Tamora Pierce

[Captain-Dr-Proffesor]

I noticed that there wasn't a topic going for Tamora Pierce, and I thought I would start one.

I first starting reading her 5 years ago when I received ShatterGlass as a gift. Even though I started in the middle of the series in the second quartet with these characters, I caught on fairly quickly to what was happening. I later went back and reread all of the series, and the previous one, and realized that I really enjoyed her writing. I then read several of her other series, and enjoyed those as well.

I would love to know what you all think of her and her writing.

[Smoooom]

I love her Tortall books.  So does my oldest son.  I love that she writes strong female characters.  My daughter likes the Becca cooper books, so when Mastiff comes out there will be a line up for it (G)

I don't know why I haven't been able to read her other books,   I don't know if it's the settings or the characters.   

[Captain-Dr-Proffesor]

Her Tortall books are probably my favorite of her work. Mostly the ones about Alanna. And I have yet to read the Becca Cooper series, and I've had a hard time finding them. They're on the top of my to buy list though, because I heard that they were really good. And her female characters' strength is what got me into her writing. I really enjoyed that all of her female characters can defend themselves and don't need anyone else.

That's strange, her other books are some of my favorite. I found them quite enjoyable, and really connected with her characters.

[darkshiara]

I love her Tortall books, though I must say Alanna's stories will always be the best in my opinion (even though I read Daine's stories first).  Alanna is an amazingly strong character.  I love Pierce's humor and ability to not only apply her obvious research, but also her ability to make you really care about her characters.

I tried to read her Circle books and wasn't able to get into those though.

[chickadee33]

I first found her book Wolf-Speaker when I was 11 and became instantly hooked. I had never read a fantasy novel and she become an instant favorite author of mine. Daine is to this day my favorite fantasy character (Alanna a close second). How she writes stronge roles for her female characters was very inspiring to me at an age and time I didn't feel the strongest. Tamora's work is and will always be a treasure in my personal libary.

[Elisa Nuckle]

I actually obsessed over Trickster's Choice and Trickster's Queen. They were and still are my favorite books by her though all of work is pretty good in general.

[algardis]

Like most of you I adore Alanna (Tortall/Song of the Lioness) and I fell in love with Diane (Wild Magic/Wolf Speaker). The Circle of Magic series are my absolute favorite though. I love that I get the POV for four different main characters who all have fascinating outlooks on life and different brands of magic. I like the Beka Cooper/ series much less than the other series but it's slowly grown on me. Keladry's series (Protector of the Small) seems to be a good mesh between Alanna and Beka.

[graveyardhag]

Did you guys know she is working on another Circle book? Called Battle Magic, supposedly about Briar, Evvy and Rosethorn in Yangying. Due out 2013. Looking forward to it!

[algardis]

Really? Does that mean she's beginning a new Circle Quartert w/ the Circle of Magic & Circle Opens already finished?

[algardis]

Sorry for the double post but I just stumbled upon this new T. Pierce interview which you all should read:

More importantly this section -

"Next up is a two-book series about Numair, Daine’s friend. That should be interesting, because apart from Briar in the Circle of Magic, he’ll be my first male hero. At 17, he’s not very adept. He’s been in the university for six years and doesn’t exactly know when to be politic. That will give us a look at Tortall between the years after the ending of The Song of the Lioness and before Wild Magic." - T. Pierce

[graveyardhag]

Really? Does that mean she's beginning a new Circle Quartert w/ the Circle of Magic & Circle Opens already finished?

She already has! It's the third in Will of the Empress/ Melting Stones but happens before Will of the Empress and after the Circle Opens books. Thats about all I know about it, except that she was working on it last August. The set has a name, but I can't remember it....

...
"Next up is a two-book series about Numair, Daine’s friend. That should be interesting, because apart from Briar in the Circle of Magic, he’ll be my first male hero. At 17, he’s not very adept. He’s been in the university for six years and doesn’t exactly know when to be politic. That will give us a look at Tortall between the years after the ending of The Song of the Lioness and before Wild Magic." - T. Pierce

I knew she was planning these, but don't know anything else about them. Didn't know if she had started on them or what.

[xiagan]

'Numair - the early years'  I'm looking forward to that, but I'm anticipating the Briar, Evvy & Rosethorn book more.

[AlexFF]

I just discovered her this year. I had been complaining on my blog about the lack of strong female characters and someone recommended her, so I started with the Circle series and read nine of the ten in a month or so (book 3 of the first series isn't available on Kindle).

I am currently reading the Daine series and am enjoying it. It reminds me of Lackey's early Valdemar stories.

[E.W. Scott]

Tamora Pierce was the first fantasy author that I really got into. I was in middle school and a friend of mine loaned me Wild Magic from the "Immortals" series. I absolutely loved it and then had to read "Song of the Lioness" and "Protector of the Small".

I love her world building in Tortall and I have always admired her ability to create strong female characters without falling into female = good, male = bad trap that so often happens. All three female leads in those series are fantastic, though I always was more drawn into Daine and Kel's stories. I was fascinated by Daine's relationship with nature and in Kel's case, I loved watching a story so rooted in the pragmatics of being a "Lady Knight".

I haven't gotten into her other books that took place outside of Tortall. I tried reading the Circle of Magic books, but just couldn't get lost in the characters or the setting like I could with the others.

That said, reading the Tortall books feels rather a lot like coming home. They are so much a part of my childhood and of my foundation in fantasy that I could read them a hundred times and still find time to pick them up again. Definitely one of my recommendations for parents with kids who are interested in fantasy!