This review will be looking at the whole series.
I have to admit I amazed that some how in my adolesence of female oriented fantasy reading I never picked up the Alanna Quartet. The series is most definately unique in the world of fantasy directed to girls;the sex is frank, the main character has the unique attributes of red hair and violet eyes but is at one point described as short and stocky, she works to callous her hands, and has chosen the road that will most definatly at the end of her life leave her with a great deal of physical scars. And this still seems utterly refreshing twenty years later. Although, there can be clunky bits through out this series, I must applaud Tamora Pierce for giving young women and girls a heroine that in the end holds her own. I admit at times I was yelling at Alanna's insecurities for the simple fact that this character was such a strong warrior, but in the end Alanna is not a perfect character and maybe that is why the character is better for that.