British · b. 2003
Erin Hunter is a pen name used by a team of British authors — primarily Victoria Holmes, Kate Cary, Cherith Baldry, and Tui Sutherland — who write the Warriors and other animal fantasy series for middle grade readers.
Erin Hunter is a pen name for a collaborative team of authors who created and continue to write the Warriors series — one of the most successful middle grade book series of all time. The primary authors behind the name have included Victoria Holmes (who developed the storylines and characters), Kate Cary, Cherith Baldry, and Tui Sutherland, with editorial direction from HarperCollins.
The team began writing under the Erin Hunter name in 2003 with the publication of Warriors: Into the Wild, the first book in what would become the original Warriors arc. The series grew to encompass six arcs of six books each plus numerous super editions, novellas, and graphic novels — over sixty books in total as of 2026, with new instalments continuing to be published.
The original Warriors arc — the essential starting point for any new reader — consists of six books following Firestar (originally Rusty, a house cat) as he joins ThunderClan and rises from apprentice to leader:
The subsequent arcs follow new generations of cats in the same forest world:
Beyond the main arcs, the Warriors world has expanded to include graphic novel adaptations, super editions (focusing on individual characters), and a series of novellas.
The Erin Hunter pen name has also been used for related animal fantasy series including Seekers (about bears), Survivors (about dogs), and Bravelands (about African savannah animals), though none of these achieved the cultural impact of Warriors.
The Warriors series has sold over forty million copies globally, with its readership extending far beyond the intended middle grade age range — adult readers who discovered the series as children frequently return to it and introduce it to their own children. The series is experiencing a significant resurgence in 2025-2026 driven by TikTok and YouTube communities dedicated to Warriors lore, analysis, and fan creativity.
by Erin Hunter
The original arc concludes — Tigerstar's plan reaches its terrible climax, and Fireheart must fulfill his destiny in a battle that will determine the fate of all the forest clans.
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by Erin Hunter
ThunderClan faces a threat from beyond the forest — and Fireheart must confront the villain the original arc has been building toward, in a race against time to save the clans.
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by Erin Hunter
Fireheart uncovers secrets that shake the foundations of ThunderClan — the truth about Bluestar's past and a traitor whose betrayal runs deeper than anyone suspected.
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by Erin Hunter
Fireheart — now a full warrior of ThunderClan — faces his first great tests of loyalty as he discovers a threat to the clan from within and tensions between the clans escalate dangerously.
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by Erin Hunter
A house cat named Rusty joins the wild clans of cats living in the forest, becoming Firepaw and beginning a journey that will change the clans forever.
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by Erin Hunter
The aftermath of the traitor's defeat — a new threat to ThunderClan emerges from within while a summer of fire and drought tests every warrior's loyalty and courage.
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