“She rides as a man, goes unveiled as a man, fights as a man. Let her prove herself worthy as a man, worthy of her weapons and of our friendship.”

American fantasy writer

Tamora Pierce is an American fantasy writer best known for fiction for teenagers. She was born in 1954 and became widely known through her first book series, The Song of the Lioness. That series, published from 1983 to 1988, follows Alanna as she trains to become a knight and faces the tests that come with that path. Pierce is especially associated with stories centered on young heroines, and her work has often spoken to courage, growth, and the demands of finding a place in a rigid world.