Publication Date: September 2006 | Age Level: 11 and up | Grade Level: 6 and up | Series: Circle of Magic (Book 3)
Part of the 8-book Tamora Pierce reissue for Fall 2006, this title in the Circle of Magic quartet features spellbinding new cover art. Coincides with the release of WILL OF THE EMPRESS in trade pb.
Four elements of power, four mages-in-training learning to control them. In Book 3 of the Circle of Magic Quartet, outcast Trader Daja and her friends journey from Winding Circle to the Gold Ridge Mountains, where drought threatens widespread famine. There, Daja creates an astonishing object: a living metal vine. A caravan of Traders covets the vine, and Daja's dealing with her former people reawaken a longing for familiar ways. Now Daja must choose--should she return to the Traders or remain with the Winding Circle folk who have become her family?
Grade 5-9-As in the other books in the series, four mages-in-training are the key players, but here it is Daja Kisubo's turn to take center stage. While traveling in a drought and fire-stricken part of the country with her fellow students and their mentors, the young people's magical talents somehow become intertwined, leading Daja, who is linked to the element of fire and the craft of smithing, to create a seemingly living vine out of metal. Nomadic Traders recognize the vine as a powerful object and take the complicated ritual steps required to purchase it from Daja. Having been cast out by the Trader class as a young child when her family's ship sank, she is seen as a source of bad luck to be avoided at all costs. During the negotiations, she must come to terms with the part of her that still yearns for her past life, and her growing power as a mage. As in the previous books, the climax revolves around a natural disaster that requires the four new mages' powers working together to minimize its effects. The fantasy elements of the series as a whole are satisfyingly well imagined, as are the main characters, and readers who have not read the first two novels will understand what is going on. This is a definite purchase where the previous books are owned, but it should also be considered on its own merits where they are not-which will undoubtedly lead to demand for the circle to be completed. Carrie Schadle, Beginning with Children School, New York City Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Review
"The latest in the series is as innovative as the first two. A fascinating and fully realized world".
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
I noticed that several other reviews on this page were asking whether this book was the same as Daja's book and it is. Fire in the Forging is the UK title for Daja's book like Healing in the Vines is the same as Briar's Book.
I really enjoyed this book although I liked the Tortal books a little better I think that the Circle of magic books are a great read. Of all of the circle of magic books Daja's Book is my favorite.
Part of the reason I enjoyed it was it really went into the details on the traders and enjoyed hearing about another of the cultures that Ms. Pierce has created. As usual for Ms. Pierce the characters were well and colorfully written so by the end of the book you felt lie you knew them.
It was a fun story and if you choose to read it I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
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As an adult, I thoroughly enjoyed DAJA'S BOOK. I've been reading Tamora Pierce since ALANNA: THE FIRST ADVENTURE in the early 1980s, and it's been great to see her grow as a writer. I'd highly recommend this book to both teenagers and adults, especially those who've outgrown DRAGONLANCE and other by-the-numbers sword-slingers.
The CIRCLE OF MAGIC series overall has been a treat--seeing her create a fantasy universe where the protagonists aren't, for a change, knights or warrior mages. (Not that I don't enjoy combat scenes--in fact, the highlight of TRIS'S BOOK is seeing her call down the thunder on the pirates!) But DAJA'S BOOK, like SANDRY'S BOOK, deals with natural disasters instead of human villains, and how Sandry, Tris, Briar and Daja use their magic to cope with more realistic problems like forest fires (this book) or earthquakes (SANDRY'S BOOK).
Pierce, as always, creates appealing characters and a well-thought out universe. I can't wait to see what happens with BRIAR'S BOOK.
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