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rremer's review against another edition
5.0
I had forgotten a lot of this story since the last time I read it. All I remembered was that I really enjoyed it, which was still true.
flyingsails's review against another edition
2.0
Parts of this were good and others were SO slow. Also, while I haven't read [b:Crown Duel|21060|Crown Duel |Sherwood Smith|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1167301606s/21060.jpg|4398231] in a while, I had a hard time seeing Vidanric the boy as the adult Vidanric that he becomes later.
adi_greif's review against another edition
2.0
This prequel has no plot and is basically a nostalgia reprise for those who really, really love a military academy where prior books took place. It requires you to have enjoyed Court Duel to care about the characters and circumstances. There are so many intriguing hints about a much more interesting prior story but unfortunately that book seems to have been written by the author at age 15 and doesn’t have high reviews.
I love the Inda series, Wren, and Crown Duel but this book isn’t in the same league.
I love the Inda series, Wren, and Crown Duel but this book isn’t in the same league.
gijanechosen's review against another edition
5.0
This is a prequel to Crown Duel and Court Duel, however it also happens (a long time) after the series about Inda so I try to make a timeline in my head wish I had read some of her other books more recently. Also makes me extremely curious about her latest book Banner of the Damned to which I think is referenced as some part of a history lesson in this book. Will have to re-read the court and crown duel books. So far really liking this book (once I got into it).
kristamccracken's review against another edition
5.0
This was the second book I've read by Sherwood Smith. Similar to the first one I read Lhind the Thief) I found A Stranger to Command hard to put down and was pulled into the story within a few pages.
The premise is fairly simple: young boy is sent to a foreign land to attend a military school and slowly integrates into the school's community. The pacing and interwoven story lines are well done as is Smith's use of magic and political turmoil.
If you aren't a fan of high or epic fantasy I would recommend avoiding this book. But if that's your thing (as it is mine) this is a great read. It left me wanting to read [b: Crown Duel|596307|Crown Duel (Crown & Court, #1)|Sherwood Smith|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1328047915s/596307.jpg|28162970] and [b: Senrid|690030|Senrid|Sherwood Smith|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1432417369s/690030.jpg|1892713].
The premise is fairly simple: young boy is sent to a foreign land to attend a military school and slowly integrates into the school's community. The pacing and interwoven story lines are well done as is Smith's use of magic and political turmoil.
If you aren't a fan of high or epic fantasy I would recommend avoiding this book. But if that's your thing (as it is mine) this is a great read. It left me wanting to read [b: Crown Duel|596307|Crown Duel (Crown & Court, #1)|Sherwood Smith|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1328047915s/596307.jpg|28162970] and [b: Senrid|690030|Senrid|Sherwood Smith|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1432417369s/690030.jpg|1892713].
emlickliter's review
5.0
I have complained for years that in Crown Duel we didn't get to see anything from Vidanric's POV (not that I didn't love Mel mind you). Clearly Sherwood Smith felt my vibes through the universe because now I have insight from BOTH Vidanric and Russav's POVs!! As I was reading, this book reminded me of Tamora Pierce quite a bit as it switched between an epistolary structure and an omniscient narrator. I think the best part of this book was how wide it made the world feel! Now I want more books from other people!! If you love a good coming of age story, this one was fantastic! Now I'm going to have to read Crown Duel again!
wampus's review against another edition
5.0
I honestly could not pinpoint exactly why I love this book so much, but I think it's because it's never too much, but it's subtle enough to be fascinating. The characters are never too clever, too talented, too omniscient, or too obsessed with violence. The pacing of the story was lovely. Every time I've read this book I've been utterly engrossed.
knturney's review against another edition
4.0
I'm sure this book is great as a stand-alone book, but I picked it up to get back into the world of Crown Duel--one of my favourite books when I was younger--and it did not disappoint! A great book that explains a great deal of context and sets up for Crown Duel!
thisistaylort's review
3.5
I first read A Stranger to Command in 2019 on a plane to Amsterdam. I'd read Crown Duel at least a decade before, and loved it. I'd just finished a reread of it and much to my surprise and delight, realized there was a prequel. At the beginning of 2022, I embarked on a reading all the books in the Sartorias-deles arc. I was excited for this reread of A Stranger to Command thanks to all the Marloven Hess background I gained while reading the Inda series. Except the mentions of Ivandred and Darchelde, which were all the more heartbreaking.
It's funny how I've come to think of the time during the Inda series as the good ole days. We did get one Inda reference, and at least this time there was no blatant rewriting of history. It was nice to see some familiar Marloven names, some things have changed, but not everything. It was good to see the Senelcas mentioned, and to know that they are still around and as horse crazy as ever. We even got a comment about them being good captains but poor governors. But by far by most favorite reference to the past was to the Battle of Andhai Pass.
In my review of Banner of the Damned, I discussed the difficulty I found with the limited POV. However, in A Stranger to Command, I didn't mind Shevraeth’s narration because I already knew him (from Court Duel). And in some ways, he was Marloven, unlike our previous narrator in Emras. And when we did get another POV, it reminded me of the Inda books in that it provided additional insight in the the events experienced by the main character.
