Squire

Rating:
Summary: I ate it all up!
Review: I love the Protector of the Small Series, and the first one I read in it was the 3rd, Squire. And I had to read it twice to finally get it. Nowadays, this is my favorite book, and I protect it with my life. I never really understood why the series is called Protector of the Small until the fourth book came out, but, anyways, that's a different review.
In this book, Kel really is a hero that everyone could love. Speaking of love...hello, Cleon! I didn't get why she chose him, but it would be kind of weird if Kel fell in love with her best friend, Neal. And why wouldn't she? Come on, would you tell you best friend you love them like that? I personally would have chosen Owen. I thought it was cute when he hugged Kel when he became a squire. Cheesy, huh? (Also I think that Pierce wouldn't have chosen Owen because he is younger than Kel, and in Song of the Lioness, The Immortals, and this, Protector of the Small, all the young hero women have older men in their lives...)
But why I really loved this book is because it has enough medieval things in it to suit my needs. It also mixes in magic and fantasy, to make it truly unique. I'm kind of disappointed because I think there wasn't as much humor as there was in Page. But I think the epic, brief challenges Kel faces and the pessimist character of Kel is so provoking. Not to mention the post Yammani life she had. The whole reason she wanted to become a Knight in the first place comes from that.
I'm so glad the story didn't end here, because this is a really great tale. I really got caught up in it. It becomes so real, that nothing becomes outrageous in it. Like the use of the magic or healing, the immortals, or worshiping many gods. It's a break from the ordinary, and that's why it's so great.

Rating:
Summary: Squire
Review: Squire is an exciting piece about Keladry of Mindelan whose determination to become a knight helps her endure the threats of conservative knights during her four years as a squire. Kel's dream of serving under Knight Alanna dies as she serves for the good-natured Knight Raoul who deals with raiding centaurs, invading Scanrans, and other law-breakers of Tortall. Exciting and irresistible like all the other books by Tamora Pierce, Squire is a must-read for fantasy-lovers or those who likes the never-ending combat.

Rating:
Summary: Just a bit of a disappointment
Review: I personally love anything that Tamora Pierce has writen, and I own a copy of all but her two most recent releases. However, I found "Squire" to be a bit of a disappointment.
Firstly I found her infatuations with some of the knights annoying. Kel's supose to be an example of what anyone can do once they set their mind to it, and she always seemed to be very focused. Her afair with Cleon was out of character, it seemed to almost symbolise a lack of determination. And it's clear to the reader that she's not interested in ever marrying him, at the momment, she never seemed to be the type of person that would entangle herself in an afair that she wasn't serious about, especially sense he admitted once or twice that he was.
I also found that Jeoren's death was sudden and disappointing. Pierce spent the first two books seeming to lead up to something with him, I personally expected something big to happen with him, and even his capper at the end of the second book still seemed to be leading up to something much bigger. Then he just suddenly dies in the middle of "Squire". Nothing led up to that, and I found myself feeling cheeted. The chamber was also an anti-climax, especially after reading about Alana's own time in there.
Parts of it however I did enjoy reading. Kel's still an original character facing new problem's, ones that Alana never faced. And Kel finally meets Alana and learns that she's her mysterious benefacter (something which most readers already knew, I'm sure). She also has to take care of a baby griffin, something I hope will come back into play later (perhaps she'll have new alias among some griffins?) In anycase I'm looking forward to reading the next instalment to find out what will happen to her.

Rating:
Summary: Tamora Pierce-Back Again!
Review: I thought this book was really good. When I first read it, I was really mad that she wasn't Alanna's or Cleon's squire, but then I remembered that Lord Wylodon had told Alanna to keep away from Kel, and that Cleon wasn't a knight when Kel became a squire. Raoul rocks(in my opinion) and so he did fine, but she really should have been Alanna's squire, but, oh well. I thought that the constant movement of the Third Company(Kings Own) and the Grand Progress was fascinating, though hard to keep up with. It was hard for me to read about the Ordeal(after the Alanna books-also by Tamora Pierce-you learn to NEVER read an Ordeal in school) in school because I got really mad at it and when she went up to the Chamber door(espicially when Cleon died in her arms, so romantic and sad) I started shouting and had to go to my room to do that. I thought that in Tamora Pierces books, for her, romance is nessecary. It was a good pick this time though.(Kel and Cleon)
Recommended Books: All of the Song of the Lioness Series, all Immortals series, all of Protector of the Small series, all Royal Diaries(except for Sondok and Nzingha, both really boring in my opinion),espicially Cleopatra VII, Dear America and Young Royals, and the Daughters of the Moon Series(by Lynne Ewing).

