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Wild Magic by Tamora Pierce
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Reviewed by Candace Cunard for TeensReadToo.com

Veralidaine Sarrasri--Daine to everyone who knows her--is thirteen years old, orphaned, and without a home. Her amazing rapport with animals gets her a job with a horsemaster named Onua, and the two women become fast companions during their arduous journey from Daine's homeland of Galla to the kingdom of Tortall, where they are to deliver their equine charges to the service of the Queen's Riders.

Along the way, Daine's gift for communicating with animals becomes more and more apparent, and when she alerts Onua to the approach of dangerous Immortals known as Stormwings, who feed off of fear and death, her talent can no longer be ignored. It is revealed that, while she does not have the magical Gift required to become a sorcerer, she does have a rarer form known as wild magic that connects her to the animals around her.

Under the auspices of one of the most powerful mages in the country, Daine begins to strengthen her natural affinity, but she's haunted by a past she won't share with anyone, and a secret fear that if she uses too much of her power to communicate with animals, even for the good of those around her, she might find herself losing her own humanity.

In the eyes of the Tortallan nobles, her training is of great importance in the ongoing effort to protect the kingdom against the vicious Immortals who have begun appearing out of nowhere in the last few years.

Pierce has once again delivered a plucky heroine that girls young and old can ally with. Daine's no-nonsense attitude, coupled with her na�ve fascination for the way in which business is conducted in Tortall, make her a completely likable character. For an experienced author, returning to an old fictional world and attempting to see it through new eyes can be difficult, but it also has manifold pleasures for both the writer and the reader.

In this first book of THE IMMORTALS QUARTET, Tamora Pierce returns to the world her LIONESS QUARTET first popularized, and fans of Alanna, Tortall's first female knight, will be pleased to see their favorite lady heroine appear in print once more, but this time as a secondary character to another young girl with the potential to become a strong woman in her own right. ( )
1 vote GeniusJen | Oct 13, 2009 |
Even in a world filled with magic, Daine Sarrasi's gift with animals stands out, and between her unusual gift and having to hide the secrets from her past, it's easier for her to connect with animals than people. It takes time (and some gentle and not-so-gentle coaxing from friends and mentors) for Daine to come to trust her new acquaintances.

I really enjoy these books and always like the strong women characters that Pierce writes, but she does have a tendency to do things like pound us over the head with the idea that something bad had happened in her past, long before we find out what it is. A few fewer - or more subtle - mentions of how she can't trust these new people with her secret because they'd surely hate her would have been just as effective, if not more so. But things like that aside, it's a good story and a fun, easy read. ( )
  bluesalamanders | Jun 13, 2009 |
A young girl with the ability to speak to animals comes to Tortall.

I can see why Tamora Pierce's books have gained such a strong readership. Daine, this book's central character, feels like an outsider. Throughout the course of the book, she comes to realize that she's found a home for herself, despite an unusual talent that has caused problems for her in the past. It's a solid scenario that a lot of readers, (especially young people), can really relate to.

Unfortunately, I found it impossible not to compare Pierce to Mercedes Lackey, an author who I feel has done a much better job with the whole outsider-finding-acceptance theme. It's all a matter of taste, I know, but I found Pierce's narrative just a little too simplistic for my tastes. Despite the strong themes she's working with, nothing goes very deep. I know this is a children's novel, but I don't think that's really an excuse. I wouldn't exactly say that Pierce has written down to her readers, but there's definitely room for more than she's giving.

I can see why others have really enjoyed the Tortall books, but this one just didn't click for me. I might try the rest of the series at a later date, but it's not a priority. ( )
  xicanti | Jun 12, 2009 |
I read this one a long time ago, so I don't remember all the details, but I do know this series was one of my favorites for a long time. This particular book was an amazing read. The type of natural magic the characters possess is fascinating as are the characters themselves. ( )
1 vote Saieeda | Jun 7, 2009 |
"Oh joy. Another Tamora Pierce novel with a female protagonist who's good at everything ever yet annoyingly modest." Or so I thought going into this-- about halfway through the book, Pierce pulled out a revelation that stopped me in my tracks and caused me to reevaluate everything that had gone before. Obviously Daine had had a secret, but I hadn't expected it to be that. The book doesn't capitalize on it much, unfortunately, but I'm only a fourth of the way into the story, so I'm willing to give it time. Add in unknowable powerful forces breaking into our reality-- one of my favorite sf&f tropes-- and this quartet is already shaping up to be much stronger than Song of the Lioness.
1 vote Stevil2001 | May 17, 2009 |
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Series (with order)
Canonical Title
Original publication date
People/Characters
Important places
Important events
Awards and honors
Epigraph
Dedication
For Raquel Wolf-Sister and Tas Horse-Hearted
Who opened my heart to the songs of all the beasts.
First words
Each year, at the end of March, a great fair was held in Crîa, the capital of Galla.
Quotations
Last words
(Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)
Disambiguation notice
Publisher's editors
Blurbers
Canonical titleWild Magic
Original publication date1992
SeriesThe Immortals (1), Tortall (5)
People/CharactersVeralidaine "Daine" Sarrasri, Onua Chamtong, Numair Salmalín, Cloud, Skysong (Kitten), Alanna (the Lioness) (show all 9)
Important placesTortall, Pirate's Swoop
Awards and honorsIowa Teen Award Nominee (1995-1996)
DedicationFor Raquel Wolf-Sister and Tas Horse-Hearted Who opened my heart to the songs of all the beasts.
First wordsEach year, at the end of March, a great fair was held in Crîa, the capital of Galla.
Last words(Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)
DescriptionThe mage Numair, the knight Alanna, and Queen Thayet enlist thirteen-year-old Daine's help to battle the dreadful immortal creatures that have recently begun to attack the kingdom of Tortall.
Book description
The mage Numair, the knight Alanna, and Queen Thayet enlist thirteen-year-old Daine's help to battle the dreadful immortal creatures that have recently begun to attack the kingdom of Tortall.

Amazon.com Product Description (ISBN 067988288X, Mass Market Paperback)

Young Daine's knack with horses gets her a job helping the royal horsemistress drive a herd of ponies to Tortall. Soon it becomes clear that Daine's talent, as much as she struggles to hide it, is downright magical Horses and other animals not only obey, but listen to her words. Daine, though, will have to learn to trust humans before she can come to terms with her powers, her past, and herself.  

(retrieved from Amazon Fri, 24 Apr 2009 07:58:08 -0400)

(see all 2 descriptions)

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