Just like the other books in the series, comparing civilization (Sartor, Colendi, Remalna) to barbarianism (Marloven Hess) was a common theme. Even Shevraeth commented on how straight forward the Marlovens are. For aesthetic purposes, I may miss the ponytails from Inda's day, but at least they're cutting their hair short instead of attaching scalps to their helms.
Having said that, what does it say about me that my favorite part of the whole book is the very end when Shevraeth finally gets to use his skills and show his prowess? First with the horse buying and then when encountering the brigands? It's just such a rewarding reveal, for the reader. I can't help thinking though that Shevraeth was forced to come to Marloven Hess, forced to cut his hair, forced to hit Marlovair, forced to end things with Fenis, and even to become king. Where was his agency in all this? Similar to the Inda books, we return to a sense of duty.
Sidebar: It was hard for me to become invested in his relationship with Fenis because I knew the outcome. At it's core though, it's a bittersweet story of first love and two people who cannot end up together. I hope she and Forthan are happy.
Unlike the Inda series, we finally have an example of loving, supportive parents. The prince and princess are parent goals. It's such a refreshing view of parenthood given the scant examples provided in the series up until now. His mother's insistence on doing one kindness a week shaped his path more than he could have imagined.
I also enjoyed getting Russav's perspective in this book since it's lacking Crown Duel. And while. we may think that Shevraeth had the worse end of the deal by undergoing intense military training, Russav's time was spent in equally intense political training with arguable even higher stakes. I think this could be another commentary on civility versus barbarity in this series.
I suspect Shevraeth had a similar experience once he went to Colend. He literally went from one of the extreme to the other. I can't imagine how difficult that adjustment would have been. I've also always wondered if he kept up with his drills in Colend? I would also like to know how he came to command the Remalna army? At least now we know where that black cloak and gray horse came from!
I’m getting really excited start rereading Crown Duel now. It will be my first reread after having ready not only A Stranger to Command, but the whole series leading up to it.
Russav really nailed it, saying what kind of woman would peak Shevraeth's interest. It's Mel to a T. And don't think I didn't miss where one of his father’s letters mentioned Mel’s mothers death and her father burning the library.
It's funny how I've come to think of the time during the Inda series as the good ole days. We did get one Inda reference, and at least this time there was no blatant rewriting of history. It was nice to see some familiar Marloven names, some things have changed, but not everything. It was good to see the Senelcas mentioned, and to know that they are still around and as horse crazy as ever. We even got a comment about them being good captains but poor governors. But by far by most favorite reference to the past was to the Battle of Andhai Pass.
In my review of Banner of the Damned, I discussed the difficulty I found with the limited POV. However, in A Stranger to Command, I didn't mind Shevraeth’s narration because I already knew him (from Court Duel). And in some ways, he was Marloven, unlike our previous narrator in Emras. And when we did get another POV, it reminded me of the Inda books in that it provided additional insight in the the events experienced by the main character.
Just like the other books in the series, comparing civilization (Sartor, Colendi, Remalna) to barbarianism (Marloven Hess) was a common theme. Even Shevraeth commented on how straight forward the Marlovens are. For aesthetic purposes, I may miss the ponytails from Inda's day, but at least they're cutting their hair short instead of attaching scalps to their helms.
Having said that, what does it say about me that my favorite part of the whole book is the very end when Shevraeth finally gets to use his skills and show his prowess? First with the horse buying and then when encountering the brigands? It's just such a rewarding reveal, for the reader. I can't help thinking though that Shevraeth was forced to come to Marloven Hess, forced to cut his hair, forced to hit Marlovair, forced to end things with Fenis, and even to become king. Where was his agency in all this? Similar to the Inda books, we return to a sense of duty.
Sidebar: It was hard for me to become invested in his relationship with Fenis because I knew the outcome. At it's core though, it's a bittersweet story of first love and two people who cannot end up together. I hope she and Forthan are happy.
Unlike the Inda series, we finally have an example of loving, supportive parents. The prince and princess are parent goals. It's such a refreshing view of parenthood given the scant examples provided in the series up until now. His mother's insistence on doing one kindness a week shaped his path more than he could have imagined.
I also enjoyed getting Russav's perspective in this book since it's lacking Crown Duel. And while. we may think that Shevraeth had the worse end of the deal by undergoing intense military training, Russav's time was spent in equally intense political training with arguable even higher stakes. I think this could be another commentary on civility versus barbarity in this series.
I suspect Shevraeth had a similar experience once he went to Colend. He literally went from one of the extreme to the other. I can't imagine how difficult that adjustment would have been. I've also always wondered if he kept up with his drills in Colend? I would also like to know how he came to command the Remalna army? At least now we know where that black cloak and gray horse came from!
I’m getting really excited start rereading Crown Duel now. It will be my first reread after having ready not only A Stranger to Command, but the whole series leading up to it.
Russav really nailed it, saying what kind of woman would peak Shevraeth's interest. It's Mel to a T. And don't think I didn't miss where one of his father’s letters mentioned Mel’s mothers death and her father burning the library.