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An Illusion of Thieves
- Narrated by: Saskia Maarleveld
- Length: 9 hrs and 24 mins
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Publisher's summary
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
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- Narrated by: Pete Cross
- Length: 11 hrs and 45 mins
- Unabridged
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In the quiet streets of Prague, all manner of otherworldly creatures lurk in the shadows. Unbeknownst to its citizens, their only hope against the tide of predators are the dauntless lamplighters - a secret elite of monster hunters whose light staves off the darkness each night. Domek Myska leads a life teeming with fraught encounters with the worst kind of evil: pijavica, bloodthirsty and soulless vampiric creatures.
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Solid Debut
- By @abagoflit on 05-26-21
By: Nicole Jarvis
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The Dragon Waiting
- By: John M. Ford
- Narrated by: Gerard Doyle
- Length: 13 hrs and 58 mins
- Unabridged
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In a snowbound inn high in the Alps, four people meet who will alter fate. A noble Byzantine mercenary.... A female Florentine physician.... An ageless Welsh wizard.... And Sforza, the uncanny duke. Together they will wage an intrigue-filled campaign against the might of Byzantium to secure the English throne for Richard, Duke of Gloucester - and make him Richard III.
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Read not listen.
- By Anna Marie on 08-08-21
By: John M. Ford
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The Secret History
- A Novel of Empress Theodora
- By: Stephanie Marie Thornton
- Narrated by: Patricia Santomasso
- Length: 13 hrs and 54 mins
- Unabridged
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In sixth-century Constantinople, one woman, Theodora, defied every convention and all the odds and rose from common theater tart to empress of a great kingdom - the most powerful woman the Roman Empire would ever know. The woman whose image was later immortalized in glittering mosaic was a scrappy, clever, conniving, flesh-and-blood woman full of sensuality and spirit whose real story is as surprising as any ever told....
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How very hard to sympathize with a narcissist
- By DrBon on 03-15-22
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Heartstone
- Heartstone Series, Book 1
- By: Elle Katharine White
- Narrated by: Billie Fulford-Brown
- Length: 10 hrs and 49 mins
- Unabridged
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They say a Rider in possession of a good blade must be in want of a monster to slay—and Merybourne Manor has plenty of monsters. Passionate, headstrong Aliza Bentaine knows this all too well; she’s already lost one sister to the invading gryphons. So when Lord Merybourne hires a band of Riders to hunt down the horde, Aliza is relieved her home will soon be safe again. Her relief is short-lived.
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The Lotus Palace
- By: Jeannie Lin
- Narrated by: Nancy Wu
- Length: 11 hrs and 35 mins
- Unabridged
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It is a time of celebration in the Pingkang li, where imperial scholars and bureaucrats mingle with beautiful courtesans. At the center is the Lotus Palace, home of the most exquisite courtesans in China. aidservant Yue-ying is not one of those beauties. Street-smart and practical, she's content to live in the shadow of her infamous mistress - until she meets the aristocratic playboy Bai Huang.
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always an excellent story.
- By Rdow on 11-14-22
By: Jeannie Lin
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The Broken Ones
- By: Danielle L. Jensen
- Narrated by: Eric Michael Summerer, Erin Moon
- Length: 8 hrs and 36 mins
- Unabridged
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Below Forsaken Mountain, a plot is being hatched to overthrow the tyrant king of Trollus, and Marc is the right-hand man of its leader. His involvement is information more than one troll would kill to possess, which is why he must keep it a secret from everyone, even the girl he loves. After accidentally ruining her sister's chance to become queen, Pénélope is given one last opportunity by her father, the Duke d'Angoulême, to make herself useful: she must find proof that the boy she's in love with is conspiring against the crown.
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A-MAZE-ING!!!!!!!
- By L. DelPrete on 06-30-17
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Prince of Wolves
- By: Dave Gross
- Narrated by: Paul Boehmer
- Length: 10 hrs and 50 mins
- Unabridged
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For elven pathfinder Varian Jeggare and his devil-blooded assistant Radovan, things are rarely as they seem. Yet not even the notorious crime-solving duo is prepared for what they find when a search for a missing pathfinder takes them into the mist-shrouded mountains of gothic Ustalav.
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Like the tabletop RPG Adventure I always wanted.
- By Steven on 04-07-16
By: Dave Gross
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Prodigy of Thunder
- Chronicles of Anna Atticus Stone, Book 1
- By: Sever Bronny
- Narrated by: Moira Quirk
- Length: 24 hrs and 24 mins
- Unabridged
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The youngest warlock to ever wield lightning, 14-year-old Anna Atticus Stone dreams of attending the prestigious Academy of Arcane Arts. Except her life is a mess. She's friendless, her older sister keeps knocking her teeth out, and her parents constantly argue.
