Wild Magic (The Immortals) (original 1992; edition 2005)

Read the book multiple times and just listened to the Full Cast Audio production - both are highly enjoyable. ( )

I discovered Tamora Pierce as an adult who still likes to read YA coming-of-age stories. While not as complex as the more recently written books about Beka Cooper, the quartet of books about Daine, which starts with Wild Magic, still satisfies.

My reread was prompted by my younger son who after devouring the [a:Erin Hunter|27498|Erin Hunter|http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1318547591p2/27498.jpg] Warriors series and the [a:Kathryn Lasky|4735|Kathryn Lasky|http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1324072694p2/4735.jpg]Guardian's of Gahoole Juvenile Series, started to read Wild Magic. He was thrilled to have Mom reading the same book he was! So Wild Magic has the advantage of being appropriate for younger readers (he's a precocious 8/3rd Grade) and still interesting enough for adults. ( )

When I'm dog tired and distracted, this is my kind of escapist fiction. Sometimes you just had a long week. You met all the obligations on the list and for some reason it was a long list, and you're fighting some sort of a minor virus and mostly winning, and those new shoes are needing to break in a little more than you thought so now your feet hurt a bit and all the batteries in all the battery operated things chose now to run out, and apparently the drivers had a bad case of Friday afternoon lunacy and were pulling out in front of you and stopping for no damn reason and then honking at you as if it were your fault, and there's no damn milk in the fridge!!! and so it goes. You are just a bit worn and a bit ready to be in a big soft chair with a nice cold drink and something to read that isn't going to be all that demanding because you've had enough demands just now thank you very much. But at the same time, please don't insult my intelligence. Please don't be mean spirited and stupid and tawdry. Ahhh Tamora Pierce, welcome to my tension headache, and thank you very much. ( )

While this is not an expertly crafted story, it is a pretty children's tale. I enjoyed its whimsical nature. I would definitely recommend it to anyone. ( )

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, though she does have a tendency to pound the reader over the head with the idea that something bad had happened in Daine's 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.

I love Full Cast Audio. They do wonderful recordings, with just enough sound effects and fantastic voice actors.