Wild Magic: a book recommendation
5 out of 5 stars.
It’s terrible that I haven’t recommended a Tamora Pierce book yet, so I shall begin with my very favorite: Wild Magic.
This book literally changed my life.
It was the first series I ever read with a strong female protagonist. I wanted nothing more than to leave my horrible junior high behind and drop into Daine’s shoes–even with all the crud she goes through. It still seemed a million times better than 7th grade.
Young Daine’s knack with horses gets her a job helping the royal horsemistress drive a herd of ponies to Tortall. Soon it becomes clear that Daine’s talent, as much as she struggles to hide it, is downright magical. Horses and other animals not only obey, but listen to her words. Daine, though, will have to learn to trust humans before she can come to terms with her powers, her past, and herself.
This is an older book (the cover to the right is what I own; the cover to the left is the newer one), so while it might have been YA when I was younger, it would definitely qualify as MG these days. Don’t let that scare you–there’s still SO much to take from this book and the entire series.
Daine faces here fears, ignores the hurt, and battles on (just like Alanna from the Lioness Quartet, yet in a completely different way). Daine is a subdued heroine–strong in a quiet way. Since I was a painfully shy thirteen-year-old, I LOVED Daine’s approach to her problems. I learned so much from her character, and I’m not lying when I say Tamora Pierce and her novels shaped me into the person I am today.
If you like epic fantasy, tough heroines, or magical adventure, be sure to read Tamora Pierce’s Wild Magic.
You tell me: Have you read this series? Or have you read any other books by Tamora Pierce?
July 3, 2011 @ 4:39 pm
Tamora Pierce was very influential in my writing life too; for me, it was the Lioness Rampant series (Wild Magic wasn’t published when I was in middle school!). It was so cool to read a fantasy adventure series where the prtoag was a girl! And disguised as a boy! I think shortly after I tried to write a thinly-veiled (bad bad bad) copy. I made it to page ten or so.
I read the Wild Magic series some years later in high school. I remember waiting and waiting for the last book to come out. I very much love Numair,and I love Daine’s horse. The whole series is on my shelf.
July 4, 2011 @ 2:07 am
Ah, I discovered (read: devoured) Lioness Rampant right after the Wild Magic books (at that time, the series wasn’t finished). And oh MAN did I also write a bunch of thinly-veiled copies. Some were really just straight up fan-fiction. 😀
July 3, 2011 @ 4:54 pm
I first read this book in 10th grade, and I think I read ever single book set in Tortall in the next three months. (This was in 2004, I think, so there were a couple that weren’t out yet.) Tamora Pierce definitely got me through that first semester – I was the new kid and didn’t have any friends yet, so I spent lunchtime reading them all at the lunch table and whatever. I really wish they were here with me right now instead of at my mom’s house, because I totally want to reread them all now.
July 4, 2011 @ 2:09 am
Oh, Tortall, how I wished I could live there. I can soooo relate to the reading at lunchtime. I had 1 BFF, and she was just as obsessed as me. In fact, we would go over to each others’ houses and just geeeeek out over our Tortall series. She wanted to be Alanna, and I wanted to be Daine!
I really love how much Tamora Pierce has affected girls (and now we’re women!). She’s definitely an inspiration to me.
July 4, 2011 @ 2:12 am
I didn’t read Tamora Pierce growing up, but I have heard an overwhelming number of writers cited hers as a huge influence. I’ll definitely have to check WILD MAGIC out! 🙂
July 5, 2011 @ 4:08 pm
Oh, it’s so good. But be warned! It would definitely qualify as more MG these days…
July 4, 2011 @ 6:09 am
Oh, I’m so glad you mentioned this series! I LOVED this book. I must have read it a dozen times. This book sucked me in entirely. I wanted to be Daine SOOO bad. So much so, that the summer between my Junior and Senior year I spent a good week sleeping out on my back deck in a sleeping bag to get fully get into the mood of the book! I even had a soundtrack for it. Mostly Smashing Pumpkins. The other books in the series, though good, weren’t as good as the first, but still alright.
July 5, 2011 @ 4:10 pm
OH WOW! I think that is sooooo awesome you camped out…I would so not have been that brave (or willing to deal with the skeeters) to do that! And I too had a soundtrack for it!!! Mine was pretty much all Enya. 😉
I did like the other books–especially number 3. Number 4, though, has never been re-read like the others. Maybe I should give it a try…
July 9, 2011 @ 7:49 am
YAY! I love Tamora Pierce, although I probably didn’t start reading them until I was 14? 15? I’m currently reading Tricksters Choice (at 17) but I think the Protector of the Small is my favourite – you can’t beat Neal of Queenscove 🙂