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Song of the Lioness Graphic Novel Adaptations #1
Alanna: A Graphic Novel Adaptation
The first book in #1 New York Times bestselling author Tamora Pierce's award-winning Song of the Lioness quartet, adapted into a gorgeous, full-color graphic novel
In Song of the Lioness, Book 1: Alanna, the first of four volumes adapting #1 New York Times bestseller Tamora Pierce's Song of the Lioness quartet, we meet Alanna of Trebond, a young noblewoman from the kingdom of Tortall. However, Alanna isn't like other girls from noble families—what she really wants is to become a knight and earn her shield, something women definitely aren't allowed to do.
But Alanna will not be deterred, and she arrives in the capital disguised as a boy to begin training as a page, the first step toward becoming a knight. Despite the tough conditions and grueling work, Alanna's skills and stubbornness win her friends amongst the nobility and the denizens of the lower city. But not everyone wishes her well . . .
Filled with magic and mayhem, adventure and action, swords and spells, book one in the Song of the Lioness quartet is the ultimate introduction to Alanna and Tamora Pierce's legendary Tortall universe.
In Song of the Lioness, Book 1: Alanna, the first of four volumes adapting #1 New York Times bestseller Tamora Pierce's Song of the Lioness quartet, we meet Alanna of Trebond, a young noblewoman from the kingdom of Tortall. However, Alanna isn't like other girls from noble families—what she really wants is to become a knight and earn her shield, something women definitely aren't allowed to do.
But Alanna will not be deterred, and she arrives in the capital disguised as a boy to begin training as a page, the first step toward becoming a knight. Despite the tough conditions and grueling work, Alanna's skills and stubbornness win her friends amongst the nobility and the denizens of the lower city. But not everyone wishes her well . . .
Filled with magic and mayhem, adventure and action, swords and spells, book one in the Song of the Lioness quartet is the ultimate introduction to Alanna and Tamora Pierce's legendary Tortall universe.
256 pages, Hardcover
First published May 13, 2025
66 people are currently reading
3929 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 263 reviews
September 2, 2024
It's so exciting to see one of my most favorite books adapted as a graphic novel!! I honestly love what they have done with this. It's very true to the story, but makes minor adjustments that I think are for the better in terms of how this approaches gender and ethnic minorities. And based on things Tamora has said, I'm sure she's fully behind that. The choice to have a non-binary writer who has a lot of love for this series do the script was an excellent choice and what I can see of the art work (this early copy was mostly not colored and had unfinished backgrounds later in the book) it's looking fantastic and I would want a copy for my shelves. If you are also a long-time fan of Alanna, I think they really did the novel justice and hopefully this will make it relevant to a new generation of readers! I received a copy of this book for review via NetGalley, all opinions are my own.
April 21, 2025
This was a black and white, early preview so I can't say too much about the art, but I really enjoyed this adaptation!
Tamora Pierce was a big part of my childhood, but I somehow never got around to reading Alanna's quartet. That made it particularly delightful to read this graphic novel adaptation now.
This is a familiar story - Alanna (under the guise of a boy, Alan) enlists to become a knight so she's sent to the castle to undergo training. Sword fighting, archery, horsemanship ... all those good things we love to see in a training montage. She gets along well with the other boys for the most part, and it's really nice to see friendship blossom instead of the usual trope of bullying and isolation. There's a taste of that but it's swiftly dealt with in favour of Alanna just getting on with things.
The story brilliantly handles challenges with kindness and compassion, and the warmth of the story is evident even in this more condensed format. The characters are easy to like and the friendship between Alanna and Jon is particularly endearing.
There's also a nice amount of action that picks up towards the end to keep you invested.
Really enjoyed this story. Good for all ages, but particularly for young girls who need a reminder that they can do anything they want, no matter what others say.
With thanks to NetGalley for an ARC
Tamora Pierce was a big part of my childhood, but I somehow never got around to reading Alanna's quartet. That made it particularly delightful to read this graphic novel adaptation now.
This is a familiar story - Alanna (under the guise of a boy, Alan) enlists to become a knight so she's sent to the castle to undergo training. Sword fighting, archery, horsemanship ... all those good things we love to see in a training montage. She gets along well with the other boys for the most part, and it's really nice to see friendship blossom instead of the usual trope of bullying and isolation. There's a taste of that but it's swiftly dealt with in favour of Alanna just getting on with things.
The story brilliantly handles challenges with kindness and compassion, and the warmth of the story is evident even in this more condensed format. The characters are easy to like and the friendship between Alanna and Jon is particularly endearing.
