Pierce, Tamora 1954–

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Pierce, Tamora 1954–

Personal

Born December 13, 1954, in Connellsville, PA; daughter of Wayne Franklin and Jacqueline S. Pierce; married Timothy Erving Liebe, 1985. Education: University of Pennsylvania, B.A., 1976.

Addresses

Home—Upstate NY. Agent—Craig R. Tenney, Harold Ober Associates, 425 Madison Ave., New York, NY 10017. E-mail—[email protected].

Career

City of Kingston, NY, tax data collector, 1977-78; towns of Hardenburgh and Denning, NY, tax clerk, 1978; McAuley Home for Girls, Buhl, ID, social worker and housemother, 1978-79; Harold Ober Associates, New York, NY, assistant to literary agent, 1979-82; ZPPR Productions, Inc. (radio producers), creative director, 1982-86; Chase Investment Bank, New York, NY, secretary, 1985-89; freelance writer, 1990—. Former instructor, Free Woman's University, University of Pennsylvania.

Member

Authors Guild, Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America.

Awards, Honors

Author's citation, Alumni Association of the New Jersey Institute of Technology, 1984, for Alanna: The First Adventure; Schüler-Express ZDF Preis (Germany), 1985, and South Carolina Children's Book Award nomination, 1985-86, both for In the Hand of the Goddess;

Children's Paperbacks Bestseller, Australian Bookseller and Publisher, 1995, for Wolf-Speaker; Best Books for Young Adults list, Hawaii State Library, and Best Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror list, Voice of Youth Advocates, both 1995, and Best Books for Young Adults list, American Library Association (ALA), 1996, all for The Emperor Mage; Best Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror list, Voice of Youth Advocates, 1996, and Best Books for the Teen Age list, New York Public Library, 1997, both for The Realms of the Gods; Best Books for Young Adults list, ALA, 2004, for Trickster's Choice.

Writings

"SONG OF THE LIONESS" QUARTET

Alanna: The First Adventure, Atheneum (New York, NY), 1983, reprinted, Simon Pulse (New York, NY), 2005.

In the Hand of the Goddess, Atheneum (New York, NY), 1984.

The Woman Who Rides like a Man, Atheneum (New York, NY), 1986, reprinted, Simon Pulse (New York, NY), 2005.

Lioness Rampant, Atheneum (New York, NY), 1988.

"IMMORTALS" QUARTET

Wild Magic, Atheneum (New York, NY), 1992.

Wolf-Speaker, Atheneum (New York, NY), 1994.

The Emperor Mage, Atheneum (New York, NY), 1995.

The Realms of the Gods, Atheneum (New York, NY), 1996.

"CIRCLE OF MAGIC" QUARTET

Sandry's Book, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1997.

Tris's Book, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1998.

Daja's Book, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1998.

Briar's Book, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1999.

"PROTECTOR OF THE SMALL" QUARTET

First Test, Random House (New York, NY), 1999.

Page, Random House (New York, NY), 2000.

Squire, Random House (New York, NY), 2001.

Lady Knight, Random House (New York, NY), 2002.

"CIRCLE OPENS" QUARTET

Magic Steps, Scholastic (New York, NY), 2000.

Street Magic, Scholastic (New York, NY), 2001.

Cold Fire, Scholastic (New York, NY), 2002.

Shatterglass, Scholastic (New York, NY), 2003.

"TRICKSTER" SERIES

Trickster's Choice, Random House (New York, NY), 2003.

Trickster's Queen, Random House (New York, NY), 2004.

OTHER

The Will of the Empress: The Circle Reforged (sequel to "Circle Opens" series), Scholastic (New York, NY), 2005.

(Editor with Josepha Sherman) Young Warriors: Stories of Strength, Random House (New York, NY), 2005.

Terrier ("Beka Cooper" trilogy), Random House Children's Books (New York, NY), 2006.

