Circle of Magic - Tamora Pierce

#1 - Sandry's Book: Scholastic, 1997, 252 pages, ISBN: 0-590-55408-5

#2 - Tris's Book: Scholastic, 1998, 251 pages, ISBN: 0-590-55409-3

#3 - Daja's Book: Scholastic, 1998, 232 pages, ISBN: 0-590-55410-7

#4 - Briar's Book: Scholastic, 1999, 258 pages, ISBN:0-590-55411-5

 

Read: May 2021, age 43 - so really not the target audience... this is middle school fiction

 

This is a four-book series, but I read them all at once.  They were fun - four disparate kids come together and learn to be friends and work together as magicians much more advanced than any twelve-year-olds have any right to be. I could have done without the student-teacher puppy love, but that's probably actually a thing, and I'm guessing that the target audience wouldn't see a problem.  The rest was delightful.

 

Rating: 4

The Realms of the Gods - Tamora Pierce

Atheneum, 2015, 314 pages
Original copyright 1996
ISBN: 978-1-4814-4028-8
Read: August 2020, age 42

The Immortals, book 4

A strong ending that ties up enough loose ends.  Lots of action, and a ill-advised romance.  Puppy crush, sure, but... Daine is 16?  The guy is in his thirties.  Those are really big years away from each other, and is often the basis for a really predatory relationship.

Rating: 3

Emperor Mage - Tamora Pierce

Athenium, 2015, 338 pages
Original copyright 1995
ISBN: 978-1-4814-4026-4
Read July 2020, age 42

The Immortals, book 3

The story takes a turn to a larger scale.  Some great imagery, and realistic power use by a kid.  Fun.

I'm feeling like the progression from 2 to 3 needs more steps - and our heroine needs to do some growing up before looking for romantic interests.  But overall, this one was good - probably better for a middle-schooler than a middle-ager, though.  

Rating: 3+

Wolf Speaker - Tamora Pierce

Athenium, 2015, 324 pages
Original copyright 1993
ISBN: 978-1-4814-4024-0
Read: July 2020, age 42

The Immortals, book 2

From the grand scale of the first book, this one dials down into a smaller story, more tightly focused on Daine, and less on grand politics.  It worked better that way, I thought.

Rating 4

Wild Magic - Tamora Pierce

Atheneum, 2015, 344 pages
Original Copyright 1992
ISBN: 978-1-4814-4022-6
Read: July 2020, age 42

The Immortals 1

This was a really action-packed book, and so much happens in the first book, it'll be interesting to see where the story can go from here.  Fun.  I read it in one sitting.

I didn't realize that this series was a direct sequel to the Alanna books.

Raiting: 4

Lioness Rampant - Tamora Pierce

Random House, 1988, 308 pages
ISBN: 0-679-80113-8
Read: May 2019, age 41

Song of the Lioness, book 4 of 4

Other than a dip in book three, the series finished out well.  It was a bit simple for my tastes now, but that's a function of the genre.  Fun.  My wife and 10 y.o. both liked it as well.

Rating: 4

The Woman Who Rides Like a Man - Tamora Pierce

Random House, 1986, 228 pages
ISBN: 0-679-80112-X
Read: April, 2019, age 41

Song of the Lioness, book 3 of 4

This one wandered in the weeds a bit.  A bit of a love triangle, and not a lot of progression.

Rating: 3

In the Hand of the Goddess - Tamora Pierce

Random House, 1984, 209 pages
ISBN: 0-679-80111-1
Read: April 2019, age 41

Song of the Lioness, book 2 of 4

Just as much fun as the first book.

Rating: 4

Alanna - The First Adventure - Tamora Pierce

Random House, 1983, 216 pages
ISBN: 0-679-80114-6
Read: April, 2019, age 41

Song of the Lioness, book 1 of 4

I had good feelings of this book from ~25 years ago, and it was still a lot of fun to read now.  Light, and fast, and breaking a lot of gender norms.

Rating: 4