There's also a nice amount of action that picks up towards the end to keep you invested.
Really enjoyed this story. Good for all ages, but particularly for young girls who need a reminder that they can do anything they want, no matter what others say.
With thanks to NetGalley for an ARC
June 27, 2025
3.5 ~ great storyline & the art was so detailed!
November 5, 2024
it seems very fitting that this was my 100th read of 2024. i wish this arc had waited a little longer to be distributed since the art was definitely not final, and being a graphic novel that impacts the experience a lot. still, from what i can tell i did really enjoy the art styling, and am excited to see it in color. especially since alanna's hair and eyes are so important!! i think this was a great adaptation - it is always hard translating a story from one medium to another, and i think the team did a great job here. i am definitely looking forward to the next volumes in the series, and will be crossing my fingers that since we now have Kel and Alanna in graphic novel form, we get the other Tortall series as well! and maybe even the Emelan books???
i received an early copy from netgalley in exchange for a review
i received an early copy from netgalley in exchange for a review
November 5, 2024
A classic. I’m excited to see what it looks like in colour. I do really miss Tortall and the characters, though Alanna isn’t my favourite of the series, it still holds a special place in my heart.
ARC received from netgalley for review.
ARC received from netgalley for review.
June 20, 2025
THIS WAS SO GOOD HOLY FUCKING SHIT OH MY GOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
i was OBSESSED with this series back in FIFTH GRADE and they adapted it AMAZINGLY. like first of all JUST GORGEOUS ART. BEAUTIFUL. MAGNIFICENT. and they captured all of the characters SO WELL (and everyone is so cute!! esp jonathan and george and alanna) and they didn’t change the plot at all or even the dialogue for the most part and ahhhhhh it was just amazing. dream come true. also seeing things visually even clarified some stuff for me that i was confused about in the books (or at least when i was a kid lol it’s been awhile since i’ve reread). anyways… so glad this is how they’re adapting pierce’s amazing work. i hope they do all of her books and they are all just as magnificent. (literally cannot wait for the rest of this series)
i was OBSESSED with this series back in FIFTH GRADE and they adapted it AMAZINGLY. like first of all JUST GORGEOUS ART. BEAUTIFUL. MAGNIFICENT. and they captured all of the characters SO WELL (and everyone is so cute!! esp jonathan and george and alanna) and they didn’t change the plot at all or even the dialogue for the most part and ahhhhhh it was just amazing. dream come true. also seeing things visually even clarified some stuff for me that i was confused about in the books (or at least when i was a kid lol it’s been awhile since i’ve reread). anyways… so glad this is how they’re adapting pierce’s amazing work. i hope they do all of her books and they are all just as magnificent. (literally cannot wait for the rest of this series)
November 5, 2024
Holy nostalgia batman! If you're like me and lived on Tamora Pierce's work growing up, you will love this adaptation! It keeps true to the story while also embracing a little more diversity within the characters. You can tell it was adapted by a writer and artist who truly love the original books and characters and did the story justice. I'm excited to see how the finished product looks in colour. And I hope it does well so we can see the rest of Alanna's story adapted as well.
Thank you to Abrams Kids and Netgalley for an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. I cannot wait to add this to my bookshelf!
Thank you to Abrams Kids and Netgalley for an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. I cannot wait to add this to my bookshelf!
August 24, 2024
Yay!! Raoul isn't a ginger!
Song of the Lioness is a lot more challenging to adapt than Tamora Pierce's other series in a lot of ways due to both questionable pacing/lack of plot and also some questionable elements. I think a great job was done with this keeping it true to the source material while also remaining cognizant of the shortcomings. And I can't wait to see the complete and colored art!
*I received an earc via Netgalley but all opinions are my own*
Song of the Lioness is a lot more challenging to adapt than Tamora Pierce's other series in a lot of ways due to both questionable pacing/lack of plot and also some questionable elements. I think a great job was done with this keeping it true to the source material while also remaining cognizant of the shortcomings. And I can't wait to see the complete and colored art!
*I received an earc via Netgalley but all opinions are my own*
January 27, 2026
Content warnings: violence, misogyny
2.5 stars
I wanted to love this. I did. Song of the Lioness was one of my FAVOURITE fantasy series as a teen, and that hasn't really changed. I love Alanna as a character. I love Jon and George and all the secondary characters. I love the world and the magic and Tortall as a whole. And so I wanted to love a graphic novel adaptation of it.
