time altogether, plots, counter-plots, a cat disguised as a duck, and cabbage sandwiches. It’s a light, fun read for the most part, with some moderately scary, or at least icky stuff here and there. The one thing that does jar is the author’s tendency to reference something that’s outside the parameters of the book’s universe – for example, “like a black and white film” – but maybe that’s just me; I doubt the target audience would even notice.
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LibraryThing member fyrefly98
Summary: It was a fateful winter day: the Queen was murdered in her chamber by an Assassin, and power was seized by the Custodians; Sarah Heap gave birth to her seventh son, who died shortly thereafter; and her husband, the wizard Septimus Heap, found a baby girl abandoned in the snow. Ten years
Review: Mid-grade fantasy is not my favorite genre. Young adult, fine & great, but I've read too many mid-grade novels that just don't quite make the jump to adult readers (at least this adult reader.) So I'm always pleasantly surprised when I come across a mid-grade fantasy that is absorbing and enjoyable, and whose mid-grade-ness I don't find overly distracting, and Magyk was one of those novels. (I could have done without the convention of capitalizing and bolding every Magical Term or Spell, though: too affectedly cutesy for my tastes.)
In a lot of ways, Magyk was pretty standard fantasy fare: the evil dark lord seizing power, the missing royal heir being raised by a poor family, none of this screams originality. Similarly, while younger readers might find the plot twists surprising, older readers should be able to spot Boy 412's importance to the story from very early on. On the other hand, Sage is clever and inventive enough with the details of her world and her story that her use of fantasy tropes seems more like gently poking fun at the genre's conventions, rather than slavishly adhering to them. There's plenty of silly, quirky humor for the younger set, of course, but there's also some sly snarkiness to a lot of the story that made it an enjoyable read for grownups as well. 3.5 out of 5 stars.
Recommendation: Overall, I enjoyed this book more than I thought I would, and while I'm not dying to get my hands on the sequels, if they cross my path, I'll certainly read them. Definitely recommended for young fantasy fans, and worthwhile for older fantasy readers who need something light and fun as a change of pace.
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later, and that young girl has become Jenna, who has no idea that she is not a Heap by birth, but is actually the rightful Princess. As soon as she learns this, however, she's in danger from the evil Necromancer DomDaniel, who wants to seize power for himself. Together with the Supreme Wizard Marcia Overstrand, Jenna, the rest of the Heaps, and a nameless boy they rescue from the Young Army must flee the city and hide themselves, with only their Magyk to protect them from DomDaniel's Darke forces, and with little hope of ever restoring Jenna to her rightful place.Review: Mid-grade fantasy is not my favorite genre. Young adult, fine & great, but I've read too many mid-grade novels that just don't quite make the jump to adult readers (at least this adult reader.) So I'm always pleasantly surprised when I come across a mid-grade fantasy that is absorbing and enjoyable, and whose mid-grade-ness I don't find overly distracting, and Magyk was one of those novels. (I could have done without the convention of capitalizing and bolding every Magical Term or Spell, though: too affectedly cutesy for my tastes.)
In a lot of ways, Magyk was pretty standard fantasy fare: the evil dark lord seizing power, the missing royal heir being raised by a poor family, none of this screams originality. Similarly, while younger readers might find the plot twists surprising, older readers should be able to spot Boy 412's importance to the story from very early on. On the other hand, Sage is clever and inventive enough with the details of her world and her story that her use of fantasy tropes seems more like gently poking fun at the genre's conventions, rather than slavishly adhering to them. There's plenty of silly, quirky humor for the younger set, of course, but there's also some sly snarkiness to a lot of the story that made it an enjoyable read for grownups as well. 3.5 out of 5 stars.
Recommendation: Overall, I enjoyed this book more than I thought I would, and while I'm not dying to get my hands on the sequels, if they cross my path, I'll certainly read them. Definitely recommended for young fantasy fans, and worthwhile for older fantasy readers who need something light and fun as a change of pace.
