I picked up this book on a whim. I decided to buy it after reading some online reviews, since they made my hopes for the book grow. While it took me almost a year to actually start reading the book, I am so happy that I gave this novel a try!

“Only the strong, the rich, and the dying think truth is necessity; the rest of us know it for a luxury.” 

Premise of the book:

Kinch Na Shannack is a thief, a good one at that. However, he owes the Takers Guild, the school that educated him in theft, a small fortune. With this debt in mind, Kinch takes to robbing people on a forest road. But the target he chose today was more than just a traveler; it was a knight, Galva. 

However, instead of Galva killing Kinch, she spares him. Now, Kinch managed to get her to agree to take him along on her journey, which will reveal him of his debt to the Takers Guild. As this unlikely duo gets farther into their quest, Kinch must determine how loyal he really is to the Takers Guild.

“May laughter keep us young and malice keep us rich” 

Pros/positives:

*Main character*

The main character, Kinch, is such a hoot. I loved everything about his character. He knew when to be serious, but he tended to stick to his lighthearted side. He was especially sarcastic, as well, which I loved. 

His character is what made the story for me. His voice was strong and entertaining, and he is straightforward with his words. I knew I was in for a ride when he introduced himself to the knight, Galva. He presents himself by breaking into her room while Galva is sleeping and blurting out a question about Outstrim with no warning. Even with the knowledge that Galva would try to kill him for trespassing, he chose to reveal himself like that. Just a little later in the story, when Kinch is trying to convince Galva to let him join her, he tells her straight up, “I’m supposed to lie now…Can we just pretend I told you a lie?” (56). Kinch doesn’t care that he was given specific instructions; he carved his own path.

Speaking of Galva, he worked really well with her. Galva was a serious person. She cared heavily about honor and her mission. Kinch, on the other hand, did whatever it took to survive, whether it was honorable or not. He was seen as a coward for some of his choices, but he never changed them. 

Overall, I enjoyed how he was a capable main character, but he also inevitably made mistakes and wasn’t perfect. He was gritty, doing what he had to so that he could complete his tasks. 

*Writing style*

The author’s writing style was another huge grab for me. I loved how he described new settings or objects. It carried a lot of Kinch’s personality. 

Even when describing a baton carried by a random, unimportant side character, the author added flair. He didn’t just say it was a hurtful weapon. Instead, he played around with it, painting it as a baton that’s “not so large you’d call it a mace, but not so small you’d soon forget a sharp blow from it…” (147). It gives a visual without outright saying it.

Even when depicting the bark on a tree, the author compares it to birch, its color “white like expensive paper or not-so-new linen” (341). The author made the book humorous, while still keeping a dark tone and reminding the reader of its seriousness when needed.

*World building*

The world-building in this book is insane. It was very, very well done. The author made it so that each kingdom, and even the cities within those kingdoms, had their own gods that they chose to worship over others. They all had different clothing, culture, language, etc. The author covered all of the basics. I loved how each time a new language was introduced, the reader would get a word or two translated for them. Some depth was added to the book from this, making it more immersive. It was even better that some words kept coming up, like the Ispanthian word for the f-bomb, chodadu, which was said many times throughout this book. It was a nice consistency. 

This book did a good job of showing the different parts of the world itself. We start in the kingdom of Holt and end in Oustrim. If you look at the map for this book, you’d know that those two kingdoms are basically across the world from one another. 

I also found it hilarious how every fantasy thing in this novel had like 20 different titles. Like, one of the ships the character briefly journeys on is called the Suepka Buryey, also known as “Pig-Lady of the Tempest” and “Snow Sow”. It felt like a lighthearted jab at how fantasy books tend to go overboard with names, while also making the world feel more real.

I must admit, one of the biggest selling points for me is how the author handled the fantasy creatures. Goblins are finally seen as a first-class threat. Every book I’ve read treats goblins as small, annoying creatures that can easily be taken care of. This book treats goblins like they can take over the world. They are literally mini-fiends. This novel also has it so that horses are treated with the utmost priority because almost all of them died in the war against the goblins. There are actually no stallions left, only minimal mares. I liked the change of pace from other books I’ve read. 

*Romance*

The romance between Kinch and Norrigal is so cute. I appreciate how you can see how much they care for one another through their actions. Kinch refuses to abandon Norrigal in battle when she gets injured, even when the odds aren’t in their favor, and Norrigal uses her magic many times to keep Kinch out of trouble.

It was nice to be able to see their romance build, and I enjoyed being able to see them date each other for the end part of this book. The romance also didn’t get in the way of the actual story, which I respected. There was no huge miscommunication trope or any large fallout. It was a simple, loving relationship, and it brought a balance to the book. I knew I could trust Kinch and Norrigal to have each other’s backs.

“When listening for danger, one must never mistake silence for safety” 

In between/neutral:

*Plot*

While I enjoyed the plot, a lot of it consisted of side quests to get to the main one. We don’t even get to the main point in the book until basically the very end, as the rest of the book is the characters trying to get to the place they need to. 

Readers of this book have to keep in mind that the plot isn’t heavily action-packed. The battles are quick and dirty. While I appreciated the side quests and fights, I know that it also isn’t for everyone.

*Side characters*

Even though I adored the side characters, I must admit that they weren’t even close to the same level as Kinch. That’s the issue with writing a great main character: the side characters feel flatter. There was nothing inherently wrong with Galva and Norrigal. They had some secrets revealed later on that deepened their character, but they just never reached the same mark as Kinch. 

The main problem stems from the fact that we didn’t spend as much time with them as I would have liked. I can’t say that I didn’t care for them. The author did a good job creating and keeping an interest in them; it was growing the interest that was the problem. 

“We know too much about the gods to hope for their benevolence, do we not?” 

Cons/negatives: 

*Galva and Kinch friendship (or lack there of)*

I wish we saw more interactions between Galva and Kinch. They started out traveling together, and I enjoyed their banter. However, in the middle and end of the story, I feel like we got one interaction between them every 50 pages. I thought that as the book went on, they would grow closer and care more for one another, but instead they became more distant. 

“The rich hold grudges the poor can’t afford…” 

Conclusion: 

Pros – Main character, writing style, world building, romance.

In between – Plot, side characters.

Cons – Galva and Kinch friendship (or lack there of) 

Overall – 4.5 out of 5

“I’m a man who will always choose to know.”