Series: Tortall by Tamora Pierce ("Alanna: The First Adventure")

[Francisca]

Hello all! I'm excited to revisit one of my favorite series as a kid - I hope they're as good as my twelve-year-old self remembers them to be!

I'm planning on starting Alanna: The First Adventure tomorrow afternoon, and am going to try to keep myself to a chapter a day, so I should be done in a week. Let me know if you all had a different timing in mind (I read quickly - too quickly sometimes - so I'm up for anything) :D

[Allison, Fairy Mod-mother]

Yesss!! Very excited. I am just now gifting this to a couple of kids who are the age I was when I found Tamora, and I am trying not to be too overbearing about it.

"So, scale of 10-12, where 10 is this is the best book you've ever read, and 12 is just heart eye emoji forever, how much do you love this book?"

[Allison, Fairy Mod-mother]

I know I won't have much time tomorrow, so I read Ch. 1 tonight. It's so good seeing old friends again!

[Aleksandra]

Hi guys! Never did a buddy read but I'll try with this one :) chapter per day is fine for me, although I read fast so maybe I'll finish it before.

[Ashley in Wonderland]

I was thinking of starting this on the 15th since I’m trying to finish two others right now, but I may jump in sooner (maybe tonight!) I’ve been so busy with Christmas prep that I haven’t made much time to read! :(

[Allison, Fairy Mod-mother]

No promises, but I have a very strong feeling that this thread will still be here on the 15th ;-)

[Francisca]

No worries Ashley - reading should be the last thing causing stress, at Christmas or otherwise :)

I finished the first chapter on the bus - I like how Pierce just jumps into things. Also, the dad is one of my favorite non-characters ever: (view spoiler)[ so far as I remember, he actually never shows up beyond the first line of this chapter, but he has such Presence at a distance. Quite the subtle commentary on the absent father. (hide spoiler)]

[Aleksandra]

I liked first chapter, and looks like I'm gonna like complete series :) this is my first reading, and I always feel small regret because I didn't read this kind of books when I was younger (most of them were never translated on my native tong, and my english was poor at the time). (view spoiler)[ one sentence got my attention: "It's harder to heal than it is to kill." I've always admired writers how they are able to put lifetime truths in few words, especially when they writing for the kids... simple sentence, but couldn't forget it. I have a feeling it will be Alanna's shadow. /spoiler> (hide spoiler)]

[Allison, Fairy Mod-mother]

Really well said, Aleksandra! So true. If you like that, I think you'll really like this book :)

Agreed, Francisca! It's such a tone-setting formation.

[Francisca]

Good catch Aleksandra - and I think you'll like the rest of the series. :)

I feel like the first chapter just sets up the whole book so well and has a lot of foreshadowing of future themes in the series (insofar as I remember them): (view spoiler)[ certainly Alanna's insistence on proving herself worthy / the whole woman-being-a-knight-tension, but also I vaguely remember the twin's relationship not being so healthy and you sort of see that from the beginning. Thom is a bit too eager and selfish... (hide spoiler)]

Also, it's a good thing I'm reading other books - it took a lot of self control to not keep reading, haha

[Aleksandra]

I'm forcing myself not to read until tomorrow, it's really hard :D

[Aleksandra]

So I've read second chapter.. (view spoiler)[ highlight of the chapter: "Do you like Court, Alan of Trebond? I don't know -she replied honestly- I could let you know in a couple of days." I burst out laughing :D I really like honest and kind of naive kids, maybe because I was like that. Francisca, you were totally right about their father! (hide spoiler)]

[Travis]

Hi, all, I read the first one a couple of months ago, so I'm not rereading. But I'm following along and plan to jump in when you start Book 2.

[Francisca]

Well, if you've read the second chapter you've now properly met my favorite character: (view spoiler)[ George (hide spoiler)]. :)

Also, Alanna is just so frank and honest, it's sort of adorable (view spoiler)[ (except about her sex, of course, and even there it bothers her to hide it) (hide spoiler)].

[Allison, Fairy Mod-mother]

He's my favorite, too, Francisca! I just love him to bits.

I think Alanna is so rascally. She's feisty and hotheaded all the time. I like that we see her personality from the get go--the good and the parts that we just know will get her into trouble!

