Tag Archives: Easy Reading

The Healing in the Vine by Tamora Pierce

July 9, 2017Book ReviewEasy Reading, Emelan, Fantasy, Mages, Tamora Pierce, The Circle of Magicskyebjenner

Title: The Healing in the Vine
Author: Tamora Pierce
Series: The Circle of Magic #4, Emelan #4
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Easy reading, Fantasy, Mages
Format: Novel
Publisher: Omnibus Books
Year: 1999
5th sentence, 74th page: When Rosethorn came back, he dragged her to Flick’s bed.

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Former ‘street rat’ Briar leads a comfortable life at Winding Circle Temple, learning plant magic from Rosethorn. When a friend becomes ill, she turns to Briar for help but her disease proves beyond even Rosethorn’s power. Briar realises that all of Summersea is in danger. Then the unthinkable happens and Briar must save that which he loves most.

There is something especially terrifying about the plague. Actually, there’s something that is horrible about being sick in general – the feeling that your own body has turned against you. The final book in the Circle of Magic Quartet is a great reminder of how potently terrifying an incurable disease can be. Especially when it can pass undetected from person to person. After all, if anyone can be sick, how do you trust those around you, even your own family?

Although the curing of diseases has progressed far in the past century, it is still a battle to find a way to stop the onslaught of contagious diseases. The horrors of quarantine and the tedium of it are beautifully displayed through Briar’s trials. It is also the first moment of separation from their foster family that Briar has felt. The feeling of loss and homesickness reverberate through the whole story, and make it slightly darker than the other tales in this coming-of-age year that the four mages must go through.

Yet, it is the idea of death in Western culture that seems to scare us most – death is something to be conquered and overcome. And for Briar and the girls, the final death is battled with everything they have. To the point that they accomplish the impossible. Yet, the thing that I like about this tale is that although death is seen as the enemy, it is also seen as a time of rest. It is the end, but it is also the beginning of a new challenge, and although the four still fight against it, there are some within the tale who understand the need to accept its presence, and embrace it when the time is right.

<- The Fire in the Forging

Magic Steps ->

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The Fire in the Forging by Tamora Pierce

July 8, 2017Book ReviewEasy Reading, Emelan, Fantasy, Mages, Tamora Pierce, The Circle of Magicskyebjenner

Title: The Fire in the Forging
Author: Tamora Pierce
Series: The Circle of Magic #3, Emelan #3
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Easy reading, Fantasy, Mages
Format: Novel
Publisher: Omnibus Books
Year: 1998
5th sentence, 74th page: For an area that big – rain to cover this whole valley?

Outcast Trader Daja, along with her fellow mages-in-training, journeys to the Gold Ridge Mountains, where drought threatens widespread famine. There, Daja creates an astonishing object: a living metal vine, and Daja’s dealings with her former people reawaken a longing for familiar ways. Daja must choose – should she return to the Traders or remain with the Winding Circle folk who have become her family?

Of all of the Circle of Magic books, it is The Fire in the Forging that I have always loved the most. There is something about Daja’s trials and choice throughout this story that have always hit a chord with me. We’re all faced with difficult choices about our futures at one point or another in our lives, and Daja’s is something that made it impossible to predict how the story was going to progress.

As someone who lives in Australia, I have a constant awareness (sometimes fear) of the dangers of bushfires. Especially after the last few years. Daja’s ability to face down such a ferocious aspect of mother nature, and the respect for fire that this story will give even the most ignorant of people is astonishing. As the trial to be overcome within this novel – fire is definitely one of the most fearsome and terrifying which must be faced down. At least, for me – I’ve never actually experienced severe flooding, cyclones and storms.

I love how throughout the Circle of Magic books, Pierce uses a number of different cultures to inform her characters. The use of the Traders and Daja’s people, and their prejudices and beliefs are an interesting way to approach a group of people. Yet, it is her ability to question the beliefs and traditions that she was raised to that I find truly interesting and inspiring – she is able to question what is completely unfair and unjust (her status as trangshi) and realise that just because it has always been doesn’t mean that it should be.

<- The Power in the Storm

The Healing in the Vine ->

Image source: Comparative Cover Art

The Power in the Storm by Tamora Pierce

July 7, 2017Book ReviewEasy Reading, Emelan, Fantasy, Mages, Tamora Pierce, The Circle of Magicskyebjenner

Title: The Power in the Storm
Author: Tamora Pierce
Series: The Circle of Magic #2, Emelan #2
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Easy reading, Fantasy, Mages
Format: Novel
Publisher: Omnibus Books
Year: 1998
5th sentence, 74th page: She blinked at her teacher.

