First time writing a review, but this is a childhood favorite series that I have reread many times over the years and it never gets old.

Alanna was probably my first real introduction to feminism and I have always loved her courage and determination to get what she wants out of life.

Alanna is 10 years old when we meet her. She switches places with her twin brother and poses as a boy so she can train to be a knight while he learns to be a mage. And nothing is going to hold her back from keeping up with all the other boys. The characters are all so great, especially George, and the stage is set for things later in the series.

It's not a long book, but a lot happens. There's a ton of character development, and interesting world-building. How? I realized on this read that Tamora Pierce just skips over any scenes that are boring or unnecessary, using paragraph breaks to transition us to the next scene of interest. It's perfection and I see a lot of authors who could learn from the way she crafted this.

This book covers about three years, and that includes Alanna starting her period for the first time. Can we talk about how this is handled as something that first freaks Alanna out but then is completely normalized? Because we should see more of that in coming of age tales.

One thing that I realized on this read through for the first time (and this is perhaps the only thing that doesn't totally hold up to time) is the way gender is treated as an unchangeable binary, even if it subverts gender roles. When Alanna sees a healer after beginning to menstruate she expresses a wish that she could be a boy. She's told that gender is one thing magic can't change and the sooner she accepts who she is, the happier she will be.

And as a young cis girl who didn't want to be constrained by gendered expectations and sometimes wished the same thing (more for reasons of freedom than any actual dysphoria), that really resonated with me growing up. However, I could see this becoming problematized for a trans or nonbinary young person. Because why can't magic change your body?

I think if this was written today, a better approach might be something to the effect of magic can't change your actual gender, rather than saying it can't change the parts you were born with. And look, this came out in the 80's. No, of course I don't expect that to have been written into children's literature back then. But it's a conversation that I think is worth contending with today.

This remains a favorite book that was incredibly progressive for its time, and a book that was a key part of my own coming of age. Getting to revisit it again and again over the years is a joy.

“Think on who you are fighting, if only because one day you must meet your match.”

We are so accustomed to feisty, kick-ass heroines that we often overlook the fact that there must have been a first one. And among the numerous Arya Starks prowling the pages of almost every contemporary fantasy novel, Alanna stands out as the pioneer and a pathbreaker.

If Alanna were a real woman, she would be 37 years old today. The book was first published in 1983, when many things we take for granted now were not so obvious, and many clichés were not yet clichés. She is the result of the “write the book you want to read” approach. Ms Pierce filled a gap in the literature by writing about fearless, bold, and powerful girls. It's fascinating that she modeled Alanna on her younger sister Kimberly and that her first audience were her pupils from a house for teenage girls.

The novel is more middle-grade than YA. It's a cozy and fast-paced comfort read. The world is of the magically flavoured Middle Ages variety, but it's also a comforting one. Alanna is a classic girl-in-boy’s-clothing tale. She is a wonderfully constructed heroine with both a gift for killing and for healing, a girl with boyish dreams, and beautifully flawed. Although she lacks discipline or intellectual depths, she is smart and hard-working and is prepared to pay the full price for what she wants.

I will definitely continue the series, even though I can already sense the upcoming love triangle. The First Adventure is just a compacted prelude that introduces the world and the main characters. Despite some “jumps” in time, the story flows smoothly. If you're excited about the academy, temper your expectations. Luckily, Alanna was a pleasant surprise and my fears were unfounded. Try it if you're in the mood for something a bit vintage and naive.

“Alanna left the class thinking, something she seldom did seriously.”

Whilst I think I would have loved this one more when I was a young reader,

I was still very happy to be following a brave female character who overcame every obstacle thrown at her!

Alanna's journey was truly inspiring. She faced numerous challenges with unwavering determination and courage.

Her ability to persevere in the face of adversity made her a remarkable protagonist.

I found myself completely invested in her story, rooting for her every step of the way.

Look forward to see what Alanna achieves next!

