Book Review: Inda by Sherwood Smith

Title: Inda

Author: Sherwood Smith

Published: August 7, 2007 by DAW

Pages: 612

Genre: Fantasy

Part of a Series?: Yes. Oh dang. Yes. 

Goodreads Synopsis:

Acclaimed author Sherwood Smith's first adult fantasy novel, set in the bestselling world of Crown Duel. 

Indevan-Dal is the second son of the Prince and Princess of Choraed Elgaer, destined to become his elder brother Tanrid's Shield Arm-his military champion. Like all second sons, he is to be privately trained at home by Tanrid, the brother whose lands he will one day protect. 

When the King's Voice comes to summon Inda to the Military Academy, he might well feel foreboding, or even fear-war is imminent-yet youthful Inda feels only excitement. But there are things that Tanrid hadn't prepared him for, and Inda will soon learn that the greatest threats to his safety will not come from foreign enemies, but from supposed allies within his own country.

Where do I even begin? Inda is a historical prequel for all of Sherwood Smith's other books set in Sartorias-deles. There's a lot to take in. The world is massive. It's confusing as all get out. 

And I loved every second of reading it. 

When you begin reading, you can just tell that it's going to be an epic ride. Sherwood Smith began coming up with ideas for this series when she was eight years old, so as you can imagine, this world is extremely well built. The world building is actually one of my favorite parts. It is very complex and Smith is unapologetic in the way she throws the reader in. You have this completely brand new, obviously well established world, and no adjustment period in which to learn the ins and outs. The key here is to not get discouraged. Power through. Once you get a feel for the world and get used to the language, oh man. Hold onto your hats, folks because you're in for a treat. 

While the plot of the book itself isn't anything we haven't seen in fantasy before (family wars, political drama, etc.), there is still enough originality to where it's never boring. You don't feel like you're simply reading "every other fantasy novel". I think a big part of this has also to do with the characters. The way these characters are crafted really take this story to the next level of awesome.  

We have our central character, Inda, who is a second son of a prince, destined to be a military leader known as a Shield Arm for his older brother Tanrid, however when he turns twelve, he gets caught up in a political plot gone horribly wrong and is sent away. While Inda seems to be the main focus of the story, there are also a plethora of other characters who really capture your attention and whose point of view we get to see through. I loved reading about the world through other character's perspectives and how they could all be tied back to Inda at the end or how Inda effected them. I loved how the lady characters in the book weren't like stereotypical "women in fantasy". Everyone played an active role in the society and in shaping the culture and reading about that was completely fascinating. No one was cookie cutter. There wasn't a single character that didn't have a purpose or who didn't add something to the story. 

The execution of the different character's POVs wasn't handled in the best way, in my opinion. The narration style didn't sit well with me and I think a lot of that has to do with the fact that 3rd person omniscient isn't something I've read a lot of, so I wasn't quite used to it. It lacked proper flow for me and that was at times distracting, but once I got into the story a bit more and learned to expect the rapidly changing character perspectives, it was a much more enjoyable reading experience. 

All in all, if you are someone who loves in depth story telling, learning about who new worlds, and doesn't mind a slow building story, I would 100% recommend this book. It's fantastic and epic and I can NOT wait to read book 2. 

If you're someone who hasn't read much fantasy and are looking for a good introduction, I wouldn't recommend starting with this one. There are times when the names and languages gets confusing and hard to follow, especially if you're not accustom to fantasy world in general. 

Review: Fire Study by Maria V. Snyder

Title: Fire Study
Author: Maria V. Snyder
Published: March 1, 2008 by Mira
Pages: 441
Genre: YA Fantasy, Romance
Part of a Series?: Yes

Goodreads Synopsis:

The apprenticeship is over—now the real test has begun.

When word that Yelena is a Soulfinder—able to capture and release souls—spreads like wildfire, people grow uneasy. Already Yelena's unusual abilities and past have set her apart. As the Council debates Yelena's fate, she receives a disturbing message: a plot is rising against her homeland, led by a murderous sorcerer she has defeated before...

Honor sets Yelena on a path that will test the limits of her skills, and the hope of reuniting with her beloved spurs her onward. Her journey is fraught with allies, enemies, lovers and would-be assassins, each of questionable loyalty. Yelena will have but one chance to prove herself—and save the land she holds dear.

Well then. Am I the only one who finds it hard to give actual well thought out reviews to sequels? 