Rating:
Summary: good story, bad morals
Review: Well, the whole story lind for this book and the whole series is great. But, the message that some may get is that sex is okay before marriage. If you don't like that idea, don't read the book. Other than that, it is a good book.

Rating:
Summary: Another "Must Read" By Tamora Pierce
Review: This is a wonderful book. It leaves the impression that no matter who or what you are, you can do anything if you just stick to it.
As Kel starts her years as the first official female squire, she is disapointed when she is not chosen by the only lady knight, but instead her best friend, Neal, is. Down to earth Lord Raoul choses her instead. Throughout the book, Kel battles full-grown centaurs, fosters a gryphon kit, competes in jousting tournaments, begins the first romance of her teenage years, and finally, enters the Chamber of the Ordeal, becoming the first Lady Knight to officially go through training, and 2nd known Lady Knight (the first went through training incognito as a boy). This book leaves the reader pining for the next book of the quartet.

Rating:
Summary: I would give this book six out of five
Review: This book was a wonderful read. I couldn`t put it down (literaly).
In this book, Kel gets chosen to be a squire by Lord Sir Raoul of Goldenlake and Malorie`s Peak-Kinght Commander of the King`s Own. While Kel works with the Own she falls in to taking care of a fiesty, young Griffen-which turns out to be a hassel.
She and Cleon start dating-which I think is great! Neal never liked Kel "that way" but you could tell that Cleon did. By the way, I was hoping that they would hook up sometime after I read Page; she was right to go for him!
Kel learns how to joust, turns out to be good at it and also gets visions from the Chamber of Ordeal.
All in all this is an excellent book and I reccomend it to anyone who enjoys a great fantasy novel that they won`t be able to put down.

Rating:
Summary: Cleon and Kel don't
Review: Ok, one thing, Cleon and Kel talk a little about sex, but it's not really gratutious or anything. After all, Alanna and Jon did it without even talking about it which wasn't very wise. (Think about it, Alanna forgets her little necklance one night, "WHAT?! Alan's PREGNANT?!! And with the Crown Prince's child?!" Heh, hiding her gender would be real tough after that!) And Neal's not in it too much, but nobody's mentioned the princess and ladies of Yama! They're fun, in that Kel finally has some friends who are both female and her own age, and they give us a little insight to our favorite squire's childhood. So it's not "school" story anymore. You know that was going to happen eventually, right? So instead of high school, Kel's now in college. It's not worse or better, just different. The third book in a quartet tends to be a bit weak, but I liked this one more than the other's, really. A change of scenery can sometimes be a good thing. ^_^

Rating:
Summary: Pretty good but not the best
Review: I liked this book-it was pretty cool though the whole Kel-Cleon thing still annoys me I don't like Cleon. And i don't think ANY of us wanna hear what they keep talking about doing....yeah, the three-letter "S" word LOL.......well anyways it's ok, i liked "Page" and "first test" better though, and i hope the fourth book will be really good

Rating:
Summary: Great!!!
Review: I think that this book was a great story. The book had a lot of thing going on. Kel had to deal with becoming a new squire to Raoul, take care of a new baby griffin, deal with her old enemy Joren, get a new boyfriend, and deal with the "visions" of the Chamber. The growing romance between Kel and Cleon was very interesting. Because most people say that you should be friends before you can be lovers. That is the way most of Pierce's relationships were. I think that her feelings for Neal and Dom were not very deep, they were just like Alanna and the Shang Dragon in the Lioness Quartet, but not that intamite. Overall it was a great book and she overcame her fears in the chamber and is now a knight. I can't wait till the next book!!!