The Song of the Lioness

Noblewoman Alanna of Trebond, disguised as the boy "Alan", exchanges places with her twin brother Thom, to go to the royal palace in the city of Corus to train for knighthood, while Thom studies magic.[1] Throughout the four novels Alanna struggles with her gender identity, as well as going through puberty and bullying. Alanna befriends characters of a wide background during the quartet including George, the commoner king of the thieves; the scholar Sir Myles of Olau; senior students Gareth (Gary) of Naxen, Raoul of Goldenlake, and Prince Jonathan of Conté; Princess Thayet of Sarain; Liam Ironarm, a martial-arts champion; and Buriram (Buri) Tourakom, Thayet's bodyguard. Her principal rivals are classmate Ralon of Malven and Jonathan's kinsman Duke Roger.

In the second volume, Alanna also acquires the magical cat "Faithful", who accompanies her thereafter. (Faithful is hinted to be an immortal, but his origins remain unknown.)[2] Because of her double identity as a girl masquerading as a boy, small size, magic, and impatience, Alanna often questions her own character. In the third book, she becomes an honorary member of the "Bazhir", a Bedouin-like ethnicity, and gains acceptance as a warrior, mage and a woman.[3] In the final volume, Alanna becomes King's Champion to Jonathan and Baroness of the coastal estate Pirate's Swoop, following her marriage to George Cooper, newly minted Baron of Pirate's Swoop.[4]

• Alanna of Trebond: The protagonist of the series: a noble-born, stubborn tomboy with bright, violet eyes and a wicked temper, but capable of earning loyalty and friendship. She is the first female knight in centuries in the land of Tortall, after disguising herself as a boy throughout her training.
• Thom of Trebond: Alanna's twin: a powerful magician, but often arrogant and prideful. Fellow-conspirator in creating 'Alan', Alanna's alter-ego. Throughout the novels Thom and Alanna exchange letters regarding Duke Roger of Conté. Thom becomes the youngest Master of the Mithran Light at the age of eighteen during In the Hand of the Goddess. Thom was convinced by Delia of Eldorne to raise Roger from the dead. While bringing Roger back to life was successful, Roger eventually drained Thom's magic, resulting in Thom's death.
• Coram Smythesson: Alanna's bodyguard, loyal servant, and lifelong caretaker; a former soldier and Alanna's fellow conspirator in hiding her true gender. He later marries Rispah, George's cousin and part of the Corus criminal underworld, and is given the fief of Trebond by Alanna.
• George Cooper: A clairvoyant thief, trickster, and fighter who controls the capital city's criminal population as the King of Thieves; Alanna's friend, and periodically her lover; ultimately commissioned 'Baron of Pirate's Swoop' by King Jonathan, and (at the end of the last volume) married to Alanna.
• Rispah Cooper: George's cousin and assistant, head of the Corus flower sellers; later Coram's wife; cheerful, decisive, and compassionate.
• Jonathan of Conté: The crown prince of the kingdom Tortall; a ring-leader among the students trained in the capital. Alanna's friend, sponsor, and periodic lover; also an ally cultivated by George. Intelligent, handsome, charismatic, and decisive.
• Gareth of Naxen the Younger (Gary): Jonathan's unofficial second-in-command among the students; a whimsical and sharp-tongued but intelligent character, and Alanna's closest friend. Gary is the son of Duke Gareth the Elder, who is in charge of page and squire training.
• Raoul of Goldenlake: A fellow-student of Jonathan and Gary's; Alanna's friend; large, taciturn, and shy.
• Alex of Tirragen: A fellow-student of Alanna's; at first Alanna's friend, but later her rival after he becomes squire to Duke Roger of Conté. Slain by her in the final book.
• Ralon of Malven: A fellow-student of Jonathan's. Established a spiteful rivalry with Alanna, and left the palace in shame after she beat him in a fight. He later became involved with the Court of the Rogue under the name 'Claw,' and was eventually slain by George Cooper.
• Thayet jian Wilima (Later Thayet the Peerless or Thayet of Conté): An exiled Saren princess befriended by Alanna; later married to Jonathan; a deft horsewoman and archer. Graceful, intelligent, confident, and compassionate. Regarded as the most beautiful woman in the world.
• Buriram Tourakom (Buri): Thayet's fiercely loyal bodyguard; later Raoul's amorous interest during the (Protector of the Small series), and wife (in the Daughter of the Lioness Series.)
• Liam Ironarm: A martial-arts champion, called the Shang Dragon, who attaches himself to Alanna, alternately as lover and instructor. Slain by her enemies defending the Tortallan crown.
• Duke Roger of Conté: Prince Jonathan's cousin and would-be usurper: suspected by Alanna in the first book, killed by her in the second, absent from the third, and resurrected in the fourth, wherein he is again killed by Alanna.

1. Alanna: The First Adventure
2. In the Hand of the Goddess
3. The Woman Who Rides Like a Man
4. Lioness Rampant

• Margaret Edwards Award (The Song of the Lioness quartet)
• Alanna: The First Adventure
• Children's Book of the Month Club
• 17th Annual New Jersey Writers Conference
• Recommended Fantasy List- YA division of the American Library Association
• Popular Paperbacks for Young Adults- Young Adult Library Services Association

American author Tamora Pierce published Alanna: The First Adventure, the first book in The Song of the Lioness quartet, in 1983. Tamora Pierce is said to have turned to writing at a young age as a means of escape from a troubled family life. Pierce drew much of her inspiration from other fantasy series such as The Lord of the Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien. Pierce set out to not only create an epic fantasy adventure, but to populate it with a strong female protagonist. Pierce saw the need for a female protagonist in the significant lacking of such heroes in the fantasy novels she enjoyed as a child, often stating that she wrote what she as a young-adult would have enjoyed. Originally, Pierce had written her acclaimed quartet as a single adult novel but, following editorial advice, rewrote it into the now famous young-adult fantasy series. Pierce has said that she based the character of Alanna on her sister.[9][10]

Pierce's book has been selected Recommended Fantasy List in June 1991, Popular Paperbacks for Young Adults in 2003 and Young Adult Library Services Association by YALSA. Her book has also been nominated South Carolina Children's Book Awards from 1985 to 1986. She has won Bookworm's Prize by ZDF Schüler-Express.[11]

Alanna: The First Adventure, was first published in 1983 by Atheneum Books, and then Random House Inc. The following books were published in 1984, 1986, and 1988, respectively. The series started out as a 732-page novel titled the Song of the Lioness, but her editor, Jean Karl, thought parts were too inappropriate for children and Tamora Pierce edited it into the present series.