A wonderful end to the series.

This series has truly come to a remarkable conclusion. The story has been filled with excitement, drama, and unforgettable moments. From the very beginning, it has captivated the audience and kept them on the edge of their seats. The characters have developed and grown throughout the series, and their arcs have been both satisfying and emotional. The final episode tied up all the loose ends and provided a sense of closure that left viewers feeling fulfilled. It was a masterful piece of storytelling that will be remembered for a long time. Whether you were a die-hard fan or a casual viewer, this series has something for everyone. It has been a journey worth taking, and the wonderful end is the perfect way to cap it off.

One of the most beautiful books in the whole world!

However, if only the last page wasn't so painful for me.

George...

This book has always been a source of inspiration and wonder. Its vivid descriptions and engaging storylines have captured the hearts of countless readers.

The characters come alive on the pages, making us feel as if we are a part of their world.

But that last page, it holds a secret that I wish I could change.

It leaves me with a sense of longing and a bittersweet taste in my mouth.

Nevertheless, I still cherish this book and will continue to read it over and over again.

It is truly a masterpiece that will be remembered for generations to come.

Yep, I just re-read all of these books for the first time since I was 12. Damn you, Kindle! It's been quite a journey. I have to say, I enjoyed them the second time around, although not to the same extent as when I was 12 and full of feistiness, just starting to understand that being a teenager meant having the urge to fight everything all the time. Alanna was truly a great outlet for that youthful aggression.

There are several things that I liked this time around that I missed the first time. Firstly, the sex positivism in the books was a pleasant surprise. It was refreshing to see such a positive attitude towards sexuality. Secondly, the awesome and strong female characters who consistently passed the Bechdel Test were truly inspiring. They were complex and well-developed, not just there to be eye candy. Thirdly, the male characters were also very well-written. They had their own strengths and weaknesses, and added depth to the story. Finally, the descriptions of getting stronger and developing callouses really resonated with me. I work out more than I did back then, and I can relate to the feelings Pierce describes.

However, there were also a few things that I didn't like as much the second time around. The writing, while still awesome, was a bit less engaging than I remembered. There were a few too many descriptions like "the amethyst-eyed girl looked at the blue-eyed boy", and several abrupt perspective changes that could be a bit jarring. Also, the fact that everybody just seemed to be okay with a talking cat was a bit strange. I mean, it's a fantasy world, but still. Finally, Duke Roger wasn't as engaging a villain as I remembered him to be. He seemed a bit one-dimensional this time.

Despite these minor flaws, there are still many things that I love about these books. I still have a soft spot for George and Faithful. And I will always love that Alanna is such a badass. She's a role model for young girls everywhere, showing that you can be strong, independent, and kickass, all while still being a girl. These books will always hold a special place in my heart.

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I will never rate any less than 5 glorious perfect

The fourth book I liked much better than the third one, even though it takes a bit of time to really get going. However, after that it captivated me. Alanna's personal development in this book gave me a lot of pleasure. Also, her return to Tortall and her confident handling of problems that she had previously struggled with was extremely satisfying to read. A little bit, as in the second and third books already, I would have liked to have more focus on her adventures and less on her love life. But on the other hand, exactly that is also an important theme of the main character, who feels caught between her calling as a knight and the expectations placed on her as a woman and I would not have wanted to miss these considerations. A heroine who doesn't immediately find great love at first sight is basically still very refreshing. It reminded me a bit of Meggie from Inkheart.

Overall, I really enjoyed this fourth installment in the series. It continued to build on the story and characters in an engaging way. I'm looking forward to seeing where the next book takes Alanna and her friends. The world that Tamora Pierce has created is rich and detailed, and I can't wait to explore it further.

I would highly recommend this series to anyone who enjoys fantasy novels with strong female characters and exciting adventures. It's a great read for both young adults and adults alike.

I feel like this book was an excellent conclusion to the Song of The Lioness quartet!

