This book is kind of like a precious gem that represents my childhood.

Although it wasn't the very first Tamora Pierce book I ever read, it was the first one that I read in the proper order. This allowed me to truly understand how she develops her characters throughout the series.

While some other female action writers might avoid all the "uncomfortable" aspects related to being a lady, Pierce doesn't shy away. She bravely shows that Alanna is a girl and that she experiences things like getting her period. I really admire her for this because I've always found it strange that in fantasy/action novels, almost no girls seem to get their periods. It's a fact of life, people!

As a matter of fact, I'm pretty sure I first learned about what a period was from this book, which was really helpful when it came to the inevitable talk with my mom that followed shortly after.

ANYWAY.

This book isn't specifically targeted at older teens, but it's still very enjoyable for them. You'll find yourself loving the characters, hating them at times, and sometimes you'll just want to grab a sword and hit someone on the skull for being such an idiot.

I think I heard somewhere that Tamora Pierce was planning on making the Song of the Lioness quartet into one book, but her publisher decided to split them up. This makes sense because the novels are best enjoyed when read together, as a lot of the character development takes place in the later books. And then! You get other series set in the same world with the same characters making sporadic appearances, like in the Immortals Quartet and Protector of the Small.

ANYWAY.

I love Tamora Pierce, and you should too. All bow to Tamora Pierce!

I truly, deeply wish that I had read this particular piece before delving into almost all of Ms. Pierce's other series.

You see, this book has the remarkable ability to set the stage for so many future books. It's like a foundation that, when laid first, can give those subsequent stories even more depth and richness than they already possess.

I have an absolute adoration for this author's writing style and the captivating stories she weaves. Her talent is truly genius, and this work is no exception.

Even though it's one of her first creations, it still manages to live up to the high standards she has set for herself. It's a testament to her skill and creativity that this early work is just as engaging and wonderful as her more well-known series.

I can't help but think about how much more I would have enjoyed and understood the other books if I had started with this one.

Nevertheless, I'm still grateful to have discovered it and look forward to seeing how the author continues to develop her fictional worlds in the future.

Loved this! I am seriously smacking myself for not picking it up sooner. And all because it was labeled as MG, even though I knew that the later books are not. I know for a fact there are some great middle grade novels out there, but for whatever reason, it's like pulling teeth to get me to read them.

I've been in kind of an audiobook funk. I've listened to the awesome books I've been waiting ages for, and of course, I love them. But in between those, I've had some serious trouble picking up audiobooks that I've actually loved recently. This happened around the time I binged the Seven Realms series, and that helped. So, I thought, hey, why not do that again with another fantasy series that everyone seems to love but that I've so far missed out on? And so my decision to finally read Alanna was made. Of course, then I had to wait for my library to have the audiobook available. ¯\\\\_(ツ)_/¯

And now that I've read it, I am regretting waiting so long. I would have LOVED reading this as a kid! I loved reading it as an ADULT. I fully intend on buying the series in book form to share with my daughter when she's a little bit older. It's that kind of book.

There's a gender-bending girl who wants to be raised as a knight, not be shipped off to the monastery to be raised a lady. So, she convinces her brother to go along with her plan, and she takes his place at the palace and he hers at the monastery, where he can practice sorcery. It's a win-win! But Alanna is 11 when she first leaves home, and she's about to go through a multitude of changes that will make concealing her true identity all the more difficult. That premise is made of so much win I can't contain myself!

Alanna is plucky and hard-working, but also hard on herself. I don't necessarily think that characters in books need to be good role models, but Alanna would be a great character to look up to. I love her story so much that as soon as I finished the first book, I immediately started the second. And now I have to go check the library to see if the next book is available because I'm afraid I'll finish book two very soon and I don't want it to end!

I truly adored rereading this for yet another time.

It's quite astonishing how I always manage to forget that the ending of this particular book actually takes place in the first book.

This was a really fun little book. To be honest, I actually enjoyed it quite a bit more than I had initially expected. The reason being that I don't typically read middle grade or even YA books anymore.

Alanna, the protagonist, was such a headstrong character. She was incredibly determined to become a knight, and it was quite amusing when she almost left after just 2 days of training. LOL.

