Lady Knight

August 1, 2002
Older readers and followers of the Tamora Pierce series, Protector of the Small, will welcome the fourth and final installment, Lady Knight. In this compelling conclusion, Keladry of Mindelan Kel, for short realizes her dream of becoming a knight but soon discovers that her new position brings unforeseen responsibilities.

December 1, 2002
Gr 6-9-In this fourth and final book in the series, Kel is now 18 and her knighthood is guaranteed after she passes her final test as a squire, which involves facing her fears and overcoming them while in the Chamber of the Ordeal. During the Ordeal, she has a vision of an ugly little man directing monsterlike, metal machines to kill children and use their souls to fuel them. She hears a voice telling her that her task is to find this "Nothing Man" and stop the killing, and she becomes determined to steal away, hunt him down, and destroy him. Orders dictate otherwise and Kel finds herself the Commander of a refugee camp for people who've lost their homes in the fighting between Tortall and neighboring Scanran. While she is away from camp, it is attacked and many refugees, mostly children, are kidnapped. She disobeys orders and rides off alone to try to save them. This meaty book has lots of fighting and challenges to Kel's authority, allowing her once again to prove that she is equal to the men. Her compassion for those weaker than herself and her strong leadership skills make her an appealing protagonist. All of the characters from the previous books are here, and Pierce neatly ties all the plot threads together in a way that should please her fans. She also provides a helpful list of characters and a glossary. This is an essential and satisfying book for anyone who enjoyed the others in the series.-Sharon Rawlins, Piscataway Public Library, NJ

Copyright 2002 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

October 1, 2002
Gr. 6-9. In this new, gripping installment in the popular Protector of the Small series, Lady Knight Keladry has finished her grueling eight years of training just in time to face a difficult struggle--her country is at war with its neighbor, Scanra. Kel's recurrent dreams have told her that she has a special mission (finding an evil mage working for Scanra who is using children to create horrific killing devices). But before she can set out, she is given her first command, the creation of a refugee camp, which calls on all her talents. She must settle disputes, assign tasks, and train everyone, including children, to handle weapons. Unlike most fantasy heroines, Kel does not rely on magic. She is a fighter who clamps down on her feelings and taps her courage, cleverness, and moral outrage to fight evil. As in the previous books, Kel's world is completely realized in quick, precise detail, but this time the stakes are higher than usual: the kingdom readers have come to know fights for its survival and familiar characters die. Series fans will grab this.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2002, American Library Association.)

Starred review from September 15, 2003
PW called this fourth and final book in the series, in which Keladry ("Kel") of Mindelan realizes her dream of becoming a knight but soon discovers that it brings unforeseen responsibilities, a "compelling conclusion." Ages 12-up.

January 1, 2003
To her dismay, Keladry's first assignment as a knight is to run a refugee camp. Not only would she rather be in the thick of battle, but she longs to be about the task an oracle has charged her with--finding and stopping a sadistic mage who uses the souls of children to craft killing machines. As in the previous volumes, Kel's compassion for those who have been victimized drives her actions. Fans will be pleased with this conclusion to her tale.

(Copyright 2003 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)