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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... read more

Summary edit see section history

The book begins with Silas Heap finding an infant girl, with dark violet eyes, wrapped in a heavy woolen blanket, in the snow as he returns home with herbal medicines for his wife, Sarah. Silas hides her in his cloak and takes her; on the way home, he is told by the ExtraOrdinary Wizard,... read more (warning: may contain spoilers)

The book begins with Silas Heap finding an infant girl, with dark violet eyes, wrapped in a heavy woolen blanket, in the snow as he returns home with herbal medicines for his wife, Sarah. Silas hides her in his cloak and takes her; on the way home, he is told by the ExtraOrdinary Wizard, Marcia, to raise her as his own, without telling anyone where she came from. As he returns home, the Matron Midwife, who is Agnes Meredith, runs out carrying his newborn son, Septimus Heap, in a bundle wrapped head to toe in bandages, pronouncing him dead. Soon after, Silas and Sarah name the baby girl Jenna and treat her as their own child.

Some years later, the ExtraOrdinary Wizard, Marcia Overstrand, returns and reveals Jenna to be the daughter of the assassinated queen, and takes her away for protection. She also tells them that Jenna is not safe anymore because she is discovered by a spy living next door, who is Linda Lane. However, an assassin, the “Hunter” working for the Dark Wizard, DomDaniel, follows them, and along with several of Jenna’s family members, and a member of the Young Army named "Boy 412", Jenna escapes to their Aunt Zelda's cottage in the Marram Marshes. In the marshes, Boy 412 discovers both a glowing ring and his own magykal powers.

Marcia attempts to return to the castle, but is captured by the guards and is jailed for a month. While she is imprisoned, she nearly dies. Eventually, the Hunter discovered where the group is staying and leaves to assassinate Jenna, but he is thwarted by Aunt Zelda's freezing and forgetting spell. He also leaves for a new life by becoming a buffoon and lowlife circus clown. They capture DomDaniel’s apprentice, who claims to be Septimus, Silas and Sarah Heap’s son, but he escapes and tells DomDaniel of their location.

In the end, Boy 412 is revealed to be Septimus Heap. DomDaniel had ordered the Matron Midwife to take Septimus, who was the seventh son of a seventh son and expected to have great magykal powers, but accidentally ended up with one of the boys from the army nursery and is the Midwife's son (Merrin Meredith), leaving Septimus to grow up in the Young Army as Boy 412.

Characters edit see section history

  • Jenna Heap: Adopted daughter of the Heaps', also the youngest and only girl. Violet eyed in the midst of a family of green eyes.
  • Marcia Overstrand: The ExtraOrdinary Wizard, in charge of running the Wizard Tower. Fond of pointy, purple, python shoes.
  • Boy 412: Young Army Expendable; guards the Wizard Tower. Has curly straw colored hair.
  • DomDaniel: The Necromancer, a Darke Wizard; was the ExtraOrdinary Wizard before Alther.
  • Nicko Heap: The 6th Heap son; loves boats and sailing. Wishes to protect Jenna Heap as much as possible.
  • Zelda Heap: A White Witch and Keeper of the Marram Marshes; Silas Heap's aunt.
  • Alther Mella: Ghost. Marcia's predecessor as ExtraOrdinary Wizard as well as mentor. Helpful Ghost.
  • Silas Heap: An Ordinary Wizard, father of the Heap children. Former Wizard School teacher. Found Jenna.
  • Sarah Heap: Mother of the Heap children; makes potions in her spare time to sell.
  • Stanley: A very talkative Messenger Rat.
  • Sam Heap: The 2nd eldest Heap son, a master fisherman.
  • Erik Heap: Edd's twin brother, 3rd or 4th of the Heap sons.
  • Edd Heap: Erik's twin brother, 3rd or 4th of the Heap sons.
  • Jo-Jo Heap: The 5th Heap son.
  • Linda Lane: Their neighbor
  • Sally Mullin: Owner of the Sally Mullin's Cafe, she is a good friend of Sarah Heap
  • Dawnie: Stanley's wife
  • Maxie: The Heaps's wolfhound
  • Simon Heap: Son of Sarah and Silas Heap, 1st of the Heap sons.
  • Boris Catchpole: Deputy Hunter
  • Alice Nettles: Once a judge, but now works at the Customs House
  • Bert: Aunt Zelda's cat, who is in the shape of a duck.
  • Galen: Sarah Heap's mentor who is a Physik Woman
  • Lucy Gringe: Mr. Gringe's daughter. Wants to marry Simon Heap.
  • Morwenna: Coven Mother of the Wendron Witches.
  • Boggart: Aunt Zelda's faithful swamp friend. Lives in the mud outside Aunt Zelda's house. Helps guard the house.
  • Supreme Custodian: Usurper of the Queen's throne. Killed the Queen and Alther Mella.
  • Chief Cadet: Chief of the Young Army. Terrified of spiders.
  • Gerald: The Hunter.
  • The Apprentice: DomDaniel's apprentice, and Septimus Heap
  • Septimus Heap: The seventh son of the seventh son; has great magical abilities. Is believed to be dead at the beginning of the book.
Show all 31 characters
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Quotes edit see section history