[Allison, Fairy Mod-mother]

Read Ch. 2 tonight! (view spoiler)[ I also forgot we meet Myles now. He's my second favorite. I love that she meets Gary, who's basically everything she's not. He's patient where she's rash, calculated where she's impulsive...it really sets the dynamic up! (hide spoiler)]

[Francisca]

The first day of class scene is great - as is the (view spoiler)[ moment when she tries to give up and Coram totally ignores her (hide spoiler)]

And there are lots of pairs of opposites going on in the book in general: (view spoiler)[ Thom and Alanna, Coram and Maude, Gary and Alanna, Myles and the all other amorphous professors (and specifically a professor we haven't met yet), to some extent the Duke of Naxen and Alanna's father... (hide spoiler)]

Whose excited for the (view spoiler)[ impending dramatic fight scenes (hide spoiler)] in chapter three?! :D

[Aleksandra]

First thing I did this morning was chapter 3 :D
(view spoiler)[ Looks like I'm gonna love George except the ear thing :) it was a good fight, always happy to see the bully beaten. Big like for Alanna's guts! I also like Myles, looks like he will help Alanna find her way being a knight. (hide spoiler)]

[Francisca]

Hahaha, I read it last night thinking "well, it's almost midnight..." :P

(view spoiler)[ Welcome to the George fan club! I like to think the ears are a vague threat that no one's dared to take him up on...
And Myles is great too - I love the conversation at the end of the chapter about what it means to be a bully. I also like how this chapter establishes both Alanna's headstrong independence but also forces her to ask for help. (hide spoiler)]

[Travis]

Reading all of these comments makes me wonder if any of you have read Lynn Flewelling's Tamír Triad... I don't think it's a spoiler (it's part of cover text, but I'll be safe) to say that (view spoiler)[.its heroine also has to be disguised as a boy. The difference is that she's not in on the secret... It makes for many interesting comparisons between that trilogy and the Tortall books. (hide spoiler)]

[Allison, Fairy Mod-mother]

Travis wrote: "Reading all of these comments makes me wonder if any of you have read Lynn Flewelling's Tamír Triad... I don't think it's a spoiler (it's part of cover text, but I'll be safe) to say that [spoilers..."

You have been all about that book! I'll have to prioritize it :) I think it could be a ton of fun to compare the two.

[Elena]

I've never actually read this, and somehow, almost accidentally, just jumped in. :)

I've stopped somewhere in chapter 3, (view spoiler)[right after the fight, which was quite awesome, by the way! I loved it most that Alanna wanted to do it herself, (hide spoiler)] and I'm really enjoying it so far!

The book seems really fun, full of action, but it also somehow gives off a feeling of warmth. It's a shame I didn't read this as a kid, but better late than never. :)

[Francisca]

Welcome Elena! I’m glad you’re enjoying it - I’m certainly enjoying rereading :)

(view spoiler)[ Alanna certainly has an independence streak - though I like that she has to learn to turn to others for help in going it alone, like her lessons with George and Coram. It’s the difference between depending on others and being dependent: I quote (from her one of her exchanges with Myles): “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.” “Nobles are,” Alanna replied. “Or they have to. Isn’t that the same thing?” Myles shook his head. “No, it isn’t.” (hide spoiler)]

[Hillary]

Y'all convinced me it was time to re-read this book. I remembered liking it when I first read it, when I was probably in middle school, but what stayed with me was basically just a memory of Alanna's character & goals. I was wondering how it would hold up & if I would still recommend it to the middle-schooler in my life.

I think it does & I will definitely be asking the aforementioned middle schooler if she's interested in the series. (Also, I've definitely been drawn into reading the rest of the Tortall expanse. I think the Song of the Lioness books are the only ones I've read before. I know I haven't read some of the newer ones.)

Gotta say, though ... isn't there something a little creepy about the way George enters the story? He's great in a conversation at the pub, (view spoiler)[ but I thought the meet-cute was a little stalkerish, dreams of divine intervention or not.

BTW, I actually can't remember who A. ends up with at the end of the quartet; I'm assuming she does end up in a romantic pairing & that it's either Jonathan or George (hide spoiler)]

[Aleksandra]

Hi Hillary, welcome to buddy read :)
I've read 4th (view spoiler)[ it was quite dramatic, that's overall impression... liked that Alanna found courage to face the power she has within. Also wondering what are the other's gifts, Jonathan's especially. And her conversation with the king and queen, she's so much hurt and in pain because of her father. (hide spoiler)] and 5th chapter (view spoiler)[ she's started to have issues with breasts, wondering how she's gonna deal with all the other things until she's 18... like the scene with swimming or thinking about voice change :) I believe that puberty will not be so easy even in the book :) I think I've met bad guy, professor Roger... also, is there any symbolic behind Alanna and Jon getting beautiful horses from George? Mare and stallion, white and black? (hide spoiler)] :D

[Allison, Fairy Mod-mother]

Ooo, really good connections Aleksandra. It continues the balance of opposites we've been noticing :)

[Allison, Fairy Mod-mother]

And agreed, Hillary (view spoiler)[that was a little stalkerish, but I've justified it over the years that he's the head of essentially a network of informants. If he feels the Gift nudging him to notice something and he says to his lieutenants "keep an eye on the purple-eyed, redhead there," it's not like it would be hard lol. Not many of those wandering around and pages are almost always at the palace. But I may be making excuses for my boy George ;-) (hide spoiler)]

[Francisca]

Welcome Hilary! I'm so glad more people are joining in!