I can easily imagine that I would have been completely obsessed with this book as a young teen. It has so many elements that are appealing - trials and tribulations that the characters have to face, magic that adds an element of mystery and excitement, secrets that keep the reader engaged, and of course, friendship that ties everything together. Overall, it was just a very good book that I would highly recommend to anyone looking for an entertaining read.

This appears to be a well-known series in children's literature that I remained completely unaware of until I reached adulthood. Despite the concerns expressed by some reliable fellow reviewers, I decided that I should still give it a shot.

Unfortunately, it is a disappointment. I believe that, similar to the Cooper series, it sounds far better in theory than it actually is in practice. Perhaps it was ahead of its time during the 70s or 80s, but I simply don't think the writing is proficient enough to explain its popularity. It lacks the depth and maturity of The Blue Sword; it doesn't possess the dignity of Ella Enchanted or Princess Academy. There are some peculiarly sexual elements in it, and I've been informed that the second book, In the Hand of the Goddess, becomes even more explicitly sexual. Why is this type of content included in a middle grade series? This must have been highly controversial at the time.

I've been told that some of the later spinoff series are better, such as Protector of the Small: First Test. However, do I really want to laboriously read through the Alanna series just to get to some potentially better but still likely mediocre books in the same universe? No, thank you. I'll just reread Narnia instead.

Go and read Sarah's excellent review of this book: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

See below a selection of poor quotes that illustrate the lack of skill in this writing:

“Was it possible that adults weren’t as assured and as powerful as she had always believed?”

“Alanna, child, ye’ll be happy only when ye learn t’ live with who ye are.”

“The idea that she might be liked because she was different was poppy-cock, of course. Being squires certainly made Gary and Raoul say strange things.”

“Not even Roger would have the nerve, and the coldness, to send his young cousin to certain death—would he?”

“‘You think so?’ she shouted furiously. ‘Then try this on for size.’”

“‘You give a lot of big talk,’ Alanna retorted. ‘I believe in deeds, not words.’”

This is the first instalment in the Song of the Lioness quartet.

There are few fantasy adventures that I embark on which can be classified as fun and light-hearted. However, sometimes that is precisely what I require. Pierce presents the most charming of story-lines. All of her books that I have read so far are formulated with the reader's enjoyment as the sole focus.

This book did seem suitable for a younger audience, with its straightforward narrative and the quick introduction of the reader into the world. Nevertheless, it also provided all of the playfulness, light-hearted humour, and the overall enjoyable reading experience that I was looking forward to. While my heart lies in the realm of grimdark, Pierce is the author I return to when I need a pure escapist and pleasurable read.

It's like a refreshing breeze in a world filled with more serious and intense literary works. The story unfolds in a way that keeps you engaged from the very beginning, and the characters are brought to life in a vivid and endearing manner.

Whether you're a young reader just starting to explore the world of fantasy or an adult in need of a light-hearted break, this book has something to offer. It's a delightful read that will leave you with a smile on your face and a desire to pick up the next instalment in the quartet.

This series seems to be a beloved childhood favorite among many readers. I firmly believe that if I were ten years old, I would be an even bigger enthusiast of it.

Alanna: The First Adventure is indeed a great book that one would wish their young daughter to read and gain valuable insights from. It presents an engaging blend of adventure and magic, while also imparting all the appropriate lessons of perseverance, patience, hard work, and the courage to face adversity. Additionally, the fact that it touches upon the topic of periods is a notable plus.

Nevertheless, for me, as an adult reader, this short novel had relatively little to offer. Although the book managed to hold my attention throughout, and the pacing of the story was quite dynamic, it was far from being truly mind-blowing or highly inventive. My inclination to read the sequel only emerged towards the very end, solely because I was extremely curious to discover how Alanna's relationship with Prince Jonathan would develop. I felt that particular storyline held significant promise.

However, the moment I came across some reviews of In the Hand of the Goddess that mentioned Alanna's promiscuous behavior, my eagerness to continue with the story vanished completely. This kind of content was most certainly not something I had any interest in reading about, especially not in a children's book.

I’m doing it! I’m finally getting around to the queen of YA fantasy!

