Alanna: The First Adventure (Song of the Lioness, #1)

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Alanna: The First Adventure (Song of the Lioness #1)

by Tamora Pierce (Goodreads Author)

4.27 of 5 stars 4.27 · rating details · 43,122 ratings · 1,946 reviews

"From now on I'm Alan of Trebond, the younger twin. I'll be a knight." And so young Alanna of Trebond begins the journey to knighthood. 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. So one day they decide to switch places: Disguised as a girl, Thom heads for the convent to l...more

Paperback, 274 pages

Published January 6th 2005 by Simon Pulse (first published January 1st 1983)

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Jul 07, 2010 Kat Kennedy rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: People who enjoy action, adventure and fantasy

Shelves: kat-s-book-reviews

After reading three paranormal/urban fantasy romances in a row, you can only imagine how happy I was to read, not only something different, but something GOOD!

Good is the best description I can give of Alanna. I wouldn't say it was great. It gets pretty close to it, though. Some parts of it seem unrealistic to me. Alanna being so readily accepted by the boys etc. But the story is short, fun, action-packed with magic and mystery and high-adventure.

Alanna it a great character. Stubborn, cheeky, do...more

51 likes · like · see review

Dec 18, 2008 Donna rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, library, young-adult

I probably would have liked this better if I'd read it for the first time when I was younger. The heroine is a fairly typical spunky fantasy female, she's a little too perfect and good at everything.

The story is okay but not especially memorable. It takes place over several years, though the passage of time seems a little muddy and the only real sense of it is that sometimes Alanna will mention her age. It's written in third person, and for the most part we're only in Alanna's head. But there a...more

11 likes · like · see review

Apr 07, 2008 Phoebe added it

Shelves: fantastic-kiddy-lit

I'm a little surprised that I never read this book as a kid. As it's the story of a girl who cross dresses to become a knight, and as I was way into both knights and boyishness, I'm sure I would have loved it. As an adult, I can see that this is pretty typical girlie fantasy fare--characters with purple eyes abound. Characters are simple and a little stiff, and it sometimes feels like the fantasy setting is nothing more than background scenery; there's no real reason why this story has to take p...more

5 likes · like · see review

Oct 10, 2008 Erin rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: young women and girls

Shelves: needs-review, tale-good-vs-evil, alanna-series

This is one of those books that will stick with me, literally and metaphorically. I have it with me at college... The whole series and all the ones I have of the spin off series are dear to me. They are wonderful for girls who are growing up. It is one story after another of strong young girls turning into strong young women.

18 likes · like · see review

Nov 29, 2008 Regan rated it 5 of 5 stars

Recommended to Regan by: Mrs. Sexton

Shelves: tamora-pierce

This book was so good I can't believe it took me this long to read it Once I got into it I couldn't put it down. I can't wait till Monday so I can start the second book. Alanna proves that girls can do anything.

11 likes · like · see review

Feb 27, 2011 Mike (the Paladin) rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: ya-fantasy

I read this when my children were still small. After all, it was my responsibility to introduce them to fantasy literature...er, ah,....as well as other literature that is...huh, huh,huh.

Anyway, this is an enjoyable story, you'll of course run into the character types and plot points elsewhere, but that's okay. Character types, become character "types" for a reason. Alan...Alanna is a good character, though a little, trying or even annoying at times. Still, she knows her mind!

This book has a few...more

3 likes · like · see review

Jun 09, 2008 Natalie rated it 5 of 5 stars

In retrospect, this is not a perfect novel, or series of novels, but when I think of who I wanted to be when I was ten years old, my answer was always Alanna. (And I still have a crush on George.)

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Aug 20, 2012 Rose Be rated it 1 of 5 stars

I borrowed this book from a friend, and really have nothing good to say about it. I thought that the plot line was overused, and the writing style left a lot to be desired. The story of a girl dressing up as a a boy to prove herself is something we're all familiar with, and sometimes it's done very well and it's a pleasure to read. However, there was nothing fresh or new about this book, or this series. The characters weren't fleshed out and their difficulties-- hiding identity, physical exhaust...more

4 likes · like · see review

Jan 23, 2008 Jeanne rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult

Didn't like this very much. It was a fun story but not given the detail I would have appreciated. Then again, it covers a few years in a girl's life in not too many pages, so I guess it had to skim a bit. Also, might be the children/young adult aspect that doesn't allow to go as in-depth as I would have liked.

