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    Among Thieves: A Tale of the Kin
    Among Thieves: A Tale of the Kin
    Among Thieves: A Tale of the Kin
    Audiobook15 hours

    Among Thieves: A Tale of the Kin

    Written by Douglas Hulick

    Narrated by Kirby Heyborne

    4/5

    ()

    About this audiobook

    Ildrecca is a dangerous city, if you don't know what you're doing. It takes a canny hand and a wary eye to run these streets and survive. Fortunately, Drothe has both. He has been a member of the Kin for years, rubbing elbows with thieves and murderers from the dirtiest of alleys to the finest of neighborhoods. Working for a crime lord, he finds and takes care of trouble inside his boss's organization-while smuggling relics on the side.But when his boss orders Drothe to track down whoever is leaning on his organization's people, he stumbles upon a much bigger mystery. There's a book, a relic any number of deadly people seem to be looking for-a book that just might bring down emperors and shatter the criminal underworld.A book now inconveniently in Drothe's hands...
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherTantor Media, Inc
    Release dateDec 26, 2011
    ISBN9781452675800
    Among Thieves: A Tale of the Kin
    Author

    Douglas Hulick

    Douglas Hulick has been reading fantasy literature for almost as long as he can remember. He suspects this penchant for far-away lands of yore led, in part, to his acquiring a B.A. and M.A. in Medieval History, and likewise to his subsequent study and teaching of European Historical Martial Arts. Douglas reads and writes and plays with a rapier in Minnesota, where he is often surprisingly tolerated by his wife (who also fences) and two sons (who do not). All of them read.

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    Reviews for Among Thieves

    4/5

    242 ratings32 reviews

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    • 4/5
      Having been less than impressed by some of the other books I read in the period of time prior to picking this up, and being skeptical of an author new, at least, to myself, I must say that I was quite pleasantly surprised. It might not be on quite the same level as the fantasy greats, but Among Thieves was an entertaining read, and I will be watching for Douglas Hulick in the future.
    • 1/5
      I don't like 1st person narrative voice.No, wait, that is too broad a statement. I don't like 1st person narrative in speculative fiction.Still to broad. Hmmm. Oh! I know. I don't like 1st person narrative in speculative fiction when the writer is really writing in 3rd person limited, just using "I" instead of character names and personal pronouns. Because they are completely different forms and writers don't seem to get the difference. Much like Douglas Hulick in his debut novel, Among Thieves. And that is why it is the newest member of the First Chapter Fail Club.For a book that starts off at the end of a man being tortured, it really did drag on that first chapter. There was so much exposition, none of it really developing the character of Drothe (which is a major reason for picking 1st person). Now, I know that speculative fiction has a need for exposition more so than others genres, but the idea of 1st person POV is too have limited exposition and to be hyper focused in the mind of the character that we are supposed to believe we are reading our adventures. But many authors, like Hulick, still have paragraphs of exposition like the character is discovering everything for the reader. But the character is supposed to be used to this place and having thoughts similar to the normal thoughts a person has. How many times to walk past something and think through the whole history of why that certain thing is there?Barely any, unless you are on a tour or sightseeing.I will give Hulick credit for most liken picking up the writing tip of ending a chapter on a discovery to make a reader keep turning the page. That is about the only thing I saw talent in. Unfortunately, the whole of the first and second chapter did nothing to further plot or develop Drothe as an interesting character that while I gave the second chapter a chance, Hulick didn't earn my time in giving the third a chance. Too much was held back in order to world build when a lot of it wasn't need, was over explained, or could have been better worked in as a thought of Drothe and not just a facade of one when really it was plain ol' 3rd person exposition.If you want a better written story with a premise similar in this vain, read the Scott Lynch books.
    • 3/5
      Once again I wish we could give half stars. This is a classic 3.5 star book. I thought it was similar to Steven Brust's Vlad Taltos books and it is in away but again not really. I understand the author was trying to do a lot of stuff, but the book tended to bog donw a lot in the middle
    • 4/5
      this certainly showed promise and more, an entertaining set of characters and the city of Ildrecca as the setting; and with hints of more to come, more story to unfurl.
      Hovering between a 3 and a 4 star rating, it's not an entirely original or fresh look at the grimy underworld swords and sorcery genre, and Drothe was to close to Kvothe in name; but it was enjoyable and looking forward to more...