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LibraryThing member TechiMi
The Heap family is a family of wizards, mostly. Silas, the father, was a seventh son. Septimus was his seventh son---a fact which makes him innately extraordinarily magical. Or so it should. But Septimus, apprenticed to the evil Necromacer DomDaniel, finds himself sadly lacking in talent, much to
On Jenna's 10th birthday things begin to change. A spy has been living next door, and her true identity has been found out. No longer safe, the family must disperse. And this is where the real adventure begins. Between assassin attempts, DomDaniel's return, learning the truth of the Heap family, some mishaps along the road to freedom, and the rescuing of Expendable Boy 412 of the Young Army, there's never a dull moment.
Will Septimus Heap be reunited with his family? Will DomDaniel succeed in killing the Princess and returning to power? What of the myster of Boy 412? It's well worth the read to find out.
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his dismay and his master's ire. Meanwhile, at home, his family has filled his place with Jenna, whom Silas found abandoned the very same night Septimus was lost to them. He didn't know who she was or why she was left outside the castle, but he knew he couldn't leave her. And so he brought her home, and offered her up to his wife.On Jenna's 10th birthday things begin to change. A spy has been living next door, and her true identity has been found out. No longer safe, the family must disperse. And this is where the real adventure begins. Between assassin attempts, DomDaniel's return, learning the truth of the Heap family, some mishaps along the road to freedom, and the rescuing of Expendable Boy 412 of the Young Army, there's never a dull moment.
Will Septimus Heap be reunited with his family? Will DomDaniel succeed in killing the Princess and returning to power? What of the myster of Boy 412? It's well worth the read to find out.
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LibraryThing member sirfurboy
I was surprised by this book. It started off seeming to be yet another fantasy adventure set in a fake medieval world, and I was all ready to think of it as derivative and formulaic. And then boy 412 leapt out of the book, pulled a sardine from under his red beanie hat and slapped my face with it
This book is extremely funny. Some of that will only be clear to older readers - I got my 7 year old to read it and she has also enjoyed it immensely, but she missed some of the humour, so I guess the 9-11+ age group are ideal for this book, although I loved it as an adult too.
Some of the storyline is predictable even for children (my test group of one shows this), some is predictable for adults, but not necessarily for children (same test group!) But predictable or not, the story is just thoroughly entertaining, well written, and with a very beautiful ending that made me set down the book and blink away a tear before anyone dared accuse me of getting emotional over a story.
I thoroughly recommend this book, but I would venture to say the natural audience would be anyone who loved Harry Potter. The mixture of magic, humour and wry observations on life will surely appeal to the same readership.
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repeatedly until I saw sense. . . Or rather nonsense. A rather delightful nonsense that was entertaining and very interesting.This book is extremely funny. Some of that will only be clear to older readers - I got my 7 year old to read it and she has also enjoyed it immensely, but she missed some of the humour, so I guess the 9-11+ age group are ideal for this book, although I loved it as an adult too.
Some of the storyline is predictable even for children (my test group of one shows this), some is predictable for adults, but not necessarily for children (same test group!) But predictable or not, the story is just thoroughly entertaining, well written, and with a very beautiful ending that made me set down the book and blink away a tear before anyone dared accuse me of getting emotional over a story.
I thoroughly recommend this book, but I would venture to say the natural audience would be anyone who loved Harry Potter. The mixture of magic, humour and wry observations on life will surely appeal to the same readership.
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LibraryThing member Omrythea
What a great first book in a series! I became instantly hooked wanting to find out what would happen with the abandoned baby girl. The world is intriguing, interesting and full of magic, or magyk. :) An enjoyable read, easier than Harry Potter, but lots of fun.
LibraryThing member CarmenMilligan
This was a very fun read! The characters were enjoyable, the action was fast, and the pace was perfect for a book in the YA genre.
