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Squire (Protector of the Small #3)

by Tamora Pierce (Goodreads Author)

4.2 of 5 stars 4.20 · rating details · 19,851 ratings · 304 reviews

When Kel is chosen by the legendary Lord Raoul to be his squire, the conservatives of the realm hardly think she’s up to the job. Kel earns respect and admiration among the men, as well as the affection of a fellow squire.
“This feminist fantasy is a delightful read.”—KLIATT

Paperback, 432 pages

Published October 25th 2011 by Bluefire (first published May 22nd 2001)

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Apr 20, 2013 lisa rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: mine-mine-mine, 2010, 2013

04/13: it doesn't matter how often i read these books, i inevitably spend half the time clutching the book to my chest and declaring my love for all of the characters and crying about how much i love everyone.

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09/10: oh my god raoul, there aren't enough heart-hands IN THE WORLD. he is so good and smart and funny and amazing! he has such faith in kel and in the system, and i mean, seriously, people with stupid amounts of honor are such a turn-on for me, and hfurevhreu RAOUL.

neal telling kel w...more

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Jul 02, 2012 Ryan rated it 5 of 5 stars

Squire is my favorite book in the series. It is very much the "coming of age" book for its main protagonist, Kel. She has graduated from page training and become a squire, ready to be trained in the field by a knight...if only one would pick her. Most of her friends have been snapped up already, and most of the knights who intend to take squires for training have already made their choices. It leaves her feeling morose, believing that nobody would want "the girl" to train.

Luckily, she is proven...more Squire is my favorite book in the series. It is very much the "coming of age" book for its main protagonist, Kel. She has graduated from page training and become a squire, ready to be trained in the field by a knight...if only one would pick her. Most of her friends have been snapped up already, and most of the knights who intend to take squires for training have already made their choices. It leaves her feeling morose, believing that nobody would want "the girl" to train.

Luckily, she is proven wrong when Sir Raoul, a knight who has made a few past appearances, chooses her. At first, she believes it's out of pity, or because he was asked to by his friend Alanna, the first Lady Knight of Tortall, who has a vested interest in her success. But Raoul has his own reasons, and they are enough to convince Kel of his sincerity. Raoul knows of her past successes, when she had to take charge of some of her fellow pages when those who should have been leading them found themselves unable to handle the pressure. He knows that, with the right training, she could be a brilliant leader.

And so her training begins, as she travels with a company of warriors called the King's Own, commanded by Raoul himself. Much like previous books in the series, the challenges begin immediately, as she has to prove her skills to her fellow warriors and start dealing with the nitty-gritty aspects of battles, starting with tracking a band of thieves and murderers across the countryside. Meanwhile, the greater world doesn't stop turning, as the Prince is betrothed to a foreign noble and the Royal family takes two years to travel around Tortall in a Grand Progress to celebrate. Kel proves her skill in jousting tournaments while her Knight-master does everything he can to avoid the pomp and circumstance. But their visits to the Grand Progress never last long, as there is always a new crisis to deal with.

Kel continues to grow up during the story, living out her later teenage years as adulthood, and the ominous "final test" she will face to earn her knighthood, loom before her. The escalating tensions between Tortall and one of its neighbors finally reach the breaking point, and war breaks out. And the enemies have a special surprise that appears near the end of the book.

Meanwhile, Kel has dealt with teenage crushes, the usual prejudices she has experienced ever since becoming a page, combat with bandits and some of the first few battles of the newly-begun war before she has to face her last test: a night spent in an ancient chamber that will force her to confront her greatest fears and worst nightmares, a night during which she is not allowed to speak a single word.

Squire does an excellent job introducing new characters while retaining old favorites without making the cast seem overly crowded. It also keeps the reader interested and weaves a wonderful plot, despite being the same length as the previous two books combined. Kel continues acting as a "Protector of the Small" by taking in a baby griffon stolen from its parents, helping villagers rebuild their home after a bandit raid, and looking after the various animals she's taken into her care since the beginning of the series. Additionally, the end of the book sets up the final book in the series, giving Kel a mission that she must complete, one that will prevent a great deal of bloodshed and terror, one that she must not fail, at any cost.(less)

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May 16, 2012 Kathy Davie rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: children, fantasy, homey

Third in the Protector of the Small series within the overall Tortall series. It revolves around Keladry of Mindelan, the second girl in the kingdom who wants to become a knight.

