Squire

From Barnes & Noble

The Barnes & Noble Review
Following First Test and Page, this third book in Tamora Pierce's Protector of the Small series does not disappoint. Squire continues Keladry of Mindelan's journey toward becoming one of the first female knights in the kingdom of Tortall. Despite proving herself during her long years as a page, there are still many who are all too eager to bring about her failure, including her old nemesis Joren of Stone Mountain.

After her initial disappointment that she is not chosen to be the squire of her hero, Lady Alanna the Lioness, Kel finds her place among an elite guard of fighters led by her master-knight, Lord Raoul. He is kind and treats her as an equal, teaching her battlefield tactics, jousting, and the skills of leadership. Kel's sparrow companions and her dog Jump are still assets in protecting her, and she is kept very busy with a new addition to her menagerie -- a very temperamental baby griffin with extremely sharp claws. These years as a squire are an introduction to many new things for the teenage Kel -- tilting tournaments, new friends, new enemies, and even love. There are going to be some very tough decisions ahead for this young lady.

Pierce's Song of the Lioness, Circle of Magic, and Immortals series will whet your appetite for more of the fascinating characters only touched on briefly in the Protector of the Small series. To learn more about the author, check out her very interesting web site at www.sff.net/people/Tamora.Pierce. (Corrina Allen)

Carolyn Cushman

Pierce returns to the Kingdom of Tortall in this young-adult fantasy....The idea of a girl proving herself in a male-dominated field is hardly new, but Keladry's a real scrapper, and her adventures are truly entertaining.
— Locus

VOYA

In this third volume in Pierce's well-regarded Protector of the Small quartet, following First Test (Random House, 1999/VOYA June 2000) and Page (2000/VOYA April 2001), fourteen-year-old Keladry of Mindelan finds herself chosen as squire by no less a hero than Lord Raoul, the Knight Commander of the King's Own guard. Accompanied by her faithful animal companions, including an extremely aggressive flock of sparrows, Kel works hard and excels at everything she does, but still she must deal with both the envy and the sexism of the other warriors around her. Gradually winning the respect of her peers because of her skill with weapons and her refusal to accept special treatment, Kel tames a baby griffin, does battle with a variety of human and nonhuman opponents, and generally proves herself to be not merely a competent warrior but a potential commander. Still, as the years of her apprenticeship go by, she knows that before she can become a full-fledged knight, she will have to face one final danger—the magical Chamber of the Ordeal—a test that has driven some squires to madness and others to suicide. Pierce's Kel is at once a talented warrior and a refreshingly human young woman, with a strong interest in both the latest weaponry and handsome young men. The author combines well-done action sequences, gritty detail (including a few moderately bloody bits), and just a touch of wish-fulfillment fantasy in a tale that is guaranteed to please her well-established audience. VOYA CODES: 4Q 4P J S (Better than most, marred only by occasional lapses; Broad general YA appeal; Junior High, defined as grades 7 to 9; Senior High, defined as grades 10 to 12). 2001, Random House, 416p,$15.95. Ages 13 to 18. Reviewer: Michael Levy SOURCE: VOYA, August 2001 (Vol. 24, No. 3)

KLIATT

In this third book about Kel, an intrepid girl who aspires to be a knight, the 14-year-old is starting a four-year stint as a squire under Lord Raoul. He is an experienced knight who commands the King's Own, a sort of police unit serving as royal bodyguards and helping out wherever needed in the medieval fantasy kingdom of Tortall. Kel faces prejudice from her fellows as well as danger from centaurs, wars, and a vicious baby griffin, but the tall, tough, muscular squire proves her worth and works tirelessly, excelling in jousting and demonstrating her leadership abilities on the battlefield. Learning about the hard work as well as the glory of a knight's life just increases her resolve to become a knight herself and serve her land and people as best she can. Kel has the ability to communicate with animals, and her faithful dog, horse, and sparrows assist her. Kel also acquires a boyfriend in this volume of the series. At the end of her time as a squire, she must undergo the Ordeal, spending a night in a magical Chamber that forces squires to confront their weaknesses, before she can become a knight. There Kel learns of a new threat to the kingdom, which the next book in the series will surely address. This feminist fantasy is a delightful read, with marvelously well-rounded characters, humor, and lots of action, too. It's long, but readers will quickly get involved in Kel's adventures and eagerly turn the pages for more. Fans of Pierce will enjoy meeting favorite characters again (and seeing others get what they deserve), and the book can stand on its own for those who have not yet met Kel. Great entertainment. Protector of the Small series. KLIATT Codes: JS—Recommended forjunior and senior high school students. 2001, Random House, 416p, $17.99. Ages 13 to 18. Reviewer: Paula Rohrlick; May 2001 (Vol. 35 No. 3)

School Library Journal

Gr 6-9-In this third installation in the series, Pierce at last relieves fans' concerns about who will take on young Keladry as a squire. After hanging tough with the page program, she is at last ready to take the next steps down the road to knighthood, accompanied by her friends and her faithful mutt. To her sorrow, she is not selected by the Lady Alanna, who taps Neal for her squire. Kel is chosen by Lord Raoul, commander of the King's Own, and she quickly discovers that she has landed the better situation. She soon finds herself fighting centaurs, cleaning up after floods, and caring for a baby griffin. Kel's nemesis, Joren, fails quite badly in the Chamber of the Ordeal, which will leave readers nervous about her own designated time there. What she faces in the Chamber nicely sets up the next book in this series. Pierce continues to create a broad range of fully realized characters, even if Raoul is a little too good to be true. Her plotting is sometimes a little rushed and Tortall often seems more like background scenery than a real place. However, the author has created a strong female protagonist who accomplishes her goals with her integrity, sense of humor, and her self-esteem intact. She faces decisions about sex, her relationships, and the effects both will have on her personal life and her future career as a knight and commander. Kel's fans will delight in seeing the parallels to their own lives, and Alanna and Daine's fans will enjoy seeing their favorites, if only in cameo roles.-Patricia A. Dollisch, DeKalb County Public Library, Decatur, GA Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.

Carolyn Cushman

Pierce returns to the Kingdom of Tortall in this young-adult fantasy....The idea of a girl proving herself in a male-dominated field is hardly new, but Keladry's a real scrapper, and her adventures are truly entertaining.
— Locus