A Sword Named Truth by Sherwood Smith

A Sword Named Truth (Rise of the Alliance, #1)

by Sherwood Smith

Untested young rulers must cooperate to protect their world from the magical threat of the mysterious kingdom of Norsunder in a new epic fantasy trilogy set in the same world as the popular Inda series.

Long-dormant magical forces are moving once again in Sartorias-deles. Agents of Norsunder, a mysterious bastion of incredible dark power, have reappeared in the world, amassing resources and sowing instability.

But with numerous nations led by young rulers brought too early to their thrones, the world is hardly ready to defend itself. Atan is still uncomfortable with her new queenship, gained after her country was freed from a Norsundrian enchantment that left it frozen outside time for a century. Senrid strives to establish rule of law, after deposing his brutal and cruel uncle, seeking to exert control over rebellious jarls and a distrustful military academy. Jilo never expected the responsibility of leading his nation, but when its dictator vanishes after a Norsundrian attack, Jilo finds himself stepping into the power void, taking the reins of a country so riddled with dark magic that its citizenry labors for mere survival. Clair and CJ lead a band of misfits against magical threats that overshadow their tiny country, including a direct incursion from the Norsundrians.

Those in power are not the only individuals working to subvert the plans of Norsunder. Liere, a young shopkeeper’s daughter, battles her own debilitating insecurities to live up to her reputation as a former savior of the realm. Hibern, a mage’s apprentice, must act as a liaison between national leaders, negotiating politics still foreign to her. Rel, a traveling warrior, stirs powerful allies to action encourages common folk to take up arms.

These leaders soon realize that any significant victory against Norsunder will require an alliance between their nations. Yet good intentions may fracture in the face of personal grudges, secrets, and inexperience. As the Norsundrian attacks become bolder, the members of this tenuous alliance must find ways to trust one another and bind themselves together—lest they fail to defend against a host that has crushed entire worlds.

Reviewed by Quirky Cat on

4 of 5 stars

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Sherwood Smith is back with a brand new fantasy series, Rise of the Alliance. And it all starts with A Sword Named Truth (I love that name). However, I should mention that this series is set in the same world as Inda and is a bit of a prequel to the Crown Duel series (a true love of mine, please go read!).

Naturally, the second I saw Crown Duel mentioned, I knew I had to read A Sword Named Truth. I loved those books back when they came out (and I really should reread them sometime...). Also, this is a book that fans have literally been waiting YEARS for, as it got stuck in book limbo. Never a fun time, let me tell you that.

“She intuited with a thrill of sorrow that he couldn't let himself believe [the truth about the attack], because he did not know what to do other than what he had already done … She kissed him again, harder, because he was a man underneath the trappings of kingship, a man enduring as much fear as his subjects.”

Honestly, A Sword Named Truth is one of those books that defies standard reviewing. I'm struggling to find the right words to describe how I felt about it, other than saying that I greatly enjoyed this adventure.

It is always something to cherish, going back to a world that we have fallen in love with. I love revisiting this world and seeing new characters come to life within the pages. It was fun and tense and really did a fantastic job of capturing my imagination.

A Sword Named Truth is an epic fantasy through and through, from the setting and plot to the sheer size of it all (570 pages, for those that are curious). It is a hefty read and should keep even the fastest reader occupied for at least a day or two.

Thanks to DAW and #NetGalley for making this book available for review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Read more reviews over at Quirky Cat's Fat Stacks

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Reading updates

  • Started reading
  • 19 July, 2021: Finished reading
  • 19 July, 2021: Reviewed