In Praise of Tamora Pierce

In case you were wondering why even the "Summer Reading" posts dried up over the past few weeks, allow me to explain...

I've been rereading the work of author Tamora Pierce. Pierce writes fantasy novels geared towards teenage girls (SOOO right up my alley folks, you've got no clue) and I was a big fan of her work in middle school.

Her books are written in "quartets" or "cycles," and she has created two mystical realms. TWO!

One is the world of "The Circle of Magic," "The Circle Opens," and then two other sequels "The Will of The Empress" and "Melting Stones." I'm almost through "The Circle Opens," on the fourth book in that quartet. I'm enjoying them. I'd read "The Circle of Magic" before but I didn't remember much of it. I'd forgotten how finely detailed everything in the series was. Or maybe I didn't notice last time at any rate...

The other is her original world, the fantasy kingdom of Tortall, where her Lioness, Immortals and Protector of The Small Quartets all take place, as well as Trickster's Choice and Trickster's Queen. This summer I've read The Lioness again, and I'm doing The Immortals next. I LOVED the series when I was younger. Loved, loved loved! I love them more now. At twelve I didn't really appreciate the detail put into the stories, the characterization. Also, I totally didn't pick up on the fact that Alanna, the heroine of The Lioness was kind of a slut. Not really, just kinda.

Anyway, I'm looking forward to reading more of the ones I didn't read in middle school now, since once I finish The Immortals I won't have read any of them. But seriously, I suggest you pick up her stuff, if you're into fantasy that is, otherwise I doubt you'd like it.