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

This is one of my favorite books by one of my all time favorite authors. I don't care if they are suppose to be for young adults, they are simple fantastic fantasy books. The stories are not always that original, but the action is great and the characters fantastic. The characters are simply too

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easy to love. They pull you in and make you shoot through the books. If you want to start reading Tamora Pierce this is where to start.

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This author has been recommended to me on several occasions and having heard so many great things about her I knew when I saw this book for $1.99 I had to get it. My first impression was that I loved how fast of a read this book was going to be. It took me just a day to read it and I enjoyed every

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minute of it.

The writing was smooth and simple, great for a young adult read, but it didn’t get bogged in trying to dumb down the information like many younger reads have. The story flowed so well and it was easy to just sink into the world of Tortall. I really enjoyed Alanna as a character. She was snarky, stubborn and determined and she reminds me a lot of Arya from A Song of Ice and Fire by George Martin. Myles was also a fun character with his stories and his years of knowledge, I look forward to seeing what else happens with this character. George, the King of Thieves, was delightful. His reaction to Alanna’s secret was hilarious.

I did, however, have a few qualms with this book. The first is that I felt Alanna didn’t grow much as a person over the years that take place in this novel. There is a least three years from the time she leaves home to the end of the novel and I don’t feel like she changed much or at all for that matter. Second, it felt a bit odd that everyone accepted her so quickly. It didn’t seem that realistic to me but it made sense for how short the story was. Mostly, I was a looking forward to a bigger climax. I felt that the big plot event wasn’t all that eventful. I feel like this book was more as a set up for what will happen in the rest of the series and there are many occasions that set up for what I think will be the big overall plot line to this quartet. It ended with “The Beginning” which I felt is rather appropriate for this first novel.

Overall, I really enjoyed this novel and look forward to see where the story goes. While I feel that this wasn’t all that elaborate adventure that I was expecting it to be, I do believe the rest of the quartet will supply the bigger plot events. I think this is just the beginning of Alanna’s adventures and I look forward to reading about them. It was such a fun and fast read and it was so easy to just fall into the world that Pierce had created for us to enjoy. I think this was a great introduction to Tamora Pierce as an author and I definitely plan to read her other quartets and series that she has written over the years.

My Rating: ★★★.5

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For many readers, the Song of the Lioness quartet is a beloved classic, and while I wasn’t blown away, I did enjoy this first installment. I’m a bit of a sucker for the girl-disguises-herself-as-a-boy-to-follow-her-dreams trope. However, I’m not as big a fan of the chosen-one trope, and this

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book definitely has some of that going on. Alanna is basically the only female amidst a sea of male characters, and it’s continually impressed upon the reader how special and awesome she is. It also seems like many things come much too easily to Alanna - the innate ability to wield vast magical powers, the insta-friendship with the other boys, and even the final battle, which she blithely walks right into. But, despite the savior prophecies, the cliches, and the events that happened too conveniently, this book is still a fun, quick read. Alanna faces her fears and overcomes challenges, making me root for her to succeed. I will probably continue with the series the next time I’m in the mood for a traditional, sword-and-sorcery, feel-good story.

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This was my introduction to Pierce, as an adult--but I still found it a compelling read despite being well over the age of the targeted market. It doesn't quite make it up there as a favorite book--she has lots of competition in heroic fantasy, including her own. I do think Pierce is one of those

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authors that grows from book to book, and my favorites are her later series: the books centered on Alanna's daughter Aly, on Beka Cooper, an ancestress of a character in this quartet of books, and her other "lady knight," Keladry. The style isn't what I'd consider graceful either in this novel, but there are quotable and striking lines even in the early books and it's a simple enough style for younger readers. But I do love Pierce's characters, and the feisty page Alanna, so determined to become a knight she passes herself off as a boy, is the anti-Bella of heroines.

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One of my favourite childhood reads, although this is very much a children's book and doesn't really stand up to adult reading.

However, I can't escape my abiding love for its strong, stubborn, honourable heroine and her determination to pursue her dreams regardless of the challenges. A few shaky

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bits of prose aside, it's fast-paced and gloriously single-minded in letting its heroine overcome her challenges on her own. She may need to learn to ask for help, but she doesn't need rescuing. It's definitely simplistic (it's a children's book - it's allowed to be) - and while the Sweating Fever sequence retains its power, Alanna's adventures in Olau and Persopolis feel a little too easy to me now, without any real question of her survival. The real joy for me though is in Alanna's steadfast refusal to give in to the more mundane challenges of bullying, mathematics and swordcraft, repeatedly knuckling down and finding ways to achieve her goals.

Not perfect, but still a great book for a younger reader (my 7 year old self would have given it 5 stars).

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The "Song of the Lioness Quartet" is one of my enduring favorites. I found the series through a friend when I was in fifth grade and read them voraciously as they became available to me. I have read pretty much everything Ms. Pierce has written and love all her works. Alanna holds a special place

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in my heart since it is one of the first fantasy books that I read with a strong shero. I am totally psyched about the new Beka Cooper series!

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A young girl disguises herself as a boy so she can train as a knight.