Unfortunately, this was an extremely wordy graphic novel and yet despite how wordy it was, I felt time and time again like I was missing the heart of the story. I also didn't love the art style, so that probably didn't help.
In summary: this is probably a Me Thing and not a Book Thing, but it MIGHT be a Book Thing idk.
2.5 stars
I wanted to love this. I did. Song of the Lioness was one of my FAVOURITE fantasy series as a teen, and that hasn't really changed. I love Alanna as a character. I love Jon and George and all the secondary characters. I love the world and the magic and Tortall as a whole. And so I wanted to love a graphic novel adaptation of it.
Unfortunately, this was an extremely wordy graphic novel and yet despite how wordy it was, I felt time and time again like I was missing the heart of the story. I also didn't love the art style, so that probably didn't help.
In summary: this is probably a Me Thing and not a Book Thing, but it MIGHT be a Book Thing idk.
July 6, 2025
I tried once to read the first book in this series but did not get far; I think it felt too slow for me and maybe the style of the writing wasn't hitting right.
I LOVED this graphic novel adaptation. I love that it was adapted by a non-binary trans author. The plot made sense to me and I hope fans thin it captured the original novel well.
And the art - oh my goodness. It was extraordinary. Like, if you think about the movies and you have a set designer and costumer and prop person...like, the illustrator had to do all of this and it was incredible. It's not really a spoiler but something particular I found just so thoughtful and perfect was the trainees 'middle ages style tunic-y things, but they are in two parts with like a short sleeve tunic over a long sleeved onesie or something, and you don't really think about it - then in the climax when an antagonist uses magic to disrobe Alanna revealing her as female-bodied, the prince just gives her his over tunic and the story moves on. But that means that the costume choices must have stemmed from knowing this scene was coming, and I am just so impressed at the production values of this book!
I LOVED this graphic novel adaptation. I love that it was adapted by a non-binary trans author. The plot made sense to me and I hope fans thin it captured the original novel well.
And the art - oh my goodness. It was extraordinary. Like, if you think about the movies and you have a set designer and costumer and prop person...like, the illustrator had to do all of this and it was incredible. It's not really a spoiler but something particular I found just so thoughtful and perfect was the trainees 'middle ages style tunic-y things, but they are in two parts with like a short sleeve tunic over a long sleeved onesie or something, and you don't really think about it - then in the climax when an antagonist uses magic to disrobe Alanna revealing her as female-bodied, the prince just gives her his over tunic and the story moves on. But that means that the costume choices must have stemmed from knowing this scene was coming, and I am just so impressed at the production values of this book!
June 1, 2025
It was well past time for my annual revisit to Tortall and what better way than with something new, I love seeing Tamora getting her work adapted in new and wonderful ways, and this comic did a fantastic job of giving one of my favorite books a new take. It was so interesting after reading the book so many times to see the story told without knowing what was going on in Alanna's head and hearing her thoughts and just getting to watch what she does and the world around her.
I'm also a sucker for the art style, any art of her works that I can get my hands on just makes my day and seeing how other people interpret her world and seeing the similarities and differences in how we see them is so fun. I think the artists did such a great job giving Tortall and the characters visual representation and there were so many panels that had me giggling and kicking my feet and just, elated. I could go on and on about each and every one of the characters but especially George. They did so good by him and I am genuinely so excited and hopeful for the continuation of these comics.
I'm also a sucker for the art style, any art of her works that I can get my hands on just makes my day and seeing how other people interpret her world and seeing the similarities and differences in how we see them is so fun. I think the artists did such a great job giving Tortall and the characters visual representation and there were so many panels that had me giggling and kicking my feet and just, elated. I could go on and on about each and every one of the characters but especially George. They did so good by him and I am genuinely so excited and hopeful for the continuation of these comics.
May 1, 2025
Thanks to TLCTours and the publisher for the finished copy. All opinions are my own.
Well this was fantastic! I don’t know how I missed reading the series at any point in the past, but I definitely want to now. This graphic novel was superb. Great characters, lots of action, and really amazing illustrations.
Whether you are an old fan or new to the series, I think you’ll love this.
Well this was fantastic! I don’t know how I missed reading the series at any point in the past, but I definitely want to now. This graphic novel was superb. Great characters, lots of action, and really amazing illustrations.
Whether you are an old fan or new to the series, I think you’ll love this.
