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robotnik's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Emperor Mage is the book that made little me decide that Tamora Pierce is my favorite writer ever. It's also what made Tortall one of my favorite fantasy worlds ever. I can probably rant on and on about it forever, but I'll just keep it short and sweet to my favorite parts.
- The Graveyard Hag, aka the coolest fictional deity ever
- Rikash
- Kaddar
- Finally getting to see Ozorne
- HYENAS BEING IMPORTANT (the little kid in me who enjoyed the hyenas of TLK will forever love this)
- The chapter "Daine Loses her Temper". Reading the entire book is worth it just for that.
Carthak is a much different landscape than Tortall or its bordering neighbors. It's interesting to see somewhere else that isn't medieval Europe in aesthetic and basis, as it's closer to Egypt, I think. Maybe Africa as a whole, but don't quote me on that. It's always nice to see a world that isn't so western focused on how it's based or inspired by.
The rampage on the palace is one of my favorite novel climaxes ever. It might not be some big badass battle like some might have, but I adore the idea of a teenage girl being mad and deciding 'this fucker killed my mentor so I'mma fuck up his motherfucking palace', and it goes to glorious results. Well, besides the part where the country as a whole probably thinks she's a demon child, but she doesn't have to live that's no skin off her back.
This still isn't Pierce's best writing, but it's definitely my favorite addition to The Immortals quartet, and I'd recommend it to anyone, even if they haven't read the rest of the books (which they should do anyways).
- The Graveyard Hag, aka the coolest fictional deity ever
- Rikash
- Kaddar
- Finally getting to see Ozorne
- HYENAS BEING IMPORTANT (the little kid in me who enjoyed the hyenas of TLK will forever love this)
- The chapter "Daine Loses her Temper". Reading the entire book is worth it just for that.
Carthak is a much different landscape than Tortall or its bordering neighbors. It's interesting to see somewhere else that isn't medieval Europe in aesthetic and basis, as it's closer to Egypt, I think. Maybe Africa as a whole, but don't quote me on that. It's always nice to see a world that isn't so western focused on how it's based or inspired by.
This still isn't Pierce's best writing, but it's definitely my favorite addition to The Immortals quartet, and I'd recommend it to anyone, even if they haven't read the rest of the books (which they should do anyways).
Content Warnings
Moderate: Slavery
hannahpings's review against another edition
adventurous
inspiring
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Death, Slavery, and Violence
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Confinement, and War
bubski_mcboo's review
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
While I loved the author as a teen due to her influx of female heroines in the male-dominated fantasy adventure genre, I have grown out of this series due to the types of relationships the author encourages in teenage girls, which played a part in my unrealistic expectations regarding romance and my underperformance at school. Numair and Daine have implied mutual attraction throughout the series, culminating in an established relationship by the final book when Daine is conveniently legal (where I live) at sixteen but still too young to be snogging her thirty-year-old teacher, who doesn't, to my mind, have nearly enough guilt about allowing it. This is not the kind of relationship impressionable teens should be encouraged to pursue. Other than that, Daine is a model of bravery and being unapologetically herself in a classist society.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Misogyny, Sexism, Slavery, and Violence
Moderate: Animal cruelty and Confinement
Minor: Pedophilia
Interactions and reactions with and about the fifteen-year-old protagonist imply intentions or approval of paedophilia from the antagonist. The same interaction implies a mutual attraction between another adult and the fifteen-year-old protagonist.madgec's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
hopeful
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
I don't know how I missed this series as a teen. A magical girl bringing dinosaurs back to life to trash a castle is badass.
A few things didn't age super well but what do you expect?
A few things didn't age super well but what do you expect?
Content Warnings
Graphic: Slavery
jessereadsthings's review against another edition
medium-paced
1.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism and Slavery
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship
Minor: Animal cruelty, Animal death, and Fatphobia
thaliareads's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This was a re-read for me. I really enjoy this book in the series because it is where Daine really starts to realize that the world and its people aren't so black and white. The Stormwings have their reasons for their actions, the Carthaki emperor may be a bad man but he cares deeply for his birds, and the Young Prince may have been raised with ideals that Daine doesn't understand but he cares deeply for his people.
This book is the one in the series where Daine's actual age begins to bother me. As she starts to contemplate romance, those around her are noticeably her elder.
