We are the stories we tell ourselves…even the lies.
The Thief, a great spirit, and her descendants have abused their ability to steal magic for centuries. When Kaylo starts to hear the song of other people’s magic, he must learn to hide from his people as well as the invaders. A gift or a curse, Kaylo may be able to save his people from the Gousht Empire that claimed their land with this stolen magic.
Eighteen years later, Kaylo still prays to the spirits, but not out of loyalty or love. He knows better than to rely on those selfish bastards for anything. While hiding in the forest from his foolish acts of rebellion, he encounters a girl, Tayen, being pursued by two soldiers of the empire. Against his better judgment, he risks facing the consequences of his past to intervene.
When Tayen attempts to run off seeking vengeance for her family, he offers to train her to wield her magic and a blade. If he can’t convince her to relinquish her need for vengeance and stave off the demons of his past, he’s going to get them both killed.
WordsSwordsGore –
No Heart for a Thief by James Lloyd Dulin.
What can I say about this book that hasn’t already been said by others who have reviewed it? I could go into depth about how the author makes you feel the mental and emotional battle raging in the protagonist’s mind. I could talk about the use of spirits and the crystals. I could talk about the Thief. I could talk about the Balance. We could sit here and talk for hours about the amount of loss Kaylo and the characters suffered in this book. But I’ll make it simple,
This book is a 5/5 read.
Would I recommend it? Yes
Did I love it? Yes
Would I read it again? Yes
This is the first self published book I have read, and it won’t be the last. A great fantasy book. As soon as I finished it I didn’t want it to end. Every time I stopped reading the book for the day, I kept thinking about it until I got the chance to pick it up again. I still can’t stop thinking about it. Scenes are playing out in my head on what might be happening after the final chapter. I can’t wait to see where James takes this series.
I woke up this morning and went to grab the book only to remember that I unfortunately finished it the night before. No Heart for a Thief got me out of the reading slump I found myself in for a few months. No Safe Haven comes out soon and I’ll be impatiently waiting while also hoping the author decides to make the rune game an actual game. Kickstarter? I’ll back it!
Read this book. You won’t regret it. Or don’t read it, and regret it. The choice is yours.