Tamora Pierce – Susan Uhlig

I’m a big Tamora Pierce fan and love the new book in her new series. Tempests and Slaughter (Random House, 2018) is about Arram Draper. Yes, if you’ve read the stories about Daine, you’ll probably recognize that name. This story is set farther back in time in Tortall.
Arram is only eleven, well, ten really, but he says he’s eleven. Because he’s always getting into trouble. Especially at the School of Mages where he’s attending with older students. Strange events happen around him. All the Masters know his name.
This story takes Arram through his mage training where he meets the two older students, Varice and Ozorne, who become his best friends. (Whose names again will sound familiar if you are a fan.) With friends by his side life is a bit easier, but the Masters keep adding more and more duties and harder classes. Throw in the crocodile god, the Graveyard Hag, and service in the arena, and Arram is juggling a lot. Will he be able to keep it all in balance?
I didn’t want to stop reading and when I reached the end, I was ready for the sequel, which isn’t out yet! I know I’ll be rereading this story.
If you aren’t familiar with Tamora Pierce, you can read about her here.

I’ve been a Tamora Pierce fan ever since I found the Wild Magic series. Went from those to the Magic Circle books then to the Keladry, Protector of the Small quartet. Later, read the first books written by Tamora about Alanna and was surprised to see how much her writing had grown. (It also gave me hope for my own writing!) Next I read the Trickster stories.

But her latest, Beka Cooper, Terrier, is now my absolute favorite.

I love this character!

Beka Cooper’s a “puppy,” a rookie, with the Provost’s Guard and has been assigned to work the Lower City with famed veterans. Beka has a problem though. She can hardly look at anyone when she speaks. How is she going to do her reports to her “Dogs” when she can’t even look at them?

Beka’s story is set 100s of years before the other Tortall stories in a very real world. It has a slang and figures of speech all its own that are yet very understandable. As I warned my husband, don’t start unless you have a lot of time to read it! But, like myself, he didn’t heed the warning and ended up staying up way too late to finish the book.

Two things I’m definitely looking forward to: