Wolf-Speaker (Immortals #2) [Mass Market Paperback]

Tamora Pierce (Author)

Book Description

Release date: May 31, 2005

When Daine is summoned by the wolf pack that saved her life a year earlier, she knows she has to go. She and Numair travel to Dunlath Valley to answer the call. But when they arrive, Daine realizes with a shock that it's not just the animals whose lives are threatened; people are in danger too. Dunlath's rulers have discovered black opals in their valley and are dead set on mining the magic these stones embody. Daine learns that Dunlath's lord and lady plan to use this power to overthrow King Jonathan -- even if it means irreversibly damaging the land and killing their workers.

On a mission to save both her animal friends and her human ones, Daine has to master her wild magic in order to fight for the kingdom and triumph over the would-be usurpers.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 6-9-A sequel to Wild Magic (Atheneum, 1992). Veralidaine Sarrasri, a.k.a. Daine, is on the road with her mentor and tutor, the master mage Numair Salmalin; her faithful pony, Cloud; and Skysong, the dragon kit she is raising. They are answering a summons from the Long Lake wolf pack that was once Daine's only family. Help is urgently needed to oppose the "two-leggers" who are despoiling the pack's home, but as they enter the valley, Daine and Numair learn that more is amiss. High treason is afoot, and only extreme efforts-natural and magical-can save the Kingdom of Tortall. Orphaned Daine, now 14, has always been able to mind-speak with animals, but now she is also learning to heal their wounds magically, to enter their minds and see with their eyes, and to change temporarily into animal form. New readers may have some trouble believing the premise of this book, lacking the background information so carefully presented in Wild Magic. Wolf-Speaker is more of a simple adventure than the exploration of characters, feelings, and relationships found in the earlier title. Wild Magic is a powerful fantasy, and its readers will clamor for, and probably not be disappointed by, this sequel. It resolves its conflicts quite satisfactorily, but there is still room for further adventures for Daine and her friends.
Susan L. Rogers, Chestnut Hill Academy, PA
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From Booklist

Gr. 7-9. In this sequel to Wild Magic (1992), the pack of wolves that helped 14-year-old Daine avenge her family's death call her back from her mage training at King Jonathan's court. Humans ("two-leggers") are ruining Dunlath Valley. Daine, who speaks the language of animals and is learning to enter animals' minds and shape-change, works to help the two-leggers and the animals move beyond species prejudice to prevent an ecological disaster and the overthrow of the beneficent King Jonathan. Suspense is stronger than characterization here, but the exploration of diverse animal personalities will intrigue readers. Mary Harris Veeder --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Age Range: 12 and up
  
• Mass Market Paperback: 368 pages
• Publisher: Simon Pulse (May 31, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1416903445
• ISBN-13: 978-1416903444
• Product Dimensions: 7.1 x 4.2 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (124 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #56,981 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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#44 in Books > Teens

#44 in Books > Teens

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars "They Have a Different Idea of Whose the Monster Here..." June 17, 2004

By R. M. Fisher TOP 500 REVIEWER

Format:Mass Market Paperback

"Wolf Speaker" is the second of Tamora Pierce's "Immortals Quartet" concerning fourteen-year-old Daine, a young woman who possesses "Wild Magic", giving her the ability to communicate with animals, heal any animal wound, and in this book, to gradually change her form into any animal she wishes. Pierce jumps straight into the story without hardly any background information, so if you are unfamiliar with the fantasy realm of Tortall, I very highly recommend that you don't begin your journey with this book: start with "Wild Magic", or even better "The Lioness Quartet", Pierce's first books concerning Tortall.

Daine and her mentor Numair have been sent abroad in order to investigate the disappearance of several of the Queen's Riders, and in doing so Daine receives contact from the Long Lake wolf pack - the animals that she once ran wild with when they helped her avenge her murdered family. Their call to her is for help: their home is under threat from humankind's mining and construction that is destroying the natural habitat, and desperate to help her friends, Daine convinces Numair to help them.

But by helping the wolves, the two of them uncover even more secrets: the rulers of Dunlath, Lady Yolane and her consort - and Numair's old classmate - Tristan, are plotting to usurp the thrones of King Jonathon and Queen Thayet, by bribing the war-mongering empire of Charthak with the black diamonds they are acquiring through the mining that cause the animals so much trouble. As you may have already guessed, it's up to Daine, her powers, and the animals to put a stop to all of this, resulting in a plan that is sure to excite all readers once they hear of it.

In the overall context of the "Immortals Quartet", "Wolf Speaker" is the least important - in fact you might be able to get away with not reading it with only minor confusion. But it is a great adventure, despite the somewhat cliched environmental issue at the heart of the book, and it drops little hints throughout as to Daine's parentage, her growing magical powers, her relationship with Numair and the growing threat of Charthak.

Pierce's range of characters is huge, from the animal kingdom (Flicker, Scrap, Sunclaw, Blueness, Rebel, Brokefang and the Long Lake pack) to the humans (Tait, Maura, Gissa, Belden) to the immortals (Tkaa, Iakoju, Rikash, and of course the Badger-god and Kitten the dragonet, that Daine rescued at the conclusion of the previous book). Each character is well drawn and realistic in their actions and motivations (though I dearly missed the absent Onua), and Pierce is clever enough to mix in shades of grey to her growing war, with the inclusion of Rikash the Stormwing who holds a brotherly affection for the young lady Maura.

The "Immortals Quartet" are the best books that Tamora Pierce has to offer, so make sure "The Emperor Mage" is on hand to continue Daine's journey.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Book for Animal and Mythology Lovers April 6, 2001

A Kid's Review

Format:Mass Market Paperback

The book, Wolf-Speaker, in the Immortals series, is a wonderful book. It is about a girl named Daine, 14, and a mage, her teacher, Numair, 30, who live in the time period with King Jonathan III, and Queen Thayet. The world is invaded with immortal creatures, such as dragons and Stormwings. Daine can mind-speak with animals using her Wild Magic. In the 2nd book in this series, Wolf-Speaker, Numair, their 2 horses, Spots and Mangle, her pony, Cloud, her dragon, Skysong or Kitten, and she go to heed the wolves of the Long Lake Pack's cry for help. People in Dunlath Valley are cutting down trees and turning the peaceful valley into a nightmare. She and Numair find out the awful plan Tristan (Numair's old mage school classmate) and Lady Yolane of Dunlath have for Dunlath Valley. Read this book and find out the excellent ending. Wolf lovers, like myself, will love this book.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars pretty good January 14, 2005

By K. Dufresne

Format:Mass Market Paperback

this book is deffently not the best book in the series but it is still a wonderful book. of course i think that every book Tamora Pierce writes is good. this book you dont have to read but you still should because it reveals a lot of Daine's history and gives you a hint of whats to come character wise

anyways you have to read this book. i loved it