#Will of the Empress

[quietflorilegium]

“Shared reading made for solid friendships.”

Tamora Pierce, "The Will of the Empress"

[whimsicallywiddershins]

My best guesses on which cultures/countries Tamora Pierce bases her places and peoples off of. Obviously these aren't perfect copies, but more of where the idea may have come from.

Tortall is definitely Europe. Knights, castles, European names like John and George, ect. Easy.

Bazhir Desert: this one is trickier. Very likely based on Arab deserts or the Sahara and the peoples who live there. It's very ambiguous, just a basic desert culture, not a ton of world building here, but it's been a long time since I've read the Lioness books.

Galla and Scanra: I believe these are both based off Northern countries, with Scanra definitely based on Viking culture. Galla is less so, more like Lithuania or Poland, but neither is Russia. We will get to Russia in a bit.

Sairen and K'miri: Definitely Mongolia and steppe people and place.

Roof of the World: Tibet

Carthak: Egypt. Definitely based on ancient Egypt. Crocodiles, hyenas, lots of gold and darker skinned people. Old, powerful and center of learning.

Yamani Islands: Japan. I don't need to elaborate.

Copper Isles: This one I think is a bit of a mix of Indonesia and Hawaii.

Now, for Circle of Magic! (aka the fun and interesting culture and worldbuilding)

Emelan and the Pebbled Sea: Definitely Mediterranean, but I'm not sure which. My best guess is a sorta Turkey/Persian influence. It's not as obvious as Tortall. I believe the Chandlers and Tris are from a more Italian culture, probably from a country up North, but close enough to border Emelan and making travel easy. The whole merchant family thing made me think of Italy.

Traders: Likely based of Roma/Romani people. Trading caravans and largely persecuted. Not an exact copy, but similar.

Namorn: Russia! Definitely Russia. Large empire, very cold, far north and uses vaguely Russian terms. Powerful and not to be messed with.

Tharios: This one was tricky and fascinating. Probably ancient Greece, but I believe there were some other influences. The world building was massive as the plot directly involved the culture of the city. We also view the city from the scholarly but judgemental eyes of Tris.

Chammur: My best guess is India. Briar is more concerned with gangs and Evy so he doesn't really let us see the city as well. But India seems like a fair bet.

Yanjing: China. No needed discussion here lol.

Gyongxe: I'm guessing Tibet, again. The Roof of the World was way too quick, so Im glad Tamora re-visited this culture in a better way. Who knows, the Shang Dragon was very Chinese inspired, maybe Alanna did travel that far and missed Briar, Rosethorn and Evy by a few years! I'm still firm in the belief that all the books are in the same world.

If you agree or disagree with my picks, feel free to comment and propose your own theories! Or if I missed a country.

[petite-ursus]

In Tris's book, when Tris and Briar go after Aymery, Sandry and Daja join them once the pirates have invaded and say they warned Niko and Lark.

I'm assuming the kids experienced a similar shared experience of the pirates busting in as others throughout the book, and that woke them.

But then I imagine the teachers being woken involved them fighting their way out of a drugged sleep, knowing something was wrong and their charges were in danger-- semi-similar to several books later in WotE when Daja and Briar buck a magicked sleep.

And. I'd. Just. Like. To see it.

[idreamtiflew]

My Midjourney creations of the four ambient mage siblings from Emelan. I know AI Art is controversial... but it's so fun to mess around on Midjourney, and I would never monetize these...

[readingcircletemple]

Editing Thoughts: Tris has a new student, who has the ability to hear things on the wind. He has been neglected for decades and basically has one friend in the world. This friend, also a mage, asks Tris, if, in her professional opinion, the student can also see things on the wind. And instead of using her expertise to keep the loved one and colleague informed, she lies for the sake of her own pride. Let's forget that Daja is Tris's sister and talk about how unprofessional she is in this moment. To someone who did not know Tris as well, this would look (once it came out--and it will) like Tris tried to hoard knowledge for herself. Tris complains that everyone thinks she's stuck up, but she will never be able to break that if she continues to act the part.

[eviefrie]

now that spotify has audio books i’m relistening to the circle of magic series and my heart is so full 🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰

[elvencantation]

okay but zhegorz is so sweet!!! tris asks him to keep an eye out and he’s out here, in front and on a horse, where he would much rather be at the back and in a wagon, so he can help keep her siblings safe 🥹

@tamorapierce WHERES MY ZHEGORZ BOOK 😭

[roebeanstalk]

Stickers available now~!

[kdw0000]

not sorry

[clambuoyance]

[DC] redrawing my fave 1999 anime digimon adventure but as my fave 1998 dc comic 😚

[quietflorilegium]

“Tris, miles away, watched as a tiny sun shone and faded where a lump sank into her palm. Instant warmth spread from it like wildfire, easing some of the aches in her newly healed bones. “Every time I think I understand magic, I learn that I don’t understand anything at all,” she murmured, and looked at Ambros with a broad smile. “I like that.”

Tamora Pierce, "The Will of the Empress"

[whimsicallywiddershins]

When I first read Will of the Empress, I was really angry at Daja, Tris and Briar for being so horrible to Sandry. The were incredibly mean, and also horrible to eachother. The easy camaraderie between the four was gone, and I didn't like it.

But then I read the book as an adult, and it hit me. They are sixteen!! I don't know why I thought they were older, but the four are young teenagers! No wonder they are all snarly and grumpy. They are literal teens.

Teenagers who went through incredibly traumatic experiences, especially Briar. Then they come home and find out the can't stay at Discipline anymore. And everyone has changed.

So, in retrospect, Tamora Pierce did an amazing job (as always) with her characterization. She accurately portrayed teenagers with trauma and ptsd. That is amazing. I can't think of another book that does it so well.

[sabertoothwalrus]

this was such an insane lore drop that they never revisited. tell us more about simon's servent era

[thesorceresstemple]

[deyageka]

Doods

+ Greta and Bart as Wanda and Pietro