"Wild Magic" -Tamora Pierce

I am not a big fantasy reader. I almost didn't read this book. But for various reasons, mostly because it's a quick read, I did...and I am glad for it.

Wild Magic is book 1 in the series "The Immortals" by Tamora Pierce and it was good! Daine has the gift of speaking to and understanding animals. While she travels, this skill helps her and her companions (friends, soldiers, sorcerer, & king) avoid danger and death. When foreign kingdoms attack, Daine helps protect her kingdom and discovers her place in the world.

Pierce uses good imagery and exciting battle sequences to tell her story. Daine is a good character who grows throughout the story but suffers her share of fear and failure, which only helps the story's depth.

Read Also:

(I've been waiting to tout this series) Scott Westerfeld's Leviathan sci/fi series is about a Europe with animals playing a much bigger role.

Lloyd Alexander's Chronicles of Prydain fantasy series