September 17, 2025
This graphic novel felt like it was very long because there was a lot of dialogue. It was still enjoyable and the length meant that there was more time to establish the core characters well. But every scene felt like it had been picked from a basket of plot ideas at random as though there was no flow between them. There did feel like an absence of plot, such as how the conflict at the end could be described as only happening because a character felt like it. This was made all the more noticeable by the constant reminders by the characters and other mysterious spirit figures that the protagonist had a destiny.
There were also some very problematic moments such as the suggestion that the protagonist was binding her chest and the creepy bad spirits at the end magically made her clothes disappear. I thought the graphic novel could have done more to explore what it meant to be a girl in this fantasy world because the protagonist was the only girl we saw apart from roughly older women.
Still, on the whole I liked this. It was an entertaining read and the art was nice. I would definitely read another instalment as it was hinted that there would be more character development and potentially romantic developments.
There were also some very problematic moments such as the suggestion that the protagonist was binding her chest and the creepy bad spirits at the end magically made her clothes disappear. I thought the graphic novel could have done more to explore what it meant to be a girl in this fantasy world because the protagonist was the only girl we saw apart from roughly older women.
Still, on the whole I liked this. It was an entertaining read and the art was nice. I would definitely read another instalment as it was hinted that there would be more character development and potentially romantic developments.
October 30, 2024
I was always going to an incredibly harsh critic for this graphic novel adaptation of one of my favorite books and the gateway for my love of the fantasy genre. Suffice it to say, the creative team exceeded any and all expectations I had for this. I've read the source material time and time again, but I sat and read the whole thing in one sitting, breathlessly turning to the next page to see what was going to happen next (even if I know it by heart). The digital advanced reader copy was not completely colored, so I'm even more excited to grab a copy upon release to see the finished work. I really, really hope that it is successful so we can see the next volume of the story because I am dying to see this creative team take on that story.
Special Thanks to Abrams Fanfare and Edelweiss Plus for the digital ARC. This was given to me for an honest review.
Special Thanks to Abrams Fanfare and Edelweiss Plus for the digital ARC. This was given to me for an honest review.
May 21, 2025
INTERNET, THERE IS A GRAPHIC NOVEL ADAPTATION OF ALANNA: THE FIRST ADVENTURE! The only bad thing I have to say about it is that, having immediately gotten a digital copy from my local library and devoured it in under 24 hours, I will be waiting what feels like FOREVER for the remaining volumes of the Song of the Lioness graphic novel adaptations. (Apparently Protector of the Small-my favorite Tamora Pierce series) is also being adapted into graphic novel by a different artist and the first volume is also out, so now I have something to do for the next 24 hours.)
But seriously, the art is beautiful, the characters come to life, the condensing of the plot for the change of format is elegantly handled. Tamora Pierce fans old and new should go read it!
But seriously, the art is beautiful, the characters come to life, the condensing of the plot for the change of format is elegantly handled. Tamora Pierce fans old and new should go read it!
February 8, 2025
This was one of my favorite novel series as a kid. I would read and reread it over and over again. I could not get enough of Alanna. This graphic novel spoke to my soul. It brought me back to my earlier days of reading and I felt all the warm fuzzies. I love the art style. I think it works beautifully well with the plot.
I just want to say thank you for bringing me back in time and allowing me to experience this as a graphic novel for the first time all at once. I feel like I need to reread the whole series again now.
What I love most: Alanna is spunky, yet a totally normal girl pretending to be a boy, the juxtaposition of the prince and king of thieves, the horses
I just want to say thank you for bringing me back in time and allowing me to experience this as a graphic novel for the first time all at once. I feel like I need to reread the whole series again now.
What I love most: Alanna is spunky, yet a totally normal girl pretending to be a boy, the juxtaposition of the prince and king of thieves, the horses
September 5, 2025
4.5 ⭐️s
December 18, 2025
Overall Rating : B+
May 25, 2025
This was a great time! Definitely cool to actually see some of the scenes and characters I have only ever imagined.
July 11, 2025
BEAUTIFUL illustrations and amazing story!! You know I like myself some female-knight-stories!! It has a cozy vibe, lots of lore and worldbuilding, and intriguing characters.
April 17, 2025
The first graphic novel in the Song of the Lioness series by Tamora Pierce adapted by Vita Ayala and illustrated by Sam Beck is a delightful introduction to the world of Tortall and adventures of Alanna of Trebond. The original text is one of my favorites from childhood. However, depictions of race and gender in that version are outdated. The graphic novel treats these themes with much more care and I am excited to see the rest of the series adapted.
January 6, 2025
Thank you to Netgalley, Tamora Pierce and ABRAMS Kids for a complimentary digital copy of this graphic novel in exchange for an honest review.
