The Woman Who Rides Like a Man (The Song of the Lioness) [Hardcover]

Tamora Pierce (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 31, 2003 | Series: The Song of the Lioness

The third book in the popular "Song of the Lioness" series about Alanna, the knight errant.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 7-9 The third in the "Song of the Lioness" series finds the title heroine, Alanna; her psychic cat, Faithful; and the older man-at-arms, Coram, among the desert tribes of the Bazhir. Here Alanna breaks with tradition by training three gifted youthstwo of them girlsas shamans. She also sets out to tame the evil in a substitute crystal sword that she suspects belonged to her enemy, Roger, whom she killed in Book Two. Her ambitious brother, sorcerer Thom, is experimenting with raising the deadand new trouble brews. Meanwhile, she has a misunderstanding with Prince Jonathan, her lover who has assumed their betrothal and a romantic reunion with George, King of Thieves. A coming-of-age fantasy-adventure that can be read by itself, thanks to smooth backgrounding, and one that leaves readers wanting to read further in either direction. Ruth M. McConnell, San Antonio Public Lib .
Copyright 1986 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

"Lively and enjoyable, with a strong, vigorous heroine."--The Horn Book

"Alanna's world is a harsh one, but believable.... This fantasy provides food for introspection as well as flights of imagination in a magical kingdom." -- Kirkus --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover
• Publisher: Peter Smith Pub Inc (January 31, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0844672289
• ISBN-13: 978-0844672281
• Product Dimensions: 7.2 x 4.5 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (128 customer reviews)

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

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Alanna's First Adventure As A True Knight, December 2, 2005

By 

Erika Sorocco (Southern California, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Woman Who Rides Like a Man (The Song of the Lioness) (Mass Market Paperback)

SONG OF THE LIONESS: BOOK III - THE WOMAN WHO RIDES LIKE A MAN, takes us through one-year of Alanna of Trebond's life, from shortly after she is knighted at the age of eighteen, until the one-year anniversary of her knighting, at the age of nineteen.

Newly knighted Alanna of Trebond is finally enjoying showing the world that she is a woman, and not a man, as she begins her journey through the vast desert of Tortall. There, however, she is captured by vicious desert dwellers, who have challenged her to a duel. A duel to the death that will prove whether she is worthy of being invited into the tribe, or killed in battle. Alanna receives a triumph from the battle, though she is headed for tough times. Times that will test her in everything she attempts. Before long, Alanna's mythic fate comes into play, and Alanna is soon the first female shaman of the tribe, training three amateur sorcerers to follow in her footsteps, and become shamans, like herself. But when one of her young students succumbs to greed and tragedy, Alanna realizes that she must fight to change the customs of the desert tribes, or tragedy will strike all of Tortall. As if that weren't enough for her to handle, Alanna must also make a choice: marry Prince Jonathan, and spend her days trying to give him an heir, or live alone as the knight she has strived so hard to become.

I will be the first to admit that I never would have imagined that I could enjoy a series about a female knight so much, but Tamora Pierce has made me a fan for life. Her SONG OF THE LIONESS series has quickly become one of my favorites, and I was enthralled by the outcome of this book. It is wonderful to be able to see how Alanna is growing up, and quite a pleasure to accompany her on her journeys as she makes her way through the lands of Tortall. Her hard-headed nature, and sometimes sour disposition make her an appealing, strong female character, and the choices she makes will appeal to readers, both male and female. An enthralling adventure novel that will be eaten up by fantasy fans.

Erika Sorocco

Book Review Columnist for The Community Bugle Newspaper

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Alanna faces a new challenge, May 13, 2002

By 

Nancy E. "Nancy" (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Woman Who Rides Like a Man (Song of the Lioness Quartet, Book 3) (Mass Market Paperback)

Alanna of Trebond is taking a break from her home at the palace. Since everyone found out about her true sex, she has been worried about how people will react, and she knows that their spreading horrible rumors about her. All she wants to do is go searching for adventures and she gets one, just not the one she suspects.

While riding towards the South she is attacked by a strange group of men, she is saved by the Bazhir, enemies of these men but also enemies of the King. They invite her to their village where people look at here either as a goddess or a demon. In the few months she spends their she finds that she must not only protect herself, but train 3 young mages, and unite two groups who have been enemies for generations.

The Woman who rides like a man is another exciting edition to the Alanna series. Although I didn't like it as much as the first 2 books I still enjoyed it. The main complaint I have is the book seemed to have two plots, both that could easily be joined with the 2nd and 3rd book. But beyond that it was great. I was happy to see Alanna, George, Sir Myles, Coram and other great old characters and meet new ones. If you're an Alanna fan I recommend reading this book.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Woman Who Rides Like a Man, April 1, 2001

By 

BLACK @NGEL (NOWHERE) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Woman Who Rides Like a Man (Song of the Lioness Quartet, Book 3) (Mass Market Paperback)

I liked Book 3 in Alanna's story the best of all. I did read The Immortals first, but I still loved how Alanna and George got together. I think that the third book contains the most magic, which is so cool, and it also placed Alanna in an entirely new environment. I love the Bahzir tribes and their customs and magic. Also, in this book, Alanna really comes face-to-face with herself for the first time, and the last book in this quartet is very obscure and unexplained. I think the end of her relationship with Jon was for the best, and it shows that just because you love someone, it doesn't mean you are meant for each other. George's romance of her provides so sharp a contrast that even an inexperienced reader should be able to tell that these two belong with one another. This used to be my least favorite of Alanna's adventures, but my opinion has changed and if you didn't like it very much, I recommend you give it another read. You'll fing it grows on you.