Powerful and gripping themes from Pierce
"Lady Knight," the final installment in Tamora Pierce's Protector of the Small quartet, far surpasses the preceding volumes in depth, complexity, and stakes. While the series' "hero's task" revealed itself late in the series, it does not feel crammed or rushed at all. A great deal of the book is spent focusing on Kel's frustration; her assignment during the Scanran war is to run a refugee camp, which seems to her completely at odds with the task set her by the god-like being which is the Chamber of the Ordeal. It has ordered her to stop the enemy mage responsible for horrific acts of necromancy. She's the only knight she knows of to have ever been set on a specific mission by the Chamber, and the abhorrent nature of the mage's deeds pull at her sense of justice with every breath she takes. It is to Pierce's credit that it is not immediately obvious just how entangled her two missions are. More obvious are Pierce's intense emotions and opinions on war and the dignity of life. This is a great novel for young adults that deals with difficult situations and themes. Highly recommended.
