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The first part of an enthralling new series leads readers on a fantastic journey filled with quirky characters, clever charms, potions and spells. Ages 9+.

The 7th son of the 7th 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 newborn 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?

The first part of this enthralling new series leads readers on a fantastic journey filled with quirky characters, clever charms, potions and spells, and a yearning to uncover the mystery at the heart of this story...who is Septimus Heap?

Angie Sage writes in the tradition of great British storytellers. Her inventive fantasy is filled with humor and heart: Magyk will have readers laughing and begging for more.

564 pages, Hardcover

First published May 11, 2005

2,812 people are currently reading
69.6k people want to read

About the author

Angie Sage

207books3,229followers
Angie Sage (born 1952) is the author of the Septimus Heap series which includes Magyk, Flyte, Physik, Queste, Syren, Darke and Fyre. She also wrote the Todhunter Moon series, and the Magykal Papers, an additional book with extra information about Septimus' world. She is also the illustrator and/or writer of many children's books, and is the new writer of the Araminta Spookie series.

Angie Sage grew up in Thames Valley, London and Kent. Her father was a publisher. He would bring home blank books that she could fill with pictures and stories. Sage first studied medicine, but changed her mind and went to Art School in Leicester. There she studied Graphic Design and Illustration. She began illustrating books after college. Then she progressed to writing children stories, including toddler books and chapter books. Her first novel was Septimus Heap: Magyk. Angie Sage is married and has two daughters, Laurie and Lois.

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Displaying 1 - 30 of 5,871 reviews
Profile Image for colleen the convivial curmudgeon.
1,292 reviews301 followers
June 4, 2008
I have something of a taste for children's and young adult fantasy stories. I'm a total geek for Harry Potter, and quite enjoyed Fablehaven, Tithe, and Wicked Lovely, amongst others. The thing is there are some children's books which, while written young, can appeal to an older audience, and there are others which are written in such a way as to make the cross-over nigh impossible. This was on of the latter...

Leaving aside the cliched plot and all the other things that people have pointed out, there were two things which annoyed me the most about the book and both of which have to do with tone. For one, I felt that the author was writing in the way that some adults speak to younger children - not as young people, but as idiots. I felt it was written more for 6 year old than a 9-12 year old - and can only wonder if I would've been offended while reading this at 12 since the tone, to me, felt so patronizing.

The other annoying thing was the way that the "Magykal" words were capitalized and bolded. It's another one of those things that makes me feel like the author thinks children are idiots - let's make sure they don't miss this special, important words! Look at this word over here! Don't miss it now, boys and girls! That's right! It's a Magyk word! (spoken in the tones of nauseatingly bad children's theater everywhere... )

It would be an exquisite torture finishing this series. Luckily for me, I'm not nearly that masochistic...
Profile Image for Ahmad Sharabiani.
9,563 reviews711 followers
January 2, 2022
Magyk (Septimus Heap, #1), Angie Sage

Magyk (an archaic spelling of "Magic") is a fantasy novel written by English author Angie Sage. It is the first book in the seven-book Septimus Heap series.

The sequel, Flyte was released in March 2006, Physik in March 2007, Queste in 2008, Syren in September 2009, Darke in July 2011, and Fyre in 2013.

The book cover of Magyk alludes to the diary that the ExtraOrdinary Wizard Marcia makes for her apprentice, Septimus Heap. The cover also depicts Septimus's Dragon Ring, rendered as if it were sitting atop the diary.

عنوانهای چاپ شده در ایران: «مجیک»؛ «جادو»؛ «افصون»؛ نویسنده: آنجی سیج؛ تاریخ نخستین خوانش: ماه جولای سال2008میلادی

عنوان: سپتیموس هیپ: کتاب یکم مجیک؛ نویسنده: آنجی سیج؛ مترجم سمیه گنجی؛ تهران، وسعت، زهره، ایران سخن، سال1386؛ در530ص؛ سپتیموس هیپ کتاب اول؛ شابک9786005142020؛ موضوع داستانهای نویسندگان بریتانیا - سده21م

عنوان: سپتیموس هیپ: کتاب یکم جادو؛ نویسنده: آنجی سیج؛ مترجم پرتو اشراق؛ تهران، ناهید، سال1387؛ در437ص؛ سپتیموس هیپ کتاب اول؛ شابک9789646305857؛

عنوان: سپتیموس هیپ: کتاب یکم افصون؛ نویسنده: آنجی سیج؛ مترجم: مهرداد مهدویان؛ تهران، افق، سال1388؛ در437ص؛ سپتیموس هیپ کتاب اول؛ شابک9789643695125؛

جادو، مجیک، یا افصون؛ سرشار از شگفتی، و با تخیلی نیرومند نگاشته شده است؛ کتاب خوانشگر نوجوان را، به جهانی میکشاند که تا وارد شود، دیگر هرگزی خواهان ترکش نباشد؛