Might read the further adventures, but my library's missing #2 and I don't feel motivated enough to ILL it.

Story of a girl who wants to be a knight, not a nun or a wife, so she switches pl...more

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Sep 13, 2012 Katie added it

Even though this series is meant for pre-teen girls, I still find it to be interesting as an adult. Alanna is a much better fictional female role model than Bella of "Twilight." Also the books are much better written. Tamora Pierce is an author; Stephanie Meyer is a joke.

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Mar 27, 2013 Kailynnec rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: realistic-fiction

I think Alanna is a very strong. brave, and a confident girl. She does the way actually boys will do. She never gives up, and always continue her dream, because some day her dream might come true.
I think some details in Alanna's book, helps me a lot. I will learn my mistakes and do the best I can. :)

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Feb 13, 2013 Ashley rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 60-book-challenge-2012, own, favorites, re-read, after-book-challenge-2012, 30-book-challenge-2013

I've heard amazing things about Tamora Pierce's books. With that being said I was a bit nervous reading this with all the awesome things I heard. I was like I'm not going to love it as much as everyone else. Boy I was totally wrong. I loved Alanna!! Its so different from anything I've read.

Its this medieval fantasy story with a kick ass main character who isn't afraid to go for what she wants. And that's to be a knight!!

I really cannot wait to read more about Alanna, and more from Tamora Pierce...more

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Feb 26, 2013 Emily rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2013-reading-challenges, fantasy, ya-fiction, yalsa-challenge-2013

Why I picked it up: I've been wanting to re-read this series for a while; it's pretty much the only YA book (series) I remember reading when I was an actual teenager. The YALSA challenge gave me a reason to revisit.

Alanna is about to be sent off to study at a convent while her twin brother, Thom, is to be sent to the castle to train as a knight. Thing is, Thom hates fighting and such while it's all Alanna wants to do. So she convinces her brother to switch places with her so he can go study to b...more

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Feb 16, 2013 Arminion rated it 2 of 5 stars

I would have enjoyed this book much more if I was 10 years old (and a girl). Since I'm neither, I found it underwhelming and pretty boring. Although the book is very short, it still took me weeks to finish it. I just wasn't that motivated about the story and characters. They are all pretty much the same, especially Alanna's friends. You could have easily switched their names and you couldn't tell the difference.
The story covers several years of Alanna's young life and it mostly deals about her...more

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Feb 13, 2013 Angela rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Being constantly told how some heroine was a "great role model for girls" or "sets a good example" or is "such a strong female character" as a 10-year old was worse than eating Brussels sprouts. I would have rather eaten glue than read this book.

So the normal thing everyone says here, "I'd have liked this more as a kid," really does not apply. But at 27, after hearing my twenties-something friends wax nostalgic, I figured I was being grossly unfair, and that I'd finally get around to reading it...more Being constantly told how some heroine was a "great role model for girls" or "sets a good example" or is "such a strong female character" as a 10-year old was worse than eating Brussels sprouts. I would have rather eaten glue than read this book.

So the normal thing everyone says here, "I'd have liked this more as a kid," really does not apply. But at 27, after hearing my twenties-something friends wax nostalgic, I figured I was being grossly unfair, and that I'd finally get around to reading it.

I feel bad, because I'm gonna have to tell them I don't like Their Favorite Thing and they're gonna give me the sad-eye hurt-face, but it's not a very good book. I reaaaaally wanted to like it, but:

Alanna doesn’t really have a personality. There’s nothing to her except that:

1) She likes to fight.
2) She doesn’t like being small.
3) She wants to be as good as the boys.
4) She’s a redhead, which I guess in the 80’s counts as a personality trait.

She doesn’t have a sense of wonder at seeing the wider world, or loneliness at being away from home. That her best friend spouts anti-royal sentiments and runs organized crime is somehow a non-issue. There’s no joy or enthusiasm or ruthlessness or resourcefulness or humor or compassion or cleverness or anything. She’s not a Mary Sue, she’s just boring.

