Book Rec: Mastiff by Tamora Pierce
Having just spent the last three days (and just got back about 30 minutes ago) in the internet-less wasteland of my family's farm, I had time to read a book I got for Christmas, Mastiff by tammypierce.
It's the last book in the latest trio set in the Tortall universe, and as always, I love everything Tortall. I have to say though, this was the very first time I was completely shocked by something. I have laughed and cried and rolled around on my couch over these characters, but this is the first time I'm just. So shocked. Like a Snape Killed Dumbledore level of shocked. If you're into Tortall, definitely pick up Mastiff. If you want a good adventure series, with a Legend of the Seeker the show not the books kind of feel and a focus on strong women, start with Alanna: The First Adventure. You won't be sorry!
Now then, a few thoughts. Most likely no one will care because I think I only have one Tammy fan on my flist, but I need to express them!
Holborn: I was thrown by this at first. I don't know how much I liked that we opened on his funeral, and he never really got any "screen time". But as the book went on, I grew to appreciate the Holborn twist as a character device, and also a means of Tammy doing what she does best: providing role models for young girls. Through Holborn, we get to see that Beka is over Rosto but they're still friends. More importantly, through Beka a younger woman reading this series can see that it's ok to fall out of love, it's ok to call off an engagement. it's normal to feel guilty but not necessary, and it is perfectly alright to find happiness again with someone else. That's something I really like about Tammy - through all of her Tortall heroines, in between the adventure she explores real issues every day girls face, and each heroine has had her own lessons to teach us.
Rosto: I will admit that I was firmly Team Rosto all through Terrier and Bloodhound. I never really liked Dale - he didn't seem like a good fit to me, and something about his character told me he was Beka's version of Cleon. I thought that with this book opening on Rosto being the only friend who Beka talked to about her problems with Holborn, we were heading for a Beka/Rosto ending. I'm not that disappointed though. With Rosto not getting to be in a lot of the last book and this one, it's hard to keep my Team Rosto spirit alive. And then Beka would have to go a little crooked to be with him, and it would be almost too perfect an echo of George and Alanna, and not really work thematically with the way the first book is set up with the George framing device.
And that brings us to Farmer: I was resistant to him at first. A love interest introduced only in the last book? "No," I said. "You don't have time to develop your character enough to make me like you more than Rosto," I said. "You're some sort of Gary Sue," I said. But Master Farmer has completely won my heart! I love him. LOVE HIM. He is everything I like about Numair and George in one character. And he does have flaws - something I also love about Tammy's writing. The characters may have amazing strengths, but they also have weaknesses. Farmer is sometimes annoying. He can't do certain kinds of magic. I was irrationally offended when he acted like Beka might be the traitor for a moment - The never of him, suspecting our Beka! But he's kind, and sneaky and he volunteers to take Beka's name, which is necessary since her name has to stay Cooper for timeline purposes I know, but I loved him for it. And he loves learning and loves teaching and he embroiders.
Prince Gareth: A little too smart for a four year old, even a royal one. Tammy takes care of it by mentioning his tutors say he's unnerving, but I felt like an older child would have fit just as well without the need for him to be a genius. He reminded me a lot of the seer child in Lady Knight. On the other hand, I did supremely enjoy him, and having him as a young genius rather than an older child allowed for his moments of innocence and need for comfort that pulled on the heartstrings. But oh, you guys. My face when he started talking about freeing the slaves, so that no one would be treated as he had been. Just. My face. Something about realizing that this is the king that will free the Tortallan slaves just made my brain have an orgasm. Here I was, thinking this whole time that this particular crossroads of fate when the gods can't interfere (Tammy readers being familiar with the concept) was all about which Conte would carry on the line down to Prince Jonathon, the very first one we met oh so long ago. And then it is so much bigger - this is when the Tortall we first read about is starting to take shape, the Tortall where Alanna is the first Lady Knight in 500 years, where Daine, Numair, Sarge, Tobe, Kel, Neal, Wyldon, Raoul, Thayet, Roald, George, Aly, and everyone live. I'm probably too attached to this world, but I just had goosebumps.
King Roger and Queen Jessamine: I ship it. Hard. Also, lol his nicknames.
Prince Baird: Oh hey! I see what you did there!
The Gentle Mother: I know this religion had to come about so that it could be present in the Tortall we're introduced to in Alanna: The First Adventure, but oh man. Haaate it. And I love that Beka hates it too and that her male companions fully support her hating it and her resolution to keep wearing her guard uniform no matter what Countess Iron Britches said.
Language and Syntax: This is by far the crudest book Tammy's written in this universe, which I think really speaks to Beka's individual voice. Alanna, Kel, and Aly are all nobles. They're rough and tumble nobles, but still nobles. Their speech is more refined, their voices more educated, their sensibilities more delicate - just never ever tell them I said that. Daine is a commoner, but quite young when we first meet her and a country girl not exposed to the lower city like Beka. And by the time Daine is around Beka's age, she's been Numair's apprentice and living in the palace. It was shocking, as a die hard Tammy reader knowing that she avoids curses and modern terms for "shit" etc, but it was what Beka would say. And that made it ok. And even though she's writing mainly for the YA audience, I'm glad Tammy stuck to the character - and that her editors let her!