I guess the third time's the charm. I'd read two of Pierce's books prior to this one, and I can't say as I was very impressed. This one has changed my opinion. I had a lot of fun with it! It's most definitely a children's book, so

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far as style goes, but this never detracted from my enjoyment of it.

I really liked how Pierce drew out Alanna's training. I'd heard that these books were hardcore Mary Sue territory, and expected Alanna to be instantly amazing at everything she tried. This is far from the case. While she does do very well, Piece makes it clear that her accomplishments are the result of hard work and dedication. I really appreciate heroes who rise to the top by labour rather than luck.

The plot is somewhat episodic, and there are a few areas that I would have liked to have seen fleshed out a bit more. Alanna's instant hatred of Roger could've done with a little more detail; perhaps that's coming in later books? Her friendships were nicely delineated, but I still felt Pierce could've gone a bit deeper with them by providing a few more telling moments. All in all, though, the book was a fun, quick read. I'll certainly be getting the rest of the series from the library.

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I read one book of this series as a young girl from the public library, and liked it enough, but the library never had the others; so when I saw a chance to snap of the whole series, I jumped at it.

This really quite good YA fantasy! It's formulaic, especially in the evil-magician A-plot, but that's

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not necessarily a bad thing, nad the unusual vividness of the characters & their relationships make up for it. I like Alanna, and I like all the secondary characters, and the way her training and growing up is given the attention it deserves, and her relationships with the boys in her life are much more realistic than one comes to expect.

What I really didn't like is the resolution of this book, in which Alanna & her boy-prince are the destined saviors of the mystical desert people. Really? The Bazhir, & Alanna & Jon's relationships with them get more complicated as the series continues, but I still feel like, too often, they're just a vehicle for teaching Our Heroes things rather than getting to have their own stories.

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Since the semester is almost over, I thought nothing sounded better than reading some youth fiction. It's fun and doesn't require me to read with a dictionary sitting next to me, as did some of the harder stuff I read this year. When browsing the stacks at the library, I came across this series and

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couldn't resist grabbing the quartet. These were a favorite of mine when I was younger and the urge to reread them in an effort to procrastinate in writing my paper was irresistible!

Alanna of Trebond isn't what one would call an ordinary girl. She's more of a tomboy than a lady and wants nothing more than to be a knight. Of course, this isn't allowed. But mischievous and crafty as she is, she decides to switch places with her twin brother. She'll go to the palace, disguised a boy, to become a knight. He'll go to the convent, the place where all young men who dream of becoming a sorcerer must go to begin their studies.

Alanna's a strong female character, even if she is a bit foolish and headstrong at time. She's incredibly witty and fun to read about and several parts of this book had me laughing. I also think, apart from just being a great read, the book also has a lesson in identity. Alanna at first dislikes her femininity, thinking it a weakness. But as she grows stronger and stronger, surpassing many of the other male pages, and as more of her friends realize her secret and accept her anyways, she comes to accept herself. The book is very heart-warming in this regard and I look forward to continuing Alanna's adventures.

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Perhaps I'm a bit biased because we share the same name, but Alanna is one of my favourite characters in fantasy literature. This book started my obsession with Tamora Pierce and the Tortall world, and I am forever thankful.

A great book with a strong female role model in the world of men. Just the

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right amount of magic brings the medieval world to light. One of my favourite books of all time!

A great book for preteens, but parents be warned that there is a strong love story line in the later books, however Pierce is not graphic about it, it is merely implied.

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Re-read.

I think if I had been using Goodreads when I was younger and originally read this book, I would have given it 5 stars. As an adult re-reading it, I would give it 3.

(As an aside, when I originally added it, I gave it 3 stars because I remembered liking it, but I couldn't remember WHY)

So,

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this book just jumps right in. We don't get much back-story of the twins, just BAM, let's switch places. I can't say as it is a horrible decision, because the book is very short. But it does make for a but of catching up.

The second thing that I would have overlooked as a younger person is that there is a whole lot of time jumps. It is very discombobulating.

And the third is the "big bad" of the book. It comes out of nowhere. It has nothing to do with the story. (Or so it seems at this point)

I look forward to re-reading the rest of the series and taking my trip further down memory lane.

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Alanna: The First Adventure is the first story in Tamora Pierce's Song of the Lioness quartet. The story begins with Alanna trading places with her twin brother, Thom, so that she can go to the palace to train as a knight while Thom goes to the City of the Gods to train as a sorcerer. Because girls

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are not allowed to train as knights, Alanna disguises herself as a boy and calls herself Alan. The only person who knows the truth is Coram, her caregiver who is a former soldier. Alanna works hard and keeps most people fooled about her identity until a magical sickness threatens her friend, Prince Jonathan. Alanna's healing gift works in saving Jonathan's life, but reveals her identity to Sir Myles. However, her secret is safe with him. Alanna's friend George, the King of Thieves, also learns the truth when Alanna sees his mother for guidance after getting her period. Alanna continues to work and train and fight (both in training and outside of it) until she accompanies Jonathan to the Black City where the two fight and destroy the Ysandir. In the fight, Alanna's identity is revealed to Jonathan. Although initially unsettled, Jonathan chooses to keep Alanna's secret and selects her as his sqire.

