Books in Series: First Test, Page, Squire, Lady Knight
Tortall Series: Protector of the Small is the last quartet in a larger series of books called the Tortall Series. Each quartet is related in that they take place in the same land and the charcters often know each other or are inter-related, however, each quartet is about a different person. Song of the Lioness comes first, the next quartet is called The Immortals Series, and it's about a girl named Daine. Protector of the Small involves the characters in the other two quartets, but you don't have to read them in order to understand this set.
Rating: PG-13. Although none of the battle scenes in these books are particularly graphic, there are still a LOT of them, and some of the techniques of the enemy are not exactly.....mild, to say the least. There's no sex though. Kel does consider it, and it is vaguely hinted at that the notion of staying a virgin till marriage is old-fashioned and ridiculous, but Kel is more focused on her duties as a knight than she is in romance.
Pages:
Book 1: 228
Book 2: 253
Book 3: 390
Book 4: 411
Summary:
First Test: In the medieval and fantastic realm of Tortall, Keladry of Mindelan is the first girl to take advantage of the decree that permits females to train for knighthood.
Page: Kel fights to maintain the rigorous regimen of a page while confronting the prejudices that come with being a female in a man's world and coping with a crush on her closest friend, Neal.
Squire: When Kel is chosen by the legendary Lord Raoul to be his squire, the conservatives of the realm hardly think she’s up to the job. Kel earns respect and admiration among the men, as well as the affection of a fellow squire.
Lady Knight: Keladry of Mindelan has finally achieved her life-long dream of being a knight. But it’s not turning out as she imagined at all. With the land of Tortall at war with the Scanrans, she has been assigned to oversee a refugee camp. But Kel has had a vision in the Chamber—a vision of the man behind the horrific battle machines that her fellow knights and friends are now fighting without her. She is torn between a duty she has sworn and a quest that she feels could turn the tide of the war. . .
My Thoughts: Of all the Tortall Books, Protector of the Small is my very favorite. Kel seriously just kicks butt. She doesn't let stupid people with prejudices against women get her down. At every seeming setback, she just works harder to prove herself, and manages to make quite a few friends in the process. The title of "Protector of the Small" is very apt because from the beginning Kel takes it upon herself to protect many of the other pages from severe bullying. She forms a habit of roaming the halls at night and starting fights with older boys who are in the process of bullying younger ones. She really looks out for the little guy throughout the entire series, especially anyone who is normally overlooked by people of her station, such as peasants, servants, and children. Another reason I love Kel is that unlike Alanna, everyone knows she is a girl, so she's got it really rough, but she also doesn't have any magic. She does it all on her own power, with no real help.
This is part of the reason it's so difficult for her to gain acceptance. Since Alanna made it through to Knighthood by tricking everyone into thinking she was a boy, and she also had magic, there were speculations that she basically cheated. Even though the king officially declared that girls would be allowed to try for knighthood, Kel is the first to take advantage of it. The training master, Lord Wyldon, is very against the idea, and so insists that Kel be put on one year of probation. If she survives the year acceptably, she will be allowed to stay and train for knighthood. Another restriction is that Alanna will not be able to have any interaction with Kel, on suspicion that she will try to help her. Kel is extremely determined, and does not let any of the formidable obstacles in her way stop her from trying her absolute best.
Another reason I love this quartet is that it's more about the process of becoming a knight and what a knight does. The Alanna series is almost more about her personal relationships and how she uses her magic in her life. Kel sees much more battle, and the exciting scenes are much more drawn out, since these books are longer. Still almost impossible to put down though. I could barely stop reading the last book. There's a lot of suspense and almost non-stop action as Kel races to stop the horrific magic of a man named Blayce.
I just think Kel is a great role-model because she is brave, she keeps her head in tough situations, she's fair, she's always looking out for those less fortunate, she's humble, and she never falters in the face of adversity. She just keeps plowing forward, even when the odds seem to be heavily against her. I love this quartet the best out of all the Tortall books, so if you are unsure, start with these. Love them!
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