I recieved one of the best presents I can ever remember on my 12th (13th?) birthday. The fact that I still enjoy it when I’m now 23 should attest to that. My twin Best Friends had each gotten me 2 books of a quartet. The Song of the Lioness Quartet by Tamora Pierce. The series is set in the mythical Relm of Tortall. It is kind of set in midevel times with kings and princes, knights and lady’s, but there is also magic and Gods.
The first book, ‘Alanna’, is about a young girl, about 11, of the same name. She has a twin brother and they are both about to be sent away to continue their education. Alanna, as all noble girls, is to learn how to be a lady and her brother, to be a knight. They decide to switch places, her brother to go to the convent as that is where they also teach young boys magic and Alanna pretends to be a boy so she can become a knight. The first book covers the first several years of Alanna’s training as a Paige and the trials of hiding who she really is as well as those of growing up and other adventures. Along the way she makes friends with the Prince, the King of Theives, one of her teachers, and many others.
The next book, ‘In The Hands of the Gods’ is about her years as a Squire. More people find out about who she really is through out the book, she meets a God, gets a peculiar pet, and investigates a plot against the thrown and hopefully survives the Ordeal of Knighthood. The other two books, “Woman Who Rides Like a Man’ and ‘Lioness Rampent’ are both similarly exciting books. Alanna is now a knight and is looking for adventure. Along the way she falls in and out of love, makes new friends, travels to distant lands and make it homw in time to save the day. Just the way every good heroien book should be.
After The Lioness Rampent series, Tamora Pierce has writen severl other quentets set in the land of Tortall. The ‘Immortals’ quentet including: ‘Wild Magic’, Wolf Speaker’, ‘Emperor Mage’ and ‘The Relms of the Gods’. These are about a young woman, Dain, with a stange magic with anamals. She come to Totall and starts working at the palace and learning magic. We meet new Charecters and some old. As Dain finds her place in this stange new land she has no idea the pivital role she will play in the war that is brewing.
The Protector of the Small Quartet is about a young girl, Kaladry, who wants to be the first Lady Knight since Alanna. Throughout ‘First Test’, ‘Page’, “Squire’, and ‘Lady Knight’, we fallow her through the good and the bad, bullies of all sizes and the expectations of being the first known girl to train to be a knight. ‘Daughter of the Lioness’ is about Alanna’s daughter, Two books this time, Trickster’s Choice and Trickster’s Queen. Both very good books.
Now we get to the reason for this blog entry. I just read the latest of Pierce’s Tortall books. ‘Beka Cooper, Terrier.’ This book takes place 200 years before Alanna. It is about a girl named Beka who’s magic is to hear the dead. She is the medevil version of a cop, well, rookie cop. Beka is the ansestor of George, Alanna’s King of theives friend.
One of the things I love about this book and all of Pierces books, is how she ties things together. Sure this book happens 200 years before but I still recognize things and it sets the stage for how things happen later.
I had read a few pages of the book a few days ago but last night was the first time I really sat down and read ‘Terrier’. I was up till 5am (don’t think I started reading till after 11pm). I got up around 1pm today, got breakfast started reading again and didn’t really leave my room till about 7pm when I finished. Pierce’s books are so captivating and she make such strong, compelling female characters that it really is hard to put them down. My copy of the first book is in tatters I have read it so many times. It has been taped and taped again so it doesn’t fall apart. The seecond book was left in the rain by my little brother, who by the way also really enjoys these books. the rest of my Allana books, though not in as bad as shape, have all been taped at least once. One of these days I am going to have to get new copys of them all.
But first, the next ‘Beka Cooper’ book comes out in April. You all now know what to get me for my Birthday next year.
I just finished reading the golden compass again (the first time being several years ago.) I have been meaning to read it since I saw the movie in December. When I saw the movie I recognized some things but it had been long enough ago that I didn’t really notice what was different. Now having read the book again I can spot tons. The book of course is much more detailed and explains a lot more of Lyra’s back story. The movie finishes earlier than the book. The Church references are a lot more obvious in the book as well. I would say more but I don’t want to ruin it for mom who was kind enough to let me bring the trilogy, that she had just bought, with me to AL. I’m just sorry it’s taken me so long to read it. It is a terrific book.