Truth be told, I am a sucker for stories where girls take on roles that are not traditionally allowed to them. What I truly valued about this story was how the author, Tamora Pierce, addressed the issues of growing up, puberty, and the difficulties they present when trying to hide your true gender. She didn't ignore Alanna's changing body, but addressed it and found ways for Alanna to cope with it. Although the book had its share of villains trying to get the best of Alanna (Ralon of Malven and Duke Roger), Alanna had many men on her side as well (Coram, Sir Myles, George, and Jonathan). I loved every minute of this story (despite its typos) and can't wait to continue the series.

This book would appeal to 7th and 8th grade girls the most. Girls of this age will appreciate Alanna's having to deal with puberty in the face of fulfilling her dreams and the idea of a strong, young woman working hard to make it in a man's world.

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A very good book

Don't let this cover scare you. At least, it scared me. I was up against one of those small fantasy tomes that I so often thought had the worst illustations (still do.). I started to read, and quickly became enthralled by the description of emotions, and the story. This was my first Tamora Pierce

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book, and I spent the next two months reading all of her books, something I enjoyed hugely. I've told so many people to read this, and not one to this point hsn't liked it.

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While Alanna (like all of Pierce's characters) is slightly Mary Sue-ish, her story is enjoyable, she and her friends are endearing, and the world Pierce created for them to inhabit is believeable. Strong female characters are Pierce's speciality and Alanna is the roughest of the bunch.

A comforting little YA fantasy about a girl who sets out to defy the expectations of her gender and become a warrior maiden.
The characters are a bit pat, and the story isn't very challenging or controversial - the good guys are real good and kind and wise, and are aided by equally kind and

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perceptive characters of the goodness of their hearts, whereas the bad guys are just bad, no explanation. The motivations of the characters aren't explored in any detail.
Apart from a clunky introduction the story has a good flow, and the characters - conventional as they are - are likeable.
Alanna and Thom - motherless twins - are sent to respectively a convent to become a lady and to the palace to become a knight by their negligent father.
Relying on their fathers lack of interest, the forge his signature and switch places, sending Thom to a monestary to become a sorcerer, and Alanna - in the guise of Alan, the younger twin brother - to the palace to become a knight.
The first book of the Song of the Lioness ends when Alanna is about to become a squire. With several enemies oppposing her, and unlikely friends supporting her and keeping her secrets.

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An absolutely wonderful start to a fantastic series. Highly recommended. Tamora Pierce has never managed to surpass her first series.

The first book in the first quartet of Tamora Pierce's Tortall canon, perhaps my absolute most-read, most-loved, most-memorized set of books as a child. The absolute cream of the crop of girls' adventure fiction, this book covers Alanna's time as a page in the palace of Tortall, disguised as a

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boy--girl's aren't allowed to become knights. A well-characterized, empowering, adventurous beginning to a series -every- ten-year-old girl should read.

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I love this serious. Lots of magic and adventure and a lil bit of romance - nothing cheesy.

The first in the Song of the Lioness quartet, and the starting point for subsequent Tortallan series by the author (The Immortals, Protector of the Small, the Trickster series). There hasn’t been a female knight in Tortall in over a century, but Alanna is determined to become one, no matter the

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sweat and pain and deception it takes. I don’t like the Alanna series or character that much (but I really like the other ones!), but if you want to know what’s behind some of the events in the latter series, ya’ gotta read the first. That being said, this first book is the most enjoyable of the Song of the Lioness quartet and gives a good introduction to a lot of what unfolds in the many books to follow.

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I absolutely completely and utterly fell in love with Tamora Pierce.
Read them all! (If under 16!)

The first of the Tortal series in which we meet Alanna the lioness or in the case the child. I got this book when I was 13 it has been there and back again. It has no cover or back now and is together with mostly tape as a binding. I wouldn't trade it forthe world.

A little bit of a sidetrack in this review, but on it will go.
This book I bought for $0.10 at a library sale about 10 years ago. I read it over and over. I actually read it 3 times in one day once (which might seem a little strange). It drove me crazy that I couldn't find the rest of the books (my

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mom didn't allow me in book stores for the obvious reason, even now that I'm 20 she still tries to stop me). Finally about 4 years ago, my mom finally gave in and ordered the rest of the series off of amazon. They are just as good as the first one.
Anyways, after that backstory, here's my opinions:
This is by far one of my most favorite novels of all time. It's a quick read, but very beautifully written. Very captivating and you just end up falling in love with the character of Alanna.
This book will appeal to anyone who loves a good fantasy, and even though the main character is a female (which tends to put the idiotic males off) anybody would love this story, guys and girls. It's absolutely amazing and spellbinding!
I highly, highly, highly recommend this book. It's a must-read.

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It's old cover was better just so you know, and I think if you are into fantasy this is one of the best reads for you. If you are just beginging to read higher level books this is a great choice. It is one of a series and has wonderful descriptions. It's about a girl who trades places with her

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brother (he goes to study "magic" and she goes to learn to be a warrior) and appearing as a man she faces many challenges such as, being a woman growing up?

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