سپتیموس هیپ، پسر هفتم از هفتمین پسر، در شب تولدش ناپدید میشود، و قابله اش اعلام میکند، که نوزاد مرده است؛ همانشب «سیلاس» پدر او، در برفها به نوزاد دیگری برمیخورد، که سر راه گذاشته شده؛ که دختری با چشمهای بنفش است؛ «سیلاس» دختر را، همچون بچه ی خودش بزرگ میکند، و به او، فوت و فن جادوگری را میآموزد؛ «سپتیموس»، با استفاده از همان شیوه ها، نزد خانواده اش باز میگردد، اما روح ملکه «ادلدردا» پس از پانصد سال، از زندان آزاد میشود، و به دنبال او میگردد؛ خانم «انجی سیج، زاده شده در سال1952میلادی»، آفرینشگر سری «سپتیموس» هیپ هستند؛ که شامل کتاب‌ها� «افسون»، «پرواز»، «فیزیک» و «جستجو» و سه کتاب دیگر است؛ ایشان همچنین، تصویرگر یا نویسنده ی آثار بسیاری، برای کودکان هستند؛ ایشان همچنین نویسنده سری «آرمنته جن زده» نیز هستند؛ «انجی سیج» در دره ی «تامس»، «لندن» و «کِنت»، بزرگوار شده اند؛ پدر «انجی» ناشر بودند؛ ایشان کتاب‌ه� را، به خانه می‌آوردند� تا «انجی» آنها را، با داستان یا نقاشی پر کنند؛ «سیج»، نخست به فراگیری پزشکی پرداختند، اما رشته ی هنر را، در مدرسه ی «لسسیتر» ادامه دادند

تاریخ بهنگام رسانی 12/01/1400هجری خورشیدی؛ 11/10/1400هجری خورشیدی؛ ا. شربیانی
Profile Image for Phrynne.
3,824 reviews2,578 followers
September 30, 2020
Why have I never read this book before? I enjoyed it so much. There was a little bit of Harry Potter about it but I love those books too so this was a good thing.

As in Harry Potter people are born to be wizards or they are not. Magic is performed through spells which have to be studied and learned. Septimus Heap is a seventh son of a seventh son and is therefore expected to be more magical than normal, but right at the beginning of the book he appears to die and be replaced by another abandoned baby. The mystery is did he live and if so where is he.

I loved the easy manner of the book and the relaxed way the tale unfolds. The characters are all either charming good guys or evil bad ones. The world building is delightful. The book was interesting, exciting and well paced throughout. I loved it.

I hope the rest of the series holds up. I intend to read them all.
Profile Image for Melissa ♥ Dog/Wolf Lover ♥ Martin.
3,620 reviews11.3k followers
August 9, 2015


I read this book many, many moons ago! I loved it then and I love it now. Things from the book came back to me as I read them.

Septimus Heap was taken away as a newborn child with the nurse saying he was dead...he was not. He was taken away to turn him into something else. In his place there was left a baby girl that was found by the father, Silas Heap. It's funny this happens right as their baby is taken.... hmmm.. wonder who she is.

So the house is full of Heaps and several years later when the secret finally comes out who Jenna really is, she goes on a journey with the ExtraOrdinary Wizard named Marcia, her father Silas, one brother Nicko, Boy 412 (who was a guard to the wizard tower) and the Heap's dog Maxie. They take a precarious trip to their Aunt Zelda in the swamps.

It's such a fun book with all of the little magical things like the Shield Bugs, they are so cool and I want a group of them of my own! My favorite was Jenna's pet rock that she named Petroc Trelawney! I want one, actually I have some rocks around here I intend to paint different colors with little faces. I doubt they will come to life it I pet them though :( I love their Boggart friend too. There are just so many things to like about this book.

They have to face a bunch of junk trying to keep away from the bad guys that just want to get Jenna back. They find out some things they never knew. They learn spells and mostly have a good time.

It's a great book!



Profile Image for  Li'l Owl.
398 reviews276 followers
August 6, 2019
*Audiobook Edition*

Magnificent!! Memorizing! Delightful! Bursting with danger and where treachery can be found hiding around every corner!
I am completely stunned that by is her debut??!!


Silas Heap pulled his cloak tightly around him against the snow. It had been a long walk through the Forest, and he was chilled to the bone. But in his pockets he had the herbs that Galen, the Physik Woman, had given him for his new baby boy, Septimus, who had been born earlier that day.

It was then that Silas sensed something nearby. Something alive, but only just. He was aware of a small human heartbeat somewhere close to him. Silas stopped. As an Ordinary Wizard he was able to sense things, but, as he was not a particularly good Ordinary Wizard, he needed to concentrate hard. He stood still with the snow falling fast around him, already covering his footprints. And then he heard something—a snuffle, a whimper, a small breath? He wasn’t sure, but it was enough.
Underneath a bush beside the path was a bundle. Silas picked up the bundle and, to his amazement, found himself gazing into the solemn eyes of a tiny baby. Silas cradled the baby in his arms and wondered how she had come to be lying in the snow on the coldest day of the year. Someone had wrapped her tightly in a heavy woolen blanket, but she was already very cold: her lips were a dusky blue and the snow dusted her eyelashes. As the baby’s dark violet eyes gazed intently at him, Silas had the uncomfortable feeling that she had already seen things in her short life that no baby should see.
Thinking of his Sarah at home, warm and safe with Septimus and the boys, Silas decided that they would just have to make room for one more little one. He carefully tucked the baby into his blue Wizard cloak and held her close to him as he ran toward the Castle gate.

As Silas disappeared into the shadows of the tunnel that led to The Ramblings, a tall figure in purple stepped out and barred his way. “Marcia!� gasped Silas. “What on earth—�
“Tell no one you found her. She was born to you. Understand?� Shocked, Silas nodded. Before he had time to say anything, Marcia was gone in a shimmer of purple mist....


