Has anyone read books by Tamora Pierce?

[Silverclaw]

I love Tamora Peirce's books, though the Marysueness of her main characters bugs me. I like Trickster's Choice a lot because Aly isn't nearly as Marysueish as some of her characters. Terrier is also awesome. Unlike some of you, I didn't like Protector of the Small that much. They are well written, but I don't think the plots as good and Kel annoys me.

[Dragon Writer]

I like all of them, but I've been library impaired since the move. I've only had access to buying and... The school library. *shudder*
So I haven't read terrier yet. Loved Trickster books, though - they were the first I read, though, so that might slant my views a bit on all of them.

[seabiscuit1009]

I actually reread all of the Tamora Pierce books last summer before I went to college, so that was what...7, 8 months ago? Anyway, it made me remember why I really loved those books; although the heroines are a little bit Mary-Sueish, like someone else said, they are still fairly strong women (By that I mean that they used swords and knives and things like that. ) And when I first read the books, I needed strong women characters to look up to; I actually picked my Confirmation name (I'm Catholic) because the saint, Joan of Arc, was a woman warrior like Alanna was.

And that's my little dorky moment for now. The Alanna books were and are still my favorite ones, even though I read Daine's books first. I guess I just liked how she pretended to be a boy, and didn't have to deal with female things like dresses and make-up during her teenage years. I'm a bit of a tomboy, if you can't tell.

[Stormwind]

Tamora

Yes, I actually was introduced to Tamora Pierce before I found DD. Both series have their strong points, and somethings that annoy me.

Daisy - I read WotE, and didn't really like it all that much, in some ways it was a betrayal of the characters to me, and didn't seem to have the same flow of the other books. I really enjoyed Melting Stones though.

Of the Tortallan books, I can't say I've got favorites... I've loved them all since I read them.

Anyone care to explain what is meant by Mary Sue? That confuses me just a bit.

I guess we're all entitled to our opinions about the books. I can't wait for Bloodhound, it's been too long waiting for it.

[seabiscuit1009]

Anyone care to explain what is meant by Mary Sue? That confuses me just a bit.

I guess we're all entitled to our opinions about the books. I can't wait for Bloodhound, it's been too long waiting for it.

A Mary Sue is...sort of a character who is almost deemed to be too perfect; they have basically no flaws, can do anything, and seem like they are just there to fulfill an author's wishes. Many of Tamora Pierce's characters are called Mary Sues by people...personally, I think it's just the style she writes in. Wikipedia probably explains it better than I can in this case.

I forgot about Bloodhound! Does anyone know when that's coming out-I'll have to start stalking the library card catalogue, because this broke college student can't afford to buy brand new hardcover Tamora Pierce books when she's got used, paperback classics to buy for her English classes...XD

[Stormwind]

Seabiscuit1009: Thanks for the info, now I understand. I agree with you that that is how TP writes. I personally know lots of the flaws Alanna and the others have, and identify with them because of it.

According to TP's website: BLOODHOUND Cover April, 2009: BLOODHOUND, the second book in the Beka Cooper series, published simultaneously in US Hardcover and Australian paperback. More info at http://www.tamora-pierce.com/

[Silverclaw]

Really? Could you tell me what flaws Alanna has, because I can't think of any. Well, besides her temper of course, but frankly that doesn't really count, since it just makes her more likeable.

[alla]

Tamora Pierce has an LJ, and (whoo good news on release dates) the last post was regarding the release date of Bloodhound. April 14th! The news was from Random House, so that may just be for the US edition (not too sure about the Scholastic Australian edition). Her LJ (and the post) can be found at the following http://tammypierce.livejournal.com/.

