Tamora Pierce (born December 13, 1954) is an author of fantasy and horror literature who writes books for young adults. She is an alumna of the University of Pennsylvania. Best known for writing stories involving young heroines, she made a name for herself with her first quartet The Song of The Lioness, which followed the main character Alanna through the trials and triumphs of training as a knight. Pierce is also the co-founder of the forum Sheroes Central.
The Song of the Lioness Quartet
Alanna: The First Adventure "Ah. 'Free time.' I've heard about that. Don't fool yourself, Fire-Top. What with the extra hours of lessons for punishments, and the work you get everyday, free time is an illusion. It's what you get when you die and the gods reward you for a life working from dawn until midnight. We all face up to it sooner or later." -Gareth of Naxen
"Hello," [Myles] greeted her cheerfully. "You must be Alan of Trebond. You're very hardy to have made it this far the first day. Has anyone said what we try to learn in here?" Alanna said the first thing that came to her lips. "The only thing I know is that I jump when I'm told to and I have no free time."
Gary: "I like you- for all you're a thief." George: "And I like you, Gary- for all you're a noble."
"I truly love our Code of Chivalry. We are taught that noblemen must take everything and say nothing. Noblemen must stand alone. Well, we're men, and men aren't born to stand alone." -Myles of Olau
Ralon looked at the others. "They won't step in, no matter what?" he asked slyly. "They won't. I swear on my honor as a gentleman. You'd better swear by something else, though. You don't have any honor." [Alanna] slapped him with all her strength and ducked.
In the Hand of the Goddess Myles: âYou didn't kill him. He would have killed you, but you didn't kill him.â Alanna: âSo? He was stupid. If I killed everyone who was stupid I wouldn't have time to sleep.â
âYou are brave kicking a chained prisoner. They must sing heroic ballads about you on winter nights!â -Alanna of Trebond to Duke Hilam
And the cat! If Faithful was an ordinary cat, Roger would swallow his wizards rod whole.
The Woman Who Rides Like a Man âIf I'd known I'd be traveling with a legend, I would of thought twice about comin' along.â â" Coram Smythesson
"I think as a human being... Men don't think any differently from women- they just make more noise about being able to." -Alanna of Trebond
Lioness Rampant "Girls play at bein' Lioness. I saw one chasing her brother down the street, wavin' a stick and calling for the Conte Duke to submit to her sword." -Lord Provost
Alanna: âAt least I never thought I could take on an entire army by myself!â
Faithful: âYou still do.â
âYou know something? There are sandstorms that stop man and horse and bury them, I've seen them. I saw bones piled higher than my head for the folly of a bad king and those who wanted his throne. I lived through a blizzard that froze every other creature solid. Against those things, you're just a man. I can deal with you.â -Alanna of Trebond
Roger: âYou're cocky, aren't you? Killed anyone recently?â
Alanna: âNo. It's so depressing to come back and find one's work reversed.â
The Immortals Quartet
Wild Magic Daine: âDoes your ma know you're this silly?â
Numair: âThe few grey hairs she has on her head are my doing. But, I send her plenty of money, so she can have them dyed!â
Onua: âI hope she beat you as a child.â
"All you mages are Players at heart. I swear. Can't do the magic unless you have all kinds of robes and props and a big audience to cheer you." -Onua Chamtong
Sarge: "Something the matter, my lamb?"
Daine: "No, sir. I just never met nobody like you."
Buri: "And if you're lucky, you won't again."
âDon't call me 'gentleman'. I work for a livin'.â -George Cooper
Jon: "I'd best go then. I have to dance with the Carthaki ambassador's wife."
Numair: "Wear iron shoes, Your Majesty."
[Daine] frowned, remembering. "[My heart] made too much noise. I wanted it to quiet down so I could talk with the dolphins."
"Do you hear her?" Numair asked the clouds. "She wanted to talk to dolphins, so she stopped her own blessed heart! Mithros, Mynoss, and Shakith!"
"Liar," Daine spat. "Folk like you always lay the blame on somebody else. If I'd listened to talk like that, I'd've let myself get killed by my own people months ago."