“Dead!� cried the Matron Midwife. She pushed Silas aside with a powerful shove and ran down the corridor. Inside the room, Sarah Heap screamed.
Silas went in with a heavy heart. He saw Sarah surrounded by six white-faced little boys, all too scared to cry.
“She’s taken him,� said Sarah hopelessly. “Septimus is dead, and she’s taken him away.� At that moment a warm wetness spread out from the bundle that Silas still had hidden under his cloak. Silas had no words for what he wanted to say, so he just took the bundle out from under his cloak and placed her in Sarah’s arms.
Sarah Heap burst into tears.


***
OH MY! THIS AUDIOBOOK is a TREASURE!

by and narrated by had me on tenterhooks as it began with the opening bars of dramatic music, then as the music slowly fades out as the words of the first chapter can be heard.
The characters on the good side are delightful, the bad are chillingly evil. And the magical and non-magical creatures are imaginative and creative.
The storyline is unique and well thought out and the paste is fast! There's never a dull moment throughout the story making it addictive to listen to and I found myself coming up with any excuse to hole up in a comfy spot with drink and snacks and resume listening to the story!


🌟Narrator Rating🌟 *(see details below)*
Narrator 's performance was astounding and delightful to listen to! His used a wide range of different tones, voices, sounds, and volumes that enhanced the story ten fold! He was an expert at tranfixing the listener nearly imperceptibly so that when I closed my eyes I was transported into the story, effortlessly feeding images directly to my imagination like a live wire!

🌟🌟Overall Narration Rating 🌟🌟 : earns an above and beyond 5� for his performance, topped off with a WOWZA! for dessert!

This bedtime story will keep you wide awake late into the wee hours of the next morning!!
is a tremendous accomplishment as a debut novel. You have my full attention, !
What is in store for us in the upcoming novels in this series boggles my mind!
I can hardly wait to delve into book two in the Septimus Heap series,
!

I'm very sad that Mr. Corduner won't be the narrator for the remaining audiobooks in this series. I'm really hope that narrator will be up to the task as I have every intention to listen to the remaining six books in audiobook format!

Stay tuned my book loving friends!

🌟🌟If you're interested in how and why I grade narrators, please see my profile page @
/user/show/4...
Profile Image for Moira Fogarty.
432 reviews22 followers
May 17, 2012
Poor Angie Sage. How annoying, to write a book about a young wizard right in the midst of Harry Potter mania! Comparisons are unavoidable, and reading this story in the shadow of Rowling's legacy makes it difficult to properly evaluate the characters and plot without drawing mental links between Boggart and Hagrid, DomDaniel and Voldemort, that leave an adult reader feeling dissatisfied with the world of Magyk.

It is, however, important to keep in mind that this IS a different book, with different strengths and weaknesses. It is written for a younger audience than HP: many scary parts are played down or narrated from the perspective of an historic event. There's less suspense and many breaks for play and mundane activities that slow the forward momentum enough to let small children relax after a scary chase or a bad turn of events.

There are many nods to classic children's fiction, including things that made me groan in pain, such as the Heaps' address at "There and Back Again Row" (Grrraauugggghhh! Tolkien is rolling in his grave). If you like Edith Nesbit or Enid Blyton you'll see a lot of their influence.

The first 150 pages were not to my taste. I struggled through them, but found the last half of the book picked up and caught my interest. Sage's strength lies in her love of boating and wet places. Once the focus of the story moves away from the castle and into the marshes, the author relaxes into her own world of old British coastal ways that don't feature strongly in Rowling's franchise - the salty ways of sailors and bogs, mists and mud, bad cooking and swamp creatures.

Several technical aspects of the book annoyed me no end. I found the use of a special, bolded font for all Magykal words to be deeply irritating.

I did not enjoy the mish-mash of different verb tenses, narrative voices and points of view, particularly the heavy use of flashbacks.

I must also complain about the many, many convenient interventions by previously unknown devices that saved the day for our young adventurers. Deus ex Machina is everywhere. Being attacked by a scary wizard in a deadly boat? Not to worry, here's a secret boat you never knew you had! Being hunted by a man who is going to set you on fire? Not to worry, just use the magic anti-death charm someone gave you last week!

If Horace had been the editor on hand for the first read-through of this script, it would still be languishing on the bottom of the slush pile.

To conclude, this book is a fun read... for little kids. It is NOT one of the hot new Young Adult crossovers that get printed with a second, Adult version of the cover. As a thirty-something, I can say that while I could enjoy reading this story aloud to an 8- to 10-year-old, it was too young for me to enjoy on my own.
Profile Image for Dalia Nourelden.
667 reviews1,063 followers
February 6, 2024
يجد سايلاس هيب اثناء عودته عن طريق الغابة سلة بها طفلة صغيرة تتجمد من البرد فيأخذها تحت عباءته وهو عائد لزوجته التى كانت قد وضعت ابنهم سبتيموس ليكون الابن السابع للابن السابع لكن عندما يصل يفاجأ بالقابلة وهى تحمل ابنه وتخبره انه مات
وتتسائل انت ؟ مات ؟ كيف ؟ واسمه هو اسم السلسلة !! سنعرف فيما بعد 😉
لكن ستعرف مع الوقت ان كونه الابن السابع للابن السابع هذا شئ له قيمة مهمة . وفي الغالب يتمتع صاحبه بقوة سحرية قوية .لكن أين هو !!