Alanna has a temper, which is her no. 1 flaw - and it does count, I think. I hate the people who think that all of TP's characters are Mary Sues. The same can be said for many main characters in fantasy books, really, since most of them achieve what they set out to do - otherwise, the effect and reasoning for telling the tale is kinda lost. I always go the feeling that people labelled TP's characters as Mary Sues because they succeed in everything they set out to do. Sure, a character may face challenges and overcome every single one (e.g. Keladry in the POTS books; even Alanna (think going to George to learn how to beat Ralon up)), but this doesn't make them a Mary Sue. (/rant)

I wish there was more stuff with Alanna and Kel - thats the only thing that I dislike about TPs books - you learn to love a character, and then she is sent to the background. It would be great to see a collection of short stories (or something similar) focusing on the years immediately after each of the girls earns their shields - then you would see more of the spar that they have (which was briefly mentioned in the DOTL books), see more of Kel's potential relationship with Dom, and see more of Alanna. (can anyone guess who my favourite character is? )

[Silverclaw]

I'm certainly not saying they're all Mary Sues. I love the books. I'm just saying all writers have flaws, and hers is the main characters are cliched. In fact, Mary Sue isn't a very good word to describe it, it's too negative. Sometimes it's fun to read stories about characters who are just essentialy GOOD, and succeed at everything. It's not realistic, but thats why it's fiction. It's true, thats very common for that particular genre. However, I have to beg to differ about temper being a fault. Or let me clarify, it's certainly a fault in a real person. (I should know, it's one of mine.) But it's not really a character flaw in a fictional character, just kind of a filler for deeper flaws. In fact, that's one of the most common cliches: the firey warrior who can't keep her temper. Unless, of course, it truly becomes a problem for them, and I don't just mean getting into fights. I still love Allana, I just don't think she's exactly a model for an original main character.

[bookworm438]

I've never heard of her. What are some of the works she's written?

I'm a fairly fast reader. I can be fast or slow though. I've read the last HP book in a day. Most books are easy for me to understand too. I should read more challenging books like Shakespear etc. I just find them so boring though.

[Stormwind]

Bookworm438: She's written Alanna: The First Adventure; In the Hand of the Goddess; The Woman Who Rides Like a Man; Lioness Rampant. This is the start of the Tortall Universe, there are several others...
http://www.tamora-pierce.com/ is her main website, maintained by her spouse I believe, that lists her stories.

Silverclaw - I'm not saying her temper is necessarily a fault, but it is something that doesn't make her really the definition of a MarySue... (I've been reading some real MarySue stories on FanFiction.net recently) If accomplishing everything you set out to do implies you're a MarySue, then any woman who accomplishes anything IS a MarySue... But the definition of a MarySue that I've been seeing on FanFiction.net says that a MarySue BOASTS about what they are good at in every conversation, and despises those who don't feel the same way they do...

I don't really see any of TP's main characters boasting about their skills (except possibly Alianne) but I haven't read them in a while, I've been reading other's SYWTBAW formost in the front...

[Silverclaw]

I'm not saying accomplishing stuff makes you a Mary Sue, that would make for very depressing stories. But if you accomplish EVERYTHING you try to do, without much difficulty, even though the odds are obviously against you , and you're still young and relatively untrained, with little help, then that's sort of cliched. And I disagree about the bragging, a Mary Sue is a character who is TOO perfect, so mostly likely they would be unrealistically humble. Bragging is a flaw, and makes characters more real. Sorry if I'm being obnoxious here, I'm just playing the Devil's Advocate. I can never resist a debate, it's just who I am.

[illiriam]

For all fans of Tamora Pierce, Bloodhound, the second book in the Beka Cooper series (quartet again?) was released today and is available on amazon.
[ame="http://www.amazon.com/Bloodhound-Legend-Beka-Cooper-Book/dp/0375814698/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1239762489&sr=8-1"]Amazon.com: Bloodhound (The Legend of Beka Cooper, Book 2): Tamora Pierce: Books[/ame]
It is set in the Tortall universe, not the Circle of Magic one (I haven't read them... are they any good?) I enjoyed the first book, Terrier, so hopefully this one is just as good and shows us more of Beka's character and personality.
I would have posted this yesterday to alert everyone that it was being released today, but I thought is was being released tomorrow. I guess I wrote the date down wrong.
Happy reading!

[bookdove]

never read them but have heard good things i did buy one just have not had the time to read it.

[NoxLight]

I read most of the Tortall books when I was in middle school, and went on a nostalgic rage recently and ended up reading them again and buying The Immortals series from Amazon.
To tell the truth, I ended up not liking The Immortals and Protector of the Small as much as I remember. The Lioness quartet still shined brightly as her best. I realized I didn't like Daine as a character, and didn't like the last two books of PotS.
Her characters are amazing though, especially the teammates. I'm thinking of Nealan and Numair here