Customer Reviews

Magic Steps (Circle Opens (Prebound))

5 star:		(35)
4 star:		(30)
3 star:		(8)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

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..

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

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?

I must admit, it was a pretty good book. I'm a bit bias because I don't think that any of her new books have reached the peak that the Immortals series and Song of the Lioness series did, but if you like the Circle of Magic books, you'll like this one too.

This book is good, but not great. I loved the plot. A kid having dancing magic was really creative. But, the story isn't carried out that well. It's really gory in how it describes the murders and there's no drastic plot twists or anything. It's not as good as most of Tamora Pierce's books, but I think you'll enjoy reading it.

All of Tamora's books are great, and although I missed the bond the 4 kids had in the first quartet, this one was still satisfying. I don't think this book or the Circle of Magic books should be compared with The Immortals or The Lioness Quartet, for these books are set for a younger age level--well, at least the C.O.M. books were--and that could make a difference if the reviewer is a YA and the book is a children's. But, this is a good book, and I think all Tamora fans will enjoy it.

"Magic Steps" picks up the story of Lady Sandrilene fa Toren four years after the Circle of Magic Quartet ended. Now fourteen, she is living at court with her great-uncle, Duke Vedris, when she stumbles across Pasco, a young apprentice harrier with a magical gift no one has ever seen before. As if that isn't enough, someone is killing members of a prominent merchant family, yet no one can seem to figure out how. It's a real pleasure to "catch up" with Sandry and see how shecontinues to grow, both magically and personally. Interesting, original and well paced, with strong characters and a good plot. Tamora Pierce delivers another excellent book.

I loved this book! It was wonderful! It was a bit freaky at the murders, but it was really funny, like the time Pasco dances his cousin up into the air and they just sit there, hanging for hours! Anyone who wants to be intertained should read this book. I started getting into Tamora's books by accident, and I am so glad that I did! This book is a fantastic combanation of wit, humor, and mystery. If you are looking for a book that will keep you up all night, and leave you ready for her next word of art, this book is for you! A must read!

Tamora Pierce has really out done herself with details this time!This book, Magic Steps, was very suspenseful and exciting, but when someone was injured or killed even, she went into great detail. Whether about the salty stench of blood or the way the bodies of victims were left by their murderers, strewn about in chopped up pieces. This may be a reason why some people with weak stomachs would not want to read this book, but the reasons to read it out way the reasons not to.So, you should definitely consider reading it.

Now I will briefly describe the story line so you can make a final decision : To Read? Or Not To Read? Magic Steps is about a girl named Sandralene Fa Toren who has recently graduated out of the Winding Circle magic school. She is now living with her Great Uncle Duke Vedris because of his heart attack which happened just a few short months ago. She is determined to keep him out of harms way until he is fully healed. While out on a morning ride with her uncle, Lady Sandry spies a boy of about her age, maybe a little taller than her, with brown curly hair and tan skin who is dancing around a net on the beach, his name was Pasco. She eventually discovers his magic and becomes his teacher. While this is going on, there are a few murders in a local merchant family and Lady Sandry gets wrapped up in this investigation and soon finds that she and Pasco are the only ones who, joined with some head mages, can save the rest of the merchant family and catch the killers. If you are interested in finding out how, read Magic Steps by Tamora Pierce.

This book after reading the Circle of Magic books was really good. I really wanted to find out to Sandry, Briar, Tris, and Daja. This one is about only Sandry and she is now a working mage. She one day discovers a boy dancing and she can sense is magic. Later on she finds he can do magic by dancing which is pretty scary because what if you take a wrong step, so this is what they have to figure out. Sandry cannot find another dance magic mage so she has to teach him herself. She teaches him meditating but she can't teach him dance. So, she finds the best dancer in town and the dancer teaches him dances which mean something and they really do make "the sun rise" and other things like that. This was a great book and the first in the new series of Tamora Pierce.