The Circle Opens — (2000-2003) Young adult. Publisher: Lady Sandrilene fa Toren is a noble girl whose thread magic wove together the power — and the personal bonds — of four young magicians. Now, Lady Sandrilene is on her own and saddled with teaching magic to a restless boy, safeguarding her uncle's health, and tracking down a brutal murderer.
   
 Magic Steps
Magic Steps is the first book of the Tamora Pierce quartet entitled The Circle Opens. Featuring the characters of The Circle of Magic quartet, this new series continues their story by exploring how each of the four main characters — just coming to grips with their powers in the previous books — now handle the challenge of becoming teachers themselves. Unfortunately, Pierce has decided that one of the prerequisites of this new experience is that the four protagonists — Sandry, Briar, Daja and Tris — must be separated in order to focus on the new relationships that they forge with their students. Therefore, Magic Steps opens with the acknowledgement that Briar, Tris and Daja have set off (separately) with their teachers in order to travel to certain parts of the world and further their studies in their individual fields of magic.
Poor Sandry has been left behind, currently staying with her uncle, the Duke Vedris, in order to watch over his health after a heart-attack has left him weakened. This is sad, as the bond between these four very different characters was the central theme of The Circle of Magic, and most definitely the strongest portrayal of friendship that Pierce has written in any of her books to date. Although the missing characters are mentioned in passing, they are sorely missed. To add to the loss, their mentors have gone with them, depriving us of the playful banter that existed between Rosethorn, Frostpine, Lark and Niko and their young surrogate family.
So yes, I entered this new series highly skeptical as to how much I would enjoy it, having immensely enjoyed the interactions that existed in the previous quartet. How well does The Circle Opens do without this fundamental backbone to series? Well, one of the advantages is that we get more character development on Sandry, a character who was apparently the protagonist of Sandry's Book (Circle of Magic, Book 1), but who had to share the spotlight heavily with the other three characters, that being the first introductory book in the series. So I always felt that Sandry was edged out of the spotlight a little, and Magic Steps gives Pierce a chance to explore her character further. Unlike other more "gung-ho" heroines of Pierce's books, Sandry is a much more docile and composed character — though she lacks none of her peers' strength when it comes to getting what she wants! It's refreshing to find a more gentle and feminine heroine in Pierce's canon of heroines, as I strongly believe that a woman shouldn't have to swing a sword and scream battle cries in order to be deemed a strong female role model for young readers. Sandry fits into this category nicely, solving her problems with politeness, kindness, dignity and a will of iron.
Whilst accompanying her uncle on his daily morning ride, Sandry comes across a young twelve year old boy named Pasco who seems to be able to channel magic through dance. As the discoverer of his magical ability, tradition decrees that Sandry become his teacher, and though she doesn't feel quite up to the task, she throws herself into his instruction. Meanwhile, there is a spate of grisly murders occurring all over the city, targeting the Rokat family. Sandry becomes involved when it becomes clear that the assassins are using a particular type of magic called "unmagic" that renders all other spells powerless against it. She soon comes to the conclusion that it is only a delicate blend of Pasco's and her own magic that can possibly bring the killers to justice — though putting this plan into action is a delicate and tiring business.
The story itself is not quite Pierce's best, although there is a humanizing element present in all the characters, even in the assassins, who aren't just killing for the fun of it. However, Pierce does go a little overboard in the grisly nature of the murders that take place, which involve beheadings and the killing of children/infants. However, the final dramatic confrontation between Sandry and the killers is handled particularly well, with a couple of poignant twists thrown in the mix.
The bond between Sandry and Pasco isn't as explored as deeply as I would have liked. Pierce begins their relationship by hinting that Pasco has a bit of a crush on Sandry, something that would have added a certain amount of humour to the lessons that follow, but this element is dropped soon after it's introduced. However, perhaps in compensation, we are treated to hints of a romance between Duke Vedris and Pasco's dance instructor, the vivacious Yazmin Hebet.
It ends on a note that points toward the direction that the following books in this series will be taking: the mission of the four young mages to pass on the gift of learning that was granted to them, and of finding their places in the adult world. No complains here, but I would have greatly appreciated a prologue to this new series, one that showed the departure of Tris/Niko, Daja/Frostpine and Briar/Rosethorn, simply to give us an update on the characters' relationships and what would have been a very poignant farewell between the four friends and their elders. As it is, we're thrown into the characters' new situation too quickly, with no time to really feel the pain that comes with the separation of family.
