Circle of Magic - Circle Opens [Tamora Pierce][Pdf, epub and mobi]

Circle universe

The Circle of Magic quartet is set in the land of Emelan, the Circle Opens quartet in various neighbouring countries.

The series tell the story of four children, Sandrilene fa Toren, Trisana Chandler, Daja Kisubo and Briar Moss (formerly Roach), known as Sandry, Tris, Daja, and Briar, respectively, who are discovered and brought together by a powerful mage Niklaren Goldeye (called Niko) and told that they are "ambient mages," which means that they use magic from outside themselves. The four youths do not fit in with the other children of the monastic community to which Niko brings them, and are put together in a separate cottage, called Discipline. Here they each learn of their hidden talents; Sandry with thread, Tris with weather, Daja with fire and metal, and Briar with plants. They live with two mages: Lark, a gentle woman especially attentive to Sandry since she also has thread magic, and Rosethorn, a sharp woman who shares Briar's ability with plants. Also teaching and guiding them is Niko, technically Tris's teacher, but available to all four. Daja is mentored and guided by Dedicate Initiate Frostpine, a smith mage. Their teachers, with the exception of Niko, are also ambient mages. At first it seems that a merchant, a street rat, a noblewoman, and a Trader (a trading race that is often hated by others) will never get along, but an extraordinary circumstance brings them together. They are all powerful individually, but they discover that together they are even stronger. Through an earthquake, they realize their full potential and are bound closely together forever. As children skilled in an uncommon magic, they struggle to earn the respect of the adults they encounter.

Circle of Magic

Sandry's Book, UK title The Magic in the Weaving (1997)
The four young mages are brought together to learn about their newfound magic. When they are trapped in the midst of an earthquake, they must spin their powers together to survive.
Tris's Book, UK title The Power in the Storm (1998)
Winding circle is attacked by pirates with a strange new weapon and a spy amongst the mages. The Winding Circle temple faces complete destruction. What will the four do to stop the attack?
Daja's Book, UK title The Fire in the Forging (1998)
Duke Vedris takes the four and their teachers to northern Emelan where wild grass fires had been ruining the harvest. Daja finds a Trader caravan and is torn between two fates, to be back with the people she was raised with but labelled her an outcast or to stay with her friends and teachers.
Briar's Book, UK title The Healing in the Vine (1999)
When a deadly illness strikes Summersea, the four and their teachers work to stop it. Just as they begin to succeed, the illness strikes back at what Briar loves most.

The Circle Opens

During this series the young mages are officially certified by Winding Circle and become teachers. In this quartet the original four protagonists decide to travel with their teachers, each taking on a new student and combating problems abroad.

Magic Steps (2000)
Sandry finds a dance-mage boy in Summersea, the twelve-year-old Pasco Acalon, the son and grandson of two police families (known as "harriers" in Summersea). When a rich trading family falls prey to a serial killer, she and Pasco must work together to stop the killer mages who have a deadly weapon- unmagic, which is the absence of magic and life.
Street Magic (2001)
In Chammur, Briar discovers a street girl named Evvy (Evumeimei Dingzai), and finds she has stone-magic. But the noblewoman-sponsor of the sinister Viper gang has her eye on Evvy, and Briar must protect his young student from the lady's greed.
Cold Fire (2002)
Daja travels to Namorn in the far north, and discovers her host's twin daughters' magical talent: Niamara (Nia), whose magic is with carpentry and woodwork, and Jorality (Jory), whose magic is with cooking. All the while someone is setting fires throughout the city, despite the best efforts of Bennat Ladradun, head of the firefighters.
Shatterglass (2003)
Tris encounters Kethlun Warder (Keth), an undiscovered glass mage who "lost" his glass talent when he was hit by lightning, but gained the ability to mix lightning and glass. Keth can create glass balls that contain visions of the work of a murderer who incidentally orphaned Glakisa Irakory (Glaki), a 4 year old academic mage who lives in the same place as Keth. Keth also created a living glass dragon, named Chime by Tris. Together, Tris and Keth are the only ones who can expose the murderer.

These books take place as the children go from about age 10, in the first series, to 14 in the second.