اما عن الفتاة الصغيرة التى يطلقون عليها اسم جينا فتتربى بينهم البنت الوحيدة وسط ابناء سايلاس هيب وسارة الستة وتحاط بالحب والحنان من جميع افراد العائلة رغم انها تحمل تساؤل لماذا هى مختلفة؟ ولماذا لم تصبح عيناها خضراء وشعرها اصفر كجميع افراد العائلة ؟



وستعرف اجابة تساؤلها فى يوم عيد ميلادها العاشر حين تأتى الساحرة العظمى مارشا لتأخذها الى برج السحرة لانها لم تعد بامان وسط عائلة هيب فتخبرها انها الأميرة وان أمها الملكة قتلت يوم ولادتها وهى مسؤولة عن حمايتها حتى تكبر وتستطيع استرداد العرش .



ومن هنا تبدأ الحكاية والمغامرات لنلتقي شخصيات مثل
الثر ميلر شبح الساحر الاعظم السابق .
والفتي ٤١٢ من جيش الشباب حيث لا اعتراف بالاسماء هم مجرد اسماء .
والعمة زيلدا ساحرة المستنقعات ." الساحرة البيضاء"
والجرذ الرسول ستانلي.
والغول .
ومركب حتب رع التنينية
والهرب للنجاة وحماية الاميرة من الساحر الشيطانى دومدانيال الذى كان يوما الساحر الاعظم لكنه اختار السحر الاسود .( بديل فولدمرت 😁) هو وأعوانه



الرواية فى المجمل جيدة وخفيفة
نعم هناك للأسف لكن قادمة 😞
رغم اسلوب الكاتبة الممتع الا ان الاحداث بطيئة مما يشعرك احيانا بنفاذ الصبر .لن اقول انى شعرت بالملل ربما لانى حين اجد الاسلوب جيد اتساهل مع بطء الأحداث .
كما ان هذا لايمنع ان بها تشويق و حينها كنت اجد نفسى التهم فصول بحماس لأعرف ما سيحدث .

اختلاف موضوع الرواية يجعل رغبتى فى اكمال باقى الاجزاء ويحدونى أمل ان تكون أفضل . كما انى متشوقة لمعرفة ماذا سيحدث معهم بعد ذلك 🤩


وشكرا طبعا لرفيقتي فى القراءة اللى شجعتنى اننا نبدأ السلسلة سوا 🤩 شكرا صديقتى الغالية سارة على الرفقة والتشجيع 🌷🌷

١٨ / ١١ / ٢٠٢٠
Profile Image for Joseph.
34 reviews3,384 followers
Read
October 2, 2015
REVIEW: MAGYK by Angie Sage

I have just read and enjoyed ‘Magyk� by Angie Sage. It is the story of Septimus Heap, a wizard apprentice.
I noticed a few similarities to my own Spook’s Series. For example both Tom Ward and Septimus Heap are both seventh sons of seventh sons. Also pointy shoes are mentioned and a boggart features! Of course there are differences too. Angie Sage’s book features wizards who are wielders of magic. In my books the Spook and his apprentice practise a craft and use salt and iron and rowan wood to counter the dark magic of their opponents.
It will be interesting to explore this further and I will be doing so on Sunday, 4th October, 10 am at the Bath Festival where Angie and I will be answering questions and comparing books.
Joseph Delaney.
Profile Image for سارة سمير .
738 reviews488 followers
May 7, 2024
الجزء الأول من سلسلة سبتيموس هيب .. هو الجزء الخاص بكل شخصيات الأجزاء
نتعرف علي اسرة هيب كاملة .. سايلاس وسارة هيب وابنائهم السته والابن السابع للابن السابع سبتيموس هيب



تخرج القابله وتصطدم بسايلاس تاركة سارة في حزنها الشديد بعد فقط الابن السابع لهم سبتيموس هيب
ليدخل عليها سايلاس بالطفلة الجميلة التي وجدها لتصبح الفتاه الاولي والابنه السابعة
جينا هيب تختلف عن الجميع فلا هي تملك العيون الخضراء الخاصه بالسحرة ولا الشعر الاصفر المموج المميز لعلائلة هيب ولكن يحبها الجميع

نتعرف ايضا علي مارشا اوفرستراند الساحرة العظمى التي تمتلك سر كبير اما ان يدمر المملكة كلها او ينقذها من شر النكرومانسر دومدانيال
تظهر بقدراتها السحرية الفائقة وشخصيتها القوية جدا وملابسها الارجوانية المميزة

يسيطر دومدانيال علي برج السحرة ويستحوذ علي كل شئ آملا في ايجاد الاميرة المفقودة ليقتلها وبذلك يكون قد تمكن من الحصول علي كل شئ تماما
ويهرب كل الشخصيات الرئيسية للفرار بحياتهم بعد تحذير مارشا والافصاح عن حقيقة جينا
فتهرب سارة مع الاولاد للغابات
ويهرب سايلاس مع جينا وابنه نيكو والفتي 412 من جيش الشباب الذي كان مصيرة مرتبط بهم بمحض صدفة لتكون افضل صدفة في حياته كلها
ويساعدهم الشبح ألثر الساحر الأعظم السابق ومعلم مارشا



ليتجمعوا في المستنقعات عند الساحرة البيضاء زيلدا التي تحمي السر الكبير
لنقابل الغول ونواحات المستنقعات وبيرت القطه البطه والجنيات السوداء المؤذية والجرذ الرسول ستانلي والكثير من الكائنات الغريبه
لينتهي المطاف بلقاء المركب التنينية لحتب رع اول ساحر ومنشئ برج السحرة والهرم في أعلاه



