Pierce, Tamora
SONG
OF THE LIONESS [Four YA Volumes]
Tamora Pierce
Simon Pulse [Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing Division]
ALANNA: THE FIRST ADVENTURE, 1983, Pb 274 pgs, ISBN#
0-689-87855-9
IN THE HAND OF THE GODDESS, 1984, Pb 264 pgs, ISBN#
0-689-87856-7
THE WOMAN WHO RIDES LIKE A MAN, 1986, Pb 284 pgs, ISBN#
0-689-87858-3
LIONESS RAMPANT, 1988, Pb 384 pgs, ISBN#
0-689-87857-5
If you have a young lady on your Christmas list who enjoys reading fantasy stories about a young lady who swings a sword in battle better than all the men around her, then this set of books is the perfect gift [just be sure to get all four]. I found these little jewels in the Young Adult Fantasy section of the bookstore. Together they tell the tale of Alanna of Trebond, a girl who switches places with her brother when sent away by their father for advanced studies. Alanna’s brother would rather be a mage, and Alanna wants nothing more out of life than to be a great warrior. So, in ALANNA THE FIRST ADVENTURE, she disguises herself as a boy in order to be accepted at the Royal Palace as a page [her brother’s forged letter “from father” works well]. She not only learns the ways of the warrior, she meets those who will be friends for life, and some who give her nothing but trouble. And, as the title says, there is a lot of adventure in store for her (and the reader too). The story moves around—it doesn’t stay in the palace and is not boring.
IN THE HAND OF THE GODDESS: Alanna is squire to Prince Jonathan, a position she earned in the first book. Now she is up against tougher odds. And it is difficult to maintain the appearance of a young man when boobs pop out on your chest! But maintain she does, and the evil mage who is after the throne never guesses her secret until.... Well, it’s a great ending with a grand sword fight. Alanna is chosen by the Goddess after all, with destiny placed on her shoulders.
In THE WOMAN WHO RIDES LIKE A MAN—now knighted and known to all as a woman, Alanna travels to the border of her country and lives with a tribe that needs her help. Alanna learns the reaches of the magic within her. She also learns about love, though she tries hard to ignore the female side of herself. She’s still having too much fun being a warrior, though she must grow strong and responsible if she is to continue fighting for people who need her.
LIONESS RAMPANT concludes this set of books with a quest for a jewel that can save Jonathan’s throne from evil. Now king, Jonathan names Alanna his Champion knight, and it is all she can do to live up to the title. Now the evil she is up against claims the lives of those she loves, and Alanna has to fight magic and swords at the same time. And she must finally allow herself to be a woman.
There’s good action and adventure in this sword & sorcery set. The writing is tight and the editing good. The story structure and characterization hold up well, but I personally preferred the TRICKSTER set by Tamora Pierce, as the level of writing there is more mature.
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