Customer Reviews

Trickster's Queen (Aliane)

5 star:		(73)
4 star:		(17)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(6)

 

 

Ms. Pierce's enjoyable sequel to the Trickster's Choice is a wonderful read. It is in this book that Aly's skills come into full blossom. As the rebellion swings into full tilt Aly is at its heart, playing her part of an ancient prophecy as being the Cunning One. Taking part in a rebellion in the works for Centuries, Aly is at her best teaching the Raka how to use their resources and planning assaults on key targets, it is here her unusual education comes into play.

This is a fun book to read for any age person. I started reading these books while looking for something for a young cousin who has gone onto buy the rest of these books for herself. This book is a real page turner, filled with battles, intrigues, humor and romance. I heartily recommend this book and the preceding book in the Aly series.

Sometimes we are strongest when we are the weakest. Sometimes those with no power have the greatest influence. And it is also wise to be wary of those people beneath you because even the lowliest of them have the ability to make your life a misery.

Tamora Pierce's new novel Trickster's Queen illustrates these themes magnificently. The book depicts the age old horrors of slavery and the bondage of dark-skinned people and cleverly works them into a compelling story told in the mythical nation of Copper Isles.

The Copper Isles is a powerful country, run for centuries by the white skinned, or luarin, Rittevon family. When this book begins the nation is a bit unstable. After many uncanny events, the Rittevon crown has been inherited by a four-year-old boy, Elsren, who is in the care of the brutal regents Rubinyan and his wife Imajane. Copper Isles has a strong luarin nobility and middle-class, but the economy of the nation lies on the backs of dark-skinned, raka, slaves.

Though the raka are treated like animals and brutalized by their owners, they have not forgotten their rich history. They still silently recall the days, centuries ago, when their strong-willed raka queens ruled the Copper Isles. When the luarins took control all the raka descended from that royal line had been mercilessly executed. But still the raka people hope for the strange girl of both luarin and raka descent, who has the royal blood of both families, who will reclaim the throne and save them from their bondage.

The raka's hopes had been heightened when a teenage slave girl was brought to Copper Isles. She is a luarin girl captured from Copper Isles' enemy country, Tortall. Her name is Aly and she was bought by the high-standing Balitang family and made a lady's maid for the youngest daughter, Dove.

Aly has a secret though. She is truly the daughter of Tortall's spymaster and she learned everything from her father. She was sent by the raka's god Kyprioth to set a raka queen back on the Copper Isles' throne. For months she has been working with a raka conspiracy to try and achieve this almost insurmountable task.

The rest of the world is oblivious to the fact that one member of the raka nobility had survived the luarin wrath. Her descendents are the two Balitang daughters, Sarai and Dove, who live with their stepmother, Duchess Winnamine. Sarai is the answer to the rakas' dreams. Twice-royal, she is beautiful and has the ability to stir anyone's blood when she speaks of justice for her people. Her sister Dove is quiet but intelligent and able to make friends with people of all classes and professions from the high standing nobility, to people living destitute on the streets.

The sharp-witted Aly, who has been protecting these two girls, is now given the task of putting Sarai on her rightful throne. Her task is made all the more difficult when a stroke of bad luck sends the family back to the Balitang's home in the capital of The Copper Isles, closer to the power hungry regents.

The raka's task in the capital is to cause as much unrest as possible and promote the people's desire for a young sane ruler. Under Aly's instruction, slave ships in the harbor are burned, dead bodies and people mysteriously disappear, messenger birds are attacked, and reputation destroying rumors are spread, most of them relating to the regents.

Though the raka conspirators are aware of Aly's relationship with their god, they completely underestimate her amazing capabilities. They also are unaware of Aly's many secrets, such as her personal ambiguous spies, her ability to spread utter discord, and her magical aptitude.

Throughout the book Aly's plan seems foolproof. She has not however thought of the dangerous power of love. When Sarai falls in love and elopes with a young man from one of Copper Isles neighboring countries, the raka despair over the loss of their hope and future while Aly tries to elevate Dove to her sister's status.

Their luck takes a turn for the better when the young king is killed in a storm while sailing on his small vessel. Upon finding out that the regents are behind the king's death, Aly realizes the she has new fodder for rumors and proceed to turn The Copper Isles neighbors and their rulers against the regents. As the regents prepare for their coronation, Aly, Dove and the raka prepare for battle. It is a battle that will change the future of an entire nation and all of its people.

