Tamora Pierce
Discuss This Author
Tamora Pierce is a bestselling author of fantasy books for teenagers. Her books, known for their teenaged girl warriors and wizards, have received critical acclaim and a strong fanbase.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Tamora Pierce was drawn to books from a young age. Raised in rural Pennsylvania, the child of a “long, proud line of hillbillies,” her family never had much. “We were poor, but I didn’t know it then. We had a garden where my folks grew fruit and vegetables and our water came from a well,” she explains. But one thing they did have was plenty of books. So Tamora read.
A self-proclaimed “geek,” she devoured fantasy and science fiction novels, and by the age of 12 was mimicking her literary idols and writing her own action-packed stories. It was thanks to her father that Tamora began writing. “He heard me telling myself stories as I did dishes, and he suggested that I try to write some of them down,” Pierce says.
But Tamora’s novels had one major difference: unlike the books she was reading, her stories featured teenaged girl warriors. “I couldn’t understand this lapse of attention on the part of the writers I loved, so until I could talk them into correcting this small problem, I wrote about those girls, the fearless, bold, athletic creatures that I was not, but wanted so badly to be.”
Seventeen years later, after graduating from the University of Pennsylvania, a brief career in teen social work and some time spent writing for radio, Tamora Pierce held true to her childhood crusade, and published Alanna: The First Adventure, the first in a quartet about a valiant, young, female warrior. Pierce’s heroine struck a chord with readers across the country and quickly earned her a loyal following.
Pierce is now a #1 New York Times bestselling author and has written twenty-five books, including her newest, BEKA COOPER #2: Bloodhound. “It’s a pretty good life, if I do say so myself. Struggling along as a kid and even through my twenties, it’s the kind of life I dreamed of but never believed I would get. Yet here I am, after a lot of work, a lot of worry, a lot of care for details, and a massive chunk of luck, the kind that brought me such strong friends and readers. Pretty good for a hillbilly, yes? And I never take it for granted,” she says.
Pierce lives in upstate New York with her husband Tim and their three cats and two birds.
PRAISE
“[Tamora Pierce’s heroines] faithfully reiterate an ideal–of feminine power that relies on brains, not beauty; of feminine attractiveness that relies on competence, not helplessness; and of feminine alliances that grow stronger, not weaker, in the face of conflicts.”–The New York Times
BEKA COOPER #1: TERRIER
"With its rollicking adventures [and] appealing characters . . . Terrier will be in strong demand by Pierce's fans. It will keep readers on the edge of their seats."–School Library Journal, Starred
YOUNG WARRIORS
“Memorable characters and well-drawn settings. . . . This timely and appealing anthology will surely help swell the ranks of teenage fantasy readers.”–School Library Journal
TRICKSTER’S QUEEN
“The plot sweeps readers along in a whirlwind of court intrigue, deception, murder, and romance. The humor is wicked, and the plot twists will keep the pages turning to the supremely satisfying end. Teens will be inspired by Aly’s determination, her resourcefulness, and her heart.”–School Library Journal
TRICKSTER’S CHOICE
“Aly arrives fully formed, a snarky, talented uber-heroine. Cameos of old favorites complement a rich cast of new characters. Aly’s difficulty with the complexity of colonialism adds surprising, welcome depth.”–Kirkus Reviews
LADY KNIGHT
“Unrelentingly realistic in its depiction of the horrors of war, this novel draws the reader into a complete and believable fantasy world. Pierce provides exquisite details of the weaponry, topography, and culture of her world, and her control of a voluminous cast of characters is masterful.”–Voice of Youth Advocates
Author Bookshelf
In the Hand of the Goddess
Disguised as a boy, Alanna of Trebond becomes a squire -- to none other than the prince of the realm. But Prince Jonathan is much more to Alanna; he is her ally, her best friend, and one of the few who...
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- Unabridged Audiobook Download
- Unabridged Compact Disc
First Test
In the medieval and fantastic realm of Tortall, Keladry of Mindelan (known as Kel) is the first girl to take advantage of the decree that permits females to train for knighthood. But Kel is not a girl...
