The Woman Who Rides Like a Man Song of the Lioness: Book 3

Stupid Thom, Arrogant Jon, Why do your names have to rhyme? I feel like I just bit a lime. Wow, I am REALLY lame.

Posting the same comments as I did for the first book in this series: Was shocked by how terrible the writing in this first series is, given how much I liked her later series, Protector of the Small. One issue was bad pacing. Another was a lack of foreshadowing of key plot points. Usually when there is a reveal of some mystery at the end of a story, you get that "Oh! I should have seen that coming!" moment. But in this story, that doesn't happen, because there were no clues ahead of time. It makes the characters' actions along the way seem nonsensical.

My least favorite of the series so far. Alanna is such a fierce woman, though…I wish I had found this series when I was younger!

Don’t get me wrong - this is a great book! It’s just in comparison that it fails to deliver. Feeling much like a filler-episode of an epic tv show, this book still has all the ingredients of its prior installments. Well written characters, humor, magic and adventure. Just not *as much*. This book chronicles the first year following Alanna’s becoming a knight. Her first year out on her own and out of the palace in the capital. The new scenery is beautifully imagined and the Bazhir, the people of the desert, have an intriguing system of beliefs and magic themselves. Her time spent with them and their culture also teaches Alanna about herself and about being a woman and accepting and embracing those parts of her. She grows as a person and her emotional and psychological development in general is impeccable. But that’s kind of it. The main struggle of you really want to call it that pales in comparison to the first two books. It very much acts as a set up for the finale but it could have been more. Again character development and personal growth is great to see in main characters (especially as they most often are not given the time to do so) but as the main source of conflict came from not wanting to marry at 19 yet (which is great to see and read!) it could have used some more hrrrumph plot-wise. Still - a very enjoyable read for all that have come to like and love these characters. 👍🏻 . (Slight plot spoiler coming up!) . PS - I also kind of wish that the thing with Jonathan and was handled more ... dignified(?) the fighting and change in character seemed to come out of nowhere... even if it is explained with the fact that Alanna had until then acted as a source of criticism which went away as she did and thus he indulged in the unfiltered adoration and worship of his position but Jon in books 1 and 2 was so likable so ‘good’ that the two versions seem hard to reconcile (I guess everyone has to grow up...) - also slightly #problematic making the northern king the one solution to unify the people by making him the spiritual leader of all the tribes (?) maybe... but it does make the most political sense and in fact the Bazhir leader WANTED Jon to take over ... and the ceremony itself assures he Weill honor them and their beliefs and customs, essentially making him their instrument as he can not disregard them even if he wanted to but still... . (Even MORE of a spoiler coming up!!) . But like I know that Jon from book 4 and from the sequel series is a great man a wonderful king and leader to all his people, so I’m not worried or mad.

This book was much better then the last two. I love how far allana came and also the new setting. I like how the relationship between her and john changed and i liked how the all the romance elements developed!

4.5*

As always I really enjoyed this book though I had forgotten this one is less action and more moving the story along and progressing Alanna as a character. I was very happy to see more of George again though as he is one of my fave characters.