This is the absolute classic that did it all first. There’s a kickass gender-bending heroine. She defies expectations and proves herself in a male-dominated world.

There’s also a prince vs. rogue love triangle that keeps you on the edge of your seat. You can’t help but root for one or the other.

The theme of found family is strong in this book. Alanna forms deep bonds with those around her, creating a sense of belonging.

We also get to follow her training to become a hero. It’s inspiring to see her grow and overcome challenges.

And let’s not forget the sorcerers, knights, royalty, immortals, horse riding, and sword fighting. The world-building is rich and detailed, filled with excitement and adventure.

However, the book does date itself with a few problematic themes. The most noticeable is the age difference between Alanna and her love interests. It can be a bit uncomfortable at times.

But all in all, it’s a fast read that gets right to the point and entertains. I can’t wait to complete the series and leave a more detailed review.

Alanna, a young and determined girl, disguises herself as a boy.

This bold move allows her to train at the palace with the aspiration of becoming a knight.

During her training, she not only learns the skills of using a sword but also has to balance her rather precarious friendship with the King of Thieves.

Moreover, she has to deal with an impossible pile of homework.

However, the challenges don't stop there. She must find a way to accept her magical gift and, more importantly, herself.

For if she fails to do so, her own life, the life of her best friend Crown Prince Jonathan, and the fate of the entire kingdom could be destroyed.

This is the very first Tortall book, and it holds a special place in my heart as one of my absolute favorites.

The story is filled with adventure, self-discovery, and the struggle to overcome obstacles, making it a truly captivating read.

I absolutely loved this! It's truly amazing.

Someone please tell me that there is an Alanna and Jon ship because seriously!! I can't help but think that they would make an awesome couple.

Their personalities seem to complement each other so well. Alanna is strong, independent, and full of spirit. Jon, on the other hand, is brave, noble, and has a kind heart.

I can just picture them going on adventures together, facing challenges side by side. Their love would be a force to be reckoned with.

It would be so great to see more fanfiction or art dedicated to this potential ship. I'm really hoping that someone out there shares my enthusiasm for Alanna and Jon.

If there is already an existing ship, I can't wait to explore all the wonderful content that has been created.

Come on, fellow fans, let's make this ship a reality!

Hey, at least I tried.

Shorted version of the full review (The full one felt like an academic paper on why I don't like this book and series so I had to cut some parts. Oh, how easy it is talking about books I don't like. Also fun! ^_^ Be warned, this review contains my thoughts for this book and some minor/big spoilers for rest of the series -I’ve done some reading and research- which are tagged as spoilers and hidden from virgin eyes.)

For myself, and I suspect many people, books we read and love as children acquire blind spots of handwavium from sheer sentiment unless we reread them as adults with a critical, rather than nostalgic, mindset. I’m an adult reading this and I’m not ashamed at reading this and I’m gonna poke fun at it. You like this book? Fine. I’m totally ok with that. So please be ok with me (kinda) poking fun at this one as well. And don't you dare tell me it gets better. Don't you dare. I’m warning you :D

\\n  TEN REASONS WHY I DON'T LIKE THIS BOOK/SERIES:\\n

Reason 1: For those who don’t know, the series is about a girl named Alanna who wants to be a knight, so she disguises herself as a boy and switches places with her twin brother. Thus he gets sent to learn how to be a wizard (God, Alanna, why don't you want to be a wizard?!) and she goes off to learn knightly stuff (BO-RING…Kidding..Kinda. That’s Harry Potter lover in me talking, sorry.) Based on that, I expected the book to be about three things:

1. Binding her boobs (done)

2. Hiding her period (done. Kinda. Once… and then never mentioned again. I’ll rant about this one later)

3. Dealing with the aftermath when she’s found out (I’m super pissed. She deals with nothing. I’ll also rant about this one in a moment)

Look. I like stories about girls disguised as boys. I pretty much read all the good classic gender bender manga out there and watched all the asian dramas about the subject (there are so many) so believe me when I say I know my stuff and because I know my stuff I’m telling you this book sucks at making it believable.