Actually, none of the characters have much internal motivation. Jonathan is good and prince-like. Myles is kind and mentor-y. The other teenagers are just... there. Most what they do is because magic tells them to, guiding them on rails as the plot requires. Maude helps Alanna because of a magical vision. George befriends Alanna because... MAGIC. Sir Myles leads Alanna to the ruins because... MAGIC DREAM. Alanna loathes Duke Roger because of ... mystical feeeelings. magic magic magic. Which, when we actually do see a magical battle, is flashing colored lights smashing against other flashing colored lights.

In the interest of fairness, the things that bothered other reviewers, though, don't bother me. She gets a deep discount on buying a horse from a rich friend? Everyone else get horses from their rich dads. She's super-skilled by the end of the book? She's being given the best martial education in the entire kingdom and works non-stop. The prince refuses to be suspicious of Duke Roger? Not surprising, if Jonathan sees Roger the way Alanna sees Sir Myles. Time passes quickly? Good, because I want to get to actual adventuring quickly, not read about school the whole time.

The Black City? Cool. An Ancient-Evil-Awakened-in-the-Sands? Cool. The generic good guys and vanilla medieval fantasyland? Don’t care. Everyone says the series gets better, (and Harry Potter famously does, so I’m optimistic about that) but I’d have been better off reading a plot summary and starting with “In the Hand of the Goddess.” (less)

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Tsukalavire If you had started with "In the Hand of the Goddess" you would have been confused and lost on certain parts where they bring up past events so I would...more
Mar 17, 2013 06:14pm

Angela Yeah, I'm liking "In the Hand of the Goddess" a lot better. I'm actually enjoying the story very much as we've left the ho-hum classroom kids' stuff t...more
updated Mar 17, 2013 10:24pm

Tsukalavire Angela wrote: "Yeah, I'm liking "In the Hand of the Goddess" a lot better. I'm actually enjoying the story very much as we've left the ho-hum classroo...more
Mar 19, 2013 02:42pm

Feb 05, 2013 Samantha rated it 5 of 5 stars

What I liked:
-Alanna. She was a strong character that I connected with. She wanted to be more than just a noble lady. She wanted to prove to everyone that she had what it took, and she was brave enough to fight for her dreams by any means necessary.
-Magic. I love books with magic in them, and I love when that magic use has consequences that can’t be outsmarted. In this world, if you use too much magic, you can kill yourself, so you always have to be careful what you do. I loved that little twist...more

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Dec 25, 2012 Aubrey Coletti rated it 4 of 5 stars

All cards on the table: not only is this my favorite book series of all time, but having read it first when I was about nine or ten, it has seriously played a huge part in shaping my character. So you are forewarned that this is a review from a huge fan. The Song of the Lioness Series' brilliance lies in its colorful, clearly drawn characters, its wonderfully built world, and the perfect arc it encompasses: by the end, Alanna, our heroine, has become a legend, and you don't just believe it, you...more All cards on the table: not only is this my favorite book series of all time, but having read it first when I was about nine or ten, it has seriously played a huge part in shaping my character. So you are forewarned that this is a review from a huge fan. The Song of the Lioness Series' brilliance lies in its colorful, clearly drawn characters, its wonderfully built world, and the perfect arc it encompasses: by the end, Alanna, our heroine, has become a legend, and you don't just believe it, you feel it, in that way that lets you know you've read not just a series, but an epic.

Digression, digression: As this is the first book, there is a lot to be explained, many people to be introduced, and some core principles to be...cored. Luckily, one of Pierce's great skills is introducing and building characters incredibly rapidly, while always keeping them real, multifaceted, and believable. Alanna, the someday-to-be-Lioness, is a girl in a world where women go to become ladies, while men go to become knights - except that she has it in her mind to be a knight, not a lady! Now, this could so easily devolve into cliche. But Pierce is careful to never give any of the issues she tackles only a light dusting, or to allow her characters to get away with anything they have coming to them. Alanna is headstrong, stubborn, loyal, upright - and as immature as any young girl her age. Pierce makes it clear that Alanna choosing a different path from other women does not mean that other women who behave more traditionally don't have anything to teach her. Alanna's assets are also often her faults: scared of her own Gift, her innate magic, and of what it means to be a woman, she often refuses help when it would be in her best interest to open up. But she is an ultimately lovable, believable character, who makes a darn great role model.

