Having achieved her dream of becoming the first female knight errant, Alanna of Trebond is not sure what to do next. She has triumphed in countless bloody battles, and her adventures are already legendary. Perhaps being a knight errant is not all that Alanna needs....But Alanna must push her uncertainty aside when she is challenged with the impossible. She must recover the Dominion Jewel, a legendary gem with enormous power for good -- but only in the right hands. And she must work fast. Tortall is in great danger, and Alanna's arch-enemy, Duke Roger, is back -- and more powerful than ever. In this final book of the Song of the Lioness quartet, Alanna discovers through fierce combat and ceaseless searching that she indeed has a future worthy of her mythic past -- both as a warrior and as a woman.
Grade 6-9 In Book Four of ``The Song of the Lioness'' sequence, the stage is set for a series of final confrontations for Alanna, the woman who rides like a man, involving love, adventure, and power. A new romance enters her life in the person of Liam Ironarm, a Shang Dragon warrior. With others Alanna and Liam travel to the Roof of the World on a quest for the Dominion Jewel. They return home in time to play their parts in a struggle between good and evil, represented by Jonathan, now king, and Alanna's enemy, Duke Roger. If the finale seems a long time coming for some readers, the climactic conflict is worth waiting for. It's handled skillfully, with all the of tension, drama, and physical action that a good fight should generate. The ending is an appropriate mixture of sorrow and joy and hope for the future. Lioness Rampant will be confusing for readers who do not know the earlier books, but Alanna's fans will be pleased to see their heroine triumphant in all the ways that matter. Amy Kellman, Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh Copyright 1988 Reed Business Information, Inc.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Review
"Full of slam-bang action...young readers will rejoice."--Kirkus
"Alanna's fans will be pleased to see their heroine triumph in all the ways that matter." -- School Library Journal
"It has the appeal of good winning over evil and of the resilient courage of a believably heroic female protagonist." -- The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
From the Paperback edition.--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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
One of my favorite books of all time, hands down. Rip-roaring adventure, fascinating new characters, humor, romance, and a dramatic climax. This is a triumphant end to T. Pierce's great series. Most of the merits of this book have already been outlined here, and in greater detail. The real reason for my review is below, and be warned that it contains spoilers.
In Alanna's choice of George, Pierce illustrates a point that is, unfortunately, lost on most young readers. For my part, I know that when I was 13, the fact that Alanna ended up with George disappointed and escaped me. Over time, a few re-readings, and relationships of my own, however, the ending becomes more and more fitting.
For many years I dated a guy whom I loved with all my heart. Slowly however, I realized what a huge piece of myself I'd given to him. He had fallen for an offbeat, punk chick like myself and couldn't wrap his conservative sensibilities around it. Whenever I spoke in confidence with him about my dreams of being a freelance writer, artist, world-traveler, etc., he became very indignant - because it took time away from being with him.Every Christmas, birthday, etc. I received bland clothes and heaps of jewelery. Like Jon's intentions for Alanna, he wanted me to sit idly through life and be queen of his suburbanite castle, while my deep-seated dreams went by the wayside.
George stood by Alanna, never questioned her, always yielded his support for her adventures and who she wanted to be. Interesting how Jon's status as a prince and Alanna's first love will make young fans skim over and ignore his actions and the asinine things he says to her in book three. Jon is an a$s. They are clearly incompatible. Let go of your old fairytale notions, seek your own independence and a companion who will help you along that journey.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
All I can say is...wow! This amazing book ends an awesome series with a bang! Pierce truly demonstrates her mastery of description and plot when she deftly resolves all the mysteries and cliff-hangers from the previous novels. The story has everything: action, adventure, combat, romance... Underneath the appearence of a "child's book" which is simply a good read, Pierce presents moral questions and philosophical riddles which make the reader stop and think. In this page-turner, Alanna quests for the Dominion Jewel, a lost treasure which, if in the right hands, has limitless power for good. But meanwhile in Tortall the forces of evil are brewing again, and the Lioness is the only one who can stop them. Our heroine learns about others and also discovers unknown feelings inside herself. If you like these, check out the Immortals and Protector of the Small series; they continue the story of this incredible world, and of course, they feature Alanna. (Psst-just to make you read on...Alanna actually has three children...don't you wonder who they are?) Here's to you, Pierce, may you never end the fantastic chronicles of an amazing world named Tortall!
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
To begin with, I had a hard time deciding which of the Lioness books to review. I picked this one because it ties as my favorite with IN THE HAND OF THE GODESS. But it was a hard choice. The Lioness books, first read when I was twelve, really got me started on fantasy. Of course, I'd read Tolkien and Beagle, but not much else. I read Pierce's books and have been a devoted fantasy reader ever since. I'm now nineteen and I still reread the Lioness books and love them just as much. Alanna is a firey, spirited young woman and a wonderful hero--human and complete with fualts. By this time she has grown and progressed as a character so that she feels very, very real. The other characters always make me smile, and the ending always makes me cry. The writing style, well suited to young readers, moves you along and keeps you turning pages. This book, granted a darker one than the others, resolves many of the issues presented in the previous books in a believable and entertaining fashion. Finally, I am extremely glad Alanna marries George. He is one of my favorite rouges in all fantasy. Unfortunetly, this series has ruined Tamora Pierce for me. It was so good that her other series simply don't measure up. I entreat any lover of fantasy to read these books--I hope you love them as much as I do!
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
![[Start the discussion]](http://g-ecx.images-amazon.com/images/G/01/x-locale/communities/discussion_boards/start-new-discussion-sec._V192250339_.gif){kind=small}
