Among Thieves
I'm falling behind in my book reviews. Blar! So I actually finished Among Thieves a little while back now. 'tis another fantasy rogue story, which does seem to be its own (sub-)genre these days.
I liked the worldbuilding involved. A land with an immortal emperor isn't unique, per se, but the details feel fairly fresh. There's extensive use of street lingo, which can be a little disorienting while being nicely flavorful. Naturally, there's a focus on the underworld side - the "Kin." The whole concept of the Gray Princes (mysterious figures in the underworld that puppeteer lesser gangs and orchestrate grand plots) might be just a little overdone, but some of that could easily be attributed to street reputation. There are power levels in the book, though they're not quite as noticeable as in some - elite warriors like White Sashes and Degans can be reasonably expected to take on several opponents and win, while powerful casters can do some pretty insane stuff - but luck can turn a fight, too.
And luck seems to be the protagonist's primary skill. He's frequently outclassed in a fight, but still manages to come through. Similarly (and this is probably my biggest criticism of the book), the plot is rife with characters making incorrect assumptions or stumbling across threads that move the story along - and our rogue "hero" is in the middle of that, ultimately benefiting. I might call it a comedy of errors, but overall it's not a story full of levity or satire. There's some realistic grit here, with collateral damage along the way.
I like the story, I like several of the characters, and I'd like to see more I think. The release of the sequel doesn't seem to have been set yet, though.
I liked the worldbuilding involved. A land with an immortal emperor isn't unique, per se, but the details feel fairly fresh. There's extensive use of street lingo, which can be a little disorienting while being nicely flavorful. Naturally, there's a focus on the underworld side - the "Kin." The whole concept of the Gray Princes (mysterious figures in the underworld that puppeteer lesser gangs and orchestrate grand plots) might be just a little overdone, but some of that could easily be attributed to street reputation. There are power levels in the book, though they're not quite as noticeable as in some - elite warriors like White Sashes and Degans can be reasonably expected to take on several opponents and win, while powerful casters can do some pretty insane stuff - but luck can turn a fight, too.
And luck seems to be the protagonist's primary skill. He's frequently outclassed in a fight, but still manages to come through. Similarly (and this is probably my biggest criticism of the book), the plot is rife with characters making incorrect assumptions or stumbling across threads that move the story along - and our rogue "hero" is in the middle of that, ultimately benefiting. I might call it a comedy of errors, but overall it's not a story full of levity or satire. There's some realistic grit here, with collateral damage along the way.
I like the story, I like several of the characters, and I'd like to see more I think. The release of the sequel doesn't seem to have been set yet, though.
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