—Rebecca Fisher
 Street Magic
It's ironic that feminist writer Tamora Pierce's only male character, the self-named Briar Moss, is one of her best characters. Amongst the rest of the mainly female cast, his charisma, street smarts and ongoing inner conflict between his younger, wilder instincts, and his older, more civilized self, makes him one of the most lovable and well-rounded characters in the Circle of Magic series.
The first four books gathered together four magical protégées: aristocratic Sandry, moody bookworm Tris, stoic Daja, and street-rat Briar, all of whom have complimentary powers that allowed them to perform startling acts of magic. Underlying their feats are the strength of the friendship and the bonds of trust that they forge, making the original four books one of the most touching examples of a self-made foster family in young adult literature, particularly if you include their long-suffering teachers.
This follow up series, The Circle Opens does something that is initially rather unthinkable: it splits up the foursome and sends them out on journeys with their teachers in order to hone their magical craft and see more of the world they inhabit. Divided from their foster siblings for the first time in years, the quartet finds it hard to adjust without each other, until they are caught up in adventures of their own.
Briar is staying with his teacher Rosethorn in the ancient city of Chammur, where the two plant mages can lend their skills to the tired farmland and their healing abilities to the local hospitals. While scoping out the marketplace, Briar is struck by the extraordinary sight of a young girl using magic to polish a merchant's gemstones. She flees at the first overtures of friendship, but Briar is informed by Rosethorn that since he is the mage who discovered her latent power, he is now responsible for ensuring that she gets a teacher.
Little Evvy is hardly interested in the prospect of lessons and training, but her fascination with Briar and Rosethorn's abilities gradually draws her out into the open. While she and Briar strike up a tentative friendship, gang warfare in the city escalates as (unbeknownst to the protagonists) an aristocratic woman funds one of the lesser-known gangs in order to make her mark on the city. When her attention falls upon Evvy, it's up to Briar to protect his new charge from danger.
The plot of Street Magic is very much in line with the others in the book. Like his foster-sisters, Briar finds an untrained mage in an exotic location and must take responsibility for their well-being, with the experience pushing them further toward adulthood. The secondary plot, which contains the suspense and action, is quite reminiscent of Magic Steps (which also had gang warfare) and Shatterglass (which involved a series of murders). Though they are not similar enough to warrant a miss, it's also worth saying that the Circle Opens series is structured in such a way that the books can be read out of order. Each installment is self-contained, and though Street Magic is the second book in the quartet, I read it last, and I don't feel out-of-sync because of it.
It is the characterization that lifts Street Magic from a good book to a great one. As said, Briar has always been my favorite character in this series, and here he compensates for the absence of his foster sisters by having on-going conversations with them in his head — whether he likes it or not! And if Briar is my favorite character, then Briar and Rosethorn make up by favorite teacher/student relationship. Though Rosethorn herself is quite low-key in this book, her strict, prickly, ill-tempered exterior always belies a heart of gold.
Rounding out the cast is Evvy, who is also easily the most interesting of the "next generation" students. Sold as a slave by her parents when she was just a child, Evvy scrounges out a living amidst the rocks, avoiding the gangs and dwelling only with her cats. Spunky, streetwise, suspiciously and yet immensely vulnerable, she was obviously popular enough with the author herself to warrant a spin-off novel: Melting Stones.
Pierce also introduces a unique villain, Lady Zenadia, who is still a frightening figure despite her rather one-note characterization. Here is a woman who is not acting out of malice or greed or vengeance, but simply sheer boredom, with a lifestyle that has produced a complete disregard for the lives of the children she employs. Although she is dwelt with a tad anti-climactically (Pierce introduces the possibility of Evvy going undercover into Zenadia's house, an idea that is sadly does not come to pass), she is an intriguing look at psychopathic self-entitlement. Fans of Agatha Christie may well be reminded of the terrifying Lady Boynton from Appointment With Death.
As always, Pierce's imagination is on full blast, and particularly rewarding is the way in which Briar utilizes his powers. This is not merely in his wonderful storming of Zenadia's estate at the climax of the book, but in more subtle ways as well; such as increasing the potency of catnip in order to tame some feral cats, or realizing that there are dead bodies under the earth due to the rather crazed nature of the plants that grow over them. Briar *thinks* in terms of plants, and it makes for an incredibly personalized narrative.
