Magic Steps (The Circle Opens, Book 1) (Mass Market Paperback)

by Tamora Pierce (Author) "Lady Sandrilene fa Toren opened the door to her room and stepped into the dark corridor..." (more)
Key Phrases: lady provost, mage council, inner keep, Winding Circle, Duke Vedris, Duke's Citadel (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

"'Magic? Me, do magic?' Magic was a thing of schools and books. No proper Acalon did magic. 'Oh, no--please, you're mistaken, my lady. I'm no mage.'

Sandry met his eyes squarely. 'You just danced a magical working, Pasco Acalon. I am never mistaken about such things.'"

Four years after we last saw the young mages Sandry, Tris, Daja, and Briar in the Circle of Magic quartet, Sandry is back. Now 14 years old, she is helping her great-uncle, Duke Vedris IV, ruler of Emelan, recover after a heart attack. But there's no rest for the weary mage. A mysterious murderer is afoot, and it quickly becomes clear that Sandry and her reluctant young protégé, Pasco, are the only ones who can stop the killings. Unfortunately, Pasco comes from a long line of harriers, or provost's guards, and his burly family does not think highly of a boy who dances magical spells. It takes some fancy footwork to convince Pasco of the need for his special brand of magic, and Sandry is just the girl for the job.

This first title in Tamora Pierce's new series, The Circle Opens, will thrill fans of her terrifically popular previous books, including The Circle of Magic quartet and The Song of the Lioness quartet. With her spellbinding choreography of wit, gore, and intrigue, Pierce never takes a false step. (Ages 9 and older) --Emilie Coulter --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From School Library Journal
Grade 5-8-Lady Sandrilene fa Toren, known to readers of the "Circle of Magic" quartet(Scholastic) as Sandry, comes fully into her powers here. Now 14, Sandry is caring for her great-uncle, Duke Vedris of Emelan, after his near-fatal heart attack, when her attention is suddenly seized by two very different events. After witnessing a younger boy, Pasco, unwittingly perform a dance of magical power, she realizes reluctantly that she must take on his magical training before he becomes a danger to himself and others. At the same time, members of a powerful merchant family are being killed one by one by assassins cloaking themselves in "unmagic," or "the absence of all things." Sandry must use all her skill to weave her magic and Pasco's into a force that can overcome the assassins. Readers are immediately plunged into the rich and vibrant atmosphere of Sandry's world, with its merchants, miscreants, and mages. Though the pace of the plot is heart quickening, the admirable heroine remains calm, capable, and always ready to giggle. Violent acts are horrifying but are not graphically described. Fans of the previous quartet and new readers alike will immerse themselves in this thrilling tale of magical intrigue.
Eva Mitnick, Los Angeles Public Library
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Young Adult
  
• Mass Market Paperback: 264 pages
• Publisher: Scholastic Paperbacks; Reprint edition (April 1, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0590396056
• ISBN-13: 978-0590396059
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.6 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (77 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #41,125 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

25 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful., February 21, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Magic Steps (The Circle Opens, Book 1) (Hardcover)

This book was wonderful. I love hearing about Sandry's life a few years after Winding Circle. The things she's learned how to do are really amazing. The problem in this book is interesting as well. And the boy mage has a pretty cool power. I can't wait to hear about Briar, and Daja, and Tris in the next three books..

25 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Quite entertaining, July 11, 2000

By	Jennifer Mo "ailanna" - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Magic Steps (The Circle Opens, Book 1) (Hardcover)

As someone who is generally not a big fan of Tamora Pierce's work, I was pleasantly surprised by Magic Steps, the first in a promising new quartet. It's a very diverting action-fantasy with plenty of-- well, everything. There's some particularly creative magic going on: Sandry continues to work with and explore her special type of thread magic, Pasco (her new and somewhat unwilling student) begins to learn control over his unusual dancing Talent, and a new and very dangerous type of magic is discovered. Unmagic, as they call it, permits several murderers to go undiscovered as they exact revenge upon the prominent Rokat family in a truly grisly manner. And only Sandry and Pasco, two young and inexperienced mages, have the combined unique talents to deal with the menace...

The shift of this quartet is definitely off the original four characters; Tris, Briar and Daja are mentioned only in passing. However, Sandry's character is further developed as she becomes more independent, and she gains a surprising amount of depth and maturity by the end of the book. Pasco is also an engaging creation, and Pierce's vivid description of his first dance lesson (and his ensuing sore muscles) will provoke a good deal of compassion from anyone who has ever taken serious dance lessons. Additionally, the villains, though a little underdeveloped, are not the standard implausibly evil Bad Guys.

Really, the only thing that detracted from my pleasure in reading Magic Steps was the occasional intrusion of terms from this world. Tamora Pierce did, for the most part, a good job of creating slang and customs for her world. Even the names of the weekdays are altered. However, they still inexplicably measure height in feet and inches, and some of the foreign customs mentioned are very Asian and Middle-Eastern in feel. Not a major fault, though, and there are plenty of good points that more than make up for that. A warning to those with weaker stomachs-- there is quite a lot more gore and death in Magic Steps than in The Magic Circle quartet. It's hardly excessive, though, and shouldn't be too bothersome.

Naturally, it's a good idea to read The Magic Circle quartet (Sandry's Book, Tris' Book, Daja's Book, Briar's Book) before reading the first entry in The Circle Opens series. I'll be looking forward to following entries as the remaining three characters mature and become teachers in their own rights. But if you like Tamora Pierce, you really must try Sherwood Smith's Crown and Court Duet...

Ailanna

15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Tamora does it again!, August 16, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Magic Steps (The Circle Opens, Book 1) (Hardcover)

I gotta say, I was REALLY pleased with this book! I didn't really know what to expect...all the COM characters away from Winding Circle and not having the strong bond they did in the other books...but what I got was a book even better than the others! Sandry's my favorite character, and its good to see how she's grown and matured. The whole dancing magic idea is pretty good, and I love murder mystery type stories *even though this one wasn't really much of a mystery*! Anyways, all in all it was a very satisfying book, and I hope to see Sandry and Briar get together! I mean, a romance would spice these books up a little, dont you think?