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A review by kathydavie
Alanna: The First Adventure by Tamora Pierce
5.0
First in the Song of the Lioness fantasy series for children. The series revolves around Alanna Trebond, a ten-year-old, who passionately wants to become a knight for Alanna is more interested in archery, fighting, tracking, and hunting than her twin brother, Thom, who only wants to learn about magic.
The Story
It is custom amongst the gentry to send their children off to a type of boarding school: the First Daughter of the convent trains girls in the womanly arts before they go off to Court to find a husband while boys are under the eye of the Duke of Naxen in Corus, the capitol city of Tortoll, where they learn to become Knights.
But Alanna comes up with a plan whereby Alan of Trebond's twin "sons" will follow the path in which each will excel. With the help of their healer, Maude, and the old sergeant-at-arms, Corum, each of whom has taught each child to the best of their abilities.
From here on the story is mostly of "Alan". Her arrival in the city and making George's acquaintance and their budding friendship. The life and routine of a royal page with the added ordeal of Ralon and how Alan solves his petty bullying. The friendships she builds with the prince, Gareth, Raoul, Francis, and Alex. Acquiring her beautiful horse, Moonlight.
Then the Sweating Sickness strikes both townspeople and the palace. Weakening every healer before striking the person Alanna comes to believe was the target all along. Duke Baird, the master healer, believes the sickness is magic and that only magic can save him. Forcing Alan to call upon her Gift. The Gift, which Maude had told her, must be used to offset the killing that Alanna would do as a knight. Having lost one friend to the Sweating Sickness, Alanna will call upon her magic to save this one.
If it's not one disaster, it's another when Alanna wakes up one morning to bumps! Bumps she will bind down no matter how it hurts. Then yet another disaster—Duke Roger has returned to the city. To teach them magic. And Alan discover how very much she hates Duke Roger.
A hate soon enforced when a military unit is sent to Persepolis in Fief Meron to treat with the Bhazir. And where Jon and Alan take on the evil that exists within the Black City. The same Black City Alanna first saw in her vision in Maude's hut at the start of our story. Where Jonathan discovers Alan's secret and Alanna gets a hint of Jonathan's feelings.
The Characters
Alanna Trebond has come up with a plan to solve her and her brother's problem. Their father insists on sending them away to school but not to learn that which each both desires.
Thom Trebond is Alanna's twin brother. He prefers learning about magic and hates the more physical sports, which Alanna adores. Always more timid, Alanna encourages him in the deception by appealing to his magical desires. Once at school, he passes on rumors to Alan---stories, anecdotes about Duke Roger.
Prince Jonathan becomes Alan's friend from the first when he interrupts Ralon of Malven bullying Alan on her first day. Her friends include Gareth (son of Duke Gareth), Raoul, Francis, and Alex. Ralon does provide a great service to Alan—he enables her to prove her worthy of being in the training program, of becoming a knight.
George is the king of the thieves whom Alanna meets on her very first time in Corus, the capital city of Tortoll. Now he's become one of her best friends (and a protector) along with her particular friends from the palace. An especially treasured contact when Alan has her second experience with becoming a woman as well as serving as a conduit for communication between herself and her brother. Stefan is a stableboy at the palace. And one of George's men.
Coram Smythesson had been a foot soldier with the army 20 years ago before retiring to Trebond as a sergeant-at-arms. Even saved Duke Gareth's life once during the Battle of Joyous Forest. Now he's Alan's retainer in Corus while s/he is training to become a knight.
Sir Myles of Olau teaches the pages and squires history, making it come alive for them and he's taken a special interest in young Alan as well as providing her with a magical weapon while they are exploring his estate.
There's something about the sorcerous Duke Roger that curls Alan's hair. For no reason, she hates him and Alan is very careful when she is in Duke Roger's class on magic.
My Take
Pierce's Song of the Lioness series owes a great debt to Mercedes Lackey's Valdemar series. I had to keep checking the cover title and author because, for the first few pages, I couldn't understand why the culture, characters, and place names were so different.
I enjoyed this story very much. It grants children greater responsibility and independence than we know in our own world while teaching them how to wield such tasks with conscientiousness and consideration. The realities of the human character are presented well with only a slight exaggeration. It is a moral tale in a fantasy setting.
The Cover
The cover has an innocence to it. Alan, in her shorn red hair wearing a full-skirted over tunic over a white shirt with blouson sleeves and a sword belted to her waist stands in her red tights as she holds the golden-haired and white, curly-maned Moonlight's red leather reins. The yard in which both Alan and Moonlight stand has the most beautiful fence of panels and arches keeping the shadowy city of Corus out. The side pillars are glorious with their golden carved, twining vines and stylized creatures supported by winged griffins facing each other, topped by yet more carvings—a reversing row of snail-like scrolls, with a braid separating it from the hearts and leaves carved at the pillars' very top. A fanciful sign for Tamora Pierce's name is held between the pillars while a similar sign proclaims the series at the bottom.
