Lhind the Spy

by Sherwood Smith

Published by Book View Cafe in 2015

So if you are expecting this to be a light-hearted romp as per Lhind the Thief, you will be disappointed. Instead, you will receive a somewhat gritty story about Lhind being kidnapped and forced to live as a royal princess in a grotesque society of conformance.

Lhind the Thief focused on Lhind’s interactions with the various characters she came across, how Lhind changed over time and how she built relationships. However, Lhind the Spy is primarily focused on Lhind’s inner struggles to satisfactorily play the role she has been thrust into in order to survive, while retaining her own identity and preventing that role from consuming her. This is a lot grimmer story than Lhind the Thief, and to some readers (and characters in the book!) Lhind’s struggles may seem like a bit much, seeing as how much of a privileged position her kidnappers place her in. However, Lhind pays attention to both the nobles and the common people and their role in the society she has been thrust into. This is actually a fairly interesting exploration of cultural patterns and societal classes, and if the reader is so inclined, they could draw parallels to present culture and glean some insight if the reader is so inclined. Good stuff, in essence.

All that said, I enjoyed my time, although it was more melancholy than in Lhind the Thief. While I am looking forward to another LHIND book, I hope it modulates its tone between Lhind the Thief and Lhind the Spy. Or adopts an entirely different tone altogether! After all, I’m just a reader, not the author.

Obligatory Kindle Note: I read this on a Kindle.

COVER ART REVIEW: What cover art?

Lhind the Thief

LHIND THE THIEF
by Sherwood Smith
Published 2013 by Book View Cafe.

I really enjoyed reading this book! It is a great lighthearted fantasy action adventure (young adult) story, where vivid characters, action, and omnipresent humor dominate. There are also quite a few plot twists, some of which are probably easily predictable, others of which might surprise even the experienced reader of the genre.

One thing Smith does very well is to establish a strong first impression of a character when she first introduces them, and then subsequently slowly develop that character meaningfully over the course of the story. This development always fits with our first impressions, but continually reveals new depths and unexpected niches.

I also found Lhind refreshing. Lhind’s narrative is highly entertaining, but there is also than meets the eye, and Lhind’s development over the course of the novel and her change in relations with Rajanas, Hlanan, and Thiana, as well as her change in worldview as a result of her experiences was convincingly portrayed.

Obligatory Kindle Note: I read this on a kindle, without seeing the cover or reading the back of the book text. I found it interesting how going in completely blind in this way rendered the story more of a treat than if I had read a book jacket intro that revealed some of the twists of the story.

Book Cover Review: Let’s just say I am omitting the book cover for a reason.