Well, I suppose not all books can be 5-star masterpieces.

The story elements and character development in this book were quite in line with those of books 1 and 2.

However, where book 3 falls short might be attributed to the time it was written.

Some elements, like Tamora Pierce having Alanna explain that some of the smartest women she knows are prostitutes she met as part of the Rogues, seem very progressive for that era.

On the other hand, there are problematic aspects such as white savior-ism and the way the Bahzir are portrayed.

Overall, I still really liked the book.

I can't wait to dive into book 4.

I enjoyed the development of relationships and the foreshadowing for the fourth book, which is shaping up to be extremely exciting.

I'm eager to see how the story will unfold and how the characters will further evolve.

Despite its flaws, this book has left me with a strong desire to continue reading the series.

I'm looking forward to what awaits in book 4 and hope it will live up to my expectations.

I'm awarding this four stars, yet the majority of that is due to nostalgia.

In reality, I truly believe this book is rather subpar.

Every aspect regarding the Bazhir plot line, which占据了这本书的大部分内容, is racist.

Jonathan is positively the worst in this book and I have a strong desire for him to meet his demise.

The absolute best part of this book is undoubtedly when Myles adopts Alanna.

However, aside from that, this particular one is really not of high quality.

It's a shame that the negative aspects overshadow the few redeeming moments.

Perhaps my nostalgia is clouding my judgment to some extent, but the flaws in this book are quite evident.

Overall, it's a disappointment despite the initial four-star rating based mainly on sentimental value.

I firmly believe that this series has completely captured my heart, and it's time for a recap.

Alanna is truly a precious gift to this world. She is a female warrior character, a feminist icon. She engages in safe and healthy romantic relationships while still leading her own independent life and not relying on a man to hold her back. Moreover, she respects other cultures while passionately advocating for the rights of women.

And then there's George. George Cooper is the kindest and most compassionate thief, and I simply adore him. His character arc is truly wonderful. He has come such a long way and grown so much. It's a joy to see him not only develop as a thief but also mature as a person.

Kara and Kourrem were absolute darlings and wonderful examples of brilliant female characters. If we don't get to see them again later on, I'm going to be extremely disappointed.

Jonathan, my goodness, what happened to him? In book one, he was Jon the Puppy. In book two, he was Jon the Babe. And in book three, he ended up as Jon the Prick. He was so sweet at first, and then out of nowhere, he started being horrible to Alanna. Honestly, I think that as a prince, he's been used to getting his own way his entire life. And then Alanna comes along and challenges that. Now that she's a knight and has a lot more power than when they first met, I don't think he's ready to deal with that. But still.

I've seen other people say that this book is the weakest of the series, and I have to concur. I found myself rather disengaged with all that was transpiring.

Also, perhaps more significantly, Alanna and Jon's relationships with the Bazhir tribe made me uncomfortable. It felt extremely white savior-y. It brought to mind that white woman, Mindy Budgor, who endeavored to challenge the gender roles of the Masai (a tribe in Kenya and Tanzania) by becoming their "first female warrior." However, as it transpired, the actual Masai women were insulted by Mindy Budgor's actions.

Masai women were already engaged in positive changes within their culture. They were more interested in pursuits such as becoming entrepreneurs, which is a far more empowering endeavor. They wondered why Mindy wasn't supporting female Masai entrepreneurs if she truly cared about Masai women.

According to one Masai woman, "We have Maasai women members of parliament, doctors, lawyers, professors, civil servants, teachers, nurses, business owners etc., but of course, we don’t exist in the eyes of fools like this Mindy woman..."

I firmly believe that cultural changes must emerge organically from within a culture, not be imposed by condescending outsiders who assume they know what's best. An example in the real world is the resistance that women are mounting in extreme Islamic countries. They are pushing back against the oppressive patriarchy in their own manner and on their own terms.

In my view, effective and respectful feminism should involve coming alongside women in other cultures and supporting their own movements, which will inevitably vary from culture to culture. Too many white feminists, I think, fall into the trap of marching into someone else's culture and dictating what women there should desire, without realizing that perhaps the women of that culture don't want the same things as we do.