  • “"Please, Jenna, may I share your quilt? Yes, you may, Nicko. Oh, thank you very much, Jenna, that's very kind of you. Don't mention it, Nicko.""All right, then, I won't." Nicko grinned. "And I suppose I have to curtsy to you now you're Miss High and Mighty."”
    Jenna
  • “Nicko was busy wrestling with the recalcitrant wolfhound who refused to come out from what he considered to be the safest place in the world. Under the hearth rug.”

Setting & Locations edit see section history

Organizations edit see section history

First Sentence edit see section history

Silas Heap pulled his cloak tightly around him against the snow.

Table of Contents edit see section history

1. Something in the Snow
2. Sarah and Silas
3. The Supreme Custodian
4. Marcia Overstrand
5. At the Heaps
6. To the Tower
7. Wizard Tower
8. The Rubbish Chute
9. Sally Mullin's Cafe
10. The Hunter
11. The Trail
12. Muriel
13. The Chase
14. Deppen Ditch
15. Midnight at the Beach
16. The Boggart
17. Alther Alone
18. Keeper's Cottage
19. Aunt Zelda
20. Boy 412
21. Rattus Rattus
22. Magyk
23. Wings
24. Shield Bugs
25. The Wendron Witch
26. MidWinter Feast Day
27. Stanley's Journey
28. The Big Freeze
29. Pythons and Rats
30. Message for Marcia
31. The Rat's Return
32. The Big Thaw
33. Watch and Wait
34. Ambush
35. Gone to Ground
36. Frozen
37. Scrying
38. Defrosting
39. The Appointment
40.The Meeting
41. The Vengeance
42. The Storm
43. The Dragon Boat
44. To Sea
45. Ebb Tide
46. A Visitor
47. The Apprentice
48. The Apprentice Supper
49. Septimus Heap

What Aunt Zelda Saw in the Duck Pond

After...

Series & Lists edit see section history

This is book 1 of 9 in Septimus Heap. (standard series)

Followed by Flyte.

This book is in Kirkus Reviews: Get Lost in Worlds of Fantasy. (authoritative list)
This is book 1 of 1 in O,I am reading. (community list)

Authors & Contributors edit see section history

  1. Angie Sage (Author)

Other Contributors:

  1. Mark Zug (Illustrator) - Lovely, saturated, treasure chest cover and clear drawings throughout.

First Edition edit see section history

Original Language: English
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Country: England
Publication Date: March 2005
ISBN: 9780060577315
Page Count: 596

Awards edit see section history

  • SCBA 2006 (January 2007: Salford City Council Book Award)

Classification edit see section history

  • Library of Congress: PZ7.S13035Mag 2005
  • Dewey: 793

Notes for Parents edit see section history

Reading Level: Ages 9-12

Although its size is daunting, its a reletively easy read. Very good book!

Movie Connections edit see section history

  • Septimus Heap: Magyk (IMDb): Warner Brothers bought the rights to produce a film version of the first book, Magyk. Karen Rosenfelt will produce the film, with Sage serving as an executive producer. According to Cinematical.com, the making of the movie will not start before the final Harry Potter movie is completed. Sage said that the screenplay will be developed after the writer's strike was over. It was announced on July 17, 2009 that the movie will be animated, with David Frankel as director and Rob Lieber to adapt Magyk. At present, a re-write of the script is being done with screenwriter Mulroney and Warner Brothers are working with a studio to create some early conceptual design/look development.

More Books Like This edit see section history

   
  • Through Wolf's Eyes
  • Inkspell
  • Inkdeath
  • Revenge of the Witch
  • Curse of the Bane
  • Night of the Soul Stealer

Books Influenced by This Book edit see section history

   
  • Flyte
  • Physik
  • Queste
  • Syren
  • The Magykal Papers

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