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The Blacktongue Thief

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The Blacktongue Thief

By: Christopher Buehlman
Narrated by: Christopher Buehlman
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About this listen

 Kinch Na Shannack owes the Takers Guild a small fortune for his education as a thief, which includes (but is not limited to) lock-picking, knife-fighting, wall-scaling, fall-breaking, lie-weaving, trap-making, plus a few small magics. His debt has driven him to lie in wait by the old forest road, planning to rob the next traveler that crosses his path.

But today, Kinch Na Shannack has picked the wrong mark.

Galva is a knight, a survivor of the brutal goblin wars, and handmaiden of the goddess of death. She is searching for her queen, missing since a distant northern city fell to giants.

Unsuccessful in his robbery and lucky to escape with his life, Kinch now finds his fate entangled with Galva's. Common enemies and uncommon dangers force thief and knight on an epic journey where goblins hunger for human flesh, krakens hunt in dark waters, and honor is a luxury few can afford. Action & Adventure Epic Epic Fantasy Fantasy Fiction Funny Scary Thought-Provoking Witty War Thief

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Critic reviews

The Blacktongue Thief is a delight from start to finish. What begins as a sidekick's view of the hero's journey soon blossoms into a finely crafted and highly entertaining ride through a world as monstrous as it is wondrous. Christopher Buehlman takes the well-worn tropes of fantasy and weaves them into a new and vibrant tapestry
The Blacktongue Thief announces a remarkable new voice to the genre. It's fast and fun and filled with crazy magic balanced by tight characterization. I can't wait to see what Christopher Buehlman does next
Wow! Truly outstanding. I can't say enough about how good The Blacktongue Thief is. Damned good stuff
The Blacktongue Thief is equal parts fairy tale, D&D adventure, and acid trip. Buehlman has successfully blended the essences of these elements into something at once familiar and fresh. I look forward to returning to this evocative and f*cked up world!
The Blacktongue Thief is a masterclass in voice and thoughtful world design, with a wonderful cast and a protagonist who grabs you instantly. Fans of Lynch's The Lies of Locke Lamora will love this one
Buehlman's prose floats nimbly from grisly to lyrical and back again, evoking a damaged world that's by turns bleak and starkly beautiful. A fantastical road trip with a hard-boiled sensibility, complete with shape-shifting assassins, murderous kraken and some delightfully gruesome magic
Instantly immersive, with wit as sharp as a thief's blade
Dark, gritty, lightning-fast, intelligent, irreverent . . . I loved it
I fell in love with Kinch on page one. He's a hilarious narrator and I was also touched by his sensitivity. Christopher's world building is unique, precise, and masterfully woven into a page-turning story. I couldn't put it down! A joyfully mischievous adventure, but also tragic and so heartfelt. Fans of Nicholas Eames and Joe Abercrombie will love The BlacktongueThief
Lyrical and visceral... Prepare to be transported
THE BLACKTONGUE THIEF is my kind of book. Chock-full of wry wit, foul language, and characters who arrive on the page with savage, sordid pasts hot on their heels. Often humorous, occasionally horrifying, and sometimes incredibly poignant, I loved every single page of this book. Every sentence, even. It's that good.
This is an extraordinary debut. It has all the trappings of a traditional quest - the motley band of adventurers, the history and songs, magic and monsters - but told in the snarky, self-aware voice of first-person urban fantasy. It's salty and funny and vivid as a bruise, a rollicking adventure with a cast (and a cat) you won't forget.
Fast-paced and action-packed, funny and adventurous - great fantasy fun.
Refreshingly original but reassuringly familiar, The Blacktongue Thief's cutthroat voice and deliciously dark world is sure to delight, shock and thrill
All stars
Most relevant
A very classy reading of an absorbing and beautifully written tale. Old Magick, the nasty kind, politic-ing, also the nasty kind, and grimy fantasy fill this story of a thief who falls in with the right wrong crowd.

Fantasy worth the time and coin

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Within 30 secs of the sample I knew I was going to love this as much as the Name of the Wind and it totally kept its promise.

Outstanding!

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Depth of world, characters and story even it's brief period. Poetry imbued in the prose elevated even further by the playful reading.

The Best Grimdark

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That was next level. SO good. Narration by the author in that accent just made it feel so unique and authentic and fantastic.

Wow

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Beuhlman does a phenomenal job taking a classic fantasy plot line and breathing fresh and unique life into it. The world building is fascinating, grounded and organically done. Character work is likewise convincing and enjoyable, and while the pacing feels a littler meandering at times it's entirely in keeping with the narrator's perceptive. Buehlman goes the extra mile by featuring wonderful songs aswell.

Excellent narration, it's brilliant to hear the story read directly by the author.

A Classic Formula Made Fresh

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