In this book, I would have preferred to see Alanna discover the women of the Bazhir tribe who were already resisting patriarchy in some way and then come alongside them, supporting them in their own movement. That would have made her a powerful ally. Instead, she struts in and imposes her own idea of what male-female relations should look like in the tribe. In the real world, this approach doesn't work and only alienates the people you're attempting to assist.

Edit: I was inspired to pen a more in-depth article delving into this topic, which you can peruse here.

The first time I read this was twenty-two years ago. I was a brown Middle Eastern kid in a recently post-9/11 US.

I vividly remember being both equally offended and comforted by the portrayal of the "Bazhir". On one hand, the way it was presented made me feel a sense of discomfort as if I was being exoticized or fetishized. It was an odd and not entirely pleasant feeling.

But on the other hand, in that post-9/11 climate where there was so much hatred and suspicion towards people who looked like me, there was a strange sort of comfort in being at least noticed in some way.

And now, on rereading as an adult, I find that I still agree with my 12-year-old self. It still feels gross to be fetishized, to have one's identity reduced to something that is objectified and desired in a certain way.

However, when compared to the alternative of being hated simply because of one's ethnicity or background, it almost seems better.

Good intentions do count for something, even if they don't always get it completely right. At least there was an attempt to understand and include, albeit in a somewhat flawed way.

I didn't have the same level of affection for this book as I did for the first one that I truly loved or the second one that I liked. However, it was still an enjoyable read.

I really appreciated the slower pace in this installment. In the other books, I often had the feeling of being cheated because Alanna was growing up so rapidly. Here, the development felt more natural and allowed me to better connect with her character.

I also loved the sex positivity that was presented and how Alanna has matured. It added a new dimension to her growth and made her more relatable.

On the other hand, I didn't like the plotline involving Thom. It didn't quite click with me and seemed a bit forced at times.

Overall, I would rate this book 3.5 out of 5 stars. It had its strengths and weaknesses, but it was still an engaging and worthwhile read.

The book being reviewed has several interesting aspects. It is graded by Stephanie, and the cover story is Shamanic. The BFF Charm gets a Yay. On the Swoonworthy Scale, it scores a 4. The Talky Talk is described as Um… The Bonus Factors include Feminism, Criminal Intrigue, and Adoption. However, there is an Anti-Bonus Factor of Jerky Boyfriends. The Relationship Status is stated as It’s Complicated.

For those interested in delving deeper into this book, they can read the full book report here.

Overall, this book seems to offer a mix of engaging elements that could attract a wide range of readers. The combination of the bonus factors like feminism and criminal intrigue, along with the unique cover story of Shamanic, makes it an intriguing read. However, the presence of jerky boyfriends as an anti-bonus factor might be a turn-off for some. The relationship status being complicated adds an extra layer of mystery and drama to the story. Whether or not this book will appeal to you depends on your personal interests and preferences.

I really wanted to like this series.

The concept and what it was supposed to embody were the initial attractions for me. On Tumblr, where I first came across the praise for it, you'll find numerous posts highlighting its impact, importance, and feminist nature. True feminism that doesn't denigrate men but rather embraces gender differences while still demonstrating equality. Not the kind of "feminism" we see today, where men are condemned for simply existing.

Regrettably, this series turns out to be a self-insert Mary Sue "adventure" where love, which wasn't supposed to be a central element, somehow becomes the focal point. The characters devolve into caricatures, and there is no development to suggest any progression. The strongest aspects of the series are in book 1, but everything after that goes off the rails. Alanna can't decide who she wants to sleep with (both of whom are rather creepy), and she defeats feared creatures that have lived much longer than her.

If you read this, you've essentially read Alanna, albeit without the constant frustration and the feeling of wasted money.

I really wanted to like this series.

It has frequently emerged in discussions regarding Young Adult books: How extremely unrealistic the romance is. It's often insta-love, and the girl never contemplates how the relationship will impact her. Whether she truly loves the guy, and what aspects of him she doesn't love. (Oh, my! The male love interest isn't REALLY perfect.) How being with that person will affect her life and goals. Most importantly, how she desires to be treated by and because of that person.

I always assert that I've read books where these aspects are considered, and it made for a great read. But then I could never recall the titles! Well, Woman Who Rides Like a Man delves into these areas. It showcases how Alanna knows herself well enough that she doesn't want to recklessly throw her future away for an ideal or fantasy.