I have a feeling that her adventures will only get more exciting and that she will continue to prove herself as a strong and capable individual.

It will be interesting to see how she grows and develops throughout the remainder of the series.

I can't wait to find out!

This isn't a review. It's just a collection of thoughts for whenever we kick off our Tamora Pierce discussion.

Frankly, I don't know how to review this. It was so, so vital when I pulled it off the library shelf when I was twelve. It's still vital. How is it that in a storyline that's been done hundreds of times since, Alanna feels unique and important still?

Anyway, the story's slighter than I remembered. It covers four years, and it's not particularly long. It starts with what feels like a really big, convenient contrivance - but then Pierce does this:

Alanna looked at her twin's hopeful face. Part of her wanted to stop this before it got out of hand, but not a very big part.

- and that's such a familiar character tic that I always go (every single reread), yup, sign me up for this!

Three breaths later she's in the palace meeting Duke Gareth, who is GREAT, and who says things like, "You must... champion the cause of the right. Someday you may even be able to tell what right is," and every single time I read that, I marvel at Pierce sticking in such complexity. This is a fantasy novel! About knights and nobility! And it's subtly challenging that world while taking it very seriously. I love that.

(Notes for later: Duke Gareth lost a finger in the Chamber of the Ordeal. Let's track what happens to everyone else in it. Most people just have visions, right?)

AND THEN THERE'S THIS. (If I were a publisher and someone put this exchange on my desk, I would want to publish this book. On the strength of this exchange alone.)

"I fell down, Your Grace," she said, her face straight.

"Mithros, boy - can't you think of a better excuse?"

She scuffed a boot. "This one works so well, sir. It - it has tradition behind it."

Gareth scowled at her. "It certainly does. I've heard it from every page who's been fighting that I ever trained - with a few exceptions."

"Well, sir, you don't believe me and I know you don't believe me, but pride is satisfied all around. Your Grace."

The Duke had to hide a smile. "You are pert, Alan of Trebond. An extra hour of mathematics for you for the next five weeks. You may go."

Alanna was opening the door when he added, "I wish you would thrash him. He deserves it."

She looked back at him. "I will one day, sir. I'm getting tired of falling down."

YES. There's more great dialogue, too: "And am I your friend, Highness?" I love it when Pierce characterizes Alanna's straightforward thinking just through her direct speech.

One last thought: Miles was compelled to take Alanna just so she could get her sword? Seriously? Doesn't that seem like overkill?

Overall, this book is a gem. The characters are well-developed, the dialogue is engaging, and the story has a unique charm that keeps readers coming back for more. It's a must-read for any fan of fantasy literature.

Being constantly bombarded with how some heroine was a "great role model for girls" or "sets a good example" or was "such a strong female character" as a 10-year-old was truly worse than having to eat Brussels sprouts. I would have rather consumed glue than endured reading this book.

So, the typical statement everyone makes here, "I'd have liked this more as a kid," really doesn't hold true for me. But at 27, after listening to my twenties-something friends wax nostalgic about it, I thought perhaps I was being overly unfair. I finally decided to give it a try and read it.

I feel rather bad because I'm going to have to tell them that I don't like their favorite thing, and they're going to give me the sad look. However, it's just not a very good book. I really, really wanted to like it, but here's the thing:

Alanna doesn't really possess a distinct personality. There's nothing much to her aside from the following:

1) She has a penchant for fighting.

2) She dislikes being small in stature.

3) She aspires to be as good as the boys.

4) She's a redhead, which I suppose in the 80s was considered a personality trait.

She doesn't display a sense of wonder when seeing the wider world or experience loneliness when being away from home. The fact that her best friend spouts anti-royal sentiments and is involved in organized crime is somehow brushed aside as a non-issue. There's no joy, enthusiasm, ruthlessness, resourcefulness, humor, compassion, cleverness, or anything else. She's not a Mary Sue; she's just plain boring.

