Book Blurb:
TEMPESTS AND SLAUGHTER
by Tamora Pierce
Pub. Date: February 6, 2018
Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers
Pages: 480
Formats: Hardcover, eBook, audiobook
Arram. Varice. Ozorne. In the first book in the Numair Chronicles, three student mages are bound by fate . . . fated for trouble.
Arram Draper is a boy on the path to becoming one of the realm’s most powerful mages. The youngest student in his class at the Imperial University of Carthak, he has a Gift with unlimited potential for greatness–and for attracting danger. At his side are his two best friends: Varice, a clever girl with an often-overlooked talent, and Ozorne, the “leftover prince” with secret ambitions. Together, these three friends forge a bond that will one day shape kingdoms. And as Ozorne gets closer to the throne and Varice gets closer to Arram’s heart, Arram begins to realize that one day soon he will have to decide where his loyalties truly lie.
In the Numair Chronicles, readers will be rewarded with the never-before-told story of how Numair Salmalín came to Tortall. Newcomers will discover an unforgettable fantasy adventure where a kingdom’s future rests on the shoulders of a talented young man with a knack for making vicious enemies.
Goodreads | Amazon | Audible | B&N | iBooks | TBD
My Review:
5 out of 5 Stars
Genre: Another-World, Heart, Hysterical, Mystery, Royal-Court, Supernatural--
“It’s very interesting, where you live, isn’t it, Arram?” He tapped his forehead to show what he meant.
Arram has always been precocious with his magic and when he needed further attention than what was available in his home town, he was sent to the Imperial University of Carthak to further his education. Arram is the youngest student there and the other students go out of their way to let he know he doesn't belong. But what they don't know is that he is so full of magic it basically bursts out of him. After a disaster (one of many) caused by Arram, his teachers have realized his potential and soon his special training will set him on a path for his future.
I will admit that I am late to the Tamora Pierce party and I had never read any of her books- I had heard great things about them, but I just never picked one up. Well, a few weeks ago I had the opportunity to meet Tamora (or Tammy as she referenced herself) at an author event hosted by my local book store and I was completely charmed by her personality and the enthusiasm she shared for her worlds and character- they each meant something to her and she felt a great deal of responsibility towards her readers to create realistic relatable characters for her readers (and to represent some ahh "growing-up" changes appropriately). I just knew I had to read her books and it was the perfect time since I had a copy of Tempest in Slaughter, a brand new series I could jump right into without needing the backstory from her previous stories.
I found this book to be absolutely lovely, the closest thing I can relate it to would be Harry Potter, but even that is not quite right, but I have not been so immersed in a story about a school and magic and a special little boy since I picked up that series 20 years ago (yes, my age is showing). Tempest and Slaughter is a BIG book, at 455 pages, and it was a little daunting at the beginning when I started since I don't read a ton of high fantasy, but Tamora made it so approachable that I fell into the pages, the world, the characters, until it was hours later and I was half way through. Everything came alive for me, be it the magic, the three main characters, the animals, the gladiators, the "lesser" gods (by the way Enzi was the best!) and don't forget Preet (where can I get a sunbird??). It was so captivating, every minute, even the harsh events of death and sickness were handled in such a way that I could literally not stop reading. If this is how all Tamora's books have been, then I really have missed out.
Overall I found this to be such a gorgeous, entertaining, magical adventure that I HIGHLY recommend for all fantasy readers. The world came alive and the characters felt like people that I knew and cared about, I rooted for Arram to succeed and prove to everyone what he is capable of. I watched him grow up and become capable, powerful, caring and yet still able to get into trouble through no fault of his own. Tempest and Slaughter is just the beginning of this journey and I am counting down the days until I can get my grabby hands on the next book.
Tamora Pierce is a bestselling author of young adult fantasy books that break past the traditions of the fantasy genre to feature teenage girls as knights, wizards, and above all: heroes. A #1 New York Times bestseller and the recipient of the 2013 Margaret A. Edwards award, Tamora has written over 30 books, including the upcoming TORTALL: A SPY'S GUIDE (Oct. 31, 2017) and TEMPESTS AND SLAUGHTER (Feb. 6, 2018).
Tamora was drawn to books from a young age. Raised in rural Pennsylvania, the child of a "long, proud line of hillbillies," her family never had much. "We were poor, but I didn't know it then. We had a garden where my folks grew fruit and vegetables and our water came from a well," she explains. But one thing they did have was plenty of books. So Tamora read.
A self-proclaimed "geek," she devoured fantasy and science fiction novels, and by the age of 12 was mimicking her literary idols and writing her own action-packed stories. It was thanks to her father that Tamora began writing. "He heard me telling myself stories as I did dishes, and he suggested that I try to write some of them down," Pierce says.
But Tamora's novels had one major difference: unlike the books she was reading, her stories featured teenaged girl warriors. "I couldn't understand this lapse of attention on the part of the writers I loved, so until I could talk them into correcting this small problem, I wrote about those girls, the fearless, bold, athletic creatures that I was not, but wanted so badly to be."
Seventeen years later, after graduating from the University of Pennsylvania, a brief career in teen social work and some time spent writing for radio, Tamora Pierce held true to her childhood crusade, and published ALANNA: THE FIST ADVENTURE, the first in a quartet about a valiant, young, female warrior. Pierce's heroine struck a chord with readers across the country and quickly earned her a loyal following.
Now, with over 30 critically-acclaimed books to her name, Pierce lives in upstate New York with her husband Tim and their menagerie of nine cats, two birds, a flock of pigeons, various raccoons and squirrels, and one opossum. "It's a pretty good life, if I do say so myself. Struggling along as a kid and even through my twenties, it's the kind of life I dreamed of but never believed I would get. Yet here I am, after a lot of work, a lot of worry, a lot of care for details, and a massive chunk of luck, the kind that brought me such strong friends and readers. Pretty good for a hillbilly, yes? And I never take it for granted."
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Review tour provided by Rockstar Book Tours
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