Cold Fire (Circle Opens (Prebound)) [Hardcover]

Tamora Pierce (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 2003 | Age Level: 11 and up | Grade Level: 6 and up | Series: Circle Opens (Prebound) (Book 3)

The Circle Opens-the young mages from the Circle of Magic series are growing in power. Daja has travelled with her teacher, Frostpine, to the icebound city of Kugisko in Namorn. Daja is eager to learn more from Kugisko's smiths-but she finds herself teaching instead, as she discovers that her host's twin daughters are both mages, unbeknownst to the girls or their family. Kugisko is a wooden city, desperately vulnerable to fires-so when Daja meets Ben Ladradun, a man heroically committed to fighting fires that devastate his city, she is eager to help him. But is Ben really the hero he seems.?

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Readers who have followed the fortunes of Daja and her foster siblings in Tamora Pierce's Circle of Magic and The Circle Opens sequences will not be disappointed by this continuation of Daja's adventures as a smith-mage. As her foster siblings Sandry and Briar struggle with their reluctant apprentices (Magic Steps, Street Magic), Daja and her teacher, Frostpine, settle into the northern Namorn city of Kugisko for a restful winter break. Not surprisingly, their illusions are promptly shattered, as Daja discovers that the twin daughters of her host have "ambient magic." As the discovering-mage, Daja is obliged to teach the fidgety girls the rudiments of magic. Meanwhile, Kugisko seems to have fallen into the hands of a ruthless arsonist, and Daja is determined to help her new firefighting friend, Bennat Ladradun, get to the bottom of the mystery. As always, Pierce's writing is both personable and thrilling. Kaja, a strapping, dark-skinned 14-year-old, is tremendously genuine; her powers seem to reflect inner strength rather than an arbitrary gift. An excellent, many-layered read. (Ages 9 and older) --Emilie Coulter --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Publishers Weekly

Children's NOTESIn the Next Episode...In the follow-up to Magic Steps and Street Magic, Daja and her teacher, Frostpine, head to a northern Namorn city for a winter retreat. A ruthless arsonist besieges the town, and Daja helps track down the culprit in Cold Fire, the third title in Tamora Pierce's The Circle Opens quartet.
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 11 and up
  
• Hardcover: 355 pages
• Publisher: Perfection Learning (March 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0756965896
• ISBN-13: 978-0756965891
• Product Dimensions: 6.7 x 4.2 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (43 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #5,590,404 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Tamora Pierce is a bestselling author of fantasy books for teenagers. Her books, known for their teenaged girl warriors and wizards, have received critical acclaim and a strong fanbase.


ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Tamora Pierce was drawn to books from a young age. Raised in rural Pennsylvania, the child of a "long, proud line of hillbillies," her family never had much. "We were poor, but I didn't know it then. We had a garden where my folks grew fruit and vegetables and our water came from a well," she explains. But one thing they did have was plenty of books. So Tamora read.

A self-proclaimed "geek," she devoured fantasy and science fiction novels, and by the age of 12 was mimicking her literary idols and writing her own action-packed stories. It was thanks to her father that Tamora began writing. "He heard me telling myself stories as I did dishes, and he suggested that I try to write some of them down," Pierce says.

But Tamora's novels had one major difference: unlike the books she was reading, her stories featured teenaged girl warriors. "I couldn't understand this lapse of attention on the part of the writers I loved, so until I could talk them into correcting this small problem, I wrote about those girls, the fearless, bold, athletic creatures that I was not, but wanted so badly to be."

Seventeen years later, after graduating from the University of Pennsylvania, a brief career in teen social work and some time spent writing for radio, Tamora Pierce held true to her childhood crusade, and published Alanna: The First Adventure, the first in a quartet about a valiant, young, female warrior. Pierce's heroine struck a chord with readers across the country and quickly earned her a loyal following.

Pierce is now a #1 New York Times bestselling author and has written twenty-five books, including her newest, BEKA COOPER #2: Bloodhound. "It's a pretty good life, if I do say so myself. Struggling along as a kid and even through my twenties, it's the kind of life I dreamed of but never believed I would get. Yet here I am, after a lot of work, a lot of worry, a lot of care for details, and a massive chunk of luck, the kind that brought me such strong friends and readers. Pretty good for a hillbilly, yes? And I never take it for granted," she says.

Pierce lives in upstate New York with her husband Tim and their three cats and two birds.


PRAISE

"[Tamora Pierce's heroines] faithfully reiterate an ideal of feminine power that relies on brains, not beauty; of feminine attractiveness that relies on competence, not helplessness; and of feminine alliances that grow stronger, not weaker, in the face of conflicts." -The New York Times

BEKA COOPER #1: TERRIER

"With its rollicking adventures [and] appealing characters . . . Terrier will be in strong demand by Pierce's fans. It will keep readers on the edge of their seats." -School Library Journal, Starred

YOUNG WARRIORS
"Memorable characters and well-drawn settings. . . . This timely and appealing anthology will surely help swell the ranks of teenage fantasy readers." -School Library Journal

TRICKSTER'S QUEEN
"The plot sweeps readers along in a whirlwind of court intrigue, deception, murder, and romance. The humor is wicked, and the plot twists will keep the pages turning to the supremely satisfying end. Teens will be inspired by Aly's determination, her resourcefulness, and her heart." -School Library Journal

TRICKSTER'S CHOICE
"Aly arrives fully formed, a snarky, talented uber-heroine. Cameos of old favorites complement a rich cast of new characters. Aly's difficulty with the complexity of colonialism adds surprising, welcome depth." -Kirkus Reviews