Earthquake damage leaves Winding Circle vulnerable to pirate attack. Soon two things become terribly clear: the pirates have a powerful new weapon, and they have an accomplice within Winding Circle. It is up to Tris and her loyal friends Sandry, Daja and Briar, to discover the traitor and weave their magic together to defend their home.

Tris’ story is difficult to envisage from the very beginning, but in The Power in the Storm, her feelings of insecurity, loss and confusion about everything that is going on around her truly come to the fore. But honestly, mostly I love this story because Tris is a character I can completely relate to – the feeling of isolation and not quite belonging is something that everyone feels. Especially when they are a teenager trying to figure out just who they are.

The Circle of Magic series is a great reminder that our family is (and can be) who we choose, not who we are born into. Although Sandry, Briar and Daja are orphans, Tris has been turned away by those who are supposed to love her unconditionally. Yet, she is able to find her true family within Winding Circle and Discipline. And, when crisis hits her home, she is able to find a way to not only harness her own emotions, but save that which she has finally found. Ultimately, it almost costs her everything, but it is this risk and the courage with which she faces that which terrifies her that shows how she has grown.

Although Tris’ story and power is amazing (especially when in combination with her foster-siblings), her control over her emotions and powers need a lot of work. The idea of discipline is such a foreign concept to a child who has been handed from family member to family member. And the consequences of Tris’ actions are only felt at the very end of the story – in a way that is completely unpredictable, and a great ending to a story all about finding a place to belong.

<- The Magic in the Weaving

The Fire in the Forging ->

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The Magic in the Weaving by Tamora Pierce

July 6, 2017Book ReviewEasy Reading, Emelan, Fantasy, Mages, Tamora Pierce, The Circle of Magicskyebjenner

Title: The Magic in the Weaving
Author: Tamora Pierce
Series: The Circle of Magic #1, Emelan #1
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Easy reading, Fantasy, Mages
Format: Novel
Publisher: Omnibus Books
Year: 1997
5th sentence, 74th page: He looked at Daja as he set his burdens down.

Sandry has a gift for weaving silk thread and creating light. At Winding Circle she meets Briar, a former thief, Daja, a Trader outcast and Tris, who has been exiled from her family. Each has a magical talent and when disaster strikes the Winding Circle community the four children must weave their powers together and to try and save the place they have begun to think of as home.

The Circle of Magic was the first Tamora Pierce series that I had the privilege of reading. And it began an obsession that has spanned over a decade. Yet, every time I revisit Sandry, Daja, Briar and Tris, I am enchanted all over again. Especially when I’m in the middle of studies, and I just want to spend ten minutes drifting off to another, fascinating world.

I’m fascinated by the idea of the four elements and the different ways in which this is displayed in day-to-day life. Pierce’s subtle use of these in the four young mages just heightens my fascination with the series. And the more I read these books, the more little hints to their elemental alliances I pick up on. The circular structure of the Winding Circle University and the idea of the wheel of time are also beautifully and fascinatingly symbolic throughout the story. I love, love, love that these subtle designs within the story are slowly bought to the fore with the realisation of the four young mages’ inner powers and abilities.

Although the main, and obvious theme of this story is four misfits finding a place in their life, and a way to come to terms with themselves, I enjoyed the idea that you don’t mess with nature even more. Throughout the small earthquakes that categorise the eventual discovery of the mages magic, a greater catastrophe is brewing. And yet, it is only when people try to mess with this that the true danger strikes and the four are forced to really find out what they are made of.

<- More Tamora Pierce

The Power in the Storm ->

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Ewan Pendle and the White Wraith by Shaun Hume

July 1, 2017Book ReviewEasy Reading, Fantasy, Shaun Humeskyebjenner

Title: Ewan Pendle and the White Wraith
Author: Shaun Hume
Rating Out of 5: 2.5 (Readable, but not worth reading again)
My Bookshelves: Easy reading, Fantasy
Pace: Medium
Format: eBook
Publisher: Popcorn and Rice Publishing
Year: 2012
5th sentence, 74th page: Mathilde slid off her bed, neglecting to put her shoes or socks back on, and followed the upright Lady as she walked briskly, clop, clop, clop, down the corridor.

Ewan Pendle was weird. Really weird. At least, that’s what everyone told him. Then again, being able to see monsters that no one else could wasn’t exactly normal …

Thinking he has been moved off to live with his eleventh foster family, Ewan is instead told he is a Lenitnes, one of an ancient race of peoples who can alone see the real ‘Creatures’ which inhabit the earth. He is taken in by Enola, the mysterious sword carrying Grand Master of Firedrake Lyceum, a labyrinth of halls and rooms in the middle of London where other children, just like Ewan, go to learn the ways of the Creatures.