I first read Tamora Pierce's seminal 'Song of the Lioness' quartet back when I was a kid myself and seeing that there is now a graphic novel adaptation of it really took me back. I love that they chose to re-create this story, originally released in the 80s and the art is gorgeous and really fits how I saw all the characters from the original series. I also love the choice of adapters here with one being a nonbinary person of colour, which really works with our somewhat genderfluid heroine, Alanna - back when I first read this and seeing Alanna dressing as a boy and trying to hide how her body was changing as she grew, I didn't take this for a trans storyline but on re-reading this it really shines through as a trans experience of sorts. Never does Alanna or Alan as they're known, say that they don't want to be a woman knight, but they are also pretty horrified about certain things they experience with their body which really does mirror a trans experience.
The arc version I received was in black and white rather than colour so I think this did hamper the visual storytelling somewhat and the quality wasn't perhaps the best particularly as it went further into the graphic novel unfortunately - hopefully this quality issue will be fixed with the addition of colour for the final release in May.
Overall, I liked this graphic novel but I did feel like with them basically squeezing a whole novel in here, we definitely lost a lot of the detail and the subtleties of character relationships - the only ones I truly believed in throughout this graphic novel was with the History teacher and the Prince, the others and all the side characters generally felt too under-developed to really be able to tell them apart. It's been too long since I read the original novels to tell if this was a fault in the original book also, but I suspect this was due to the more rushed pacing of the graphic novel. Some of the chapters feel very short and off kilter as they're depicting certain events but the pacing does get better towards the end when the group are on a journey to a far off land and the events which happen there.
I thought this was a good adaption but definitely had some room for improvement - I'm interested to see how the rest of the series will be adapted however!
I first read Tamora Pierce's seminal 'Song of the Lioness' quartet back when I was a kid myself and seeing that there is now a graphic novel adaptation of it really took me back. I love that they chose to re-create this story, originally released in the 80s and the art is gorgeous and really fits how I saw all the characters from the original series. I also love the choice of adapters here with one being a nonbinary person of colour, which really works with our somewhat genderfluid heroine, Alanna - back when I first read this and seeing Alanna dressing as a boy and trying to hide how her body was changing as she grew, I didn't take this for a trans storyline but on re-reading this it really shines through as a trans experience of sorts. Never does Alanna or Alan as they're known, say that they don't want to be a woman knight, but they are also pretty horrified about certain things they experience with their body which really does mirror a trans experience.
The arc version I received was in black and white rather than colour so I think this did hamper the visual storytelling somewhat and the quality wasn't perhaps the best particularly as it went further into the graphic novel unfortunately - hopefully this quality issue will be fixed with the addition of colour for the final release in May.
Overall, I liked this graphic novel but I did feel like with them basically squeezing a whole novel in here, we definitely lost a lot of the detail and the subtleties of character relationships - the only ones I truly believed in throughout this graphic novel was with the History teacher and the Prince, the others and all the side characters generally felt too under-developed to really be able to tell them apart. It's been too long since I read the original novels to tell if this was a fault in the original book also, but I suspect this was due to the more rushed pacing of the graphic novel. Some of the chapters feel very short and off kilter as they're depicting certain events but the pacing does get better towards the end when the group are on a journey to a far off land and the events which happen there.
I thought this was a good adaption but definitely had some room for improvement - I'm interested to see how the rest of the series will be adapted however!
April 12, 2025
***eProof gifted via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review/reaction***
As am reading wonderful complex and meaty books & audiobooks (Sunrise on the Reaping and The Ragpicker King) as well as other titles over past few months (Hungerstone, The Eye of the World & The Eagle and the Hart: The Tragedy of Richard II and Henry IV to name a few), I needed an easy, platter cleanser and so glad I discovered this on my NetGalley Reader.
It did exactly what I needed: something easy, quick and adding something new to the fantasy genre. But I will be honest and say that at times, the art style seemed a little simple and lacking depth. Because of that, this lack spark that this series has for its fans.
I’m going to read the novels from Tamora Pierce and glad this cleansed my reading platter. But do I think fans of this world and these characters will embrace this to their hearts? I’m not so sure…
As am reading wonderful complex and meaty books & audiobooks (Sunrise on the Reaping and The Ragpicker King) as well as other titles over past few months (Hungerstone, The Eye of the World & The Eagle and the Hart: The Tragedy of Richard II and Henry IV to name a few), I needed an easy, platter cleanser and so glad I discovered this on my NetGalley Reader.