      upgraded to 4 after re-read Oct 2014
    • 5/5
      Among Thieves was an impulse buy one day when I was at Borders looking for some other books. I'd seen it on the "New Sci/Fi-Fantasy" shelf, and was intrigued by the cover. A quick read of the back enticed my curiosity further, but I still wasn't sold yet. Juggling this book along with the books I'd originally been looking for, I sat down in a corner and began my usual process of elimination. When I'm in the market for a new book, I usually have three or four in mind. I compare them against each other, weighing such details as cost, length, writing style, and genre. In this case, Among Thieves was competing with three heavy-hitters: Two books from a favorite author of mine, and one based on my much-loved topic of pirates.

      But upon reading the first thirteen pages, I was struck by how awesome the story was. With little effort it seemed, Douglas Hulick established a great protagonist, Drothe, and a fascinating setting, Ildrecca. The language feels authentic, and has an almost "noir" quality to it that you don't often find in a fantasy adventure. There's magic, there's sword fighting, there's intrigue, there's true grit...Really, what doesn't this story have?

      To briefly summarize things, Drothe is a Nose--a name for a man who "noses" up delicate information and tricky artifacts--who is looking for a particular relic of value. The story literally opens up on a torture scene, though Drothe isn't the one doing the torturing. (He doesn't like it, but seems to have found himself needing to hire an "Agony Man" for this particular job.) Drothe is one of the Kin, an underworld of thieves, assassins, and other shady professionals. They are widespread throughout Ildrecca, a large and dangerous city under the rule of an emperor whose soul is split into three and has reincarnated perpetually for centuries. Any imperial relics from any of the emperor's past incarnations is worth quite a bit on the street, and that's what Drothe is trying to hunt down. Only things didn't go as planned, thus where we come in.

      Athel the Grinner, the man being tortured, eventually lets slip a single name, "Ioclaudia." Drothe is confused by the name, but goes looking for answers, and what he finds instead leads to a struggle for his life and the fate of the Kin--possibly the entire empire.

      There's enough twists and turns in this book to keep your interest up throughout, and as I've stated, the characters and the setting are all superb. The action keeps an even pace, there's the occasional humor, and plenty of suspense and drama. Yet it's all well-balanced, all well-timed, and you are never made disappointed by the ride.

      Though the book ended on a well-rounded note, it appears this is a part of a series (the series itself being called "Tales of the Kin"). I haven't heard of a new book from Hulick, nor am I entirely certain if the series is meant to be continuing the adventures of Drothe, or if it's a collection of loosely related adventures with different protagonists based in more or less the same setting. Either way, I wouldn't mind more.

      So...my verdict?