Work anthologized in Digital Deli, edited by Steve Ditlea, Workman (New York, NY), 1984; Planetfall, edited by Douglas Hill, Oxford University Press (New York, NY), 1985; Flights of Fantasy, Perfection Learning (Logan, IA), 1999; Lost and Found, edited by Helen and M. Jerry Weiss, Tor (New York, NY), 2000; Half-Human, edited by Bruce Coville, Scholastic (New York, NY), 2001; Firebirds Rising, edited by Sharyn November, Penguin (New York, NY), 2006; and Dreams and Visions, edited by M. Jerry Weiss, 2006. Contributor to periodicals, including Christian Century and School Library Journal. Author of radio scripts aired on National Public Radio, 1987-89. Also author, with husband Tim Liebe, of "White Tiger" comic-book series, Marvel Comics, 2006.

Pierce's works have been translated into German, Danish, Swedish, Hungarian, Japanese, and Spanish.

Adaptations

Several of Pierce's novels have been adapted as audio-books, including Melting Stones, which was released by Full Cast Audio in 2008, a year prior to the novel's hardcover release. Many of Pierce's book series have been sold in boxed sets.

Sidelights

Tamora Pierce is a prolific fantasy novelist whose stories for young readers are consistently praised for featuring strong female protagonists and imaginative, well-drawn plots. In her "Song of the Lioness" quartet, Pierce introduces Alanna, a young woman who disguises herself as a man in order to train as a knight, and then uses her physical strength and her capabilities as a healer to serve Prince Jonathan and engage in numerous medieval adventures. Daine, an orphan with a talent for communicating with animals, is the focus of the "Immortals" novels, which also feature Alanna as well as a bizarre menagerie of amazing animals. Four young mages learn to develop their unique style of magic in the "Circle of Magic" and "Circle Opens" quartets, while Pierce's four-volume "Protector of the Small" sequence reenters Alanna's kingdom as it follows Kelandry of Mindelan and her efforts to become a knight of the realm. "I enjoy writing for teenagers," Pierce once commented, "because I feel I help to make life easier for kids who are like I was."

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Born in Pennsylvania, Pierce and her family moved often during the 1960s and 1970s, traveling between the diverse cultures of San Francisco, California, and Fayette County, Pennsylvania. As Pierce has noted, her storyteller father inspired her to start writing when she was six years old. By the time she was a student at the University of Pennsylvania, Pierce was writing short stories, and on the advice of one her professors, she began writing a longer work, a sword-and-sorcery tale. Once out of college, Pierce supported herself with various jobs to pay the rent while she continued writing her fantasy stories.

One of Pierce's most popular characters, Alanna the Lioness, is introduced to readers in Alanna: The First Adventure, published in 1983. The first novel in the "Song of the Lioness" quartet, Alanna focuses on the title character's determination to avoid the traditional fate of young noble women her age: life in a secluded convent. Instead, the teen cuts her hair, binds her breasts, and, as "Alan," changes identities with her brother and begins training to become a knight in the service of her country's king. During her grueling education, Alanna learns hand-to-hand combat from George Cooper, the king of thieves, and she becomes close friends with Prince Jonathan, who does not know that his favorite knight-in-training is, in fact, a young woman. Only during a battle in the forbidding Black City does the prince discover Alanna's true gender; on the pair's return to the palace, he makes her his squire regardless.

In In the Hand of the Goddess Alanna, now a squire, struggles to master the skills she will need to survive her test for knighthood in the Chamber of the Ordeal. She goes to war against a neighboring country and clashes repeatedly with Duke Roger, an urbane and devious mage who is determined to usurp the throne from his cousin, Prince Jonathan. She is successful in her efforts to protect Jonathan despite the duke's attempts to get rid of her. Once she is knighted, however, Alanna decides to leave royal service and journey out into the world in search of further adventures. In a School Library Journal review, Isabel Soffer praised the first two "Song of the Lioness" novels as "sprightly, filled with adventure and marvelously satisfying."