Tamora Pierce has written yet another addictive pager-turner. This book is one that is easy to relate to with its strong, witty, self-involved, and ambitious main character. Everyone will find themselves charmed by the two Balitang sisters with their analogous personalities and their sky-high dreams which they will do anything to attain. All readers will find themselves mesmerized by the will and strength of the downtrodden slaves and their hopes and their vision for a better future.

"Trickster's Queen" is the sequel to Tamora Pierce's "Trickster's Choice" and (so far) the first set of books that are not quartets, but a simple duet. It is also by far her longest book, and in her acknowledgements she credits that toJ. K. Rowling due to the fact that the Harry Potter books are so thick. Both books take place in Pierce's `Tortall' universe, though are situated on the Copper Isles rather than Tortall as in the `Alanna', `Immortals' and `Protector of the Small' quartets - which I recommend you read before tackling these books just to have the proper background and history of Pierce's characters and worlds (these two books are also the only books to contain a glossary and cast of characters - proof of how complicated they're getting).

Beginning where the first book ended, we are once more introduced to Aly of Tortall, the daughter of Alanna the King's Champion and George Cooper the King's Spymaster, who has been chosen by the trickster god Kyprioth to aid a rebellion in the Copper Isles for the oppressed dark-skinned raka against the white-skinned luarin; in particular the ruthless Rittevon regents. Aly is situated in the Balitang household with Lady Saraiya and Dovasary, two `twice-royal' young women who are considered the prophesied queen that will reclaim the throne for its original people. Building up a network of spies around her, Aly begins to plan revolution against the ruthless Rubinyan and Imajane, helped with the god Kyprioth himself and his crow minions - including the crow-turned-man Nawat whom she harbours romantic feelings for.

As mentioned, "Trickster's Queen" is Tamora Pierce's longest and most complicated book - it is immensely difficult to keep track of the vast range of characters, most with unpronounceable names. There are some portions that drag, and the tension is not quite as high (for me anyway) as the situations found in the `Alanna' and `Immortals' books. But for the first time we have a protagonist that is easy-going and laidback rather than focussed and driven, and Aly is a loveable, enjoyable heroine, and definitely the product of Alanna and George: with her mother's determination and steel and her father's wit and cunning. Likewise the Balitang family: Winnamine, her aunt Nuritin, and Sarai and Dove are interesting, realistic characters that make us care about them and their situations, and Nawat (who had finally stopped trying to feed Aly bugs) is adorably sweet.

The story once again proves that Pierce is one of the masters of both YA and fantasy books as she creates an exotic tropical world (far from the usual medieval horses-and-swords environment of other fantasy novels) and finding the shades of grey in what could be a very black and white battle between good and evil. Tamora Pierce tends to concentrate on the human elements of her stories rather than the magical ones, and throughout the book many difficult choices are made that test the moral standards of her characters. Should justice and revolution result in the death of the child king? Should a young noblewoman follow her heart or live for her kingdom? Should a leader stay behind for the greater good whilst they send others out to fight? These are but some of the issues that Pierce raises in a story that does not glamorise or glorify death or battle.

If you are fans of the previous books then you will be treated to cameo appearances from Tkaa the basilisk, the Graveyard Hag and the odd creatures known as darkings last seen in "Realms of the Gods", who come in extremely handy for Aly's spy games. Furthermore, there is a fun reunion at the conclusion of the book, and anyone who has read the `Immortals' quartet may feel immensely touched at the names Daine and Numair have chosen for their children (who hopefully will end up as protagonists in later Tortall books).

All in all, this is an essential read for the Pierce fan, though not one I would recommend for the newcomer to Pierce's writings - start back at her earlier works. Pierce obviously did her research in terms of spy-craft and political manoeuvring, and "Trickster's Queen" may very well be considered her most sophisticated and complex novel.

I didn't like Trickster's Choice very much, but because I was a fan of Tamora Pierce's I bought this book and read it, hoping the story of Alianne, the daughter of Alanna could be redeemed. Apparently, it couldn't.

Trickster's Queen is a continuation of Trickster's Choice, and in this book we learn what happens to Aly, Nawat, the Raka rebellion, and the whole attempt to put the "twice royal" girl, Sarai, on the throne. Unfortunately, everything is totally predictable, and, well, boring.

The book was fairly long, and that in itself is perfectly alright, but on top of that, it was boring. I don't know how anybody can make a rebellion boring, but Tamora Pierce certainly can. I mean, maybe I just bought a faulty copy with missing pages, but as far as I can tell, nothing ever went wrong for Aly and her crew- everything seemed to work out as planned- even better than planned thanks to the appearence of the darkings (things first introduced in the Wild Magic Quartet), Aly's "charm" and rescourcefullness, and a huge spy network which Aly sets up within the first couple pages of the book. Had Aly and the raka raced any setbacks, or an intellgent villian, the book would have been infinately better.