Pierce also never allows the misogyny Alanna fights against to color all the male characters, and as Alanna is hiding in a mostly male society, she must make friends with men and spend much of her time around them. Coram, her burly man-at-arms is gruff and grumbling, but also plays the role of loving father figure to Alanna. Cool and noble Prince Jonathan, fun and fierce Gary, laid-back Raoul, and the secretive Alex become her fast friends, and in the city George, King of Thieves, takes her under his wing.

Much of this book is spent following Alanna as she learns the basics of becoming a knight, and Pierce's years spent reviewing martial arts films show in her skillfully written fight scenes. Alanna is small and female: facts which Pierce takes into account. Alanna must work twice as hard as the other boys to master her techniques, and there are certain areas in which she excels purely because of her grit and tenacity - she forces herself to become a good swordswoman through hours of practice after being told she will never achieve success - and there are others where her natural disadvantages leave her out in the cold - such as wrestling.

The world Pierce created with Tortall and its surrounding countries and mythology is one of the most appealing aspects of the series. Tortall is in many ways medieval England - yet the religion is one of many gods and goddesses, based upon the broad archetypes found in faiths the world over: the Great Mother Goddess, the God of Death, Mithras (in the book Mithros!) God of Light...and it's a nice twist to the classic fantasy-in-medieval-times trope. Again, it is Pierce's skill in making the world immediate and real and juicy which allows one to jump into it, and for fans of fantasy worlds and world-building, it's a treat.

Pierce has a talent for making a book feel full even when it is short - the flow of the book never waves, so that it is a quick read, and yet I am always surprised by how small it is in reality! The climax of the book is stellar, and this book itself is excellent: the only reason I gave it four rather than five stars is because there is even better to come!(less)

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Oct 25, 2012 Lydia Shellenbarger rated it 3 of 5 stars

So I actually liked this series more than the three stars would indicate, at least at first I liked it a lot.

The main character was spunky and smart, she didn't do things just to do them, she had a purpose and she stuck with it. The storylines were also generally clever and entertaining and Alanna's sidekicks were a riot!

Then came the magical system for the world. As an avid fantasy fan, how an author makes their magic part of the world is one of the most important aspects of a book, or series

...more

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Oct 24, 2012 Georgia Anderson rated it 4 of 5 stars

I remember my experience with this book so well . It had been a harsh winter and I was huddled up in my bed , hands so cold they were shaking , clutching the last of the series with all my energy and trying not to fall asleep because I wanted nothing more to read what happened to Alanna and at the same time not wanting the book to end .

It is very rare for me to give up sleep for a book especially on a cold night and seeing as I gave my all into this series for around a month of primary school is...more

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Oct 10, 2012 Cassie rated it 5 of 5 stars

This book is kind of like...my childhood. While not the first Tamora Pierce book I read, it was the first one I read in order so I really got a sense of how she develops her characters throughout her series. And while other female action writers may shy away from all the "uncomfortable" lady business, Pierce dives right in. She isn't afraid to let people know that yes, Alanna is a girl, and yes, she does get her period. I really commend her for that, since I've always felt really weirded out abo...more

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Sep 09, 2012 Ashley rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: addictive, bildungsroman, class-gender-race, fantasy, young-adult

I wish I would have read this for the first time as a kid rather than as a 27 year old. I have a feeling I would have lost my damn mind over it back then. But somehow I have managed to miss all twenty million bajillion of Pierce's books.

As it is now, I enjoyed this book, but the writing is very simplistic, obviously tailored for younger people, and this was pre-Harry Potter, back when publishers thought all kids had ADD and wouldn't read anything longer than 200 pages, with large print. Lots of...more

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Jul 11, 2012 Maya rated it 2 of 5 stars Recommends it for: kids

3 stars for the children's book this is, 2 stars to reflect my personal enjoyment of it.

