[3.5 Stars]

I don't think I enjoyed this one quite as much as the last. It was a wonderful read, to be sure. The story had its engaging moments and the characters were well-developed. However, there is something about it that I just didn't fall in love with and I can't quite put my finger on why. Maybe it was the pacing, which seemed a bit off at times. Or perhaps it was the lack of a truly emotional connection that I felt with the story.

All in all, however, this is a fantastic series. The world-building is top-notch and the overall concept is very interesting. It could use a little more depth, though. Some of the subplots felt a bit rushed and could have been explored further. But despite these minor flaws, I would still recommend this series to anyone who enjoys a good fantasy read.

I'm looking forward to seeing where the author takes this story next and hope that future installments will address some of the issues that I had with this one.

I may write a proper review shortly, but this will do for now.

This book is truly and absolutely crap. It lacks any sort of redeeming qualities. The story is dull and uninteresting, the characters are one-dimensional and forgettable, and the writing is amateurish at best.

No one should waste their time bothering with it. There are countless other books out there that are far more worthy of your attention and investment.

Save yourself the disappointment and look elsewhere for a good read. This book is nothing but a waste of paper and ink.

It's a shame that such a poorly written book was even published. I would not recommend it to anyone.

The last installment in the series was truly remarkable.

I was completely enthralled by the ending. It was so satisfying to see that she finally got everything she had ever wanted.

Throughout the series, she had faced numerous challenges and obstacles, but she never gave up.

Her determination and perseverance paid off in the end, and it was a joy to watch.

The story was well-written, with engaging characters and a captivating plot.

I would highly recommend this series to anyone who enjoys a good read.

I can't wait to see what the author comes up with next.

I really liked this story. In fact, I was quite pleased with the turn of events.

Alanna's decision to marry George brought a sense of happiness and closure to her character arc. It was a beautiful union that I had been rooting for.

However, Thom's death was truly sad. He was an important part of the story, and his absence left a void.

Roger, on the other hand, was as despicable as ever. His actions and behavior were truly detestable. I was glad that Alanna had the courage and strength to finish him off for a second time. It was a satisfying conclusion to his character's storyline.

Overall, this story had a great mix of emotions, from joy and love to sadness and revenge. It kept me on the edge of my seat until the very end.

I’m quite pleased with the ending

This is the perfect epic conclusion to the remarkable quartet. It vividly depicts Alanna as she lives out her long-cherished dream. She embarks on thrilling adventures, roaming the world in areas that are not even shown on maps. She does this until she is finally ready to return home. The story showcases both new and old friends, which I truly adore, as well as new and old romances.

Just like the previous three books, this one is filled with intense fighting, exciting adventures, passionate loves, deep friendships, and amazing writing. It serves as an outstanding ending to a story and a set of characters that I fell in love with three books ago. Although it is always a bittersweet moment when a series comes to an end, this book was the perfect ending. It left me with a feeling of joy, a smile on my face, and a heart full of happiness.

Of course, my heart goes out to the Dragon/Liam, Thom, and Faithful. Even though it is incredibly sad, I think it was handled really well.

I have a strong feeling that I will be rereading this series time and time again. It is a classic, a beautiful piece of literature, and I loved every single page of every book.

A great wrap up to the series!

I have always been captivated by the intriguing twists in this book. It is truly remarkable how all the character arcs come to a satisfying conclusion. I had actually forgotten about her affair with a significantly older man in this story. Alanna is just 20 when they meet, and he is 34. While some people might not be a fan of such an age difference, I thought it was dealt with in a rather appropriate manner. What's more, I really appreciate how sex positive this book is, especially considering the time when it was published.

One fascinating aspect that I discovered from the Afterword is that the war zone Alanna visits in this book was inspired by Tammie and her friends' experiences during the Vietnam War. It was deliberately designed to showcase the horrors of the aftermath of war and how it profoundly impacts women and children.

This book is undoubtedly among my favorite in the series, and I had an amazing time revisiting it. It brought back a flood of memories and emotions, making me appreciate the story even more. I highly recommend this series to anyone who enjoys engaging and thought-provoking literature.

3.5 stars

I discovered, in the interval between finishing the third book and commencing this one, that this quartet was initially slated to be a single volume. However, children's publishers in the 80s held the belief that kids wouldn't pay attention to any book exceeding 200 pages (until Harry Potter emerged and disproved them). Consequently, Pierce was compelled to divide her manuscript into a quartet, and in the process, a great deal was lost. I'm disheartened that we'll never have the opportunity to read that original manuscript, as the outcome of the publisher's meddling is an uneven and peculiarly paced beautiful mess.

There is much to relish and appreciate about Song of the Lioness. In the first couple of books, I wasn't entirely certain where some of the storylines were headed, and my past experience with numerous such tropes made me somewhat critical. And I still am. Nevertheless, I more or less liked how it all concluded. With the exception of some foolish elements, because really. Some of it was absurd. So it's a mixed bag of brilliant, ahead-of-its-time storytelling and are-you-kidding-me clichés.

Alanna, the Feminist Hero, who had to grapple with an idiotic love triangle in the earlier books but didn't choose either guy and instead set off on her own adventures. Of course, here she does ultimately select a guy, but the love triangle nonsense is a distant memory. And she doesn't have to sacrifice who she is or what she desires in the choosing. And she chose wisely and passionately. And George Cooper was simply the better match for her, not to mention he matured and ceased being a jerk much faster than Jonathan did. But she also got to determine what she wanted for herself, pursued it, and proved that she could achieve it. She was a bit of a Mary Sue at times, and one could always identify the bad guys because she didn't like them and they didn't like her, even when there seemed to be no reason for it. And she learns not to shun all things feminine while still remaining a badass knight - a feat that rarely occurs even today.

