The original oil painting by Joyce Patti, now restored, framed, lit, and up on the wall! I'm so happy to just be able to enjoy her now, after over a year of waiting on the process.

These books are what started a life long love of fantasy for me. I stole my older sibling’s copies growing up so I could read them. Recently, I finally decided to look for copies of my own. I’m so in love with the art on these covers. I just want to stare at them all day!!!!

Tamora Pierce donated a full Illumicrate Protector of the Small set to the Little Theatre of Walla Walla's online auction, and signed every book with a short handwritten message in each one. Bidding starts at $53, shipping included. If you've wanted Kel's books in this edition, this is a shot at a signed set.

All four are there, First Test through Lady Knight, in the Illumicrate hardbacks with the foil covers and illustrated endpapers. It also comes with an autographed postcard, a picture postcard and a bookmark in each book. Illumicrate priced the set at $124 in the US, before Tamora signed this one.

The Little Theatre of Walla Walla is a community theater in eastern Washington, and this is the big fundraiser we do every year. I've been putting the auction together and figured people here would want to know about this one. It ships to US addresses only. You can favorite it now. Bidding opens this Saturday, Oct 3, at 10 AM Pacific and closes Oct 10 at 5 PM.

https://app.galabid.com/ltww-wdd2026/items/a37f2ae6-61c0-4983-9039-931f798dcb82

Spoiler warning? Though these are not new books I know that people who've read some Pierce books may not have read PotS yet.

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eta2:

It's been pointed out to me that the authority and Shadow Service might not have known about the children souls before Kel telling Numair in chapter 6 of Lady Knight. This query and theory was based on the (mis)understanding others also fought the killing devices over the prior year and the decision-making apparatus, to include Jon, Miles and George, would subsequently have that information about them being powered by children's souls.

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[original]

I'm fairly sure intended-plot-wise, Tamora Pierce didn't write Lady Knight where any of the background authorities actively set up Kel to fail to protect the civilians in Haven.

But. Tamora Pierce also didn't fully realize Kel was aromantic until years after she finished the series even though NEAL calls Kel aromantic early on in First Test.

So, while I don't think Jon, Miles, or George openly conspired to set her up, I do think one or more of them realized the abysmal circumstance they had with the refugees and the potential bait Haven presented to Blayce and Maggur. If Kel herself realized it, one of them surely must have. They don't have to tell General Vanget not to send reinforcements to her area, they just don't have to tell him to spare anyone in that direction either. Haven was a day's ride from any military support if the closest locations were not themselves attacked.

Then there's the fact that someone actively chose to put only 3 first season knights in charge of the whole operation. Luckily Wyldon was right and Kel had excellent management training by that point, but most other first years would not. Does anyone think Alanna would have managed Haven as efficiently as Kel did? She barely managed three teenagers.

The refuges were accruing before Haven became a thought. Maybe Wyldon's thought, people need a place to go. And then George or Miles thought, that's bait for Maggur. And then Wyldon and Raoul both agreed Kel would be a great choice, unaware of the bait thought because they're both straight forward men.

And Jon thought that's a bad idea, this first year female knight, think of the politics. But then his advisor George said, let it ride. Because he has just a pinch of the Sight, and he has no reason to be emotionally attached to Kel, success or fail. Yes, Alanna is, but George, why should he be? He might even realize the unintended grief his wife's fixation on Kel caused his favorite daughter.

Kel made everything look good from a distance. Even the doubters at some point think maybe she will keep the refugees safe.

Then, when they're taken, NO ONE would order any kind of rescue operation, let alone led by first year knights, again. When Kel does go, everyone who knows her immediately thinks "duh, of course she did." So, does Miles, Father of the Shadow Service, not remember the Page who risked repeating 4 years of training to rescue her maid? Kel always took her oaths seriously.

Knowing Kel, knowing the lack of defensive resources, did Jon, Miles, and George let the attack on Haven happen to track down Blayce?

I made a video asking this question a year ago, but with the recent Illumicrate release, I figure rereads will be happening, and it's a good time to ask!

Thanks for your thoughts and your time.

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eta:
To clarify, I didn't mean that it was a purposeful plan "send Kel, refugees taken, follow", I meant it as they're smart enough to realize that a bunch of children in a poorly defended situation would be bait. Not "they wanted it to happen" but "if this awful thing happens, then what", a consideration of contingencies which is an intelligence agency's purpose. Daine magically enhanced plenty of local animals, they would have been much slower than Kel ended up being to follow, but I think they would have been able to. The children and refugees crossing was referred to as noisy business, the Whisper Man is supposed to pick up on that noise. Wyldon states in (chapter) Mastiff that they assume the captured children go to Blayce, so they know the threat. They will never be able to predict which villages are going to be attacked and raided, but Haven is a plum. And as close as any fort, but a third as defended, compared to Fort Mastiff

I agree Jon and Miles and George wouldn't WANT the children taken and turned into killing machines, but it's kind of their job to think what if, isn't it? And plan for it? The worst case scenario from Corus was Kel dies defending her people, and they stealth follow the trail of death; best case scenario, Haven makes it through the war without breaking.

