Circle of Magic
Encyclopedia
Circle of Magic is a quartet of fantasy
novel
s by Tamora Pierce
, set in Emelan
, a fictional realm in a pseudo-medieval
and renaissance
era. It revolves around four young mages
, each specializing in a different kind of magic
, as they learn to control their extraordinary and strong powers and put them to use. It is followed by another quartet, The Circle Opens
, which takes place four years later, and the standalone book The Will of the Empress
, which takes place several years after that.
Fantasy
Fantasy is a genre of fiction that commonly uses magic and other supernatural phenomena as a primary element of plot, theme, or setting. Many works within the genre take place in imaginary worlds where magic is common...
novel
Novel
A novel is a book of long narrative in literary prose. The genre has historical roots both in the fields of the medieval and early modern romance and in the tradition of the novella. The latter supplied the present generic term in the late 18th century....
s by Tamora Pierce
Tamora Pierce
Tamora Pierce is an author of fantasy literature for young adults. She is an alumna of the University of Pennsylvania. Best known for writing stories involving young heroines, she made a name for herself with her first quartet The Song of the Lioness, which followed the main character Alanna...
, set in Emelan
Emelan
Emelan is a fictional realm that provides the main setting of the Circle of Magic quartet by Tamora Pierce, primarily in the capital city of Summersea and the nearby temple of Winding Circle...
, a fictional realm in a pseudo-medieval
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
and renaissance
Renaissance
The Renaissance was a cultural movement that spanned roughly the 14th to the 17th century, beginning in Italy in the Late Middle Ages and later spreading to the rest of Europe. The term is also used more loosely to refer to the historical era, but since the changes of the Renaissance were not...
era. It revolves around four young mages
Magician (fantasy)
A magician, mage, sorcerer, sorceress, wizard, enchanter, enchantress, thaumaturge or a person known under one of many other possible terms is someone who uses or practices magic that derives from supernatural or occult sources...
, each specializing in a different kind of magic
Magic (fantasy)
Magic in fiction is the endowing of fictional characters or objects with magical powers.Such magic often serves as a plot device, the source of magical artifacts and their quests...
, as they learn to control their extraordinary and strong powers and put them to use. It is followed by another quartet, The Circle Opens
The Circle Opens
The Circle Opens is a quartet of novels written by Tamora Pierce and set in a pseudo-medieval/renaissance era. It mainly revolves around four teen-age mages, each specializing in a different kind of magic, as they find that they are forced to deal with mages whose powers are similarly unusual to...
, which takes place four years later, and the standalone book The Will of the Empress
The Will of the Empress
The Will of the Empress, previously titled The Circle Reforged, is a standalone fantasy novel by Tamora Pierce, a continuation of the story of the quartets Circle of Magic and The Circle Opens.-Empress Berenene:...
, which takes place several years after that.
Series
- Sandry's BookSandry's BookSandry's Book, by Tamora Pierce is a fantasy novel set mainly in Emelan. It is the first in a quartet of books: The Circle of Magic, starring four young mages as they discover their magic.-Plot introduction:...
(1997, also published as The Magic in the Weaving) The four recover from their disastrous lives and move to Discipline Cottage. After just starting lessons, the four must spin their magics together to save themselves from disaster.
- Tris's BookTris's BookTris's Book, a fantasy novel by Tamora Pierce, tells the story of four young mages as they battle pirates and become closer than ever.-Plot introduction:...
(1998, also published as The Power in the Storm) Things are finally settling down and the four have become friends. Then, Tris's cousin, Aymery, suddenly enters Winding Circle. When Tris learns that her cousin is working with the pirates, she and her friends must defend their life from a cutthroat band ruled by the sorcerer Enahar and his sister Pauha.
- Daja's BookDaja's Book-Plot introduction:Daja's Book, the third installment in the Circle of Magic quartet by Tamora Pierce, is a young adult fantasy novel. Daja Kisubo, an outcast to her people after she was the lone survivor of her family ship's wreck, and a smith mage in training, travels with her three friends and...
(1998, also published as The Fire in the Forging) On a trip to the north, Daja meets her past: members of the very culture that banished her. A foolish mage fails to stop a forest fire, and it's up to Daja to save the clan that turned her away.
- Briar's BookBriar's BookBriar's Book by Tamora Pierce, is a fantasy novel set in the fictional duchy of Emelan. It is the fourth and final book in the Circle of Magic quartet, starring the four young mages Sandry, Tris, Daja and Briar as they learn to handle powerful magic, form intense bonds of friendship and stand up...
