Sure, Alanna is good at certain things, but she has to work to become exceptional. Too many female protagonists in YA books are just naturally awesome at everything. Pierce builds a story not about natural talent but about hard work. As an adult, her stubbornness and insistence on throwing herself into any life-threatening situation was vexing.īut there were also things that I completely missed as a child. As a kid, I didn’t understand why her friends got so frustrated with her. I also realised how annoying Alanna could be. There is a love triangle … or square… or even pentagon-shaped drama. There are similarities between this quartet and the YA genre (I so wanted there not to be any!). Reading them again as an adult has, however, changed my opinion of them slightly. The books packed a punch – they’re fast-paced, humorous, and there was even a love interest. A girl defying convention and chasing her dreams was, for me, awe inspiring. Written before the YA genre became a thing, I absolutely adored these books. When I saw they’d become available on Kindle I bought them straight away to read again.

I sped through the entire quartet and went on to read every single book Pierce ever wrote.

And this is how I was introduced to Tamora Pierce – my friend (and private library) lent me Alanna: the First Adventure. I was always either in the library taking out as much as I could, or borrowing books from friends. When I was young, I didn’t have many books. Title: Alanna: the First Adventure / In the Hands of the Goddess / The Woman who Rides like a Man / Lioness Rampant As Alanna masters the skills necessary for battle, she must also learn to control her heart and to discern her enemies from her allies.įilled with swords and sorcery, adventure and intrigue, good and evil, Alanna’s first adventure begins – one that will lead to the fulfillment of her dreams and the magical destiny that will make her a legend in her land. So one day they decide to switch places: Thom heads for the convent to learn magic Alanna, pretending to be a boy, is on her way to the castle of King Roald to begin her training as a page.īut the road to knighthood is not an easy one. Though a girl, Alanna has always craved the adventure and daring allowed only for boys her twin brother, Thom, yearns to learn the art of magic. I’ll be a knight.Īnd so young Alanna of Trebond begins the journey to knighthood. Synopsis: From now on I’m Alan of Trebond, the younger twin.

Song of the lioness series order