Whenever fantasy with strong heroines is being discussed, Tamora Pierce's name gets dropped on a regular basis. I regret that her work never made it to my lost little mountain village in time, because I probably would have loved Alanna 10 - 15 years ago.

Reading it now, as an adult, I find myself underwhelmed. There are always those children's books that can appeal to adult readers without much of an effort, a...more 3 stars for the children's book this is, 2 stars to reflect my personal enjoyment of it.

Whenever fantasy with strong heroines is being discussed, Tamora Pierce's name gets dropped on a regular basis. I regret that her work never made it to my lost little mountain village in time, because I probably would have loved Alanna 10 - 15 years ago.

Reading it now, as an adult, I find myself underwhelmed. There are always those children's books that can appeal to adult readers without much of an effort, and I'm sad to say that Alanna isn't one of them. You can really tell where this book comes from. Not necessarily from the writing style itself, but the plot and characters are pretty simplistic and flat, not to say "childish" (f.ex. the friendship with George and Jon). Neither does it have the impressive imagination and creativity of a Michael Ende or Kai Meyer.

Alanna is 11 – 14 years old and she is the one who has to save the day, being smarter, stronger (magic-wise, but later also in combat) and overall just more special than everybody else. Well, plenty of heroines (and heros) are like that, and it really wasn't my main problem.

The book has some nice messages (or "lessons" to teach the young reader) about friendship and making an effort for your dream, but Alanna is so-so as a heroine. She has a nasty temper and is very fast to attack people physically, yet she is no Katsa or Evanjalin, who, even if I didn't necessarily like them, did manage to impress me with their ruthlessness and overall individuality. Neither is she an adorable and brave Chagum, though they're supposed to be the same age. At one point she does try to control her temper a bit, but it doesn't change all that much for the whole book, maybe in later volumes. She is rather egocentric and the way she talks to other people is often condescending. Maybe it makes sense for her to talk like that to Coram, who is her servant, but it doesn't make me like her more. On the other hand, her trouble of feeling that she isn't worth as much as a boy could maybe have been addressed a bit more, a bit more sensitively at the beginning.

I had some problems with the bullying storyline as well. Ralon is such a stupid and flat characters, it hurts. And Alanna's way of dealing with it is ... an eye for an eye? I dunno if I agree with that from a moral point of view.

The issues this book covers are great for young girls who still struggle with their bodies changing and those that have an interest in "boy things". I would give this to any little sister or daughter in a heartbeat, but it is not the kind of children's book I can recommend without hesitation to anyone. Recommended for young readers definitely, but adult readers will have to try and see if the story still works for them.(less)

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Jun 01, 2012 Angie rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: belovedbookshelf, girls-who-do-things, ya

Okay, deep breaths all around. Are you ready for another one of those retro reviews in which I regale you with nostalgic views of my childhood reading and rhapsodize on another heroine who contributed to making me who I am today? If you're not (and I totally would not blame you in the slightest--I know how I can go on about these things), you should probably just swish on by, cause Alanna is sort of the mother of them all when it comes to characters who own a little piece of my soul. She's right...more Okay, deep breaths all around. Are you ready for another one of those retro reviews in which I regale you with nostalgic views of my childhood reading and rhapsodize on another heroine who contributed to making me who I am today? If you're not (and I totally would not blame you in the slightest--I know how I can go on about these things), you should probably just swish on by, cause Alanna is sort of the mother of them all when it comes to characters who own a little piece of my soul. She's right smack dab there in the company of Harry, Aerin, Meg, and Dicey. As I think about those girls and the effect they initially had (and continue to have) on me, I'm back in that familiar circle of awe. What would I do without them? Alanna got me through being 13, and years later I think about her on a regular basis. I realize so much of your connection to characters and their stories has to do with the age at which you as reader make their acquaintance. And, truthfully, I'm not at all offended if you come to the Song of the Lioness quartet later in life and don't find yourself as fully bowled over as I was (though I will likely nudge you in the direction of finishing the series just to see because they're short, what can it hurt, plus the characters grow up, the books get better and better, and really no one should miss that ending . . . ). But all fangirling aside, I will say that it is impossible to overstate how hard I fell for this series and that imagining my life without them is not only distasteful but unfathomable.