The Magic Circle series as a whole is far more slow-paced and mellow in content than many of Pierce's previous novels. Here, the emphasis is on characters and their place in the world, and on teaching, growing and learning rather than the adventures and romance of Tortall books. They're not for everyone, but for those who appreciate strong characters, careful plots, and extensive world-building, then give The Circle Opens a try. —Rebecca Fisher
 Cold Fire
The Circle Opens quartet deals with the ongoing adventures of the four Winding Circle students as they themselves become the teachers to new (and even younger) apprentices. Sadly, one of the prerequisites of this teaching experience is that the four friends are separated, as became clear in Magic Steps, in which we learn from Sandry that Briar, Tris and Daja have left on far-flung journeys with their respective teachers in order to improve their own magical crafts. As such, the wonderful friendship that was the heart and soul of the previous quartet (Circle of Magic) is put on hiatus as the four make new friends, become teachers and deepen the relationship between themselves and their mentors.
Daja (still sporting the copper-cover hand that she earned in Daja's Book (Circle Of Magic)) and her teacher Frostpine — both metal-mages, whose talents lie in fire, metal-working, and the forge — are wintering in the snow-locked Narmorn. Both southern creatures, Frostpine in particular is finding the weather troublesome, but Daja is keeping herself busy with her work and her friendship with the two twin daughters of the household she is staying in. Nia and Jory Bancanor are total opposites in personality and temperament, but when Daja notices that they both have dormant magic in them, tradition dictates that it's her responsibility to train the two girls until she can find more appropriate mages to hone their individual talents.
Meanwhile, the fire-dangers that come from living in a city that is built almost entirely of wood becomes clear after Daja makes the acquaintance of Ben Ladradun, a fireman who is training members of his community in the techniques of fighting fires. Daja is instantly impressed with the man's bravery — because he isn't a mage he is in considerable more danger when he enters a burning building than one who can magically shield themselves from fire. Striking up a friendship, Daja is soon working on a pair of magical fire-proof gloves for him.
Between training the twins and working on her new project, Daja is kept extremely busy, and Pierce fills her story with plenty of moments of joy, hard work, companionship, frustration and challenges. Because the twins are so different, Daja must find separate techniques of training them that suits each individual personality, and — in a nice touch — the twins reciprocate the time and energy Daja puts into their training by teaching her how to ice-skate. Despite the absence of Sandry, Briar, Tris and the other teachers, it is heart-warming to see how much they weigh on Daja's mind, as she often thinks about them or alludes to them in conversation, displaying just how much she loves her foster-family and desires their presence.
In their absence, Tamora Pierce builds up a strong portrayal of a community, complete with the martial bliss of the twins' parents and the friendship they share with Frostpine, the busy workplaces of the hospital and carpenter's workshop that the twins are apprenticed to, and a general atmosphere of falling snow and sleigh-rides contrasted with the warmth and clutter of home. Naturally, Pierce doesn't ignore the ugly side that exists in every community: the snobbery of certain mages, the fear with which some people regard Daja and the domineering figure of Ben's mother, Morrachane. Instantly butting heads with the strict old woman, Daja pities Ben for the authority that Morrachane has over him — although Pierce mixes in a shade of grey in establishing the very real affection that Morrachane holds for Nia and Jory.
But even more troublesome than Morrachane is the growing evidence that there is an arsonist on the loose in the city. With house fires popping up everywhere, growing more dangerous and difficult to control, Daja and Frostpine find themselves volunteer fire-fighters in the attempt to control the blaze. Unfortunately, it is in this sub-plot that Pierce missteps. The arsonist's identity is revealed too quickly, and made known to the reader (through several paragraphs told from the culprit's point of view) long before Daja herself figures it out. This not only destroys the possibility of a whodunit aspect to the story, with a sense of mystery and suspense as to the arsonist's identity, but makes the reader frustrated that Daja is so slow on the uptake. Any decision to tell the reader something rather than let them figure it out themselves is surely never a good thing.
However, despite this problematic handling of the story, there is enough here for Cold Fire to recommend itself. The bond between Daja and Frostpine is as touching as ever, as is Pierce's ongoing theme of fulfillment being found in hard work and honest dealings with fellow human beings. Though not my favourite of the Winding Circle foursome, Daja is a cool-headed and determined young heroine, and probably goes through the most dramatic changes than all of her foster-siblings in her own "spin-off" adventure, having to deal with the pain of needless death, the crush of disillusionment, and the sting of betrayal. —Rebecca Fisher
Shatterglass
This, the fourth and final installment in the THE CIRCLE OPENS quartet is itself a sequel to Tris’s Book in the original CIRCLE OF MAGIC series. There, the reader was introduced to four immensely powerful but untrained young mages: aristocratic Sandry, stoic Daja, street-rat Briar and outcast Trisana, called "Tris" for short. In a departure from her usual action-adventure stories, Tamora Pierce concentrated on character for this particular series, describing how this disparate group of youngsters was brought to the safety of the Winding Circle temple in order to learn how to control their abilities. Over the course of the four books, the children formed an unbreakable bond with each other and with the teachers that are still guiding them toward mastery of their craft and the responsibilities of adulthood.