لندخل حرب شعواء مع نكرومانسر الشر المطلق دومدانيال الطماع
لتظهر شجاعة وحقيقة الجميع بلا استثناء
وتكون النتيجة ان نعرف مصير سبتيموس هيب وما الذي حدث ليصل لتلك النهاية وهذا المصير

مع كل أسف وعلي الرغم من جمال الأحداث ولكن تخلله الكثير من الملل الذي كاد ان يطيح بالرواية تماما لو كانت اطالت الكاتبه قليلا

واخيرا واهم من كل شئ هو شكر خاص لصديقتي العزيزة جدا داليا علي مشاركتها هذه السلسلة الجميلة وخوضنا التجربه المجنونه معا
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Author2 books4 followers
March 5, 2008
Long, entertaining, with some humorous lines, and nice chapter illustrations. (British version.) More Harry Potter similarities. I didn’t mind the postscript with what happened to the minor characters. And the prose was certainly better than Paolini’s first book (I somehow can’t force myself to read the second one), and the plot was a lot fresher, too. But there were some negatives as well: too many characters, without a focal character! With no main person to focus and interpret things, it was hard to feel emotional attachment to anyone. You think the book will star Septimus Heap, but then it switches to a girl named Jenna, and only at the end does the boy Septimus really make any choices or become important at all. And you’re in the head of way too many adult characters, not to mention the guard bugs (which admittedly were funny, but I don’t think I really needed their thought processes in such detail). Another problem was that new characters showed up in every chapter, resulting in more distractions from forming a bond with the main character (whoever that was supposed to be).
Profile Image for Leo.
4,789 reviews598 followers
November 12, 2021
This book or rather my copy has a long and warm memory for me. It was the last book my mother gave to me for Christmas before she died almost a year after. Been meaning to reread it again and finishing the series but I'm terrible afraid I wouldn't love it as much as I think I should. This book as non surprisingly a lot of cozy and loving memories tied to it so maybe its why I still give it five stars. Need to continue with the series but again afraid it won't be as amazing as I don't have the same attachment. This first book is a great start to a middle grade, it has magic, compelling characters and never a dull moment
14 reviews3 followers
July 12, 2008
Amazingly good written. Clever, funny, and magical. I LOVE IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
5 reviews1 follower
April 5, 2010
I picked up this books mainly on the aesthetic value the cover had. The other reason I was so keen on reading this book was because its summary talked about the seventh son of the seventh son (I've always like this superstition). Sadly, when I actually got to reading the book, I was incredibly disappointed.

First of, absolutely none of the characters are lovable - or eve likable. I didn't get attached with any of the characters because they all seemed extremely annoying (especially that dog, Maxie.)

Secondly, the supposed twist was very predictable. Not even a quarter a way into the book and you'll have already found out who Septimus is (suprise, suprise.)

Third, is that the authors writing isn't captivating at all. No where in the book have I felt the need to go on reading. The only reason I continued until the end was because I don't like the idea of leaving a book unfinished (except for Twilight because that book was too horrible to continue.)

Fourth, I hate the creatures Sage created/portrayed. This is pretty much personal preference. I hate rats, seals, and bugs. Just so happens, this book contains all three. I absolutely hate how the Boggart was described. But then, that's probably only because I had something to compare her description with (The Last Apprentice's boggarts are my favorite.)

Fifth, the story itself is kind of... meh. It wasn't worth reading 500+ pages for.

If you want to get into some serious reading with captivating characters, impressive story line, magical(not magykal)creatures, and grand adventures... this is definitely not the book for you. But if you're looking for a time waster while you're waiting for your next appointment, I guess this book will do the trick.

I wouldn't consider myself a fast reader, I pretty much read on a normal speed. This book though, took me much much longer to finish than usual.(3 weeks) I kept putting it off. It just wasn't my kind of book...

Oh well, I'm desperately hoping the series gets better. I'm going to start on Flyte now...
Profile Image for Tina ➹ lives in Fandoms.
471 reviews475 followers
December 6, 2020
1.5 Star
half Star for the whole book & I'm being generous to add 1 Star as a bonus for the amazing promising first 9 chapters (the reason I couldn't give this book 1 star) which didn't last longer, RIP

(D: Dreadful)


I really wanted to like this series; cool name, cool covers, cool titles, I've read cool things & saw cool arts about it. magic & everything, it sounded a lot like Deltora.
but it appeared it wasn't.
for one thing, it was Slow.

long story short: this wasn't for me.

Warning: ranting review,
if you are a fan, don't read the rest.
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-
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if the story continued like the first 9 chapters, I definitely would've given it more stars, maybe adding to my favourite shelf.
but nuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu...
too boring
too slow
too detailed unimportant events (like 7 pages to explain how they were sliding down through the shooting trash canal!? without any actual purpose (for this scene to be this much dragged on)!)
some NonSenSe descriptions about some new designed creatures.
& some disgusting things happening there.
those shocking events were so predictable!

