Street Magic

by Tamora Pierce Narrated by Bruce Coville, Full Cast

Overview

Briar and Rosethorn are in ancient Chammur, where Briar gets involved in a war between street gangs at that same time as he ends up trying to train a young stone mage that he has discovered.

Intrigue, adventure, humor, nastiness, all set against a fascinating culture, this is classic Tamora Pierce.

©2006 Tamora Pierce; (P)2006 Full Cast Audio

Editorial Reviews

School Library Journal

Gr 5-8-In this second book of the quartet, 14-year-old Briar leaves Winding Circle with his teacher Rosethorn to take magical plant lore to farmers and folks in other areas. During an extended stay in Chammur, he meets a young "street rat" named Evvy, who unknowingly possesses strong stone magic. While trying to find a proper mage for her, Briar runs afoul not only of the many street gangs in the city, but of a powerful and evil rich woman as well. Briar, one of the four children featured in "The Circle of Magic" quartet, is a likable, streetwise kid. His magical link with plants is so strong that all green things literally reach out to him as he goes by; even tattoos he created on his hands with vegetable dye tend to take on a life of their own. Evvy's magic isn't explored in as much detail, but readers will still be fascinated by her ability to manipulate rocks and minerals. Lady Zenadia, who manipulates and kills young street gang members, is a much less successful character; her motivation is unclear, which makes every grisly scene with her seem unnecessary and even gratuitous. Chammur, which has the ambience of an ancient Arabic city, makes for a vivid, exotic setting and adds zest to Briar's adventures. A solid addition to this enthralling series.-Eva Mitnick, Los Angeles Public Library Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.

Kirkus Reviews

Pierce (Magic Steps, 2000, etc.) continues to individually develop her quartet of adolescent mages. Former street rat Briar Moss, now 14 and a fully certified Mage, visits the distant city of Chammur with his mentor Rosethorn, in order to use their plant magic to replenish its depleted soil. While sightseeing, Briar discovers the homeless waif Evvy leaking stone magic. Reluctantly tutoring her in the control of her incipient powers, he becomes embroiled in a gang war, as the Vipers, prodded by a bored noblewoman, seek to profit by Evvy's talents. While retaining his most appealing traits-his affectionate bond with plant life, his jaundiced skepticism towards authority, and the prickly sarcasm disguising his deep love for his teacher and foster sisters-Briar also matures through the rewards and frustrations of teaching; and the threat to his protégé forces him to confront his romanticized ambivalence toward his own childhood gang. Strong-willed Evvy is a delightful addition to Pierce's mostly female cast, and the villainous Lady Zenadia oozes serpentine menace. Most fascinating is rose-red Chammur itself, with its timeworn stones, bustling bazaars, dusty rooftop roads, and cool, shaded palaces. Ancient, arid, elegant, sinister, sophisticated, weary, and cruel, Chammur drips with an exotic atmosphere clearly inspired by (if uncomfortably close to stereotyping) classical Arab culture. A must for Pierce's many fans, and a solid choice for those interested in a different take on gangs, faraway lands, or just good imaginative fantasy. (Fiction. 9-14)

Product Details

BN ID:	2940170086528
Publisher:	Full Cast Audio
Publication date:	01/01/2006
Series:	Circle Opens Series , #2
Edition description:	Unabridged
Sales rank:	1,156,864
Age Range:	10 - 13 Years

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