First Test (Protector of the Small Series #1) » (Unabridged)

Tamora Pierce lives in Syracuse, New York, with her husband, Tim, five cats, two birds, and various freeloading wildlife. Visit her online at www.tamorapierce.com.

More adventures from the medieval realm of Tortall from bestselling author Tamora Pierce.

Ten-year-old Keladry of Mindelan, daughter of nobles, is the first girl to take advantage of the decree that permits females to train for knighthood. Keladry applies and is accepted, but on probation. She must prove herself to the males around her. Kel uses her wits and courage to overcome the many obstacles set for her in her probationary year. Trained from early childhood by warriors, she is capable of hiding her feelings, fearless in a fight, and willing to work hard. Her sympathy and sense of chivalry earn her the admiration of a group of fellow pages. Kel performs well in her first real battle and is grudgingly allowed to stay for another year of training.

"The scrappy Kel is an appealing and believable girl whose struggles to integrate a formerly all-male world are both familiar and freshly told."- School Library Journal

VOYA

Ten years after the proclamation that girls could train to be knights, there is finally a willing candidate. Keladry of Mendelan is determined to follow the example of her brothers and become a knight. Kel is told that she must undergo a probationary year to be allowed to fulfill her dream. The training master, Lord Wyldon, well known for his dislike of female warriors, has decided to do whatever is necessary to change her mind. Kel is a very different type of heroine for this author. Unlike Alanna, whom readers met in the Song of the Lioness Quartet (Random, 19891997), Kel is not masquerading as a boy, and she has no magic, wild or otherwise, as Daine employed in the Immortals Quartet (Random, 19971998). She is an attractive, wellrounded character in her own right. The world of Tortall has evolved in Pierce's books, and Kel is much closer to most of the general populationshe lives without any magical abilities in a country full of hideous and dangerous immortals. Kel survives on strength of character, determination, and hard work. Familiar faces from the earlier series do appear but are tangential to Kel and her trials in this initial book in the Protector of the Small series. Pierce's familiarity with her setting means that she can concentrate on plot and character, without spending a great deal of time explaining the background to the story. Unlike Circle of Magic: Sandry's Story (Scholastic, 1997/VOYA December 1997), there is a much more fluent storytelling. Pierce's fans will relish a new series, and firsttime readers are in store for a treat. VOYA CODES: 4Q 4P M J (Better than most, marred only by occasional lapses; Broad general YA appeal; Middle School, defined asgrades6 to 8; Junior High, defined as grades 7 to 9). 1999, Random, Ages 12 to 15, 216p, $16. Reviewer: Betsy Fraser