Tamora Pierce and the land of Tortall

Lately, I've been reading through Tamora Pierce's various quartets set in and around the mythical land of Tortall. I discovered these books when I picked up two books from Gretchen's bedroom on my last visit to Richmond. After reading (and thoroughly enjoying) them, I placed an order to Amazon.com to get the rest of that series and two more boxed sets. I'll be sending all the books (the ones I borrowed and the ones I bought) to Jan's house for her and the girls.

Protector of the Small

The first series I read (but the third written and in chronology) was the Protector of the Small series starring Keladry, the first girl to openly enter training for Knighthood. The stories refer to the previous two series so I felt compelled to read them.

The Song of the Lioness

The Song of the Lioness quartet tells the story of Alanna, the first Lady Knight. Unlike Kel, she had to pretend to be a boy when she went to the training facility for pages.

The Immortals

The Immortals tells the story of Veralidaine, nicknamed Daine, who wields a natural and wild magic rather than The Gift as is more common. Her wild magic gives an ability to communicate with animals, heal them, and even to transform herself into an animal when necessary.