
An Illusion of Thieves
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Narrated by:
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Saskia Maarleveld
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By:
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Cate Glass
About this listen
A ragtag crew with forbidden magic must pull off an elaborate heist and stop a civil war in An Illusion of Thieves, a fantasy adventure from Cate Glass.
In Cantagna, being a sorcerer is a death sentence.
Romy escapes her hardscrabble upbringing when she becomes courtesan to the Shadow Lord, a revolutionary noble who brings laws and comforts once reserved for the wealthy to all. When her brother, Neri, is caught thieving with the aid of magic, Romy's aristocratic influence is the only thing that can spare his life—and the price is her banishment.
Now back in Beggar’s Ring, she has just her wits and her own long-hidden sorcery to help her and Neri survive. But when a plot to overthrow the Shadow Lord and incite civil war is uncovered, only Romy knows how to stop it. To do so, she’ll have to rely on newfound allies—a swordmaster, a silversmith, and her own thieving brother. And they'll need the very thing that could condemn them all: magic.
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Critic reviews
"An Illusion of Thieves drew me in with its clever, resourceful heroine and delightful supporting cast, and kept me turning pages with forbidden magic, intrigue, and a smart and daring magical caper. I can’t wait for more!” —Melissa Caruso, author of The Tethered Mage
"Political intrigue, deceit, and forbidden talents...with a Mission Impossible vibe." —Booklist
"Very tense and twisty [with] a world that feels broad and deep and believable... seriously compelling." —Locus
A Favorite
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I enjoyed this magical world and the character of Romy. How refreshing to have a mature female protagonist, who is already worldly and resourceful. (I frequently wanted to smack her brother Neri, which was Glass's goal, I'm sure...) This is an engaging read, and as part of a series I know that we will come to see learn more about secondary characters who seemed a bit thin on the details.
Cate Glass offers a Glossary and Character List, with a pronunciation guide on her website.
A unique magical Italianate world
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Other reviews discuss the plot and how great the characters are, the intricate world-building, etc. I don't want to repeat, but here are some key take-aways:
- GREAT narrator. Seriously. Top class. I will definitely be on the look out for anything else she's done.
- Romy is a FORCE, and I can't wait to see what she and the rest of the crew will do next.
- Politics, intrigue, magic...need I say more?
Final point. When I was looking at the reviews before purchasing, I saw one that complained about how they expected there to be such a great theft/massive heist and they were disappointed with what actually happened. Let me just say. Reread the title. What happens is exactly as promised. And that in itself, was brilliantly executed. Bravo Cate Glass! I've already purchased book 2 and can't wait to dive in!!
Brilliant~!
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Unique story
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Unlike the author's earlier writings, this series promises to be ongoing. Somewhat emotionally less intense, it is nonetheless breathtaking in its complexity and originality. Beautifully written. I read it in two long evenings. Give me a week and I will read it again. Carol Berg, all of whose books I have read as hard copies or on Kindle is -- in my opinion -- a very underrated fantasy author. She creates characters who, by happenstance, bad luck, politics or some bizarre law, have been beaten down to near nothingness, yet survive, find their power and are greater than before. You cannot steal or crush their greatness.
She hadn't written anything in a few years and I have been hoping she would emerge with a new set of stories. She has.
Under the new name of Cate Glass, "An Illusion of Thieves" has the feeling of a (hopefully!) long series. A bit more upbeat than earlier works, the story is exciting and highly complex. For the entire book, it's as if these folks are tiptoeing through a vast minefield where even a minor misstep would mean destruction for all. How many secret magickers live under the constant threat of terror of death and ruin? We can only guess, but I'm sure there are many and laws notwithstanding, many other secret practitioners exist on all levels of society.
If you have not read any other of Carol Berg's books ... well ... given the state of our world, could there be a better time to start? She is a wonderful author and I highly recommend all of her books to anyone who enjoys these kinds of stories.
These days -- since my eyes are not quite what they were -- I prefer audiobooks. I listened to this the day after it was released. All of her previous books I read first in print, either on Kindle or as a hard copy ... and later as audiobooks.
Carol Berg (Cate books are not like other fantasy novels. Her characters are not typical fantasy characters. Her stories aren't long quests to save the world from a dark lord or prince. They are profoundly personal, deep, and sometimes, heartbreaking ... yet good in the end, great events. You'll meet dragons, lords, prisoners, sorcerers and many more. If you've been looking for something new -- Cate Glass's new book is a fine start, after which, you can joyfully dig into Carol Berg's earlier series.
You will not be disappointed.
A brilliant new series for Cate Glass (Carol Berg)
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Kushiel's Dart meets Mystborn
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I may pick up the second book next time it goes on sale but for now I'm OK taking a break from the world.
Story is slow to get going...
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well done
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Utterly Fabulous!
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Booooring
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