Actually, none of the characters have much internal motivation. Jonathan is good and prince-like. Myles is kind and mentor-y. The other teenagers are just... there. Most of what they do is because magic dictates it, guiding them along like they're on rails as the plot demands. Maude helps Alanna because of a magical vision. George befriends Alanna because... MAGIC. Sir Myles leads Alanna to the ruins because... MAGIC DREAM. Alanna loathes Duke Roger because of... mystical feelings. It's all magic, magic, magic. And when we actually witness a magical battle, it's just flashing colored lights crashing against other flashing colored lights.

In the interest of fairness, the things that bothered other reviewers don't bother me. She gets a significant discount on buying a horse from a rich friend? Well, everyone else gets horses from their rich dads. She's super-skilled by the end of the book? She's receiving the best martial education in the entire kingdom and works non-stop. The prince refuses to be suspicious of Duke Roger? That's not surprising if Jonathan views Roger the way Alanna views Sir Myles. Time passes quickly? That's good because I want to get to the actual adventuring quickly and not have to read about school the whole time.

The Black City? That's cool. An Ancient-Evil-Awakened-in-the-Sands? Also cool. But the generic good guys and the vanilla medieval fantasyland? I just don't care. Everyone says the series gets better, (and Harry Potter famously did, so I'm optimistic about that), but I would have been better off reading a plot summary and starting with “In the Hand of the Goddess.”

I picked this one up after having owned it for a long time. However, I never read it as a child. So many of my friends recommended this to me. They got into the series when they were kids and all have fond memories of it. Now I understand why.

This is a great example of a fantasy with a female lead who is unique, strong, capable, and yet vulnerable. It shows kids that Alanna (also known as Alan) is a character who knows her own worth, even if the world she lives in doesn't recognize it yet. She is a hero in the making and a character that many younger children would easily look up to and aspire to be. I really enjoyed the fun aspects of the story, and I can see how it became a classic in the kids' fantasy genre.

In this book, we follow Alanna as she travels to the castle in place of her twin brother to become a Knight in training. She has a certain kind of magic, but she doesn't like using it. All she really wants is to be a Knight, and she is determined.

Once at the castle, we see Alanna (aka Alan) as she makes friends with many of the other boys in training. She is a feisty character. Even though she has to work extremely hard to reach anywhere near the level of the rest of the boys, her character truly shines through, and she makes both friends and enemies.

Over the course of the story, we catch glimpses of the magic in this world, and there seems to be a lot of it. Different magical artefacts and people with special gifts populate the land. I feel that this is something that will be expanded upon in the future.

I would definitely read the rest of the series. It is a very easy read but also an enjoyable one. Three stars from me! :)

In retrospect, this is not a perfect novel, or series of novels.

However, when I think of who I wanted to be when I was ten years old, my answer was always Alanna.

Alanna was a character who had such a strong and independent spirit. She was勇敢无畏 and determined to follow her own path, regardless of the obstacles in her way.

And I still have a crush on George. He was charming and mysterious, with a sense of adventure that always intrigued me.

Together, Alanna and George made me dream of a world full of excitement and possibility.

Although the novels may have had their flaws, they had a profound impact on me and shaped my imagination during those formative years.

Even now, when I think back to that time, I can still feel the excitement and inspiration that those characters brought to my life.

They will always hold a special place in my heart.

I am well past the target age for this novel, yet I found myself thoroughly enjoying it for what it truly was.

The story follows a young girl who makes the bold decision to pass herself off as a boy in order to pursue her dream of becoming a Knight.

It is a captivating adventure that unfolds with a cast of fun and engaging characters.

Each character brings their own unique charm and personality to the story, making it all the more enjoyable.

As I read through the pages, I couldn't help but think about how much I would have loved this novel as a child.

The idea of a girl disguising herself as a boy and going on a heroic journey is truly enchanting and full of possibilities.

It allows readers to escape into a world of fantasy and adventure, where anything is possible.

