Not a book I would actively recommend. While the description sounded good, I felt like the plot didn't live up to the summary. The characters were also not fully developed.

An exciting return to the world of Tortall through a favorite old character. Numair is fascinating and the development of his life is very interesting to watch!

Definitely recommend this book but it was very much a book 1. There was a lot of back story, atmosphere, and daily life of our protagonist, Arram, and his friends which is important in a good series, but the reader does not get much real action until the last third of the book. Patience is important in this book but I’m pretty confident it will pay off.

Another excellent book by Tamora Pierce. I did not care for adult Numair, so I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this book.

This was my first and last experience with Tamora Pierce, and I'm sad about it. Don't get me wrong. The writing was good, the pacing was just slow. I think Tomara must be an acquired taste because I know so many people who swear by everything she writes. Devout fans of work would probably love this, but for a newbie like me I just wasn't a fan. Maybe if I started her earlier works and read my way through them all and read the series that this book is a spin-off of and fully immersed myself in her writing, I'd love this. But I just don't feel like it. lol. I can see why people love this, but it's not for me.

I was really excited for this book - the relationship between these characters play such an important role in earlier books and I wanted to know more of that backstory. I didn't find the backstory really believable, unfortunately. I could see Ozorne as kind of a kid-Malfoy, but Numair just didn't ring true for me. I found him too naive.

This one got a rare DNF - it just wasn't one for me.

I've never read <i>Wild Magic</i> (the series to which this is a prequel) before, thought I did tear through the Emelan Circle of Magic series in my youth. It also wasn't for me, though I do think Tamora Pierce has a way with systems of magic.

The problem with that in <i>Tempests and Slaughter</i> was that it didn't seem to be going anywhere. Arram Draper is endlessly curious, and the first half of the book (as far as I got) is just about him learning magic. Which, okay. I dug Harry Potter as much as anyone, but Harry spent each book not just learning, but solving mysteries.

Maybe someday I'll come back to Tamora Pierce and change my mind, since so many readers I respect adore her work. Then again, life is too short to read books you don't enjoy!

Received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Tempests and Slaughter is the story of a young student named Arram, who arrives at the School for Mages at the Imperial University in Carthak and is the youngest student to be accepted there. He has a lot of magical ability and it both sets him apart but also earns him a place there. He quickly makes two friends - Ozorne - an Imperial Prince, and Varice who is quite young as well.

While learning with the Masters, Arram also gains the notice of the gods which is not necessarily a blessing. Suddenly he is finding himself in some interesting situations like taking custody of a Sunbird who soon becomes his companion. While Arram is dealing with his own issues, we find Ozorne becoming closer and closer to the throne as the heirs before him seem to find themselves dead.

I really enjoyed this novel as young Arram starts to become a man and it is definitely addressed in this book as he hits puberty and finds himself in some uncomfortable situations. I was a little shocked by all the moments in this book but it is fitting, showing his youth compared to those of his classmates.

A lot happens in this book and the end makes me want more. There's definitely a lot more that will happen to this trio of friends and I cannot wait to read more.

This was my first Tamora Pierce book that certainly did not disappoint.

Tempests and Slaughter certainly lived up to the high expectations and I was whisked away into the magical and its wonderful world. The characters were really likeable and had characteristics which stuck with me as the time went past in the novel.

The writing style was simple yet told with a clarity that is perfect for readers of all ages despite the Middle-Grade feel to the book. The teachers (known as Masters) in the novel brought so much more into the story and world building.

Like most young protagonists, Arram is first introduced to us as a 10-year-old boy who soon comes into the knowledge of his interesting yet powerful Gift. As the years went by throughout the novel, we got to see the struggles and learning journey that Arram faced with themes of determination, failure, love and friendship.

The relationship between Arram, Varice and Ozorne was a friendship that I admired as they were able to form a strong and familial bond with one another. They sparked feelings in me that I had not felt since I read the Harry Potter novels and have a bond that strikes me as unique and will last a lifetime.

This will definitely not be my last Tamora Pierce book and I am looking forward to reading more of her renowned books!

