Wolf-Speaker

If someone asks me what my favorite books were when I was younger, why I want to be a writer, why I love fantasy or why I still - as a 25 year old adult working in Finance - have an imagination, all fingers must be pointed at Tamora Pierce. I started reading her books when I was 9 or 10, and they have stayed with me and I am happy to keep up with her writing even now, and I have gone back a re-read her series many times. Pierce is a world builder, and an excellent one at that, and even though Daine is fourteen in this novel, it is easy to fall into her world.

The Immortals was the first series I read by Pierce, and relatively unique in its storytelling as the knights are side stories and her training is one-on-one and more nomadic, show more unlike the Circle of Magic series. Wolf Speaker is fun because Daine begins to fall into her abilities as a Wild Mage and finds a few fun surprises. As this book is written for children and not angst-ridden teens or scrutinizing adults, the tone is relatively light and her troubles are few as she adapts to the world around her and her abilities. Additionally, Pierce gives the underlying message of the importance of respecting the natural world around us and not succumbing to greed at any cost.

This gets three stars because Daine drives me nuts. She's very emotional and is written that way purposefully - the characters around her also get exasperated with her. Her abilities are interesting, the little dragon Kitten is interesting, the story is a bit light (as aforementioned - children's book), her teacher Numair is interesting, but Daine takes a little bit of patience at times, like listening to a self-righteous, whiny pre-teen (appropriately so) and I think perhaps the intentionality of this tied with my reaction just sort of goes to show how adept of a writer Pierce is....

My recollection of the series is that Wolf Speaker was my least favorite of the four and I look forward to Emperor Mage. show less

This is the sequel in Tamora Pierce's Immortals series.

The novel opens while Numair and Daine are on a discovery mission in Dunlath to find out what happened to seven of the Queen's riders, when Daine is approached by the wolf pack that cared for her and helped her avenge her mother's death in the beginning of the series. Something terrible is happening in Dunlath, and only Daine can help the wolf pack. What begins as a favor to her pack, ends up becoming about something far more important; protecting the lives and freedoms of all in the valley, mortal and immortal alike.

I loved this book. Granted, Pierce stole my soul with Wild Magic, but sometimes sequels disappoint and Wolf-Speaker did not. Pierce uses Wolf- Speaker to explore show more themes of good and evil, bigotry and prejudice to teach a valuable lesson about not judging everything based on what we've been taught or have heard previously. Considering this is a YA novel, I think that's a valuable lesson to teach growing children.

Numair and Daine have wonderful chemistry as usual, but in Pierce fashion Daine fought all of her battles alone, and is the heroine of the story.
Highly recommend and can't wait to get my hands on the next novel in the series. show less

I enjoyed Wolf-Speaker even more than its predecessor. I felt like, in Wild Magic, Daine had come into her own without realizing it by the end of the story, and that Wolf-Speaker is the story of her testing, so to speak.

I enjoyed meeting the new (fully-fleshed-out) characters, but I enjoyed watching Daine fend for herself and protect others even more. She is, in the course of the story, separated from the adults that gave her guidance and support in Wild Magic, and the stakes become so dire that it is essentially a sink-or-swim moment. I liked watching her go from a confused newcomer to Tortall (in the first book) to a protector of both people and animals. It was an intensely satisfying read.

If someone asks me what my favorite books were when I was younger, why I want to be a writer, why I love fantasy or why I still - as a 25 year old adult working in Finance - have an imagination, all fingers must be pointed at Tamora Pierce. I started reading her books when I was 9 or 10, and they have stayed with me and I am happy to keep up with her writing even now, and I have gone back a re-read her series many times. Pierce is a world builder, and an excellent one at that, and even though Daine is fourteen in this novel, it is easy to fall into her world.

The Immortals was the first series I read by Pierce, and relatively unique in its storytelling as the knights are side stories and her training is one-on-one and more nomadic, show more unlike the Circle of Magic series. Wolf Speaker is fun because Daine begins to fall into her abilities as a Wild Mage and finds a few fun surprises. As this book is written for children and not angst-ridden teens or scrutinizing adults, the tone is relatively light and her troubles are few as she adapts to the world around her and her abilities. Additionally, Pierce gives the underlying message of the importance of respecting the natural world around us and not succumbing to greed at any cost.

This gets three stars because Daine drives me nuts. She's very emotional and is written that way purposefully - the characters around her also get exasperated with her. Her abilities are interesting, the little dragon Kitten is interesting, the story is a bit light (as aforementioned - children's book), her teacher Numair is interesting, but Daine takes a little bit of patience at times, like listening to a self-righteous, whiny pre-teen (appropriately so) and I think perhaps the intentionality of this tied with my reaction just sort of goes to show how adept of a writer Pierce is....

My recollection of the series is that Wolf Speaker was my least favorite of the four and I look forward to Emperor Mage. show less

This is the second of The Immortals series featuring Daine, who was introduced in Wild Magic. For me this is the weakest book of the series, even the book by Pierce I like the least. I found the environmentalist/animal rights theme heavy handed and at times eye-roll worthy. Those kinds of themes are certainly present in all of Pierce's books, but this is the one where I found it nearly unbearable. That said, I first read these books as an adult on the recommendation of a friend who fell in love with them as a child. I'm sure if I had read these when I was in the targeted age of 12 to 16, I would have eaten up this tale of a girl who not only can talk to animals, she can shapeshift into one. And even I loved the next two books in the show more series, which have scenes I'd call cinematic and memorable quotes suitable for bumper stickers. And there were enjoyable bits here too, such as the dimension give to the Stormwings and "Kitten" the dragon. show less

Daine has been called to Dunlath Valley by her old wolf pack, the Long Lake Wolves. The humans are tearing apart the trees and poisoning the water. Wildlife all around the valley is dying and Brokefang, the alpha of the pack, wants help reclaiming his home. When Daine and Numair arrive, though, they find out the people of Dunlath are mining something. Though they can't figure out what, they know it must be important. And when they find the charred remains of a squadron of Queen's Riders as well as Stormwings, they know there's something more than meets the eye.

After following such a fantastic book like Wild Magic, Wolf-Speaker had a lot to live up to and unfortunately, it didn't quite make it. Of all the Tamora Pierce books I've read to show more date, this was the weakest. There wasn't much character involvement because really, Daine was the only human character through the most part. Numair rarely showed up and Alanna only appeared briefly after the final battle. I loved all the animals that showed up but for some reason, I just didn't love them as much as Dain's human friends. A good majority of the book also seemed to be Daine discovering and growing into her powers. While I understand the importance of this, it felt like chapter after chapter was devoted to Daine entering the mind of yet another animal and transforming her own body more and more. It got old.

Lastly, the final battle was quite a letdown. There was so much build-up through the book as to what horrible things Tristan and his mages were doing, and there was such a struggle to get to the room where his weapon was being kept, and it only took a couple of hits from the hilt of her knife to destroy it. Boring.

I hope I haven't dissuaded anyone from reading Tamora Pierce. Her books are thoroughly enjoyable and while I don't remember exactly what happens in the rest of the books, I remember loving them and I'm almost certain this is just a dry spell. It happens to every good author so please, read on! show less

Book two in my first adult re-read of my beloved Immortals series.

A few other reviews criticise the book for having Daine fend for herself for much of it, cut off from Numair and her other familiar friends. On the other hand, I kind of like the sense of solitude that permeates this book, and Daine's ability to find allies of all sorts in a strange and hostile land.

Overall an enjoyable and comforting book to return to.