Squire

Rating:
Summary: Hmmm...
Review: I totally agree that this book could have been better. But in every series that Tamora Pierce has written there is 1 book that I thorouly dislike. I haven't picked up "The Woman Who Rides Like a Man" since I first read it, and I don't plan on doing so. Ever. That was the 1 from Alanna. Daine didn't really have one that i don't like. But in the Magic Circle, I didn't like Daja's book at all. But I really think this is the one from the Kel series that I will really shun. Unless the 4th is worse. But think about it. Tamora Pierce got better, right? I mean, though i really disliked the 3rd book in the Alanna series, I loved the 4th. So, just as she came back then, I think she'll come back now. The fourth one shall be great.

Rating:
Summary: 10 stars for Squire!!!
Review: I fell in love w/ Tamora Pierce's books when I first read Wild Magic. I finished the rest of the quartet, and quickly bought and read the Song of the Lioness. Sadly, I had none of the anticipation about who Alanna would end up with, because I'd already read her next quartet.

This next quartet about Tortall is as good, if not better than, her previous two. I admit, in Squire, I felt not quite as... close to Kel as I had in First Test and Page. But there were other aspects to this book that made up for it. One was the introduction of new characters. To me, it seemed that more people were added to this book as at least half-way main characters than in most of the rest of Pierce's books. Also, there's the romance between Kel and Cleon. Some people have said that they don't like it. That it's not good because Cleon wasn't a main character in the first 2 books, as Pierce had done in her previous books, so he shouldn't have hooked up w/ Kel. I totally disagree. Tamora shouldn't have to write her books exactly the same way. If she did, then what would be the point? There would be none, because there would be no change. Another minor but good thing to this, was the fact that the notorious curtain-hider, Raoul, has found a reason to come out from hiding. No more mothers trying to hook him up w/ their eligible daughters. And for those of you who didn't like the Neal/Yuki thing, well that's your problem. I think she's good for him. She could certainly straighten him up a bit. Teach him how to hold his tongue.

But all together, this was a wonderful book. I just finished reading it for the second time in as many days.

Rating:
Summary: Kel Prevails
Review: With a nod in the acknowledgements, to J.K. Rowling for convincing editors that young adults are hungry to read longer fare, Tamora Pierce serves up a 400-page sequel in Squire, the third book in her Protector of the Small series. As in First Test and Page, Squire follows the trials and tribulations of Keladry of Mindelan as she seeks to openly become a lady knight of the realm. Since the knighthood of Lady Alanna, the Lioness, fifteen years earlier, Kel is the first young women unaided by the goddess and without inherent magical powers to attempt this feat. Closed minded enemies are eager to thwart her, but the 5'10" Kel relies on both her brains and ample physical skills, in her quest to prove her worthiness as a Squire. Along the way, she acquires a band of hard won friends including a troop of sparrows and a mangy Dog she names Jump, Fortunately for her, the commander of the King's Own, Raoul, a comrade of the Lioness, steps forward as her knight master. He views Kel not only as worthy of facing the Chamber of Ordeal that will test her worthiness as a knight but an equal with leadership capabilities -- no matter what her gender may be. She is readied not only for battlefield tactics and jousting but taught the skills of command as well. In keeping with her maturity, Kel also faces new relationship challenges as she outgrows her own crushes only to find a caring suitor among her cronies. The series possesses a broad junior high (7-9) appeal.

Rating:
Summary: Kel's Voyage continues!!
Review: Kel, now Squire, continues her voyage towards knighthood. Some skeptics warn Kel's knight master of the hazards and the talk that might happen if she becomes his(guess who??)squire. Kel also has some visions ehwhen she touches the doors leading towards the Ordeal. Kel's feelings towards Cleon are also depicted more clearer than before, and Kel's other puzzling new thoughts. She is intoduced to the sport of jousting and has some surpriseing results(read and see!). This book not only shows Kel's strengths, but also shows Kel's emotional side. Tamora Pierce defiantely made no flaw in creating this strong-spirited yet compassionate character. Take time in reading this book!