LADY KNIGHT
"Unrelentingly realistic in its depiction of the horrors of war, this novel draws the reader into a complete and believable fantasy world. Pierce provides exquisite details of the weaponry, topography, and culture of her world, and her control of a voluminous cast of characters is masterful." -Voice of Youth Advocates

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

22 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Review by 14-year-old reader, April 3, 2002

By 

Schatzie (San Francisco, CA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Cold Fire (The Circle Opens #3) (Hardcover)

In recent years, Tamora Pierce has not written a bad or even mediocre book. "Cold Fire," third in the "Circle Opens" series, is no exception. The series continues where the "Circle of Magic" books left off: the four mages are now fourteen, and have left Discipline Cottage in Emelan to travel with their teachers.

"Cold Fire" tracks Daja Kisubo, metal-mage and Trader, as she and her teacher, Frostpine, travel north to Kugisko in the Namorn Empire, where they stay with old friends of Frostpine's. During their visit, an arsonist sets fires all through Kugisko: it is up to Daja to find the perpetrator and, ultimately, help bring him to justice.

The most compelling part of the book was the intense psychological portrait of the criminal. Pierce portrays his rationalization of his crimes so well that the reader almost believes it - though not quite, of course.

The characterization was very good here, too: that of the arsonist, and others, too! I particularly liked Nia and Jory, Daja's twelve-year-old students (beginning mages themselves). Daja's character was matured and developed, as well. There was a slight problem, though: the "Circle Opens" books are supposed to take place four years after the "Circle of Magic" books begin - which would make Daja fifteen, as she was eleven in "Sandry's Book." But she is fourteen in "Cold Fire"! That can be ignored, though, and it's such a tiny quibble.

One of the best things in this book was the vivid picture of Kugisko: the costumes, the frozen canals, the people, and the customs. Namorn, I have figured out, is loosely based on Russia, and my mother assures me that her Russian grandfather did indeed drink his tea from a glass and strain it through a mouthful of sugar or cherry preserves - a ritual depicted in "Cold Fire," and one that disgusts Daja! This is one of the reasons I like the "Circle Opens" books: I get to learn about realistic cultures filled with both the magic of mages, and that of different peoples.

The "Circle of Magic" books are my favorite of Tamora Pierce's, and I have read every one of the author's works. But I love "The Circle Opens" almost as much, and "Cold Fire" is a welcome addition to my bookshelf. It combines the wry sense of humor in Pierce's earlier books with the eye for detail in her later ones to make a wonderful read and the best book in its series.

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Good Read for Older Pierce Fans., March 26, 2002

By 

Briana (Philadelphia, PA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Cold Fire (The Circle Opens #3) (Hardcover)

I don't know why this book does't have awesome reviews, because I loved it! Out of all the Circle Opens books written so far, Cold Fire is without a doubt my favorite.

Like the other adventures of our infamous mages, this book follows the story of just one mage, Daja. While not my favorite character, I do like Daja's sensible outlook on life. She has a tendency to calm even Tris' rages with her adult, rational perspective and sure-fire appoach to problems. However, Daja's serenity is tested when an arsonist beginst to attack the town where Daja and Frostpine are wintering. With two young (twin) mages to find teachers for and teach meditation to, even Daja's patience is wearing thin. But when she begins to investigate the source of the fires with her fire-fighting friend Ben, she learns that not even she is immune to the lies and trickery of an arsonist.

The reason I like this book so much is because it doesn't gloss over important topics that yes, might be inappropriate for younger readers. But since most of Tamora Pierce's fans are young adults or older, I personally thought it was interesting - in a macabre sort of way - to read the reasons that the arsonist used to rationalize his/her actions. Without the point of view of the arsonist, this amazing book would have lost much of its appeal.

The only complaint I would lodge with the author is the absolute lack of romance, but because of the lack thereof in the earlier quartet Circle of Magic, I have grown to expect this non-romantic vein of Pierce's writing.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Daja faces an unstoppable Force, April 28, 2002

By 

Nancy E. "Nancy" (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Cold Fire (The Circle Opens #3) (Hardcover)

Being a smith mage, Daja is experienced in working with fire. And as we saw in Daja's book she also knows how to work against it. But in this book Daja has a bigger problem than ever before, and this time she doesn't have her Sandry, Briar or Tris to help her.

In the beginning of the book Daja and Frostpine are living with Frostpine's old friend who has twin daughters, Nia and Jory. Daja discovers that the twins are ambient mages, with powers in carpentry and cooking. Soon Daja is teaching them meditation tactics, which turns out to be much harder than she thought and has started looking for teachers around the city. Unlike Briar and Sandry Daja has no trouble finding them teachers but she finds trouble elsewhere.

Fires are occurring like crazy all over the city, fires that Daja and Frostpine get dangerously involved with. Daja befriends a local fire fighter, Ben, and even works to help make him special gloves that will repel fire. But as she becomes more involved with the fire she discovers that they seem too perfect, maybe even set. Soon she is after a deadly arsonist. Can she stop him before it's too late?

Just like the rest of the book in the series, Cold Fire has proved to be suspenseful and filled with fun and interesting characters. Daja and Frostpine make wonderful returns and we also get introduced to new great characters like the two very different twins, Jory and Nia. If you're a fan of any of the two Circle quartets read this book. Though it's not as good as Street Magic, in my opinion the best in the series so far, it's still a great book!