Alanna, The First Adventure

Song of the Lioness, Book 1

By: Tamora Pierce

Narrated by: Trini Alvarado

Becoming a legend is not easy, as young Alanna of Trebond discovers when she disguises herself as a boy and begins training to be a knight. Alanna's skills and stubbornness help her befriend Prince Jonathan and alienate his evil uncle, Duke Roger.

Filled with swords and sorcery, adventure and intrigue, good and evil, this audiobook is a rousing introduction to the intensely satisfying story of Alanna.

Follow Alanna of Trebond's quest to knighthood in the Song of the Lioness series.©1983 Tamora Pierce (P)2000 Random House, Inc., Listening Library, an Imprint of the Random House Audio Publishing Group

Critic reviews

"A lively, fascinating tale." (Booklist)
"Pairing [Trini] Alvarado's vocal talents with [Tamora] Pierce's well written and engaging story makes this a quality audiobook worthy of inclusion in any audio collection." (School Library Journal)

I love this book so much.

What did you love best about Alanna, The First Adventure?

It is about a girl in a mans world, and the author has the decency not to ether emphasise her sex every five minutes or make her into some sort of sexless fighting machine. Alanna is real person. That is what I love about this series.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Alanna is me when I was that age: short tempered and suborn.

Have you listened to any of Trini Alvarado’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

Trini Alvarado is a brilliant narrator. This was the very first audiobook I bought back in the day. I think I have listened to it so many times I could recite it word for word, yet I listen to it again and again because Alvarado is just that good.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes, and I have.

A Classic book, for all girls, for all times

Would you listen to Alanna, The First Adventure again? Why?

A beautiful book, beautifully read. I could easily listen to this again. The powerful story of a girl reaching for more, demanding more, exciting adventures, wonderful characters, all enhanced by the smooth, rich voice of Trini Alvarado.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Alanna, The First Adventure?

Every time you think that Alan "Alanna" has had more than she can bear, the author finds a way to have her rally. Not only is Alanna a sympathetic main character, the reader has to fall in love with her friends as well. Whether it's George, the thief, or her mentor Sir Myles, it's fast-paced adventure that keeps the tension going, pulling you along.

Which scene was your favorite?

Any scene with George, the King of Thieves. He's such an unexpected character. And the scene where he takes her to his mother, the healer, is so tender and sweet. Poor Alanna, trying to be a boy and having THAT to deal with.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

I could've listened to this straight through. No stops. it's that wonderful.

Re-visiting childhood

I read these books several times as a Young teenager and knew Them by Heart in my own language, so when i found Them i could not resist listening to Them again. And they are still wonderful. Fantasy for Young readers at its best. A little bit of everything, secrets, good and evil, kings and knigths, love, hate, war and adventure - and mettling gods like in the ancient roman times. And i acctually still enjoyed the story now about 20 years later. And the narrator is good.

Good Story, OK narration

It was really rewarding to go to the basics and early books of an author I have loved so much. The book was well written, though short. I do wish this early series was condensed into 2 books, or even 1, so that I didn't have to buy them all.

The narrator has a very soothing voice that is pleasant to listen to for the 5+ hours straight I spent on this, but they are not the best with alternate voices and some conversations were confusing until I was able to separate the voices.

bundle short series

good book. wish the series came as a bundle for as short as they are

Loved it

Nice young lit adventure story. I remember reading g this a long long time ago..when it first came out. I loved ot then..I love it now.

Lady Knight

I read this story when I was younger and it never gets old. I will always be able to identify with Alanna and want to wield a sword. People underestimated Alanna due to her size. The narrator does a good job at making her recitation sound "younger" due to Alanna being 10 in the beginning of the series. Tamora Pierce will always be one of my favorite authors.

Perfect start to a perfect saga

The tortall books will always be on my short list of book to relisten too.

Great Nostalgia

I enjoyed all these books as a teen, and still enjoy them all as an adult. The story, though sometimes fast paced that it's hard to process, is still just as enjoyable as I recall. It is nice having someone to pronounce all the names of characters and cities, which I never quite nailed down. The performance was well done, though it was sometimes hard to tell when it switched from narration to characters speaking, and sometimes there were sentences that ran together, like there wasn't enough pause. But still excellent work.

One of my Favorites!

I first read this book 20 years ago, and I still love it! On to book 2!