It did exactly what I needed: something easy, quick and adding something new to the fantasy genre. But I will be honest and say that at times, the art style seemed a little simple and lacking depth. Because of that, this lack spark that this series has for its fans.
I’m going to read the novels from Tamora Pierce and glad this cleansed my reading platter. But do I think fans of this world and these characters will embrace this to their hearts? I’m not so sure…
December 23, 2025
Pierce's books were staples in my family's household when I was growing up—it started with the Alanna books and grew to include the Circle of Magic books and then it kind of...went from there. My dad loved them as much as my sister and I did, and we bought new books set in whichever universe pretty much the day they came out. I've reread most of Pierce's books many, many times, as a child and as an adult (although admittedly fewer times as an adult).
I loved the recent graphic novel adaptation of First Test, and I was thrilled to see that the OG series is getting an adaptation as well. If anything, it's just surprising that it's taken so long!
The result, though—I'm not quite sure what isn't working for me, but I was underwhelmed. The art makes sense for the story; if anything, it's easier than in the original to see how Alanna could pass as Alan for so long. The emotional connection wasn't really there, though. Partly this might have been that a lot of internal stuff is shoved into dialogue, where it doesn't always fit. Part of it, to be fair, is also that some of the characters I learned so little about in this book also have very little characterization in the original (I went back and reread the original quartet pretty much as soon as I'd finished this).
I'll still be reading the hell out of any sequels as soon as they're published, and I'd still recommend this to both those who grew up with Tortall and those who didn't but read graphic novels now...but my heart is going to stay with the originals.
I loved the recent graphic novel adaptation of First Test, and I was thrilled to see that the OG series is getting an adaptation as well. If anything, it's just surprising that it's taken so long!
The result, though—I'm not quite sure what isn't working for me, but I was underwhelmed. The art makes sense for the story; if anything, it's easier than in the original to see how Alanna could pass as Alan for so long. The emotional connection wasn't really there, though. Partly this might have been that a lot of internal stuff is shoved into dialogue, where it doesn't always fit. Part of it, to be fair, is also that some of the characters I learned so little about in this book also have very little characterization in the original (I went back and reread the original quartet pretty much as soon as I'd finished this).
I'll still be reading the hell out of any sequels as soon as they're published, and I'd still recommend this to both those who grew up with Tortall and those who didn't but read graphic novels now...but my heart is going to stay with the originals.
March 9, 2026
"This is what I have been training for. Immortal you might be--swordsman you are not."
~This review of Alanna (Song of the Lioness, Book One) is about the first book in the graphic novel adaptation of Tamora Pierce’s 2005 novel series. Adapted by comic writer Vita Ayala, and illustrated by artist Sam Beck~
It follows Alanna disguising herself as a boy in order to go to the academy to learn how to be a knight. There are many hurdles for this determined young girl: Bullies, her size, plagues, periods, and keeping up with the increased workload of school… not to mention a shady royal who may be trying to take the prince out of the picture.
The story is a classic in all the right ways, stands strong on any fantasy bookshelf. It’s full of nostalgia even if you’re reading it for the first time.
The character of Alanna is very strong and realistic, she’s a good role model. She’s gifted but she still struggles, and her perseverance against difficulties speaks of great virtue. Definitely great knight material. She’s also a critical thinker, finding certain actions by higher ups suspicious, as she should. She’s also open to asking questions and wanting to understand different perspectives which is always good.
Diversity in this story leaves a weird aftertaste. From the main (mostly white) kingdom ruling over another kingdom (who are all POC who were once enslaved by gods), to one of the only prominent POC characters being a street thief. This may be the 2005 seeping in, I don’t know, but by tracing the logic it ends up looking iffy.
However, when the POC in this story show up, they are well-rounded and are drawn respectfully, they don’t fall into any racist caricatures, hallelujah! And the art, the architecture, the environment of the second kingdom is BREATHTAKINGLY beautiful and vibrant. I hope we get to spend more time there because wow!!
There is a nice speech by a teacher on the journey to the colony that even though the people there look different and have different customs that they still deserve respect which I thought was cool of him to make sure his students acted right.
I do find that Alanna hating being a girl/people looking down on girls, and girl power in general isn’t balanced enough in this comic. I hope she gets a friend who is also a girl in the next book.
And I do wish that with this new adaption that they wrote out Alanna binding her chest with bandages and maybe instead make a homemade binder like cosplayers use, or magic idk. I’m a fan of sticking as close to the original as possible but this can effect real life, especially since this comic is aimed at kids and Alanna is a good character to idolize. Nod nod nod.
