Set in the distant future (or perhaps not so distant), The Wordsmith follows Letta, an apprentice to the Wordsmith whose job it is to collect and archive words from the past. After the death of her master, Letta must take on this task and is thrown into a harsh world of political intrigue and danger where knowledge and free thought are not encouraged, to say the least. Gripping and thought-provoking, Forde's novel gives us a strong heroine to cheer for and plenty to reflect upon.