Part of the 8-book Tamora Pierce reissue for Fall 2006, this title in the Circle Opens quartet features spellbinding new cover art. Concides with the release of WILL OF THE EMPRESS in trade pb.
Lady Sandrilene fa Toren knows all about unusual magic--she herself spins and weaves it like thread. But when she witnesses a boy dancing a spell, even she is confounded. To her dismay she gets news of a mysterious murderer stalking a clan of local merchants. The killer employs the strangest magic of all: the ability to reduce essence to nothingness. As the murders mount and the killer grows bolder, Sandry's teaching takes on a grave purpose. It becomes clear to everyone that the killings can only be stopped by the combined magic of two people: the young teacher and her even younger student.
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"'Magic? Me, do magic?' Magic was a thing of schools and books. No proper Acalon did magic. 'Oh, no--please, you're mistaken, my lady. I'm no mage.'
Sandry met his eyes squarely. 'You just danced a magical working, Pasco Acalon. I am never mistaken about such things.'"
Four years after we last saw the young mages Sandry, Tris, Daja, and Briar in the Circle of Magic quartet, Sandry is back. Now 14 years old, she is helping her great-uncle, Duke Vedris IV, ruler of Emelan, recover after a heart attack. But there's no rest for the weary mage. A mysterious murderer is afoot, and it quickly becomes clear that Sandry and her reluctant young protégé, Pasco, are the only ones who can stop the killings. Unfortunately, Pasco comes from a long line of harriers, or provost's guards, and his burly family does not think highly of a boy who dances magical spells. It takes some fancy footwork to convince Pasco of the need for his special brand of magic, and Sandry is just the girl for the job.
This first title in Tamora Pierce's new series, The Circle Opens, will thrill fans of her terrifically popular previous books, including The Circle of Magic quartet and The Song of the Lioness quartet. With her spellbinding choreography of wit, gore, and intrigue, Pierce never takes a false step. (Ages 9 and older) --Emilie Coulter--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
From School Library Journal
Grade 5-8-Lady Sandrilene fa Toren, known to readers of the "Circle of Magic" quartet(Scholastic) as Sandry, comes fully into her powers here. Now 14, Sandry is caring for her great-uncle, Duke Vedris of Emelan, after his near-fatal heart attack, when her attention is suddenly seized by two very different events. After witnessing a younger boy, Pasco, unwittingly perform a dance of magical power, she realizes reluctantly that she must take on his magical training before he becomes a danger to himself and others. At the same time, members of a powerful merchant family are being killed one by one by assassins cloaking themselves in "unmagic," or "the absence of all things." Sandry must use all her skill to weave her magic and Pasco's into a force that can overcome the assassins. Readers are immediately plunged into the rich and vibrant atmosphere of Sandry's world, with its merchants, miscreants, and mages. Though the pace of the plot is heart quickening, the admirable heroine remains calm, capable, and always ready to giggle. Violent acts are horrifying but are not graphically described. Fans of the previous quartet and new readers alike will immerse themselves in this thrilling tale of magical intrigue. Eva Mitnick, Los Angeles Public Library Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.
--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
This book was wonderful. I love hearing about Sandry's life a few years after Winding Circle. The things she's learned how to do are really amazing. The problem in this book is interesting as well. And the boy mage has a pretty cool power. I can't wait to hear about Briar, and Daja, and Tris in the next three books..
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As someone who is generally not a big fan of Tamora Pierce's work, I was pleasantly surprised by Magic Steps, the first in a promising new quartet. It's a very diverting action-fantasy with plenty of-- well, everything. There's some particularly creative magic going on: Sandry continues to work with and explore her special type of thread magic, Pasco (her new and somewhat unwilling student) begins to learn control over his unusual dancing Talent, and a new and very dangerous type of magic is discovered. Unmagic, as they call it, permits several murderers to go undiscovered as they exact revenge upon the prominent Rokat family in a truly grisly manner. And only Sandry and Pasco, two young and inexperienced mages, have the combined unique talents to deal with the menace...
The shift of this quartet is definitely off the original four characters; Tris, Briar and Daja are mentioned only in passing. However, Sandry's character is further developed as she becomes more independent, and she gains a surprising amount of depth and maturity by the end of the book. Pasco is also an engaging creation, and Pierce's vivid description of his first dance lesson (and his ensuing sore muscles) will provoke a good deal of compassion from anyone who has ever taken serious dance lessons. Additionally, the villains, though a little underdeveloped, are not the standard implausibly evil Bad Guys.
Really, the only thing that detracted from my pleasure in reading Magic Steps was the occasional intrusion of terms from this world. Tamora Pierce did, for the most part, a good job of creating slang and customs for her world. Even the names of the weekdays are altered. However, they still inexplicably measure height in feet and inches, and some of the foreign customs mentioned are very Asian and Middle-Eastern in feel. Not a major fault, though, and there are plenty of good points that more than make up for that. A warning to those with weaker stomachs-- there is quite a lot more gore and death in Magic Steps than in The Magic Circle quartet. It's hardly excessive, though, and shouldn't be too bothersome.
Naturally, it's a good idea to read The Magic Circle quartet (Sandry's Book, Tris' Book, Daja's Book, Briar's Book) before reading the first entry in The Circle Opens series. I'll be looking forward to following entries as the remaining three characters mature and become teachers in their own rights. But if you like Tamora Pierce, you really must try Sherwood Smith's Crown and Court Duet...
Ailanna
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I gotta say, I was REALLY pleased with this book! I didn't really know what to expect...all the COM characters away from Winding Circle and not having the strong bond they did in the other books...but what I got was a book even better than the others! Sandry's my favorite character, and its good to see how she's grown and matured. The whole dancing magic idea is pretty good, and I love murder mystery type stories *even though this one wasn't really much of a mystery*! Anyways, all in all it was a very satisfying book, and I hope to see Sandry and Briar get together! I mean, a romance would spice these books up a little, dont you think?
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