YA Review: Tempests and Slaughter by Tamora Pierce

Title: Tempests and Slaughter
Author: Tamora Pierce
Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers, 2018. 464 pages.  Audio: Listening Library, 2018. Read by Ariadne Meyers.
Source: Library.

Publisher's Summary: 
Arram. Varice. Ozorne. In the first book in the Numair Chronicles, three student mages are bound by fate . . . fated for trouble.

Arram Draper is a boy on the path to becoming one of the realm’s most powerful mages. The youngest student in his class at the Imperial University of Carthak, he has a Gift with unlimited potential for greatness–and for attracting danger. At his side are his two best friends: Varice, a clever girl with an often-overlooked talent, and Ozorne, the “leftover prince” with secret ambitions. Together, these three friends forge a bond that will one day shape kingdoms. And as Ozorne gets closer to the throne and Varice gets closer to Arram’s heart, Arram begins to realize that one day soon he will have to decide where his loyalties truly lie.

In the Numair Chronicles, readers will be rewarded with the never-before-told story of how Numair Salmalín came to Tortall. Newcomers will discover an unforgettable fantasy adventure where a kingdom’s future rests on the shoulders of a talented young man with a knack for making vicious enemies. 


My Review: 
Let's just get this out of the way at once: we've waited long enough for this book! I hope that's because Tamora Pierce has the whole series on the way, and we won't wait another 5 years for the next book, because this is very much the opening shot of a series, and essentially nothing is resolved at the end. In my opinion, it's all there to set up the real conflict which must start soon, and which the reader versed in the world of Tortall knows is coming.

So, knowing that this is the opening salvo and not a complete story, how is it? In short, absorbing. I'm not sure I could even say for sure why, but it's fascinating to see the instruction of a young mage, as well as to see how Tamora Pierce creates  the young versions of characters we already know in their adult forms. Her writing, as always, propels the reader forward, and enough happens along the way to keep you reading and to make you feel that it's a book. Still, I think this would be a poor place to start with the world of Tortall, due to the unfinished feeling it gave me. Or maybe that's just knowing what's ahead? I don't think so, because that blurb above goes beyond where this volume takes us.

On another note, I was so anxious to get this that I place library holds on both the hardback and the audio book. I got the latter first, and began greedily listening, but when the hardback came in I switched (and skimmed back through the part I'd listened to). It's a complex enough story that I liked reading better than listening, though the audio was very good.

My Recommendation:
If you are a fan of Pierce's, you've been waiting ages for this book--for any new novel. So jump in and go for it, unless you have the inhuman patience to wait for the next book so you can have the whole story at once! If you are new to Tortall, than I'd suggest starting where the author did, with the Alanna books.

Final note: Pierce's books waffle on the edge between juvvy and YA. There's nothing about this that rules out readers of, say, 11 and up. But there's enough violence and enough of maturing young people to make me feel it's more appropriate for those over 13.

FTC Disclosure: I checked Tempests and Slaughter out of my library, and received nothing from the writer or publisher for my honest review.  The opinions expressed are my own and those of no one else.  I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."  

Book Reivew: Battle Magic

 

Title: Battle Magic, by Tamora Pierce, 440 pages

Publisher: Scholastic, 2013

Summary:
Although it is listed as the third book in "The Circle Reforged" series, Battle Magic actually takes place before either The Will of the Empress or Melting Stones.  It is the hinted-at tale of the difficulties Briar, his teacher Rosethorn, and his student Evvy experienced on their travels.  As the title suggests, this is a book about the mages at war, and what they will do when pushed.  Taken from their visit to the small, rather Tibet-like kingdom of Gyongxe by an invitation to visit the gardens of the emperor of Yanjing, the three discover an empire prepared for massive war.  When they leave, they find that the war has already been launched--against Gyongxe.  With the main temple of Rosethorne's religion located there, she has no question about her duty--and the young mages won't leave her.  Thus are all three thrust into the middle of epic battles and a struggle of good and evil.

Review:
First things first.  I've already mentioned that this is not really part of a series, the way most of Pierce's books are (she's been writing longer and longer books so I guess the whole story can go in one, so the last few have been free-standing though still using familiar characters).  I want to also mention that there's a reason I'm not reviewing this on my KidLit day, and that's because to my mind it's well beyond Middle Grade and definitely into Young Adult territory (as in fact I think many of her books are, as the characters move out of childhood and deal with adult issues, including sex).

Now before I can go on with my review I'm going to have to talk about sex, violence, and kids' books.  I want to be clear: I think that the way Pierce handles sex and violence is really, really good.  And starting from maybe age 12 or 13, I think most of her books offer some really good ways to think about real issues that real kids do think about.  But not in grade school.

That said: in this book there is no explicit sex.  There are a few subtle hints of sexual violence, and at least one consensual couple going off into the dark together (they are definitely adults, and who cares if they do it?), but it's all handled in ways that wouldn't bother me for the 9-12 set.  The real thing that gave me pause was the violence.  Rather, the war.  To be sure, it's not generally super graphic, but I was left with images in my head (as were Briart, Evvy and Rosethorn) that I hope will fade fairly soon.  Maybe a bit much for kids.  I am aware that there are a number of books in the Juvenile section of our library that deal with war, real and imagined, in ways as graphic or more so.  I wonder about them, too, sometimes.  It's a choice for a parent to make, I think.

So, taking the book as it is, and leaving aside the question of whether it's really Juvvy lit, I have to say I was totally caught up in the story.  Tamora Pierce is a wonderful storyteller, and not only are we pre-disposed to care about the main characters, she continues to develop them in ways that make them human and interesting.  If I have any criticisms, it would be that the story felt a little one-dimensional.  The war absorbed everything.  Having written that, it sounds stupid: war does have a way of doing that.  But seriously, I think more needed to happen inside the characters, or something, because it just felt. . . thin.  I am not sure that a person who came to this without having read the other books in the series would either follow it as well or care as much.

On reflection, maybe what it felt like was a book that wanted to be adult, and really dive into what was going on as an adult, but kept holding back because it's supposed to be for kids.  That's a tough place for an author to be.  And the bottom line?  Whatever criticism I might have in the cold light of day, I sat up very late reading this two or three nights in a row, because darn it, it's a good story!