The Story
It is custom amongst the gentry to send their children off to a type of boarding school: the First Daughter of the convent trains girls in the womanly arts before they go off to Court to find a husband while boys are under the eye of the Duke of Naxen in Corus, the capitol city of Tortoll, where they learn to become Knights.
But Alanna comes up with a plan whereby Alan of Trebond's twin "sons" will follow the path in which each will excel. With the help of their healer, Maude, and the old sergeant-at-arms, Corum, each of whom has taught each child to the best of their abilities.
From here on the story is mostly of "Alan". Her arrival in the city and making George's acquaintance and their budding friendship. The life and routine of a royal page with the added ordeal of Ralon and how Alan solves his petty bullying. The friendships she builds with the prince, Gareth, Raoul, Francis, and Alex. Acquiring her beautiful horse, Moonlight.
Then the Sweating Sickness strikes both townspeople and the palace. Weakening every healer before striking the person Alanna comes to believe was the target all along. Duke Baird, the master healer, believes the sickness is magic and that only magic can save him. Forcing Alan to call upon her Gift. The Gift, which Maude had told her, must be used to offset the killing that Alanna would do as a knight. Having lost one friend to the Sweating Sickness, Alanna will call upon her magic to save this one.
If it's not one disaster, it's another when Alanna wakes up one morning to bumps! Bumps she will bind down no matter how it hurts. Then yet another disaster—Duke Roger has returned to the city. To teach them magic. And Alan discover how very much she hates Duke Roger.
A hate soon enforced when a military unit is sent to Persepolis in Fief Meron to treat with the Bhazir. And where Jon and Alan take on the evil that exists within the Black City. The same Black City Alanna first saw in her vision in Maude's hut at the start of our story. Where Jonathan discovers Alan's secret and Alanna gets a hint of Jonathan's feelings.
The Characters
Alanna Trebond has come up with a plan to solve her and her brother's problem. Their father insists on sending them away to school but not to learn that which each both desires.
Thom Trebond is Alanna's twin brother. He prefers learning about magic and hates the more physical sports, which Alanna adores. Always more timid, Alanna encourages him in the deception by appealing to his magical desires. Once at school, he passes on rumors to Alan---stories, anecdotes about Duke Roger.
Prince Jonathan becomes Alan's friend from the first when he interrupts Ralon of Malven bullying Alan on her first day. Her friends include Gareth (son of Duke Gareth), Raoul, Francis, and Alex. Ralon does provide a great service to Alan—he enables her to prove her worthy of being in the training program, of becoming a knight.
George is the king of the thieves whom Alanna meets on her very first time in Corus, the capital city of Tortoll. Now he's become one of her best friends (and a protector) along with her particular friends from the palace. An especially treasured contact when Alan has her second experience with becoming a woman as well as serving as a conduit for communication between herself and her brother. Stefan is a stableboy at the palace. And one of George's men.
Coram Smythesson had been a foot soldier with the army 20 years ago before retiring to Trebond as a sergeant-at-arms. Even saved Duke Gareth's life once during the Battle of Joyous Forest. Now he's Alan's retainer in Corus while s/he is training to become a knight.
Sir Myles of Olau teaches the pages and squires history, making it come alive for them and he's taken a special interest in young Alan as well as providing her with a magical weapon while they are exploring his estate.
There's something about the sorcerous Duke Roger that curls Alan's hair. For no reason, she hates him and Alan is very careful when she is in Duke Roger's class on magic.
My Take
Pierce's Song of the Lioness series owes a great debt to Mercedes Lackey's Valdemar series. I had to keep checking the cover title and author because, for the first few pages, I couldn't understand why the culture, characters, and place names were so different.
I enjoyed this story very much. It grants children greater responsibility and independence than we know in our own world while teaching them how to wield such tasks with conscientiousness and consideration. The realities of the human character are presented well with only a slight exaggeration. It is a moral tale in a fantasy setting.
The Cover
The cover has an innocence to it. Alan, in her shorn red hair wearing a full-skirted over tunic over a white shirt with blouson sleeves and a sword belted to her waist stands in her red tights as she holds the golden-haired and white, curly-maned Moonlight's red leather reins. The yard in which both Alan and Moonlight stand has the most beautiful fence of panels and arches keeping the shadowy city of Corus out. The side pillars are glorious with their golden carved, twining vines and stylized creatures supported by winged griffins facing each other, topped by yet more carvings—a reversing row of snail-like scrolls, with a braid separating it from the hearts and leaves carved at the pillars' very top. A fanciful sign for Tamora Pierce's name is held between the pillars while a similar sign proclaims the series at the bottom.