Kirkus (Kirkus Reviews, 1997)
Fantasy fans will cheer this latest romp, subtitled "The Crown and Court Duet Book I," in which Smith (Wren's War, 1995, etc.) introduces the teenage Count Branaric and Countess Meliara of Tlanth. The siblings are noble-born, but there their good fortune ends; their father has died, leaving them in a cold, rundown castle, unable to pay taxes to the evil Galdran, corrupt ruler of the kingdom of Remalna. Galdran's cruelty forces the pair to lead their country in revolt: Despite some spirited fighting that leaves the king's forces scrambling, Meliara is taken hostage. Ill and threatened with torture, Meliara never lets panic overwhelm her, risking her life to be reunited with her brother and displaying admirable wit and courage in the process. Smith's lush descriptions evoke a fantastic yet credible world, where magic spells and enchanted stones are everyday facts of life. While the tale ends with the king's destruction, Smith leaves a few threads dangling for the next installment: The Count and Countess will no doubt saddle their mounts again soon. 1997, Harcourt Brace, $17.00. © 1997 Kirkus Reviews/VNU eMedia, Inc. All rights reserved.

M. Jean Greenlaw (The ALAN Review, Spring 1998 (Vol. 25, No. 3))
The death of their father casts young Mel and her brother Bran into the unwanted roles of Countess and Count and into being leaders of a revolution against a despotic king. Their people have fallen on hard times because of cruel taxes, and Mel has grown up gloriously free of the trappings of court. As she becomes enmeshed in war, she is captured, and her journey from captivity to freedom parallels her coming of age. Mel comes to realize that she has led a very sheltered life and that people are often not what they seem. As she travels the countryside, her world expands; and she discovers the need for the education she had previously scorned. Intrigue, romance, and rousing adventure are all part of the saga. Sherwood Smith writes good story! Her use of language and imagery and her deft plotting keep the reader glued to the pages. This book is the first of the Crown & Court Duet. Smith's previous books formed the engaging Wren trilogy. Each book stands alone in its power and satisfactory conclusion, but each makes the reader want more. What more could we want as readers? 1997, Harcourt Brace, 214 pp., $17.00. Ages 12 up.

Janice M. Del Negro (The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, July/August 1997 (Vol. 50, No. 11))
When their father dies, Meliara and her brother Branaric attempt to raise an army to fight a corrupt and greedy monarch. Meliara may be a countess, but she's never been to court, and her naïveté about politics and intrigue nearly costs her her brother, her birthright, and her life. Concrete, descriptive language nicely evokes the fantasy environment, and even minor characters have a tangibility that makes them live and breathe. The pace is swift, with a series of chases, some reversals of fortune, and a few very close calls overcoming the occasional lapses in logic. Meliara seems remarkably dense regarding the man who saves her life several times, but she is an engagingly single-minded heroine nonetheless. Smith rejects the easy course of tying up romantic loose ends, and the conclusion is satisfying enough to make young adults look forward to the promised sequel. R--Recommended. (c) Copyright 1997, The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois. 1997, Yolen/Harcourt, 214p, $17.00. Grades 7-12.

Horn Book (The Horn Book Guide, 1997)
Countess Meliara and her brother, Branaric, make a death-bed promise to their father that they will lead a grassroots revolution against a dishonest and greedy king. Narrated by the young countess, the story moves along quickly with subplots involving magic, romance, capture, escape, and nick-of-time rescue. The complex realm of the fantasy and its inhabitants will please hard-core fans. Category: Fiction. 1997, Harcourt/Yolen, 214pp.. Ages 14 to 18. Rating: 3: Recommended, satisfactory in style, content, and/or illustration.

Bette Ammon (VOYA, June 1997 (Vol. 20, No. 2))
This is Book One of The Crown & Court Duet. Remalna is a country with magical Hill Folk and their warmth-giving Fire Sticks, as well as the poverty-stricken Countess Meliara (Mel) and her brother Branaric. A revolution is underway against a greedy king who covets Remalna and will break the Covenant--a promise to sustain and protect the remarkable colortrees in Remalna forests. Ferociously courageous and defiant, Mel proves a worthy adversary to both real and perceived enemies. Her lovely, yet smudged face on the book jacket seems peculiar until readers realized that the scratches and bruises speak truly of Mel's bold adventures. The larger theme of war and those who ultimately pay the price adds depth to an exciting fantasy featuring an endearing, exasperating heroine, her loyal brother, a mere hint of romance, and the promise of further tales. Sure to please fans of Tamora Pierce's Alanna (Macmillan, 1983-1988) and Wild Magic (Macmillan, 1992 +) series, Smith's nifty Mel is a guaranteed champion. VOYA CODES: 4Q 4P M J (Better than most, marred only by occasional lapses; Broad general YA appeal; Middle School, defined as grades 6 to 8; Junior High, defined as grades 7 to 9). 1997, Harcourt Brace, 215p., $17.00. Ages 11 to 15.