My second problem with the book is the "protagonist" of the book, Aly. I found Aly to be a boring character thanks to her lack of personal flaws; not only was she daring and brave, but she was beautiful, charming, and daring. I'm not saying Tamora Pierce had to make Aly stupid or ugly, or anything like that, but had Pierce added some personal quirks like, maybe Aly could be afraid of heights, or spiders, or whatever, she could have been an interesting, real character. Right now I feel that Aly is a boring character whose every move is predictable.

My third issue with the book is Nawat and his little romance with Aly. I'm sorry, but I just cannot get over the fact that the love interest is a crow-turned-man. This would be alright had Nawat gained a brain when he became a man, but the fact that he retained his bird-brain killed me. Everything out of his mouth was along the lines of "Aly, lets make nestlings!" And thanks to Nawat's one track non-existant mind, the romance between him and Aly was so, for lack of a better word, stupid. I couldn't figure out why they liked each other so much as their romance seemed to be all about "making nestlings." I just gained no insight into either character.

And my fourth (and don't worry, final) problem is the ending of the book. And I wish I could say why but I don't want to ruin this book anymore for people.

Despite it's flaws, the writing was pretty good. *Just* the plot and characters were more than lacking. I know I'm going against the flow with this review, as everybody seems to love this book for some reason. Maybe I'm just out-growing Tamora Pierce, but I don't know... I still love her books about Daine and Alanna. I think this book would be best for those 12 and under, but for me, at age 16, this book was just a great big dissapointment.

After the book Trickster's Choice (Daughter of the Lioness, Book 1), I was wondering how a sequel could possibly live up to the amazing book I had just put down. My worry was totally unfounded as I found myself gripped with the tale that lay before me.

There are few books that captivate me like this one did. The relationships between the characters, the imaginative plot and the on-the-mark dialogue kept me wanting more. And though the mystical land of Tortall has been the setting of more than a dozen of Pierce's books, this one breathed new life into a country I wish I lived in. And Aly's relationship with Nawat develops in such an extraordinary way that I now watch the crows outside my window a little more carefully to see if my true love is among them.

I have read this book twice now and can't wait to pull it out to read it again. Most of Pierce's books are published at quatrains, but she claims this set will only consist of two books. I say, bring us more Aly!

Well, Tamora Pierce has done it again, with her twenty second full length novel. Her loyal readers are especially pleased with the increased lenght of both TC and TQ, as the two books have been termed. While I had some spoliers thanks to a couple of online sample chapters, the storyline was not at all spoiled. The plot is interesting, just the right mix of fighting, intelligence, and fun, as well as a few twists and turns - the major one (which some people I know loved as well as predicted) being relatively easy to hurdle over.

One thing I would like to mention - Tammy (as she is dubbed by loyal fans) deliciously weaves factual cultural influences into all of her novels. For example, kohl is mentioned a couple of times and was used in the real world as eye makeup in ancient Egypt. Also, it was pointed out to me today that the word used by the natives of the Copper Isles for the flying horsed, Kundarung, is a mixture of two real Indonesian words meaning "horse" and "bird".

To get the gist of this book, the only other book you need to read is Trickster's Choice, in which the main character Aly must protect two girls, both having blood which would but them in the line to the throne of the country, until the end of summer. Trickster's Queen picks up during the next spring, and the Copper Isles are ready for revolution, with the girls being the key. Aly, now seventeen and already a master at the arts of espionage, takes the role of the conspiracy's spymaster, teaching us how to navigate the shadow world, where the whispers and lies told are easy for her to read.

As Aly's mission deepens, so does the relationship with Nawat, a crow who turned into a man for her in TC. It should be noted that the book is PG, possibly, but not in my opinion, termed PG-13.

I would also like to note: "Uncle Numy"? I laugh every time I read that. And the subtle tidbits information on characters from Tammy's other quartets were very welcome.

Once again, Tammy is awesome, and I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys action and adventure spiced up with intelligence and humor. Thirteen year old Dove - one of two royal blooded girls, who is very intelligent and with varied interests - has particulary good lines of dry humor.

To wrap it up, I'm on my third read of this book and I'm still not tired of it. Tammy, you've done it yet again.