My Take
Parents, you really do want your girls to read this whole series. It promotes equality for girls and boys and shows the pluses and minuses of one's reception when pursuing a dream. There are good and bad people in this series, just as there is in real life and Pierce provides plenty of examples of some good ways t...more

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May 02, 2012 Stephanie Jobe rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This volume always feels like the time flies by even though it is longer to account for the four years as a squire. The book opens with Kel stressing over having not been chosen as a squire, but that is quickly remedied when she is chosen by Lord Raoul and so she continues her adventures with the King’s Own. It always baffles me looking back that the griffin is only in Kel’s life for less than a book because the creature is definitely a presence. (I don’t quite consider this a spoiler as it is d...more

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Jun 14, 2011 Kaye rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2011, summer-2011, warning-do-not-read-this-book

This is the final straw. The last of Tamora Pierce's books I will read. Ever. As a matter of fact, I'm going to set a precedent for myself and not bother to give points for books that really have no redeemable qualities. Let's just call it an "abridged" review.

So here goes.

Morality - or, to be honest, a complete lack of. For only being fourteen years old, Kel already has a lot of knowledge that she shouldn't, if you know what I mean - and is harboring a crush on three, nay, she culled it down t...more

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Jun 04, 2011 Anne Toronto1 rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy

*** "Squire" (Protector of the Small 3) by Tamora Pierce is the aptly titled straightforward, almost daily journal style description of years 16-18 of the first girl in a century training to be a knight, including digging latrines, injuries, and deaths. Strong, brave, and smart, her first real fight, against a centaur, yields a baby griffin. His sharp claws and talons show her patience and fortitude, and proficiency of magic healers, as do her daily practice jousts against the King's Own elite t...more

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May 28, 2011 JoLee rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011, childrens-young-adult, audio

I liked Page, but I loved Squire. Kel is no longer a page, she is Lord Raoul's squire. Hooray for Lord Raoul. His is the perfect knight master for Kel. Much better than Alanna would have been (as much as I like Alanna). With Lord Raoul's guidance, Kel really grows as a soldier, a jouster, a friend, a person. She has a bit of a romance with Cleon. I am a fan, even if it seems destine not to work out, mostly because I love Cleon's terms of endearment ("oh moon of my soul" and other such nonsense)....more

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Apr 22, 2011 Robbie rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult, april-july-2011

I really enjoyed this book the character Kel is very strong in her beliefs and wants so much to be a good person. She always does her best no matter the difficulty, challenges or misfortune that comes her way. She takes crap from everyone and doesn't let it bother her. She fights back when she needs to, but she does not pick the fights if she can help it. She is also a very human character, she doesn't have any magic powers, she is just like every other young person who is trying to become a kni...more

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Oct 31, 2010 Allison rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, strong-female-lead, ya-teen, tween, girls-with-swords

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I liked this quartet as much as I do the rest of Tamora Pierce's Tortall books. (They automatically get 5 stars because Tortall is all wrapped up with fuzzy childhood feelings for me.) It took me a while to actually read this series, though, because I was too afraid that it would read exactly like the Alanna quartet. Fortunately, Kel's story, though similar to Alanna's, was refreshingly different.

First, the focus of Kel's knight training is much more on team work than was Alanna's story of the l...more I liked this quartet as much as I do the rest of Tamora Pierce's Tortall books. (They automatically get 5 stars because Tortall is all wrapped up with fuzzy childhood feelings for me.) It took me a while to actually read this series, though, because I was too afraid that it would read exactly like the Alanna quartet. Fortunately, Kel's story, though similar to Alanna's, was refreshingly different.

First, the focus of Kel's knight training is much more on team work than was Alanna's story of the lone knight heroine. Kel must learn to lead a squad and then command an entire refugee camp, doing such inglorious tasks as ordering supplies and helping to plow fields. While Alanna journies to find the Domion Jewel alone and takes on evil wizards alone, all of Kel's successes come because she knows how to successfully lead and work with those around her - animal and human (because what would a story about Tortall be if there weren't highly intelligent animals involved?).