Faced with being unwillingly separated and sent away to the palace and the convent respectively, twins Thom and Alanna of Trebond take matters into their own hands. Born out of Alanna's determination, the twins decide to switch places. Thom will go to the convent to train as a sorcerer. Alanna will masquerade as Thom's twin "Alan" and train to be a knight. When she's won her shield and proved her worth to king and court, she will reveal her true self and make her way as a knight-errant in search of adventure. It all seems so easy initially. But, of course, the unusual course she chooses reaches into every aspect of Alanna's life and alters it. Because, her obvious deception aside, she has also been gifted with certain abilities that she fears, abilities that could ruin her chances at the life she wants if they come to light at an inopportune moment. It is therefore with a certain reluctance that Alanna makes friends among her fellow pages at the palace and the denizens of the capital city of Corus. Going it alone feels like the safest course. But Alanna soon learns that she will need what friendships she can cobble together if she is to embrace all of who she is and survive the swirling danger lurking in the bowels of the castle.

"That is my decision. We need not discuss it," said the man at the desk. He was already looking at a book. His two children left the room, closing the door behind them.

"He doesn't want us around," the boy muttered. "He doesn't care what we want."

"We know that," was the girl's answer. "He doesn't care about anything, except his books and scrolls."

The boy hit the wall. "I don't want to be a knight! I want to be a great sorcerer! I want to slay demons and walk with the gods--"

"D'you think I want to be a lady?" his sister asked. "'Walk slowly, Alanna,'" she said primly. "'Sit still, Alanna. Shoulders back, Alanna.' As if that's all I can do with myself!" She paced the floor. "There has to be another way."

That first page still makes my stomach all jumpy. And basically those of you who love girls in disguise tales can sign up here. Alanna was one of my very first experiences with such a story line, and the danger and audacity and excitement got to me something fierce. She captured my loyalty and affection in one fell swoop. Because she knew what she wanted, and she was going to get it if it killed her. But along with that dedication and, yes, ruthlessness, came incredible loyalty, the voracious desire to learn, and a great capacity for love and friendship. Far from perfect, however, Alanna screws up. Royally. She says the wrong thing, she stumbles over her doubts and fears, and she occasionally doesn't see what's right before her eyes. But she's so vibrant and hell bent on being the first female knight in more than a century, and she always, always owns up to her mistakes and rectifies them. Happily, she is surrounded by a killer cast of mischievous pages, loyal retainers, wise women, gallant knights, dubious dukes, one noble prince, one arch nemesis, and one steal-your-heart-and-never-return it thief. And it's these secondary characters who provide such wonderful fodder and foils for our would-be knight. Because of them, the humor and the grand coexist in top-notch harmony. Returning to Tortall is like returning home. And Alanna? She still feels so real to me, it's as though I could reach out and grab her arm. When she grimly deals with her changing body, I feel her frustration. When she awakes from countless nightmares of the obstacles and responsibilities awaiting her, I gulp along with her and wipe the sweat off my brow. And nothing, but nothing, will keep me from reading her story to my daughter when she's old enough. Because Alanna is one of those girls she will need to know. Who will remind her that it's okay to be different, it's okay to rail and rage at life, that she can hold in her hands the dreams closest to her heart, that she is strong, too.(less)

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May 27, 2012 Arati Devasher rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: reviewed-at-book-weyr

This book (and the entire series in fact) is listed in all the bookstores as being 'teenage and children's fiction', but I think it's a book that transcends age and gender. It's a story of a girl, yes, and a young girl at that, and simplistically written. But said girl has a strength of character and the story has a charm beyond what the book blurb implies.

This first book deals with the ten-year-old Alanna of Trebond. Alanna is determined to be a knight, and her father is just as determined that...more

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May 22, 2012 Kiana Bunnell rated it 4 of 5 stars

Alanna and Thom, fraternal twins with fiery red hair and purple eyes, live with an uncaring father at the ripe age of ten. As is customary with noble children of ten, the father plans to send them out to learn their trade. Alanna is to be sent to learn the boring life of a lady, while her twin Thom is going to receive training as a knight. Thom's utter lack of coordination and will to become a fighter makes the life of a great sorcerer seem so much more interesting than being a knight. All Alann...more

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May 15, 2012 Kallen Kentner rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy-world, fantasy, fiction, my-no-stress-books, re-read, young-adult

The Song of the Lioness series was a beloved favorite of mine when I was young. From Elementary through middle school, they were cherished and re-read. My current copy of the first book has been read so many times, the spine is split and the it is in 3 separate pieces.

