What do you think?
Rate this book
Crown & Court #0.5
A Stranger to Command
A STRANGER TO COMMANDIn this much-anticipated prequel to CROWN DUEL, Vidanric Renselaeus, fifteen-year-old Marquis of Shevraeth, finds himself sent across the continent to a military academy in Marloven Hess, a kingdom known for its violent history. Vidanric is used to civilized life in pleasant Remalna--except that the evidence is increasingly clear that the civilization is only on the surface. Too many young, smart heirs have suffered accidents of late, and the evidence is beginning to point to the king, Galdran, who has grandiose plans for expansion.
In Marloven Hess, no one can pronounce his real names, and they assume his title is his name. He becomes Shevraeth--discovering that there are no marquises or dukes or barons in this kingdom, and no one has the slightest interest in Remalna. Or in foreigners. Until very recently, the academy was closed to outsiders. But the king--also fifteen, and recently come to his throne after a nasty civil war--wants him there.
Learning about command turns out to be very different than Shevraeth had assumed, and the Marlovens, who are going through political and social change at all levels, are not at all what he expected. He makes friends as well as enemies; experiences terror and laughter as well as challenges on the field and off.
He discovers friendship, loyalty--and love.
All the while greater events in the world are moving inexorably toward conflagration, drawing the smartest of the young people into key positions--whether they want it or not. They're going to have to be ready.
"Involving characters, exquisite world building, politics, intrigue, and choices to be made between love, school and country. A Stranger to Command has everything. Drop what you're doing and read it immediately."
--Justine Larbalestier author of HOW TO DITCH YOUR FAIRY
"War games. Courtly Vidanric, sent for his own protection to train as a warrior in a foreign land four months' journey from home, considers himself alien, sensitive, weak, and ignorant among his fellow cadets. Remaining a study in courage and integrity, despite the grinding discipline that takes away even his name, Vidanric's soldier's skills grow swordblade sharp even as he also learns lessons of the heart. But capability, responsibility, and all-too-real invasion come together as Vidanric realizes that not only is he being trained for kingship, he's capable of it, too . . . A diamond-bright portrait of a harsh and magical journey to adulthood."
--Elizabeth E. Wein, author of THE MARK OF SOLOMON
"Sherwood Smith's universe is so detailed at this point that you feel like a traveller in a real foreign land--charmed, sometimes bewildered, and finally at home with no desire to leave. This book deals thoughtfully with the creation of a hero, and also creates an exciting, occasionally-painful, and always absorbing adventure."
--Sarah Rees Brennan, author of THE DEMON LEXICON
In Marloven Hess, no one can pronounce his real names, and they assume his title is his name. He becomes Shevraeth--discovering that there are no marquises or dukes or barons in this kingdom, and no one has the slightest interest in Remalna. Or in foreigners. Until very recently, the academy was closed to outsiders. But the king--also fifteen, and recently come to his throne after a nasty civil war--wants him there.
Learning about command turns out to be very different than Shevraeth had assumed, and the Marlovens, who are going through political and social change at all levels, are not at all what he expected. He makes friends as well as enemies; experiences terror and laughter as well as challenges on the field and off.
He discovers friendship, loyalty--and love.
All the while greater events in the world are moving inexorably toward conflagration, drawing the smartest of the young people into key positions--whether they want it or not. They're going to have to be ready.
"Involving characters, exquisite world building, politics, intrigue, and choices to be made between love, school and country. A Stranger to Command has everything. Drop what you're doing and read it immediately."
--Justine Larbalestier author of HOW TO DITCH YOUR FAIRY
"War games. Courtly Vidanric, sent for his own protection to train as a warrior in a foreign land four months' journey from home, considers himself alien, sensitive, weak, and ignorant among his fellow cadets. Remaining a study in courage and integrity, despite the grinding discipline that takes away even his name, Vidanric's soldier's skills grow swordblade sharp even as he also learns lessons of the heart. But capability, responsibility, and all-too-real invasion come together as Vidanric realizes that not only is he being trained for kingship, he's capable of it, too . . . A diamond-bright portrait of a harsh and magical journey to adulthood."
--Elizabeth E. Wein, author of THE MARK OF SOLOMON
"Sherwood Smith's universe is so detailed at this point that you feel like a traveller in a real foreign land--charmed, sometimes bewildered, and finally at home with no desire to leave. This book deals thoughtfully with the creation of a hero, and also creates an exciting, occasionally-painful, and always absorbing adventure."
--Sarah Rees Brennan, author of THE DEMON LEXICON
476 pages, Hardcover
First published August 1, 2008
44 people are currently reading
1928 people want to read
About the author
Sherwood Smith
168 books37.5k followersI am a writer,( Patreon here) but I'm on Goodreads to talk about books, as I've been a passionate reader as long as I've been a writer--since early childhood.
I'm not going to rate books--there are too many variables. I'd rather talk about the reading experience. My 'reviews' of my books are confined to the writing process.
I'm not going to rate books--there are too many variables. I'd rather talk about the reading experience. My 'reviews' of my books are confined to the writing process.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 211 reviews
March 16, 2016
March 2016: This is still weirdly compelling and evocative. I say weirdly, because I can't quite pin my finger on why this is so successful (and this is after multiple rereads over the last few years). Maybe it's alternate school story charm, albeit a fairly unusual school? Maybe it's sympathy for the isolated protagonist?
Somehow, I can read this story of said isolated protagonist - no friends, really, even after years in the school; nothing more than friendly acquaintances - and yet I can find so much humanity in it. Maybe that's the key to the novel's success: it takes the familiar school story and twists it just enough so that it's still recognizable, but it's different enough that highlighting this one character's ordeals makes him seem - not special. Which is a good thing.
I don't think I'm articulating this very well. What I'm trying to get at is sort of related to this McKinley quote: "The great thing about fantasy is that you can drag dreams and longings and hopes and fears and strivings out of your subconscious and call them 'magic' or 'dragons' or 'faeries' and get to know them better." I think that's what A Stranger to Command does - partly. It still retains enough similarities to the familiar school story that Shevraeth's reactions always feel exactly right.
And I finish the novel, as always, wondering what comes next! What happens with Norsunder? Why does this enormous threat go almost unmentioned and unresolved, even in Crown Duel? What happens when Vidanric becomes king with regard to relations with the Marlovens, especially once you take into account how tiny Remalna is, and the disproportionately close relationship Vidanric has with a bunch of influential Marlovens? How are the neighboring kingdoms (Colend, wherever Flauvic was a page) handling the threat?
September 2012: I was not expecting to love this so much. A prequel of sorts to Crown Duel, this book is nearly flawless in every regard, the world building being the most notable with characterization a very close second.
Apparently Smith has written another four books set in this world. I don't know how I'll wait for them.
One last note: all ebooks should be $3.99. I'd buy so many more that way.
Somehow, I can read this story of said isolated protagonist - no friends, really, even after years in the school; nothing more than friendly acquaintances - and yet I can find so much humanity in it. Maybe that's the key to the novel's success: it takes the familiar school story and twists it just enough so that it's still recognizable, but it's different enough that highlighting this one character's ordeals makes him seem - not special. Which is a good thing.
I don't think I'm articulating this very well. What I'm trying to get at is sort of related to this McKinley quote: "The great thing about fantasy is that you can drag dreams and longings and hopes and fears and strivings out of your subconscious and call them 'magic' or 'dragons' or 'faeries' and get to know them better." I think that's what A Stranger to Command does - partly. It still retains enough similarities to the familiar school story that Shevraeth's reactions always feel exactly right.
And I finish the novel, as always, wondering what comes next! What happens with Norsunder? Why does this enormous threat go almost unmentioned and unresolved, even in Crown Duel? What happens when Vidanric becomes king with regard to relations with the Marlovens, especially once you take into account how tiny Remalna is, and the disproportionately close relationship Vidanric has with a bunch of influential Marlovens? How are the neighboring kingdoms (Colend, wherever Flauvic was a page) handling the threat?
September 2012: I was not expecting to love this so much. A prequel of sorts to Crown Duel, this book is nearly flawless in every regard, the world building being the most notable with characterization a very close second.
Apparently Smith has written another four books set in this world. I don't know how I'll wait for them.
One last note: all ebooks should be $3.99. I'd buy so many more that way.
May 1, 2014
Okay, I have a confession. I didn't read this book for the longest time because the print copy has a picture of some young man who TOTALLY does not match my image of Shevraeth, staring off into the middle distance as if he has just cut one and is hoping no one notices. My apologies to the young man in the picture.
I love prequels. I love the narrative naivete that has the characters saying things where the reader knows what's going to happen but the characters don't. I love getting a different perspective on later events. There's just something about the structure of a prequel that I enjoy, which is why I was so angry about the renumbering of the Narnia novels that suggests The Magician's Nephew is appropriate to read first. But that's another review.
That said, I had some difficulty getting into this book. Not only is it a prequel to Crown Duel, it's in a sense a sequel to other stories set in this world, none of which I have read, and there were times when I felt frustrated and left out and wondering if I was expected to know this back story. The book skips around a lot in POV, some of which is necessary, some of which contributed to the aforementioned sense of being left out, and there were some scenes I could have done without entirely (especially Senrid and Sartora talking about their mutual history). It didn't help that I was reading the first quarter of the book in very small pieces and lacked the necessary narrative flow.
Once I got fully into it, I was really hooked. I like military fiction and I loved Shevraeth's abrupt immersion in it (yes, I'm going to call him by the name everyone else does, and I haven't missed that this is also the name he's known by all the way through Crown Duel--his identification with the land he's responsible for is, I think, possible to read as a reminder that he's going to be responsible for all of Remalna someday). I particularly like that the story didn't take the route of "new boy gets hazed and then proves that he's the best so they respect him now." Shevraeth ends up being good at some things and lousy at others, and he makes a place for himself mainly by just being who he is.