There’s like no tension when it comes to gender bender here. No drama. Where’s my ½ Prince or Ouran High School Host Club? Where is my Hana Kimi? Where is Coffee Prince which had 20/20 believability score in my eyes? Or Queen Seon Duk (do you know how hard it is to disguise yourself as man in a sageuk?)? Even You're Beautiful and Sungkyunkwan Scandal which ones even though I loved lack some believability handled the subject waaay better.

Let me explain:

** She doesn't get in the water. The other boys tease her….And then...nothing. WTF? Where is my tension and drama from that? Nothing ever really happened while she was keeping the secret and then in later books apparently she just leaves rather than the story sticking around to deal with the consequences. It is such a letdown!

** Alanna didn't seem to deal with any confusion about her identity neither in this one or the others. Like, (I’ve done some research and looked up the other books as well by reading some stuff etc.) she spent four years (?) living as a man and not once that expressed frustration that she couldn't present as she identified because that wasn't what society expected of her?

Sure, we see the first time she gets her period and thinks she’s been injured because no one explained it to her, but every subsequent time what, she just walks with an armful of bloody linens to the castle laundry room? And she just doesn’t…take off her clothes ever? She’s living with teenage boys! It’s just a concentrated locker room! All of this subterfuge seems a hundred times harder than learning to carry a shield or whatever.

Which brings me to what I hate about this series the most…

Reason 2:

Alanna hits every single Mary Sue trope there is. She the best fighter anywhere and the prince falls in love with her and so does the super-cool Thief King and she's really beautiful and she has a freakin' magical talking/telepathic pet cat with violet eyes. You telling me she isn't Mary Sue-ish? Yeah, right. And my name is not Tamara.

\\n  I really like books with female protagonists, but not when they're oh-so-super special that everybody loves them instantly and they succeed at everything.\\n Plus, did I mention she even has purple eyes? I did, didn't I?

I'm not a fan of wish-fulfilment/power fantasies of any kind, male or female, ok? The problem with such stories is there's no tension or drama, if everything goes the protagonist's way and everything happens just as expected.

Here, everything happens off screen. She studies. Secretly. For days or months to get better. And guess what? She does! Do you expect me to buy that when there was no actual build up and she is just gets so awesome at everything by practicing?!

a) Can't believe she gets better at every damn thing when she studies secretly ( Why the hell I sucked at high school maths then? I studied so hard at high school and I stil sucked at logarithm no matter what.)

b) We are told she studies but damn it show it to me woman!! Don't fucking try to excuse her being a master at sword fightg by studying it secretly! Where are her blood, sweat and tears? I wanna see it. I wanns see her struggling. She doesn't struggle ok? She is bullied, we are told she is bullied but because the pacing is too fucking fast I can't even feel sorry for her. What I end up thinking is ‘Maaan, she has it sooo easy’.

Reason 3: I’ve learned recently that this series was originally meant as one book for the adult market but the author divided it into four and made a large amount of cuts to conform to the rules of length and content that YA Literature had in The '80s. And it shows…like from the very first page ‘cause the pacing is so off. The book -specially in the beginning- feels like a part of a spin-off series or a second book in a series instead of the first one. We are immediately thrown into the plot and the characters and can't take a second to get used to the whole thing. You know what happens when an author works under a strict maximum page limit? The pacing gets a bit wonky at times, with months or even years passed over with barely a mention. Can that be an excuse for pacing? Not for me.

Reason 4: The book is ‘supposed’ to deal with gender issues. That’s what I’m told. But didn't get. At all. Maybe it deals with heavy stuff in later boks (but if you excuse me I won't count having sex, having more than one love interest or learning how to dress as a woman as dealing with gender issues.) Maybe it gets better (I doubt it.) But you know what? That’s not an excuse. That’s what hardcore fanboys tell fans who don't want to stick around and watch a very boring and terrible season one of a series they’ve just recently started watching. ‘Hang in there buddy, it’s gonna get better. How dare you give up, you chicken!!!’.

Fuck off dude, that’s not an excuse.

The producers & writers should have handled the whole process better ok? The fact that it gets beter later doesn't erase all the previous moments I had to hang in there wondering why the fuck I’m still watching that boring shit. BSG had a pretty awesome first season so it can be done. First season can be cool. First book can be cool. Therefore, I don't have to stick around when the plot and character development and woldbuilding takes too damn long.

