Publication Date: September 2006 | Age Level: 11 and up | Grade Level: 6 and up | Series: Circle of Magic (Book 2)
Part of the 8-book Tamora Pierce reissue for Fall 2006, this title in the Circle of Magic quartet features spellbinding new cover art. Coincides with the release of WILL OF THE EMPRESS in trade pb.
Four elements of power, four mages-in-training learning to control them. In Book 2 of the Circle of Magic Quartet, earthquake damage has left Winding Circle vulnerable to pirate attack and Tris, Briar, Daja, and Sandry are working with the community to strengthen their defenses. When the pirate onslaught begins, two things become terribly clear: The pirates have a powerful new weapon--and they have an accomplice within Winding Circle. But they've failed to anticipate the fury of a young mage who has been betrayed once too often, and who has very stubborn, very loyal friends....
Grade 5-10?Tris and her three fellow mages-in-training have barely survived an earthquake that hit Winding Circle Temple. Now pirates are threatening to destroy the only real home the young sorcerers have ever known. As in Sandry's Book (Scholastic, 1997), the first installment in the series, the companions realize they can save themselves and their community only by combining powers and becoming one force greater than the sum of its parts. Reminiscent of Virginia Hamilton's Justice and Her Brothers (Harcourt, 1989), but without the rivalry and menace within the four-person "unit," Tris's Book focuses instead on the growing friendship among the young mages and their realization that their magical connections are beginning to seep into other facets of their lives. Individually, the mages are also struggling to control their powers, which come on in overwhelming surges when their possessors feel strong emotions. Readers on the brink of adolescence, struggling with new feelings and abilities, will appreciate the young sorcerers' efforts. Pierce has created another gripping adventure that's sure to please her many fans.?Beth Wright, Edythe Dyer Community Library, Hampden, ME Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Gr. 6^-9. Sometimes when the first volume in a series is exciting and readable and has interesting characters (each of whom will be featured in a separate book) and an intriguing premise, you wonder if the author will be able to sustain the momentum. That's certainly not a problem with this book, the second in Pierce's Circle of Magic series. It's just as dramatic and engaging as Sandry's Book. The four young mages introduced in Sandry's story continue to learn how powerful they are when they meld their talents. In this adventure, it falls to Tris, the weather mage, to harness her temper and magic to save her friends and the Winding Circle community from marauding pirates who are employing their own deadly magic. Pierce skillfully develops her secondary characters while allowing Tris to take center stage, and smoothly advances the plot. A cut above many fantasies for the age group. Chris Sherman--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
As the second book in the Circle of Magic series, Tris's book proves to be even better than the last. Having a more darker air this book pulls you in with it's vivid descriptions and wonderful charecters, expecially Tris. Ever since the four young mages living at Winding Circle, Tris, Daja, Briar, and Sandry, joined their powers with Sandry's weaving strange things have been happening. They can talk to eachother through their minds, and hear peoples voices on the wind, a talent only TRis used to posess. Their powers have been connected somehow and they don't know why. But they are put to the test when Pirats attack the only home they know about. People are dying and no one knows how to stop them. What can they do to protect their home? If you want to find out read this book. I found it to be even better than the last. I reccomend this book to people who love Sandry's book, magical midevil fiction, or Tamora Pierce's work.
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Tris' book is the second best in the series (Brair's being the best) and is a book you must read. When pirates attack winding circle, the only home to the four mages in training Sandry, Daja, Tris, And Briar,they have come with a new weapon. How will the four fight to protect the only home that they have been accepted in?
this is a book that has it's own unique plot filled with unforgetable characters. In this book, I found that the description of tris's past to be interesting and strange in the sense that her family are so mean. I can say that the end is good and the text will keep you reading. I give this five stars because I not only love all of Tamora Pierce's books, but I think that this book has a wonderful way of describing things that happen in her world, and in the real world with the added push of magic and a new language. If you like smart-mouthed red heads that have unsettling ways with the weather, then this book is for you. So if your looking for an good book, then you have found one in this!!!!! I truly believe that this series is the best, and Tris's book is one of them that earns it it's name!
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So far, I have only read the first two of the circle of magic series, but Tris's Book is better that the first book, Sandry's. I like the adventure at the end better, with the pirates. It was better than the earthquake. In my middle school, very few kids read Tamora Pierce's books. I really like them because like all her other books I've read,(All the Song of the Lioness and Immortal Series) there is magic, and someone is trying to learn theirs. Alanna was afraid of her magic and Daine was convinced she didn't have any, but then she was taught more magic. I am very anious to read Daja's and Brair's books, but the school library doesn't even have Sandry's. I had to buy them all myself. I guess I like these books because they are my age. I have recommened these books to my friends, and they now like them just as much. There is just something very cool about Tamora Piece's books that my friends and I really like.
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