Rating:
Summary: one of tamoras best books!!
Review: ok first of all i have to say HOW CAN SOME OF YOU NOT GIVE THIS BOOK 5 STARS?!?!?!?! with that said, lets start talking about the book! as you all probably know, raoul is kels new knightmaster, and so she gets to travel around with the kings own. because of this we get to see pleanty of violence and fighting, but if you cant stand that, why are you reading a book about knights? kel and raoul grow to have a wonderful relationship, they respect eachother just as alanna and myles did in the first books of the song of the lioness series.

next we get to other relationships. everyone complains about neal being out of the picture, but personally, i think the book works just as well without him. i mean, i loved him soooo much in the first two books and i always hoped they would hook up, but they didnt so its time to move on! dom seems amazing and im glad he was included in the book, its nice to see that im not the only one with a new crush each week. and then of course theres cleon. i love cleon, he seems wonderful and really in love with kel. you could always tell in "page" and even a bit in "first test" that cleon had the hots for kel, i just didnt think that tamora pierce would pursue that and keep it going. i really hope this relationship keeps going into the fourth book, "lady knight". marriage would be wonderful, numair and daine didnt get married when i wanted them to, and alanna ended up marrying GEORGE, who i liked, but he could never ever replace jon in my mind. kel and cleon just need to change cleons mothers mind.

oh and there is one more relationship that none of the reviews ive read have mentioned: there is a bit of romance between raoul and someone... you have to read the book to find out who!

anyway, this book is wonderful, and although its age is like 9-12, im going into grade ten and i still love it and all of tamoras other books, so please, go and read this book!!!

Rating:
Summary: On the subject of violence...
Review: I don't feel like these books are too violent at all. If parents don't want their children reading them, then they can just say "No." For me, this book and all others of her writing help children develop a sense of self as well as prepairing them for the world (where we see sex, violence, and homosexuality everywhere) without being crude or promoting that behaivior. On the subject of homosexuality, everyone can have their own opinion but I think it's a personal choice (or non-choice) that one shouldn't be judged by or persicuted for.

Rating:
Summary: squire
Review: this book totaly rocks if u don;t like it u r crazy.

Rating:
Summary: an auther can do what s/he wants
Review: I found that Squire added more problems and took away some only to make more. let me explain myself. because Kel no longer has Joran as the villian she can move on to something more difficult. if Joran was still there then she would be conflicted in which villian she should fight first. by have Joran killed it allows Kel to mantain a focus of who she might fight. I say these things because they are my opinion not because i think that that is what the other thought. I also believe that no one can really say what is happening and whether or not it would work or if it made since because the other decided what she wanted the book to have in it and made it thus. i believe that whatever her decision for writing what she did was she kept the book fasinating anyway and i have/will enjoy this book as much as i have the first two and probably will the next one.

Rating:
Summary: Ms. Pierce is loosing her touch
Review: I've read all of the Alanna, Daine, and now Keladry books, but in the most recent series Ms. Pierce's skill for captivating the reader in the first page of the book is lacking. The only thing that kept me reading this book was the romance between Kel and Cleon. Things that have been set standards for all of the series books have suddenly been changed for Kel - and some things have just been thrown in there to take up space (so it seems). It took several readings of the chapter called Kraken to understand everything she was talking about - especially that metal thing.

the book was interesting, but not captivating. i know some people are upset that kel likes cleon and not neal, but if neal and kel got involved then kel would get hurt when neal changed his mind and fell in love with another beauty. the ending leaves you hanging, so if you don't like that type of stuff i'd wait till book four is published till you start reading this one. the beginning is a little slow too, it was the wanting to know what happens to the characters than the writing itself that makes this book a page turner.

overall its interesting, but don't pick it up hoping for another Alanna.

Rating:
Summary: Great Series but....
Review: Tamora Pierce is one of my favourite authors and I really do enjoy this new series of hers but this third book wasn't as exciting as the previous two. It was a bit boring and the book seemed to be dragging on slightly but gets better towards the end. The ending was...interesting and held a very anticipated meeting for Kel. However, the romance with Cleon was disappointing and overall the book wasn't as satisfying as the others.