Circle of Magic #1: Sandry's Book (Hardcover)

The book centers around four young outcasts named Daja (a Trader), Briar (a street thief), Sandry (a noble) & Tris (a commoner). All, for one reason or another, are basically on their own and have experienced far too much pain and disappointment in their young lives. They're unwanted, unloved, and unable to fit in. A mysterious man named "Niko" discovers and delivers each of them to a place called "Winding Circle Temple" where, once again, none of them are quite able to fit in with the other residents. They are eventually separated from the other (bratty and snooty, if you ask me) kids living at Winding Circle and are sent off to "Discipline", a cabin where they're pretty much isolated from the other residents at Winding Circle.

While at "Discipline" each discovers a previously untapped talent for magic. They spend their days learning to develop their own particular talents and becoming an unlikely group of close-knit friends. Eventually their bond and talents are put to the test as they must use their newly developed powers of meditation and concentration to face a natural disaster.

Pierce brings her world alive with vivid imagery and well described settings and the story moves along at brisk clip but I would have enjoyed it more had it been just a mite longer. Though the book is titled "Sandry's Book" it was as much about Briar, Tris and Daja as it was about Sandry. Though all of these characters come to life in this production the focus switches all too often between them (and not always smoothly) and their individual stories are spread a bit too thin for my liking (I was also confused at times as to which child was currently speaking which didn't help matters). Tamora Pierce serves as the narrator for the piece along with a full cast of actors supporting her. Pierce's narration comes across as a bit bland and monotonous when compared with the vivacious children but despite it all I found myself anxious to hear how it all turned out.

The story has humor, the kids are survivors both wise and emotional and I'm anxious to check out the other books in the series to learn more about prickly, guarded Tris, kind-hearted Sandry, plucky Briar and Daja (I can't wait to see where her interesting version of magic leads).

Tamora Pierce is an excellent author whose work has an enormous following of people desiring a literary dream full of magic and tenacity even when life might not be going so well. Her characters are always well-rounded but yet very familiar as if the reader has known them all their life. A fantastic recommendation as a present for a boy or girl who likes to read (just don't expect to see them until they are done reading!)