This story is one that I would have loved when I was about twelve. It had action, fantasy, and a group of misfits that find their place in life. However, being just that little older, I did find it a little difficult to get through, after all, the writing was aimed at someone far younger than me, and it did feel a little less smooth. Honestly, that’s the only reason that I gave this story a lower score than I usually do, because while I enjoyed the storyline, I struggled a little bit with the language.

What I did love about this story though was the vivid descriptions. Not only of the characters, but also the surroundings. Every moment, I felt like I was really there with Ewan, Mathilde and Enid. The idea of going to a paranormal school, and the kinds of classes that can be learnt there are really interesting. It is such a nice mix when an author takes what we know of our everyday lives, and mixing it with the fantastical.

As a first book, this is really great – it takes our everyday experiences of coming of age and twists it onto its head. Who hasn’t felt like they don’t fit in and don’t count in some way or another? Ewan Pendle and the White Wraith helps to remind us all that we all have somewhere that we fit, and sometimes it’s just a matter of finding where that is in life.

<- More easy reading reviews

More fantasy reviews ->

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Lioness Rampant by Tamora Pierce

June 29, 2017Book ReviewEasy Reading, Medieval, Song of the Lioness Quartet, Strong Women, Tamora Pierce, Tortallskyebjenner

Title: Lioness Rampant
Author: Tamora Pierce
Series: Song of the Lioness Quartet #4, Tortall #8
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Easy reading, Medieval fantasy, Strong women
Pace: Fast
Format: Novel
Publisher: Omnibus Books
Year: 1988
5th sentence, 74th page: Since the night before, Liam had been careful and deadly serious, concentrating on keeping their company safe until they arrived in Rachia.

Alanna has fought shaman, bested wraiths and vanquished magi, but nothing could prepare her for this challenge. Accompanied by the legendary Shang Dragon, a man Alanna finds unbearably attractive, she must attempt the impossible. Recover the fabled Dominion jewel. And she must work fast because Tortall is in terrible danger. Thanks to her brother, Thom, Roger of Conte is back, and more powerful than ever.

Lioness Rampant is a great conclusion to the Song of the Lioness quartet. Alanna’s years of travel, training and testing help to bring her powers to the fore. And luckily, because this is an epic battle and journey that helps to cement her fame as a hero in the Tortallan world. Yet, it is also where Alanna is able to come full circle – she finally accepts herself for everything that she is, she finds herself someone that she wants to spend the rest of her life with, and she is able to find her place in the world that makes her happy and fulfilled.

Every literary hero has one true enemy that challenges them, forces them to not only battle their external demons, but also their internal ones. For Alanna, this is Duke Roger, and the lingering effects of their last battle have reflected on her every action since. Finally, in Lioness Rampant, Alanna is able to face up to this aspect of her past, and not only realise what she did was justified, but also save her family, home and kingdom.

There are so many things that I love about the Song of the Lioness quartet – not just the characters, and Alanna’s ability to constantly grow to accept herself. But it also highlights the fact that woman can do anything (and everything) that a man can do. Although some of the more physical aspects required a lot more work, it is a woman, not a man who is able to eventually save the day. She is also able to turn down marriage, and although Alanna does find her perfect partner, it is a tiny subplot to the series. It isn’t the aim of the story to find a man and live happily ever after, rather, it is just an addition to the overall happy ending of the characters within the series.

<- The Woman Who Rides Like a Man Review

Tempests and Slaughter Review ->

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The Woman Who Rides Like a Man by Tamora Pierce

June 28, 2017Book ReviewEasy Reading, Medieval fantasy, Song of the Lioness Quartet, Strong Women, Tamora Pierce, Tortallskyebjenner

Title: The Woman Who Rides Like a Man
Author: Tamora Pierce
Series: Song of the Lioness Quartet #3, Tortall #7
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Easy reading, Medieval fantasy, Strong women
Pace: Fast
Format: Novel
Publisher: Omnibus Books
Year: 1986
5th sentence, 74th page: “You remember Hakim Fahrar, the man you fought?” Alanna nodded.

Newly knighted, Alanna rides for the desert in search of adventure. Captured by the Bloody Hawk tribe, she must challenge ancient tribal customs if she ever hopes for freedom. But how can she convince the tribe to change, when their powerful shaman cries hourly for her execution? Tradition demands she prove her worth in a magical duel – to the death. And while she is away from the palace Alanna must also choose between marrying Prince Jonathan or living alone as the knight she has strived so hard to become.