Wolf-Speaker Daine (about Stormwings): "They befoul the dead who fall in battle. They live on human fear and anger. They're monsters!"
Maura: "They can't help how they're made, Daine."
"Cats aren't special advisers. They advise us all the time, whether we want them to or no." -Daine
Numair (on turning Tristan Staghorn into a tree): âWhat kind is he, can you tell?â
Daine: âI think it's fair rude to make him a tree and not know what kind he is.â
Emperor Mage âI would apologize for my rudeness, if I had manners. Happily, I donât.â -Rikash
Kaddar: "We assumed those tales of women fighting among the Riders were only tales. No woman has ever asked to join our armies."
Daine: "With you so open and welcoming to the idea, I'm not surprised."
"Woe to the empire- we are forsaken. The gods are angry!" -Statue of Zernou, the first Carthaki emperor
Kaddar: "Women aren't up to the discipline of military life."
Daine: "You must tell Lady Alanna that sometime. I'd do it from a distance."
"He dies, my dear. The gods demand a blood sacrifice, and so do I." -Emperor Ozorne (about Numair)
"I thought they'd killed you. I lost my temper."
Numair's eyes danced. "Magelet, that is the greatest understatement I've ever heard in my life."
In the Realms of the Gods Daine: âIt's a very great honor meeting you.â
Queenclaw: âOf course it is.â
âI hope you will think of a smart way to fight them. If you don't, I will find a stupid way.â -Daine (to Numair)
The Protector of the Small Quartet
First Test Salma: "What do they think their mothers do, when the lords are at war and a raiding party strikes?"
Kel: "My aunt lit barrels of lard and had them catapulted onto Scanran ships this summer."
Salma: "As would any delicately reared noblewoman."
"Where's the sunny smile? The 'Hello, Neal, isn't it a wonderful day to be alive in the royal palace?' pain-in-the-bum greeting I usually get?" -Nealan of Queenscove
âIâd like to find whoever taught the Stump that extra work builds character and push him down the stairs.â -Nealan of Queenscove
Lord Wyldon: "You have been told to mind you manners, Page Nealan. I will have an apology for your insolence."
Neal: "An apology for general insolence, your lordship, or some particular offense?"
Lord Wyldon: "One week scrubbing pots. Be silent."
Neal: "How can I be silent and yet apologize?"
Neal: "What possessed you? Why in the name of all the gods in all the Eastern and Southern Lands would you start a fight with them?"
Kel: "I didnât like the shape of Jorenâs nose."
Page âThat's Lalasa, Kel's maid. She sews and knows all sorts of ways to hurt you.â -Owen of Jesslaw (to his first-year cousins)
"You mean there has to be a reason for the masters to give us hard work? I thought that was their idea of fun." -Kel
Kel: "I'll tell you what the Yamanis told me. Fear is a good thing. It means you're paying attention."
Lalasa: "They sound like wonderful people, I'm sure."
Neal glared at the chubby second-year with all the royal disdain of a vexed lion. He was limping from a staff blow to the knee. "You are a bloody-minded savage," he informed Owen sternly. "I hope you are kidnapped by centaurs."
Squire "When people say a knight's job is all glory, I laugh, and laugh, and laugh⦠Often I can stop laughing before they edge away and talk about soothing drinks." -Raoul of Goldenlake and Malorieâs Peak
âYou're alive. Most people who go five rounds with my lord can only babble about funeral plans.â -Domitan of Masbolle
âIâve said it before and Iâll say it again, my lord. You are a bad man.â -Kel
Sergeant Osbern: âLet's have an inspection. Mithros witness, if I find one strap undone, heads will roll.
Giles of Veldine: But, Sergeant Osbern, sir, I like my head.â
âTilt with Lord Raoul? Why don't I just lie down in front of an elephant and let him step on me? I bet it feels the same.â -Neal
The Chamber of the Ordeal: âYou again.â
Kel: âYes, of course, itâs me. Iâm proving to myself that Iâm not afraid of you.â
The Chamber of the Ordeal: âBut you are.â
Kel: âI like lying to myself. Itâs fun.â
She loved no one so much as her horse.
