Mastiff

Mastiff by Tamora Pierce

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Tamora Pierce weaves a masterful tale of treachery and treason, magic and mayhem in this final episode to the Beka Cooper trilogy. The four-year-old prince has been kidnapped and made a slave in a violent attempt to overthrow the king. Beka, her scent hound Achoo, and her partner Tunstall are assigned the secret (and dangerous) task of finding and rescuing the prince. They and their companions set off across the country, tracking the slavers and their deadly mages. Traitors are everywhere, though, making it difficult for Beka to know whom to trust.

I was so glad this book was longer than the others. The length gave Pierce time to really develop the characters and the story. She kept me guessing until the end as to who the traitor was. I was, however, a bit sad that most of Beka's friends from the first two books only made brief appearances, although that made sense for the story.

For readers' advisors: story, character, and setting doorways. There is a lot of slang (and made up slang) in the Beka Cooper books, so it's nice that Pierce includes a glossary at the end.


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Lady Knight

Lady Knight by Tamora Pierce

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Newly minted Lady Knight Keladry of Mindelan is assigned to the difficult task of organizing, supplying, and defending the refugee camp she christens "Haven." Few soldiers can be spared to help her defend her refugees from the raiding Scanrans and their metal killing devices powered by the spirits of murdered children, so she begins training "her people" to defend themselves. Kel itches to get outside the walls and search for the mage responsible for the devices, as she has been tasked to do by the Chamber of the Ordeal, but she knows her duty. Then one day, Kel must make a choice between conflicting duties.

Yet again, listening to Bernadette Dunne read about Kel's adventures made me glad to be driving and sad to arrive at my destinations. I'm only sorry this is the fourth and final book of this series.

For readers' advisors: story and character doorways with setting doorway also



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Squire

Squire by Tamora Pierce

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Listening to Bernadette Dunne read this book was so exciting I hated to get out of my car. In fact, I sat in my driveway a couple of times just to hear "a little bit more" before I shut off my engine and went inside. It's a longer book than First Test and Page because it encompasses all four years of Kel's time as Raoul's squire, including some very exciting battle scenes and tournaments.

I appreciated the realism of Kel's crushes on Cleon and Dom and how she struggled to figure out how to handle herself around them. Brought back some wince-inducing memories from my own teen years, that's for sure. I also appreciated how Pierce handled the whole "sex talk" scene between Kel and her mother. Lots of girls would never talk to their parents about sex, and it was great how calm and perceptive Kel's mom was, allowing Kel to decide for herself whether she was or was not ready. Likewise, I appreciated that Kel chose to wait...and so did Cleon.

For readers' advisors: character and story doorways primarily and setting doorway because of the magical, made-up world



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First Test

First Test by Tamora Pierce

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


It was interesting to listen to a book I'd previously read in graduate school. Bernadette Dunne occasionally placed emphasis on different words or read sentences differently than I would have. She did a good job, but it was just...odd. Still, listening to the story made me actually wish my commute were longer (!!), and I sometimes sat in my car for a few minutes after I arrived so I could hear just a little bit more.

This is a book about a 10-year-old girl who wants to become the second female knight (see: the Alanna the Lioness quartet by Pierce) even though most all the boys and the training master do not want her at the school and don't think she can succeed.



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