      If you like fantasy adventures, noir crime stories, and conspiracy tales, then PLEASE read this book. Just read it. Now.
    • 3/5
      I liked this book, I didn't love it. I was definitely entertained, but I wasn't blown away. Drothe is an engaging hero and the story was compelling enough to keep me intrigued, but it doesn't hold up to some of my favorites in this genre like Locke Lamora, Prince of Thorns, or The First Law series to name a few. That said, I'll definitely be reading the sequel Sworn in Steel when it comes out.
    • 4/5
      I was worried that this was going to be the usual copycat book about the nobel thief, but I was pleasantly suprised. I like the world it all takes place in, and the main character is very likeable and fun. The book reminds me of the Vlad Taltos novels, but on a somewhat bigger scale.
      I am looking forward to the next one
    • 4/5
      A fun romp through a world of intrigue, insane emperors, devious thieves, and shadow princes. Drothe finds himself in over his head when he joins the hunt for a mysterious book that just might have the power to bring down an empire. Fast-paced, this book makes for a fun read. I will definitely be interested in reading more of this author's work!
    • 4/5
      Probably closer to a 3.5 (mostly because I didn't completely connect with the characters) but I'll balance that with a 4.5 for excellent sword fight scenes and nearly non-stop action and intrigue. Reminded me of watching the series 24 sort of mashed up with the mini-series Pillars of the Earth through the lens of underworld organized crime and a dash of dark magic. Hard to put down and stayed up late to finish.
    • 4/5
      I was pleasantly surprised to win Hulick's Among Thieves in the Good Reads First Reads giveaway. I usually win random books I've never heard of prior to winning them (though the books are excellent, most of the time), but this was one I'd heard of before and was already in my t-b-r pile. I dove right in, and my big picture take on it as a whole: I enjoyed it and wouldn't be averse to continuing this series as it is published.I was told by a friend that Among Thieves reminded her of Scott Lynch and his truly spectacular The Lies of Locke Lamora and I can clearly see why. There are shades of Locke Lamora in Drothe, but only that, shades. I was reminded more of Joe Abercrombie's Logen Ninefingers from his bloody and funny The First Law trilogy, perhaps. Both Drothe and Locke are clever, manipulative thieves; Logen and he are murderous and sarcastic men used to command. Either way, Drothe is a singular character, one that you're never sure what he's going to do or how you will feel about it. He is clever, he is desperate and he is amusing. He's also a dangerous, murderous member of the underground. He's not snow-white as a protagonist and that makes him a more interesting and thus more fun to read about for 400 pages.Hulick's writing is clever, descriptive and best of all, very engaging. It's delightfully free of unnecessary details or developments. The battle scenes (especially the fencing/swordfighting), as well as those between Drothe and his closest thing to a friend Bronze Degan, are what truly stands out about this novel. They all felt real, and vivid, as does the city of Ildrecca. The book continues to improve on its faults as the novel progresses. Douglas Hulick has created a thriving world, a unique Empire, wityh an interesting theology, a different magic system, culture and a thriving underworld wheeling beneath it all.The book was exciting, interesting and thankfully, wasn't too predictable for fantasy fare. It doesn't get bogged down in decades-old fantasy cliches or characters. It's a darker fantasy, with an ambiguously disciplined main character. There's very little reliance on magic to solve all Drothe's problems, which creates a more resourceful and clever finale. I was reluctant to finish as fast as I did. The magic system presented in the novel is fairly straightforward, but is unlike others in fantasy I've read and it was a pleasure to read a new idea on "glimmer", as it's called here.Another high point for me was the culture of the thieves in this book. It felt real, and obviously different from the regular citizens' in the city. The authentic-seeming thieves cant that Hulick created has a lot to do with this. Instead of forcing a lot of random colloquialisms on his audience immediately, Hulick slowly employs more and more of the cant until the reader can read a sentence peppered with the slang with ease.I highly enjoyed this first novel in Hulick's work, and I look forward to picking up the rest of this series as he publishes them, and learns to polish his work as he goes. I can't say that it was the best fantasy novel I've read so far this year, but it was fun to read and easy to do so.
    • 4/5
      Not a bad read, but it didn't blow me away.To be honest the opening torture scene almost put me off reading it at all (which was not helped by being a little loopy with a chest infection, antibiotics and painkillers!), and I started it a few weeks before going back and trying again. I'm glad I did but while I might read the sequel(s) I'm not rushing out to find them.Drothe works for the underworld for years as an investigator or Nose, his skills are extensive in this and he has a solid reputation for getting the job done. As he looks into one mystery he finds another and this other might just get him killed because it drags him into Imperial politics and magic.It just didn't flow for me, and by the end I didn't much care if the main character lived or died, I didn't feel a build of empathy for him that I'd expect in a first person book. Still worth getting past the first 50 pages to get to the end.