I read some of the other reviews and saw many negative comments about the reading level and pandering style of the author. I don't agree with that at all, and think
I am also loathe to read reviews where this is compared to the Harry Potter series. While it is a fantasy book, with wizards and such, this is a totally different story. It cannot be compared, and suffers from the expectation that a comparison with the best-selling series in history invites. This is its own story, with simple and straightforward characters, clear action, and an intriguing storyline.
Buy this for your middle schooler and get ready for a love affair with Septimus Heap!
Highly recommended.
I read some of the other reviews and saw many negative comments about the reading level and pandering style of the author. I don't agree with that at all, and think
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this is the perfect book to engage the more hesitant readers in middle school grades. At a hefty 500 pages, this type of book is needed to encourage and hook young readers, making them readers for life.I am also loathe to read reviews where this is compared to the Harry Potter series. While it is a fantasy book, with wizards and such, this is a totally different story. It cannot be compared, and suffers from the expectation that a comparison with the best-selling series in history invites. This is its own story, with simple and straightforward characters, clear action, and an intriguing storyline.
Buy this for your middle schooler and get ready for a love affair with Septimus Heap!
Highly recommended.
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LibraryThing member wyvernfriend
It a pretty typical fantasy story but well told. The Heap family are a pivotal family since the Evil Necromancer DomDaniel has taken over their city. DomDaniel likes things in a military fashion and he's determined to keep any opponents from getting any chance to beat him. He has made things more
When it's revealed that the youngest Heap is in fact the queen of the town that's when their lives start becoming complicated.
It's interesting but a little too predicable for my taste, though I love the illustrations and some of the characters.
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regimental and everyone in his organisation has a number and a designation. It's dehumanising his underlings and that's good for him because he really doesn't want people thinking about what he's asking them to do.When it's revealed that the youngest Heap is in fact the queen of the town that's when their lives start becoming complicated.
It's interesting but a little too predicable for my taste, though I love the illustrations and some of the characters.
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LibraryThing member happymom
This is basically a series meant for young people, but I think it will become so much more. It revolves aroung a magic based world. Without comparing it to other magic based series' it is along the same idea, just a vastly different storyline.
LibraryThing member LAteacher
A princess kidnapped, her mother murdered, a magical boy snachted away, a baby girl found outside in the snow... Eleven years later, a witch shows up at the Heap family's doorstep... A very Magykal book.
LibraryThing member bookwitch24
Great story! It’s got magyk and mystery and is over all a very fun read. Similar in some themes to Harry Potter, but it’s definitely it’s own story.
LibraryThing member chocolatechip
a young boy realizes his immense magical power as the seventh son of the seventh son and the lost queen is found
LibraryThing member SnowLeopard
Septimus Heap is the seventh son of a seventh son born on a snowy frosty morning on the shortest day of the year. But his life is a short one, and the midwife rushed off with the small bundle wrapped from head to toe after only a few hours of life. On her way out, she passed the father, Silas, who
As the years pass, all the Heap children grow, and their eyes turn a piercing green to show the mark of a wizard, except for Jenna’s, whose refuse, and stay a dark violet instead. Their eyes were not the only thing to change; soon after Jenna was brought home, Magyk was forbidden in school, and all classes were stopped. This didn’t stop Silas and Sarah from teaching their children at home, and a good thing too, because when Jenna turns 10, the new dark ExtraOrdinary Wizard begins to hunt her down, and her mysterious lineage soon catches up with her.
This is a great read for kids and adults who like Harry Potter: Magyk is full of adventure and mystery that keeps the pages turning very quickly indeed.
