Maiden Knight

Every once in a while when I just really need to escape into a great series of books, I pull out my Tamora Pierce sets. This past weekend I've been really sick and bedridden so I needed something to do whenever I wasn't sleeping. Being too uncoordinated for knitting or video games I pulled out my old standby book Alanna The First Adventure.

Being a young adult series this is a fairly quick read and really great for immersing yourself. The series consists of three quartets, Song of the Lioness, The Immortals, and The Protector of the Small. There are also a few books that follow or precede these quartets, but these three are the original ones I read. All the quartets follow strong (but not without weakness) female characters trying to be true to themselves in a fantastic world full of challenges.

I generally go back to Alanna and read all the way through the twelve main books. I always forget just how much I love them, and rereading them is like visiting old friends. They are filled with magic, adventure and romance, but also everyday struggles that women deal with when deciding the path their lives should take. These are fantasy books set in the medieval world of Tortall.

This series is young adult, however, and does deal with some subjects like fighting and killing, female menstruation and other women's issues, and a small amount of sex. This is not a graphic series though and all these subjects are mentioned very tastefully and in keeping with the storyline. I think it is a fantastic series for a preteen or teen to read because it is really relatable for someone who is dealing with growing up.

Tamora Pierce Books