Reviews with content warning for Slavery - Emperor Mage

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).

Content Warnings

obsetress's review against another edition

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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

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storydevgrace's review against another edition

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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.

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madgec's review

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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?

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jessereadsthings's review against another edition

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medium-paced

1.0

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thaliareads's review against another edition

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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.

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