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On the fence
- By Tracey M. Bare on 03-05-22
By: Sever Bronny
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The Bard's Blade
- The Sorcerer's Song, Book 1
- By: Brian D. Anderson
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- Length: 14 hrs and 58 mins
- Unabridged
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Mariyah enjoys a simple life in Vylari, a land magically sealed off from the outside world, where fear and hatred are all but unknown. There, she's a renowned wine maker, and her betrothed, Lem, is a musician of rare talent. Their destiny has never been in question. Whatever life brings, they will face it together. Then, a stranger crosses the wards into Vylari for the first time in centuries, bringing a dark prophecy that forces Lem and Mariyah down separate paths. How far will they have to go to stop a rising darkness and save their home?
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Something new
- By Blaise Ancona on 02-20-20
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Unfettered
- Tales By Masters of Fantasy
- By: Terry Brooks, Patrick Rothfuss, Robert Jordan, and others
- Narrated by: Peter Ganim, Marc Vietor, Bronson Pinchot, and others
- Length: 20 hrs and 16 mins
- Unabridged
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You define life or it defines you. In Shawn Speakman’s case, it was both. Lacking health insurance and diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma in 2011, Shawn quickly accrued a massive medical debt that he did not have the ability to pay. That’s when New York Times best-selling author Terry Brooks offered to donate a short story that Shawn could sell to help alleviate those bills—and suggested he ask the same of his other writer friends. Unfettered is the result: An anthology built in order to relieve that debt, featuring short stories by some of the best fantasy writers in the genre.
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A TRULY BAD COLLECTION OF DOGS
- By Randall on 12-21-18
By: Terry Brooks, and others
What listeners say about An Illusion of Thieves
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- Melanie R. Barbarito
- 11-03-23
A Favorite
Cate Glass a.k.a Carol Berg is an outstanding fantasy writer. She leans more toward intrigue and less on incessant battles. Wonderful characters. I’ve read all of her novels.
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- Marzie
- 02-05-20
A unique magical Italianate world
An Illusion of Thieves, first in the Chimera series, introduces us to clever Romy, a woman who was trafficked by her own parents at age ten, because they feared her magic, and who eventually became the mistress of the most powerful man in Cantagna, the Shadow Lord. After almost a decade under his wing, during which time Romy has enjoyed privilege, education, and learned the strategies of court intrigue as Sandro's companion. But all that comes crashing down when her brother Neri steals three rubies and leaves their father taking the blame. In Romy's world, a small number of people are born with magical gifts, like her own ability to overwrite people's memories and to weave such a convincing guise that she can forget her own name and identity, and Neri's ability to thieve masterfully, even walking through walls. But magic is illegal in the Costa Drago, where Cantagna is but one of nine independencies that manage a delicate dance of power. Though their father takes the blame to spare Neri's being discovered as a magic-user, Sandro banishes Romy's family from Cantagna, and Romy from his court, making her responsible for her brother Neri's adherence to probation, thereby placing her own life at risk should Neri falter. Finding her way with her damaged reputation, with her headstrong and angry brother in tow makes for one adventure but Sandro's jealous young wife places Romy's life in even greater danger. While resolving these challenges, Romy encounters two other magic users with unique skills (Placidio, Dumond) and other friends like Vashti, as well.
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.
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1 person found this helpful
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- totallysighman
- 04-16-20
Brilliant~!
I went in with high expectations, and I wasn't disappointed!! Listen to what the stellar reviews say!
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!!
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2 people found this helpful
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- Bird Miller
- 07-23-24
Unique story
Fabulous narration. Great story. Unusual concept. I will listen to this one again. And then on the sequel. I think there is one.
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- MarilynArms
- 05-31-19
A brilliant new series for Cate Glass (Carol Berg)
In a world where magic has been banned and anyone displaying any signs of ability to perform it is drowned, murdered ... or worse (yes, there IS worse). Amidst the terror, a group of secret magic users discovers each other. They have the talent to do great things, though the law forbids it. If they are caught, they will die and probably their entire family with them.
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.
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11 people found this helpful
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- private
- 05-31-19
Kushiel's Dart meets Mystborn
Combine elegant language, interesting characters, mysterious magical gifts, incredible tension, a courtesan turned scribe, a caper, and you get Illusion of Thieves.
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5 people found this helpful
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- CAGirly5000
- 07-17-23
Story is slow to get going...
But the last quarter wraps everything up and ends well. I agree with others that the heist isn't so much a heist as a well constructed con, but it was fun.
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.
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2 people found this helpful
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- Todd A. Howard
- 06-29-19
well done
this book had an excellent development of character, excellent pace, and a very interesting spot we could still use a little more information about what makes the magic work, but I still give it five stars
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- adrianne
- 06-09-19
Utterly Fabulous!
Cate Glass aka Carol Berg has out-done herself with this book. The characters and world building are so real that they sweep you away to another world. The characters feel like your best friends and their incorrigible kid brother. And like real people, they all have secrets and they all do fascinating and unpredictable things, which leads to a fascinating and unpredictable plot, especially when a bratty princess puts their morals to the test. The narrator for the audiobook also does a fabulous job, bringing voices accents and dialects to life.
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- Kindle Customer
- 04-28-21
Booooring
it was hard to finish, don't feel attached to any of the characters and the so called "heist" is weak sauce. I was hoping it would be more like leigh bardugo's Six of Crows but alas there was not even one character to really love and root for, dont waste your time on a so-so book.
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