Cricket Readers Recommend

Alanna: The first Adventure, In the Hand of the Goddess, Woman Who Rides Like a Man, Lioness Rampant (Song of the Lioness Quarte

by Tamora Pierce

I loved this series! It's about a girl named Alanna of Trebond who disguises herself as a boy to undergo training as a knight. She has to fight an evil sorcerer, The Nameless Ones (also known as the Ysandir. Yolanda, Ysir, and all of their names start with Y.), and a whole lot of angry people. She even gets kidnapped (big suprise, seeing as she's the Prince's squire). Alanna (known as Alan) deals with the Bazhir quite a bit, eventually becoming the shaman of the tribe, and becoming Woman Who Rides Like a Man, and apparently, not boy or girl. Some people know she's a girl, like her twin brother, Thom, the thief king, George, George's mom, Prince Jonathan (also known as Higness, Majesty, Jonathan, Jon, etc...), Maude (Trebond's healer), Coram ("Alan"'s ex-babysitter, and now sword trainer, blacksmith, soldier), and eventually, everyone. But that was totally an accident, and she was going to tell them anyway. You know, eventually. As the series progresses, Alanna does good, as the first female knight/non-Shang Warrior in over a century. She brings back a princess/warrior named Thayet and Thayet's bodyguard Buriam (call her Buri), meets a Shang Warrior named Liam (the Dragon), and fights for the Dominion Jewel. (If you are a natural leader, only you can control it, and when you control it you not only control your people, you control the land, the animals, and you can even bring back the dead!) You should hear the speech she has to give when she finally does defeat this evil monkey/crazy mountain/desperate wierdo.

I must warn you--this series is slightly mature. And dangerous. But FUN!

Happy Reading.

5
Average: 5 (12 votes)
submitted by Cindy S., age 13
(December 22, 2008 - 7:51 pm)
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Delicious, delicious books.  Several more series take place in the Tortall area, and Allana even appears in them. They are The Immortals series (my personal fave) and the Protector of the small series. But you should read the Alanna books first. 

submitted by Willa, age 12 6/4, here, in the aq
(February 11, 2009 - 5:28 pm)

I like the name. I think I'll check it out.

-Ellie!

submitted by Ellie B!, age 11, Raleigh, NC
(June 2, 2010 - 6:05 pm)

I really liked this series! My other favorite series about Tortall is the Proctector of the Small.

submitted by Emily T. , age 13, NJ
(February 27, 2010 - 6:16 pm)

Very good author. I read just about everything she wrote one year and love the imaginary worlds she creates. My favorite series of hers is Beka Cooper. It's in Tortall and a little bit more well developed that the others (at least in my opinion)...must write a review for that sometime... And by the way, nice review.

submitted by Ellie K.
(May 30, 2010 - 8:12 pm)

Read the first three Alanna/listened to book tapes.  I loved them!  The first Beka Cooper book is great, but, in the second one, after they add romance, I stopped reading it.

submitted by Dawnpaw
(July 7, 2010 - 7:31 pm)

why is it "mature"Undecided

submitted by banana, age ?, usa
(August 17, 2010 - 12:50 pm)

I have read all of these books and practically everything that Tamora Pierce has written. I like them a lot. Anyway, there are two books, Trickster's Choice and Trickster's Queen that are also set in Tortall (or near it). I won't say much about those other that I would rate them PG-13, so younger readers, please refrain, and you have to read the lioness series first.

There is also another series, The Circle of Magic and The Circle Opens, which I absolutely loved. These are about four young mages growing up together (but not in Tortall) and their adventures. These are not as "mature" but are occasionally graphic, and some ideas might be a little hard to understand for younger readers. These books are funny and brilliantly written and I enjoyed them very much. There are two single books, The Will of the Empress and Melting Stones, that are companions to these series. 

Also, does anyone else think that Yamani is based on Japan? It seems obvious to me. And does anyone know if the waving cat legend (from Prtector of the Small) is actually true?

For older readers (13 and up), I recommend Why I Let My Hair Grow Out by Maryrose Wood. This is an excellent, hilarious series but too mature for younger readers. 

submitted by Shoshanna, age 13, Connecticut, US
(November 5, 2010 - 2:27 pm)

Why PG-13? I read those books when I was 10!!!!!!!!!!!!

submitted by Gretal M., age 11, Deming, WA
(April 13, 2011 - 9:45 pm)

The waving cat is based on Maneki Neko, who is a Japanese good luck cat-goddess to my understanding.

submitted by Mada F., age 13, NM
(June 23, 2012 - 11:35 pm)

I haven't read the books but I have read the Circle of Magic quartet. It rocks!

submitted by Katia S., age 10, Chicago IL
(February 15, 2011 - 9:24 pm)

This series is my total FAVE!

 
I started Circle of Magic but I got bored; later I learned that it was written for younger kids.

I LOVE the Tortall universe and find it fun to see what she based her countries on in real life.

For example, I think that Carthak is based on ancient Carthage. 

submitted by Eli S, age 12, Trenton, NJ
(January 21, 2014 - 11:03 pm)