Product Description

"I don't want to fall in love. I just want to be a warrior maiden."

Still disguised as a boy, Alanna becomes a squire to none other than the prince of the realm. Prince Jonathan is not only Alanna's liege lord, he is also her best friend -- and one of the few who knows the secret of her true identity. But when a mysterious sorceror threatens the prince's life, it will take all of Alanna's skill, strength, and magical power to protect him -- even at the risk of revealing who she really is...

Filled with swords and sorcery, adventure and intrigue, good and evil, Alanna's second adventure continues the saga of a girl who dares to follow her dreams -- and the magical destiny that awaits her.

Alanna's journey continues...

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #8671 in Books
• Published on: 2005-01-06
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Mass Market Paperback
• 288 pages

Features

• ISBN13: 9780689878565
• Condition: NEW
• Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
• Click here to view our Condition Guide and Shipping Prices

Review
"An action-filled adventure novel. Recommended."--Fantasy Review

"This series is sprightly, filled with adventure and marvelously satisfying." -- School Library Journal -- Review

Review
"An action-filled adventure novel. Recommended."--Fantasy Review

"This series is sprightly, filled with adventure and marvelously satisfying." -- School Library Journal

From the Inside Flap
Disguised as a boy, Alanna of Trebond becomes a squire -- to none other than the prince of the realm. But Prince Jonathan is much more to Alanna; he is her ally, her best friend, and one of the few who knows that she's really a girl. Now it will take all of Alanna's awesome skill, strength, and growing magical powers to protect him from the mysterious evil sorcerer who is bent on his destruction--and hers!

Here continues the story of Alanna, a young woman bound for glory who is willing to fight against enormous odds for what she believes in.

Customer Reviews

Perfect blend of fantasy, magic, adventure...romance =)
It's been years since I read Pierce's series about Alanna, but I still return to them every so often and reread the entire set. In the Hand of the Goddess is probably the best of them all, I remember staying up incredibly late at 13 just to finish the book. The conflict between Alanna and Duke Roger, which builds throughout the book, is so interesting and a true example of adventure at its finest. Alanna's interaction with the Goddess and with magic is also exciting. And of course, the romantic parts of the book, very satisfying. =) This book is definitely my favorite of the series. I'm trying to find the whole series in 1st edition hardbacks, identical to the copies I read from the library years ago...anyone have any tips? The more recent cover art for the mass market paperbacks really doesn't do the story or the characters justice.

Read or you'll be sorry!!
Dear Team of the world, I personally think that Tamora Pierce's In the Hand of the Goddess is a brilliant book. If you don't agree with me, here are some good reasons why I like it. This book has a great plot that just pulls you in and won't let you go. Some people who can't appreciate fantasy writing might say it's boring, but I assure you, it is by no means boring. There are no lengthy, dull introductions that give billions of little details no one would in their right mind would actually be interested in. This book is not taking ideas from anywhere I have seen. It's a new and unique idea. This book has a great plot. The first page, you find out a little about the character Alanna (introduction). Then she meets the "Great Mother Goddess" (narrative hook). There is a duel, and then a war. During the war, Alanna is taken prisoner (this is all the rising action) and is rescued by the prince, Jonathan. Then she goes to her friend's house, the friend is a woman who lives in the city. There she learns to act like a girl. That result is that she falls in love with Jonathan. She eventually graduates from the Prince's squire to a knight. She discovers that Jonathan's cousin, the popular Duke Roger, is killing the queen. She exposes him and they fight to the death (climax). After she wins, her real identity exposed, she rides of to the desert to "spend the rest of the winter being warm". That plot grabs you and holds you until you're done. This book gets to the point. It's not boring and it doesn't drone on and on in the beginning. As in paragraph two, there is a lot of action. Alanna meets the goddess and beats a boasting knight in the first two chapters! She is the squire to the prince of Tortall, next in line for the crown. There are no long descriptions in the beginning , you go right out and meet Alanna. You learn things as you go along with the girl on her adventures while disguised as a boy. This book has a lot of new and unique ideas. I found a review done by an unnamed fantasy fan, who said, "I liked it because it was a different kind of fantasy." Another reviewer, who gave her name as Ann said, "This book is an outstanding, heart lifting adventure that will make you want to read it again and again." I kept wishing that there were more books like Tamora's outstanding quartet, and since I read a lot, there can't be that many!! This book introduces new types of magic, new people, talking cats whom you only hear when it wants you to, and new gods. I say that those ideas are very unique from any I have read before. Naturally, there are some of you out there that would criticize this book. Susan Faust said, "The story in readable, romantic, robust, but in many ways pedestrian in it's vision." In English, the book is for the slow-minded. Actually, I would rate this book as very complexed. I had a job figuring out how the war was fought and where exactly Alanna was going. It is NOT for the slow-minded at all. Susan also states, "She is a warrior-maiden, but her perspective is narrow, herself and her king." Now if you are going to criticize a great book, could you at least be correct? The king is barely mentioned in the book, it's the prince Alanna looks after. Also, Jon is not the only one she worries about, she wonders if any of her other friends are going to live through the next battle in the war for the valley. She half killed herself to find her friend Thor! An unknown reviewer said, "In this doldrums sequel, Alanna battles a bit, flings with the king and all in all whines and complains that her life is the best." Again, it's the PRINCE she "flings with"! Another thing I don't understand about that quote is; how do you "whine and complain" that your life is the best? Doldrums, by the way, means boring. If you thinks so too, please go back to the second and third paragraphs! There are tons of things going on in the book that are NOT boring at all!! This book is great because it has unique ideas, is action-packed from the beginning, and has a captivating plot line. If you read this book, you may end up getting fencing lessons, calling yourself Alanna, your mean arch-enemy Roger, and your boyfriend Jonathan.

Megan Ligas ligasm@blmfld.org Carmen Arace Middle School Bloomfield, CT

The Best of the entire Series!
Even though I read the Song of the Lioness series years and years ago, they are still my favorite books. Pierce's storytelling is flawless and her characters Alanna, Jonathon, Roger, George, Gary and everyone else are incredibly interesting and human. There is a great sense of adventure, starting in the beginning when Alanna duels a knight from another province during a banquet. She is later sent to the warfront, where she has more adventures, tracks Duke Roger's suspicious behavior, and has the first hint of romance. Alanna's experience with magic develops, and I loved reading about her encounter with the goddess and how she sees through Roger's magical tricks, aided with the power of her amethyst charm. The suspense with Duke Roger, her nemesis who no one else suspects of evil, builds to a thrilling climax and provides her with the chance to really prove herself. I was equally thrilled with the romance in the book -- just the right balance with her experiences as she strives to become a Knight of the Realm.

"In the Hand of the Goddess" is far and away the best fantasy book I've ever read. I can't think of any book to recommend more highly, except perhaps "Alanna: THe First Adventure" since it provides the background for this one.