Wild Magic (The Immortals, Book 1) [Mass Market Paperback]

Tamora Pierce (Author)

Book Description

Release date: May 31, 2005

Thirteen-year-old DaIne has always had a knack with animals, but it's not until she's forced to leave home that she realizes it's more than a knack -- it's magic. With this wild magic, not only can Daine speak to animals, but also she can make them obey her. Daine takes a job handling horses for the Queen's Riders, where she meets the master mage Numair and becomes his student.

Under Numair's guidance, Daine explores the scope of her magic. But she begins to sense other beings too: immortals. These bloodthirsty monsters have been imprisoned in the Divine Realms for the past four hundred years, but now someone has broken the barrier. It's up to Daine and her friends to defend their world from an immortal attack.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In this first volume of a series, Pierce returns to the world and characters she introduced in her Song of the Lioness fantasy epic. Here, she tells the story of Daine, a 13-year-old orphaned girl with an extraordinary talent for communicating with animals. The teenager is swept up in the first skirmishes of a war, and is forced to master her fears and learn how to marshall her magical abilities. Trying to make the sequel to four previous novels stand on its own is no mean feat, and Pierce has a lot of exposition to relate. By telling the story through Daine's eyes, she allows new readers a chance to "catch up" on who's who along with her heroine. Although this device proves effective for the most part, some of the scenes are a little bewildering. However, Pierce's inventive descriptions of Daine's apprenticeship as a Mage, her riveting battles with griffins, dragons and other monsters, and her delightful, egalitarian ideals more than compensate for this minor flaw. Ages 10-up.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From School Library Journal

Grade 5-7- In this exciting fantasy that includes some characters from Pierce's ``Song of the Lioness'' quartet (Atheneum), a young heroine named Daine, who has a special way with horses, comes to accept and perfect her own type of ``wild magic'' after she is hired as an assistant to a horse-mistress of a mythical kingdom. Daine learns to channel her healing skills and to develop her power to communicate with animals, the latter of which she uses to fight vicious immortal monsters, the Stormwings. There are many gory encounters, most of them involving female fighting champions, including Alanna, the king's champion knight. Those readers who enjoy a swashbuckling imaginative adventure will enjoy this story, which is filled with all types of creatures and all sorts of magic. Some may be a bit confused by Daine's visions and by the extent of her power, which seems to allow her to revive even the dead. The ending leaves Daine undecided as to where she will settle and certainly points the way to a sequel. --Yvonne Frey, Peoria Public Schools, IL
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Age Range: 12 and up
  
• Mass Market Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: Simon Pulse (May 31, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1416903437
• ISBN-13: 978-1416903437
• Product Dimensions: 7.1 x 4.1 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (322 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #109,573 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

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

Amazon Author Rankbeta 

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#38 in Books > Teens

#38 in Books > Teens

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

49 of 52 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars On a scale of 1 to 10, I'd give Wild Magic a 25 December 9, 1999

By Natalie Dupêcher

Format:Mass Market Paperback

Tamora Pierce, the greatest author of all time, has written another miracle. No mere words can express my heartfelt praise: funny, thoughtful, top-of-the-line, number one, At . . . how about it's just, plain wonderful? Daine, a girl blessed with the unique ability to speak with animals, is hired by Onua, the woman that manages the Rider's ponies. The story weaves together danger, adventure, humor, and love in perfect unison. It also touches on the subject of finding your true self, which I thought was brilliant.

I have read Wild Magic, cover to cover more times than I can possibly count. It's perfectly suited to all ages groups. Fifth graders read it and think it's cool the way a girl can talk to animals, whereas high school students may read it and relate to the loyalty, bravery, and compassion of all the characters. If you're going to read one book in your entire life, make this one it. It's a journey unlike any other you have ever encountered. My copy is ragged and torn, but I look upon it like an old friend. I am an extremely avid reader, and out of all the books i've read, i have yet to see one come even close to ranking with Wild Magic. READ THIS BOOK!

28 of 29 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars A strong series-opener October 19, 2001

By S. A. Cain VINE™ VOICE

Format:Mass Market Paperback

Wild Magic is a great book. The storyline catches you from the beginning, and the characters are intriguing. Daine's secret is built well, and the different ways she interacts with humans and animals is well done. Readers of the Alanna books will be glad to know that the lady knight will be appearing in this series, though not as a main character. Other great new characters are Numair Salmalin, the mage, and Buri, the Queen's Rider.

Pierce's books are aimed at a strange demographic, since her main characters are usually girls and start a series around 10 years, but finish it around 18 years of age. Still, I read the Alanna books for the first time when I was about eight, and I've reread them several times (I'm 25 now). Same with The Immortals. There are often things I overlooked the first time I read it, and as I got older, other things stood out to me.

31 of 38 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Arrgh! Too nice! Too nice! December 17, 2002

By The Black Weasel

Format:Mass Market Paperback

Okay, I'm probably going to end up being lynched by Pierce's legions of devoted fans for this, but... I can't stand her books. They're fine if you like honest, trust worthy, modest characters, but for people like me (and there are few) they're too nice. Quite frankly, I'm just too cynical and sarcastic to find it nice that nobles, and the King and Queen, go around acting like 'common people'. And every one's too nice. The bad guys are just plain bad, the good guys kind and resonable. "My goodness!" thinks Daine upon meeting everyone, "these rich people are much nicer than I expected, not high-and-mighty at all!"
Excuse me while I gag.
Any ways, this review was just and excuse for me to rant on and on and on, so in summary, if you love idealistic, romantic, 'nice' books, read Tamora Pierce. If, however, you are untrustworthy, cynical and with all the sentimental side of a dead squirrel, steer clear.