    • 4/5
      It is better than average, and could have been better still.The problem that brings the book down is the hero and the author. (Naturally the author, he wrote it, and in the notes we find out what brings the book down.)He is a fencer. (Probably an SCA Fencer) and while that should not generally be a problem, there are sword fights. A lot of sword fights, and they do go on. Right, I get that.But our hero is a thief. One of the Kin. And these Kin have territories and our hero seems to be the intelligent lieutenant of a mob boss of a territory. He is countered by the unintelligent lieutenant.Our hero though starts to get involved as a pawn who thinks he should be and is a rook, in a very intricate plot of a handful of senior top level mob bosses who if they play too hard, the Empire has a history of squelching them.So we have our hero, he is two rungs down from the players, and professes to have no ambitions, yet we don't really see his organization and how he makes his money. We understand him and are told that he is a Nose and that he uses Ears. Ears here things, and Noses sniff them out. Yet when we have our introduction to this system, our Hero the Nose is directly asking of one of his informants, what is going on. Thus he is acting like an Ear to my mind.Our hero also has a private protective organization, but no sub organization within his own group. That doesn't make much sense.The plot, is convoluted and the world is rather interesting, a few rungs below the interest of Scott Lynch and Locke Lamora, though the writer here claims to have been working on his novel longer then Lynch.Again though, the fighting gets in the way of the entire story. Several writers have been members of the Reenactment groups and can bring their fights to a novel. They can last for pages and they can be good entertainment. Some of Hulick's work is good in that respect. But then, snore, here comes another fight, again, and it will last for too many pages. And then again, and again. Can not our hero, Drothe (reminds me of Rothfuss and Kvothe) use his brains and not have to fight, again. We want our heroes to act smart when they are spending all the time between these far too many fights talking smart.If Hulick pays attention, what he is doing for a series might do better in future outings. If all he does is want to talk about his fighting career in his reenactment group, then the book is 100 pages too long.
    • 4/5
      Another debut novel, and another interesting & entertaining book that will leave you salivating to read the sequel (once it comes out!). Dougles Hulick delivers a sharp, witty, fast paced fantasy novel based upon the criminal fraternity of a city, the dark underbelly of society. The main character Drothe is an informant, known commonly as a Nose in the book, who is cunning, quick witted, capable and intelligent. He lies, steals, cheats and kills as he feels he needs to, however, mixed with these ruthless characteristics are a sense of honour, and a care for others other than just himself. This, along with the 1st person narrative the book is told in, makes Drothe a very likeable character, a hero in some instances, despite being a major player in the criminal world. There is a shadowy war being fought out, that Drothe soon finds himself caught up in the middle of whilst performing tasks for his boss. He has to use all his skill, contacts, wits and stregths to to stay alive and accomplish what he needs to. The book is filled with mystery, intrigue and plenty of twists that will keep you hooked from start to finish. The fight scenes are extremely well written, due I assume to Hulick's background in the 17th Century Italian Rapier combat arts. There are a wealth of characters within the book, from all backgrounds and all different memebers of the kin, however, this is where I feel the book slightly lets itself down (if at all). In that these characters are not explored upon, not enough depth or context are provided for some, and this potential for development of these characters is massive, and one I'm hoping will be included as the series continues. Although ultimately, the story is about Drothe, a character you can't help but like. He reminds me in some ways of Jimmy the Hand from the Raymond E Feist novels set after MAgician, and the character and book also has similarities to The Lies of Locke Lamora (a favourite of mine) by Scott Lynch. A dark fanatasy about the criminal underbelly of a city about thieves - I was always going to enjoy this, and most certainly did. Highly recommmend! Looking forward to the next one !
    • 3/5
      Not bad for a debut fantasy novel! All in all, I was glad I picked this up at a time I was looking for a new author to read and was particularly interested in delving more into the "thieves" fantasy sub-category. However, I choose to give this book 3.5 stars, namely because of several factors:1. Narration in the first person perspective. Sometimes this works great; sometimes it doesn't. In the case of Among Thieves, I think the decision to use it was perhaps a tad ambitious. We as the readers only see what Drothe sees, know what Drothe knows. Normally, I'd enjoy this; when I'm relying solely on a protagonist to give me the play-by-play, it also starts to make me feel like I'm living out his adventures with him. But it can also prove extremely awkward when it comes to the revealing of plot twists by the character.2. Convoluted storyline. Too many things going on at once and too many characters to keep track of made this book very difficult to follow, especially in the beginning when catching and keeping your reader's attention is so crucial. Granted, all the numerous plot lines fall into place towards the end, but that still seems like a