Sure, the pacing might have been a bit rushed, and not every aspect was developed in great detail. However, I don't really mind. This story was straightforward, and I much prefer a fast-paced book over one that drags on and on.

Moreover, while many other reviewers have complained about Alanna's multiple relationships, I absolutely love the fact that we have a character who doesn't find her fairytale prince right away. The love square doesn't hinder the plot at all; instead, it showcases Alanna's growth as a character. I adored that she made the best decision for herself and realized that her true desire wasn't to be a queen but to travel and have adventures.

Although this book may not be the pinnacle of fantasy and doesn't compare to some of the other amazing ones I've read, it still holds a special place in my heart as a favorite!

Having reached the conclusion of the Alanna books, I am truly disheartened to part ways with this remarkable series. It's not merely because Alanna is an outstanding heroine - in fact, I'm currently in the process of drafting legislation to ensure these books are compulsory reading for sixth grade girls everywhere. But also because this is one of those infrequent instances where I feel a book could and should have been longer. The entire Alanna series has had a sense of being overly rushed. Ever since Book One, where we breezed through two years of knight training in approximately two hundred pages, I've wished these books had been published during a time when children's series could accommodate 700-page epics.

At the very least, it seems there should be one additional book in the Alanna series. As always, Pierce races through her plot points with great speed. In this book, it's particularly evident that there are two major plotlines, each of which merited its own book. First, Alanna embarks on a quest to retrieve the Dominion Jewel, a supremely powerful magical item that will supposedly make Jonathan an extremely powerful king and unite the kingdom in some way. While on this quest, she encounters a fugitive princess and her scrappy teen bodyguard, and we are introduced to more of this universe's intricate socio-political climate. Then, once Alanna obtains the jewel, she returns to the capital city and resides at court for a while. Here, we have two intersecting plotlines: George Cooper striving to maintain his role as King of the Thieves and Prince Jonathan attempting to uncover whatever scheme the only-mostly-dead Duke Roger is concocting.

That's an enormous amount of plot to squeeze into 300 pages, and both storylines have to vie for space, resulting in both suffering. I truly, truly wish this final book had been divided into two. The first could have been entirely dedicated to the quest for the Dominion Jewel and the people Alanna meets during said quest, and the second and final book could have focused on her time at court, the struggle with Duke Roger, and the conclusion of the Dominion Jewel plotline. I wish this had happened not only because it would have allowed these stories to be better developed and fleshed out but also because, at the end of Alanna's series, I still have numerous questions. The most significant one is the query of what, precisely, the Goddess has had in mind for Alanna throughout this entire journey. She bestowed upon Alanna the magic sword, the magic jewel, the magic cat... for what purpose? So that Alanna could battle Duke Roger? It almost feels as though there was supposed to be something grander, something more epic, at the end of this book, but it was scrapped to make room for a classic Boss Fight between Alanna and Roger. There simply wasn't sufficient time to learn Alanna's exact connection to the Goddess, to properly develop minor villains like Alex and Delia as fully-fledged human beings, to discover precisely what Faithful's deal was. Like, we're pretty sure Faithful was some kind of demigod in disguise or something, right? As I mentioned earlier, I rarely find myself longing for a 300-page book to be twice as long, but that's precisely how I felt about Lioness Rampant.

Despite the frustrating length, this was a great conclusion to Alanna's story. We got to witness her uncovering more of who she is and what she desires (often this self-discovery occurs thanks to her affair with a Shang warrior named Liam Ironarm, which, damn. Four for you, Alanna of Trebond, you go Alanna of Trebond!), while simultaneously questioning whether the life of a knight is truly the one she wants. Again, I would have adored it if this particular internal struggle had been explored in greater depth, but I understand that the young adult market at the time didn't really enable Tamora Pierce to write five-hundred page volumes for her series.

It's a pity that I didn't get to spend as much time with Alanna as I would have liked, but I relished every single adventure and every page. The writing never quite reached the level I desired, but ultimately it didn't even matter because Alanna is such a remarkable heroine, her adventures were truly fantastic, and these books are of utmost importance for little girls. Books about girls with swords will always be my personal addiction, but this series is the gold standard.