It's been a long while since I first read Tamora Pierce's book, Alanna: the First Adventure, which I remember enjoying. Since then, I hadn't read more of her books, even though she was becoming a leading YA fantasy writer. When I read Tempests and Slaughter", I realized what I've been missing. Her world-building is detailed and realistic; her characters have depth. This first in a series is episodic, with the focus on following Arram Draper through his first years studying to be a mage and less on action. While there is no cliffhanger ending, I do hope some loose plot strands will be cleared up in the future. Recommended for teens who aren't ready for "Game of Thrones" or those who prefer character-driven fantasy.

Young Arram Draper is the youngest student in his class at the Imperial University of Carthak. Unfortunately he also has a knack for attracting trouble, including the attention of a mischievous god named Enzi. Luckily he has his two best friends, Varice, and Prince Ozorne to help get him out of trouble when necessary. As Ozorne’s family members start getting killed, however, Ozorne finds himself a lot closer to ruling than being a spare prince. As loyalties are tried and their friendship gets tested, can the three remain friends? What is happening to Ozorne’s family? The chaacters in thie book are clever, engaging, flawed, and humorous. Their dynamics are believable, easily draw the reader into the story, and paint a greater picture for the reader with regards to Pierce’s series. The plot is full of twists and turns and will delightfully frustrate readers into wanting to keep reading. Fans or newcomers to the series who enjoy fantasy adventure will enjoy reading this book

i received an advance reader copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

i was not positive how i would feel about this. i LOVE Numair in the Daine books but having to go back and visit his childhood felt....unnecessary? but now that i've read it i can't believe it hasn't always existed and i love it so much. i can't wait for the next one. i want to read more about Numair growing up and his friendships with Varice and Ozorne and the Masters. i also want to go back and re-read the Daine books again. AGAIN. I just reread them last year. maybe just Emperor Mage.

anyway, it's very harry potter-esque with Numair (here known as Arran) going to classes and having his schedule at the beginning of chapters and making friends and enemies and having wet dreams and conversations about his "member" (that may have been a little too much for me, honestly). his teachers are all very interesting and you see him being really interested already in wild magic, gods, and ending slavery. even knowing how things turn out with his "friends" you still can't help but enjoy seeing him HAVE friends and be a kid.

can't wait for the sequel! bravo to tamora pierce for writing another excellent series about beloved characters in the tortall world.

I could not WAIT to read this one! I got to meet Tamora in person and hear her talk about her writing career. It got me even more motivated and excited to read this book! I got a signed copy of her as well after getting to read this netgalley copy! Tamora is an amazing fantasy writer and this is an enthralling start to an amazing series!

I can't tell you how incredibly happy I am to have another Tortall book again! My 12yo self cannot contain her bliss. Tamora Pierce is my absolute favorite YA high fantasy author from my own childhood/teen years. (My favorite adult? Mercedes Lackey's Valdemar series.) I can remember trips to the library where I would stalk her section to see if anything new had come out. (This was pre-internet/computers for me. I had no other way of knowing when things were published or in the works.)

I've been trying to remember all the details about Numair, but honestly, I came to this pretty fresh. It's been years since I re-read them, and I don't have the time (motherhood!) though I would've loved to. I own ALL of them!

Here, we meet Numair, a.k.a. Arram Draper, when he is a young tween and follow him as he grows into his young teen years.. He's basically the runt of his magic school due to his age, and even more so after he inadvertently floods a classroom during a lesson and is promoted to study with the advanced masters. He joins a small group of other gifted students who are younger than average, Varice Kingsford and Ozorne Tasikhe, one of the Emperor of Carthak's youngest sons. The trio form a fast bond since they're all rather unusual: Ozorne for his status and study of war magic, Varice for her beauty and likability and talent with cookery magic, and Arram for his depth of power relative to his youth.

At the very beginning of this novel, Arram accidentally falls into a parade of gladiators before their battle and is rescued by Musenda, one of the best gladiators. Arram has a great aversion to the blood sport, especially after he watches a fierce female warrior butchered during this first event. This theme continues throughout the book and relates to other themes of slavery and racism, as Ozorne has a blood feud with the tribe of people who murdered his father, who incidentally was leading the military against an insurrection.