I really wanted to love this, the synopsis was interesting, the covers were gorgeous, but how the plot worked out, additional elements & new designed creatures, most of the characters & writing styles showed me something else. :(
I don't think I will continue this series. I feel sorry because covers are beautiful.
Profile Image for Ann.
537 reviews
May 26, 2008
I actually ended up enjoying this book quite a lot!
It took me a few more chapters than I would have liked to "get into" the story and the characters, but after a while I found that I did feel invested. I liked the distinct personalities of the characters, and how consistent they seemed to be.
It also took a while to understand the magical world. Two parts to this: one, being the good vs. evil statuses and people, how things came about, and what it all meant. I still feel there is more to it all though, and perhaps these areas will be explored in the later books. Enough came across, however, for the story to unfold as it should have. The second part is how magic works in Septimus Heap's world. I think I got a pretty good understanding by the middle of the book though, so again, it didn't bother me too much. (I still can't decide if the bolding of every magical word was cool or annoying).
All in all I thought the book was written pretty well, and the plot flow was good. It's told from multiple perspectives, which makes for a bit jumpy read sometimes, but pretty much the transitions are smooth. The ending was satisfying, and good. Though a few things were left unresolved, I'm assuming it's for the following books. Hopefully.
There were some things that very young children, or very sensitive children, might be upset about (mainly relating to cute woodland creatures who... we're not entirely sure what their fates end up being). But overall it's a very "G" read (or maybe PG). There is one part at the end that's pretty unsettling, but the fact it's rectified makes it less so.
A few character traits were somewhat irksome, but again, I'm hoping that the author delves into these in the next books (this book did a good job, so I'm trusting that the author will continue in a similar fashion).
Some things were predictable, but others surprising. And at the end of the book is an interesting collection of "whatever happened to" certain characters, "instructions" for various charms, etc.
I'd recommend this book to fans of other "young adult" fantasy, and while I'm not as in love with the book as certain others in this genre, I did find it a very fun read!
Profile Image for Sara Bow.
246 reviews1,103 followers
July 14, 2017
Eine süße und toll erzählte Geschichte - aber leider nicht meins. Im direkten Vergleich haben mir die Chroniken von Anbeginn besser gefallen. Das Buch hat für mich auch nichts mit Harry Potter zu tun! Aber das nur am Rande - hat nichts mit meiner Bewertung zu tun, hab das nur des Öfteren in anderen Rezensionen gelesen!
Profile Image for George Jankovic.
140 reviews104 followers
October 15, 2017
Of course one could draw paralells between this book and Harry Potter. Rats to send verbal messages instead of owls etc. but so what?

I find the book creative, cute and funny. How can you not like pens that can write in any color--if they are in good mood.

Or a pet rock named Petroc Trelawney, which mostly sleeps but you need to feed it and take for a walk daily. Ingenious!!

And you can write your magical ideas on anything. Even on "(preferably unbuttered) toast."

Even though the point of view is omniscent, I really got to like Jenna and especially the hapless Boy 412.

Enjoy!
Profile Image for Fariba.
72 reviews18 followers
August 9, 2022
دوستش داشتم ولی اگه بین ۱۰ تا ۱۵ سالگی خونده بودمش، خیلی بیشتر لذت میبردم.
Profile Image for Ayda Books.
108 reviews8 followers
October 20, 2022
دوست داشتنی بود و از خوندنش لذت بردم
جلد های بعدی هم میخونم
Profile Image for Jennifer Wardrip.
Author5 books511 followers
May 6, 2008
Reviewed by Me for TeensReadToo.com

If you've been looking for a series that combines the magic of Harry Potter with the imaginative characters of Artemis Fowl, then Septimus Heap and his first book, MAGYK, is definitely the story for you. A quick, delightful read that can stand on its own, MAGYK is, without a doubt, an intriguing page-turner.

Septimus Heap, the seventh son of a seventh son, died shortly after birth. Born to a family of Wizards, there's no telling what he might have become, as his lineage as a seventh son would have made him unbelievably magical. But on that winter night when Septimus died, his father, Silas, found another newborn child in the forest. They named her Jenna, and she grew up thinking that she was the daughter of Silas and Sarah Heap, and the sister of six older brothers--Simon, Sam, Edd, Erik, Nicko, and Jo-Jo. Early on, though, Sarah had her own ideas of who Jenna really was, especially when she heard the news that the Queen had been murdered. Jenna Heap was, undoubtedly, the Princess.

Over the next ten years, darkness came to the Castle and the Ramblings, where the Heaps lived. With no Queen, evil came in the form of the Supreme Custodian, who along with his cohorts banned magic and ended the happiness the Queen's people had once known. As the Heap family attempt to ride out this time of darkness, the ExtraOrdinary Wizard, Marcia Overstrand, learns of the plot to kill the Princess, which will allow evil to truly take over the Palace. It seems that the only thing keeping DomDaniel, the Dark Wizard, from returning to the Castle is the presence of the Princess, and he plans to remedy that.

What follows is the flight of Jenna, Nicko, the ExtraOrdinary Wizard, and a Young Army recruit known only as Boy 412 to the Marram Marshes, where Aunt Zelda Heap, a White Witch, will be able to keep them from harm. As events unfold and DomDaniel does everything within his power to track down the girl standing between him and a ruling darkness, the Heap family will have to do everything within their means to stop him--and at the same time stay alive.

MAGYK is a delightful, entertaining story filled with action-adventure and fantasy. With a very large cast of characters who are as diverse as they come, this is one story not to be missed. If you like Harry Potter, you will definitely enjoy Septimus Heap. Filled with twists and turns, this is a story you'll stay up reading long into the night. And although at times predictable, you'll quickly be drawn into the life and times of the Heap family and their magical world.
Profile Image for El Tapiz de Fionavar.
112 reviews
January 9, 2021
En primer lugar es necesario decir que Magyk o Septimus es un libro de literatura infanto-juvenil y está escrito para ese público. Si una no tiene prejuicios con eso, puede disfrutar de una lectura entretenida.

