I just started reading Inda by Sherwood Smith. Smith is the same author that wrote Crown Duel which is one of my favorite books. I'm only 150 pages into it but here are my initial "feelings". It was kind of hard to get into because there were so many names (and they aren't normal names) and so much cultural background that the author doesn't explain very well. It took me quite awhile to get through the first 50-75 pages but once I got through those I have found that I really like the book.
I think what I have found most interesting so far is the culture of war that the author portrays. Inda lives in a culture where war is everything. From the moment he is born he has been raised to both fight and defend. I think the idea of leadership in the book is interesting because in every family the oldest boy goes off to "war academy" and then is expected to teach the younger male siblings how to fight. The way that most of the older boys teach the younger ones is through fear. The older boys use fear and force in order to teach the younger boys how to fight and defend. After many generations of this tradition the King summons the younger siblings to attend the academy too. When Inda gets to the academy he becomes a leader to all the younger boys (called scrubs) but instead of using fear and force to gain leadership he uses friendship. He doesn't try to force the other boys to recognize his leadership but is instead content to let others take formal leadership roles while he leads from the outskirts. I think that Inda's leadership technics have a more powerful effects on the boys than that of their older brothers. I guess what it boils down to is that love is more powerful than fear.
I don't want to give away to much but so far I really like the book!
3 comments:
I actually loved this book as well. I actually enjoyed it so much that I was very distraught when I completed it and Inda still hadn't gone home. I am looking forward to the Fox even more. There is tons of adventure to be had, and for some reason Ashley has gotten me addicted to fantasy novels.
I think what was most interesting to me was Inda's leadership techniques (like Ash said). Even Cherry-Stripe started to notice how although Inda was never the commander of the war games, he was in fact the leader of the group. I liked when Inda's older brother took him to Daggers and had the thought that may be the reason why Inda always interjected in his war planning was because he might have better ideas!!
I think it's interesting that they also teach the women to fight. They play just as crucial of a role as do the men. Is this what I'm supposed to be writing on here???
So I finished Inda and thought it was really good but also wanted to warn anyone that is going to read it that one of the major themes of the book is boys growing into men so there is a lot of sexual innudendos! Consider yourself warned!!!
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