(1999, also published as The Healing in the Vine) A terrible unknown disease, characterized by blue spots all over the body, has fallen over Summersea. Briar, Tris, and Rosethorn are called upon to help find a cure, only to find it has magical origins. Rosethorn falls prey to the Blue Pox, and Briar must find a way to save her before it's too late.
Characters
- Lady Sandrilene fa TorenSandrilene fa TorenLady Sandrilene fa Toren, or Sandry, is a fictional character from Tamora Pierce's quartets The Circle of Magic and The Circle Opens as well as the stand-alone The Will of the Empress. She is described as having light brown hair prone to sun-streaks, bright corn-flower blue eyes and an unusually...
– Also known as Sandry. A girl of noble descent with thread magic and the power to weave magic itself. She is of a noble family in Namorn, a country to the north of Emelan, though she does not consider her estates there to be 'home'. She is the daughter of Count Mattin fer Toren and Countess Amiliane fa Landreg. She is the great-niece of his Grace, Duke Vedris of Emelan and cousin of her Imperial Highness, Empress Berenene of the Namornese Empire.
- Briar MossBriar MossBriar Moss, once known as 'Roach', is a fictional character from Tamora Pierce's quartets Circle of Magic and The Circle Opens as well as the stand-alone The Will of the Empress.Briar is of unknown, multiracial parentage...
– Formerly a street gang thief by the name of Roach. His power is with plants. He bears a scar on his palm from a briar's thorn growing under his uncontrolled power when he was younger, which is how he decided upon his new name when he was given a fresh start. He had two "X" tattoos put on his hands to show he had been caught twice stealing. From the Circle Opens quartet, his hands are tattooed with vine patterns that move and grow around on his skin to hide his "X" tattoos.
- Trisana ChandlerTrisana ChandlerTrisana Chandler, Tris for short, is a character in Tamora Pierce's Circle of Magic and Circle Opens quartets and the book The Will of the Empress. She has curly red hair , gray eyes, and wears spectacles. She believes herself to be fat and is called "Fatty" a few times by some of the series'...
– Also known as Tris, and as 'Coppercurls' by Briar for her mass of red hair. A girl from a merchant family who has rare weather magic and some earth magic. Tris also possesses a sharp mind and a temper that can cause her to release weather accidentally, with devastating effects.
- Daja KisuboDaja KisuboDaja Kisubo is a character in the Circle of Magic and The Circle Opens quartets and the standalone novel The Will of the Empress by Tamora Pierce. She has ambient magic with metal and fire....
– Also known as Daj'. A former sea Trader with control over smithing, orphaned in a terrible accident at sea for which the Trader clan banished her. Daja can also control fire and heat, and has been known to weave fire and metal.
- Dedicate LarkDedicate LarkDedicate Lark is a fictional character in the Circle Of Magic Quartet and The Circle Opens Quartet books, with mentions in The Will of the Empress. She runs Discipline Cottage with the plant mage Dedicate Rosethorn, who some believe is her lover, in the Winding Circle temple complex, in Emelan...
– Lark, who has thread magic, is Sandry's teacher at Winding Circle. She runs the cottage at Winding Circle known as Discipline. Lark is also considered a Great Mage at Winding Circle Temple, her magic being with thread and spinning. She is the four young mages' foster-mother when they are moved into Discipline.
- Dedicate Rosethorn – Rosethorn, with plant magic, is Briar's teacher at Winding Circle. Rosethorn is also a Great Mage, and is tart-tongued. The four youngsters know very well to stay out of her way, but they also consider her a foster-mother.
- Niklaren GoldeyeNiklaren GoldeyeNiklaren "Niko" Goldeye is a character of Tamora Pierce's creation, who appears in The Circle of Magic quartet and in Shatterglass of the The Circle Opens quartet, although he is mentioned in all four books of both quartets....
– Also known as Niko. He is a great mage with Academic magic. His speciality is magic with vision. He is Tris's main instructor. He has been called the Greatest Vision mage of his day.
- Dedicate Frostpine – A blacksmith mage who teaches Daja. His powers are unrivaled by any mage of his kind in the era.
- Dedicate Initiate Crane - A rival of Rosethorn who helps to clear the bluepox plague in Briar's Book. Briar stole his first shakkan (miniature tree used for storing magic) from Dedicate Crane.