Brief (Spoiler-Free!) Synopsis
“Wild Magic”, set in the world of Tortall, sees 13 year-old Daine attempting to flee from her past. She gets a job as an assistant to the horsemistress of the Queen’s Riders, encounters a number of strange creatures called Immortals, and begins to find answers as to who she really is…
Content Warnings: Death, Violence (PG-13)
What Do I Think?
I am ashamed that it has taken me this long to read Tamora Pierce’s books, but better late than never, right?
To start with, this book was first published in 1992. Books and publishing was an entirely different beast then, and so you have to go into these stories with an understanding that the writing, pacing, and overall story structure might be a little different than more modern stories. I read Tamora Pierce’s “Protector of the Small” series (yes, I know, I’m reading them ‘out of order’), and it was a struggle to get invested in the first book.
Color me surprised with “Wild Magic.”
The first book of the Immortals series wastes no time getting right into things. We meet our protagonist, Daine, as she embarks on an important journey and is immediately set upon with various dangers and threats. Magic is present on nearly every page, and you cannot help but be fascinated by the world – it is truly one of Tamora Pierce’s greatest strengths, blending engaging action with interesting worldbuilding. Daine is a spunky protagonist who provides a humorous entry into the land of Tortall, being an outsider herself who is struggling to understand the “strange” ways of the Tortallan people.
My only gripe is that Daine chooses to hide a part of her past from other characters for a long, long time, especially when that part of her past isn’t even that bad? I suppose it was to show how worried Daine was about how others would react to it, but ultimately the characters she confides in aren’t bothered by this revelation and it doesn’t have any future bearing on the story, so it seemed a bit contrived.
Overall, however, “Wild Magic” is a wonderful reentry back into Tortall, and promises to bring a lot more magic and adventure that any fantasy geek like me can love.
Jacob Ryckman 