I just didn't care anymore.

Listen, I do understand that the time when this was written might have influenced it and that there are indeed some really good things that were achieved in spite of certain aspects. Absolutely. However, this series had been on a steady decline ever since book 2 introduced that damn love triangle. And now, this latest installment just had to give us one more (insufferable) love interest that adds nothing but annoyance to the overall experience. It's not that Alanna is much better, but gods. I simply have no patience for this level of idiocy.

I cared only about the fate of a specific character, and to be honest, that didn't even help improve this rating. I'm referring to Faithful the cat. The audacity to have him go out like that of all things. Plus, what is with the need to pair everyone off? I will only tolerate this from Uncle Rick, thank you very much.

The plot is ridiculous, and it seems we never learn. And I just don't care anymore. I'm genuinely glad that this series delighted so many people, but unfortunately, it didn't do it for me.

This is truly an outstanding conclusion to the series.

I have thoroughly enjoyed delving into Alanna's adventures throughout.

The story has been engaging from start to finish, with Alanna facing numerous challenges and emerging stronger each time.

Her courage, determination, and growth have been a pleasure to witness.

This final installment ties up loose ends nicely and leaves the reader with a sense of satisfaction.

The ending is well-crafted, providing a fitting conclusion to Alanna's journey.

It's a great way to end a wonderful series that will surely be remembered by fans for a long time.

I can't wait to see what the author has in store for us next.

Alanna embarks on new adventures outside of Tortall, gathering her own group of merry companions. Her journey takes her through war-torn Sarain and to the Roof of the World, where she reclaims the Dominion Jewel for Tortall.

For me, this is the most fulfilling installment of the Alanna series. I relished reading about her growth as a warrior and a woman, confident in her abilities and desires. The myths and legends of Tortall and its world are truly captivating.

However, I was not entirely satisfied with the handling of the Thom plot-line. Would Alanna really be so nonchalant about Roger's resurrection and Thom's illness? The overemphasis on her concerns for Jonathan also felt a bit forced. (I will admit, though, that I found some satisfaction in seeing Alanna brush off Roger's insults and Thom's interference, as well as the explanation for why she was able to do so. It didn't undermine her feisty character; it simply expanded her perspective to include all she had achieved. I love it.)

I also wished for more of George. His decision to distance himself from Alanna after her return to Corus seemed to be based on the assumption that she wanted to reunite with Jonathan, but this wasn't clearly conveyed. Other than his initial greeting and final proposal, he was very reserved, which frustrated me. I appreciate that George has power and strength, but he never uses it to pressure Alanna into doing something she doesn't want. Both Jonathan and Liam, to some extent, try to impose their will on her, and it's annoying to see this go unchallenged.

Oh, and as an aside: Alanna, please stop going on about "dying alone." You're, at most, 20 years old. You've just ended things with your Shang lover, whom you met at an inn without much thought; you happily sent your first lover off to marry a new princess; and you haven't had a proper heart-to-heart with your middle lover in a year. You are in no danger of dying alone. You're an attractive, kickass lady who has had plenty of success finding partners. Please stop.

Also, Faithful.

I finished this book feeling content with the story and what had happened in it (in an authorial, artistic sense, not in a "glad so many people died" way). I liked the heroic elements and the numerous references to the spread of stories and songs. How legends are created not by one person but by many. I liked that Alanna actively sought her destiny rather than waiting for it to come to her.

No one talks to me. I find myself in a rather lonely state. I'm still getting over Faithful. It's been a difficult journey. The memories of Faithful keep flooding back, making it hard for me to move on completely. I think about the times we spent together, the laughter, the companionship. But now, it's all gone. I'm left here, trying to pick up the pieces of my heart. I wonder if I'll ever be able to fully let go and find someone new to share my life with. Maybe with time, the pain will ease, and I'll be able to open my heart again. But for now, I just need to take it one day at a time and hope that better days are ahead.