*sigh* I expected so much more from this. As I mentioned in my Magic Study review, there was so much potential to turn this into something great, but to me, it just fell flat. Don't get me wrong. It was a solid ending. Everything wrapped up nicely and I wasn't left feeling like there was anything unresolved, however it could have been so much more.

I am a sucker for cool magic systems and the ending of Magic Study had so much promise. Yelena was coming into her powers and there was a lot of self discovery going on, and while that continued through this book, there wasn't so much a focus on it, which kind of disappointed me. 

There was also an issue of pacing for me in this book and a repetitiveness that I found really annoying. The beginning especially drug on and the author had a tendency to repeat minor details throughout that really broke up the story and distracted away from what was going on. 

My entire experience with this final installment was mediocre at best, and if this reflected the first book in the series, I probably wouldn't have continued on. That being said, since this was the last book, my connection to the characters and emotional investment was pretty prominent, so I can't bring myself to completely dislike it. 

And Valek. I don't know what it is about Valek, but I really enjoy him and his character, so he gets a star all to himself. 

Ehh. I mean, you've come this far, right? You might as well finish up the series. It does have a nice ending (and Valek). 

Review: Magic Study by Maria V. Snyder

Title: Magic Study
Author: Maria V. Snyder
Published: January1, 2006
Pages: 440
Genre: YA Fantasy, Romance
Part of a Series?: Yes!

Goodreads Synopsis: 

You know your life is bad when you miss your days as a poison taster...

With her greatest enemy dead, and on her way to be reunited with the family she'd been stolen from long ago, Yelena should be pleased. But though she has gained her freedom, she can't help feeling isolated in Sitia. Her Ixian background has changed her in many ways—and her newfound friends and relatives don't think it's for the better...

Despite the turmoil, she's eager to start her magic training—especially as she's been given one year to harness her power or be put to death. But her plans take a radical turn when she becomes involved with a plot to reclaim Ixia's throne for a lost prince—and gets entangled in powerful rivalries with her fellow magicians.

If that wasn't bad enough, it appears her brother would love to see her dead. Luckily, Yelena has some old friends to help her with all her new enemies... 

I don't know why it took me so long to read the second book in the series. I remember reading Poison Study and really loving it but for some reason I was never super tempted to pick up the sequel. It's been about a year and because of a read-a-thon I participated in, I picked this up and I am SO GLAD I did. 

For those of you who are unaware, I absolutely love strong female protagonists. More often than not when I've read YA Fantasy/Romance novels,  find myself annoyed with the main character due to their lack of depth. Yelena doesn't have this problem. Now, she is by no means a perfect character. I found that she actually developed more as a person in the first book than she did in this, but her ability to hold her own and stick to her guns remains the same, and for me, that's what sets her apart from other YA heroins. Granted, she has a pretty traumatic past that makes her this way (which isn't a new trend in stories like these) but watching how she uses her past to make her stronger really gives Yelena a uniqueness that I found really refreshing. 

I'm also a really big fan of Ixia. You really get more of an in depth look at the magic in this book, which is always fun to read about. What get's uncovered in this book does a really nice job of setting up a really intriguing plot for the next. I think that the direction this is going has a lot of potential to be amazing and I'm curious to see what the author does and where this will go. 

The romance in this book is great and that's not a compliment I give out very often. I'm really picky about romance. I want it to be realistic. Not too over the top, yet I LOVE a good love story. I like it when there's a good foundation. I like a slow build. Tension. Nothing vexes me more than to have two love interests just fall into each other's arms so seamlessly because real life rarely works like that. Yelena and Valek, while they are a tad cliche, it's forgivable due to their adorableness and what they had to go through to get to where they are now. Also. THAT ROMANTIC TENSION. It was perfect. It made me smile. I couldn't really ask for more. 

If you have read Poison Study and liked it, then yes. Definitely. While I don't think this installment in Yelena's story is quite as action packed as Poison Study, the way it's unfolding is definitely worth the read. 

Review: The Secret Lives of Princesses by: Phillippe Lechermeier

Title: The Secret Lives of Princesses
Author: Phillippe Lechermeier
Illustrator: Rebecca Dautremer
Published: June 1st, 2004 by Sterling
Pages: 88
Genre: Children
Part of a Series?: No

Goodreads Synopsis:

Go beyond Sleeping Beauty and Cinderella! Some princesses are well-known to all children—but others, equally magical (and sometimes, a lot funnier) have remained anonymous, mysterious, and far from the fairy-tale crowd.

