Name: The Will of the Empress
ISBN: 9780439441711

Tamora Pierce

Sandry, Daja, Briar, and Tris, are older now and back together again, in an exciting and much-awaited, stand-alone novel by everyone's favorite mage, Tamora Pierce.

For many years, Sandry's cousin, the Empress of Namorn, has pressed her to visit. But Sandry prefers to stay with her own family in Emelan. Now, as is her right, the Empress has insisted. Sandry will not travel with a group of warriors -- that would only insult the Empress. She will travel with her friends from Winding Circle: Daja, Briar, and Tris. But the four young mages haven't been together in some time, and their friendship isn't what it used to be.

The Circle Reforged: Book 1

The Will of the Empress

For years the Empress of Namorn has pressed her young cousin, Lady Sandrilene fa Toren, to visit her vast lands within the Empire's borders. Sandry has avoided the invitation for as long as it was possible. Now Sandry has agreed to pay that overdue visit. Sandry's uncle promises guards to accompany her. But they're hardly a group of warriors! They're her old friends from Winding Circle: Daja, Tris, and Briar. Sandry hardly knows them now. They've grown up and grown apart. Sandry isn't sure they'll ever find their old connection again - or if she even wants them to.

Connor 

update from the 2016 reread: the below is still true A THOUSAND times over. I read it slowly this time, and although that was a struggle in itself--I loved every agonizing second. 
___
I must have read this book a dozen times over since it was first released. It's my first go-to when I can't fall asleep, or when some book hasn't had a satisfying ending, or when I'm feeling especially down on myself. 

I don't even know what else there is to say about this book, other than that it's one of those whose scenes I've committed to memory because the deep love these four kid have for each other is so significant and profound that it leaves you completely floored.

Allison Garrett

I can’t believe Will of the Empress brought this series around. I actually really loved this book as a finale to the series. There are two more spin offs that are technically included in the series, but I think for me this was a good stopping point and wrapped things up too well to ruin it with more. *SPOILERS AHEAD*

Pros: 
•	I have always enjoyed when the 4 circle members have been together better than when they are apart. So, for me this book was automatically better than the last 4 when they had all been off on their own adventures. I know it isn’t the point, but I almost think that Pierce could’ve made the whole series into 2 books? Compacted all of their adventures together and separately and then brought them all back together. 
•	EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT!!! Oh, our little babies grew up so much from the beginning of the series. While they have grown up and traveled, they have all faced challenges that have helped them grow so much. 
•	Romance. I appreciated so many things about the romantic entanglements of this book. To start, I loved the fact that at the end of the novel everyone was single. As much as I loved Daja and Rizu’s romance and I did, they were the lesbian couple I didn’t know I needed. I loved that at the end it was about them and their friendship and recognizing that they are still 18 and have the rest of their lives ahead of them to form romantic ties. I loved that Briar did not fall madly in love with the empress. Their flirtation was interesting, but I greatly appreciated the fact that he didn’t even try to sleep with her or make her fall in love with him. Through him we saw her in such a better light. Sandry and Shan was a complete surprise to me, but I’m glad she didn’t end up with him. 
•	Feminist themes: I loved the anti-kidnapping that came up. Ambrose (MY GUY) really came through in the end and I just know he will get this abolished. 

Cons:
•	Not much was wrong with this book. For it to be so long, especially compared to the others, I read it very quickly and didn’t want to put it down. 

All in all a 5/5 from me because I loved the ending to the story and it all wrapped up nicely for me. It showed real emotional development between the circle and made me appreciate the series as a whole.

Daja, Briar, Tris, and Sandry have grown up and grown apart since their days together at Winding Circle, and Sandry's especially disappointed with the change. When Sandry's uncle requests that her three old friends accompany her on a visit to Sandry's vast lands within the Empire of Namorn, the young mages discover that they've landed in a trap. Namorn's iron-willed Empress has plans for Sandry and her companions, and she has wily and powerful mages to help her. But so, of course, does Sandry--if only she can get them to work together . . . .

The Will of the Empress The Circle Reforged: Book 1

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