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had a bundle of his own that he had found outside in the freezing snow. It was a baby girl, whom they named Jenna, and she grew up well loved as the only daughter of Silas and Sarah Heap.As the years pass, all the Heap children grow, and their eyes turn a piercing green to show the mark of a wizard, except for Jenna’s, whose refuse, and stay a dark violet instead. Their eyes were not the only thing to change; soon after Jenna was brought home, Magyk was forbidden in school, and all classes were stopped. This didn’t stop Silas and Sarah from teaching their children at home, and a good thing too, because when Jenna turns 10, the new dark ExtraOrdinary Wizard begins to hunt her down, and her mysterious lineage soon catches up with her.
This is a great read for kids and adults who like Harry Potter: Magyk is full of adventure and mystery that keeps the pages turning very quickly indeed.
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LibraryThing member Crewman_Number_6
I really enjoyed this book. It was a bit predictable, but the story was very engaging so I could forgive it.
LibraryThing member laur04
I loved this book! Not going to lie, it's probably aimed for a younger age group, but I still got something out of it. Even my mom read it!
This book is absolute fantasy, which I love. It's all about magic and the bad guy. I really enjoyed the story line.
It was so clever how Sage mispelled all the
I feel as if most books aimed for this age group always let the good guys win and the bad guys are never a real threat. This book had the perfect amount of "evil". Not enough to scare kids, but not too fluffy that it is obvious the good guys will win in the end.
The twists in the end of the book were unpredictable. I was surprised I didn't pick up on them earlier, and definately wouldn't have if I was younger. There were two twists at the end, one after the other, which is unusual for a story. The first one provided a really good ending that had the potential to end the story. Yet the author throws that ending away and makes another one leading in an opposite direction. This was so unique; I would have been satisfied with just one or the other, but both made the book more even more exciting!
All in all, I enjoyed this book. I think I would have enjoyed it more if I read it a few years ago. It is still a great story for all age groups!
This book is absolute fantasy, which I love. It's all about magic and the bad guy. I really enjoyed the story line.
It was so clever how Sage mispelled all the
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spells. For example Magyk and Magic, Magykal and Magical, and Darke and Dark. This is unusual and added a different unique "language" for the spells. This book also switches from different characters' perspectives every chapter. This made it more interesting to read than if it was from just one point of view. There were so many likable characters in this book that each chapter offered something different. Sage had a lot more characters in her story than most authors would. Each one added to the story and had a different personality. In one chapter, the story was told from the dog's point of view!I feel as if most books aimed for this age group always let the good guys win and the bad guys are never a real threat. This book had the perfect amount of "evil". Not enough to scare kids, but not too fluffy that it is obvious the good guys will win in the end.
The twists in the end of the book were unpredictable. I was surprised I didn't pick up on them earlier, and definately wouldn't have if I was younger. There were two twists at the end, one after the other, which is unusual for a story. The first one provided a really good ending that had the potential to end the story. Yet the author throws that ending away and makes another one leading in an opposite direction. This was so unique; I would have been satisfied with just one or the other, but both made the book more even more exciting!
All in all, I enjoyed this book. I think I would have enjoyed it more if I read it a few years ago. It is still a great story for all age groups!
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LibraryThing member hpluver07
I thought this was an interesting story. I liked how the author spells things!
LibraryThing member hoosgracie
Septimus Heap is born the 7th son of a 7th son. He is switched at birth with another child who is actually a princess in hiding. Good beginning to what looks to be a good series.
LibraryThing member catz
I liked this book but it had a lot of explaining to get ready for the next two books.
LibraryThing member Phoppock
Took a little longer to really get into this book, but once there, I was thrilled to have found it. Stayed up much too late once night ot find ut what happens with Jenna and Boy 412 and Nicko and all the others battling dark forces!
LibraryThing member qarae
A very cute pre-teen book about wizards and family. The Heap family was told by the midwife that their newest child, Septimus (the seventh son of the seventh son), died. On the same night, Silas Heap (the Heap father) finds a baby girl lying in the snow and takes her home.