Another interesting difference is the approach towards gender identity in each series. Alanna, forced to hide her gender from everyone, first fights against her developing body, bemoaning the fact that she has to be and become a girl. Her struggle is to accept her gender identity and incorporate it into her idea of herself. In contrast, Kel doesn't need to hide the fact that she is a girl going for her shield. Instead, her challenge is being the ONLY girl in a male dominated field. She has to put up with insults and slanders against her sex and learns early on that she does not want to DENY the fact that she is a girl. She purposefully wears dresses to dinner to remind everyone that she is a girl.

Another interesting difference is that Kel has only one short and rather unheated relationship (they're too busy and then too far away doing knightly duties to really do much more than sneak in the occasional kiss). Alanna on the other hand has quite a string of rather heated love affairs while she tries to figure out how to balance her various desires - for love (for lack of a better word) and for her shield. In contrast, Kel has a couple crushes but is much more focused on her knightly tasks, and the books end without pairing her off nicely with the most available boy (something that it seems like almost EVERY ya book is doing these days).

On another note, I found it strangely jarring to read about the adult Alanna (as I do whenever she pops up in another Tortall story). She seems so much more .... grizzled and hard than I read her during her own stories.

A big 5 stars for the Protector of the Small series.(less)

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Jul 19, 2010 Emma Michaels rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: reviewed

In this novel Kel has to go through four years as a squire before she can become a knight. For those of you who have read the first two books you will understand what I mean when I say: Yes! One step closer Kel just get through this and you will be a knight!!! Not to say that the adventure ends when she becomes a knight because in Lady Knight you realize the adventure is only just beginning but that is for my next review. In Squire Tamora Pierce as always hits the ball out of the park and makes...more

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Jul 19, 2010 Rhiannon Ryder rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Although completing her Big Test to become a Squire was an enormous challenge due to her enemies at court, Kel is quickly discovering that being a girl squire is making it almost as difficult to get a Knight Master to train with for the next four years. Worse still, Neal ends up with her dream canidate. But as fortune would have it, this leaves Keladry of Midelan free to become squire to one of the most influential knights of the Realm. Lord Raoul of Goldenlake, Commander of the Kings Own.

Of the...more

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May 01, 2013 Bridget Mckinney rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Squire is basically everything I could ever want in a Tamora Pierce book, and if this series ended here, I would be okay with that. Kel really is a wonderful heroine, and I loved getting to see her finally achieve her dream in this novel.

Things about Squire:
- I was very happy that the trial for Lalasa's attackers wasn't forgotten, and I really liked the way that played out.
- King Jonathan is a great character, and it's been really interesting to see how he has grown and changed over time throu

...more

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May 07, 2013 Ashley rated it 4 of 5 stars

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

Funnily enough, Squire follows our heroine, Keladry of Mindelan, through her years as a squire. I know, right? Who'd have guessed.

I'm not sure why I'm being so snarky about this, the book was lovely. At this point in the series, I'm not sure if there's any more apt of a word to describe Kel than to say she's 'steadfast.' She not only survives her (3-4?) years as a squire -- and she squires for no less of a knight than Raoul of Goldenlake, the commander of the King's Own, protectors of the realm...more Funnily enough, Squire follows our heroine, Keladry of Mindelan, through her years as a squire. I know, right? Who'd have guessed.

I'm not sure why I'm being so snarky about this, the book was lovely. At this point in the series, I'm not sure if there's any more apt of a word to describe Kel than to say she's 'steadfast.' She not only survives her (3-4?) years as a squire -- and she squires for no less of a knight than Raoul of Goldenlake, the commander of the King's Own, protectors of the realm -- she thrives. Not to say that she isn't presented with challenges, because she is. She has to prove to almost every person she encounters that she deserves to be where she's at. They come at her with derision and violence, and she defeats them by doing nothing more than being herself: a skilled fighter and commander in training with a knack for winning the loyalty of others (be it human, animal, or immortal).

Squire also serves as a sort of pivot point for the series. Kel's old adversaries either admit defeat (Lord Wyldon (view spoiler)) or are defeated, but not always by what you would expect (Joren and Vinson, the bullies from books one and two (view spoiler)). But as soon as old adversaries are removed from Kel's path, new ones begin to show their faces. Scanran raids grow ever more frequent during Kel's years as a squire until finally they are on the brink of all out war. The appearance of a mysterious, strong, and new mechanical foe on the side of the Scanrans heralds things to come in book four. Kel, newly knighted, will no doubt have a place in those events.

