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Chachic's Reviews > Crown Duel
Crown Duel (Crown & Court, #1-2)
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February 2023 reread, still my favorite Sherwood Smith book!
Reread in 2019 because I posted a bookstagram about the book and missed the characters enough to go back for a reread. The Kindle edition includes the outtakes from Vidanric's POV.
2010 Review:
This is a duology, originally published as two books (Crown Duel and Court Duel) but Firebird combined both books in one edition.
Meliara (Mel for short), the impoverished Countess of Tlanth, tells the story from her point of view. I loved the fact that Mel is such an unreliable narrator and how the story unfolded from the way she sees things. The first part of the book involves a war against a tyrant of a king because both Mel and her brother Branaric promised their father that they will do what they can to oust the king from the throne. While the second part of the book involves court intrigue and politics. Mel is a believable character because she blunders and is not afraid to admit when she makes mistakes.
I've been giving this book as a gift a lot lately and to one friend, I included a note that said "I know you haven't read a lot of fantasy and this is a good book to get you started because this is YA fantasy at its finest." This book has everything - incredible world-building, believable characters, intelligent dialogue, subtle romance, court intrigue. I've reread this book a couple of times and it just doesn't get old for me.
Sherwood also posted a couple of outtakes in her website. You can check these out after reading the book because these are scenes of Crown Duel, written from Vidanric's point of view.
Reread in 2019 because I posted a bookstagram about the book and missed the characters enough to go back for a reread. The Kindle edition includes the outtakes from Vidanric's POV.
2010 Review:
This is a duology, originally published as two books (Crown Duel and Court Duel) but Firebird combined both books in one edition.
Meliara (Mel for short), the impoverished Countess of Tlanth, tells the story from her point of view. I loved the fact that Mel is such an unreliable narrator and how the story unfolded from the way she sees things. The first part of the book involves a war against a tyrant of a king because both Mel and her brother Branaric promised their father that they will do what they can to oust the king from the throne. While the second part of the book involves court intrigue and politics. Mel is a believable character because she blunders and is not afraid to admit when she makes mistakes.
I've been giving this book as a gift a lot lately and to one friend, I included a note that said "I know you haven't read a lot of fantasy and this is a good book to get you started because this is YA fantasy at its finest." This book has everything - incredible world-building, believable characters, intelligent dialogue, subtle romance, court intrigue. I've reread this book a couple of times and it just doesn't get old for me.
Sherwood also posted a couple of outtakes in her website. You can check these out after reading the book because these are scenes of Crown Duel, written from Vidanric's point of view.
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Quotes Chachic Liked
“A wager?" I repeated.
"Yes," he said, and gave me a slow smile, bright with challenge. ...
"Stake?" I asked cautiously. He was still smiling, an odd sort of smile, hard to define.
"A kiss." My first reaction was outrage, but then I remembered that I was on my way to Court, and that had to be the kind of thing they did at Court. And if I win I don't have to collect. I hesitated only a moment longer, lured by the thought of open sky, and speed, and winning.
"Done," I said.”
― Crown Duel
"Yes," he said, and gave me a slow smile, bright with challenge. ...
"Stake?" I asked cautiously. He was still smiling, an odd sort of smile, hard to define.
"A kiss." My first reaction was outrage, but then I remembered that I was on my way to Court, and that had to be the kind of thing they did at Court. And if I win I don't have to collect. I hesitated only a moment longer, lured by the thought of open sky, and speed, and winning.
"Done," I said.”
― Crown Duel
“Why is it the songs all end with the good people winning, but in life they don't?"
They don't make songs when the good lose," I muttered. "They make war chants against the bad. So there won't be any songs for us.”
― Crown Duel
They don't make songs when the good lose," I muttered. "They make war chants against the bad. So there won't be any songs for us.”
― Crown Duel
Reading Progress
Finished Reading
February 15, 2010
– Shelved
February 16, 2010
– Shelved as:
favorites
April 24, 2019
–
Started Reading
April 24, 2019
–
5.0%
""A countess wearing a horse blanket and a count who hates fighting, leading a war against a wicked king who has the largest army the kingdom has ever known. What's to become of us, Mel?""
April 25, 2019
–
Finished Reading
February 8, 2023
–
Started Reading
February 8, 2023
–
Finished Reading
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Isabella
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rated it 5 stars
Nov 23, 2011 11:20AM
You know, that's the funny thing, I really do like how 'unreliable' Mel is! I think that's what makes the story so interesting; even the predictable bits become just that bit less predictable because you kind of know she's off base about stuff. Nice:)
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Yes, she's really clueless! Which makes things funny. I love unreliable narrators when they're done well because I end up getting surprised.