I have been a fan of Pierce's books for years and I always snap up the next book as soon as it hits the shelf. Aly is by far my favorite character in the Tortal universe. I identified with her stubborness, her *drive* to succeed at the only thing her otherwise supportive parents forbid her to do, and her wit and sense of humor. What was new to me was Aly's knowledge of politics and intrigue. I had always found this sort of manouvering to be tedious and mystifying, but after reading the Tricker's series, I have more of a clue. Now I can go back to reading real-life historical biographies with new eyes and a new appreciation of how political leaders change the lives of those aroung them and vice versa; how a simple rumor can became a major event; how one intelligent person can shake apart an entire country; how a marriage is a matter of state; and all the other ways daily life interferes with and stimulates politics. Thanks, Aly. May you have a wonderful life (and may you appear in some more books!).

Wow. That's a good way to describe this book. I have always been a great fan of Tamora Pierce, and have read all of her books and this is definetly one of her best.

Aly is returning to the capital, Rajumat(?) and is leading the rebellion against the monarchy in the Copper Isles as the spymaster. With war imminent, what will all of this mean for the future of Aly and Nawat? Aly is distracted by the rebellion, and Nawat is trying to find out what it really means to be a crow-man. How will it effect their relationship? With the help of the darkings, brought back from Daine's adventures in THE REALM OF THE GODS and many loyal friends, readers turn mysterious and exciting corners on an adventure full of suspense. When a surprising event falters the rebellion, will Aly be able to get the rebellion back on its feet? But most importantly, will they succeed in their goal?

This suspenseful story, with Pierce's magnificent writing skills, is a must read for all book-lovers! Although this is a fantasy novel, it combines many real-life lessons in spying, all of which are very intriguing. A real page-turner, this book will leave you begging for more of Tamora Pierce's writing.

Tamora Pierce is the author of numerous books set in the Kingdom of Tortall, and TRICKSTER'S QUEEN is her latest foray into fantasy. It is about Aly, daughter of the legendary Lady Knight Alanna, who was captured by pirates and sold into slavery on the Copper Isles. Aly has made an uneasy alliance with Kyprioth, the islands' trickster god, who has asked her to protect the two daughters of the Balitang family.

In TRICKSTER'S QUEEN Aly returns to the capital of the Copper Isles with the Balitang family. The capital is seething with unrest, as the raka natives are subjected to the increasingly oppressive rule of the luarin colonists. Aly finds herself deeply involved with the resistance, who plan to return the rightful queen to her throne.

Readers who love fantasy intrigue and adventure will enjoy this series. TRICKSTER'S QUEEN features the return of several intriguing characters from the first book, including Nawat the crow. It also introduces lots of new ones, including darkings creatures made of "magic and blood" who share a collective consciousness. The darkings not only provide a distraction from many of the book's darker events, they also serve as a spy network and a plot device to gather information and further the story.

Rebellion features prominently in many works of fiction for children and young adults. Perhaps this is because young people are struggling to build their own identities, and relate with strongly idealistic movements. Fantasy almost always incorporates a theme of resistance, whether it is against a corrupt monarchy or the forces of darkness.

Pierce's book only briefly touches on the blood price of rebellion, and her characters are not corruptible. The good guys stay good, and the bad guys are easily identifiable. The only fickle characters are the gods. It is an extremely moral universe. Pierce stays away from questioning the goals of the resistance, instead focusing on a societal structure that involves both racism and slavery.

The success of Pierce's Song of the Lioness series has already ensured her a place among the classics of children's and young adult fantasy. Her writing continues to mature as she creates stories of more complexity. She is devoted to writing strong female characters, and has a website that highlights real life women heroes (www.sheroescentral.com). It will be interesting to see what she writes next.

--- Reviewed by Sarah A. Wood

Tamora Pierce has done it again. In all of her other books she has managed to captivate me and I have loved every single one. The Daughter of the Lioness Duet has only two books, but both are longer than in her other series. This is the second of the two and a fitting and impressive sequel to Trickster's Queen. There is more of the odd romance between Aly and Nawat than in the first book. This doesn't interfere or muddle the main plot so it's a good thing. Aly is just as witty and entertaining as before although she is the official spymaster of the Raka rebellion now. The characters that return from the first book are more developed now and new additions to the cast are developed enough although they could have lived with more. Some of the twists are entirely unexpected, some come about in an unexpected way. I don't think any of them were entirely predictable. Most of the time this book is dramatic, exciting and sneaky, but at times it's just sad. This is the only book that comes to mind that has actually made me cry. I'm not going to spoil the sad parts though. You definitely need to read the first before this, but really, if you're planning on reading a book find out if there's a first and read it beforehand! Anyway, this novel was an incredible ending to an incredible beginning and the series is a definite must read!