Other undercurrents throughout the book deal with the gods and misuse of power, as in Arram's training, he learns to care for the river-life. Through this, he becomes favored by the crocodile god Enzi and looks after a divine sunbird called Preet that Enzi stole from Mithros. It's impossible not to love Preet and Enzi, as Pierce's non-human characters are always believable and fully realized. Though Arram has an extraordinary amount of power, his affinity leads him to life-preserving and life-respecting types of magic, -- so healing and wild magic, though the majority of the University doesn't respect wild magic as such; all of which contrasts greatly to Ozorne's instruction in war magic though Ozorne does also have a passion for animal care with Master Lindhall (recognize this name, readers of the Immortals series?). This opposition, I expect, will have a much bigger impact in the next novel, but for now, Arram's care leads him to cross paths with a serial murderer, one that might even be aiming to put Ozorne on the Emperor's throne. And since Ozorne's one of the only friends Arram has, he is determined to find out who is behind it all...

I couldn't put this book down! I loved reading about the magic school and Arram's learning. It's really hard to call him Arram now and not Numair as we know him. It's also very different to find Arram/Numair as a kid who has low self-confidence, is vulnerable, and very shy versus his adult counterpart who is, well, not. Very interesting to be viewing the backwards character building. Still, it's endearing to get into Arram's head and watch the process of growing into his Numair persona. Plus, this is one of the few times in Pierce's books that we deal with explanations of puberty from a boy's perspective.

However, there are few things that could be problematic for readers and long-time fans in this novel. 1) This is a highly anticipated story and done in reverse order than many of her other stories. Also, Pierce hasn't really written many boy characters and so far, none in the realm of Tortall (except a Nawat short story, if I can remember correctly). This is her first real young guy character from Tortall, and he's beloved as an older character. So, does she get this character building right?

2) New readers and old readers have differing expectations. Old readers are looking for Pierce to cover how he grows up in Carthak and gets exiled for some crime, has a romance with Varice that ends badly-ish, and all of this drives him to Tortall with a reputation as one of the most powerful black robe mages. New readers are looking for more explanation and easier understanding as they don't have the Tortall tapestry of stories to rely upon.

Here, I thought Pierce did her expected character building, taking a very young preteen Arram and having him learn, mature a bit, and then by throwing a problem at him that he is a key part of solving. Sure, the problem seems to be much more in-depth than ones Keladry or Alanna faced at the same relative age (bandits? a case of magical possession?) but when considering Arram's "go-big or go-home" talent, it's plausible. The one thing other reviewers have pointed out is that this book goes fairly slow, both for new readers to stay patient with all the extra details, and the long-time fans to get antsy for answers to the details we do know about Numair -- none of which are answered in this book, which is frustrating. Therefore with only a second book expected, fans are worried that it will be a LOT to cram into the next book. We'll have to see, but I think she'll have to write a third though that does not seem to be the plan. I'm anxiously anticipating the next to find out what she does with all of these loose ends, though there's been no official pub date yet, but the second is tentatively set for 2019. What did you think of this prequel to Numair?

Tempests and Slaughter by Tamora Pierce, 465 pages, read by Angie, on 04/28/2018

Tempests and Slaughter
Posted on May 7, 2018 by Angie

I can’t believe I am saying this, but I seriously thought about not finishing a Tamora Pierce book. I love her earlier books and was excited to read Numair’s backstory, but it is BORING! Seriously BORING. This book could have been much shorter with a heck of a lot less about how Arram is basically the most powerful mage at the youngest age…so the chosen one. I did plow through to the end with a lot of skimming, but I doubt I will read the rest of this series. I have read the Immortals series so I know how these characters turn out, but I am finding I really could care less how they get there at this point. There are way too many similar passages about Arram’s classes and what his schedule is each semester. This could have really been a 200 page book and nothing would have changed.

And for someone who writes such strong female characters why is Varice so typically female? Her magic is all cookery and she keeps talking about kitchen magic and hedgewitchery which do not get the same respect as other magics. She also keeps going all girly over men and waits on the males like she is subservient to them. It is driving me batty!

It's SO FUN to be back in Tamora Pierce's Tortall universe. Her books in this world have given me incalculable joy throughout pretty much my whole life, and I was so psyched to finally read a new one. Reading her writing is like putting on a well-worn and well-fitting glove. This foray was a little different in that its central character isn't a girl, but I suppose you can get one every few decades that focuses on a boy. It was neat to see all the little seeds being sown for the eventual outcome I already know about, since this is a prequel. As always, her characters (especially the animals!) are compelling and relatable.