Lady Knight "You all know why we're here. You know the enemy. He will be on us soon. When he comes, we will fight, not for some glorious cause, but to survive. The gods have given us time to prepare, and we must take advantage of every moment of it. Once the enemy comes, how safe we'll be is determined by these walls and the people in themâ¦" -Kel
âYou know, Mindelan, our lives would be easier if the dog just broke down and talked.â -Nealan of Queenscove (about Jump)
Kel: âHeâs a fine judge of folk, Peachblossom. Except Neal. Heâs prejudiced against Neal.â
Tobe: âHe just likes the way Neal squeaks when heâs bit.â
Kel waited for them to quiet once again before she said ruefully, âIâm not sure that being known for gutting a man is exactly a recommendation for a commander.â
âIt is in the north!â cried someone.
"If he's like this now, how will he stay calm when his daughter tries for her knighthood?" -Irnai the Seer (about Neal)
"Mistresses, have you ever noticed that when we disagree with a male- I hesitate to say 'man'- or find ourselves in a position over males, the first comment they make is always about our reputations or our monthlies?" -Kel
"It appalls me to say this, but for the first time I find myself in agreement with Sir Nealan." - Lord Wyldon of Cavall
âSergent Domitan, tell me these children arenât the result of you squadâs Scanran frolics,â Kel heard Raoul say cheerfully. âThough I do admit, some of them look a little old to be yours.â
âWell, sir, my men helped,â Dom said, the picture of boyish mischief.
He looked up at her with suspicion. âAre you goinâ tâact like a girl now?â he demanded.
âNo,â Kel said, stifling a giggle- something that really would frighten him. âIt wonât happen again.â
âI want a scar to impress the girls,â [Owen] informed Neal, âThey like a man who looks dangerous, and my face needs all the help I can get.â
âAt least let me clean it,â Neal growled. âUnless you think youâll look really dangerous with your face rotting off.â
âThatâs the one, all right. I told you she would come, the Protector of the Small. And sheâs got her knowing animals, the healer, and the horse boy, the armed men and the marked men, the trapper and the bitter mother. Theyâre all here. Blayce will fall.â -Irnai the Seer
Daughter of the Lioness
Trickster's Choice "Must you be so obsessed? I know all of this already. When you were my age youâd killed ten giants, armed with only a stick and a handful of pebbles. Then you went on to fly through the air on a winged steed, to return with the Dominion Jewel in your pocket and the most beautiful princess in all the world for your king to marry." - Aly (to her mother)
"I want her head shaved," [the captain] snapped. "Nobody's going to buy a blue-haired slave."
Slave Woman: "So were you always mad, or did it come on you when you was took?"
Aly: "I'm told it runs in the family."
"A noble maiden must convey dignity and chastity without appearing to think about either one. Let common-born girls tussle in the hay with their loutish swains. The future of your family's bloodline and your future lord's bloodline should be your greatest concern." -Excerpt from Advice to Young Noblewomen
"It's as sophisticated as a blueberry." - Alanna (on seeing Aly's blue hair)
"Cooked or raw, sausage is not the food of the gods." - Kyprioth
"I donât trust anyone who feels you should like them because they love themselves so much." - Dove
"Such fatherly wrath. I would be terrified, except, well, I'm not." - Kyprioth
"Why, I'm just as true and honest as dirt. And I'm even more charming than dirt." - Aly
"Merchants," Ulasim remarked drily, referring to her false background again. "Yes, of course I believe you. I must, mustn't I? You are Kyprioth's chosen, so the truth drips from your tongue like honey from the comb."
"I proclaim the shallowness of the world and of fashion. I scorn those who sway before each breeze of taste that dictates what is stylish on one's dress, face, or hair. I scoff at the hollowness of life." - Aly(on why she has blue hair)
Beka Cooper
Terrier "The lower city is mine, it's people are mine. If I find them that's doing all this kidnapping And murdering, they'd best pray for mercy, Because once I get my teeth in 'em, I will NEVER let them go." -Beka Cooper "Shut your gob...You tell me nothin' in my kennel. Here, I am Queen Bitch, and you will muzzle yourself." -Kebibi Ahuda
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Tamora Pierce