As the series continues in The Woman Who Rides like a Man, Alanna is on her own. With her servant Coram Smythesson and Faithful, her cat, she encounters a tribe of desert warriors called the Bazhir. Proving her worth in physical combat, Alanna is accepted by the Bazhir and ultimately becomes their shaman, or wizard. Alanna broadens the outlook of these desert people, raising a few women of the tribe to an equal level with the men before moving on to other adventures. In the quartet's concluding volume, Lioness Rampant, Pierce's stubborn heroine has become legendary for her skills in battle and for her magical powers; now she goes on a quest for the King of Tortall. Ascending to the Roof of the World after encountering numerous trials and challenges, Alanna attempts to claim the Dominion Jewel, a precious stone said to give its bearer the power to do good. In addition to adventure, she also encounters love in the person of Liam, a warrior known far and wide as the Shang Dragon. Unfortunately, Liam's dislike of her magical powers makes their relationship a fragile one. Liam is not her only suitor, however, and Lioness Rampant resolves previous questions about Alanna's relationships with her friends Prince Jonathan and George Cooper. Calling Pierce "a great story-teller" in a review of The Woman Who Rides like a Man, a Junior Bookshelf contributor praised the series' inventive characters in particular, noting that the multi-talented heroine's "sword, her companion, and her cat will always be ready to rise to any emergency."

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"The Immortals" returns readers to the kingdom of Tortall and begins with Wild Magic. Although Alanna makes an appearance in the series, the new protagonist is thirteen-year-old Daine, an orphan who has an unexplained empathy with wild creatures and a second sense that allows her to foresee danger. In fact, Daine is in danger of reverting to a wild creature herself until the mage Numair teaches her to control and channel her "wild magic." Daine uses her powers to stop evil humans from coercing the newly arrived Immortals—creatures such as dragons, griffins, spidrens, and Stormwings—into helping them accomplish destructive purposes. Called "a dynamic story sure to engross fantasy fans" by Sally Estes in Booklist, Wild Magic was also praised by Anne A. Flowers, who maintained in her Horn Book review that readers will "find in Daine a strong heroine whose humble beginning makes her well-deserved rewards even more gratifying."

Wolf-Speaker continues the adventures of Daine as the fourteen year old and her mentor, Numair, join a pack of wolves that are at odds with humans. Men working for an evil wizard named Tristan have discovered opals in the wolves' hunting lands in Dunlath Valley. The scramble for the precious gems has resulted in mine pollution and a destroyed ecosystem. Hunted by Stormwings under the control of Tristan, Daine and her companions must use all their powers, including shape changing, to stop the impending ecological catastrophe. "Daine is a super new heroine who makes this action-packed fantasy a joy to read," Mary L. Adams wrote in Voice of Youth Advocates, while Bonnie Kunzel noted in School Library Journal that Wolf-Speaker "is a compulsively readable novel that YAs won't be able to put down." Daine's adventures continue in two other "Immortals" novels, The Emperor Mage and The Realms of the Gods, the last in which Pierce's young heroine convinces dragons and other Immortal creatures to fight on her side against the powers of evil.

Set in Tortall, the "Protector of the Small" quartet begins with First Test. Here readers meet ten-year-old Kel and learn of her dreams to follow the same path as her hero, Alanna the Lioness. As the first girl allowed to become a page, Kel faces a different set of challenges than Alanna did when trying to win the approval of her peers: they must accept Kel knowing that she is a girl trying to become a knight. Not only must Kel deal with the negative opinions of others her age, but she also learns that Lord Wyldon of Cavall has added a beginning year onto the training program that only girls must take. Although outraged at the unfair treatment of girls by the system—and the unfair hazing of young pages—Kel manages to keep her temper in check and show her determination to become a knight. Susan Dove Lempke, writing in Booklist, called First Test a "splendidly rousing feast," and a reviewer for Publishers Weekly pre- dicted that "old and new readers alike will be won over" by Pierce's likeable young heroine.

After surviving her first year, Kel continues her training in Page. Her three years as a page are no less challenging than her start; Kel takes on a maid to protect her from nobles who have been molesting her, and also makes friends of other knights-in-training. When one of these friends is kidnaped, Kel and the others must go to the rescue. Lempke, writing in Booklist, predicted that "Pierce's legions of fans will love" Page, and Heather Dieffenbach wrote in School Library Journal that fantasy fans "will appreciate this true example of grrrl power."

In Squire, Kel is chosen to squire not Alanna the Lioness, as she had hoped, but Raoul, Knight Commander of the elite King's Own. Raoul proves to be a good match for the girl's temperament, and Kel's challenges in Squire deal more with unruly centaurs and magical creatures than finding acceptance. While facing her final test in Lady Knight, Kel receives a vision showing an evil magic being used by an enemy nation. She knows she must face the evil wizard causing this, but instead her first station as a knight is to run a refugee camp. When followers of the wizard—known as the Nothing Man—kidnap refugees from her camp, Kel takes her quest head on.

