Let’s Read Good Books

My Thoughts:

May contain spoilers

Oddly enough, First Test popped up in an alert from the library. I don’t follow Tamora Pierce at the library, and it’s been a while since I read the Alanna books, but you can bet that I hit the borrow button faster than you can say, “Why the heck not?”

Keladry is the first girl who applies to be a page after King Jonathon struck down the prohibition against women knights. Lord Wyldon, the training master, doesn’t think the training grounds are any place for a female. He accepts her on a probationary basis only, fully expecting her to fail and be sent home. The older pages are also violently opposed to Kel’s presence, and the boldest among them try to make Kel’s life a living hell.

My trip back to Tortall quickly reminded me why I enjoy Pierce’s books so much. Kel shares many of the qualities that made Alanna such a compelling character. She’s noble, determined, fierce. She despises anyone who bullies anything smaller and weaker than themselves, and quickly jumps to the defense of other first year pages when Joren and his friends take their hazing too far. Many brawls ensure, and I loved Kel’s tenacity. Even when she knew she was going to get worse than she gave, she still came to the defense of her fellow pages, whether they wanted the assistance or not.

While I enjoyed this graphic novel quite a bit, I felt that I was missing a lot of detail and nuisance from the story. The GN tells an engrossing story about a tough, principled girl who believes to her core in justice, but I wanted more. I guess what I want now is to read the novel, and see how it compares. I’m not faulting the graphic novel in any way for making me want to read the Protector of the Small series. I commend it for finally getting me to pick up a Tortall book again.

This is a full color graphic novel with well thought out pages that easily flow from one panel to the next. There’s a lot of variety in panel placement, and as the GN follows the seasons from fall to spring, the predominate colors also follow the seasons. The art didn’t blow me away, but it wasn’t a turn off, either. I liked the character designs and thought the action sequences conveyed an exciting sense of motion.

I enjoyed the First Test graphic novel adaptation, and thought the story aged well. Originally published in 1999, the story resonated with me, and Kel, heroic and protector of all weak, helpless creatures, is still a compelling character.

Rating: 4.75 stars

About the Book:

First Test Graphic Novel

Tamora Pierce, Becca Farrow, Devin Grayson

eBook, borrowed from my local library