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A review by lmckensie
Inda by Sherwood Smith
5.0
Inda was by no means my first Sherwood Smith work. I had read Crown Duel (the edition which comprises both Crown Duel and Court Duel) and very much liked it about two years prior. However, when I wandered into the bookstore and picked this up, the author's name was not what first caught my attention and it was only an afterthought that I realized I had read her work before. After reading the book, this doesn't come as a surprise to me. I find that the two are hardly comparable; both good in their own right, assuredly, but very different novels from a versatile writer.
On reading the back cover, it sounds like very typical fantasy fare: young boy, the son of a Prince, is sent to a military academy where tragedy befalls him, yadda yadda, etc. But after reading it, I can hardly call it typical. Smith builds up such a believable world that you are immersed in it for as long as you read, and it lingers with you afterward. The politics especially are very well done. Everyone has their own subtle motivations, many of which seem selfish but, cast in a different light, are truly for the good of someone else. This makes it difficult for you to fully dislike anyone, a great example being the Harskialdna. Though he can be identified as the overall villain within the novel, when you are presented with his reasons for his actions, though they are still not justifiable, they come into a more sympathetic light. Truly, the only main character that I had absolutely no sympathy for was the Sierlaef. His actions were purely spiteful and in no way redeemed in my eyes.
The title character of the book is one of my absolute favorite characters. He is, quite simply, a very likable hero. This, once again, comes back to the craft of the writer. She creates him to be extraordinary, but with a humble mindset. The strategies that come easily to him are never something to be bragged about. His natural ability command is never misused, and never lorded over anyone else. He is simply exceptional. One thing in particular that I loved about Inda was the depth of his emotion. His grief over a death that he feels utterly responsible for is tangible. You want to comfort him, to assure him that there is nothing more he could have done... and then you once again realize you are reading a book.
As the first book in a series, Inda has a wealth of potential. It was a thoroughly enjoyable read, and a series that I absolutely will follow through with.
On reading the back cover, it sounds like very typical fantasy fare: young boy, the son of a Prince, is sent to a military academy where tragedy befalls him, yadda yadda, etc. But after reading it, I can hardly call it typical. Smith builds up such a believable world that you are immersed in it for as long as you read, and it lingers with you afterward. The politics especially are very well done. Everyone has their own subtle motivations, many of which seem selfish but, cast in a different light, are truly for the good of someone else. This makes it difficult for you to fully dislike anyone, a great example being the Harskialdna. Though he can be identified as the overall villain within the novel, when you are presented with his reasons for his actions, though they are still not justifiable, they come into a more sympathetic light. Truly, the only main character that I had absolutely no sympathy for was the Sierlaef. His actions were purely spiteful and in no way redeemed in my eyes.
The title character of the book is one of my absolute favorite characters. He is, quite simply, a very likable hero. This, once again, comes back to the craft of the writer. She creates him to be extraordinary, but with a humble mindset. The strategies that come easily to him are never something to be bragged about. His natural ability command is never misused, and never lorded over anyone else. He is simply exceptional. One thing in particular that I loved about Inda was the depth of his emotion. His grief over a death that he feels utterly responsible for is tangible. You want to comfort him, to assure him that there is nothing more he could have done... and then you once again realize you are reading a book.
As the first book in a series, Inda has a wealth of potential. It was a thoroughly enjoyable read, and a series that I absolutely will follow through with.