The entire Song of the Lioness quartet is about acceptance for me – acceptance of the differences (and similarities of others), acceptance that things are not always as they seem, and most importantly, acceptance of yourself. Although Alanna is forced to accept herself as both a woman and a warrior within the first two books, her ability to come to terms with both her magic and her recent past are seriously challenged, and eventually resolved in The Woman Who Rides Like a Man.

The conclusion of In the Hand of the Goddess sees the death and foiling of Alanna’s primary enemy throughout the series. Yet, as with every good heroine, she isn’t easy about her hand in dealing out death to another. It takes her an entire year (the time which the book covers) to truly realise that sometimes there is nothing else you can do. Realising that she probably made mistakes in her pursuit of Roger’s evil, and acknowledging that there were things she could have done differently were so important to this healing process. It is something that acts as a wonderful reminder on a daily basis – we all have things in our past that we regret, but there is absolutely nothing we can do to change the past, so really, we need to focus on how to overcome the future.

Alanna’s acceptance of her magic also comes to the fore in this novel. Through teaching others and living with a people so completely removed from her own, she is able to learn to accept all of her gifts, not just the ones that she actually enjoys using (such as sword work). She goes from being a young woman afraid of a very big part of herself to a confident, and knowledgeable mage who is able to protect others with all of her being. Obviously we’re not all mages, but it is a good reminder that we are who we are, and there is nothing that can change that.

Although for me The Woman Who Rides Like a Man has a very powerful message of acceptance, it is also just an amazingly good book to read. Alanna’s trials and tribulations, her relationships and her ability to keep going when all of her enemies have stopped make her a great heroine to follow. Her temper, and the sheer honesty of some of those she holds dearest inject the sometimes serious aspects of the story with a little humour, and a sense of joy that would otherwise be missing. Pierce does a great job of writing a story for young girls about a fiery, passionate young woman – something that we all need in our lives.

<- In the Hand of the Goddess Review

Lioness Rampant Review ->

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In the Hand of the Goddess by Tamora Pierce

June 27, 2017Book ReviewEasy Reading, Medieval fantasy, Song of the Lioness Quartet, Strong Women, Tamora Pierce, Tortallskyebjenner

Title: In the Hand of the Goddess
Author: Tamora Pierce
Series: Song of the Lioness Quartet #2, Tortall #6
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Easy reading, Medieval fantasy, Strong women
Pace: Fast
Format: Novel
Publisher: Omnibus Books
Year: 1984
5th sentence, 74th page: Faithful leaped on to Alanna’s lap as they rode on, startling Darkness not a bit.

Sent north to fight the marauding Tusaine, Alanna is swept into a world of danger and intrigue. But while she proves herself in battle, she cannot vanquish the fears in her heart. Who is trying to kill her and her beloved Prince Jonathan? Come midwinter, she must face the terror of the Ordeal, the ceremony that will make her a knight, or destroy her. But uncovering Duke Roger’s secret before he uncovers hers will test her more than the Ordeal ever could.

Alanna’s final years as a knight-in-training are everything that her first years as a page were – they are filled with laughter, danger and intrigue. The revealing of her secret at the end of Alanna: The First Adventure just helps to further her tale as she continues to battle enemies, both inside and out. Yet, as she gets older, the stakes are also raised, and Alanna is constantly forced to face even greater challenges. Not to mention that In the Hand of the Goddess brings forth her patron – the Mother Goddess.

At the very beginning of this story, Alanna is told that she must learn to face her three fears; love, the Ordeal and Duke Roger. Pierce beautifully takes us on her journey to overcome and conquer the seemingly impossible. Well, impossible for Alanna.

The battle of wits between Alanna and Roger continues throughout this story, and it is only when Alanna is able to finally admit how she feels about the man, that she is able to release herself from his hold. Roger is everything that people are drawn to – influential, charismatic, rich and powerful. Yet, from his first appearance in Alanna: The First Adventure, something isn’t quite right. It is frustrating to watch as Alanna is unable to face up to her fears and confront the worrying man. There is always something creepy about those who are too liked, and too perfect – and Roger is a great reminder of the ugliness that can hide beneath a beauty.

Personally, it is Alanna’s ability to overcome her fear of love that is the most intriguing and meaningful personal journey that is embarked on in this story. Fearing love due to her father’s fate is completely acceptable, and even understandable, yet, until she is able to embrace her love for others, and theirs for her, she is somehow more lonely and isolated than the rest of her friends. It is a great reminder that whatever path we walk on, sometimes the pain is lessened when we have someone to come home to at night.