Overall, this novel is a delightful read that I would highly recommend to both young and old alike.

This was my very first Tamora Pierce book.

I know, I know, people might wonder what I have been doing with my life all this time. Blah blah blippity blah.

I find it extremely interesting to engage with a particularly iconic piece of pop culture and observe how it has influenced everything that has followed.

Alanna: The First Adventure was definitely such a case for me. Although it took me a while to immerse myself in the style of storytelling, that was entirely my issue and not the novel's fault.

I haven't read a great deal of fantasy from the early 80s, so it required some adjustment on my part.

The story wastes very little time. The audience is simply thrown right into the action, and this sets a wonderful pace for the remainder of the book.

With the exception of Alanna's magical abilities, one of my favorite aspects was how she wasn't naturally outstanding at anything.

She had to work incredibly hard - much harder than any of the other boys - just to match them, let alone surpass them.

It's strange to think that this book is over 30 years old, but the fact that she wasn't immediately 'the very bestest that ever bested in the history of best' was extremely refreshing.

The journey and her struggle to improve were captivating. I wish more quest-style novels dedicated as much time to this aspect as Pierce does.

The rules and conventions of the magic in the world weren't entirely clear to me, but I assume that's something that will be further developed in later books, and I'm looking forward to that.

I probably would have liked this better if I'd read it for the first time when I was younger.

The heroine, Alanna, is a fairly typical spunky fantasy female. However, she comes across as a little too perfect and good at everything.

The story is okay but not especially memorable. It spans several years, yet the passage of time seems a bit muddy. The only real indication of it is when Alanna sometimes mentions her age.

It's written in the third person, and for the most part, we're confined to Alanna's thoughts. But there are occasional parts where we get a peek into what another character is thinking. These moments are rather jarring and don't always seem to serve a significant purpose.

Perhaps if the author had developed the other characters' perspectives more smoothly or found a better way to integrate them, it would have enhanced the overall reading experience. As it stands, while the story has its moments, it doesn't quite leave a lasting impression.

Maybe for a younger audience, the charm of the spunky heroine and the elements of fantasy would be more engaging. But for me, it felt a bit lacking in depth and originality.

Nevertheless, it's not a terrible read, and those who enjoy light fantasy might still find some entertainment value in it.

I have read and reread this book so many times.

It is truly remarkable how it has the power to draw me in without fail, every single time.

The story is so captivating, filled with engaging characters and a plot that keeps me on the edge of my seat.

Each time I pick up the book, I discover new details and nuances that I may have missed before.

It's like uncovering a hidden treasure with every reading.

The author's writing style is so vivid and descriptive that I can easily picture the scenes and settings in my mind.

I become fully immersed in the world of the book, experiencing the emotions and adventures of the characters as if they were my own.

This book has become a favorite of mine, and I know that I will continue to read it many more times in the future.

I borrowed this book from a friend, and truly, I have nothing positive to say about it.

The plot line seemed overused, and the writing style left a great deal to be desired.

The story of a girl disguising as a boy to prove herself is something we are all acquainted with, and sometimes it is executed extremely well and a delight to read.

Nevertheless, there was nothing novel or refreshing about this book, or this series for that matter.

The characters were not fully developed, and their difficulties such as hiding their identity and experiencing physical exhaustion were not very astonishing.

I felt that this book heavily borrowed from the surrounding genre of literature and did not even present its own thoughts or perspectives on the subject.

So, if you are embarking on a long plane journey, this book might prevent you from hitting the person next to you out of boredom.

It may also amuse some individuals, but if you are seeking good fantasy, I would earnestly direct you towards Robin McKinley's The Blue Sword or Patricia Briggs' Steal the Dragon.

Both of them feature strong female heroines in semi-magical realms, with horses, knights, and combat.

However, in my opinion, Patricia Briggs and Robin McKinley are both superior writers, and the characters and plots are much more thoroughly developed.