This book is the one in the series where Daine's actual age begins to bother me. As she starts to contemplate romance, those around her are noticeably her elder.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Slavery, Violence, and War
Moderate: Death, Grief, Death of parent, and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Adult/minor relationship
The Carthaki do still have slavery, but it has been outlawed in most other places.kes7706's review
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Slavery, Kidnapping, and Murder
Minor: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Violence, Fire/Fire injury, and War
empearl1's review
adventurous
funny
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Slavery and War
booksthatburn's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
The worldbuilding focuses heavily on Carthak and almost completely ignores Tortall except when drawing some comparison between the two nations. It’s uncomfortably fascinated with slavery in Carthak, specifically with how it is carried out in the palace. It’s yet another white savior narrative (e.g. THE WOMAN WHO RIDES LIKE A MAN) in book three of a Tortall book. This is a bit subtler, since Daine had no intention of messing with the Carthaki way of life, slavery and all, but it turns out that some of the other characters have been actively involved at getting slaves out of the country. Daine’s goddess-driven involvement serves to mess things up for the Emperor, making Carthak much friendlier to Tortall than before their trip. Daine’s bonds with animals provide conversational opportunities for her to draw comparisons between slavery and the caging of animals.
This finally addresses the mentions of the Carthaki Emperor’s involvement with the recent influx of immortals, but it mostly does so by introducing the Emperor himself at long last. It has a new storyline involving a Tortallan delegation to Carthak for peace talks, with Daine alone to heal the Emperor’s birds, if she can. A very major thing related to Daine is introduced and resolved here when the Badger passes along a temporary power at the behest of a Carthaki goddess. It leaves several things for later, such as Daine’s growing understanding of her parentage. The trick is that it doesn't really move anything forward (except for Daine almost beginning to understand how much Numair cares for her), so it's very skippable. I actually think that going straight from the first to the fourth book in the quartet might work well because then it wouldn't feel as weird with Numair being more attached to Daine as she grows up.
It can stand alone enough that someone could probably read just this book and have a good time, understanding almost all of what happened. It would help to have read either of the first two books in the quartet (benefitting more from the second book), but this is a very episodic series and doesn’t require the other stories in order to make sense.
The plot centers around Daine and a Tortallan delegation visiting Carthak for peace talks, but Daine gets some divine attention and is used to send a last-chance warning to the Emperor before things get very bad for him. There's also a persistent narrative about the presence and treatment of slaves in Carthak, since Tortall hasn't had slaves in a few centuries. At several points the narrative ends up just describing a bunch of dinosaurs, along with the magical means of learning about their lives based on fossils and the work of seers. This is a pretty strong self-contained narrative, it's just in the context of yet another instance of (very white but not homogenous) Tortall claiming moral/cultural superiority over another (primarily brown/black) country that this looks a bit off. I wish there were more named characters of color who aren't enslaved, since I'm pretty sure the only ones are the Emperor and his heir, and one of those two is a villain.
It's a very weird anti-slavery PSA with resurrected dinosaurs, completely skippable within the series.
This finally addresses the mentions of the Carthaki Emperor’s involvement with the recent influx of immortals, but it mostly does so by introducing the Emperor himself at long last. It has a new storyline involving a Tortallan delegation to Carthak for peace talks, with Daine alone to heal the Emperor’s birds, if she can. A very major thing related to Daine is introduced and resolved here when the Badger passes along a temporary power at the behest of a Carthaki goddess. It leaves several things for later, such as Daine’s growing understanding of her parentage. The trick is that it doesn't really move anything forward (except for Daine almost beginning to understand how much Numair cares for her), so it's very skippable. I actually think that going straight from the first to the fourth book in the quartet might work well because then it wouldn't feel as weird with Numair being more attached to Daine as she grows up.
It can stand alone enough that someone could probably read just this book and have a good time, understanding almost all of what happened. It would help to have read either of the first two books in the quartet (benefitting more from the second book), but this is a very episodic series and doesn’t require the other stories in order to make sense.
The plot centers around Daine and a Tortallan delegation visiting Carthak for peace talks, but Daine gets some divine attention and is used to send a last-chance warning to the Emperor before things get very bad for him. There's also a persistent narrative about the presence and treatment of slaves in Carthak, since Tortall hasn't had slaves in a few centuries. At several points the narrative ends up just describing a bunch of dinosaurs, along with the magical means of learning about their lives based on fossils and the work of seers. This is a pretty strong self-contained narrative, it's just in the context of yet another instance of (very white but not homogenous) Tortall claiming moral/cultural superiority over another (primarily brown/black) country that this looks a bit off. I wish there were more named characters of color who aren't enslaved, since I'm pretty sure the only ones are the Emperor and his heir, and one of those two is a villain.
It's a very weird anti-slavery PSA with resurrected dinosaurs, completely skippable within the series.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Slavery and Excrement
Moderate: Ableism, Animal death, Confinement, Death, Kidnapping, and Grief
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Torture, and War
thecatconstellation's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Growing up, this was my least favorite of the series, but now I think it’s my favorite. I love the new characters here and the relationship dynamics. I only wish Cloud was in it!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Death, Misogyny, Sexism, Slavery, Violence, and Grief
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Racism, Murder, Cultural appropriation, Colonisation, and War
Minor: Excrement and Alcohol