Most of Pierce's young adult fantasies are set in the land of Tortall, the books featuring a magical circle of friends is the exception. There are two cycles of four novels involving the four friends--Sandry, Briar, Daja--and Tris. The first cycle is known as the Circle of Magic and should be read first. In the second cycle, the four friends separate, with three of them going off and traveling with magical mentors and finding proteges of their own to train. This one is centered on Tris, who is the most prickly of the four, the one who struggles the most to make friends, so it's not surprising she has a hard time dealing with her student--not only is her student Kethlun a grown man, but he is struggling with mastering the frightening power of lightning. Like the other books in this cycle the book also deals with a mystery--this one involving a serial killer. Good addition to the Circle series combining magic and mystery, and Tris' glass dragon in particular is striking and memorable.
