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With brilliant new livery to celebrate the 40th anniversary of this ground-breaking fantasy series, Alanna the Lioness – the first woman knight – rides again.
Alanna of Trebond may be a girl of noble birth, but she will not be sentenced to the life of a well-mannered young lady. Alanna dreams of becoming a knight of the realm of Tortall, and neither her gender nor her father’s orders will stop her.
Though Alanna’s father is preparing her twin brother, Thom, for the path to knighthood, he dreams of studying sorcery. To forge their own destinies, the two hatch a cunning plan: Alanna will disguise herself as a boy and take Thom’s place while he learns the art of magic.
But the path to knighthood is never easy and, on her first adventure, Alanna will find friends and enemies, sickness and sorcery, and discover the magic within her…
Forty years on from first publication, The Song of the Lioness Quartet retains its warmth, adventure, and steel, affirming this coming-of-age tale as a timeless masterpiece.
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With brilliant new livery to celebrate the 40th anniversary of this ground-breaking fantasy series, Alanna the Lioness – the first woman knight – rides again.
Alanna of Trebond may be a girl of noble birth, but she will not be sentenced to the life of a well-mannered young lady. Alanna dreams of becoming a knight of the realm of Tortall, and neither her gender nor her father’s orders will stop her.
Though Alanna’s father is preparing her twin brother, Thom, for the path to knighthood, he dreams of studying sorcery. To forge their own destinies, the two hatch a cunning plan: Alanna will disguise herself as a boy and take Thom’s place while he learns the art of magic.
But the path to knighthood is never easy and, on her first adventure, Alanna will find friends and enemies, sickness and sorcery, and discover the magic within her…
Forty years on from first publication, The Song of the Lioness Quartet retains its warmth, adventure, and steel, affirming this coming-of-age tale as a timeless masterpiece.
A conversation between Lucie Dess and Bella Mackey
Lucie: Bella and I both wanted to write the review for the Alanna series. It was actually my idea to pick it for the Young Adult Classic of the Month, but because I got to review the Kids Classic last month, it was suggested Bella should do it instead. I disagreed … So, naturally the only way to settle the argument was an arm-wrestle. Of course, I won! No need to applaud. But then Elke, our fearless Readings Monthly editor suggested we write the review together, and being the gracious winner that I am, I agreed.
Bella: Thank goodness – it would have been a personal tragedy for me not to be able to share my love for Alanna and Tamora Pierce, but it was foolish of me to ever agree to an arm-wrestling match. Lucie destroyed me almost immediately … But that doesn’t matter now, because I still get to sing the praises of this timeless fantasy adventure!
Alanna: The First Adventure follows Alanna, who swaps places with her twin brother and disguises herself as a boy so she can become a knight. She’s got natural skill and a determination to prove herself, but Alanna soon finds herself up against gruelling training, mind-numbing lessons and relentless bullies. It’s not until she makes friends that the years of training ahead start to feel possible … as long as no one finds out about her secret identity.
Lucie: I first discovered Alanna in the school library. The book was tatty and the pages had yellowed. There were even a couple of pages missing, but that didn’t matter. I devoured it and then the next three books in the series. Alanna’s adventures are action-packed and utterly captivating. It has everything you could possibly want in a fantasy coming-of-age! There’s strong friendships, evil sorcerers, handsome princes, charming thieves, love triangles and twists that you will not see coming! The Song of the Lioness Quartet is a series I’ve returned to many times over the years, and it never fails to warm my heart and give me butterflies.
Bella: I was introduced to Alanna when I was in primary school, and it became pretty much my entire personality for the next few years. I absolutely fell in love with Alanna and her friends, and devoured the rest of the quartet (not to mention everything else Tamora Pierce had written). The fast-paced plots and magical world make her books incredibly engaging, while the wonderful characters will find a place in your heart and keep you coming back for more. Lucie and I are both proof that this book can inspire a lifelong passion! (and yes, we will now be re-reading the whole quartet, because it’s all we can think about after re-reading the first book).
We both recommend this series for any fantasy lover aged 12+, especially those who love Mulan and girls who can wield a sword.
See what the Readings’ team have to say on the blog, discover related events and podcast episodes.
With brilliant new livery to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Tamora Pierce's ground-breaking fantasy series, Alanna the Lioness rides again!
Beautifully bound, with unique designs or exclusive content, these special editions are perfect are a great addition to any bookshelf, and an ideal gift for the booklover in your life.
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