I can't point to one Tamora Pierce book which influenced me because I read them in one big gulp in my late teens, but I definitely have a soft spot for Daine. Talking to animals appealed to me a lot more than becoming a knight did! I read Alanna first but made my brother start with Wild Magic.

I also appreciated that Pierce's books were not (at that time) giant bricks. Sometimes it's nice to read a book that you can carry around in your coat pocket and finish within a day.

but sometimes the important thing is not aging well - it’s what a reader needs right now.

That's a good point.