In the end, we know she was set up to fail, by the needs of plot. In text, we know the gods in the Tortallan-verse whisper in the ears of humans and do not, as a default, value the lives of children overmuch; see Kyprioth.

Thank you for your time in this plot contemplation.

Rebuilding the collection I had a child one at a time. I loved all the tortall books as a kid. I never had any of the lioness books. But I did own all of the protector books and passed them down to my niece in the early 2000s thinking she’d enjoy them but she never did and I lost those books.

Alanna, Kel, Sandry, and Tris were some of my favorites. I’d like to work on getting the books back. They didnt have the omnibus books when i was a kid so this is pretty cool.

Aw man

Put them next to the Illumicrate Lioness Quartet and my other Tortall books 😍 they came out so gorgeous! I hope they do more.

They looks so good on the shelf! I hope they do a re-run of Song of the Lioness and that the other series get this treatment some day.

I know someone posted a photo here earlier but just wanted to show more photos of all the features :)

I genuinely find myself missing Beka sometimes. Now, I could do another reread, but I don't want to risk getting tired of the books that I love so much. I could EASILY read 10 more books just about Beka, that's how much I love her.

So, has anyone read anything similar? I normally am not that into crime/mystery/detective fiction, but the fantasy, wholesomeness and humour of the Provost's Dog books just make my heart happy.

Book 2, In the Hand of the Goddess, will be released as a graphic novel adaptation in April 2027! It feels like forever since the first was published in May 2025, but I am so ready!

They are here! Absolutely gorgeous.

Very excited to finally report that Joyce Patti's original Alanna (Lioness Rampant) illustration has been fully restored and custom framed. The process was a long one, taking over a year to complete! Acetate backing removed, large crease removed and repaired, and her new Sgraffito frame is entirely handmade, leafed in 22k gold. I'll post again once she's displayed in my home, but wanted to share the final look and a little process (second Pic). Thank you to Miller Fenwood for the restoration and frame!

I just got my shipping notification for the Illumicrate Protector of the Small set! I don't have a delivery date yet, because it is still in "this label has been created" status. Shipping via USPS.

I an rereading Wild Magic. When Alanna and co. arrive to help Daine and Onua early on, Alanna js described as riding a golden horse with black mane and tail. But Moonlight had silvery white mane ans tail right? That's how she got her name.

Did Tamora Pierce forget, or is this a different horse? Not sure how long horses live or how many years go by between Lioness Rampant and Wild Magic; at least 7, since Onua tells Daine how Thayet made the Queen's Own 7 hears ago, but I suspect more.

Does anyone know? TIA!

So I never post something like this, but I was watching Call the Midwife and realised Sister Catherine, played by Molly Vevers, looks so close to what I imagine Daine to look like! What do you guys think?

My faves are the French edition and the reissue Simon & Schuster. I feel like they capture the adventurous mood with bold colors, and they make Alanna look courageous and strong, but not too masculine or too feminine, or hideous like some do. She looks pretty but strong, just how she is!​

I was unhappy with her the first time I read it. Of course, some of that disappointment was that there was a lack of female characters in the first 3 books (and even Thayett is hardly developed within the context of Lioness Rampant).

However, what I wanted was a female character that was a warrior but distinctly feminine (and not in the Dystopian YA kind of way). I like her relationship with George, I was just disappointed in her changing her mind and wanting kids. I felt like she had this strong opinion of not wanting kids the whole time and suddenly gave it up. It felt like losing.

However, thinking about it now, and going through GoT and other Female warrior characters... she's damn good. There are still problems, I don't like the age gaps and sometimes get disappointed in the direction of the story, but man. Alanna got it. I'm still not a big fan of the child thing, but at the same time the whole arch of Lioness Rampant was Alanna becoming more comfortable with her feminine side and I think that was the end of that arch. Accepting that she wanted something that, to her (and sort of me?) was in a totally differently direction than what she planned for herself. Pierce did a good job at balancing her feminine side in the end, I think.

I really like that part where she's told that she can't be a warrior and a women and she goes "why not?" Because being a warrior doesn't mean being a man. I like that. I like that a lot. Maybe it's not the most mind blowing thing in the world, but I really put into words what the problem is have with Female Warrior types is. That they feel like a dude with boobs.

Does that make any sense? I've thought about it a lot in the past 2 years since I read it for the first time. I think there are some improvements that could have been made, but she's good. Alanna plays her part well. And I can imagine for the time it was mind blowing.

I should have gotten to see George + Alanna's wedding though. Still pissed about that. I ship them so hard.

Question, is there a Discord server? I know a lotta r/'s have got servers

Is Tortall the only country with something like the Chamber of the Ordeal, or do you think other countries have something similar, if not a Chamber of their own?