I came to reading teen fantasy fairly late, so unfortunately I did not grow up with Tamora Pierce's books. That being said, I thoroughly enjoyed this story as a stand alone. I did not feel that anything was missing, or if it was it was going way over my head. I was pulled in from the very beginning because the world is so clearly defined and filled with a lot of possibility. I see myself recommending this book to both my teenage patrons as well as adults either looking to visit their childhood stories or looking for a new fantasy adventure.

Another great addition to Pierce's Tortall series. Fans, both new and old, of this world will devour this new book.

Arram Draper is eleven years old, and there’s more magic in him than he knows. The teachers in his Carthaki school can be strict, so when he accidentally floods his classroom performing what should have been a simple spell, he expects to be expelled and sent home to his cloth-merchant family in shame. Instead, his sudden loss of control is seen for what it truly is: A very powerful Gift, in a mage just beginning to come into his own. He’s moved into more advanced classes, and into a dormitory that he shares with one other boy—who happens to be Ozorne, the “leftover prince” of Carthak.

Arram falls in with Ozorne and Ozorne’s friend Varice, and as their classes continue, their friendship grows. Arram learns how to use his magic to help people, even as he grows more troubled by Carthak’s laws protecting slavery and the violent gladiator games. Meanwhile, Ozorne—never meant to be the kingdom’s heir—begins rising in the succession line after a series of tragic accidents befall the other heirs. Add in Arram’s burgeoning feelings for Varice, a few meddlesome deities, and a disguised sunbird stolen from the realms of the gods, and Arram is in for some very interesting studies, indeed.

While Tempests and Slaughter will be enjoyable for any tween or teen fan of fantasy, those who are already familiar with Tamora Pierce’s Tortall stories will find even more to love. Readers familiar with the Wild Magic quartet know Arram as Numair Salmalin, a grown mage of incredible power—and the young Ozorne that they find on the pages here might be difficult to reconcile with the Ozorne they know. The prequel is full of delightful dramatic irony and “guest stars” that provide an added bonus for fans, and readers will eagerly look forward to the next installment in the series.

I first read a Tamora Pierce book over 15 years ago. I adored her Tortall series --especially Kel and Aly's books, and they all imbued within me #girlpower. From Alanna, I learned to not let gender expectations keep me "in my place" as a female. From Daine, I learned to treasure what makes me different and special. From Kel, I learned that dedication and hard work are so vital to success. And from Aly, I learned even the smallest and most "insignificant" people are important and worthy of love.

I shipped characters before "shipping" was a term. I was in a fandom when it pretty much was exclusive to Star Wars, Trekkies, and Potterheads. I was obsessed with these books that showed me that girls kick butt, whether they have a sword in their hand or not.

As such, I was ecstatic when I heard the long foretold Numair series was finally going to have its first book published! I even secured an eARC on Netgalley. But as I reflected on how much of my strength I owe to Tammy, I grew nervous. I was anxious that I wasn't going to like it the way I didn't enjoy the Beka Cooper series. I was worried that the #girlpower that was vital to middle and high school me would be made irrelevant with a male protagonist. That really worried me as I have made #girlpower books --or even just female protagonists and female authors-- an important aspect of my reading habits.

And, yes, the #girlpower that was so central to my love of the Tortall books is missing in Tempest and Slaughter. However, that is to be expected since Arram is a male protagonist. When I was able to put aside my preference for female protagonists, I found that I really enjoyed Arram's tale. AND, like Tammy does with girls and periods and puberty, she addresses male puberty in Tempests and Slaughter. So, that bildungsroman aspect of Tammy's books is still present.

The only real downside is that the pacing is weird. Not the plot dynamics pacing, but the moving forward of chronological time pacing. I thought Arram was closer to 15 or 16 when the story reminds readers that he's only 13. And the time denotations are not evenly spaced at all. I'd prefer them to be stated more like parts within the story as a whole (i.e. Part I: Third-Year Student at the Lower Academy, Fall 435 - Spring 436; Part II: Fourth-Year Student at that Lower Academy, Summer 436). Since I have an eARC, perhaps that pacing has been amended.

Either way, I highly recommend Tempests and Slaughter for fans of Tammy. You won't be disappointed!