I liked his inner journey more than his military journey mainly because we get to see how Vidanric Renselaeus became who he is. In Crown Duel we only see the end product, and seen in that isolation he's almost too perfect, too good a strategist and potential king. Here we see his failures and especially the challenges that make him realize that he cannot afford the luxury of not becoming a leader. This is where we see that Shevraeth was turning into the next king long before he realizes it himself.
Shevraeth's relationship with the lovely and talented Senelac was really well done, even though I kept wanting to shake the girl and say "What are you THINKING, this man is MARRIED to SOMEONE ELSE!" because I identify far, far too closely with Meliara. It was just heartbreaking to watch him fall in love for the first time and know that love was doomed--and doomed not because we know (because this is a prequel) that he ends up with another woman, but because he and Senelac simply can't be together because of who they both are. So sweet, and so sad, when he cries because that relationship is over.
One of my favorite parts, and the main reason why I enjoyed the POV-hopping even though normally I don't (and there's a part of me that would like to have seen this a more tightly plotted novel) is the development of Russav, who doesn't get nearly enough screen time in Crown Duel because it's told through Mel's POV. His friendship with Shevraeth is so fun, and Russav is great as a window through which we see Galdran's court. I loved that he came to meet Shevraeth when he was returning home because we got to see more of them together.
I'm positive I'll enjoy this even more the next time I read it. I have the feeling there are things I missed because it is sort of large and sweeping, so I look forward to the next time around.
I love prequels. I love the narrative naivete that has the characters saying things where the reader knows what's going to happen but the characters don't. I love getting a different perspective on later events. There's just something about the structure of a prequel that I enjoy, which is why I was so angry about the renumbering of the Narnia novels that suggests The Magician's Nephew is appropriate to read first. But that's another review.
That said, I had some difficulty getting into this book. Not only is it a prequel to Crown Duel, it's in a sense a sequel to other stories set in this world, none of which I have read, and there were times when I felt frustrated and left out and wondering if I was expected to know this back story. The book skips around a lot in POV, some of which is necessary, some of which contributed to the aforementioned sense of being left out, and there were some scenes I could have done without entirely (especially Senrid and Sartora talking about their mutual history). It didn't help that I was reading the first quarter of the book in very small pieces and lacked the necessary narrative flow.
Once I got fully into it, I was really hooked. I like military fiction and I loved Shevraeth's abrupt immersion in it (yes, I'm going to call him by the name everyone else does, and I haven't missed that this is also the name he's known by all the way through Crown Duel--his identification with the land he's responsible for is, I think, possible to read as a reminder that he's going to be responsible for all of Remalna someday). I particularly like that the story didn't take the route of "new boy gets hazed and then proves that he's the best so they respect him now." Shevraeth ends up being good at some things and lousy at others, and he makes a place for himself mainly by just being who he is.
I liked his inner journey more than his military journey mainly because we get to see how Vidanric Renselaeus became who he is. In Crown Duel we only see the end product, and seen in that isolation he's almost too perfect, too good a strategist and potential king. Here we see his failures and especially the challenges that make him realize that he cannot afford the luxury of not becoming a leader. This is where we see that Shevraeth was turning into the next king long before he realizes it himself.
Shevraeth's relationship with the lovely and talented Senelac was really well done, even though I kept wanting to shake the girl and say "What are you THINKING, this man is MARRIED to SOMEONE ELSE!" because I identify far, far too closely with Meliara. It was just heartbreaking to watch him fall in love for the first time and know that love was doomed--and doomed not because we know (because this is a prequel) that he ends up with another woman, but because he and Senelac simply can't be together because of who they both are. So sweet, and so sad, when he cries because that relationship is over.
One of my favorite parts, and the main reason why I enjoyed the POV-hopping even though normally I don't (and there's a part of me that would like to have seen this a more tightly plotted novel) is the development of Russav, who doesn't get nearly enough screen time in Crown Duel because it's told through Mel's POV. His friendship with Shevraeth is so fun, and Russav is great as a window through which we see Galdran's court. I loved that he came to meet Shevraeth when he was returning home because we got to see more of them together.
I'm positive I'll enjoy this even more the next time I read it. I have the feeling there are things I missed because it is sort of large and sweeping, so I look forward to the next time around.
April 21, 2018
4.5/5; 5 stars ; A
Re-read April 2018: I won’t change my rating or review. Loved it even more this time. Thank you Sherwood Smith for renewing my belief that the main characters in a book can be all teenagers and Not be annoying!
*****
March 2016 review:
This book is, by far, my favorite of those I've listened to by this author. The fantastic narration is a big factor. Fred Berman has a voice that can seamlessly move between young and old voices, as well as male and female. I liked how the bulk of the narration was done with an American accent and then when Vidranic was speaking or the letters between him and his family were reference it was with a different accent.
Anyway, this is a character driven story of a young man, thrust into the foreign world of a military school in a foreign country. He has a shaky start but through determination, intelligence, kindness and wits, he excels and spends the next four years learning and growing into a man and a warrior.
The 'big bad' in this story is mostly a looming shadow, providing impetus for much of the training at the military school, but doesn't really play a role action. The focus is on Vidranric's education and his growth as a person and a leader. I really enjoyed it.
Re-read April 2018: I won’t change my rating or review. Loved it even more this time. Thank you Sherwood Smith for renewing my belief that the main characters in a book can be all teenagers and Not be annoying!
*****
March 2016 review:
This book is, by far, my favorite of those I've listened to by this author. The fantastic narration is a big factor. Fred Berman has a voice that can seamlessly move between young and old voices, as well as male and female. I liked how the bulk of the narration was done with an American accent and then when Vidranic was speaking or the letters between him and his family were reference it was with a different accent.
Anyway, this is a character driven story of a young man, thrust into the foreign world of a military school in a foreign country. He has a shaky start but through determination, intelligence, kindness and wits, he excels and spends the next four years learning and growing into a man and a warrior.
The 'big bad' in this story is mostly a looming shadow, providing impetus for much of the training at the military school, but doesn't really play a role action. The focus is on Vidranric's education and his growth as a person and a leader. I really enjoyed it.
April 16, 2014
This is a "proper" prequel in that knowing the "future" events in Crown Duel enhances the story and emotional connection in important ways. This book is the story of Vidanric's training during the years he spent away from Remalna that are so key to who he becomes. Interestingly, it isn't just the martial and command training, but we also get to see the formation of his theories of government, royalty, and the duties of rulership. And it is interesting as Smith fits his theoretical journey into the plot in a way that advances the story even as he learns and explores the theories he is developing.
I particularly enjoyed the Marloven academy as the setting for the novel. Smith obviously knows kids and their training intimately as the details and depth of the academy sang with authenticity. Training young (ish, they seem to start around 10 or 11) boys for military command is a daunting task and depicting an organization that does so successfully is equally difficult. That Smith makes it seem natural, even easy, is a tribute to both her skill and her knowledge of that domain. Those boys felt real and I felt immersed in their environment in the best possible way (i.e. without actually having to deal with a bunch of rambunctious kids).
If there's a weakness in the story it's in the lack of a central, persistent antagonist. Vidanric deals with a good deal of opposition, being a foreigner in a prestigious native institution, but members of that opposition are fluid. His challenges in the school also morph over time (the book comprises some four(ish) years) as he grows and overcomes only to find new (and/or deeper) problems to take on. That could have left the novel feeling like a simple series of events, but I never actually felt that way. At least one reason everything felt more cohesive than it might have is knowledge of who Vidanric is in Crown Duel. As such, you can see his progression towards that eventual outcome and that gives something of a unifying theme.
More subtle, but more powerful (I think), is Vidanric as his own antagonist. Or rather, his ignorance and false suppositions. Through his training, he comes to understand the true challenge ahead of him once he returns home and getting prepared (physically, mentally, and emotionally) becomes the central conflict. In other words, Smith makes his intellectual journey the central thread of the plot—turning a potential weakness (exposition and lessons/training) into a strength (the thread that ties everything together into a cohesive whole).
Finally, though, you can toss all of the above aside because Vidanric turns out to be an even more interesting character than I had imagined. That alone makes this book a treasure and the rest is all analysis/justification after the fact...
I particularly enjoyed the Marloven academy as the setting for the novel. Smith obviously knows kids and their training intimately as the details and depth of the academy sang with authenticity. Training young (ish, they seem to start around 10 or 11) boys for military command is a daunting task and depicting an organization that does so successfully is equally difficult. That Smith makes it seem natural, even easy, is a tribute to both her skill and her knowledge of that domain. Those boys felt real and I felt immersed in their environment in the best possible way (i.e. without actually having to deal with a bunch of rambunctious kids).
If there's a weakness in the story it's in the lack of a central, persistent antagonist. Vidanric deals with a good deal of opposition, being a foreigner in a prestigious native institution, but members of that opposition are fluid. His challenges in the school also morph over time (the book comprises some four(ish) years) as he grows and overcomes only to find new (and/or deeper) problems to take on. That could have left the novel feeling like a simple series of events, but I never actually felt that way. At least one reason everything felt more cohesive than it might have is knowledge of who Vidanric is in Crown Duel. As such, you can see his progression towards that eventual outcome and that gives something of a unifying theme.
More subtle, but more powerful (I think), is Vidanric as his own antagonist. Or rather, his ignorance and false suppositions. Through his training, he comes to understand the true challenge ahead of him once he returns home and getting prepared (physically, mentally, and emotionally) becomes the central conflict. In other words, Smith makes his intellectual journey the central thread of the plot—turning a potential weakness (exposition and lessons/training) into a strength (the thread that ties everything together into a cohesive whole).
Finally, though, you can toss all of the above aside because Vidanric turns out to be an even more interesting character than I had imagined. That alone makes this book a treasure and the rest is all analysis/justification after the fact...
