Review by Booklist Review
Kinch Na Shannack is a thief--he freely admits to this fact and is proud of the training he received at the Takers Guild. Because of this training, he is in debt to the Guild. When they tell him to befriend and follow the knight Galva, he has to obey. Galva's quest to find a stolen queen brings them both to Oustrim, an area currently overrun with giants. Before they get there, though, they need help from a witch named Deadlegs. Among other boons, Deadlegs sends her apprentice Norrigal along with them. Goblins, a kraken, and human enemies stand in their way as they travel westward. Kinch's sardonic, world-weary narration is a delight. Full of adventure, magic, humor, and a touch of romance, The Blacktongue Thief exhibits a fully realized fantasy world. From card games to songs to long-ago wars, this world is lived in and awash in intriguing details. Give this to those readers eager for George R. R. Martin or Patrick Rothfuss to finish their series, or to any fantasy fan. Highly recommended for all library collections. This is epic fantasy adventure at its best.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Horror author Buehlman (Between Two Fires) impresses in his tongue-in-cheek fantasy debut. Kinch Na Shannack is indebted to the Takers Guild for his tutelage as a thief, and now needs to put his knowledge into action to pay his debts. He and his companions take to the Forest of Orphans, aiming to rob passing travelers. But instead of the easy targets they were hoping for, they get Galva, a female warrior from Ispanthia who easily trounces them. The only one to survive the skirmish, Kinch brings news of the attack to the Takers Guild and is tasked with a vague mission to follow and befriend Galva. Though the Guild refuses to reveal its motives, Kinch agrees and joins Galva on her journey to the giant-ravaged city of Hrava in Oustrim. Along the way, Kinch learns of Galva's quest to rescue Ispanthia's abducted queen, Mireya, and discovers the atrocious secrets of the Guild. With his freedom at stake, Kinch must decide where his loyalties lie. Packed full of magic, mayhem, and mischief, Buehlman's world and characters are artfully rendered, though the trust between Galva and Kinch develops unbelievably quickly given their first meeting. Still, this dense series launch is sure to win the author new fans. (May)
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Review by Library Journal Review
Kinch Na Shannack learns that strange circumstances can bring essential acquaintances together when he and a loosely bound group of highwaymen try to rob Galva on the White Road. Their robbery is a failure, but they escape with their lives; Galva is an exquisite fighter who wields with magical precision the shield Kinch covets. Kinch and Galva later set out on a Tolkienesque quest through their Europe-inspired world, during which they are joined by fellow thieves, more warriors, a witch, and a cat. Each member of the party has their own goal, and secrets they hide from the others. The journey is made more tenuous by memories of the Goblin Wars, and news that giants have attacked a frontier city. VERDICT Readers of epic fantasy novelists, like Tolkien or Brian Sanderson, will enjoy this journey, which is by turns fun, magical, or terrifying for the travelers. Buehlman (The Lesser Dead) offers a departure from his horror novels in this fantasy with dark undertones. With fabulous examples of invented languages and dialects, this title is transporting.--Elizabeth Masterson, Mecklenburg Cty. Jail Lib., Charlotte, NC
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