Briar's Book (Circle of Magic Series #4) by Tamora Pierce

From the Publisher

The stunning conclusion to the Circle of Magic quartet finds the young mages Sandry, Daja, Tris, and Briar facing their greatest challenge yet—a devastating plague that is sweeping Emelan.

The ALAN Review

Former "street rat" Briar Moss grows into a fine mage-in-training under the caring tutelage of Rosethorn. However, when a mysterious illness quickly sweeps through the city of Summersea all of their herbal remedies and even their magic proves ineffective. The plot of this fantasy novel reads in part like a medical mystery as the apprentice mages race with their masters to develop a cure before more lives are lost, including the infected Rosethorn. The author deftly creates a fantastical world while weaving in drama that seems all too realistic for our day and age. Young people growing up in the age of AIDS (as well as other illnesses) can find much to relate to in this tale of a dangerous plague. This extremely well written fantasy offers much more than simple escapism.

VOYA

It has been almost a year since Briar, Tris, Sandry, and Daja came to live at Winding Circle Temple. In that time they have learned a great deal about themselves and the magic they all hold. By combining their talents, the four have overcome earthquakes, raiders, and forest fire. In this fourth and final volume in the Circle of Magic series, it is Briar's turn to feature as the main protagonist as he and his friends face yet another even more threatening foe: plague. Even the most powerful healers in the kingdom have never seen this plague before. Briar and his guardian, Rosethorn, are enlisted to help in distilling the essence of the pox from hundreds of patient samples in hopes of finding an antidote. Even though utmost care is taken, Rosethorn is accidentally exposed to the pox. When she comes down with the plague, everyone, especially Briar, is devastated. Rosethorn has been the anchor in Briar's life ever since he came to Winding Circle. When she succumbs to the disease, Briar is determined to bring her back. Magically, he anchors his essence in the world of the living and crosses over into the world of the dead. Without Tris, Sandry, and Daja to hold onto him, Briar would also be lost, but with their help he is ultimately able to find Rosethorn and convince her to return. Pierce continues to put forth excellent work. Her detailed settings are fascinating, and her knack for establishing powerful relationships between her characters is unrivaled. A book about the intricacies of a plague has the potential to be tedious, but that never happens here. Readers will be drawn in from the very first, in this satisfying ending to an excellent series. VOYA Codes: 5Q 5P M J S (Hard to imagine it being better written, Every YA (who reads) was dying to read it yesterday, Middle School-defined as grades 6 to 8, Junior High-defined as grades 7 to 9 and Senior High-defined as grades 10 to 12).

School Library Journal

Gr 5-8-In the fourth book of Tamora Pierce's series (Scholastic, 1999), we follow the continuing adventures of four young mages in training: Tris, Sandry, Daja, and Briar. Each has a different magical talent, and Briar's is his ability to tap into the life energy of plants. The story begins with Briar's discovery that Flick, a friend from his past as a street urchin, has contracted an unusual illness. The disease spreads and before long becomes a plague. When Briar's beloved teacher, Rosethorn, contracts the illness, it becomes a race against time as Briar and the others struggle to find a cure. The author serves as narrator and the story is fleshed out with the many voices of a full cast production. Pierce reads her work in a slow and serious tone appropriate to the story, but some listeners might become frustrated with the pace. The other voice actors do their parts justice, but occasionally sound forced as they tackle some of Pierce's dialogue. As listeners are drawn into the production and caught up in the tension of the story, however, these minor problems become unimportant. The story stands well enough on its own for those unfamiliar with the previous titles in the series, but the emotional stakes are raised for those already acquainted with Briar. A good addition for audiobook collections, particularly those with the previous titles already on their shelves.-Jenna Innes, Grande Prairie Public Library, Alberta, Canada Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.

Locus

...[A] powerful, believable account of a plague, its early spread and the desperate search for a cure using both magic and scientific methods.

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Product Details

• ISBN: 0590554115
  
• ISBN-13: 9780590554114
• Format: Mass Market Paperback, 258pp
• Publisher: Scholastic, Inc.
• Pub. Date: March 2000
• Edition Description: 1ST
• Sales Rank: 18,616
• Age Range: Young Adult
• Series: Circle of Magic Universe Series, #4

• Table of Contents

Table of Contents