<- Alanna: The First Adventure Review

The Woman Who Rides Like a Man Review ->

Image source: Tamora Pierce

Alanna: The First Adventure by Tamora Pierce

June 26, 2017Book ReviewEasy Reading, Medieval fantasy, Song of the Lioness Quartet, Strong Women, Tamora Pierce, Tortallskyebjenner

Title: Alanna: The First Adventure
Author: Tamora Pierce
Series: Song of the Lioness Quartet #1, Tortall #5
Rating Out of 5: 4.5 (Amazing, but not quite perfect)
My Bookshelves: Easy reading, Medieval fantasy, Strong women
Pace: Fast
Format: Novel
Publisher: Omnibus Books
Year: 1983
5th sentence, 74th page: “Alan?” he asked softly.

Disguised as a boy, Alanna sets out to achieve her ultimate ambition: to become a knight. The struggle proves she is as strong as the other young men demands all her determination but the need to cover her growing femininity is an entirely different challenge. And while the court magician may be her most dangerous enemy, the possibility of love may be her undoing…

Tales of women masquerading as men occur again and again in both classical and modern literature. After all, in a society that is patriarchal in nature, the idea of dressing as a man to get the recognition and follow the path that a woman wants isn’t that ridiculous. Pierce’s adaptation of this classical story works beautifully in the Song of the Lioness Quartet. Alanna’s choice to pursue her chosen future, regardless of the consequences shows a level of gumption and courage that few truly have. Her ability to fight for what she believes is right is completely admirable and it makes this story impossible to put down.

I love that although throughout this series, Alanna chooses the life of a warrior, and a man’s role in this society, it is never portrayed as something simple. She is always physically weaker than her male companions, and as such, constantly works at strengthening herself so that she is able to keep up with them. It is the fact that although Alanna is clearly able to undertake whatever she chooses, there are some things which do take more effort and time on her behalf. The stubbornness and dedication with which she undertakes these tasks is somewhat relatable, even though I have never had the desire to take up arms to protect my country…

Although the main storyline in Alanna: The First Adventure focuses on a young girl masquerading as a boy to establish her goals, there is an even more important message that Pierce departs upon her readers. The idea that no matter what we want to do with our lives, we are who we are and that needs to be accepted. It isn’t until the very end of this story that Alanna is able to accept both her future as a warrior, and her existence as a woman. This moment when she accepts that she can do both, and be both is integral to not only her own happiness, but being able to move forward in her own life.

<- Student of Ostriches Review

In the Hand of the Goddess Review ->

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Student of Ostriches by Tamora Pierce

June 25, 2017Book ReviewEasy Reading, Medieval fantasy, Song of the Lioness Quartet, Strong Women, Tamora Pierce, Tortall, Tortall and Other Landsskyebjenner

Title: Student of Ostriches
Author: Tamora Pierce
Series: Song of the Lioness Quartet #0.5, Tortall #4
In: Tortall and Other Lands: A Collection (Tamora Pierce)
Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!)
My Bookshelves: Easy reading, Medieval fantasy, Strong women
Pace: Fast
Format: Short story
Publisher: Bluefire
Year: 2010
5th sentence, 74th page: “I believe they will take an old woman with your unusual skills,” the Falcon said to me.

The story is about a girl, Kylaia al Jmaa, who must fight for her sister’s honor in a duel. She learned to fight by watching the animals of the savanna, namely the ostrich as it kicked. Joesh Valany, a Shang warrior from the north, was so impressed that he took her on as his student.

I’ve loved the idea of Shang warriors since the first moment they were mentioned in Alanna: The First Adventure, so finally finding a story about one… indescribable! Kylaia is briefly mentioned in the Song of the Lionness series, and it was difficult to imagine how a woman would become a master of her own body, to the point that she is able to kill a man with her bare hands. It is easy to understand how the rest of the Tortall women choose to pursue their destinies – their parents were involved in wars, they fell into the situation, or they are stubborn nobles who decide to forge a slightly unique path. Yet, the idea of someone becoming so honed in their body that they are chosen for the Shang way of life… it finally makes sense!

Kylaia uses the animals and surrounding nature to teach her how to not only fight, but also to live her life. Running, climbing, breathing is all inspired by the natural world around her. The fact that this natural world happens to be based upon the idea of tribal Africa… it just makes the story ten times better. For someone like me who is already obsessed with these animals, it is incredibly easy, and plausible to see how they can be the inspiration for certain ways of fighting. And the strength and morality which Kylaia shows throughout this story, whilst not necessarily inspired by the animals’ presence, feels so in-kind to the rest of her actions. Animals don’t lie and cheat, people do.

<- Mastiff Review

Alanna: The First Adventure Review ->

Earth and Skye

The ramblings of a bibliophile.