Because of this nostalgic feeling for them, it is hard to review any of the series with an impartial look. However, I would recommend these to young girls to read about one of the feistiest, red-haired heroines ever to grace the pa...more

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May 02, 2012 Stephanie Jobe rated it 5 of 5 stars

My love of Tamora Pierce’s writing cannot be reiterated enough. As I was reading this book I realized I really ought to keep my eye out for a new copy of them someday as painful as it is because they are slowly starting to come apart. These books are wonderful for that tomboy in your life who hates feeling like she has to do “girl” things. The premise is this: Alanna wants to be a knight, her brother wants to be a sorcerer but she is to be a lady and he is to be a knight. So they decide to trade...more My love of Tamora Pierce’s writing cannot be reiterated enough. As I was reading this book I realized I really ought to keep my eye out for a new copy of them someday as painful as it is because they are slowly starting to come apart. These books are wonderful for that tomboy in your life who hates feeling like she has to do “girl” things. The premise is this: Alanna wants to be a knight, her brother wants to be a sorcerer but she is to be a lady and he is to be a knight. So they decide to trade places the day their father sends them away. Their father who is terribly neglectful of them never even catches on. She struggles to fit in and keep up. One of my favorite things is that though she is a natural at most of the physical things she has to work extra hard with the sword and you definitely see her strengths and weaknesses in the academic realm. She makes some tough decisions, some of them life or death. I find myself cheering on Alanna again and again! I’m trying to pay attention for good quotes on this read, things like on page 209, “I want to be a warrior maiden and do great deeds.”

Previous review:

This is not a new book to me, by any means. I don’t know if everyone has such a thing, but when I have a terrible day and need a pick me up. I read this book. If it was a really bad day I read the entire series in one night, yes these are more young adult books. I think Alanna is everything I wanted to be in life growing up. After I first read this it started me on a surge of writing girl pretending to be boy stories. Anyway these books are amazing. I am surprised the various places I find other Pierce fans. Alanna wants to be a knight, her brother wants to be a sorcerer. Their father (who is the only totally flat character but you never actually meet him) sends her to be a lady and Thom to be a knight. So they switch places. He goes to become a sorcerer and she to be a knight. It is brilliant and it is not like she is some huge butch woman with a mustache, she is a kid and a runt at that. Oh and of course there are bad guys, though one interesting thing about this book is there is actually more than one hurdle to jump and hints at the arch nemesis that is to come. I really am terrible at writing these things and I kind of put this one off…

(This is the first book of The Song of the Lioness quartet, a Tortall series.)(less)

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Apr 11, 2012 Lorrie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Oh man, this book was a huge part of my formative years. I was reading them in 4th and 5th grade and just completely freaking out. I had to hide them from my Christian parents because of the whole multiple gods thing, and do you know how hard it is to smuggle literature when you're only a few times bigger than the paperback book itself? And when your mom is the one DRIVING you to the library? Totally worth it though, guys. All girls around 10 or more should read these.

Pro tip for my younger, mor...more

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Feb 24, 2012 Nick rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: juvenile-fantasy

I just re-read this for the first time in years, and it still holds up. While there are some flaws, including the author glossing over the passage of time in odd ways, it was, I believe, her first novel. As such, it's pretty impressive. It was also the first volume in a four volume series about this character, and the first of many set in this fantasy world.
The world that Pierce has created, starting with this volume, is rich and complex. We only get to see a tiny part in this volume, but that i...more

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Jan 02, 2012 Evangeline Warren rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites

This has to be one of my favorite books ever. I received this book and the second one when I must have been around eight. I kept them close and read them over and over again, not realizing that the series continued. When I figured it out, I immediately went to Barnes and Noble to purchase all of the Tortallan books. To say the least, I was hooked.

