Title: The Woman Who Rides Like a Man (Song of the Lioness #3)
Author: Tamora Pierce
Pages: 288
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Genre: Fantasy
Release: April 19th 2011 (First published May 31st 1986)
Buy the Book at: Book Depository / Chapters.Indigo / Barnes & Noble / Amazon
Newly knighted, Alanna of Trebond seeks adventure in the vast desert of Tortall. Captured by fierce desert dwellers, she is forced to prove herself in a duel to the death -- either she will be killed or she will be inducted into the tribe. Although she triumphs, dire challenges lie ahead. As her mythic fate would have it, Alanna soon becomes the tribe's first female shaman -- despite the desert dwellers' grave fear of the foreign woman warrior. Alanna must fight to change the ancient tribal customs of the desert tribes -- for their sake and for the sake of all Tortall.
My Thoughts
From Now on I'm officially a fan of Tamora Pierce. The Woman Who Rides Like a Man was almost as good as the previous book in the series, if it wasn't for what happened at the end. Indeed, my heart is now into pieces!
In Song of the Lioness #3 we encounter Alanna traveling through the desert with Coram. Still, Alanna's adventure wouldn't be an adventure without some danger and this is the first thing that happens when we open the book. Alanna jumped into people of the Tribe (desert dwellers) and she has to go through a series of fights to prove over and over again to the people of the Tribe, that she has no bad intentions towards them. While spending her time in the Tribe, she becomes more and more well respected among them and becomes the first Shaman woman of the desert. There is a good amount of new characters that add diversity to the Tortall world. We meet another culture and their history in relation to the Kingdom of the North. I feel this was such a good thing Tamora Pierce did, she enriched the Tortall world even more, and she did it when I though I had almost seen it all. I also found myself sympathizing with Alanna during the whole read. Alanna tries to embraces her femininity and I love the fact that she is finally trying to accept who she really is (after disguising herself as a boy for such a long time, her boyish habits are not easy to get rid off). Prince Jon is also back in this book! I was afraid I wouldn't get enough of him but I was wrong! There is not as much romance as in Song of the Lioness #2, but it's still there. However, Alanna and Jon are in a more mature stage of their relationship (or at least for Jon it is) and we see how Alanna struggles to make a decision , concerning Jon, that could change her life forever.
The Woman Who Rides Like a Man keeps the same great level of the other books in the series though the ending smashed my heart. However, I have faith that everything will be alright in the next and last book. I'm looking forward to the next one and I'm really exited to read the other Tortall books, because Tortall is definitely a world you don't want get away from!
Visit Tamora Pierce's website at http://www.tamorapierce.com/
9 comments:
You know, Natalia, I have never heard of this series prior to your review. It's interesting that these novels were first published before I was even born! Sounds like a series I'll have to keep my eyes out for.
I read this series probably when I was about thirteen and first getting into YA, and it still remains one of my favourites.
I really need to try this author. I haven't read any of her books. This sounds really good!
@Mocha: Im glad you are considering keep an eye on them. These books where release before I was born too. I think the writing style in the is more "early teens style" (Like A Canadian girl who read it when she was 13) but can easily be enjoyed by adults (me) because of the themes in the story. =)
@A Canadian Girl: I really like them too! I wish they were longer! sniff!
@Mrs Q: Book Addict: The told me the Tortall world books are the best! but they happen after Alanna. You could try Alanna of Beka Cooper (have you seen the rating in goodreads? wow!)
Yeah, for me part of falling in love with this series was because I fell in love with the land, Tortall. There are just so many wonderful things in that world, and horrible ones too but plenty of interesting for many adventures. And as you go along reading the other books set in this world more and more things keep appearing! Like in the Immortals Quartet you get to know more about the gods and magic, in Trickter's you learn more about spying and politics, and in the Beka Cooper series you'll get to read about Tortall's past and the characters you've been reading up to now. After reading your reviews, I think I might have to do a re-read of Tamora's series! :D
1986? I was just 4 then! =) Tamora Pierce is popular and I wonder why I haven't try to read any of her books... Maybe now I should! =)
visiting through!
XoXo, Aprl
AMy: It seems you have read them all! Here I come!!
Juliet: I was 1 LOL!! We are such fosils! Though when the first and second book were release I wasnt born yet =D.
The new cover's interesting. Still now sure if I like it. I have the old version. Well written review. It's amazing that this series is ten years older than me yet gets checked out of my school library as soon as it comes back in. Tamora writes stories that stick with different generations.
Ack! I don't remember what ending you're talking about...WHAT SMASHED YOUR HEART?!?! *feverishly searches through the book for devastating piece of something that I missed*
As for the new covers...I don't know what I feel about them. I feel like this cover is a little too Love-triangle-y for my tastes. The book is about Alanna going off on her own and finding adventure...not her pining over two guys..
Thanks for the review! :D
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