I've been neglecting posting...but..eh.

Anyway, I just recently reread Tamora Pierce's Circle of Magic Quartet and the Cirlce Opens Quartet as well as the following novel.  I had forgotten how much I like them.  I've been a fan of hers since...what, junior high?  Now I started reading adult novels first and hers are considered Young Adult, but whatever.  I've always enjoyed her writing. 

I have copies of her quartets: The Song of the Lioness, The Immortals, Protector of the Small, and the two Trickster books (Thank you, Science Fiction Book Club).  But I don't have copies of these (Damn you, Science Fiction Book Club).  And these really are my favorites of hers.  I really liked the Song of the Lioness (the first of hers that I read), and I liked the Trickster books.  The Immortals and the Protector of the Small were also enjoyable, but not as good.  Nevertheless, I never considerd Tamora Pierce one of my favorites, but after rereading these books after being away so long...well I might have to revise my opinion.  Now, authors like Kim Harrison, Laurell K. Hamilton, Jim Butcher, and Michael Stackpole still top the list, but Pierce could well be included, and it is all because of one character. 

I adore Tris.  Trisana Chandler is among my favorite characters that I have ever read about, and I don't even know entirely what draws me to her.  My other favorite characters, it is generally something simple.  Ivy Tamwood (from Kim Harrison's Rachel Morgan novels) appeals to me because of the tragic nature of her life.  She is so very unhappy, despite having so much going for her.  She is powerful, beautiful, and wealthy, but she is too afraid to let anyone close to her because she is afraid of hurting them because she cannot control her vampiric nature.

I think, with Tris, it is something similar.  There isn't a doubt in my mind that Trisana is the the most powerful of the four main characters and she has so many problems of her own.  Trisana is a Weather Witch, who is capale of calling on the powers of storms, lightning, the sea, and even the earth.  All of her foster siblings have somewhat more common abilities, though even theirs have quirks that make them unusual.  All of them can easily make a living with their magic, and are quite wealthy because they can make items that are rare and valuable (Sandry is actually a noble and quite wealthy even without her magic), but Trisana can't.  Sure, weather mages can be useful, but manipulating weather can have dangerous long term effects.  Trisana could make a living as a war mage, but she has nightmares of when she destroyed a pirate fleet when she was ten. 

Not only does she have a hard time supporting herself with her magic, but she does not get along well with many people.  Her magic is quite rare and powerful leading to jealousy from other mages that encounter her and fear from ordinary people.  She is also described as chubby, and her few attempts at romantic encounters did not go as well at all. 

Also, when she was atempting to assist in catching a murderer, she focused on the study of scrying on the winds.  A technique that is difficult, and no one else has actually been able to learn in some time without going mad (There is one other character in the novels who has the ability and he is mad).  As a result of actually learning how to do it, she is constantly assualted by images carried on the winds while only occasionally seeing things of use.

I guess that is it.  I love tragic characters, and while not wholly tragic,  she does seem to have it harder than her foster siblings.  I don't know.  I like her.

Posted by: Arson55 at 01:49 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
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