Patricia A. Dollisch, reviewing Squire for School Library Journal, noted that "Kel's fans will delight in seeing the parallels in their own lives, and Alanna and Daine's fans will enjoy seeing their favorites, if only in cameo roles." Also reviewing the novel, Anne St. John commented in Horn Book that "Kel's determination to succeed, her compulsion to stand up for those weaker than herself, and her exploration of what it means to be both a knight and a woman make her a compelling character." "Larger in scope" than its predecessors, Lady Knight offers a "gripping climax," according to a Kirkus Reviews writer. Kel possesses but does not heavily depend upon her magical skills, Lempke commented, adding that Pierce's heroine "taps her courage, cleverness, and moral outrage to fight evil." Sharon Rawlins, in a review of Lady Knight for School Library Journal, praised the novel as "essential" for fans of the "Protector of the Small" series, and in Kliatt Paula Rohrlick wrote that "it's satisfying to see Kel growing into her new role as knight and succeeding in her destiny as Protector of the Small."

The first of the two "Trickster" novels, Trickster's Choice, focuses on Alianne, the daughter of Alanna the Lioness. With such large shoes to fill, Alianne struggles to become her own person. More like her father, the one-time king of thieves, than her warrior mother, the sixteen year old's dream is to become a spy, although both parents forbid it. After fighting with her mother, Alianne goes sailing and is captured by pirates. She is subsequently sold into slavery and becomes the property of Duke Balitang, but shortly afterward the duke and his family are exiled as the result of an indiscretion involving the rulers of the Copper Isles. In a bargain with the god Kyprioth (the Trickster of the title), Alianne agrees to protect the duke's two daughters in exchange for Kyprioth's aid in regaining her freedom and convincing her parents to allow her to be a spy. Alianne soon learns that her charges are of greater import than she realized: one of the duke's daughters, Dove, is the "One Who Is Promised," a true heir to the throne of the Copper Isles. Trickster's Choice "will delight existing fans" of Pierce's Tortall novels "and create many more," promised a Kirkus Reviews. Though noticing the slower pace of Trickster's Choice, a reviewer for Publishers Weekly suggested that the pace "will be just right to her legion of devotees."

In Trickster's Queen Alianna now works as Dove's bodyguard. Fulfilling her dream of becoming a master spy, the seventeen year old also marshals an underground force that she has built and intends to use to place Dove on the throne of the Copper Isles, if need be. Although her friendship with Nawat, a young man who, transformed from a crow, is schooled in the martial arts, hold the potential for romance, Alianna continues to find new champions, as well as new threats. While noting that the detailed Prologue provided by the author should be considered required reading for those brand new to the "Trickster" saga, Rohrlick praised Trickster's Queen as a "complex and rewarding tale," citing in particular the novel's "brave and clever" heroine.

In Terrier, Pierce opens her "Beka Cooper" series of novels, taking readers back through Tortall's history, two centuries before Alanna's birth, to introduce an ancestor of George Cooper, who fans may remember from the "Song of the Lioness" series. Sixteen years old, Beka dreams of joining the Provost's Guard—the police of the city of Corus. At age eight she pulled her family out of poverty in the Lower City by helping Gershom, the city's Lord Provost, rid Corus of a gang of destructive ruffians. Now living in comfort in Gershom's household, Beka has gained the education and skills needed to make her dream come true. Accompanied by her purple-eyed cat, Pounce, who has the gift of human speech, the magically inclined teen now begins her first year as a "Puppy," a raw trainee working the crime that is rife in the Lower City. Although the senior "Dogs" Mattes Tunstall and Clary Goodwin, to which Beka is assigned, at first resent their young charge, the three ultimately learn to draw on the unique strength each possesses. Noting that the novel offers readers a "rollicking adventure" and "appealing characters," Lisa Prolman predicted in School Library Journal that Terrier "will keep readers on the edge of their seats." Mattson described Beka as a "fierce, lovable gal who won't take any guff," and enjoyed Pierce's repositioning of her characteristic fantasy heroine in a story that reads more like a police-procedural. Pierce's heroine "is appealing in her dedication" to her Lower City roots, Vicky Smith noted in her Horn Book review, making the "greatest strength" of Terrier "its raw portrayal of the fine line between law and lawlessness."