Of course, the main conflict here is the weakest aspect. Duke Roger is brought back - he claims he was only mostly dead - because Thom decided to showcase how amazing he was at magic. And the king just allowed Roger to continue living! Despite the fact that Roger attempted to kill them all! *palmface* Okay, whatever. Sadly, when Jonathan has to deal with the rebellion, he doesn't fare much better. Maybe A Song of Fire and Ice made me even more cynical than I already was, but altruistic acts towards those who wish to murder rarely have a favorable outcome. Exiling them doesn't ensure they won't plot elsewhere and return later. So he didn't want to begin his reign with a series of executions. I understand that. Wait a couple of months and then execute them. But this is YA, so he has to be all noble and superior to his enemy and such.

There are still pacing problems, but since I now know the reason for that, I was a bit more lenient this time. And the entire quest to the Roof of the World - yo, it's not just a North. It's the Roof of the World. Everywhere may have a north, but not everywhere has a Roof of the World. Liam was kind of meh, and I never liked Thom. The evil villain's monologue was worthy of an eye roll, as was his convenient ending, and the moments that were supposed to be touching and/or heartbreaking simply weren't. I did like Thayet a great deal, and I adored how Alanna's and Coram's relationship was explored here. He's been almost like a father to her all these years, and he's always been so supportive of her.

Overall, this was a good introduction to the world of Tortall, and I'm looking forward to seeing what else this world has in store, and I'm hoping the pacing issues are resolved in the next quartet.

I'm just posting this to express my profound admiration for Tamora Pierce's fight scenes. It's evident that she dedicated careful thought to how Alanna could triumph in battles against physically stronger opponents without relying on any magical shortcuts. Most often, when I peruse action scenes in books, I'm left completely clueless as to what actually occurred, or the author takes the easy way out and writes something along the lines of "and then everything happened at once" and promptly skips to the aftermath. However, in these, I always had a vivid mental picture of every single detail that unfolded, and it was truly awesome. The last few action sequences were particularly remarkable, and I hadn't anticipated such excellence.

I somewhat wish that the final two books of this series could have been condensed into one. I feel that there was an abundance of filler material that I could have easily done without. This excess content detracted from the overall pacing and impact of the story. Nevertheless, despite this minor drawback, Tamora Pierce's work remains highly engaging and captivating.

Five stars? For this? Surely, I must be kidding. Or perhaps I'm delusional.

But let me tell you, it was truly worth every single second to read this. Usually, I can have a sense of how much time passes while I'm reading, but not with this volume. I was completely sucked into it with great glee, though there was also a hint of foreboding.

In the first half of "Lioness Rampant", we find our beloved Alanna and Coram continuing the plotline from the end of "The Woman Who Rides Like A Man". They set off to decipher the package that Alois, the doomed sorceress, had given over. Things progress at a rapid pace from here, with a series of meetings, attempted assassinations, and of course, a meeting with our lovely, somewhat helpful, and terrifyingly vociferous Goddess.

More of the fascinating Tortall lore gets expounded upon, which is truly great. More romance also ensues. Well, I guess a girl has got to have a life. Additionally, more characters are introduced, which is equally great. Then, when all that is done, about halfway through, at the end of some more thrilling fighting, the "Silent War" (as I've named it myself) recommences.

The Silent War, the one between George and Claw, has been brutally bloody and it only gets bloodier. The war splinters into the overarching plot around this point and things begin to come to light. I won't spoil anything, but I'll just say, "If you thought the first half of the book was gripping, you poor soul, what will you do now?"

The rest of the book tells all and spares none. The end, while not what I would call entirely unique, was not one that you could guess with even 50% accuracy. I'm talking about the whole sequence here, not just the overall outcome.

Now that all my praise is out of the way, here is my one gripe with "Lioness Rampant". Alanna cried an awful lot. I mean, abundantly. I don't think a chapter passed where she was in it and she didn't cry or shed a tear at least once. I found it rather ridiculous.

That being said, I'm sad that this saga is finished. One loss in particular was hard to take, but I think it was predestined. I'll revisit Tortall sometime soon and see what more she has to tell. "So mote it be."

Despite having successfully completed the arduous trials and intense training required to become a knight, Alanna finds herself still seeking a deeper sense of fulfillment and validation. She embarks on a far-fetched quest, leaving behind the lands at home that seem to have a rather fishy undertone. As the story progresses, relationships continue to develop in unexpected ways. Alanna, true to her nature, remains a bad-ass chick, fearlessly facing every challenge that comes her way. This book is still a great read, captivating the reader from start to finish. It is well worth getting through the rest of the series, as it offers a great conclusion with adequate resolutions to the various plot threads. Each character is well-developed, and the story is filled with excitement, adventure, and a touch of mystery. Overall, it is a must-read for fans of the genre.

I can't believe this series is already over!! God, I loved it so much.

In this book, the addition of the character Liam, a Shang warrior, was a great touch. I adored how tough he was and the profound effect he and Alanna had on each other. It wasn't just about fighting; they truly learned a great deal from one another.

However, I was really annoyed with Thom in this book. His pride and arrogance led him into deep trouble. It was frustrating to see how his flaws got the better of him.

On a positive note, I liked how this book wrapped up. The storylines were neatly tied together, providing a sense of closure. But at the same time, I'm sad to see Alanna's adventures come to an end. She has been such a captivating character throughout the series, and I will truly miss following her journey.

Overall, this series has been an amazing read, and I'm grateful to have had the opportunity to experience it.