Ten years later. Jenna
Ten years later. Jenna
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Heap, the baby girl found in the snow, is being hunted so the Heaps go into hiding. During their struggle keep free from the Hunter, they discover that Septimus is NOT dead. But he can't really be this slimmy un-magyked weasle of a boy can he?? Show Less
LibraryThing member S5rox
This book is about 1 family who loses a son then the evil necromancer, Dom Daniel comes back from the Badlands. Along with him comes dark magyk. After killing the queen he is after the princess. The princess, Jenna has been adopted by the heap family and has a good life until everything turns to
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custurd. Jenna runs to the marram marshes with her father Silas, her brother Nicko, the extra-ordinary wizard Marcia Overstrand, Boy 412 from the young army and a wolfhound named Maxie. They run to Aunt Zelda the white witch. Their mum and her 5 other brothers run to Galin who lives in the forest. Lots of comotion, Magyk and drama happen this book. Show Less
LibraryThing member peaceloveandpat
It starts with a death of Septimus Heap, seventh son of the seventh son, at the same day Silas Heap found a baby girl in the snow, who they named Jenna. Ten years after that fateful day, they found out that Jenna is actually the Princess of their kingdom, not only that but she is also in danger.
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Jenna has to be hidden from evil characters such as the Assassin, The Supreme Custodian and Wizard-turned-Necromancer, Dom Daniel, who needs her dead to be able to get to her crown. So Silas, Nicko (his son), Jenna and the extra Ordinary Wizard Marcia fled towards the Marshes with a sentry from the Young Army named Boy 412, to seek refuge at Aunt Zelda's place and the adventure began..Took me a while to read this book. The first five chapters were not as engaging as the following one, so patience is needed. Sage over did her descriptions a little bit which is a benefit in a way but unnecessary. The story was complex and I needed time to adjust in Septimus' world. I got really into it when Chapter 27 hits. I found myself asking a one question over and over, until I found the answer. What is the deal with Boy 412? A good start of a new series. Magyk is filled with advernture, quirky enthralling characters, funny scenes, mysterious events, clever spells, charms and potions. It also leads into a fantastic journey with thing like Boggarts, Brownies, a cat but a duck named Bert, a Message Rat, etc. Recommended to fans of magic theme fantasy genre if you think that this is a Harry Potter wanna be I am telling you now this is nothing like the story of The Boy who lives and his world. Septimus Heap's have his own magical system and adventure. Show Less
LibraryThing member LinBee
Many twists and turns, has you guessing from the beginning, "Which one is Septimus Heap?" The cast of characters keeps you interested in the book.
LibraryThing member stonelaura
While not as sardonic as Bartimeaus nor as humorous as the Wee Free Men, Magyk is entertaining enough and of course the English accent always adds a refined touch. The characters are well developed and endearing, as well as imaginative and I think readers will be eager to continue on with the
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series after reading book one which slowly reveals the real identity of the orphan soldier, Boy 412, after he is taken in by the disorganized but lovable Heap family and the Extraordinary Wizard, Marcia. There are helpful ghosts, talking messenger rats, evil hunters and dastardly usurpers to the throne. A very nice tale. Show Less
LibraryThing member sszatkowski
It was a very easy read that moved quickly and left out alot of details. This book was very childish, yet had an OK plotline. The basic idea for the series was exceptional, however there are alot of other authors who could've done better with this book.
LibraryThing member Clurb
Despite suffering from a very predictable plot, Magyk is full of likeable and very funny characters and includes, amongst other things, a dastardly villain, a handful of courageous heroes, a friendly boggart, witches, wizards, talking rats, sailing chickens and lots and lots of magic.
Subjects
Awards
Great Stone Face Book Award (Nominee — 2007)
Kentucky Bluegrass Award (Nominee — Grades 6-8 — 2007)
Sasquatch Book Award (Nominee — 2009)
Nēnē Award (Nominee — 2009)
Nevada Young Readers' Award (Nominee — Intermediate — 2008)
Call number
J4A.Sag