June 18, 2010
This review is not for Sherwood fans (who will read and love this book regardless), but for anyone looking for a book which will contribute something to their lives. It will be very hard to write it without sounding over-enthusiastic in my praise. Please remember that whatever else I say, this book is both down to earth and highly entertaining.
Don’t be discouraged if the plot appears narrow at first: in a time that feels medieval a fifteen year old boy attends a foreign military command school. Because this setting introduces characters and themes that reach far beyond it. It is not simply a coming of age story, but a ‘coming to greatness’ story. It gives insight into bringing out the best in human nature. Not good looks, strength, rank or popularity, but (... here insert every virtue you can think of, it’s too preachy to list and the book is not preachy at all).
One that does deserve a particular mention is kindness. Not the soppy, clingy kind, but the hidden, small and usually unrequited acts of selflessness that make life more pleasant for others. In military command school. It’s impressive.
And friendship. And the last I must mention is leadership.
There are some special stories that everyone is entitled to know about. I hope we haven’t yet seen the full scope of this series (if you haven’t also read Crown Duel you must, before this one, and perhaps afterwards as well). Maybe the author can be convinced to write another book exploring more of the interesting histories and peoples glimpsed in this narrative. But even standing alone, the wisdom of character found in this one is original and edifying enough to make it extraordinary.
February 25, 2012
Read this book instead of Ender's Game.
A child is sent into a foreign and militaristic world. He encounters kindness, bullies, and seemingly arbitrary rules. He is smart enough to learn how to work the system and innovate within it.
They key difference is that unlike Ender, Vidanric/Shaveraeth achieves his goals through kindness. He still builds community, but it is based on respect instead of a combination of respect and fear.
Ender's Game meant a lot to me as a very bright kid who felt alone, but for my own kids, I intend to give them A Stranger To Command instead.
The story is straightforward: a scion of a noble house is sent out his home country to keep him safe from political dangers at home. He is dropped into military school, which is a rude shock for him, and his culture is very courtly and a little effete. Through various trials and experiments, he learns to play their game, but he always retains his core of kindness and compassion. That unusual perspective helps him build very solid teams and command structures. Inevitably, he is tried in a crucible of war and comes out the other side intact.
There is a thread of romance, and I really like the way it is handled as both age-appropriate to the characters and serving the needs of the story. There is also a looming enemy, which ties into more stories in the world. I read this book before Crown Duel and liked it better, but I'm sure it works excellently as a prequel after Crown Duel. It also stands alone well, although of course you like the world and characters enough to keep going.
I enjoy Sherwood Smith's solution to the twin banes of fantasy writers -- how does a society handle sewage, and how do travelers stay warm. She has provided magic that works for these simple things, and so you never have to think about one's heroes squatting behind a bush, and they don't have to spend time gathering firewood. On the whole, the use of magic is balanced, interesting, and not overwhelming to the story.
Read if: you liked Ender's game. You want a kind hero in your life. You have enjoyed any other Sherwood Smith.
Skip if: you really hate high fantasy. Military school books are not your thing.
A child is sent into a foreign and militaristic world. He encounters kindness, bullies, and seemingly arbitrary rules. He is smart enough to learn how to work the system and innovate within it.
They key difference is that unlike Ender, Vidanric/Shaveraeth achieves his goals through kindness. He still builds community, but it is based on respect instead of a combination of respect and fear.
Ender's Game meant a lot to me as a very bright kid who felt alone, but for my own kids, I intend to give them A Stranger To Command instead.
The story is straightforward: a scion of a noble house is sent out his home country to keep him safe from political dangers at home. He is dropped into military school, which is a rude shock for him, and his culture is very courtly and a little effete. Through various trials and experiments, he learns to play their game, but he always retains his core of kindness and compassion. That unusual perspective helps him build very solid teams and command structures. Inevitably, he is tried in a crucible of war and comes out the other side intact.
There is a thread of romance, and I really like the way it is handled as both age-appropriate to the characters and serving the needs of the story. There is also a looming enemy, which ties into more stories in the world. I read this book before Crown Duel and liked it better, but I'm sure it works excellently as a prequel after Crown Duel. It also stands alone well, although of course you like the world and characters enough to keep going.
I enjoy Sherwood Smith's solution to the twin banes of fantasy writers -- how does a society handle sewage, and how do travelers stay warm. She has provided magic that works for these simple things, and so you never have to think about one's heroes squatting behind a bush, and they don't have to spend time gathering firewood. On the whole, the use of magic is balanced, interesting, and not overwhelming to the story.
Read if: you liked Ender's game. You want a kind hero in your life. You have enjoyed any other Sherwood Smith.
Skip if: you really hate high fantasy. Military school books are not your thing.
August 29, 2016
Mh, young boys and academies. I’m not usually too keen about straight coming-of-age tales, much less those revolving around training schools, yet lately I've read almost two in a row, go figure. Anyway, I really liked this one. I had my first Sherwood Smith's taste when I picked the excellent -and I mean excellent- The Trouble with Kings, a story that within the borders of YA literature starts deceptively simple and becomes truly riveting.
Its world-building was particularly intriguing, if light, so when I learned that Sartorias-deles was a shared setting spanning several books, I jumped in on another standalone of hers because I really wanted to know more about the cleaning frames. My wish was granted (I ended up reading Crown Duel, too, which is another great YA story following Stranger).
The main character is very likeable without being a Gary Stu and there are nice interactions between the cast. Also, the author managed to make me feel his development and that surprised me, as my expectations were more about action than interesting introspection. I got one and the other btw.
High time for Inda, I’m really curious about her novels aimed at the mature reader.
Choose the duty you can most effectively execute: that is, finally, all we can do in life.
Its world-building was particularly intriguing, if light, so when I learned that Sartorias-deles was a shared setting spanning several books, I jumped in on another standalone of hers because I really wanted to know more about the cleaning frames. My wish was granted (I ended up reading Crown Duel, too, which is another great YA story following Stranger).
The main character is very likeable without being a Gary Stu and there are nice interactions between the cast. Also, the author managed to make me feel his development and that surprised me, as my expectations were more about action than interesting introspection. I got one and the other btw.
High time for Inda, I’m really curious about her novels aimed at the mature reader.
Choose the duty you can most effectively execute: that is, finally, all we can do in life.
July 7, 2010
Despite the veneer of fantasy, this is essentially a school story with a culture-clash twist. The king of Remalna is in the habit of having fatal accidents happen to the heirs of prominent nobles, so young Vidanric's parents send him to a military academy in a far-off land. Vidanric comes from a more courtly and less martial culture, and most of the book is taken up with his efforts to learn new skills and adapt. There are occasional hints of foreign threats ("the EVIL Norsunders!") but nothing actually happens on that front. Magic also gets referred to but doesn't play a large role in the story. In fact, it seems to function mainly as a device of convenience, allowing Vidanric to exchange letters with his parents and no one to ever need bathroom breaks. I thought the magic was the weakest aspect of the book and didn't seem fully thought out. If there are "Transfer Plates" allowing instant travel and boxes sending instant messages, why do they get so little use? And if the evil dudes (who are not explained very well here, but I suspect are in other books) have HUGE UNSTOPPABLE POWERS what's the point of training so hard for war? Questions like this made the larger plot seem pretty feeble. However, I did like the characters and felt interested in how they made out with their lives.
April 5, 2009
Love Senrid and Liere. Cannot wait to read their stories. Love Vidanric's parents madly. They are so amazing. Is there a story somewhere that tells their tale?
I like the promise that Elestra has Vidanric make and then she says that she and Alaric have to practice it as well.
Vidanric is trying to come to an understanding of authority, Civilization. Kingship. Command. Duty. Love. Right and wrong. It really is a growing up/ maturing/ coming-of-age tale for him. (He has a little D-Y. He can pick up on other's moods without being aware of it.)I like seeing him with Russav and parents best of all.
The snippets of Remalna, both Russav and Elestra/ Alaric, were so tantalizing. It was difficult to be wrenched away from those fascinating bits back to Marloven training, which got dull at times, esp. the parts about Senelac. Who frankly I detested. It was no more than attraction between them, however keen, with no true friendship to back it up nor upon which to build any sort of love. It does make a lot more sense though why Mel would appeal so much to Vidanric - she has no artifice, no deceit. She is who she is - she says what she means and means what she says. A true rarity in his sphere. And I liked seeing Senrid's insights into Vidanric's character. Of course, now, I am dying to hear all about the great war with Norsunder! And it was nice to see Senrid again, though I quickly realized that I missed a huge story arc between this book and the end of Senrid: Fleeing Peace. And I need to go read all about how Senrid and Liere met now too!
Oh, and the references to the Calahanras heir and the crazy Tlanth count. They drove me mad. I wanted to hear more of their opinion concerning those events and people, esp. from Elestra who was supposed to have been such a great friend of Mel's mother.
Lastly, I do not think that I will ever stop hoping, perhaps against all rationality, for another Remalnan tale covering the events, more or less, from Vidanric's return up through the tumultuous events of Crown Duel from the viewpoints of Vidanric, Russav, Elestra, Alaric, and even Galdran and the Marquise... That would be fully awesome... *contented sigh just contemplating it*
I like the promise that Elestra has Vidanric make and then she says that she and Alaric have to practice it as well.
Vidanric is trying to come to an understanding of authority, Civilization. Kingship. Command. Duty. Love. Right and wrong. It really is a growing up/ maturing/ coming-of-age tale for him. (He has a little D-Y. He can pick up on other's moods without being aware of it.)I like seeing him with Russav and parents best of all.