Pierce's Tortall novels, which encompass the bulk of her work, continue to attract the most praise. Commenting on the author's strong-willed leading ladies, such as Alanna, Kel, Alianna, and Beka, Elizabeth Devereaux wrote in the New York Times that "the lure of the Tortall heroines is not in their infinite variety nor is it in their verisimilitude. Rather, they faithfully reiterate an ideal—of feminine power that relies on brains, not beauty; of feminine attractiveness that relies on competence, not helplessness; and of feminine alliances that grow stronger, not weaker, in the face of conflicts."

As it does in her Tortall novels, magic plays an important role in Pierce's "Circle of Magic" books, which are set in the land of Emelan. In Sandry's Book, "a rich and satisfying read," according to a Kirkus Reviews critic, Sandry, Daja, Briar, and Trisana—four young people from various walks of life—meet and become friends while living in Winding Circle Temple. Each of the four protagonists has a different form of inherent magic: Sandry's magic has to do with weaving, Briar's has to do with plants, Daja's magic involves fire, and Tris's magic deals with weather. Each of the teens overcomes the negative aspects of his or her life during the struggle to control these new-found abilities. When the four mages-in-training are caught together in an earthquake, Sandry has to use her magic to protect them. The action in Tris's Book takes place the summer following the earthquake, as Tris and the other mages try to protect Winding Circle Temple from a pirate attack after the stronghold's defenses are weakened. Reviewing Tris's Book for Booklist, Chris Sherman concluded that the second novel in the series is "just as dramatic and engaging as Sandry's Book, and is a "cut above many fantasies for this age group."

Daja's Book features what Sherman described as the "danger and prejudice" Daja must face as the sole survivor of her family's shipwreck. Although she did not cause the tragedy, the teen is marked as a trangshi, bringer of bad luck. "Pierce's magic and the customs and rituals of her world continue to fascinate," Sherman further remarked. In Briar's Book, the young mage-in-training and his teacher must combine magics to battle a deadly plague threatening Summersea. In Booklist, Sherman dubbed the concluding "Circle of Magic" volume as "an entirely satisfying, carefully crafted fantasy,"

The "Circle Opens" quartet picks up four years after the events of "Circle of Magic," but with a new twist: the four mages of Winding Circle Temple now discover and train others who possess unrealized magical talents. In series opener Magic Steps, Sandry takes twelve-year-old Pasco Acalon under her wing, knowing that his love of dancing hides a special talent. Magic Steps is a "fast-paced, engrossing read" that is "sure to satisfy fantasy fans," according to Booklist critic Shelle Rosenfeld. Pierce continues the adventures in Street Magic as Briar leaves Winding Circle Temple with his teacher, Rosethorn, to spread magical plant lore to people in distant areas. On his venture, the young mage meets Evvy, a street urchin who is unknowingly the possessor of strong magical abilities which Briar helps to cultivate. Eva Mitnick, reviewing the book in School Library Journal, described Street Magic as a "solid addition to this enthralling series."

The third book in the "Circle Opens" series, Cold Fire, follows Daja as she encounters twins with powers that need nurturing and a mysterious arsonist whose identity she must discover. Considered darker in tone by some critics, Cold Fire was dubbed "an absolute must for fans of the series" and a "thoughtful stand-alone fantasy" by a critic for Kirkus Reviews. In Shatterglass, the final volume in the quartet, Tris travels to Tharios, a land dominated by a rigid caste system. There she encounters Keth, a glassblower with the magical ability to harness lightning while creating his works. Although Tris is years younger, she helps Keth control his talents as both of them become involved in trying to stop a serial killer. "In lively prose laced with wry humor, Pierce creates realistic, dimensional characters," wrote Rosenfeld. In School Library Journal Beth L. Meister praised Shatterglass as "a successful combination of fantasy and mystery," and a critic for Kirkus Reviews claimed that Pierce's "fans will undoubtedly clamor for future updates on her likeable young mages and their fascinating world."