Oh, and also, there be some romance in the mix for the adolescent Kel. I can't say that I'm all attached to the idea of (view spoiler), but I do like that Pierce is so dedicated to providing Kel with an authentic teenage experience, even as the rest of her life is so different, not only from our experiences in the real world, but from the experiences of girls in her own fictional world. (less)

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Feb 03, 2013 Monica&spikey rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites, tamora-pierce

Plot: 5/5
Ah… I love this. Just as I love everything by Tamora Pierce. WE got more details in this one, which was my main complaint about the plot of Page. Kel is Raoul’s squire (Raoul!) And since he’s the commander of the Kings Own, her squiredom was (Apparently) not very conventional, but it was fun and I loved it. We also finally went on the Grand Progress, and I enjoyed that very much.

Characters: 5/5
Kel: I feel like her character keeps on improving with each book. Well… I suppose that’s the p...more

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May 23, 2011 Iskreads rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 6th-mohan

I read Squire by Tamora Pierce. It is a great novel and I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. It fully captures the spirit of the Middle Ages in a fun and gripping way. Plus, Tamora writes with such enthusiasm and depth that it's hard not to fall in love with her books. Basically, it's about a girl who is training to become a knight. She is in her squire year, hence the title 'Squire'. Tamora Pierce is a feminist and I think she can really express that with this book. The whole story is basically abo...more

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Jan 07, 2013 Tam B. rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I read this complete series in a very short space of time so am going to review as a series rather than the individual books.

I discovered Tamora Pierce when I was the target YA audience and read and adored Alanna. Every so often I would re-read these and then I went on to read the Trickster books (and re-read them).

Kelandry is the first girl to try for her knighthood since it was declared possible. I liked how the author dealt with similar elements (bullying, acceptance) that both Alanna and Kel...more

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Jul 23, 2010 Tricia rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. The Good: Squire is my favorite book of the series so far, this one was great. I fell right into the story just surrounded with the plot. I liked the character relationships that developed between Raoul and one of the Riders [I forgot her name, starts with a B:]. A friend from Kel's past comes to visit in an interesting way bringing others as well. Then there is the romance that begins with a certain someone who is a year ahead of her, or is it two, not so sure. Some of the bully crew gets what...more

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Mar 19, 2013 Minie rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: series

Much better read than the last. Kel's growing into a young lady (or not much of a lady I should say).. Although the author did a great job of portraying a determined young woman who endures and achieves so much at such a Young age, she's better than most pages/squires and outthinks everyone.. In her class.. Plays with swords.. Puts up a good Fights and yet.. She's still a girl. She wears a dress to say.. Hey! I'm doing all this 'male' stuff and I'm proud to be a girl.. THE GIRL.. She's not asham...more Much better read than the last. Kel's growing into a young lady (or not much of a lady I should say).. Although the author did a great job of portraying a determined young woman who endures and achieves so much at such a Young age, she's better than most pages/squires and outthinks everyone.. In her class.. Plays with swords.. Puts up a good Fights and yet.. She's still a girl. She wears a dress to say.. Hey! I'm doing all this 'male' stuff and I'm proud to be a girl.. THE GIRL.. She's not ashamed or wished she was born a boy.. And says so too throughout this series. She has crushes on male characters she sees most.. Or interact with...First Neal and then Dom and finally sets on Cleon.. Even though Dom still made her feel 'something'... Isn't this the most common adolescent feelings any girl this age can feel?? Jumping from one crush to another? Very refreshing to me.. Even with some who've read this and thinks that she's too 'free' with her feelings.. It's a natural feeling! I've had many growing up in my teens! And girl (even boys) can relate to this...a sense of giddiness or contentment when ur near or talking or hanging with ur crush.. And not being able to say or do anything about it.. Gotta love those early teen years!

Aside from the great portrayal of moving from a child to an adolescent to a true woman (lady knight)... The story moves you through a more interesting life of a squire.. The interaction and challenges she faces with the other knights.. Her knight master.. And being at war and proving herself. I do feel like the author gave Kel a bit too much credit on being able to command men.. At such an early age... Considering most of these other knights are a lot older and with more experience. I understand that some people are natural leaders but that's pushing it toward a bit too fictional.. (I know.. This whole story is fictional and magic is too.. But hey! This is my review!)

