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The Norsunder War #2
Seek to Hold the Wind
PRAISE FOR THE SARTORIAS-DELES
“The book is set in a world so intricate and real that it’s hard to step out of and hard to forget. Filled with magic and glamour, it houses a culture unique for its openness and warlike ability.... Smith’s rich details and imagery tie this story together. Complex and compelling.” —San Jose Mercury News
“Smith deftly stage-manages the wide-ranging plots with brisk pacing, spare yet complex characterizations, and a narrative that balances sweeping action and uneasy intimacy.” —Publishers Weekly
“A damned good book.... A compelling protagonist with a vivid voice, a master's control of pacing and tension.” —Tor.com
The second volume of four begins with the loose alliance of young rulers, mages, scribes, friends, and ex-enemies on the run. The only place of safety is a tiny agrarian kingdom no one has ever heard of, though hints begin to surface that nothing there is quite what it seems.
Some venture on quests for ancient magical artifacts that might aid them—but all those quests turn . . . sideways. Some are deadly. Some races turn into chases.
Meanwhile, Senrid, the Marloven warrior king, goes covert, staying one step ahead of the conquerors who want him dead. Atan, the queen who prides herself on peaceful solutions, discovers she has a talent for strategic thinking
And Jilo, the nerdy son of a lowly sergeant who has been singlehandedly striving to save the once-great Chwahir nation from an insane king, crosses a continent to carry a message—the easiest quest of all—with utterly unforeseen results.
“The book is set in a world so intricate and real that it’s hard to step out of and hard to forget. Filled with magic and glamour, it houses a culture unique for its openness and warlike ability.... Smith’s rich details and imagery tie this story together. Complex and compelling.” —San Jose Mercury News
“Smith deftly stage-manages the wide-ranging plots with brisk pacing, spare yet complex characterizations, and a narrative that balances sweeping action and uneasy intimacy.” —Publishers Weekly
“A damned good book.... A compelling protagonist with a vivid voice, a master's control of pacing and tension.” —Tor.com
The second volume of four begins with the loose alliance of young rulers, mages, scribes, friends, and ex-enemies on the run. The only place of safety is a tiny agrarian kingdom no one has ever heard of, though hints begin to surface that nothing there is quite what it seems.
Some venture on quests for ancient magical artifacts that might aid them—but all those quests turn . . . sideways. Some are deadly. Some races turn into chases.
Meanwhile, Senrid, the Marloven warrior king, goes covert, staying one step ahead of the conquerors who want him dead. Atan, the queen who prides herself on peaceful solutions, discovers she has a talent for strategic thinking
And Jilo, the nerdy son of a lowly sergeant who has been singlehandedly striving to save the once-great Chwahir nation from an insane king, crosses a continent to carry a message—the easiest quest of all—with utterly unforeseen results.
- GenresFantasy
567 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 22, 2022
6 people are currently reading
49 people want to read
About the author
Sherwood Smith
168 books37.5k followersI am a writer,( Patreon here) but I'm on Goodreads to talk about books, as I've been a passionate reader as long as I've been a writer--since early childhood.
I'm not going to rate books--there are too many variables. I'd rather talk about the reading experience. My 'reviews' of my books are confined to the writing process.
I'm not going to rate books--there are too many variables. I'd rather talk about the reading experience. My 'reviews' of my books are confined to the writing process.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
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November 22, 2022The handwritten first draft of this one dates back almost forty years. (At LAST I'm catching up, whew!) It was actually three very short pieces, which fell together into three parts. I had no idea then how long this arc would be only, that it would bind together the whole storyline began way back with Senrid's first adventure (written when I was Senrid's age, 15), when he realized someone was messing with him, and he didn't know who. Or why.
This whole stretch between book one and book four is all about character, and discovery, and of course some action and stuff. Stuff hidden in history starts leaking past the patches, heh.