The snippets of Remalna, both Russav and Elestra/ Alaric, were so tantalizing. It was difficult to be wrenched away from those fascinating bits back to Marloven training, which got dull at times, esp. the parts about Senelac. Who frankly I detested. It was no more than attraction between them, however keen, with no true friendship to back it up nor upon which to build any sort of love. It does make a lot more sense though why Mel would appeal so much to Vidanric - she has no artifice, no deceit. She is who she is - she says what she means and means what she says. A true rarity in his sphere. And I liked seeing Senrid's insights into Vidanric's character. Of course, now, I am dying to hear all about the great war with Norsunder! And it was nice to see Senrid again, though I quickly realized that I missed a huge story arc between this book and the end of Senrid: Fleeing Peace. And I need to go read all about how Senrid and Liere met now too!
Oh, and the references to the Calahanras heir and the crazy Tlanth count. They drove me mad. I wanted to hear more of their opinion concerning those events and people, esp. from Elestra who was supposed to have been such a great friend of Mel's mother.
Lastly, I do not think that I will ever stop hoping, perhaps against all rationality, for another Remalnan tale covering the events, more or less, from Vidanric's return up through the tumultuous events of Crown Duel from the viewpoints of Vidanric, Russav, Elestra, Alaric, and even Galdran and the Marquise... That would be fully awesome... *contented sigh just contemplating it*
June 24, 2019
First of all, that cover is horrid.
A) He looks vapid
B) He doesn't look anything like I pictured Vidanric
C) My mom said he looked like he was in his undershirt
D) I am very sure that they could have found a better looking guy
All that said, I still loved this book. I don't know why I liked it so much, but I did. I will not be able to write a review worthy of this book, so I am going to keep it nice and short. At the end, I felt like I wanted more. There were so many questions running through my head that I read the last page more times than was necessary. Will he ever see Senrid again? Will he ever go back to Marloven Hess? What happened to Senelac? Does he stay in contact with his friends at Marloven Hess?
My feelings at the end of this book are testimony to Smith's skill as an author. At the end, I experienced emotions that I hadn't thought possible before reading this story. I had experienced them before, but I hadn't thought it was possible to feel them simultaneously. I felt like the story needed to keep going, and I felt that it had ended at exactly the right spot. This book was amazing, and inspiring. Nothing more needs to be said.
A) He looks vapid
B) He doesn't look anything like I pictured Vidanric
C) My mom said he looked like he was in his undershirt
D) I am very sure that they could have found a better looking guy
All that said, I still loved this book. I don't know why I liked it so much, but I did. I will not be able to write a review worthy of this book, so I am going to keep it nice and short. At the end, I felt like I wanted more. There were so many questions running through my head that I read the last page more times than was necessary. Will he ever see Senrid again? Will he ever go back to Marloven Hess? What happened to Senelac? Does he stay in contact with his friends at Marloven Hess?
My feelings at the end of this book are testimony to Smith's skill as an author. At the end, I experienced emotions that I hadn't thought possible before reading this story. I had experienced them before, but I hadn't thought it was possible to feel them simultaneously. I felt like the story needed to keep going, and I felt that it had ended at exactly the right spot. This book was amazing, and inspiring. Nothing more needs to be said.
April 10, 2012
This is a prequel to Crown Duel and is related also to Senrid (which I didn't know before reading it), but I think it stands very well on its own.
Fifteen-year-old Vidanric Renselaeus, Marquis of Shevraeth, has been sent from his home in Remalna to a military academy in Marloven Hess in order to escape political unrest at home, where the king is increasingly out of control. In Marloven Hess, Vidanric must learn and accept many new things: a new name (the Marlovens assume his title, Shevraeth, is his name), a new king (the young king Senrid), new friends and foes, and most of all, a new view of the world, as he must reconcile the seemingly civilized ways of his own country with the warlike ones of Marloven Hess.
As always, the worldbuilding is excellent, though I occasionally wished I'd reread Senrid in advance in order to understand that background better, and the characters are as well. I loved Vidanric's courage, intelligence, and integrity, which he retains in spite of the difficulty of adapting to his new environment. The difference between the two cultures is especially intriguing, as Vidanric finds that there might be more to be said for Marloven Hess than he originally thought.
Fifteen-year-old Vidanric Renselaeus, Marquis of Shevraeth, has been sent from his home in Remalna to a military academy in Marloven Hess in order to escape political unrest at home, where the king is increasingly out of control. In Marloven Hess, Vidanric must learn and accept many new things: a new name (the Marlovens assume his title, Shevraeth, is his name), a new king (the young king Senrid), new friends and foes, and most of all, a new view of the world, as he must reconcile the seemingly civilized ways of his own country with the warlike ones of Marloven Hess.
As always, the worldbuilding is excellent, though I occasionally wished I'd reread Senrid in advance in order to understand that background better, and the characters are as well. I loved Vidanric's courage, intelligence, and integrity, which he retains in spite of the difficulty of adapting to his new environment. The difference between the two cultures is especially intriguing, as Vidanric finds that there might be more to be said for Marloven Hess than he originally thought.
May 13, 2010
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy
This is basically a coming of age story, featuring a younger version Vidanric the hero of Crown Duel. The novel had a lot of typographical errors, which was slightly annoying but generally ignorable. My biggest complaint is that I really don’t see how the young Vidanric portrayed here evolves into the older version portrayed in Crown Duel. In fact, if you read the extra scenes that are written from Vidanric’s perspective (available in the Crown Duel ebook) his character is even more schizophrenic and hard to believe! I think I’d be a lot happier if I didn’t have to try to reconcile the two versions.
Anyway, the story starts with a 14-year-old Vidanric who’s been shipped off to a military school (in Marloven Hess) both to get him out of the reach of King Galdran Merindar and to get military training. It is painfully obvious from the beginning that Vidanric’s dad is preparing for a coup – however Vidanric himself doesn’t twig to this until very late in the book. Mostly, this is a story about cultural relativity – Vidanric both has to decode the Marlovian way of doing things and deals with the dissonance when attempting to reconcile those mores with Remalna’s. True to reality, they don’t always reconcile very well. The fact that the story’s set in a school gives a familiar frame within which to deal with the cultural issues.
Both the themes of cultural relativity and of kingship are at good stopping points by the end of the novel; however the story feels like it has a very abruptly end. Vidanric doesn’t finish his final year of school - Marloven Hess is expecting invasion and Vidanric is very suddenly sent home. This means the book lacks a feeling of closure, and I felt cutoff from all the characters I spent most of the book with. However, it was addictive enough that it inspired me to re-read both Crown Duel and the Sasharia En Garde duology, which when all taken together are starting to build an interesting uber-plot.
This is basically a coming of age story, featuring a younger version Vidanric the hero of Crown Duel. The novel had a lot of typographical errors, which was slightly annoying but generally ignorable. My biggest complaint is that I really don’t see how the young Vidanric portrayed here evolves into the older version portrayed in Crown Duel. In fact, if you read the extra scenes that are written from Vidanric’s perspective (available in the Crown Duel ebook) his character is even more schizophrenic and hard to believe! I think I’d be a lot happier if I didn’t have to try to reconcile the two versions.
Anyway, the story starts with a 14-year-old Vidanric who’s been shipped off to a military school (in Marloven Hess) both to get him out of the reach of King Galdran Merindar and to get military training. It is painfully obvious from the beginning that Vidanric’s dad is preparing for a coup – however Vidanric himself doesn’t twig to this until very late in the book. Mostly, this is a story about cultural relativity – Vidanric both has to decode the Marlovian way of doing things and deals with the dissonance when attempting to reconcile those mores with Remalna’s. True to reality, they don’t always reconcile very well. The fact that the story’s set in a school gives a familiar frame within which to deal with the cultural issues.
Both the themes of cultural relativity and of kingship are at good stopping points by the end of the novel; however the story feels like it has a very abruptly end. Vidanric doesn’t finish his final year of school - Marloven Hess is expecting invasion and Vidanric is very suddenly sent home. This means the book lacks a feeling of closure, and I felt cutoff from all the characters I spent most of the book with. However, it was addictive enough that it inspired me to re-read both Crown Duel and the Sasharia En Garde duology, which when all taken together are starting to build an interesting uber-plot.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 3, 2013
You know how uber-confident Shevraeth is in Crown Duel / Court Duel. You know how he got that way? Not by sheer authorial fiat, it turns out. No. He got that way because of his background, which is covered in A Stranger to Command – which can be read either before or after the duology, but I enjoyed reading it afterward. It is a much slower paced novel dealing with Shevraeth’s years in a military school in a foreign country, and it is so interesting, because Smith totally deals with the day-to-day life of the school and has essentially nothing big and important happen in the entire book. The big important stuff happened in the backstory – did she hit this in a different series, and if so, what series? Because I would love to read it – and in the future. This whole novel is the in-between years after one bad guy has been defeated and before the next installment of serious conflict.
I loved this book. Loved it. I bet it gets more variable ratings on Goodreads than the duology (I haven’t checked, but that’s my bet). I bet younger readers in general do not love this book as much as older readers. But for a reader who loves a detailed school story where the protagonist starts off sympathetic and competent and only gets better and better as you go on – a story where you can put yourself right in the protagonist’s life – this one is hard to beat.
Telling the Crown Duel / Court duel duology from Mel’s pov and leaving the reader to see Shevraeth from the outside was a great choice and made Shevraeth a great character. The bits at the end of the duology – adding scenes from Shevraeth’s pov – are okay, but not necessary. But in A Stranger to Command, telling the story of Shevraeth’s background from his pov was another great choice. These three books should definitely be read as a unit. Highly recommended, for readers from say, twelve on up.
I’ll definitely be looking for more books by Sherwood Smith in the near future; a big Thank You to all who recommended her to me and pointed me toward this set of books in particular.
I loved this book. Loved it. I bet it gets more variable ratings on Goodreads than the duology (I haven’t checked, but that’s my bet). I bet younger readers in general do not love this book as much as older readers. But for a reader who loves a detailed school story where the protagonist starts off sympathetic and competent and only gets better and better as you go on – a story where you can put yourself right in the protagonist’s life – this one is hard to beat.
Telling the Crown Duel / Court duel duology from Mel’s pov and leaving the reader to see Shevraeth from the outside was a great choice and made Shevraeth a great character. The bits at the end of the duology – adding scenes from Shevraeth’s pov – are okay, but not necessary. But in A Stranger to Command, telling the story of Shevraeth’s background from his pov was another great choice. These three books should definitely be read as a unit. Highly recommended, for readers from say, twelve on up.
I’ll definitely be looking for more books by Sherwood Smith in the near future; a big Thank You to all who recommended her to me and pointed me toward this set of books in particular.
November 20, 2009
"Stranger to Command" is the prequel to "Crown Duel" and, in a way, a sequel to "Senrid." You don't need to have read either of these books to understand and enjoy "Stranger to Command" though some of the references will (obviously) have more meaning if you've read these books. Because of this, I'd actually recommend reading "Crown Duel" before "Stranger to Command" even though this is technically the prequel.
The world-building was excellent. The clash of unique cultures--Remalna manners against Marloven Hess customs--was fun. The characters were engaging and realistic--even Vidanric's enemies. I cared about what happened to them.
A few details made me raise an eyebrow, like Vidanric plunging his saber into the ground almost to the hilt to clean it (not the best way to clean blood from a blade even if he somehow physically managed the feat). However, things like this only happened few times and the questionable details weren't important to the story.
The pacing and suspense were excellent, compelling me to read on to find out how the latest conflict or concern would be resolved. My one complaint is that we were only given a bare hint of what happened to Vidanric's Marloven Hess friends and charges after he returns home. He left them on the brink of war. I expect that's going to be another (not yet released) book, but I care enough about them that I want to know now. ;)
There was a romance and some kissing in the book, but no sex. Any bad language was done with made-up phrases. Overall, I'd highly recommend this well-written, clean novel to both teens and adults.
The world-building was excellent. The clash of unique cultures--Remalna manners against Marloven Hess customs--was fun. The characters were engaging and realistic--even Vidanric's enemies. I cared about what happened to them.
A few details made me raise an eyebrow, like Vidanric plunging his saber into the ground almost to the hilt to clean it (not the best way to clean blood from a blade even if he somehow physically managed the feat). However, things like this only happened few times and the questionable details weren't important to the story.
The pacing and suspense were excellent, compelling me to read on to find out how the latest conflict or concern would be resolved. My one complaint is that we were only given a bare hint of what happened to Vidanric's Marloven Hess friends and charges after he returns home. He left them on the brink of war. I expect that's going to be another (not yet released) book, but I care enough about them that I want to know now. ;)
There was a romance and some kissing in the book, but no sex. Any bad language was done with made-up phrases. Overall, I'd highly recommend this well-written, clean novel to both teens and adults.
December 21, 2010
OK. So I like Sherwood Smith's stuff, especially Court Duel, which is why I read this, and I liked this book, too, but I don't feel like it's her best work.
To be honest I'm not sure why she's publishing with this publisher. Why?
1. I feel like the editing isn't that great. Basically, it's like what I've heard about cutting gems out of rocks, the gem is hidden and it takes work to reveal it and set it off to its best advantage. I feel like there is a good story in this book, but it's hidden by a lot of rock around it. It's not as good as it could be. I don't know if there was no editor for this book and that's why, but whatever happened it's too bad.
2. The typesetting is not that great. It's not the worst I've seen, but the paragraph indents are way too large and it makes the whole book feel amateurish.
3. The book cover is awful! Yeah, I hid it while the book was lying around my apartment because it was so bad. If I owned this book, I would put on a white cover. I don't know about you, but I love my books. I love the feel of a nice book, well-crafted, appealing, tasteful. It's an indulgence, something to savor. An unappealing cover takes away from the experience. I understand that some covers are well done and just not my style. This one is just bad. I've seen college student work better than this.
Basically, my experience with this publisher has been very negative, and I hope that Sherwood Smith will choose to publish more books with better publishers and editors like she did with Crown Duel.
To be honest I'm not sure why she's publishing with this publisher. Why?
1. I feel like the editing isn't that great. Basically, it's like what I've heard about cutting gems out of rocks, the gem is hidden and it takes work to reveal it and set it off to its best advantage. I feel like there is a good story in this book, but it's hidden by a lot of rock around it. It's not as good as it could be. I don't know if there was no editor for this book and that's why, but whatever happened it's too bad.
2. The typesetting is not that great. It's not the worst I've seen, but the paragraph indents are way too large and it makes the whole book feel amateurish.
3. The book cover is awful! Yeah, I hid it while the book was lying around my apartment because it was so bad. If I owned this book, I would put on a white cover. I don't know about you, but I love my books. I love the feel of a nice book, well-crafted, appealing, tasteful. It's an indulgence, something to savor. An unappealing cover takes away from the experience. I understand that some covers are well done and just not my style. This one is just bad. I've seen college student work better than this.
Basically, my experience with this publisher has been very negative, and I hope that Sherwood Smith will choose to publish more books with better publishers and editors like she did with Crown Duel.
November 17, 2011
This book is the prequel to Crown Duel and certainly provides interesting background to the other two stories.
I loved the way Vidanric is painted and develops over the story. Then when you read the next two books so many of his actions have a rich background full of intrigue.
I re-read Crown Duel and Court Duel and loved them even more with this fascinating background in my mind.
YAY!!!!
I have always wondered how Sherwood Smith's various series related to each other and had not found the answer on her website. This book ties in the Marloven Hess world of the Inda Series (4 large adult novels which are amazing), the Canardans of 'Once a Princess" and "Twice a Prince' and the Crown Duel series. Now I'm just wondering if a Posse of Princesses ties in with this world too.
Well done - there was the odd spot where it felt a little like "here's how the the backstory ties in", but I didn't mind, because I, like many other readers, wanted to know!!!
I recommend this book then Crown Duel and Court Duel to follow with a dose of Once a Pincess & Twce a Prince thrown in.
For those that want a fascinating trip into world building, politics, twists and odd outcomes also read INDA, The FOX et. That series is amazing.
I loved the way Vidanric is painted and develops over the story. Then when you read the next two books so many of his actions have a rich background full of intrigue.
I re-read Crown Duel and Court Duel and loved them even more with this fascinating background in my mind.
YAY!!!!
I have always wondered how Sherwood Smith's various series related to each other and had not found the answer on her website. This book ties in the Marloven Hess world of the Inda Series (4 large adult novels which are amazing), the Canardans of 'Once a Princess" and "Twice a Prince' and the Crown Duel series. Now I'm just wondering if a Posse of Princesses ties in with this world too.
Well done - there was the odd spot where it felt a little like "here's how the the backstory ties in", but I didn't mind, because I, like many other readers, wanted to know!!!
I recommend this book then Crown Duel and Court Duel to follow with a dose of Once a Pincess & Twce a Prince thrown in.
For those that want a fascinating trip into world building, politics, twists and odd outcomes also read INDA, The FOX et. That series is amazing.
August 25, 2018
I remember surprisingly little of Crown Duel, I must read it again.
After having read the Inda series, this did a fantastic reread. Now I’m trying to puzzle out which books to read next, I know about the chronological order (http://www.sherwoodsmith.net/wp-conte...) but finding what is published and how to get a copy is going to be an adventure.
I love how all the little bits fit together and I do like the academy a lot.
After having read the Inda series, this did a fantastic reread. Now I’m trying to puzzle out which books to read next, I know about the chronological order (http://www.sherwoodsmith.net/wp-conte...) but finding what is published and how to get a copy is going to be an adventure.
I love how all the little bits fit together and I do like the academy a lot.
Read
September 22, 2023This prequel to CROWN DUEL is kind of the YA story that happens at the same time as A SWORD NAMED TRUTH. This book stands alone, whereas A SWORD NAMED TRUTH relies on previous volumes in the saga. The story concerns Vidanric's and Senrid's rough roads to kingship--how they paralleled and how they diverged.
September 6, 2008
Working on a 'proper' write-up of this, but for now, will just say that I loved it. Prequel to the Crown and Court Duet, which raised high expectations - and they were met.
July 17, 2020
I enjoyed most parts of the story, especially the commentary on complex human motivations, emotions, and relationships. Plotwise, the overnights (basically capture-the-flag games that last 2 days) were exciting to read, even when it takes up the whole chapter. Although, by the time I was reading about Vidanric going on another overnight for the SIXTH time, I was wishing for them to stop talking about overnights. The story was getting repetitive, and I wish this long book was edited down a bit and be more succinct.
------------------------------------------------
Issues with this book (if this is your second Sherwood book after Crown Duel, like it was for me):
1.) Concepts of the world thrown in without explanation by the author.
Example:
This foreigner [Shevraeth], related to him [Senrid] so distantly, hadn't made his unity - what the Old Sartorans called dera Yenesbeth - but his kids probably would, if he ever had any.
And then the author moves on with the story without another mention or explanation of what unity is in terms of the magic found in this world. This happens SO MANY TIMES throughout the story, and it's really annoying.
2.) There are also too many character names thrown in without letting the readers getting to know them. With so many names, either a glossary would be helpful for the reader, or it would be better to just not mention that many.
For example, the author mentions a name once very briefly in the first chapter and suddenly mentions it again at random in chapter 20! I'm like, who is this guy? They're also often very unnecessary details. It's like in chapter 1, random sentence states that Vidanric sees "Guy#1" practicing with "Guy#2," then story moves on. Then, "Guy#1" suddenly gets mentioned again, walking past with a bow. And in between those 20 chapters, there's a million names of unimportant people introduced. It feels like the author kept a list of extremely unimportant side character names and ticked off how many times they were used in the book to see which ones she should use next.
3.) Lots of different countries' names are mentioned as well, and we don't know where most of them are. A USEFUL map would be helpful (because the one in Crown Duel was missing many places, even in that book itself). It gets even more confusing when the author creates two different terms/names for people of a certain region, and it never gets explained. Does she assume you can read her mind?
Example:
Vidanric is from Remalna, but he speaks Sartoran, but he's not from the country of Sartor, whose people are called Sartorans, and let's add to the confusion by having a girl called Lierre and her other name being Sartora. So, is Sartoran spoken in Remalna? But near the end of the book, it's also mentioned Vidanric can speak Remalnan. Is Remalnan similar to, or the same as, Sartoran? Now, while this kind of makes it mirror the complexity of cultures in real life, it needs to be properly explained in order for readers to fully understand, and thus appreciate, the complex world-building the author has done - which she DIDN'T explain AT ALL for several countries. Some of them she did, but quite a few she didn't, so it brings to question why she even bothers mentioning the minor ones unimportant to the story.
One of my burning questions is where Remalna is, relevant to Marloven Hess! It takes 4 months to sail across the Sartoran Sea to arrive there, so I'm really curious how they're on the same continent (since it only took Columbus around a month to sail across the Atlantic Ocean).
4.) Then, there are also the confusing chronological order of events of history. Sartor was apparently only recently lifted from enchantment (that was lifted by a 12 y.o. girl named Sartora) and this seems to have happened in present time in Vidanric's story timeline. However, the past Norsunder invasion happened a century ago (and they seemed to be the ones who created a world-wide enchantment), so it's difficult to comprehend when this enchantment was lifted, not to mention, it’s even more confusing how Remalna seems to be out of the enchantment long before Sartor. Again, it feels like what history, etc. Vidanric already knows, the author somehow assumes we also know, even though it was never mentioned before in this book. It makes for some very frustrating reading at times for an otherwise enjoyable book.
It seems that the author has spent too many years writing about this world of hers that she forgets what it's like for a first-time reader.
5.) Fortunately, there were less fan modes in this book than Crown Duel (since most of it takes place outside of Remalna's royal court). However, I sometimes find them pointless and unnecessary when the words spoken already indicate the same meaning. The fan modes are sometimes also extremely specific, so it feels like it exists only because it happened to fit the story the author was writing. Realistically, people won't create a fan mode that's so specific that it only gets used in very specific circumstances. Fan language also becomes SUPER annoying to read about when they complicate an already lengthy and convoluted sentence. I almost got sick of Court Duel because of it.
Also some typos in the ebook version I read. Not sure about the printed copy.
------------------------------------------------
update: so I found the author's website and there was a link to another website dedicated to documenting Sherwood Smith's world and some of the things were explained (mostly the magic stuff, but not the others, because the map still doesn't show where Remalna is on the continent of Sartor, relevant to the country Marloven Hess).
An interesting find was the timeline that implied Vidanric was 25 when he met Meliara (when she was 16-17?) and married her when he was 27 (so she would be 18-19). He would have to be 25 since the timeline shows that it was 7 years ago when he was 18 (where this book ends). So this means Meliara was only around 7 years old when Vidanric was kissing his first love. Fun facts, indeed.
------------------------------------------------
Issues with this book (if this is your second Sherwood book after Crown Duel, like it was for me):
1.) Concepts of the world thrown in without explanation by the author.
Example:
This foreigner [Shevraeth], related to him [Senrid] so distantly, hadn't made his unity - what the Old Sartorans called dera Yenesbeth - but his kids probably would, if he ever had any.
And then the author moves on with the story without another mention or explanation of what unity is in terms of the magic found in this world. This happens SO MANY TIMES throughout the story, and it's really annoying.
2.) There are also too many character names thrown in without letting the readers getting to know them. With so many names, either a glossary would be helpful for the reader, or it would be better to just not mention that many.
For example, the author mentions a name once very briefly in the first chapter and suddenly mentions it again at random in chapter 20! I'm like, who is this guy? They're also often very unnecessary details. It's like in chapter 1, random sentence states that Vidanric sees "Guy#1" practicing with "Guy#2," then story moves on. Then, "Guy#1" suddenly gets mentioned again, walking past with a bow. And in between those 20 chapters, there's a million names of unimportant people introduced. It feels like the author kept a list of extremely unimportant side character names and ticked off how many times they were used in the book to see which ones she should use next.
3.) Lots of different countries' names are mentioned as well, and we don't know where most of them are. A USEFUL map would be helpful (because the one in Crown Duel was missing many places, even in that book itself). It gets even more confusing when the author creates two different terms/names for people of a certain region, and it never gets explained. Does she assume you can read her mind?
Example:
Vidanric is from Remalna, but he speaks Sartoran, but he's not from the country of Sartor, whose people are called Sartorans, and let's add to the confusion by having a girl called Lierre and her other name being Sartora. So, is Sartoran spoken in Remalna? But near the end of the book, it's also mentioned Vidanric can speak Remalnan. Is Remalnan similar to, or the same as, Sartoran? Now, while this kind of makes it mirror the complexity of cultures in real life, it needs to be properly explained in order for readers to fully understand, and thus appreciate, the complex world-building the author has done - which she DIDN'T explain AT ALL for several countries. Some of them she did, but quite a few she didn't, so it brings to question why she even bothers mentioning the minor ones unimportant to the story.
One of my burning questions is where Remalna is, relevant to Marloven Hess! It takes 4 months to sail across the Sartoran Sea to arrive there, so I'm really curious how they're on the same continent (since it only took Columbus around a month to sail across the Atlantic Ocean).
4.) Then, there are also the confusing chronological order of events of history. Sartor was apparently only recently lifted from enchantment (that was lifted by a 12 y.o. girl named Sartora) and this seems to have happened in present time in Vidanric's story timeline. However, the past Norsunder invasion happened a century ago (and they seemed to be the ones who created a world-wide enchantment), so it's difficult to comprehend when this enchantment was lifted, not to mention, it’s even more confusing how Remalna seems to be out of the enchantment long before Sartor. Again, it feels like what history, etc. Vidanric already knows, the author somehow assumes we also know, even though it was never mentioned before in this book. It makes for some very frustrating reading at times for an otherwise enjoyable book.
It seems that the author has spent too many years writing about this world of hers that she forgets what it's like for a first-time reader.
5.) Fortunately, there were less fan modes in this book than Crown Duel (since most of it takes place outside of Remalna's royal court). However, I sometimes find them pointless and unnecessary when the words spoken already indicate the same meaning. The fan modes are sometimes also extremely specific, so it feels like it exists only because it happened to fit the story the author was writing. Realistically, people won't create a fan mode that's so specific that it only gets used in very specific circumstances. Fan language also becomes SUPER annoying to read about when they complicate an already lengthy and convoluted sentence. I almost got sick of Court Duel because of it.
Also some typos in the ebook version I read. Not sure about the printed copy.
------------------------------------------------
update: so I found the author's website and there was a link to another website dedicated to documenting Sherwood Smith's world and some of the things were explained (mostly the magic stuff, but not the others, because the map still doesn't show where Remalna is on the continent of Sartor, relevant to the country Marloven Hess).
An interesting find was the timeline that implied Vidanric was 25 when he met Meliara (when she was 16-17?) and married her when he was 27 (so she would be 18-19). He would have to be 25 since the timeline shows that it was 7 years ago when he was 18 (where this book ends). So this means Meliara was only around 7 years old when Vidanric was kissing his first love. Fun facts, indeed.
July 29, 2021
This was excellent. As this is a prequel, there is already an understanding of the characters and its a beautiful depiction of growth for Vidanric or Shevraeth as hes coined when he joins Marloven Hess Military academy.
I love stories of growth and this gives me Kel of Mindelan vibes though the world and main character are totally different.
I found this a lot better balanced and well rounded than the duology of Court/Crown Duel. And am really wanting to read more of the Sartoria-deles world.
The one thing that niggled was the abrupt departure from the academy though understandable just jarring.
5/5
I love stories of growth and this gives me Kel of Mindelan vibes though the world and main character are totally different.
I found this a lot better balanced and well rounded than the duology of Court/Crown Duel. And am really wanting to read more of the Sartoria-deles world.
The one thing that niggled was the abrupt departure from the academy though understandable just jarring.
5/5
July 22, 2017
I liked exploring more of Vidanric's character in this book, it was really interesting to discover how Vidanric (Shevraeth) became who he is in the Crown and Court series. Another character I liked was Senrid, he's probably one of my favorite characters in the whole sartorias-deles world. I cannot wait long enough for The Young Allies series.
March 30, 2024
Oh my holy god, this book was great thank heavens.
I can confidently report that this is up there with the early books in the series. You do not need to have read her juveniles to be thoroughly across everything that is going on. Smith is a skilled writer who fills you in as you go along.
Her juveniles, (written by her, as a juvenile, a quite astonishing feat) are probably excellent reads for pre teens and teens? I cannot speak to this as that was decades ago for me.
I can confidently report that this is up there with the early books in the series. You do not need to have read her juveniles to be thoroughly across everything that is going on. Smith is a skilled writer who fills you in as you go along.
Her juveniles, (written by her, as a juvenile, a quite astonishing feat) are probably excellent reads for pre teens and teens? I cannot speak to this as that was decades ago for me.
January 17, 2021
What makes the man. A Stranger to Command is a character-driven prequel for Vidanric Renselaeus, Marquis of Shevraeth, whom I was first impressed by in Sherwood Smith's
Crown/Court Duel
and thought him the most grounded character ever. Here, we find out why.
My only quibble is the oft-references to other events, characters and places in the centuries-long timeline of Smith's extensive Sartoria-deles world. They have significant import to the overall story arc but without the benefit of background (yet), it threw my momentum off more than once. Hopefully, a fuller review to come.
My only quibble is the oft-references to other events, characters and places in the centuries-long timeline of Smith's extensive Sartoria-deles world. They have significant import to the overall story arc but without the benefit of background (yet), it threw my momentum off more than once. Hopefully, a fuller review to come.
October 25, 2015
My review after reading this book for the second time:
"Honestly, A Stranger To Command is totally one of my favorite books of all time right now! I love it! Plus it makes a really fun and great re-read, too!
It also has a strongly prominent more serious side to it, which I thought was very well done, and which I quite liked. A Stranger To Command is one of the most brilliant and deeply moving books I have ever read. I have often heard that each book we read leaves its own individual mark upon our character. Reading A Stranger To Command definitely reaffirms the validity of that statement to me. The book is so well written, and so amazingly deep that I simply cannot skim the pages, but find myself truly diving into every word, and immersing myself in every page. The magic of Sherwood Smith's writing is truly amazing.
I whole-heartedly recommend this fantastic book to anyone who is even slightly interested in possibly reading it. My one piece of advice, however, is that any interested reader first read both Crown Duel and Court Duel, before reading A Stranger To Command. Even though A Stranger To Command was officially published as a prequel to Crown Duel and Court Duel, I definitely think that reading those latter two first makes a huge difference in allowing A Stranger To Command to become much more fun and easier both to read and to understand."
My review after reading this book for the first time:
"This was an absolutely wonderful book, and a very entertaining, witty read, just like Crown Duel!
Also just like Crown Duel, it took me a while to really get into this book - for the first part I had a hard time understanding who was who and what was going on, but eventually I became so trapped in the plot that yet again my to-do list began to suffer from my constant reading, and disregard for everything else while I focused on a great book!
The beginning confusion actually turned out to be a useful stylized-writing tool, because in both A Stranger To Command, and Crown Duel, the characters find themselves initially lost in the customs and ways of a foreign world. But as the characters learn their place, and begin to understand the fine details of life in a new place, the reader really experiences the character's coming to learn and understand this world. I thought that that was really quite brilliant, and it really showed the remarkable writing skills of Sherwood Smith.
Three other things that I really love about Smith's books are:
1. The language that Smith uses. It is intelligent, advanced, and conveys all of the levels and shades of her meaning very well. The words that she uses, while being and advanced vocabulary, don't overwhelm the book, and help to educate the reader while really enhancing the reality, depth, and detail of the characters and their settings.
2. As I just mentioned, the characters, plot lines, and worlds of Smith's books are so, so incredibly detailed! I never cease to be amazed at how realistic and complete every little element of her stories are! I can't quite find the words to express it, but the reader truly does come to really like the characters, and regard them as close friends.
3. In both of Smith's books that I have read thus far, there are so many levels and layers of complexity to the words she uses, the characters and their individual, unique thoughts and motivations, and the depth of the social, political, and moral analysis that becomes an underlying current throughout the novels. The settings and political histories of the Court in Remalna, and the military Academy in Marloven Hess are truly intriguing, and I love reading these spectacular books, which function both as tales of adventure of their own, and amazingly intelligent, educated discourses at the same time.
Wonderful books! I can't wait to read more of Smith's incredible, entertaining, and throughly awe-inspiring work!"
"Honestly, A Stranger To Command is totally one of my favorite books of all time right now! I love it! Plus it makes a really fun and great re-read, too!
It also has a strongly prominent more serious side to it, which I thought was very well done, and which I quite liked. A Stranger To Command is one of the most brilliant and deeply moving books I have ever read. I have often heard that each book we read leaves its own individual mark upon our character. Reading A Stranger To Command definitely reaffirms the validity of that statement to me. The book is so well written, and so amazingly deep that I simply cannot skim the pages, but find myself truly diving into every word, and immersing myself in every page. The magic of Sherwood Smith's writing is truly amazing.
I whole-heartedly recommend this fantastic book to anyone who is even slightly interested in possibly reading it. My one piece of advice, however, is that any interested reader first read both Crown Duel and Court Duel, before reading A Stranger To Command. Even though A Stranger To Command was officially published as a prequel to Crown Duel and Court Duel, I definitely think that reading those latter two first makes a huge difference in allowing A Stranger To Command to become much more fun and easier both to read and to understand."
My review after reading this book for the first time:
"This was an absolutely wonderful book, and a very entertaining, witty read, just like Crown Duel!
Also just like Crown Duel, it took me a while to really get into this book - for the first part I had a hard time understanding who was who and what was going on, but eventually I became so trapped in the plot that yet again my to-do list began to suffer from my constant reading, and disregard for everything else while I focused on a great book!
The beginning confusion actually turned out to be a useful stylized-writing tool, because in both A Stranger To Command, and Crown Duel, the characters find themselves initially lost in the customs and ways of a foreign world. But as the characters learn their place, and begin to understand the fine details of life in a new place, the reader really experiences the character's coming to learn and understand this world. I thought that that was really quite brilliant, and it really showed the remarkable writing skills of Sherwood Smith.
Three other things that I really love about Smith's books are:
1. The language that Smith uses. It is intelligent, advanced, and conveys all of the levels and shades of her meaning very well. The words that she uses, while being and advanced vocabulary, don't overwhelm the book, and help to educate the reader while really enhancing the reality, depth, and detail of the characters and their settings.
2. As I just mentioned, the characters, plot lines, and worlds of Smith's books are so, so incredibly detailed! I never cease to be amazed at how realistic and complete every little element of her stories are! I can't quite find the words to express it, but the reader truly does come to really like the characters, and regard them as close friends.
3. In both of Smith's books that I have read thus far, there are so many levels and layers of complexity to the words she uses, the characters and their individual, unique thoughts and motivations, and the depth of the social, political, and moral analysis that becomes an underlying current throughout the novels. The settings and political histories of the Court in Remalna, and the military Academy in Marloven Hess are truly intriguing, and I love reading these spectacular books, which function both as tales of adventure of their own, and amazingly intelligent, educated discourses at the same time.
Wonderful books! I can't wait to read more of Smith's incredible, entertaining, and throughly awe-inspiring work!"
June 26, 2015
I’m usually hesitant about picking up prequel books. Prequel’s can be a hard sell in terms of keeping characters consistent with their older selves and keeping tension in the plot when the reader already knows how it ends. I made an exception in this case because I like Sherwood Smith and really enjoyed Crown Duel and Court Duel… I’m glad I did, this book certainly wasn’t a disappointment.
The Good:
-As always, Sherwood Smith’s world is incredibly detailed and easy to fall in to. She has a wonderful amount of detail around the school and the country, especially the effects that the regime change and Senrid’s new ideas have on the schools and boys.
-The bad kids in the school aren’t completely bad. Smith does a great job with shades of gray and creating believable motivation behind the antagonists in the novel. There’s a good deal of tension behind Vidanric’s acceptance into the school and his differences. The kids that bully him are mean, but they’re not evil. In many ways they’re a product of their parent’s belief systems and the environment created by the previous regime.
-The role of women and the careful line they must tread to keep their place in the school. Although Smith doesn’t dwell on this a lot, it’s definitely a theme in the book, especially in Vidanric’s relationship with Senelac. She’s very aware that women’s position in the academy is tentative and that their behavior is closely scrutinized. The women have to work harder, be more buttoned up and watch their behavior more closely than any of the men in the book.
The Bad:
-I wasn’t a huge fan of the way the narrative jumped around. Although this is an increasingly prevalent style of writing, in some ways it seems lazy. The book often jumps narrative for no better reason than to portray an immediate reaction of another character to Vidanric (thus propping him up more and more as the hero through other character’s opinions), instead of to relay important information to the reader. If that’s the only use of the multiple view points, she could have reached the same impact by showing more developed interactions between characters instead of spoon feeding the reader their thoughts.
-She never delivered on the “big bad” of the novel. Throughout the whole story is a threat of conflict between Senrid and his old enemies. Full disclosure, I haven’t read the Senrid series yet and honestly found the conflict pretty confusing. This is a stand-alone novel, but didn’t do a good job of summarizing the backstory in a way that a new reader can absorb. Beyond that, the major conflict never happened, which made the end of the novel fall a little flat.
Although not perfect, this is definitely worth the read and I’d recommend to anyone who’s a fan of Smith’s other works, Tamora Pierce or Shannon Hale.
The Good:
-As always, Sherwood Smith’s world is incredibly detailed and easy to fall in to. She has a wonderful amount of detail around the school and the country, especially the effects that the regime change and Senrid’s new ideas have on the schools and boys.
-The bad kids in the school aren’t completely bad. Smith does a great job with shades of gray and creating believable motivation behind the antagonists in the novel. There’s a good deal of tension behind Vidanric’s acceptance into the school and his differences. The kids that bully him are mean, but they’re not evil. In many ways they’re a product of their parent’s belief systems and the environment created by the previous regime.
-The role of women and the careful line they must tread to keep their place in the school. Although Smith doesn’t dwell on this a lot, it’s definitely a theme in the book, especially in Vidanric’s relationship with Senelac. She’s very aware that women’s position in the academy is tentative and that their behavior is closely scrutinized. The women have to work harder, be more buttoned up and watch their behavior more closely than any of the men in the book.
The Bad:
-I wasn’t a huge fan of the way the narrative jumped around. Although this is an increasingly prevalent style of writing, in some ways it seems lazy. The book often jumps narrative for no better reason than to portray an immediate reaction of another character to Vidanric (thus propping him up more and more as the hero through other character’s opinions), instead of to relay important information to the reader. If that’s the only use of the multiple view points, she could have reached the same impact by showing more developed interactions between characters instead of spoon feeding the reader their thoughts.
-She never delivered on the “big bad” of the novel. Throughout the whole story is a threat of conflict between Senrid and his old enemies. Full disclosure, I haven’t read the Senrid series yet and honestly found the conflict pretty confusing. This is a stand-alone novel, but didn’t do a good job of summarizing the backstory in a way that a new reader can absorb. Beyond that, the major conflict never happened, which made the end of the novel fall a little flat.
Although not perfect, this is definitely worth the read and I’d recommend to anyone who’s a fan of Smith’s other works, Tamora Pierce or Shannon Hale.
November 21, 2011
Looks like I forgot to cross-post my review of this. I wrote it in my blog last year:
I love Crown Duel and it's in my list of favorites. Vidanric is also in my list of fictional guy crushes. I loved that Sherwood wrote Crown Duel outtakes, which involved certain scenes told from the point of view of Vidanric (these are included in the e-book version, which can be purchased here). Vidanric was so aloof for the most of Crown Duel so it was refreshing to see his side of the story. A Stranger to Command gives us a more intimate look at how Vidanric became the person that he was in Crown Duel. For some reason, even though Crown Duel is popular, not a lot of people know that there's a prequel for it.
I put off reading this book for some time because one of the biggest highlights of Crown Duel for me was the love story between Mel and Vidanric. I didn't want to read about Vidanric without Mel in the picture. But being a Sherwood Smith fan, I gave in eventually and I don't regret doing so. Vidanric is sent to the foreign land of Marloven Hess to begin his military training and this is how he gains his formidable fighting skills. It's not easy for him to leave his family and the comforts of the life that he's known but it's necessary for his safety and for the future good of Remalna that he train himself in the art of war. Marlovens are experts at this, they have studied military command for centuries. They have a military school that takes in students as young as ten years old. Training begins early for these people. At fifteen, Vidanric is actually old for a beginner and he's a foreigner to boot. It's the first time that the school allowed a foreigner to enter. So aside from the difficulties of training and adjusting to a new environment, Vidanric has to deal with the hostilities of his classmates. He does it with the aplomb that we've come to expect of his character.
This is an excellent, character-driven story in the same wonderful world of Crown Duel. There's magic, political intrigue, romance and a whole lot of other challenges that make things interesting. I highly recommend this book to fans of Crown Duel, I know that there are many out there. It has the same lovely writing and is set in the same world albeit a different country. I also enjoyed seeing the references to the Inda series, which I read before this one.
I love Crown Duel and it's in my list of favorites. Vidanric is also in my list of fictional guy crushes. I loved that Sherwood wrote Crown Duel outtakes, which involved certain scenes told from the point of view of Vidanric (these are included in the e-book version, which can be purchased here). Vidanric was so aloof for the most of Crown Duel so it was refreshing to see his side of the story. A Stranger to Command gives us a more intimate look at how Vidanric became the person that he was in Crown Duel. For some reason, even though Crown Duel is popular, not a lot of people know that there's a prequel for it.
I put off reading this book for some time because one of the biggest highlights of Crown Duel for me was the love story between Mel and Vidanric. I didn't want to read about Vidanric without Mel in the picture. But being a Sherwood Smith fan, I gave in eventually and I don't regret doing so. Vidanric is sent to the foreign land of Marloven Hess to begin his military training and this is how he gains his formidable fighting skills. It's not easy for him to leave his family and the comforts of the life that he's known but it's necessary for his safety and for the future good of Remalna that he train himself in the art of war. Marlovens are experts at this, they have studied military command for centuries. They have a military school that takes in students as young as ten years old. Training begins early for these people. At fifteen, Vidanric is actually old for a beginner and he's a foreigner to boot. It's the first time that the school allowed a foreigner to enter. So aside from the difficulties of training and adjusting to a new environment, Vidanric has to deal with the hostilities of his classmates. He does it with the aplomb that we've come to expect of his character.
This is an excellent, character-driven story in the same wonderful world of Crown Duel. There's magic, political intrigue, romance and a whole lot of other challenges that make things interesting. I highly recommend this book to fans of Crown Duel, I know that there are many out there. It has the same lovely writing and is set in the same world albeit a different country. I also enjoyed seeing the references to the Inda series, which I read before this one.
September 24, 2012
Oh goodness, but this book did take me ages to finish! Hard to imagine that happening to any story containing any beloved character from the most awesome Crown Duel. Alas, Vidanric's years-long education at Marloven Hess was not as easy for me to read as Meliara's adventures and character growth. The truth of the matter is that very little happens in this book beyond the typical growth experienced by a young man at an academy. If you're the kind who appreciates and can be extremely patient with long, character-driven books, then you may like A STRANGER TO COMMAND's careful attention to all the aspects of change undergone by a young man on the cusp of adult responsibility.
Unfortunately, A STRANGER TO COMMAND's writing style felt a bit like fan-fiction to me. The point of view jumps between characters for the convenience of explaining relationship tension, and I felt it was unsuccessful in contributing to the quality of the story. Readers' attention spans will vary depending on your interest in military or tactical information, and yet I suspect that anyone who really has had military or command experience might find Vidanric's challenges in ASTC rather...idealized.
Ultimately, I think the biggest thing I got out of this book was that Crown Duel is only a small part of a much larger fantasy world that Sherwood Smith has envisioned. I'm not sure I understood or liked Vidanric more than I already did after slogging through the biography of his adolescent education. I'd recommend A STRANGER TO COMMAND to Sherwood Smith fans who also appreciate in-depth character studies and don't mind the light plot. Crown Duel fans who adored Mel and the romance, though, might be a bit surprised at the different writing style Smith employs in this book.
Unfortunately, A STRANGER TO COMMAND's writing style felt a bit like fan-fiction to me. The point of view jumps between characters for the convenience of explaining relationship tension, and I felt it was unsuccessful in contributing to the quality of the story. Readers' attention spans will vary depending on your interest in military or tactical information, and yet I suspect that anyone who really has had military or command experience might find Vidanric's challenges in ASTC rather...idealized.
Ultimately, I think the biggest thing I got out of this book was that Crown Duel is only a small part of a much larger fantasy world that Sherwood Smith has envisioned. I'm not sure I understood or liked Vidanric more than I already did after slogging through the biography of his adolescent education. I'd recommend A STRANGER TO COMMAND to Sherwood Smith fans who also appreciate in-depth character studies and don't mind the light plot. Crown Duel fans who adored Mel and the romance, though, might be a bit surprised at the different writing style Smith employs in this book.
June 2, 2011
A Stranger to Command by Sherwood Smith is a prequel to Crown Duel about Vindanric’s life as a teenager when he gets sent away to the military land of Marloven Hess when a lot of the heirs start having quite a few riding “accidents.”
My intrest in reading this book though wasn’t really to see Vindanric as a teen (though i would love to read Crown Duel entirely in his point of view!) but to see how much Marloven Hess changed from the Inda Series. And it was pretty cool, you get a more in depth view of the acadamy (Inda was only there for two years) and it’s really cool to see Fox’s family back on the throne.
Now back to the book, I will admit that this was slightly anti-climatic and maybe a little long winded, but as a study of character and place building it’s excellent! Sherwood Smith is so good at building lands and characters it’s hard to believe they don’t really exist!
So to all you die hard Crown Duel, Inda and general Sherwood Smith fans out there, i say go ahead and read it! To every one else, start off with Crown Duel or the Inda Series first.
Happy Readings!
<3
The Book Worm
My intrest in reading this book though wasn’t really to see Vindanric as a teen (though i would love to read Crown Duel entirely in his point of view!) but to see how much Marloven Hess changed from the Inda Series. And it was pretty cool, you get a more in depth view of the acadamy (Inda was only there for two years) and it’s really cool to see Fox’s family back on the throne.
Now back to the book, I will admit that this was slightly anti-climatic and maybe a little long winded, but as a study of character and place building it’s excellent! Sherwood Smith is so good at building lands and characters it’s hard to believe they don’t really exist!
So to all you die hard Crown Duel, Inda and general Sherwood Smith fans out there, i say go ahead and read it! To every one else, start off with Crown Duel or the Inda Series first.
Happy Readings!
<3
The Book Worm
February 6, 2019
I've been meaning to read this forever, because--Vidanric/Shevraeth backstory from Crown Duel plus the Marlovan Academy centuries into the future of the Inda series, equals, well, relevant to my interests ;).
I picked it up one night while I was meant to be KonMari-ing my books, and before I knew it, it was one a.m. and I'd read half the book. But Sherwood Smith books are like that, and this one is no exception. You always know when you're reading a Sherwood Smith book, and not just because most of them take place within the same larger world. It's not that they're repetitive, because they're not, but themes circle back around and Smith has a certain quirky style that I think you have to actively like or at least decide you can put up with, to enjoy her work. It's hard to explain.
Anyway, I enjoy them a lot, and A Stranger to Command is no exception. I'm looking forward to going back and re-reading the Crown Duel-duology (or possibly listening to it on Audible) for the pleasure of seeing the older, more assured Vidanric from Mel's point of view, now that I've met him as teenager.
I picked it up one night while I was meant to be KonMari-ing my books, and before I knew it, it was one a.m. and I'd read half the book. But Sherwood Smith books are like that, and this one is no exception. You always know when you're reading a Sherwood Smith book, and not just because most of them take place within the same larger world. It's not that they're repetitive, because they're not, but themes circle back around and Smith has a certain quirky style that I think you have to actively like or at least decide you can put up with, to enjoy her work. It's hard to explain.
Anyway, I enjoy them a lot, and A Stranger to Command is no exception. I'm looking forward to going back and re-reading the Crown Duel-duology (or possibly listening to it on Audible) for the pleasure of seeing the older, more assured Vidanric from Mel's point of view, now that I've met him as teenager.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 211 reviews