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Posts tagged ‘Song of the Lioness’

Lioness Rampant

By: Tamora Pierce

Song of the Lioness bk 4

Alanna has moved on from her shaman duties with her adoptive tribe and is feeling a bit restless. It is a good thing then that a new challenge comes her way. A message from a dying woman sends Alanna on the path of the  Legendary Dominion Jewel. This is a gem of enormous power, the stuff or heroes and songs. It can be a thing of great good – in the right hands. With it in Prince Jonathon’s hands Alanna fells Tortall will prosper.

All is not well though, her beloved kingdom is in great danger from Duke Roger, the man she has already defeated once. Roger is back from the dead and she knows he is up to something. Prince Jonathon isn’t the only one in danger, George the Rogue is under threat from a mysterious foe known only as Claw.

Alanna thrives on challenging herself and I identify with this, maybe that is why I love Pierce’s characters, they set goals and do what they need to to achieve them. We can never have too many characters modeling that kind of behaviour. Liam the Shang Dragon is a welcome addition and adds yet another texture to the fabric of the world Pierce has given us. He challenges Alanna, teaches her and brings what ultimately becomes a beautiful friendship.

I realise that through these reviews I haven’t mentioned Pounce, Alanna’s pet companion (if you have read the Beka Cooper books Pounce will be familiar to you). This cat is a mysterious and wonderful addition to these stories, he is his own character, with his own style and brings a wonderful layer of humour.

This book, like the series, is full of action, adventure and plotting. Strands that were background in other books are pulled forward and masterfully woven to a final climactic conclusion. Characters you’ve missed are back and you can’t help but sigh in satisfaction at the end and a feeling of sadness that the series has finished. The story is complete but you just don’t want to say goodbye to these characters.

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Published: 19 April 2011

Format: Paperback 368 pages

Categories: Adventure, Fantasy, Magic, Action

ISBN 13: 9781442427662

Purchase: here or use Booktopia link on the side of the page

Category:

Fiction 8-12

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The Woman Who Rides Like a Man

By: Tamora Pierce

Song of the Lioness series bk 3

Alanna has her brand new knighthood, the very thing she toiled so long and hard for. With her big secret revealed she sets out for adventure, knowing she can’t stay at court because her being a woman makes many uncomfortable. Travelling with trusted companion,Corum, they are captured by a tribe of desert dwellers.

Alanna is forced to prove herself in a duel to the death and this is just the beginning of a whole new set of trials. Facing people who have trouble accepting female warriors, Alanna unwittingly becomes the first female shaman and sets about making changes in her adoptive tribe. These changes she enacts have wide reaching consequences, not only for herself and those she trains but for her Prince and the kingdom of Tortall. All is not business though as Alanna’s suitors take things to the next level.

This is a well balanced follow on to The Hand of the Goddess. This sees Alanna focus more on the magic aspect of her skills and goes a long way to Alanna becoming all she can, fully knowledgable about all her gifts. The other nice thing here is Alanna moves from student to teacher, there is a lovely scene where her students actually teach her something new.

Her relationship with Sir Myles is given a beautiful few moments and adds a lovely facet to Alanna’s story. It is also good to see Alanna the woman, having to evaluate relationship and professional desires and make some hard decisions.

The Voice and other new characters add another layer to Alanna an the complexity of the kingdom. They all bring something to the story and our heroine.

The first two books finish one chapter of Alanna’s life and this is the first of another two book chapter, yet Pierce manages to bring strands across the divide and weaves an engrossing story that leaves you wanting more.

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Published: 19 April 2011

Format: Paperback 260 pages

Categories: Fantasy, Adventure, Action, Magic

ISBN 13: 9781442427655

Purchase: here or use Booktopia link on the side of the page

 

Category:

Fiction 8-12

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In the Hand of the Goddess

By: Tamora Pierce

Song of the Lioness series bk 2

Alanna, still known to those she has lived, studied and trained with as Alan, has now become a squire to Prince Jonathon. He is her liege lord, best friend and keeps the secret of her true identity. Things around them aren’t peaceful, Tortall is at war and someone seems out to get Alanna. She is also the only one who seems to sense the danger at court, where a sorcerer threatens not only the prince’s life but the stability of the entire kingdom. It is going to take everything Alanna has to ensure things don’t fall apart. Is Alanna willing to  risk everything, even the possibility of revealing her biggest secret?

Alanna keeps pushing herself, it is one of the things I love about her. This story smoothly follows on from the first book, wrapping up the dangling threads as Alanna completes her training and fully comes into her own as a mage and a warrior. Her focus remains and her faults still cause her to stumble. Alanna pushes herself and is a great role model for girls. It is particularly nice to see Alanna trying to get touch with her feminine side, often strong female characters have to be men with breasts. Alanna starts to celebrate being a woman as well as a fighter and we simply don’t have enough characters who embrace all aspects of who they are.

Highly Recommended.

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Published: 19 April 2011

Format: Paperback 241 pages

Categories: Fantasy, Action, Adventure, Magic

ISBN 13: 9781442427648

Purchase: here or use Booktopia link on the side of the page

Category:

Fiction 8-12

Tagged with:

Alanna – The First Adventure

By: Tamora Pierce

Song of the Lioness series book 1

Alanna of Trebond really wants to be a knight of the realm. Girls aren’t allowed to be knights, but that is a small inconvenience. It isn’t hard to convince her brother to switch places with her, after all Thom really wants to be a sorcerer not a knight.

Disguised as a boy Alanna becomes Alan and begins her training as a page. The training is much tougher than she expected. There is plenty of book work as well as the need to master weapons and combat magic. To succeed at this she is going to have to be dedicated and manage her temper. Throughout it all she makes some tight friends amongst others at the palace and also in some rather unexpected places.

This is the first of the Song of the Lioness books and is the first place we meet the remarkable Alanna, as well as Prince Jonathon, Raoul of Goldenlake, Gareth of Naven and the cheeky Rogue George. These are characters we will come to love.

You can’t help but adore a character as focussed and determined to achieve everything she puts her mind to. Alanna is great, not just her strengths but also her weaknesses – the blending of these traits is what makes her so believable. She struggles, things don’t always come easy for her and that is one of the things that keeps the reader engaged.

Pierce creates a wonderful world, populated with amazing characters. As soon as I put this book down I picked up the second, I just couldn’t help myself.

Highly recommended.

Age : 11 + certainly don’t let that put you off if you are looking for something for a YA who likes fantasy and great female characters.

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Published: 07 December 2010

Format: Paperback 249 pages

Categories: Adventure, Fantasy, Adventure, Friendship

ISBN 13: 9781442426412

Purchase: here or use Booktopia link on the side of the page

 

Category:

Fiction 8-12, Young Adult Fiction

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