Overall story characters interests are all there and it keeps u going. Good reads! Moving on to the next!

(less)

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Jul 12, 2012 Sophie rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, fiction, read-in-2012, young-adult

I love this book. The Keladry books are quickly becoming one of my favorite Tortall series…es. I'm sad that I only have one more to go!

A lot of things happen in this book, but what fascinates me most is the stuff about the Chamber of the Ordeal. Throughout the book, Kel goes to touch the door of the Chamber, and it shows her something different each time--whatever her greatest fear is at that moment. When she finally goes in for her turn, (view spoiler)...more

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Jun 23, 2008 Alissa rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I like this book because:

It has a lot of action,it's funny,and there is a lot of
challenges she must face, especially becoming a knight.
With a fear of heghts Kel must climb the highest part of the
palace to rescue her friend (who is actually her maid)and her dog,Jump,from unknown kidnappers, and many more challenges that come with being the leader of "The kings own" squire.

Now I need the last book, Knight.

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Aug 01, 2011 Brittany rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction

The third book of the "Protector of the Small" series, Squire (obviously by the title) encapsulates the four years Kel spends as a squire. The beginning of the book she is wrought with concern that despite making it through her page studies, no knight will choose her to be their squire. However, she is finally chosen by Sir Raoul but mixed with bittersweet feelings as her best friend, Neal, goes to work with her insipration, Lady Knight Alanna. Raoul and Kel are well matched and (of course) our...more

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Feb 24, 2011 Nata rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Kel, the second female knight in the realm of Tortall, is on her way to the final test of knighthood. Kel had been the first to go as a girl, for Alanna, the first female knight, had posed as a boy. Nothing could have prepared her for the taunts and threats and insults she would receive, even some of the teachers had hidden prejudices towards her. But this was supposed to be over, as a squire, things were supposed to change, but Kel will have to work before things change for her, and for the gir...more

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Sep 23, 2011 Erin rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: teen girls, anyone who likes fantasy with strong female characters

Shelves: audiobooks, adventure, fantasy, magic, setting-doorway, story-and-character-doorways, ya-fiction

Listening to Bernadette Dunne read this book was so exciting I hated to get out of my car. In fact, I sat in my driveway a couple of times just to hear "a little bit more" before I shut off my engine and went inside. It's a longer book than First Test and Page because it encompasses all four years of Kel's time as Raoul's squire, including some very exciting battle scenes and tournaments.

I appreciated the realism of Kel's crushes on Cleon and Dom and how she struggled to figure out how to handl...more

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May 17, 2009 Libby rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites, tamora-pierce, young-adult

This was an amazing, descriptive, pulling and enticing book. Pierce's writing capabilities and overall style was greatly improved, showing through to this book. It was filled with an amazing air for detail and quality, and I loved the rainbow wave of emotions Kel overtook. Pierce was a amazing author before, but there is no doubt she has improved, which stuns me even more, as I held her in the best author's spot yet before these books--Now she by far surpasses any other.
What I admire is that Kel...more

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Sep 20, 2011 Christey Foster rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

From the point-of-view of the young Keledry of Mindelan, who is earning her shield to become a knight, Kel is now serving as a squire to Knightmaster Raoul. While Pierce’s writing in this novel is somewhat simplistic, the fact that Kel herself is only in her early teens really makes this acceptable and expected. Although the writing is somewhat young and simple, the diction itself maintains some maturity. Given the fact that Kel herself is a mature, level-headed girl the language throughout the...more

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Jun 30, 2011 Emily added it · review of another edition

I have read this series at least once a year since the first time I got it. Pierce's portrayal of a young girl striving to accomplish a dream while being looked down on by many because of her gender was something that I, although having never personally experienced sexism at that level, understood and appreciated. Keladry is a great heroine and her ability to remain calm in the face of enormous obstacles is inspiring to me each time I read the series. The books aren't perfect, there are a few in...more

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Oct 31, 2011 Katie rated it 5 of 5 stars

As part of a project of mine, I am reading some of my childhood favorites again. Part fun, part exploration - I expect to learn something about myself in the process.

Both First Test and Page are good books if a little short. So far, Squire has them beat in terms of length as this one is quite a bit longer. My biggest problem with the writing style is that there is too much reiterating, too much summary of what has already happened. I think it's a bit insulting - like saying we can't follow along...more As part of a project of mine, I am reading some of my childhood favorites again. Part fun, part exploration - I expect to learn something about myself in the process.