I do remember who A ends up with, but I think the romance starts in book 2, so I'll comment (view spoiler)[ ahem, quibble (hide spoiler)] then.

I mostly agree with Allison on George: (view spoiler)[ though I think some of my feelings of iffyness come from knowing she's a girl and of course he doesn't know that - she's just a very unusual page who clearly needs some friends.

Also, this is sort of when I started disliking her brother: he's also conspicuously absent in the rest of the book and her inability to understand friendship that's not based on some sort of quid pro quo has to stem from the fact that Thom was her only companion for so long... Some of it is that she's so desperate to fit in that she doesn't realize people might like her on her own terms (this I think becomes a running theme in the quartet...), but her confusion at George wanting to sell her a horse! Seriously! (hide spoiler)]

We're almost done with book one! Chapter 6, if I'm not mistaken, contains one of my favorite scenes in all the books... :D

Consequently - do you guys want to dive into book 2 immediately? I sort of like the chapter a day pace - I'd normally be gulping them up and this gives time to discuss! :)

[Aleksandra]

Or maybe two chapters per day? :D

[Francisca]

Ahahahahaha - I'd be up for that :P

[John]

Francisca wrote: "Ahahahahaha - I'd be up for that :P"

Ok I'm lost here which book is this here? as I can't find it.

[Aleksandra]

First comment in this discussion, Francisca's, has info about first book in the series, Alanna: The First Adventure.
Book 2 is next In the Hand of the Goddess as per Goodreads info :) we start with this tomorrow.

[Aleksandra]

Francisca wrote: "We're almost done with book one! Chapter 6, if I'm not mistaken, contains one of my favorite scenes in all the books... :D"

Is it (view spoiler)[ George finding out Alan is Alanna? :D (hide spoiler)]
I've read complete book, today is 7th day so there's no much cheating :)
After 6th chapter have to admit that this book little reminded me of Heralds of Valdemar (view spoiler)[ gifts, special sword, not knowing much about magic and disregarding and its possibilities, lead character is a girl... only thing missing are talking horses :) (hide spoiler)] but in my opinion Tamora's work is better.
7th chapter: (view spoiler)[ so glad that Jon accepted Alanna, especially because both George and Coram told her that her friends will like her no matter what, and this came as confirmation. Hope that in the future she will not be so doubtful about herself. Also, didn't like Jon's strong rejection about Roger, but plot wouldn't be so interesting if he actually accepted Alanna's opinion. (hide spoiler)]

[John]

Aleksandra wrote: "First comment in this discussion, Francisca's, has info about first book in the series, Alanna: The First Adventure.
Book 2 is next In the Hand of the Goddess as per Good..."

Yes Ma'am, Now is that Sunday or Monday? As I'm going to download and purchase it right now.

[Aleksandra]

John wrote: "Yes Ma'am, Now is that Sunday or Monday? As I'm going to download and purchase it right now. "

Monday :)

[John]

Aleksandra wrote: "John wrote: "Yes Ma'am, Now is that Sunday or Monday? As I'm going to download and purchase it right now. "

Monday :)"

Ok Got it and the book is downloaded Thanks.

[Allison, Fairy Mod-mother]

A lot of the YA "magic school" books feel a little similar, it's true. I haven't finished Herald Mage of Valdemar but (view spoiler)[Is the main character not a boy in the next books? It was about a young gay man in the first one (hide spoiler)]

I was a little surprised that the scene in Ch. 6 (view spoiler)[with Mistress Cooper felt transphobic to me now. We've never had a reason to suspect that Alanna saw herself as a boy, but I wonder if Tamora would have worded this differently had it been written now. (hide spoiler)]

And yes, the scene in Ch. 6 (view spoiler)[where George learns about her (hide spoiler)] is up there for me of best moments.

I really like how Tamora writes friendships. This is such a good reminder for young people (and maybe not so young) that families can be chosen, and that friendship is always given, never bought. I love how that's explored and tested throughout the story.

