TRICKSTER'S CHOICE

Tamora Pierce provides an adventure-packed ride with a spunky new heroine in the continuation of her Tortall series. Sixteen-year-old Aly is having a hard time "being the daughter of a legend." (Her mother is the first woman knight in Tortall.) After an argument with her parents, Aly impulsively sails off to cool down. Trini Alvarado's pleasing voice adds youthful energy to Aly's escapades. Whether Aly is captured by pirates, sold into slavery, or making deals with trickster gods, Alvarado makes her sound competent and resourceful. Her characterizations are at once winsome and whimsical, neither cloying nor overly sentimental. Alvarado's performance is memorable, as, with wit and wile, Aly learns the language of crows, unravels political intrigues, and discovers her personal power. Pierce's many fans won't be disappointed. S.J.H. (c) AudioFile 2004, Portland, Maine [Published: JUN/ JUL 04]