The Immortals Series Overview

The Immortals by Tamora Pierce

This post will contain spoilers for Wild Magic, Wolf-Speaker, Emperor Mage, and The Realms of the Gods. There will also probably be spoilers for any books earlier or later in the Tortall chronology.

So, I have a little confession to make: I really don't think I actually read The Immortals before. But I also kind of remember at least listening to at least one of the books on a long and trauma-blocked car trip so... yeah. This was an interesting experience, especially as there were little details about The Immortals that I know based on reading Protector of the Small and Daughter of the Lioness... like the existence of Darkings, for example. But yeah, if I read/listened to The Immortals before, I have zero memory of it. So that's fun.

All that said... I feel like The Immortals hangs together a lot better as a series than Song of the Lioness did. There were time-skips and bits of things that happened between the books, but it feels like a much more cohesive whole. Daine's journey from orphaned wild-child to a formidable mage in her own right was pretty smooth and we got to learn how her powers worked along with her. I like knowing the how of magic systems and we definitely got the how.

As I'm thinking back on the series now, Wild Magic mostly fades into the background when thinking of the story as a whole. Daine got accepted into the upper eschelons of Tortallan court? (I'm really not sure what to call it. Jonothan and Thayet's inner circle? Dunno, it's weird) pretty quickly. It was honestly blind luck that landed her there. Not that I can picture her in any other part of Tortall, but yeah... that was hella convenient.

The introduction of Numair was interesting. He fit right in with Alanna, Jonothan, and the rest so quickly I could almost forget he wasn't in Song of the Lioness. I don't really know how well his origin in the currently still-being-written Numair Chronicles is going to fit in, but that's not really a discussion for right now...

It was nice seeing Alanna and Jon again, even if it's from an entirely different perspective. Jon seems to have settled nicely into his role as King. Thayet clearly had a steadying influence on him. Alanna is ever Alanna. It was interesting to see her interact with her kids for the brief amount of time we got. My main experience in that arena is the Daughter of the Lioness duology, where that relationship is strained... but again, this is supposed to be an Immortals Overview.

I think Wolf-Speaker was probably the weakest of the quartet. It did introduce Tkaa and the Immortals who might want to stay peacefully in Tortall as well as cementing Ozorne as the overall Big Bad. I didn't really enjoy it, though Daine's growing abilities were fun to experience with her.

Emperor Mage actually introduced us to Ozorne and politics, though the politics weren't really that strong in Daine's case. She had more to contend with, what with The Graveyard Hag looming in the background. I liked seeing what a more active goddess was capable of. A lot of what actually happens in Emperor Mage happens in the background while Daine's running around with Prince Kaddar.

Finally, The Realms of the Gods. Basically a camping book... without the grueling camping or active warfare that's going on at the same time. We do get a big ol' battle at the end, but most of the book is Daine and Numair traveling mostly unimpeded through the Realms of the gods. It was kind of fun, once they actually landed places... like the Dragonlands. Dragons are always fun and getting independent ones is even more fun. Alas, this was for a brief moment before the last battle, where Ozorne is finally defeated.

I mostly did not feel like Ozorne was much of a threat in either of the books where he actually appears. I mean, sure, he is ultimately the channel for the Goddess of Chaos, but he doesn't actually do much. As Daine rightly points out to him. He schemes behind the scenes and ultimately brings his own downfall upon himself.

Also, The Immortals feels like a bad title for this quartet. There are Immortals in the books and this is where they ostensibly return to Tortall but... it's not really about them. It's about Daine and Daine's journey to at least find the true extent of her powers. Also, a good chunk of the "Immortals" aren't actually immortal so... yeah. Not a great name.

I did enjoy reading The Immortals and hopefully it'll stick itself in my brain this time. I don't really have a whole lot to say about the series as a whole. For all it's hanging together well, it was also very much four different stories about the same person in slightly different parts of her life. It's not bad, just... not very thought provoking, as it were.

Editing Me: I just realized I did not mention Kitten. Like, at all, pretty much ever in any of my reviews for this series or this Overview. Kitten is awesome. I love me a little dragon. It's like having a scaled cat, only... ya know, not as awesome, because cats. Kitten is adorable and magical and I love her.