With this new series, the circle opens (as the title suggests) in order to follow the four on their personal journeys into maturity, traveling with their teachers in order to hone their magical skills and see more of the world around them. The downside is that they are separated from one another for the first time in years, but the upside is that they each become teachers in their own right when they discover other young people with magical gifts.
In the previous books, Sandry, Briar and Daja have all found young students who need their help in controlling their own innate abilities, as well as dealt with problems ranging from turf wars to arson. Now it's Tris's turn, and it's clear why Pierce has saved her for last. With her short temper and moody disposition, Tris is the last person you'd expect to be an effective teacher.
Yet Tris has grown up a lot since last we saw her, and with her mentor Niko Goldeye she's learnt to control her powers over the weather. Her hair is a mass of braids and pigtails that store her control over winds, lightning and water, and though she still has to keep a strict watch over her emotions, she's certainly not the insecure, defensive, irritable young girl that we first met in Tris’s Book.
She and Niko have come to the city of Tharios so that Niko can take part in a mages' council. Tris is impressed by the beauty of Tharios, but less so by its oppressive social order, in which the lower classes that see to the maintenance of the city are second-class citizens. Also troublesome is their attitude toward death, something that is deemed "unclean" and so dealt with in such a way that involves ritual and cleansing done at considerable time and cost to the people. It hinders the police investigation into the spate of murders that are occurring around the city, for priests instructed to deal with the dead bodies of murdered girls are destroying any evidence that might lead the authorities to the killer, known only as "the Ghost."
Such is the situation when the book opens, with Tris aware of the crisis but unable to do anything about it, being only a foreigner in a city that strictly adheres to its rigid social customs. But on a jaunt around town she is distracted by the sight of a young man glass-blowing, who is unknowingly infusing his work with magic from the streets around him. His accidental creation of a sentient glass dragon astonishes the two of them, Tris because of the skill and power involved, and its creator because he didn't realize he even had any magic. Kethlun Warder has come to the city to escape his family, after a stray lightning bolt first left him paralyzed, and then unable to control his newfound abilities. Terrified of lightning and the power he now wields over it, Tris and Niko try to convince him that he's in need of a proper teacher - though Tris is hardly impressed when that turns out to be her.
There is a twist on the usual teacher/apprentice dynamic, and that's that Tris is several years younger than her pupil, a man who is initially reluctant to take orders from a fourteen-year-old. Unlike her foster-siblings, Tris actually has to prove herself to her student before she can teach him, but when Keth starts creating strange glass globes that reveal visions of the murder victims strewn about the city, things suddenly get serious. After a run-in with the police (which includes an amusing exchange when Tris passionately defends her pupil and is then asked how long she's been his teacher: "um... maybe two hours?") the two team up with the chief investigator to try and catch the killer before more innocent lives are lost.
Short and plump, prickly and sarcastic, with curly red hair and spectacles, someone who would much rather snuggle down with a good book than socialize, Tris is one of Tamora Pierce's best characters. Pierce has always been excellent at creating balance in her stories, and thus despite the fact that Tris is one of the most powerful mages (with mastery over the elements), it comes with a hefty price considering the headaches and nausea, social exclusion, need for intense self-control, and lack of any real job prospects that comes with it. Yet Tris has always refused to feel sorry for herself, and battles on with trademark determination and responsibility.
Perhaps inevitably, her supporting cast is not quite as vivid; Keth is a little bland, Niko is rather low-key, and we never really get to emphasize with Inspector Dema, but Tris manages to carry the book, and the plot she's embroiled in certainly makes for one of the creepier problems that the quartet has had to deal with. The city of Tharios seems to be based on Greece, with a strict caste system borrowed from India, and Pierce does a great job pinpointing the unfairness of the system, whilst not doing away with it by the end of the book. Though Tris's short-term goal is to stop the killer, she also manages to take several needy individuals under her wing, and make a small difference that may have long-term effects on the people of the city.
As always, Tamora Pierce delivers a great story, though not one that's hinged on the usual fantasy formula. With emphasis on growth, learning and discipline, and an interest in handicrafts (here it's glassblowing, but Pierce has also included weaving and metal-work in previous CIRCLE books), this series has an interest in human nature and the day-to-day existence of ordinary folk that is so often missing in other novels in this genre.
Now with all the young protagonists on the verge of adulthood, they are reunited again in The Will of the Empress, in which their friendship (so missed in this series!) is explored in greater detail.
—Rebecca Fisher |
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