lot to ask of your readers, in my opinion.3. Just a few other little minor observations I made while reading, such as awkward dialogue moments or writing techniques that leaped out of the page at me and reminded me that I was reading a book by a new author.However, even without its polish, Among Thieves delivered a great story that was full of action and interesting twists and turns. At times, I even found myself wishing the book would slow down a little -- Douglas Hulick takes the idea of "something interesting must happen in every chapter" to the max.If you asked me whether or not I will ever read something else in the future by this author, I would say most likely yes. As a fantasy author, I think Mr. Hulick has great potential. He has already shown that he can spin a good yarn; with more time and experience, I think he can deliver some amazing stories.
    • 3/5
      As a person who has read more than my fair share of speculative literature I have been an increasingly demanding reviewer. At a younger age I would have enjoyed this book much more than I did now. The story was interesting enough, with decent character and world building, but was lacking in some regards. The ending felt very contrived and forced to me. The final showdown by the protagonist was definitely not in character for him. The twist and turns of the storyline also seemed somewhat bland, although somewhat entertaining. There are a lot of books I would recommend before this one, which isn't meant to be a knock on this book, but more the general difficulty with reviewing books in this genre now. There are just so many books, and it takes a truly exceptional piece that really stand out against the crowd. Among Thieves is serviceable, but does not stand out.
    • 5/5
      Among Thieves by Douglas HulickReviewed by Moirae the fates book reviews.Drothe has been a member of the Kin for years, rubbing elbows with thieves and murderers in the employ of a crime lord while smuggling relics on the side. But when an ancient book falls into his hands, Drothe finds himself in possession of a relic capable of bringing down emperors-a relic everyone in the underworld would kill to obtain. (Synopsis provided by goodreads)This is a 2011 debut novel.I have to say that I loved this book. Drothe was amazing! The way that Hulick describes Ildrecca makes me wish it were a real place. The descriptions in this book are so vivid that as a reader you can almost feel the sun and smell the air.I loved the story and the characters the characters are rich and vivid. I found the Kin to be interesting and the all the people of Ildrecca were fascinating.The dialogue was really good and I never felt board when reading this book. The book was fast paced. I found it to be cleaver and fun.I am excited to see what happens next and how many more books there will be. This book was never predictable and kept me guessing.Hulick isn't afraid to let his hero has flaws, but the flaws are what make the character real. Drothe is one of the best new heros of 2011. I can't wait to read what Hulick writes next!Hulick is a write to watch!Overall rating: ***** 5 out of 5 starsCover Art Love it! Very eye catching.Obtained: Won from goodreads first reads.
    • 5/5
      Rich, dark world with well drawn characters that are always at cross purposes, but tied together somehow. I can't wait for the next book.
    • 5/5
      Finally!!!! I have been a part of the Early Reviewers program for a while, and have felt bad for the poor reviews most books I received have gotten. This, however, was a delight to read and made it all worthwhile. Drothe (your "hero") is very human, mostly ordinary, and becomes easy to like after a bit of a grim start. He falls into situations and realizes he is in way over his head, but uses his connections to assist and try to keep ahead of the bad(der) guys after him. The cover states "fans of Rothfuss and Weeks will enjoy", which I found to be a bold claim. While it is not quite as good as "The Name of the Wind", it is a VERY solid and enjoyable read and I recommend it fully.
    • 4/5
      A fun entry in the subgenre of "fantasy starring thieves".I found the beginning slow and nearly put it down - starting out with the protagonist torturing and then killing someone didn't exactly make it easy to sympathize with Drothe - but I'm glad I kept reading. The pacing evened out after the first few chapters, and I actually made myself late to work this morning because I *had* to finish the last two chapters. The plot, overall, was good, and it was interesting trying to think of how Drothe would get himself out of whatever situation he'd gotten himself into.The world building was interesting, and I liked how little tidbits dropped earlier in the story turned out to be important later in the story. After the initial few chapters, I began to understand Drothe and maybe even like him. I definitely liked some of the supporting characters - Degan and Kells - though some of the lesser ones were pretty cardboard-y.The end of the book definitely sets the stage for more books in the future - I'll definitely be picking up the next book of Drothe's adventures.
    • 5/5
      An ER book: I truly enjoyed this book and am looking forward to the next one! Drothe is a conflicted hero - not quite an antihero - who remains true to his own ethics and morals. I am not sure I would want to be close to him, since so many interesting things happen around him.... It does bog down a little about the 3/4's mark but otherwise moves along at a smart pace. The world of Ildrecca needs some fleshing out, but there is only so much you can do in a first book. I hope that Hulick intends to do that, fill in the background on some of the more interesting side characters, and develop the culture more, I am looking forward to reading more on this world.
