Series:The Numair Chronicles #1
Audience: YA
Genre: YA, Fantasy
Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers
Release Date: February 6th 2018
My Rating: 4 Cups
Source: Publisher
Blurb (from Goodreads):
Arram. Varice. Ozorne. In the first book in the Numair Chronicles, three student mages are bound by fate . . . fated for trouble.*Disclaimer: I received an ARC from Penguin Random House in exchange for an honest review. This does not influence my rating or the content of my review in any way.
Arram Draper is a boy on the path to becoming one of the realm’s most powerful mages. The youngest student in his class at the Imperial University of Carthak, he has a Gift with unlimited potential for greatness–and for attracting danger. At his side are his two best friends: Varice, a clever girl with an often-overlooked talent, and Ozorne, the “leftover prince” with secret ambitions. Together, these three friends forge a bond that will one day shape kingdoms. And as Ozorne gets closer to the throne and Varice gets closer to Arram’s heart, Arram begins to realize that one day soon he will have to decide where his loyalties truly lie.
In the Numair Chronicles, readers will be rewarded with the never-before-told story of how Numair Salmalín came to Tortall. Newcomers will discover an unforgettable fantasy adventure where a kingdom’s future rests on the shoulders of a talented young man with a knack for making vicious enemies.
I am very honored to participate in the international blog tour hosted by Penguin Random House for the newest book in the Tortall world by Tamora Pierce, Tempests And Slaughter. I have to say that this book was my first ever Tamora Pierce book, and I had so much fun reading it; I'm sure I'll go back to read all her books.
Tempests And Slaughter follows young Arram on his journey to becoming a mage. He's a very talented, curious young boy when we meet him in the first pages of the book, and we see him grow up into a brave young man, one with a future that looks promising. Arram is a very talented gifted boy, one who is strong and skilled beyond his years. He is a boy with too much Gift to be keeping up with his peers, and that has made him advance in the Academy much faster than any of the other boys and girls his years. Finally, after one strange and powerful episode in which his Gift manifests itself in ways no one could anticipate, a group of teachers decide to advance him yet again, and treat him as the special boy he is. This opportunity helps him make friends with Ozorne and Varice, both gifted in their own ways. The book shows the various adventures of the three friends, as they grow up within the Academy, as well as the various dangers they have to face. We see Arram win the favors of gods, we see him impress his teachers, and we see him make friends with and help people out of the goodness of his heart. Arram is a charming boy, and a respectful one, that believes everyone should have a chance at a free life. I loved how Arram didn't play the "I'm friends with an heir to the throne" card, even though he could have. Instead, he worked hard and sometimes even complained when he was told he had to give up some of his classes. There were some interesting scenes and episodes within this book that showed just how kindhearted and innately good Arram is. I liked Arram and I'm curious to see what his future looks like.
Varice is a lovely young lady, and I love every time I read about her. She is a charmer, that one, and I only hope her future looks as bright as she is. Ozorne was a wild card. He started off as a young boy who just happens to be related to the Emperor, a charming boy that took a liking to Arram when they first met. As the story went on, however, he grew more and more morally ambiguous for me, so much so that right now I'm not convinced he's as good as he seems. Remember, I haven't read the connected series within the Tortall universe, so I have no clue if my impression is accurate or not.
The book is really fast paced and I read pretty fast. I liked seeing the little daily episodes of the three friends, I liked seeing little scenes from their classes, and the teachings that each master had for Arram, as well as the big episodes with Arram helping one of his teachers and be his assistant for some difficult tasks.
All in all, I really enjoyed this book and I can't wait for the next book of the series.
This book is so colorful and so full of details, powerful scenes, and great characters, that I just had to create a playlist for it. This is actually what I listened to while reading the book, and I think they fit the book pretty well.
Here's a list of the songs. as well as the playlist link:
In the Hall of the Mountain King from Peer Gynt Suite No. 1 - Edvard Grieg
Bushido - Adrian Von Ziegler
Prince of the Elves - Brandon Fiechter
The Path of No Return - Nox Arcana
Dark Powers - Nox Arcana
Fairy Prince - Brandon Fiechter
Wild Flower - Adrian Von Ziegler
The Haunted Forest - Nox Arcana
The Tide Rises - Jason Graves
Dawn of Fate - Adrian Von Ziegler
High Tide - Adrian Von Ziegler
Faerie Queen - Brandon Fiechter
Dead City - Adam Skorupa
Symphony No. 6: VI. Allegro - Howard Hanson
Three Olympians: I. Apollo - Peter Boyer
Dark Destiny - Nox Arcana
Dies Irae - Giuseppe Verdi
The Curtain Rises - Nox Arcana
Sinister Cabaret - Nox Arcana
The Ninth March On - Ilan Eshkeri
Battle at the Fort - Ilan Eshkeri
Last Battle - Pawel Blaszczak
Darkly Everafter - Nox Arcana