Clamor they did, and The Will of the Empress: The Circle Reforged was the result. In what Jennifer Mattson described in Booklist as an "epic postscript" to the "Circle Opens" saga, Pierce reunites Sandry, Daja, Briar, and Tris in Sommersea. However, the friends' former closeness has ended, and their relationship seems forced … and somewhat threatening. However, the mages agree to accompany Sandry to her family's aristocratic seat in Namorn so that she can preserve her stake in the family lands. The efforts of the powerful Empress Berenene to cunningly manipulate her mage relative and the young woman's talented friends will either sever the group's friendship or bind the four young women together forever. Praising the novel as "a standalone tour de force," Mattson predicted that The Will of the Empress "will gratify Circle devotees and ensnare new readers for the series." In Kliatt Rohrlick wrote that Pierce's teen protagonists are "fully developed, and there is a feminist slant to her writing along with suspense, romance …, and a great sense of humor," while Kirkus Reviews critic cited the "tantalizingly unresolved" conclusion to Pierce's "surprisingly rich adventure."

In her books for young readers, Pierce remains devoted to bringing the female heroines she calls "sheroes" to life. "When I was growing up," she told Cecelia Goodnow of the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, "I was looking for female warriors. So I was writing what I wanted to read, which was girls kicking butt in medieval times."

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She also told Goodnow that while there are many girl heroines not conforming to stereotypical girl roles, "I think I'm just about the only one who has girls going through military training. Girls as knights—that's a very powerful image."

A writer with wide-ranging interests, Pierce continues to focus her research in specific areas, many of which eventually become incorporated into her fantasy novels for teens. "I am interested in medieval customs, life, and chivalry," she once said. "I study Japanese, Central Asian, and Arabic history and culture; wildlife and nature; crime; the American Civil War; and the conflicts between Islam and Christianity in the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. Occasionally I rescue hurt or homeless animals in a local park …, visit schools as often as I can, and read, read, read."

Biographical and Critical Sources

BOOKS

Beacham's Guide to Literature for Young Adults, Volume 8, Beacham Publishing (Osprey, FL), 1994.

Encyclopedia of Fantasy, St. Martin's Press (New York, NY), 1997.

Marcus, Leonard S., editor and compiler, The Wand in the Word: Conversations with Writers of Fantasy, Candlewick Press (Cambridge, MA), 2006.

St. James Guide to Young-Adult Writers, 2nd edition, St. James Press (Detroit, MI), 1999.

Speaking for Ourselves II: More Autobiographical Sketches by Notable Authors of Books for Young Adults, National Council of Teachers of English (Urbana, IL), 1993.

PERIODICALS

Booklist, October 15, 1992, Sally Estes, review of Wild Magic, p. 419; March 15, 1994, Mary Harris Veeder, review of Wolf-Speaker, p. 1344; June 1, 1995, Sally Estes, review of The Emperor Mage, p. 1757; October 15, 1996, Sally Estes, review of The Realms of the Gods, p. 414; August, 1998, Chris Sherman, review of Tris's Book, p. 1991; December 1, 1998, Chris Sherman, review of Daja's Book, p. 662; February 15, 1999, Chris Sherman, review of Briar's Book, p. 1060; June 1, 1999, Susan Dove Lempke, review of First Test, p. 1832; March 1, 2000, Shelle Rosenfeld, review of Magic Steps, p. 1236; August, 2000, Susan Dove Lempke, review of Page, p. 2141; April 15, 2001, Shelle Rosenfeld, review of Street Magic, p. 1557; September 1, 2001, Susan Dove Lempke, review of Squire, p. 97; September 1, 2002, Chris Sherman, review of Cold Fire, p. 2002; October 1, 2002, Susan Dove Lempke, review of Lady Knight, p. 313; March 1, 2003, Shelle Rosenfeld, review of Shatterglass, p. 1193; October 1, 2005, Cindy Welch, review of Young Warriors: Stories of Strength, p. 50; November 15, 2005, Jennifer Mattson, review of The Will of the Empress, p. 42; November 15, 2006, Jennifer Mattson, review of Terrier, p. 42.

Book Report, March-April, 1993, Holly Wadsworth, review of Wild Magic, p. 43; September-October, 1994, Kathryn Whetstone, review of Wolf-Speaker, p. 43; November-December, 1995, Ruth Dishnow Cox, review of The Emperor Mage, p. 43; November-December, 1997, Carol Sinofsky, review of Sandry's Book, p. 41.

Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, December, 2005, review of Young Warriors, p. 198; January, 2006, April Spisak, review of The Will of the Empress, p. 244; January, 2007, April Spisak, review of Terrier, p. 225.

Childhood Education, fall, 2002, Elsa L. Geskus, review of Cold Fire, p. 52.

Cincinnati Enquirer, October 15, 2002, review of Lady Knight, p. C3.

Horn Book, October, 1983, Ethel R. Twichell, review of Alanna: The First Adventure, pp. 577-578; September-October, 1984, review of In the Hand of the Goddess, pp. 598-599; May-June, 1986, Ann A. Flowers, review of The Woman Who Rides like a Man, pp. 333-334; March-April, 1989, p. 234; January-February, 1993, Ann A. Flowers, review of Wild Magic, p. 93; September-October, 1994, Ann A. Flowers, review of Wolf-Speaker, p. 613; May, 2000, Anne St. John, re- view of Magic Steps, p. 319; March, 2001, Anne St. John, review of Street Magic, p. 211; July, 2001, Anne St. John, review of Squire, p. 460; May-June, 2003, Anita L. Burkam, review of Shatterglass, p. 353; January-February, 2004, Anita L. Burkham, review of Trickster's Choice, p. 90; November-December, 2005, Anita L. Burkham, review of The Will of the Empress, p. 724; January-February, 2007, Vicky Smith, review of Terrier, p. 72.

Junior Bookshelf, October, 1989, review of The Woman Who Rides like a Man, p. 243.

Kirkus Reviews, July 15, 1997, review of Sandry's Book; May 1, 2002, review of Cold Fire, p. 665; July 15, 2002, review of Lady Knight, p. 1041; March 15, 2003, review of Shatterglass, p. 475; September 1, 2003, review of Trickster's Choice, p. 1129; October 15, 2005, review of The Will of the Empress, p. 1144.

Kliatt, March, 2002, Paula Rohrlick, review of Cold Fire, p. 11; November, 2002, Paula Rohrlick, review of Lady Knight, p. 14; November, 2003, Paula Rohrlick, review of Trickster's Choice, p. 8; November, 2005, Paula Rohrlick, review of The Will of the Empress, p. 10; January, 2006, Paula Rohrlick, review of Trickster's Queen, p. 22; January, 2007, Lesley Farmer, review of Terrier, p. 17.

New York Times, November 16, 2003, Elizabeth Devereaux, "Woman Warrior," review of Trickster's Choice, p. 39.

Publishers Weekly, May 24, 1999, review of First Test, p. 80; February 21, 2000, review of Magic Steps, p. 88; September 15, 2003, review of Trickster's Choice, p. 66; December 11, 2006, review of Terrier, p. 70.

Roanoke Times, April 3, 1997, Cassandra Spratling, "Young Readers Are Giving Prince Charming the Brush Off," p. 1.

School Library Journal, December, 1984, Isabel Soffer, review of In the Hand of the Goddess, p. 94; July, 1995, Patricia A. Dollisch, review of The Emperor Mage, p. 80; August, 1995, Bonnie Kunzel, "The Call of the Wild: YAs Running with the Wolves," pp. 37-38; April, 1998, Beth Wright, review of Tris's Book, p. 136; December, 1998, Carrie Schadle, review of Daja's Book, pp. 129-130; March, 1999, Eva Mitnick, review of Briar's Book, pp. 213-214; July, 1999, Kathleen Isaacs, review of First Test, p. 99; August, 2000, Heather Dieffenbach, review of Page, p. 188; July, 2001, Eva Mitnick, review of Street Magic, p. 112; August, 2001, Patricia A. Dollisch, review of Squire, p. 186; August, 2002, Lisa Prolman, review of Cold Fire, p. 196; December, 2002, Sharon Rawlins, review of Lady Knight, p. 146; July, 2003, Beth L. Meister, review of Shatterglass, p. 134; December, 2003, Connie Tyrrell Burns, review of Trickster's Choice, p. 158; October, 2005, Kathleen Isaacs, review of Young Warriors, p. 171; November, 2005, review of The Will of the Empress, p. 144.