    • 3/5
      I liked this book, but I didn't love it. Drothe is a well-written anti-hero. The plot was intricate and well thought out. The world was original and nicely presented. There was nothing wrong with the book; it just didn't grab me. I found the beginning a bit slow after the initial shock scene. It picked up towards end, but never really hooked me. I think Among Thieves stands up well in the recent spate of works like Rachel Aarons, Scott Lynch and others, but it wasn't a stand out for me.
    • 5/5
      I very much enjoyed this book, and am definitely looking forward to Drothe's continuing adventures in the sequel(s). Drothe is a convincing anti-hero, a member of the criminal underworld with enough honor and loyalty to keep him sympathetic to readers, and the multiple layers of oaths, double- and triple- crosses keep you guessing about the possible outcomes, and therefore don't lend to too much predictability.There's definitely plenty of ground to cover in the sequels, as the world building and tidbits about the Empire, religion, other nations, and even Ildrecca itself only gave away little dribs and drabs in the novel, so there is definitely a ton more that Douglas Hulick can share with readers before exhausting the storytelling potential of the world and character.I'd think anyone who enjoys Steven Brust's Vlad Taltos series would enjoy Douglas Hulick's Kin novels.
    • 4/5
      Some authors have trouble writing anti-heros, but Douglas Hulick does a very good job with Drothe (although did anyone else have the Kvothe/Drothe confusion? I read WISE MAN'S FEAR just before AMONG THIEVES). I'd heard a little about this book from reading the Wyrdsmith's blog (of which the author is a part) and I was intrigued, and then I read a few good reviews, so I was chuffed to receive an ARC from LibraryThing. The pacing is spot-on here, with hardly a wasted action. I tore through the book in two days, so obviously I enjoyed the plot. Little details make the world plausible, and the characters are realistically flawed. Among dark fantasy like this, it's interesting to see how far the author will go with gore, torture, etc--some of them don't get it, but Hulick does. I very much hope he simply did his research and didn't have experience to back up his words, but some of the violence will turn people off. There were some times when I wondered if someone could truly pull off feats like those in the book while being so injured, but the writing made it believable.My only big gripe is the ending--it ties together a little too neatly, and even though the MC is surprised, I wasn't. It's a nice ending, and sets up the next book in the series well. I guess I'm just used to several big-name fat fantasies that either end in a cliffhanger or leave quite a few things hanging, so maybe it's just that this book's ending breaks a trend. Regardless, I'll be looking forward to another tale of the Kin.
    • 4/5
      Good book. Great first novel and hopefully there are more books coming with the same characters. The book grabs your attention from the very beginning with great dialoge and content. The characters are well written with many twists. The history of the world/town is lacking but can be pieced together hroughout the book.
    • 4/5
      I received this as an ER book. Among Thieves was an engrossing and fun read. Hulick creates a complex and well-formed world and then concentrates on the affairs of the Kin, a guild of thieves. Drothe is a 'nose' someone who collects information and passes that information on to the various gang bosses. It's a dangerous profession, especially when you stick that nose into something you don't understand.There's mystery and mayhem, and twists and turns galore, as Drothe tries to figure out why suddenly there seems to be a target painted on his back. Just what particular bit of intel is it that is so dangerous he has Dark Princes, Upright Men and, apparently, the Emperor's enforcers on his tail?Well written, well paced and recommended!
    • 3/5
      I have to begin by saying that I liked this book.I didn't love it and I didn't hate it. It is full of things I love in a fantasy novel: intrigue, a mystery to solve, questions to answer, a world both unique in its imagination, yet accessible to the reader, a few interesting characters, a fast pace.There isn't really anything in it that I can put my finger on and say "I didn't like that.", because what was there was good, just not as good as it could have been. Or, rather, not as good as I wanted it to be. I wanted to know more about the history of the city, the relationships between the noble classes, the role of the emperor, education (or lack thereof). I wanted to know more about Drothe and his personal history, more of his relationship with his sister, instead of "she's tried to kill me."There are bits and pieces of all these things mentioned in the novel, but just not enough to give a really clear picture of where the characters are in relationship to eachother and in their relationships with the rest of this world. For me, its those little details that turn a good novel into a truely wonderful novel, and its those things that are lacking in this one.I enjoyed the fast pace of the novel, but I think that in the race to get to the end, those details were lost by the wayside.I know that this is Douglas Hulick's debut, and I am very curious to see if, when he writes the sequel, he will color his world with these little details. He has the potential, and I really hope he realizes it.
    • 4/5