[Aleksandra]

Allison wrote: "A lot of the YA "magic school" books feel a little similar, it's true. I haven't finished Herald Mage of Valdemar but [spoilers removed] "

I've read books in publication order (view spoiler)[ so gay boy comes later (didn't read it,), first trilogy and few books after have girl as a lead hero. (hide spoiler)]

[Allison, Fairy Mod-mother]

Aleksandra wrote: "Allison wrote: "A lot of the YA "magic school" books feel a little similar, it's true. I haven't finished Herald Mage of Valdemar but [spoilers removed] "

I've read books in publication order [spo..."

OOOH. Okay. I haven't read those yet :)

[Francisca]

So yes, my favorite scene is (view spoiler)[ just the whole first part of chapter 6. I think it's comically perfect while still making the point that she has no female mentors (seriously, her whole reaction to her period is pitch perfect). Also, Mistress Cooper completes the trio of favorite characters who aren't Alanna (the first two being George and Myles of course). :D (hide spoiler)]

I like your point about friendships Aleksandra (view spoiler)[ and I think in general she explores a lot the question of being accepted for who we are and being OK with that. I think Jon's almost non-reaction helps: it's nice to see her gaining confidence in her own abilities there at the end. (hide spoiler)]

Allison - (view spoiler)[ I didn't notice anything specifically in the scene with Mistress Cooper, but I tend to not notice things, lol. In light of the cultural changes in the last few decades, I'll be interested to see what we think of the romance in book two - one of my general quibbles is that I keep forgetting how young Alanna is in most of the books and when I remember it feels confusing. I think she's fourteen at the end of this one? (hide spoiler)]

ON TO BOOK TWO!!! Three guesses who the villain is :P

[John]

Francisca wrote: "So yes, my favorite scene is [spoilers removed]

I like your point about friendships Aleksandra [spoilers removed]

Allison - [spoilers removed]

ON TO BOOK TWO!!! Three guesses who the villain is :P"

I've got a sneaking suspiscion of whom it is. You read it so I don't tell me. Ok Book 2 here I come. LOL

[Francisca]

Actually, that's an interesting point about this first book: there really isn't a clear villain, at least throughout. Certainly (view spoiler)[ Ralon is pretty awful, but in a temporary-obstacle sort of way. And then there's the whoever sends the Sweating Sickness, and I guess the Ysandir at the end, but this all are backdrops in the general "Alanna gains confidence in herself, figures stuff out (about herself mostly), and deepens friendships" thrust which is really what drives the plot.

I think this book is also a great example of how to end a book with lots of unfinished plot lines to be continued in the sequels, but with a satisfying finish. You get a sense of closure, and want to know what happens next without that awful "oh my gosh what's going to happen" cliffhanger feeling. (hide spoiler)]

[Rachel]

Hey group - thinking of getting eldest niece a book - maybe this one - Allanas etc, or A Wrinkle in Time(which I loved but can’t remember it or my age).

She will be just turning 10. What do you think?

[Allison, Fairy Mod-mother]

Rachel wrote: "Hey group - thinking of getting eldest niece a book - maybe this one - Allanas etc, or A Wrinkle in Time(which I loved but can’t remember it or my age).

She will be just turning 10. What do you th..."

I am giving this series to a 10 year old. I think that's the perfect age, personally. Wrinkle In Time is also good, but I liked this one better, personally.

[Rachel]

Hmm - spouse just point d out that AWiT is about to b a movie though so that’s in its favor..hmm

[Allison, Fairy Mod-mother]

[Francisca]

Oops, I was about to say the exact opposite of Allison. I read these and WinT when I was ten, but liked Wrinkle in Time better. But hey, either way!

[John]

Francisca wrote: "Actually, that's an interesting point about this first book: there really isn't a clear villain, at least throughout. Certainly Ralon is pretty awful, but in a temporary-obstacle sort of way. And ..."

Your right in the First book there wasn't a clear villain which surprised me.

[Aleksandra]

And we are starting! (view spoiler)[ Like in the first chapter of first book when Alanna was advised to heal, now she is advised to learn to love... This one is also going to stay with me: "They'll ask me to give them parts of me. I want to keep me for myself. I don't want to give me away." I like Tamora's approach, we get to know important things and plot reveal in the beginning.
Big like for purrfect pet, reason to love this book even more!
Francisca, she's fifteen, scene with Roger and Faithful happened after her birthday. (hide spoiler)]

[John]

How are you hiding the spoilers? I want to post but I don't want to give things away.