La historia gira en torno al cambio de identidad de una princesa para evitar que la asesinen los esbirros del Custodio Supremo. Para que eso no suceda, Marcia Overstrand, la Maga Extraordinaria de los Dédalos, entrega a la Princesa a los Heap, una familia de magos que acaba de perder a su séptimo hijo.

Este libro es una gran introducción a todo lo que seguramente va a suceder en los siguientes tomos. Como en toda saga, aquí se presentan los personajes principales de la historia y las líneas argumentales centrales. Hay misterios que las lectoras podemos resolver a medida que avanzamos en los capítulos, pero no así las y los protagonistas. Eso me gusta porque incomoda un poco a quien lee.

Me ha parecido algo extenso y con situaciones que podían resolverse en menos páginas, pero igualmente he pasado unos días amenos leyéndolo. Creo que está muy bien para un público joven que se inicia en la lectura de mundos de fantasía.

Seguramente continuaré con la saga a ver por qué caminos discurre la vida de la familia Heap y del Muchacho 412.
Profile Image for Mohammed Arabey.
709 reviews6,413 followers
December 17, 2018
Let's do as Boy 412 and Review some Facts..with my opinion.


FACT ONE. Not Urban-Fantasy: BAD
I was hoping for another Harry Potter kind of mixing real world with 'Magyk'.


FACT TWO. Rich World, smoothly built, easy to follow: GOOD


FACT THREE. Interesting Characters, nice family: GOOD

The Heaps...and The Supreme Witch 💜💜


FACT FOUR. Cliché Villains: BAD
And talking Rats act as humans, BAD. Really BAD.

FACT FIVE. Good mystery in the beginning.. a very good start: GOOD

FACT SIX. Action packed climax: BAD yet; Interesting Ending: GOOD
I loved the whole ancient history and the Hotep-Ra ring and all, but before that, too much was going on but felt not rich as the start of the novel...may be for the not that strong villain theme.. or may be..;

FACT SEVEN.I'm getting old: BAD

How the hell is this related? Well... I LOVE middle grade novels, it's sure written for younger generation, much younger than me, yet some of these novels can makes me feel young and thrilled... this one have some bits felt so...IDK, may be children appreciate it more..or just I'm seriously getting too old.

Yet, again the sense of humour in the writing style, the rich world and the promising ending sure will make me start book two sooner than I expected.

Mohammed Arabey
From 12 December 2018
To 14 December 2018
Profile Image for Sarah.
330 reviews19 followers
September 6, 2009
Children should read this book as a lesson of what a novel should not be. The plot is pathetic and weak, careening all over the place without ever forming into a cohesive story line. I listened to hour after hour, and it felt an awful lot like when you are listening to someone who takes an hour to tell you a simple story about some mundane task like going to the grocery store. Their story is never all that interesting in the first place, but the fact that they manage to drag it out for such an insufferable length of time just makes it all the more wearying. The complete lack of depth in the characters does not help this already dreadful book either. Most of them were so blasé and undistinguishable that I would often get them confused with each other. I don’t see this story holding the attention of children, and given this, I see them getting extremely lost in the convoluted plot. There is far superior reading choices out there for children to read. I highly recommend bypassing this series and moving on to one that they could actually get into and enjoy.
Profile Image for Awoosha.
17 reviews30 followers
January 15, 2011
ملحمة تفعمها العجائب والغرائب والتعاويذ السحرية والمفاجآت، وعالم فريد ثري بالتفاصيل المدهشة، ندعوك لتدخله، ولن ترغب في مغادرته أبداً

صدر منه بالعربية : السحر و الطيران
Profile Image for Ryn.
141 reviews10 followers
April 8, 2012
I have been trying to drag myself through this book for the past few days and, if nothing changes, plan to give up within the next 25 pages.

Yes, this is a children’s book. No, I am not a child. However, I still believe that books can be timeless (ageless?). I read Roald Dahl again towards the end of last year and still found it hilarious. I’ve also read a few of ’s Nightmare Academy series and found them funny and well-written. While I wouldn’t jump to read every book in the series in its correct order, I’d definitely recommend them to parents or pick one up off the shelf for a short, sweet read. Though the writing is a little clichéd at times, and the plot is simple, I can chalk it up to being a kids� book, enjoy it for what it is, and move on.

Not so with this one.

One thing that bugged me right off the bat was that this book was compared to Harry Potter. I hate that. I always have, and I always will. HP holds a very, very special place in my heart, but I always try to judge books on their own merit, rather than comparing them to others (unless the similarities are really blinding). Comparing this series to HP does it no favors whatsoever. I realize this is the publishing company’s fault and nothing to do with the book or the author herself. I’m just sayin�.

Stop it.

Next on the docket: the ‘Magyeicale� words being bolded. At first I thought this was because I had an online version from the library, so I was willing to let it go, but no more. I’m fairly sure kids would recognize that the spell/act/concept is magical without the misspelling and formatting; they are children, not mentally deficient lemmings.

These irritations, however, pale in comparison to Sage’s writing itself, which really does seem to be aimed at a target audience of mentally deficient lemmings.

What. The. Fudge.

Example:
Roughly a page in, we are told how Silas Heap finds a baby in the snow, smuggles her in through the city gates, and is accosted by the new Grand High Poobah, who warns him to raise the child as his own.

He does so.