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- Unabridged Compact Disc
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Lady Knight
Kel has finally achieved her lifelong dream of being a knight. But it’s not turning out as she imagined at all. She is torn between a duty she has sworn to uphold and a quest that she feels could...
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- Trade Paperback
- Unabridged Compact Disc
- Unabridged Audiobook Download
Page
Kel fights to maintain the rigorous regimen of a page while confronting the prejudices that come with being a female in a man's world and coping with a crush on her closest friend, Neal.
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- Trade Paperback
- Paperback
- Unabridged Compact Disc
- Unabridged Audiobook Download
Squire
When Kel is chosen by the legendary Lord Raoul to be his squire, the conservatives of the realm hardly think she’s up to the job. Kel earns respect and admiration among the men, as well as the affection...
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- eBook
- Trade Paperback
Young Warriors
WHAT MAKES A warrior?This gutsy collection of 15 original short stories compiled by bestselling author Tamora Pierce and anthologist-author Josepha Sherman answers this question with thought, heart, a...
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- eBook
- Trade Paperback
Tortall and Other Lands: A Collection of Tales
Collected here for the first time are all of the tales from the land of Tortall, featuring both previously unknown characters as well as old friends. Filling some gaps of time and interest, these stories,...
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- Unabridged Audiobook Download
- Trade Paperback
- Hardcover
- eBook
- Hardcover Library Binding
Mastiff
The Legend of Beka Cooper gives Tamora Pierce's fans exactly what they want—a smart and savvy heroine making a name for herself on the mean streets of Tortall's Lower City—while offering plenty...
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- Unabridged Compact Disc
- Unabridged Audiobook Download
- Hardcover
- Trade Paperback
- eBook
- Hardcover Library Binding
Bloodhound
Beka Cooper is finally a Dog—a full-fledged member of the Provost’s Guard, dedicated to keeping peace in Corus’s streets. But there’s unrest in Tortall’s capital. Counterfeit...
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- Hardcover
- Trade Paperback
- eBook
- Unabridged Audiobook Download
Trickster's Choice
ALONE IN A foreign land, Aly will need both her father’s wit and her mother’s courage to navigate a royal court rife with political intrigue and murderous conspiracy.
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- Paperback
- Trade Paperback
- eBook
- Unabridged Audiobook Download
Trickster's Queen
NO LONGER A slave, Alianne is now spying as part of an underground rebellion against the colonial rulers of the Copper Isles. The people in the rebellion believe that a prophecy in which a new queen will...
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- Paperback
- Trade Paperback
- eBook
- Unabridged Audiobook Download
Terrier
Tamora Pierce begins a new Tortall trilogy introducing Beka Cooper, an amazing young woman who lived 200 years before Pierce's popular Alanna character. For the first time, Pierce employs first-person...
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- Trade Paperback
- eBook
- Unabridged Audiobook Download
Squire: Book 3 of the Protector of the Small Quartet
When Keladry of Mindelan is chosen by the legendary Lord Raoul to be his squire, the conservatives of the realm hardly think she’s up to the job. Kel quickly proves her ability as a jouster, warrior,...
Available In:
- Unabridged Compact Disc
- Unabridged Audiobook Download
Alanna: The First Adventure
Becoming a legend is not easy, as young Alanna of Trebond discovers when she disguises herself as a boy and begins training to be a knight. Alanna's skills and stubbornness help her befriend Prince Jonathan...
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The Woman Who Rides Like A Man
A knight at last, Alanna of Trebond heads out to seek adventure in the desert of Tortall. Captured by desert tribesmen, she is forced to prove herself in a magical duel to the death. But her real challenge...
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Lioness Rampant
At last, Alanna of Trebond has become the first female knight errant in Tortall. She sets out on an impossible quest to find the Dominion Jewel, a legendary gem that, in the right hands, has limitless...
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Alanna: The First Adventure
Becoming a legend is not easy, as young Alanna of Trebond discovers when she disguises herself as a boy and begins training to be a knight. Alanna's skills and stubborness help her befriend Prince Jonathan...
Available In:
- Unabridged Audiobook Download
- Unabridged Audiobook Download