Besides the weird trace-your-logic findings and unsafe practices, this is a fun book. A third kingdom being cursed, scary godlike peeps, magical swords, magic to heal/magic to hurt, friendship, mentorship, sending letters to your twin brother, determination, cute horses, it’s a ride!
~This review of Alanna (Song of the Lioness, Book One) is about the first book in the graphic novel adaptation of Tamora Pierce’s 2005 novel series. Adapted by comic writer Vita Ayala, and illustrated by artist Sam Beck~
It follows Alanna disguising herself as a boy in order to go to the academy to learn how to be a knight. There are many hurdles for this determined young girl: Bullies, her size, plagues, periods, and keeping up with the increased workload of school… not to mention a shady royal who may be trying to take the prince out of the picture.
The story is a classic in all the right ways, stands strong on any fantasy bookshelf. It’s full of nostalgia even if you’re reading it for the first time.
The character of Alanna is very strong and realistic, she’s a good role model. She’s gifted but she still struggles, and her perseverance against difficulties speaks of great virtue. Definitely great knight material. She’s also a critical thinker, finding certain actions by higher ups suspicious, as she should. She’s also open to asking questions and wanting to understand different perspectives which is always good.
Diversity in this story leaves a weird aftertaste. From the main (mostly white) kingdom ruling over another kingdom (who are all POC who were once enslaved by gods), to one of the only prominent POC characters being a street thief. This may be the 2005 seeping in, I don’t know, but by tracing the logic it ends up looking iffy.
However, when the POC in this story show up, they are well-rounded and are drawn respectfully, they don’t fall into any racist caricatures, hallelujah! And the art, the architecture, the environment of the second kingdom is BREATHTAKINGLY beautiful and vibrant. I hope we get to spend more time there because wow!!
There is a nice speech by a teacher on the journey to the colony that even though the people there look different and have different customs that they still deserve respect which I thought was cool of him to make sure his students acted right.
I do find that Alanna hating being a girl/people looking down on girls, and girl power in general isn’t balanced enough in this comic. I hope she gets a friend who is also a girl in the next book.
And I do wish that with this new adaption that they wrote out Alanna binding her chest with bandages and maybe instead make a homemade binder like cosplayers use, or magic idk. I’m a fan of sticking as close to the original as possible but this can effect real life, especially since this comic is aimed at kids and Alanna is a good character to idolize. Nod nod nod.
Besides the weird trace-your-logic findings and unsafe practices, this is a fun book. A third kingdom being cursed, scary godlike peeps, magical swords, magic to heal/magic to hurt, friendship, mentorship, sending letters to your twin brother, determination, cute horses, it’s a ride!
And oh my gosh, the art is so pretty! The character designs, the environments, architecture, the horses, the clothing, the magic, facial expressions, general movement, the panel layouts and fighting/training montages! Gahhh so beautiful and peak!
I would definitely recommend reading it in print over digital though, hehe. Font is legible but there are A LOT of words and screens don’t do the layout justice. Print is better!
Overall, this is a beautiful comic adaptation of a great fantasy classic! Excellent for young adventurous girls and those looking for a good literary role model.
I’m looking forward to the next volume, in the meantime I’m going to look into getting a physical copy for myself hehe.
Thank you to NetGalley for the digital ARC to review! Thank you to Tamora Pierce for such a cool story, and thank you to Vita Ayala and Sam Beck for making it come to life in such an epic way. I’m glad I got to read this one!
November 1, 2024
It’s important to note that since I received an early copy, the art was not finished and there was no color (the finished version will be full color) but that did have a dramatic impact on my reading. The art alone doesn’t do quite enough to distinguish most of the characters without also adding color
Beyond that, we didn’t spend enough time with the other side characters - namely Raoul and Alex (both of whom are mentioned by name I think twice in total including their introductions) who are quite important in Alanna’s story.
It still cuts to the heart of Alanna’s story and I think the scenery especially (the ruins of Olau, Persepolis, and the Black City most of all) will be absolutely stunning when the art is finished and colored.
So who’s next? Daine? Aly? Becka? Bring on all the graphic novel adaptations!
{Thank you Abrams Kids for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review}
Beyond that, we didn’t spend enough time with the other side characters - namely Raoul and Alex (both of whom are mentioned by name I think twice in total including their introductions) who are quite important in Alanna’s story.
