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iowagirl's review
adventurous
challenging
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
ethias's review
2.0
The book was somewhat enjoyable. I wanted to like it more than I did since I love some other books by Tamora Pierce My main complaint is pacing and lack of conflict/stakes. A lot of the conflict was smaller and pretty easily resolved, which did dampen my enjoyment and make it difficult to get through. Had a hard time getting into the book and was often bored, ended up having to get an audio book instead and listened on 2.5X speed to avoid being bored. The ending didn’t feel like much of an ending it almost felt like it ended in the middle of a thought. I loved Arram in the other books so it kind of sucks to not enjoy a series all about him but it was honestly just kind of boring.
midici's review
4.0
This is the first new Tortall book I've read in years and I was swept back up into it instantly. Numair was always one of my favourite characters in the Immortals quartet. As Daine's teacher he was patient, knowledgeable, competent, and easy-going. As a mage he was devastatingly powerful. He was a man with an immense Gift and a dark past. While hints of it are revealed throughout the series, especially in Book 3, this trilogy is Numair's alone and focuses on his childhood in Carthak.
I have to say I really enjoy young Numair. His personality traits as an adult - his curiosity, his love of reading, his fascination with animals - are all there. It was so easy to imagining him getting into ridiculous trouble and I was happy to see him fall into a lot of it. There are a lot of characters in this first book; some familiar, some not, some very fleshed out and others less so. Varice is pretty, friendly, clever, and vastly underestimated due to her talents in cooking magic. Ozorne is a prince, one used to wealth and privilege, who is greatly interested in his own studies and enjoys animals as much as Numair. He is also prejudiced, with a quick temper and a habit of holding grudges.
I found it interesting that even as the three friends grow closer, there are cracks in their bonds immediately. Numair's power takes him to places his friends can't go: he consorts with animal gods, looks after sunbirds, plays with lightening snakes, and learns of a potential conspiracy surrounding the last heir's death. He is at heart a very compassionate character. He hates the slavery in Carthak, the useless slaughter of the gladiator rings, and unlike other mage students he doesn't think helping the poor is beneath him.
Varice and Ozorne are both more comfortable with the slavery in Carthak, not really considering the impact it has on people, as they don't consider slaves people. Varice has ambitions; she uses her charisma and charm to make friends in high places, and keep Ozorne happy. Ozorne can be cruel and likes to be the best at everything; he also has bouts of mood swings and instability that seem related to his father's death at the hand of rebels.
The three of them bring out the best in each other, but it is also shown that they aren't always honest with each other, and they have some fundamentally different beliefs. It's a little hard reading about how close they are as children since we know where this story ends, but I'm no less interested in seeing the rest.
Since we've seen Sarge I'm very curious to see how he goes from the gladiator ring to Tortall. We also see Lindhall Reed, Chioke, Tristan, and Gissa, all of whom make an appearance in the quartet.
I have to say I really enjoy young Numair. His personality traits as an adult - his curiosity, his love of reading, his fascination with animals - are all there. It was so easy to imagining him getting into ridiculous trouble and I was happy to see him fall into a lot of it. There are a lot of characters in this first book; some familiar, some not, some very fleshed out and others less so. Varice is pretty, friendly, clever, and vastly underestimated due to her talents in cooking magic. Ozorne is a prince, one used to wealth and privilege, who is greatly interested in his own studies and enjoys animals as much as Numair. He is also prejudiced, with a quick temper and a habit of holding grudges.
I found it interesting that even as the three friends grow closer, there are cracks in their bonds immediately. Numair's power takes him to places his friends can't go: he consorts with animal gods, looks after sunbirds, plays with lightening snakes, and learns of a potential conspiracy surrounding the last heir's death. He is at heart a very compassionate character. He hates the slavery in Carthak, the useless slaughter of the gladiator rings, and unlike other mage students he doesn't think helping the poor is beneath him.
Varice and Ozorne are both more comfortable with the slavery in Carthak, not really considering the impact it has on people, as they don't consider slaves people. Varice has ambitions; she uses her charisma and charm to make friends in high places, and keep Ozorne happy. Ozorne can be cruel and likes to be the best at everything; he also has bouts of mood swings and instability that seem related to his father's death at the hand of rebels.
The three of them bring out the best in each other, but it is also shown that they aren't always honest with each other, and they have some fundamentally different beliefs. It's a little hard reading about how close they are as children since we know where this story ends, but I'm no less interested in seeing the rest.
Since we've seen Sarge I'm very curious to see how he goes from the gladiator ring to Tortall. We also see Lindhall Reed, Chioke, Tristan, and Gissa, all of whom make an appearance in the quartet.
carolynthelibrarian's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
sanne6je's review
4.0
It was kinda slow going since I hadn't read any of Tamora's books, but the character development was cool to see.
cj_lovesbooks's review
4.0
My love for the Tortall universe is immense. Don’t get me wrong, I love Arram/Numair but he’s not quite on the same level as the female heroines. That being said, I still love this silly teenage boy who has a lot to learn.
swift_r10's review
dark
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Slavery, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Pandemic/Epidemic, and Racism
sarahlreadseverything's review
4.0
Reading Tempests and Slaughter was like falling into a warm nostalgia bath. To be back in Tortall (or her neighbours at least), after all this time. . . . it's genuinely like coming home in book form.
Exploring Numair's childhood years was both wonderful and heartbreaking. Wonderful because he is such a beloved character and is apparently just as delightful as a child as he is as an adult. Wonderful because Tamora Pierce's skill at drawing the dots within her wider world apparently knows no bounds Heartbreaking because when reading, any Pierce fan will be able to see into Arram Draper's future and how the people around him will change the course of his life, and it kinda makes you want to just pick him up and hug him constantly.
This isn't my favourite of Pierce's novels. The "school days" books inevitably end up the least beloved in each Tortallan series for me (I much prefer the challenges that tend to arise late series), and for much of Tempests and Slaughter it felt like very little actually happened. BUT everything I love about Pierce was totally there, I'm very much looking forward to seeing how The Numair Chronicles play out and I'm totally up for a full re-read of The Immortals starting right this second.
Exploring Numair's childhood years was both wonderful and heartbreaking. Wonderful because he is such a beloved character and is apparently just as delightful as a child as he is as an adult. Wonderful because Tamora Pierce's skill at drawing the dots within her wider world apparently knows no bounds
Spoiler
(Lindhall! The Graveyard Hag!)/spoiler>, and her ability to insert cute animal characters into a narrative is unparalleled.Spoiler
Preet is the best. Also, Crocodile God!This isn't my favourite of Pierce's novels. The "school days" books inevitably end up the least beloved in each Tortallan series for me (I much prefer the challenges that tend to arise late series), and for much of Tempests and Slaughter it felt like very little actually happened. BUT everything I love about Pierce was totally there, I'm very much looking forward to seeing how The Numair Chronicles play out and I'm totally up for a full re-read of The Immortals starting right this second.
jmatsumura's review
3.0
Woooww I struggled with this book! One of the reasons I took so long to finish was because I read The Immortals series when I felt my motivation slipping. I LOVE ADORE Tamara Pierce, so it was really difficult for me on a psychological level to not have an emotional connection with this book.