What else is there to say, other than it irks me that I still can't find the right title for the series. "The Norsunder War" implies books of battles and not much else, and is that ever wrong. Of course whether it works or not is entirely up to readers--I'm totally lost in the forest, woo, is that a tree I just ran into nose first?
Ah well, onward!
This whole stretch between book one and book four is all about character, and discovery, and of course some action and stuff. Stuff hidden in history starts leaking past the patches, heh.
What else is there to say, other than it irks me that I still can't find the right title for the series. "The Norsunder War" implies books of battles and not much else, and is that ever wrong. Of course whether it works or not is entirely up to readers--I'm totally lost in the forest, woo, is that a tree I just ran into nose first?
Ah well, onward!
January 19, 2024
The twenty-seventh book of the Sator-Deles universe.
I lost objectivity for this series quite a while ago. It's gone from a traditionally published series to a self-published series, where chapters are additionally published on Patreon in a serialized fashion. I try to push the Sator-Deles universe into anyone's hands who will listen.
Seek to Hold the Wind is the twenty-seventh book of the universe and has some middle-book syndrome problems. These are exacerbated by the freedoms Smith has by self-publishing this series. There are over twelve points-of-view, which is a lot. As stated in Smith's review (which is about the writing process), Seek to Hold the Wind was originally three short stories and there is a certain amount of disconnect between the three parts of the book. In a traditionally published fashion, there is too much for this book, and the pacing is very slow.
As I said, I left behind objectivity several years ago. There are characters that I am absolutely in love with and I cannot put the book down. Once Jilo, David, and Senrid showed up for Part Three, I remembered why I continue to recommend this series to everyone. Smith is a fantastic writer with excellent world building, who can make three-dimensional characters that will steal your soul. I don't love every character in the Sator-Deles universe, but they all have an important part to play in overthrowing Norsunder.
I will continue to read and enjoy this series as I slowly make my way through the final arc.
I lost objectivity for this series quite a while ago. It's gone from a traditionally published series to a self-published series, where chapters are additionally published on Patreon in a serialized fashion. I try to push the Sator-Deles universe into anyone's hands who will listen.
Seek to Hold the Wind is the twenty-seventh book of the universe and has some middle-book syndrome problems. These are exacerbated by the freedoms Smith has by self-publishing this series. There are over twelve points-of-view, which is a lot. As stated in Smith's review (which is about the writing process), Seek to Hold the Wind was originally three short stories and there is a certain amount of disconnect between the three parts of the book. In a traditionally published fashion, there is too much for this book, and the pacing is very slow.
As I said, I left behind objectivity several years ago. There are characters that I am absolutely in love with and I cannot put the book down. Once Jilo, David, and Senrid showed up for Part Three, I remembered why I continue to recommend this series to everyone. Smith is a fantastic writer with excellent world building, who can make three-dimensional characters that will steal your soul. I don't love every character in the Sator-Deles universe, but they all have an important part to play in overthrowing Norsunder.
I will continue to read and enjoy this series as I slowly make my way through the final arc.
February 7, 2023
Very little happens, and there is no plan. I do like the characters enough to continue, but I wish this had more of a plot.
December 14, 2022
Contains: some mild language, some fighting. We are really in the thick of the Norsunder occupation. One thing I love about these books is the subtle references to things that don’t seem to mean much until reading further on then rereading.
June 20, 2024
Good.
The Norsunder War sub part of the greater (over 30 books) series is good.
Be prepared to have the map (at the beginning of the book) available for reference. Bits of the story happen all over the world.
I like how everything plays out.
The Norsunder War sub part of the greater (over 30 books) series is good.
Be prepared to have the map (at the beginning of the book) available for reference. Bits of the story happen all over the world.
I like how everything plays out.
dnf
May 30, 2023I really enjoyed Part One but then afterwards it turned into everything I didn't like about the first book. It's just people being captured, running away, same thing over and over. Plus a lot of them are kids who while they are 13 or technically older because of magic (??) they all act like 4 year olds and yet they keep tricking the adults? This isn't a middle grade book by the way.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews