Crown Duel

This book by Sherwood Smith was originally written in two parts: Crown Duel and Court Duel, because the publisher apparently thought that shorter book = more readers. The book's characters are vibrantly realistic (well, as realistic as you can get in the fantasy Medieval Ages), and they cope with problems that really make sense. There's some fighting (okay, lots), some romance, and some treacherous plotting, (not necessarily in that order) but none of the parts overwhelm the rest of the book. I loved Crown Duel, and I'm pretty sure I read it in one sitting on the Detroit-Shanghai plane.

Plot summary: The teenage Countess Meliara, or Mel, has vowed to protect her country from the rich and selfish nobles when they come to fight. War comes soon enough, and Mel and her brother Branaric need to come up with a way to fend off the King's strong army. Once the violence dies down, however, Mel and her friends discover life at court, where she quickly discovers it's simply a deceptively quiet battle in the ballroom.

Related websites:

• Author's site