Sabine: Very excited she's a horse mage. I get excited about Wild Magic. Also, love her so much more now after That Thing and so glad about her reward from the king! She should be gay with Nomella.
Ormer, the Marsh Guide: Does anyone else think he's a Wild Mage? Maybe not Daine the Wild Mage caliber, but perhaps just with the lizards of the marsh? I mean he did have one just hanging out with him. I've decided he's a lizard mage.
The Epilogue: Roooollleeed all over my couch. GEORGE. YEEESSSS. GEORGE. SLKDJFS YEESSS. *ROLLLSSS. LICKS THE PAGES.*
And now, finally, the thing I've been avoiding: Tunstall.
Tunstall.
Tunstall.
I just. I can't. Even right now, I'm still shell shocked. I understand his reasons. I just never thought to see Tunstall turn traitor. Not Tunstall. Not Goodwin. Never. Never ever ever. It's like finding out the world is flat. It was love that drove him to it - he didn't want Sabine to have to lose anything to be with him. I don't think it was greed. Even now, I can't think that of Tunstall. Not after those cool walks in the Lower City, getting extra pies out of the Shadow Snake before they knew who she was. Not after the Bread Riot. Not after being Beka's senior Dog when she was a Puppy, and then her partner. Not after his tiny flowers and being a bad patient and his owl eyes and calling Pounce "hestaka". I just. TUNSTALL.
I thought, when it became apparent that there was a traitor among the party, that it had to be Sabine or Farmer. I didn't want it to be anyone - I loved them all too much to see them turn traitor. But it never seemed a real possibility that it could be Tunstall. I thought maybe it was Farmer and I was being set up for a fall - made to love him only to see him come crashing down, and the Beka/Rosto ending after all. I thought maybe it was Sabine, with her being a noble and with reason to be vexed with the king, if she held a grudge about the whole him trying to sleep with her thing. I wanted it to be Sabine, if it was anyone. It would have hurt the least if it was Sabine.
And then it was Tunstall, and it was like reading Harry Potter and the Halfblood Prince all over again, only this time it's so much worse because unlike Snape, there is no chance that Tunstall will redeem himself. We know he was the traitor, and he's dead, and just to rip whatever was left of my heart out, Beka spoke to his ghost.
And then she had to tell Gershom and Goodwin and I just. SLkdjfsdlks.
I want to remember him as he was, but I suddenly think I'm just going to be sad over him every time I reread Terrier now.
In conclusion: I have a lot of feelings.
Now then, I'm off to fall into bed. Will catch up on replies and things tomorrow!
It's the last book in the latest trio set in the Tortall universe, and as always, I love everything Tortall. I have to say though, this was the very first time I was completely shocked by something. I have laughed and cried and rolled around on my couch over these characters, but this is the first time I'm just. So shocked. Like a Snape Killed Dumbledore level of shocked. If you're into Tortall, definitely pick up Mastiff. If you want a good adventure series, with a Legend of the Seeker the show not the books kind of feel and a focus on strong women, start with Alanna: The First Adventure. You won't be sorry!
Now then, a few thoughts. Most likely no one will care because I think I only have one Tammy fan on my flist, but I need to express them!
Holborn: I was thrown by this at first. I don't know how much I liked that we opened on his funeral, and he never really got any "screen time". But as the book went on, I grew to appreciate the Holborn twist as a character device, and also a means of Tammy doing what she does best: providing role models for young girls. Through Holborn, we get to see that Beka is over Rosto but they're still friends. More importantly, through Beka a younger woman reading this series can see that it's ok to fall out of love, it's ok to call off an engagement. it's normal to feel guilty but not necessary, and it is perfectly alright to find happiness again with someone else. That's something I really like about Tammy - through all of her Tortall heroines, in between the adventure she explores real issues every day girls face, and each heroine has had her own lessons to teach us.
Rosto: I will admit that I was firmly Team Rosto all through Terrier and Bloodhound. I never really liked Dale - he didn't seem like a good fit to me, and something about his character told me he was Beka's version of Cleon. I thought that with this book opening on Rosto being the only friend who Beka talked to about her problems with Holborn, we were heading for a Beka/Rosto ending. I'm not that disappointed though. With Rosto not getting to be in a lot of the last book and this one, it's hard to keep my Team Rosto spirit alive. And then Beka would have to go a little crooked to be with him, and it would be almost too perfect an echo of George and Alanna, and not really work thematically with the way the first book is set up with the George framing device.
And that brings us to Farmer: I was resistant to him at first. A love interest introduced only in the last book? "No," I said. "You don't have time to develop your character enough to make me like you more than Rosto," I said. "You're some sort of Gary Sue," I said. But Master Farmer has completely won my heart! I love him. LOVE HIM. He is everything I like about Numair and George in one character. And he does have flaws - something I also love about Tammy's writing. The characters may have amazing strengths, but they also have weaknesses. Farmer is sometimes annoying. He can't do certain kinds of magic. I was irrationally offended when he acted like Beka might be the traitor for a moment - The never of him, suspecting our Beka! But he's kind, and sneaky and he volunteers to take Beka's name, which is necessary since her name has to stay Cooper for timeline purposes I know, but I loved him for it. And he loves learning and loves teaching and he embroiders.
