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.