Now these captivating ladies are finally stepping out of the shadows where they’ve remained hidden for far too long. With wit, sublime humor, and beautiful art, The Secret Lives of Princesses introduces a bevy of royal daughters to the court of young readers.  While it alludes to some of their more famous sisters, this large and lusciously illustrated compendium presents such unique and unforgettable characters as the petite Princess Claire Voyant, who can see very far into tomorrow (but muddles her predictions); Princess Oblivia, who forgets everything and misses all her appointments; Princess Tangra-La, who does the tango, the fandango, and any dance that comes her way; and Princess Babbling Brooke, who chatters on and on about everything and nothing. Plus, you’ll learn about such princessy matters as the language of fans; coats of arms; and how not to offend dangerous fairies who cast evil spells.

This was a pretty delightful read. It reads like an encyclopedia of sorts detailing a wide variety of "unknown" princesses such as Princess Paige (who I found super relatable due to her fantastical library) and Prince S. (who may or may not secretly be a boy). There is a wide cast of unique characters that keep you smiling and laughing throughout accompanied by "tips" and supplemental information on how to be a princess and all things princess-y. 

And the art. 

The artwork is fantastic. I am a sucker for beautiful artwork in books and Dautremer really puts this books over the top with her gorgeous illustrations. This book is worth a flip through for the art alone. 

Yes! This book is great for any lover of fairy-tales and princesses. Some of the humor may go over the heads of some younger readers, but children of all ages can enjoy it (even if it's just to look at the pictures).

It's kind of difficult to rate books like this due to the lack of any real plot. My only complaint is that there could have been a little more diversity, but overall, this is a quality picture book. 

Review: The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in the Ship of Her Own Making by Catherrynne M. Valente

Title: The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making
Author: Catherynne M. Valente
Published: May 10, 2011 by Feiwel & Friends
Pages: 247
Genre: Children's Fantasy
Part of a Series?: Yes!

Goodreads Synopsis: 

Twelve-year-old September lives in Omaha, and used to have an ordinary life, until her father went to war and her mother went to work. One day, September is met at her kitchen window by a Green Wind (taking the form of a gentleman in a green jacket), who invites her on an adventure, implying that her help is needed in Fairyland. The new Marquess is unpredictable and fickle, and also not much older than September. Only September can retrieve a talisman the Marquess wants from the enchanted woods, and if she doesn’t . . . then the Marquess will make life impossible for the inhabitants of Fairyland. September is already making new friends, including a book-loving Wyvern and a mysterious boy named Saturday.

When you pick up a middle grade/children's story, I find you generally know what to expect (especially when it comes to the genre of fantasy). You've got your protagonist(s) getting caught up in some crazy, fantastical circumstance only to be whisked away on an adventure, saving the day and coming home in time for dinner because apparently, all children need to eat their veggies (obviously to bulk up for the sequel).  

There is nothing wrong with this formula. It's worked well for years and years and years and people (including me) STILL continue to enjoy these types of stories. They're comforting. Familiar. You know a happy ending is coming and sometimes, you desperately need that reassurance. 

The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland sets you up for all these familiar tropes and I picked this up thinking I was going to get a whimsical story about a girl going on adventures (possibly with a dragon, as seen on the cover). That IS the foundation for what I got, but all in all this book is so much more than that. More often than not in children's book, you see the authors talking down to their audience. Everything from the depth of the plot to the vocabulary used is dialed down because... children. This has none of that. Valente doesn't hold back. She gives the reader the benefit of the doubt that they'll be able to handle the content she's presented. Her writing is sophisticated and eloquent, while still being super accessible and there are certain events in her book that aren't downplayed in order to placate children's sensitivities. She describes things in full detail and it's really a wonderful experience. 

As for the story itself, it's much like Alice in Wonderland where you have a little girl, literally whisked away to an unknown world to have an adventure. It's whimsical and fantastical and surprisingly dark at times while still maintaining that  lighthearted feel. You get to meet a large cast of characters, all charming in their own way. 

This is a big resounding YES. If you are a fan at all of fairy tales, children's literature, or you're just in the mood for something good for your soul, then I definitely recommend picking this up. It's fantastic. Really.