Product Description

When Daine is summoned by the wolf pack that saved her life a year earlier, she knows she has to go. She and Numair travel to Dunlath Valley to answer the call. But when they arrive, Daine realizes with a shock that it's not just the animals whose lives are threatened; people are in danger too. Dunlath's rulers have discovered black opals in their valley and are dead set on mining the magic these stones embody. Daine learns that Dunlath's lord and lady plan to use this power to overthrow King Jonathan -- even if it means irreversibly damaging the land and killing their workers.

On a mission to save both her animal friends and her human ones, Daine has to master her wild magic in order to fight for the kingdom and triumph over the would-be usurpers.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #39091 in Books
• Published on: 2005-05-31
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Mass Market Paperback
• 368 pages

Features

• ISBN13: 9781416903444
• Condition: NEW
• Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
• Click here to view our Condition Guide and Shipping Prices

From School Library Journal
Grade 6-9-A sequel to Wild Magic (Atheneum, 1992). Veralidaine Sarrasri, a.k.a. Daine, is on the road with her mentor and tutor, the master mage Numair Salmalin; her faithful pony, Cloud; and Skysong, the dragon kit she is raising. They are answering a summons from the Long Lake wolf pack that was once Daine's only family. Help is urgently needed to oppose the "two-leggers" who are despoiling the pack's home, but as they enter the valley, Daine and Numair learn that more is amiss. High treason is afoot, and only extreme efforts-natural and magical-can save the Kingdom of Tortall. Orphaned Daine, now 14, has always been able to mind-speak with animals, but now she is also learning to heal their wounds magically, to enter their minds and see with their eyes, and to change temporarily into animal form. New readers may have some trouble believing the premise of this book, lacking the background information so carefully presented in Wild Magic. Wolf-Speaker is more of a simple adventure than the exploration of characters, feelings, and relationships found in the earlier title. Wild Magic is a powerful fantasy, and its readers will clamor for, and probably not be disappointed by, this sequel. It resolves its conflicts quite satisfactorily, but there is still room for further adventures for Daine and her friends.
Susan L. Rogers, Chestnut Hill Academy, PA
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist
Gr. 7-9. In this sequel to Wild Magic (1992), the pack of wolves that helped 14-year-old Daine avenge her family's death call her back from her mage training at King Jonathan's court. Humans ("two-leggers") are ruining Dunlath Valley. Daine, who speaks the language of animals and is learning to enter animals' minds and shape-change, works to help the two-leggers and the animals move beyond species prejudice to prevent an ecological disaster and the overthrow of the beneficent King Jonathan. Suspense is stronger than characterization here, but the exploration of diverse animal personalities will intrigue readers. Mary Harris Veeder

From Kirkus Reviews
Pierce continues the story of Daine and her mentor Numair (Wild Magic, 1992). Answering a call of distress from Daine's wolfpack, the two go to Dunlath Valley, where they find not only widespread destruction but a plot to overthrow the king. Once again, it's Daine's ``wild magic''--her empathy with animals-- that allows them to destroy a magical shield created by evil mages over the valley. Mysteries concerning Daine's father and a magical badger who visits her were introduced in the first book. This disappointing sequel does little to resolve them; in fact, aside from a conventional sword-and-sorcery good-guy/bad-guy tale, there's little here to move the plot along. Daine's conversations with wolves, mice, birds, and horses are unconvincingly sophisticated, while characters behave with as little logic as a TV cartoon. Fantasy fodder, but only for the famished. (Fiction. 10+) -- Copyright ©1994, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

Customer Reviews

Wolf-Speaker
The second book in The Immortals series, Wolf-Speaker, is mysterious and brilliantly crafted. A wonderful tale of deep, dark magic, nature, and suspense.