The characters are engaging, the dialogue is witty and the plot is well paced. Since I was so young the first time I read it, I went back a number of t...more

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topics	posts	views	last activity
Best Fiction for Women! Young and Old!	13	82	May 14, 2013 02:25pm
What's The Name o...: YA Fantasy book about twins (brother & sister) trading places in a world where the women usually enter monastery type facilities and the men usually go and become fighters. [s]	8	30	May 13, 2013 05:25am
What to read after Tamora Pierce?	91	481	Mar 25, 2013 07:13am
2013 Hub Reading ...: Song Of The Lioness	5	9	Feb 15, 2013 08:57pm
Does anybody else think this book could SOOOOOO be a movie????	85	148	Feb 12, 2013 08:00pm
Alanna: The First Adventure	2	38	Jan 13, 2013 01:06pm

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About Tamora Pierce

Hey, folks! I just discovered that apparently I have given some very popular books single-star ratings--except I haven't. How do I know I haven't? Because I haven't read those books at all. So before you go getting all hacked off at me for trashing your favorites, know that I've written GoodReads to find out what's going on.

I return to my regularly scheduled profile:
Though I would love to join gro...more Hey, folks! I just discovered that apparently I have given some very popular books single-star ratings--except I haven't. How do I know I haven't? Because I haven't read those books at all. So before you go getting all hacked off at me for trashing your favorites, know that I've written GoodReads to find out what's going on.

I return to my regularly scheduled profile:
Though I would love to join groups, I'm going to turn them all down. I just don't have the time to take part, so please don't be offended if I don't join your group or accept an invitation. I'm not snooty--I'm just up to my eyeballs in work and appearances!

Also, don't be alarmed by the number of books I've read. When I get bored, I go through the different lists and rediscover books I've read in the past. It's a very evil way to use up time when I should be doing other things. Obviously, I've read a lot of books in 54 years!

I was born in South Connellsville, PA. My mother wanted to name me "Tamara" but the nurse who filled out my birth certificate misspelled it as "Tamora". When I was 8 my family moved to California, where we lived for 6 years on both sides of the San Francisco peninsula.

I started writing stories in 6th grade. My interest in fantasy and science fiction began when I was introduced to ‘The Lord of the Rings’ by J. R. R. Tolkien and so I started to write the kind of books that I was reading. After my parents divorced, my mother took my sisters and me back to Pennsylvania in 1969. There I went to Albert Gallatin Senior High for 2 years and Uniontown Area Senior High School for my senior year.

After graduating from the University of Pennsylvania, I wrote the book that became The Song of the Lioness fantasy quartet. I sold some articles and 2 short stories and wrote reviews for a martial arts movie magazine. At last the first book of the quartet, Alanna: The First Adventure was published by Atheneum Books in 1983.

Tim Liebe, who became my Spouse-Creature, and I lived in New York City with assorted cats and two parakeets from 1982 - 2006. In 2006 we moved to Syracuse, New York, where we live now with assorted cats, a number of squirrels, birds, raccoons, skunks, opossums, and woodchucks visiting our very small yard. As of 2011, I have 27 novels in print, one short story collection, one comic book arc ("White Tiger: A Hero's Compulsion") co-written with Tim, and a short story anthology co-editing credit. There's more to come, including a companion book to the Tortall `verse. So stay tuned!(less)

More about Tamora Pierce...

Books by Tamora Pierce

In the Hand of the Goddess (Song of the Lioness, #2)

Lioness Rampant (Song of the Lioness, #4)

The Woman Who Rides Like a Man (Song of the Lioness, #3)

Trickster's Queen (Daughter of the Lioness, #2)

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Trivia About Alanna: The First...

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Quotes from Alanna: The First Adve...

“Alanna: All I know is that I'm to jump when I'm told and I have no free time.” — 87 people liked it

“I truly love our Code of Chivalry. We are taught that noblemen must take everything and say nothing. Noblemen must stand alone. Well, we're men, and men aren't born to stand alone.
-Myles of Olau” — 77 people liked it

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BBCode	[url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13831.Alanna?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book][img]http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1348885690l/13831.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13831.Alanna?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book]Alanna: The First Adventure by Tamora Pierce[/url]

Alanna: The First Adventure (Song of the Lioness #1)

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