Reason 5: \\n  This series it seems is famous for being Feminist Fantasy.\\n I am a girl. And I consider myself a feminist. Kinda. But it seems as I realized recently I don't like feminist fantasy cause \\n  \\n    I had the same problems I had with Graceling in this one.\\n  \\n Like UGH. This shit is so unrealistic. For me, for this one book what the the main character does all the time is whine and bitch about how unfair it is to be born as a girl.

People look at feminism in different ways. Some think it’s man-hating, some think it’s bashing woman who don't agree with them or not ‘independent’ or ‘modern’ enough like them, some think it’s doing whatever you wanna do in the name of being independent and strong, some think it’s having the mentality of ‘if a man do it, so I can’. The things we judge man for for example, some feminist act like they can get away with it and not be judged in the sake of being ‘independent’ and ‘modern’ and ‘girl power’. If you are not already guessed, I’m talking about double standard here.

So yeah there is a part of feminism I don't like. I don't like when some people act like we don't need man or they don't need anybody or who the hell needs marriage and people who marry and have a kid and choose being a stay home mom for their kids are stupid. I don't like judgy people. You don't know what other people’s going through. You don't know how they were raised. Stop judging people.

I don't like Allana. Because she seems like one of those judgy people.

She doesn't like her gender. Fine. There were/are times I didn't/don't like my gender either. Why the hell I have to be at home before dark ‘cause it’s dangerous out there? Why the hell I have to get used to man whistling when I walk and I have to accept that they are complementing me and it’s ok? Why the fuck I have to have my period and be in pain (both physically and mentally) when the guys has it so easy?

I can see someone of you nodding. But guys don't have it easy, ok? They have their own problems as well. I know that. But sometimes in some days it’s really hard to realize that.

We all have those moments. We all move on. I’m totally ok with characters having those moments as well. What I’m not ok with this much gender hating. I’m suuuuure she embraces her femininity later but excuse me while I don't stick around for that. Excuse me while I don't excuse her behaviour because she’s a pre-teen and teenager. Nobody hates their gender this much. Nobody. Not even in their early years. I don't fucking care how unfair the world is. It’s unfair for everybody. You can't just make your character this kind of a special snowflake and then expect me to buy she has mentality of a 5 years old child!!

Reason 6: I’m all for strong friendship but are you fucking kidding me? Two people find out she’s girl and they are totally fine with that? They are ok with her lying? Where the hell all these great mentality is coming from?

Don't start with me by saying : ‘…but Tamara its get better in later books' cause I’ve done enough research to know it doesn't. I know that Alanna revealing her gender doesn't have enough immediate consequence even in sequels. I know that she becomes a knight and just leaves to hang out with a completely different group of people instead of staying and building on the already underdeveloped setting the series had. So I don't like that the story takes the easy way out instead of tackling the drama head on. Would have been a lot more compelling for her to learn who she was in the same area and around the same people she was trained. I personallly think it's a bad idea for writers to write around drama rather than tackle it head on. Avoiding that fallout totally kills the momentum of the series.

Reason 7: Let’s talk about the villian. Let’s talk about villian being given away too damn early. I sure luv when that happens.

(Can you smell my sarcasm from there?)

Reason 8: Tropes present in this book include: SO MANY.

** Whomever likes Alanna is good; whomever do not like Alanna is bad. Luv the whole black and white mentality this book has. (No I don't.)

** Only the Chosen May Wield - Lightning aka the sword. Alana has such powerful supporters as you can see. How the hell these ordinary female characters do get supported by all these powerful beings is beyond me.

** Deus ex Machina – Oh look Alanna suddenly has a magical ability I'd never heard about before to save the day.

(Why? Shhh, don't ask those questions. 10 seasons of Supernatural and I’m stil not used to this shit )

Let’s throw here a flashback scene to show how she learned it or just…go with it. Cause you know, she’s our little special snowflake. She was chosen. She was blessed. By the Goddess herself. Havent heard that one before. WOW. Look how amazed I am. Look. Look.

Reason 9: Birth control is a necklace? Not fair.

There is a magic charm to prevent pregnancy and I’m sure it’s always commonly available. Don't