      Summary: Drothe is a lifelong member of the Kin, as the criminal underworld of the city of Ildrecca like to call themselves. Specifically, he's a Nose: his job is to listen to the streets, synthesize rumors, and find out what's really going on in all the spheres of Kin activity. He also has an active sideline in smuggling imperial relics, which typically turns a tidy profit without interfering with his other work. But suddenly his boss is on his case to investigate growing tensions in the slums of the Ten Ways, assassins armed with potent magic seem to be coming out of the woodwork, and all of the whispers start to be about a book that's more than any ordinary relic, a book that's intensely powerful and immensely dangerous... a book that Drothe just might have in his possession.Review: Among Thieves was one of those books that has all the right elements, with no obvious reason I why wouldn't enjoy it, and yet it just never quite clicked for me. I don't have a particular affinity for criminal-underworld fantasy novels, but I've got nothing against them, either, and Scott Lynch's novels are some of the best books I've read in recent years. Unfortunately, Among Thieves, while similar to Lynch's novels in the broad strokes of setting and plot, was missing some of the wit and charm and spark that make the Gentleman Bastard books so good. I also noticed that Hulick tended to do his world building piecemeal, scattering mini info-dump lectures on the history of the empire and its religion throughout the action, rather than allowing the details of his world to be incorporated gradually. This book was a slow start for me, taking me four days to clear the first hundred pages. Things picked up after that, though, and I did eventually wind up liking the story. Hulick's good at writing the scheming and plotting and double-crossing necessary in a novel with a criminal narrator. It's a clever plot, with enough twists and turns and surprises to hold my interest once it was captured. Hulick's also good at writing action scenes, and this book's got plenty of sword fights, street brawls, and assassination attempts to keep things moving along. So, overall, this book had a lot of good elements, and no glaring flaws that I can point to. But something about it just didn't work for me; it didn't reach out and grab my imagination the way I want my fantasy novels to do. I'm not sorry I read it, but it's also not destined to become a favorite. 3.5 out of 5 stars.Recommendation: I didn't love it, but just because it didn't click for me doesn't mean it won't for you. If the idea of non-standard quest fantasy or the honor-among-thieves story appeals to you, then Among Thieves is well worth a try. (As is The Lies of Locke Lamora. Just sayin'.)
    • 4/5
      I was happy to receive this book through ER because of the endorsement from Brent Weeks, who's been one of my favorite recent finds. Hulick's writing reminds me a lot of Weeks: the shades of grey on the moral spectrum, the less-than-shining heroes, the sly humor and occasional earthiness of the characters. Overall it paints a pretty fascinating world with realistic characters. If you like the "swords-and-sorcery" type feel of traditional fantasy but with an edge, this might be a book for you.I'm already looking forward to the next book in the series, if one happens.
    • 4/5
      I loved, loved, loved this book. The story was fast-paced, the anti-hero was actually likable, the settings were well-drawn and quite real, and, as others have said, the fight scenes were very well done. While the majority of the bad guys (pretty much everyone in the book) were definitely not very nice, this story is full of shades of grey. No one seems to have truly good or evil motives. This adds an overall depth to the story that I quite enjoyed.The only negative I have for this book is that there aren't already more in what I hope is going to be a series.
    • 5/5
      Among Thieves will always have the distinction of being the first book I read after finishing up Steven Erikson's Malazan series. Being my favorite fantasy series, and really enjoying the way The Crippled God was written, I was afraid that whatever I read after that would be something I did not enjoy. Nevertheless, having received this book through the LT Early Reviewer program, I dove in with as much of an open mind I could manage. The bottom line is that I am glad I did.Among Thieves follows a straightforward enough formula when it comes to the genre. You have your relatable anti-hero, Drothe, who meets a varied cast of characters, most of which do not display the overplayed good/evil dynamic. There are multiple shades of grey displayed over the course of the story. There is sword (and rapier) play, and it is here you can see the research and practice done to properly describe these battles. You almost feel as if you're there, holding the weapon yourself. I enjoyed the overall story arc, generally enjoyed the pacing of the book, and really found myself growing attached to the main characters as the story progressed. If there is anything I could really complain about, it would be how the story ends. Not so much the content, but how quickly everything is wrapped up. Maybe I'm just used to these longer books where arcs are carried out and slowly brought to a conclusion, but it seemed here that you had a number of things going on, and ti was all finished in a couple dozen pages. Overall I enjoyed the book. It was set up well for a few more books in the series, and it is certainly a story that I would like to see expanded on and continued. Were I to read this book sometime in the future, I do not know if it would get 4.5 stars, but as I said earlier I was not expecting to enjoy any book that I was going to read now. So being pleasantly surprised results in a higher score. If you enjoy a fun page turner, Among Thieves is a good one to pick up.