Still learning the limits of her wild magic, Daine travels with her teacher, Numair to Dunlath Valley, where they were called by the wolf pack Daine used to run with. The wolves sense trouble, and indeed, when Daine and Numair arrive, they find that not only is the forest being torn up and mined, but that foul magic is stirring up in a rebellion against the Crown-and in alliance with Carthak, the nation, it has been rumored, that is preparing for war against Tortall. During the story Daine makes friends with the young Maura of Dunlath, who has a strong sense of justice, and a basilisk called Tkaa. Separated from Numair by a magical barrier and cut off from the world, Daine must learn even more about herself and her magic alone to help overthrow this rebellion...

Another amazing, intense book from Pierce.

"They Have a Different Idea of Whose the Monster Here..."
"Wolf Speaker" is the second of Tamora Pierce's "Immortals Quartet" concerning fourteen-year-old Daine, a young woman who possesses "Wild Magic", giving her the ability to communicate with animals, heal any animal wound, and in this book, to gradually change her form into any animal she wishes. Pierce jumps straight into the story without hardly any background information, so if you are unfamiliar with the fantasy realm of Tortall, I very highly recommend that you don't begin your journey with this book: start with "Wild Magic", or even better "The Lioness Quartet", Pierce's first books concerning Tortall.

Daine and her mentor Numair have been sent abroad in order to investigate the disappearance of several of the Queen's Riders, and in doing so Daine receives contact from the Long Lake wolf pack - the animals that she once ran wild with when they helped her avenge her murdered family. Their call to her is for help: their home is under threat from humankind's mining and construction that is destroying the natural habitat, and desperate to help her friends, Daine convinces Numair to help them.

But by helping the wolves, the two of them uncover even more secrets: the rulers of Dunlath, Lady Yolane and her consort - and Numair's old classmate - Tristan, are plotting to usurp the thrones of King Jonathon and Queen Thayet, by bribing the war-mongering empire of Charthak with the black diamonds they are acquiring through the mining that cause the animals so much trouble. As you may have already guessed, it's up to Daine, her powers, and the animals to put a stop to all of this, resulting in a plan that is sure to excite all readers once they hear of it.

In the overall context of the "Immortals Quartet", "Wolf Speaker" is the least important - in fact you might be able to get away with not reading it with only minor confusion. But it is a great adventure, despite the somewhat cliched environmental issue at the heart of the book, and it drops little hints throughout as to Daine's parentage, her growing magical powers, her relationship with Numair and the growing threat of Charthak.

Pierce's range of characters is huge, from the animal kingdom (Flicker, Scrap, Sunclaw, Blueness, Rebel, Brokefang and the Long Lake pack) to the humans (Tait, Maura, Gissa, Belden) to the immortals (Tkaa, Iakoju, Rikash, and of course the Badger-god and Kitten the dragonet, that Daine rescued at the conclusion of the previous book). Each character is well drawn and realistic in their actions and motivations (though I dearly missed the absent Onua), and Pierce is clever enough to mix in shades of grey to her growing war, with the inclusion of Rikash the Stormwing who holds a brotherly affection for the young lady Maura.

The "Immortals Quartet" are the best books that Tamora Pierce has to offer, so make sure "The Emperor Mage" is on hand to continue Daine's journey.

Great Book for Animal and Mythology Lovers
The book, Wolf-Speaker, in the Immortals series, is a wonderful book. It is about a girl named Daine, 14, and a mage, her teacher, Numair, 30, who live in the time period with King Jonathan III, and Queen Thayet. The world is invaded with immortal creatures, such as dragons and Stormwings. Daine can mind-speak with animals using her Wild Magic. In the 2nd book in this series, Wolf-Speaker, Numair, their 2 horses, Spots and Mangle, her pony, Cloud, her dragon, Skysong or Kitten, and she go to heed the wolves of the Long Lake Pack's cry for help. People in Dunlath Valley are cutting down trees and turning the peaceful valley into a nightmare. She and Numair find out the awful plan Tristan (Numair's old mage school classmate) and Lady Yolane of Dunlath have for Dunlath Valley. Read this book and find out the excellent ending. Wolf lovers, like myself, will love this book.