19 of 21 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A wonderful sequal!, January 17, 2005
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.
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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Trickster's Queen, February 26, 2005
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.
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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
"Let the Games Begin...", February 16, 2005
"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.
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