Romance isn't the entire focus by any means. Alanna is grappling with how to embrace magic into her life. She is becoming a teacher and a revolutionary for women. Even better, readers finally get a good look into the Bahsir. They're a fascinating people, and I relish how change gradually comes to them, inspired by their respect for Alanna. Alanna learns that she can't take care of everyone.

The new characters of the Bahsir are really enjoyable to get to know, along with a few old favorites. There's ample time to flesh out other much-beloved characters. Though unfortunately, some of Alanna's Knight friends aren't present. Thom isn't getting much page time, and I think Alanna is going to be extremely shocked by what is transpiring. Or at least she should be! It bothers me a bit how unconcerned and uncaring she seems about what her brother does. I feel like because he's her brother—twin brother—there's a very strange disconnect between them. I thought maybe it was because they both have issues letting people in, but they're both supposed to have loved each other immensely. There's still one more book to rectify it.

Overall, I adore this follow-up. Alanna is an amazing character, and while her fears of the royals and palace politics are her latest concern, she's finding her own footing as the first Lady Knight in over a century. It's wonderful to witness how much she's grown and that she's still fearless in her life choices. That love isn't just instant forever. People change, and you never stop learning and growing.

Oh, and the action is quite awesome.

Sexual Content: Some sex and sexual humor. This is a book written in the 80s, so it's all clean and vague on the sex scenes themselves. So no worries.

4/5 - Great! Really enjoyed it.

\\n  Originally reviewed at Book Whispers.\\n

What a disappointment after the first two! This truly felt like a rushed job.

The setting, plot, and character development simply didn't seem as rich as they were in the previous books. In my opinion, the complete personality change of one, no, wait, two of the main characters was never adequately explained.

Comments on the series: While I have really enjoyed reading this fantasy series centered around the pre-adolescent/teen adventures of Alanna, a girl who desires to be a knight rather than a typical noblewoman, I am not convinced that it belongs on the shelves of the children's section of the library. I have suggested to our county's library organization that the young adult/teen section might be a more appropriate location. Here's why.

In Book 1, when Alanna gets her period just before her 13th birthday, the mother of her friend George makes a rather mature comment. She says, "Do you know what happens when you lie with a man? Well, a woman enjoys it too, and one time is enough for you to get with child. I’ll give you a charm against your getting pregnant, then. If you change your mind, you can throw it away."

When Alanna is 15, the prince, her friend, starts sleeping with Delia, a beautiful noble girl/woman (?).

In Book 2, at the age of 17, Alanna begins sleeping with the prince. (My assumption is that he is no longer sleeping with Delia, but it's never explicitly stated.)

Immediately after refusing to marry her lover, the prince, in Book 3, Alanna heads to her friend George's house and commences an affair with him.

Maybe I'm just old-fashioned and these books should remain in the children's section rather than being moved to YA/Teen. I'll be curious to read your thoughts.

[4 Stars] I truly relished this particular installment! It might just be my absolute favorite within the series up until now!

I'm so glad that I've finally managed to get an opportunity to immerse myself back into this captivating world.

I not only adored learning about the Bazhir and their unique traditions but also simply witnessing Alanna outside of a courtly environment.

Moreover, can I just exclaim girl power! Way to go, Alanna!

It's been such a delight to follow her adventures and see her grow and evolve.

The story has been engaging from start to finish, and I can't wait to see what else lies ahead for Alanna and the other characters in this wonderful series.

Overall, this book has exceeded my expectations and has left me with a sense of satisfaction and anticipation for more.

4.25 stars - English Ebook

The story unfolds with new and engaging material, presenting an exciting plot that compels readers to keep turning the pages. Although those who haven't read the previous books in the series will miss out on the rich historical background, this particular book can still be enjoyed as a stand-alone novel.

In this installment, Alanna, who managed to become the first lady knight by concealing her gender, finds herself in the desert after her identity is exposed during a sword fight while protecting the Queen. She now faces a new challenge with the Bahzir, the desert people. Here, she must figure out how to integrate into their society, but at the same time, she ends up turning it upside down.

If you have a penchant for adventure, thrilling sword fighting scenes, and a touch of romance set in an ancient society where knights safeguard the land, then I wholeheartedly recommend this book to you. It offers a captivating journey filled with excitement, challenges, and unexpected twists that will surely keep you entertained from start to finish.