Sunday, October 3, 2010

Author Spotlight: Tamora Pierce

Me: Let’s talk about Tamora Pierce.

Aurelia: The name sounds vaguely familiar.

Me: Tamora Pierce!

Aurelia: Oh, you mean your favorite author.

Me: Of course, she’s my favorite.

Aurelia: Why?

Me: Because of Alanna, who disguises herself as a boy in order to train to become a knight! And faces all kinds of dilemmas—including accepting herself: her strengths, her gift, and her weaknesses. Alanna’s quartet, The Song of the Lioness, comes first in Tamora Pierce’s books about the land of Tortall.

After Alanna, there is Daine—a girl with the ability to shoot a bow, overcome her past, and talk to animals: magical, nonmagical, and immortal. Daine’s quartet, The Immortals, comes second.

Following Daine is Kel (from the Protector of the Small quartet)—the first girl in the Land of Tortall to train legally to become a knight.

And then Alianne (in Trickster’s Choice and Trickster’s Queen)—who doesn’t want to become a warrior at all, but a spy.

And finally, in Pierce’s current Tortall books, there is Beka (the Beka Cooper Trilogy) who is battling her way through the streets in the early Tortall police force.

In addition to this, Tamora Pierce has written a WHOLE other series, which I also love, but which merit an entirely separate entry in my blog.

Aurelia: And why is she your favorite author again?

Me: Because she writes about strong heroines!

Aurelia: Of this, I approve.

7 comments:

  1. :) LOVE Tamora Pierce!! It's always so fun finding other fellow fans! ♥

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  2. My bookshelf is FULL of Tamora Pierce. Gotta love a strong heroine.

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  3. She is my favorite author, too! I love her heroines. :)

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  4. I own every one of her books! I even have multiple copies of some of them.

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  5. She is speaking in Portland on Oct 18 (yes, a Monday night) - at the Old Church in downtown Portland. Check out the Multnomah County Library website for more info and how to get tickets. Very exciting!

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  6. SO unfair, Tracey! Hope you're going and have a wonderful time.

    Anne (who hates Mondays)

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  7. I love Tamora Pierce! But not all her books. I like the strong heroines, but I can't stand the ones that, er, sleep with their boyfriends. To me, that's not strong. That's wrong. So, while I really like Daine and Kel, I can't recommend Alanna or her daughter.

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