Prince Gareth: A little too smart for a four year old, even a royal one. Tammy takes care of it by mentioning his tutors say he's unnerving, but I felt like an older child would have fit just as well without the need for him to be a genius. He reminded me a lot of the seer child in Lady Knight. On the other hand, I did supremely enjoy him, and having him as a young genius rather than an older child allowed for his moments of innocence and need for comfort that pulled on the heartstrings. But oh, you guys. My face when he started talking about freeing the slaves, so that no one would be treated as he had been. Just. My face. Something about realizing that this is the king that will free the Tortallan slaves just made my brain have an orgasm. Here I was, thinking this whole time that this particular crossroads of fate when the gods can't interfere (Tammy readers being familiar with the concept) was all about which Conte would carry on the line down to Prince Jonathon, the very first one we met oh so long ago. And then it is so much bigger - this is when the Tortall we first read about is starting to take shape, the Tortall where Alanna is the first Lady Knight in 500 years, where Daine, Numair, Sarge, Tobe, Kel, Neal, Wyldon, Raoul, Thayet, Roald, George, Aly, and everyone live. I'm probably too attached to this world, but I just had goosebumps.
King Roger and Queen Jessamine: I ship it. Hard. Also, lol his nicknames.
Prince Baird: Oh hey! I see what you did there!
The Gentle Mother: I know this religion had to come about so that it could be present in the Tortall we're introduced to in Alanna: The First Adventure, but oh man. Haaate it. And I love that Beka hates it too and that her male companions fully support her hating it and her resolution to keep wearing her guard uniform no matter what Countess Iron Britches said.
Language and Syntax: This is by far the crudest book Tammy's written in this universe, which I think really speaks to Beka's individual voice. Alanna, Kel, and Aly are all nobles. They're rough and tumble nobles, but still nobles. Their speech is more refined, their voices more educated, their sensibilities more delicate - just never ever tell them I said that. Daine is a commoner, but quite young when we first meet her and a country girl not exposed to the lower city like Beka. And by the time Daine is around Beka's age, she's been Numair's apprentice and living in the palace. It was shocking, as a die hard Tammy reader knowing that she avoids curses and modern terms for "shit" etc, but it was what Beka would say. And that made it ok. And even though she's writing mainly for the YA audience, I'm glad Tammy stuck to the character - and that her editors let her!
Sabine: Very excited she's a horse mage. I get excited about Wild Magic. Also, love her so much more now after That Thing and so glad about her reward from the king! She should be gay with Nomella.
Ormer, the Marsh Guide: Does anyone else think he's a Wild Mage? Maybe not Daine the Wild Mage caliber, but perhaps just with the lizards of the marsh? I mean he did have one just hanging out with him. I've decided he's a lizard mage.
The Epilogue: Roooollleeed all over my couch. GEORGE. YEEESSSS. GEORGE. SLKDJFS YEESSS. *ROLLLSSS. LICKS THE PAGES.*
And now, finally, the thing I've been avoiding: Tunstall.
Tunstall.
Tunstall.
I just. I can't. Even right now, I'm still shell shocked. I understand his reasons. I just never thought to see Tunstall turn traitor. Not Tunstall. Not Goodwin. Never. Never ever ever. It's like finding out the world is flat. It was love that drove him to it - he didn't want Sabine to have to lose anything to be with him. I don't think it was greed. Even now, I can't think that of Tunstall. Not after those cool walks in the Lower City, getting extra pies out of the Shadow Snake before they knew who she was. Not after the Bread Riot. Not after being Beka's senior Dog when she was a Puppy, and then her partner. Not after his tiny flowers and being a bad patient and his owl eyes and calling Pounce "hestaka". I just. TUNSTALL.
I thought, when it became apparent that there was a traitor among the party, that it had to be Sabine or Farmer. I didn't want it to be anyone - I loved them all too much to see them turn traitor. But it never seemed a real possibility that it could be Tunstall. I thought maybe it was Farmer and I was being set up for a fall - made to love him only to see him come crashing down, and the Beka/Rosto ending after all. I thought maybe it was Sabine, with her being a noble and with reason to be vexed with the king, if she held a grudge about the whole him trying to sleep with her thing. I wanted it to be Sabine, if it was anyone. It would have hurt the least if it was Sabine.
And then it was Tunstall, and it was like reading Harry Potter and the Halfblood Prince all over again, only this time it's so much worse because unlike Snape, there is no chance that Tunstall will redeem himself. We know he was the traitor, and he's dead, and just to rip whatever was left of my heart out, Beka spoke to his ghost.
And then she had to tell Gershom and Goodwin and I just. SLkdjfsdlks.
I want to remember him as he was, but I suddenly think I'm just going to be sad over him every time I reread Terrier now.
In conclusion: I have a lot of feelings.
Now then, I'm off to fall into bed. Will catch up on replies and things tomorrow!