Alanna : The First Adventure (The Song of the Lioness Quartet, Book 1)
by Tamora Pierce

Reading Level: Ages 9-12
Publication date: November 1989
ISBN: 0679801146
 

Synopsis:
Alanna of Trebond has always yearned to become a warrior maiden, and she's not about to let little things like the wrong gender or her mysterious, magical power known as the Gift get in the way. She manages to disguise herself as a boy so thoroughly that she gains admittance to the palace military academy and quickly establishes herself as the most talented of the new knights in training. What she doesn't count on, however, is just how hard it can be to maintain her secret over time - not only does her womanhood become more difficult to conceal, but so too does the force of her healing magic. And when only sorcery can save her friend, Prince Jonathan, from a fatal illness, Alanna faces the most difficult decision of her life: Should she use her Gift, thus revealing her true nature? Or lose her dearest friend for the sake of her most chereshed dream?

Comments:

This is a wonderful book for both young adults and the young at heart. A fascinating story from start to finish, Tamora Pierce draws her readers into the story almost immediately. You can almost see the story as it unfolds before you.  Its written simply enough that almost anyone can get into it and read it through. Definately one of my favorites!

You can buy it now from here (more or less). Alanna: The First Adventure

If you've already read the first one, or like to get the whole series, here are the sequels. All as good as the first.

The Deed of Paksenarrion
by Elizabeth Moon
 

Published by Baen Books
Publication date: February 1992
ISBN: 0671721046

Synopsis:

A wonderful story, along the same lines as Alanna, about a peasant girl who refuses to marry against her will. She runs away to join a mercenary company instead, which starts her on her journey to become a Paladin in the service of the gods, destined to fight against evil with more than just her sword. The Deed of Paksenarrion is three books in one, so no need to worry about finding its sequels, the entire trilogy can be read in order. Another one that is very hard to put down once you start it. Paks is a very believable character, definately written as well as any of the classic fantasies.

The Deed of Paksenarrion

The Diamond Thone
by David Eddings
 

Synopsis:
Sparhawk, Pandion Knight and Queen's Champion, returned to Elenia after ten years of exile, only to find his young queen Ehlana trapped in a block of ensorcelled crystal. Only the great sorcery of Sephrenia, ageless instructor of magic, kept her allive - but the spell would only last a year, and its cost was tragically high.

 Now a Prince regent ruled Elenia, the puppet of Annias, ambitious Primate of the Church who planned to seize power over all the land.

As Sparhawk and Sephrenia set out to find a cure for Ehlana. Sephrenia revealed that there was only one person in the west who could defeat the evil plots against Ehlana. That person was Sparhawk.
The Diamond Throne

Taliesin (The Pendragon Cycle , No 1)
by Stephen R. Lawhead
 

Synopsis:
It was a time of legend, when the last shadows of the mighty Roman conqueror faded from the captured Isle of Britain. While across a vast sea, bloody war shattered a peace that had flourished for two thousand years in the doomed kingdom of Atlantis.

From the award winning author of THE DRAGON KING TRILOGY comes a majestic tale of breathtaking scope and haunting beauty. It is the remarkable adventure of Charis - the courageous princess from Atlantis who escapes the terrible devastation of her land - and of the fabled seer and druid prince Taliesin, singer at the dawn of the age. A story of an incomparable love that joins two astonishing worlds amid the fires of chaos, and spawns the miracles of Merlin. . .and Arthur the king!
Taliesin (Book one of the PENDRAGON CYCLE)

How about some music? These are some of my all-time favorite CDs. Just can't get enough of them. :)
 

Enya: The Celts
 

Comments
This is awesome music. Very relaxing, and has almost a dreamlike quality to it. Or you could say its almost ethreal. :)
Enya: The Celts

Lord of the Dance
 

Comments
What can I say? I LOVE it. 
Michael Flatley's Lord of the Dance

Loreena McKennitt: The Visit
 

Comments
Very similar to Enya. The mystical, ethreal sounds. Wonderful Celtic music. There is more than just this one, but this one is the only one I've heard so far.
Loreena McKennitt: The Visit

Xena Soundtrack VOl 2
 

Comments
I love the show, and naturally, the music too! :)This is sort of a Bulgarian style music, I think. Very active, nice tunes.
Xena Soundtrack VOL 2Xena Original Soundtrack

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