Reading order
The Song of the Lioness reading order
- Alanna: The First Adventure1983
- In the Hand of the Goddess1984
- The Woman Who Rides Like a Man1986
- Lioness Rampant1988
1
2
3
4- 4 volumes
- Volumes
- 1983–1988
- Published
- about 20 h
- Reading time
- Completed
- Status
- Middle grade#8
- Genre
Quick answer
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Publication order
4 volumes1983–1988Completed
- Alanna disguises herself as a boy to train as a knight in Tortall.
- Four short books, written for younger readers in the 1980s and read in order.
- The first is the best-rated; all four score close together.
- Tamora Pierce’s other Tortall series continue in the same world.
A plan for the whole series
4 volumes, 1,073 pages, about 20 hours. At 45 min a day that is about 4 weeks.
Share of volume 1’s readers who reach the last volume. Chance of reaching the last volume: high
Stages
This series fits in one stage. You finish around November 24, 2026.
- Stage 120 habout 4 weeksby November 24, 2026
- The end of the series
We count 1.1 min per page, the pace of an average novel reader. Faster? Move the slider.
Does the series hold up
Shape of the series: even. Volume scores differ by at most 0.2 points. You get the same level from the first page to the last.
Best volume: Alanna: The First Adventure (8.2, 376 ratings). Weakest: The Woman Who Rides Like a Man (8.0). The series is complete; you can read it start to finish with no waiting. The last volume (8.1) scores close to the series average or above it.
How this plan is calculated
The plan comes from the pages and ratings of each volume: we split the series into stages of about three weeks’ reading, size each break to the stage before it, and read the chance of finishing from how many readers rate the last volume compared with the first. How we work out the plan →
Every volume in order
Order checked by hand · Order and years: Wikidata (CC0). Spotted an error? Tell us. · Data updated October 29, 2026
The Song of the Lioness books ranked, best to worst
- 1.Alanna: The First AdventureBook 1 · 19838.2
- 2.In the Hand of the GoddessBook 2 · 19848.1
- 2.Lioness RampantBook 4 · 19888.1
- 4.The Woman Who Rides Like a ManBook 3 · 19868.0
Frequently asked questions
Which Song of the Lioness book is the best?
By reader score, Alanna: The First Adventure (8.2/10). The lowest-rated is The Woman Who Rides Like a Man (8.0/10).
Which The Song of the Lioness book is the longest?
“Lioness Rampant” is the longest at 336 pages; the shortest is “In the Hand of the Goddess” with 240 pages.
What should I read after The Song of the Lioness?
Other series by Tamora Pierce: Circle of Magic, Protector of the Small, Provost's Dog.
