Battle Magic

Tamora Pierce

Evvy, Rosethorn and Briar have been travelling the world so that Rosethorn can visit lots of different plants. Little do they know that they will be caught up in political intrigues and find themselves fighting for what is right, and for their lives.

Rosethorn’s mission just lacks urgency. She has to do it, she goes, she comes back. There isn’t any real danger for her. And despite Briar being in danger, you know he has to survive. The same with Evvy. Oh no! Something bad happened! Well, oh well, she’s just telling us this part next, and I’ve read Melting Stones, so I know she’ll be ok.

I wish Briar had had more action. Yes, this book is about him, but so much of it is on the fighting action, not his development. He spends so much time looking at things that are moving (you’ll get it if you read it), and making seed bombs, we forget that he surely has a life of his own.

Something that pleasantly surprised me about this novel were the references to Rosethorn’s lovers. This had been hinted at in some of the other books in this series, but it was particularly explicit in this one. Not that there were explicit sex scenes – not at all – but that hetero- and homo- relationships were treated equally. The only thing missing was a bit of action for Briar which I felt sure he should have after reading the others in ‘The Circle Reforged’.

Well this one is labelled number 3 in ‘The Circle Reforged’ series. But it’s not really. It comes before The Will of the Empress and Melting Stones. It’s important background for both of these books, introducing Evvy and explaining Briar’s nightmares. If and when I reread this whole series, I’ll be reading them in chronological order.

I know I’ve ragged a bit on this novel, but perhaps it’s because I’m moving past the teenage fiction era of my reading (NOOOOO!!). It’s perfectly satisfying and in line with others in this series, and I’m not complain ing about it really. Love Tamora Pierce? You’ll love this novel.

I can’t wait for the next novel which should be about Tris. Tris has always appealed to me (perhaps not quite as much as Daja), but all the same, her university experience has the ability to be electrifying (ha, see what I did there?).

I received this novel directly from Scholastic Australia. It’s a lovely paperback that fits in well with the rest on my shelves. I was unbelievably overjoyed to receive it unexpectedly in my mailbox.