It still cuts to the heart of Alanna’s story and I think the scenery especially (the ruins of Olau, Persepolis, and the Black City most of all) will be absolutely stunning when the art is finished and colored.
So who’s next? Daine? Aly? Becka? Bring on all the graphic novel adaptations!
{Thank you Abrams Kids for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review}
November 30, 2024
2.5 / 5 stars
I was elated to see that this story is receiving the graphic novel treatment. This book was one of my first fantasy action reads back in the 90s, so it holds a special place in my heart.
The author of the adaptation may have chosen to stick too closely to the source material at some points. I think that some different choices could have been made to update the story for the format and to keep the plot a bit more focused.
This early e-galley did not contain the full color art, so I do plan on picking up a completed copy to see the final results. Pre-teens who prefer graphic novels may enjoy this version, but I think I would recommend the original to most readers instead.
My thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with a free early e-galley copy of this graphic novel for review. These opinions are my own.
I was elated to see that this story is receiving the graphic novel treatment. This book was one of my first fantasy action reads back in the 90s, so it holds a special place in my heart.
The author of the adaptation may have chosen to stick too closely to the source material at some points. I think that some different choices could have been made to update the story for the format and to keep the plot a bit more focused.
This early e-galley did not contain the full color art, so I do plan on picking up a completed copy to see the final results. Pre-teens who prefer graphic novels may enjoy this version, but I think I would recommend the original to most readers instead.
My thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with a free early e-galley copy of this graphic novel for review. These opinions are my own.
September 25, 2025
It was fun going back and revisiting Alanna’s world, I think the artist and adaptor did a great job of converting this to a graphic novel. It’s hard to rate though as the original series is one of my favourites of all time so I think how much I enjoyed it is directly related to how many memories it brought back from the novels. I’m not normally a graphic novel reader and I just don’t think you can get the same depth out of them. I am so keen to go back and re-read the books when I get a chance though.
October 22, 2025
Tamora Pierce is one of those names ingrained in my brain, from my childhood days of being an absolute bookworm and devouring whatever fantasy I could get a hold of. Back in the 80’s and 90’s, fantasy was all over the bookstore, TV and movie theaters, however there was a distinct lack of female main characters. They were either the love interest, the kick ass but less important side kick, or the prize to be won after a hard journey and often they were all three, much to my dismay. The occasional times I did find kick ass women I wanted to like, they were often written by a man and fell short of being authentic ladies I could relate to. So finding authors like Tamora Pierce really stuck with me and I know I still have the worn out copies of this series in particular up in my childhood book shelf after all these years. It’s no wonder that stories like Mulan, Revolutionary Girl Utena, Xena: Warrior Princess and countless others still haunt my list of favorites....
Read the full review at Well, Are They? A Queer Review Blog:
https://wellarethey.blogspot.com/2025...
Read the full review at Well, Are They? A Queer Review Blog:
https://wellarethey.blogspot.com/2025...
December 28, 2024
Thank you to the publisher for the review copy. I will be purchasing this once it's out. My opinions are my own.
I discovered Alanna and Tamora Pierce as a teen and have been entranced ever since. So of course I jumped at the chance to see the graphic novel adaptation early and couldn't wait to read it. I loved the art style chosen by Vita Ayala and Sam Beck as it is very much geared to the target audience, but also has a nostalgia vibe that will appeal to those like me who grew up with Alanna, and the rest of the Tortall book series.
Vita did an amazing job at taking the essence of Alanna's first adventure and making it easy to read, thus inviting an entire new generation to fall in love with this red headed girl who wanted to defy societal norms and be a hero. Sam's artistry brought everyone to life and I adore the characters.
Highly recommend for those looking for a non-traditional girl story about magic, heroes, defying norms, and becoming yourself. Really looking forward to seeing the rest of the series!
I discovered Alanna and Tamora Pierce as a teen and have been entranced ever since. So of course I jumped at the chance to see the graphic novel adaptation early and couldn't wait to read it. I loved the art style chosen by Vita Ayala and Sam Beck as it is very much geared to the target audience, but also has a nostalgia vibe that will appeal to those like me who grew up with Alanna, and the rest of the Tortall book series.
Vita did an amazing job at taking the essence of Alanna's first adventure and making it easy to read, thus inviting an entire new generation to fall in love with this red headed girl who wanted to defy societal norms and be a hero. Sam's artistry brought everyone to life and I adore the characters.
Highly recommend for those looking for a non-traditional girl story about magic, heroes, defying norms, and becoming yourself. Really looking forward to seeing the rest of the series!
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