Both First Test and Page are good books if a little short. So far, Squire has them beat in terms of length as this one is quite a bit longer. My biggest problem with the writing style is that there is too much reiterating, too much summary of what has already happened. I think it's a bit insulting - like saying we can't follow along and remember this. At the same time, it makes it so you could read this book standalone without a lot of confusion. I know it's written for young-adults, but I just don't like this whole "and we are doing this because of what happened last time." I just don't feel we need those explanations.

That flaw, however, is fairly easy to overlook and ignore in the process of reading. Keladry is getting to be quite predictable in her actions - well, she was earlier on in the books as well but it is a little more pronounced now.

I think her crushes and the resulting relationship she has are well done. She has doubts, fears, and fluttering feelings. There are three different men that she has feelings for in this book, but that does not make her a fickle person. Someone reviewed that they really disliked Kel's lack of commitment - I think that for her age she was rather committed. Love's scary and Kel is afraid of being hurt. That's normal. Wanting to protect herself is normal. Romantic love, while great, will not always last. Until she's been with her hubby for a while longer and faced difficulties in the relationship, there's no need for commitment.

There's also the consideration of the time period this realm is set in. Girls were often married young and having children young in that type of setting. Love was not a part of the equation for most. Pierce adds the possibility of love to this type of time period rather realistically. While some may think of marriage as a wonderful commitment and worthy of pursuit, in Kel's world it is chains that tie her down - not to her man to keep her from straying, but from her freedom to be an independent, powerful and strong woman.

Of course, if she marries someone that truly loves her for who she is that wouldn't be an issue. However, her mom says it all when she mentions that they are but broads for breeding. Times are changing in Tortall though. There's hope that breeding won't be the focus and love a possibility.

Also, not very many people talk about this but the pregnancy charm? I view it as birth control. Yes, our birth control is not 100% effective but think of it this way - what guarantees that you are buying a real pregnancy charm? How long do they last? Is more active use (more sex) more draining on it? Can they break? Does physical damage ruin the charm? There are many possibilities for the pregnancy charm to fail. Kel's mother points out that she should be ready for children before lying with a man, but that the pregnancy charm can protect her. That implies that it might fail (or fail due to human error ie not wearing the charm). (less)

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May 20, 2011 Leon rated it 3 of 5 stars

One of the main things I didn't like was the romance thing. Kel did seem fickle at the beginning, and honestly, I was expecting more from Dom. I also found Joren's death a bit desappointing. I mean, he made a lot of fuss the first two books, and his death was very abrupt. There hardly seemed to be any thoughts afterwards about him after he gave Kel so much trouble. I kept expecting him to appear later with this grand scheme, kind of like Roger of Conté.
Other than that, I did like the book. Her...more

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Feb 26, 2013 Onaida rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Tamora Pierce freaks

It gets three stars instead of the two that I gave the first two books because, though it still is a lot like a fanfiction, it's much less disjointed (chapters CONNECT to each other) and there's actually a reason(!!!) that I would want to read this: some drama happens, there's a romance, fighting, etc. The parts with Cleon, her new boyfriend, are pretty realistic and he's a likable character; Kel's sort of pathetic little crush on Neal is over, and she goes through some actual changes, becoming...more

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Sep 20, 2011 S rated it 4 of 5 stars

One of my favorite things about this book is the strength of the language that Tamora Pierce uses. Because of how she uses words, the relationships between characters are clearly defined, the setting itself is clearly defined, and the prose is clear without being overly dramatic or excessively long. In a lot of ways, the story tells itself so well that the images of the battlefields and the campgrounds, of the marches and the mealtimes are practically engraved in my mind.

More than anything, I wo...more

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by Kate Constable

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

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

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)

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Trivia About Squire

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Quotes from Squire

“When people say a knight's job is all glory, I laugh and laugh and laugh. Often I can stop laughing before they edge away and talk about soothing drinks.” — 296 people liked it

“I'm sick of this. Call me what you like, say I'm without honor, I don't care. I'm not getting on any more horses to whack you people with a stick.” — 148 people liked it

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title link	preview: Squire
avg rating	preview: Squire Goodreads rating: 4.20 (19851 ratings)
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Squire (Protector of the Small #3)

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