Roughly 20 pages later, GHP sweeps back into Silas� life to take the baby back. Silas, apparently in the strong hope that GHP has magyeicalley forgotten that she gave him the baby, in essence says, “What the fudge, woman? This black-haired, violet-eyed child is the very fruit of my and my wife’s blond, green-eyed loins. She is the bosom sister of my six blond, green-eyed male children. You cannot tear them asunder!�

To which GHP replies, “Remember that time when you found a baby in the snow, smuggled her in through the city gates, and saw me, and I warned you to raise her as your own?�

”Oh yeah! Was really hoping you wouldn’t remember, tbh.�

By this point, even the lemmings might scoff.

I? I will read 25 more pages because I love books and want to grant each one of them equal opportunity to win my heart. (Even the insufferably stupid ones.)
Profile Image for Rebecca.
764 reviews9 followers
July 5, 2016
This book was an interesting and unexpected read, I picked it up yesterday in Waterstones and started it in the car on the way home but then found myself unable to put it down and finished reading it in less than 24 hours. The most interesting thing for me was that this book is very much like a prequel book that the author doesn’t think about until after they’ve written the rest of the series but it was in fact the first book in the series. And Septimus Heap who I suspect will be the main character in the rest of the series isn’t actually known until the very last chapter.

In this book there is no main character as such since it is a book with alternating POV’s but a family and group of friends who all contribute to being both main and secondary characters. So with this in mind the most noteworthy characters to me are (and there are a few); Jenna, Nicko, Boy 412, Marcia, Silas, Sarah and Zelda. Jenna is the child adopted by the Heap family at the start of the book after Silas finds her in the snow and learns of the death of his son; Jenna is raised as one of the family and only learns her true identity later on in the book. Nicko is one of the sons in the family and forgive me for not knowing the order but there are 6 of them; he is adventurous and brazen running head first into battles he cannot possibly know the scope of. Boy 412 is a character adopted by the main group and who doesn’t really fully join them until later on in the book; after being raised in the ‘child army� he only identifies by his rank and number and doesn’t talk other than to say this. Marci is the ‘Extra-ordinary� witch of the group; after finishing her training she achieved this rank and tries to hold it over everyone’s head thinking it makes her better than the others. Silas is the father, an ordinary wizard who dropped out of training after the birth of his sons in order to help his wife care for them. Sarah is the mother; she tries to help her children and their father in this book but ultimately struggles as they continually get away from her.

The storyline is original and gripping with very likeable characters and a building sense of danger that will most probably be explored in the rest of the series. The pacing was great leading the reader on a gripping adventure all the way through and still holding back a surprise until the very last minute.

5 stars a great will and this will be a series I will continue with through to the end.
Profile Image for Pat the Book Goblin .
426 reviews143 followers
May 26, 2020
This would have been a perfect YA novel if it were a bit shorter. I feel all the side routes this book took stole from the story.

However, I really liked Boy 412 and knew about his history almost from the beginning. I liked Jenna and Nicko too. The story overall was fun and I enjoyed it.
Profile Image for Audrey.
1,271 reviews210 followers
September 8, 2022
What a refreshing book! This is a book you need after a Harry Potter hangover, when you need something magical and whimsical and charming. The characters are fun, and the adventure is great, full of suspense and surprise. (Marcia reminded me a bit of a young Granny Weatherwax.) The prose is delightful, providing lots of laugh-out-loud moments, and is characteristically British.

There is a lot of adventure and danger, but the light tone keeps things from getting too serious or dreary or frightening. It’s plenty suspenseful, though. I also learned to not believe that anyone presumed dead or pronounced dead to actually be dead.



There is an illustration at the beginning of each chapter. Some illustrations are used more than once, which I think is cheating.



I’m excited to have found this series.

Language: Clean
Sexual Content: None
Violence: Lots of attempted violence; actual violence is mild
Harm to Animals:
Harm to Children:
Other (Triggers):
Profile Image for Kathleen.
1,372 reviews28 followers
August 22, 2020
Book 1 of the Septimus Heap series is cute, clever, and innocuous enough for children. It’s not brilliant. Unlike Harry Potter, this tale of adolescent wizardry really is appropriate for young kids. It didn’t interest me, whom some might describe as an adult. But it was entertaining enough to finish.

Plot twist? I guessed. Surely you guessed? But even though I already knew, I did like how the moon revealed the truth. 🌝

In my opinion, JK Rowling writes with a more active tense. Much of this narrative felt passive.

Still...a good enough read. I liked the ghost. And the dragon ship. Simon could become interestingly selfish, in future books.

The villain Dom Daniel is supreme wizard and necromancer, but cartoonish. He’s no Voldemort. But that’s better for kids, I’d say.
42 reviews
March 2, 2008
This book is packed with action and I can not say one bad thing about it. It is one my top 10 list.
Septimus Heap, the seventh son of the seventh son, disappears the night he is born, pronounced dead by the midwife. That same night, the baby's father, Sila Heap, comes across and abandoned child in the snow--a newborn girl with violet eyes. The Heaps take her into their home, name her Jenna, and raise her as their own. But whois this mysterious baby girl, andwhat really happened to their beloved son Septimus? Read further into this story to see how the story unfolds.
Pages: 552
Includes interview with Angie Sage, the author
First chapter of the second book, Flyte
What happened to the characters?
Magykal Creature spells
Aunt Zelda's recipe for cabbage and eel bake (don't worry, it's not real.
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