Reviews - Realm of Thieves

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130 reviews for:

Realm of Thieves

Karina Halle

3.72 AVERAGE

servins98's review against another edition

4.0

adventurous emotional funny mysterious medium-paced

whatsheread's review against another edition

4.25

adventurous dark emotional funny mysterious sad tense fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

I knew I was going to like REALM OF THIEVES by Karina Halle upon discovering that Brynla's partner in crime is a large dog. Novels need more canine sidekicks. Dogs make any story better. Sure, they give unconditional love and show their heart in their eyes, but they also have such tremendous personalities and are capable of the goofiest of antics. Love and comic relief every single time. Lemi is perfect.

Canine sidekick aside, I also appreciate how vulnerable Brynla is and how fierce she is at protecting that vulnerability when necessary. Her frank admissions about her severe period cramps (probably endometriosis) are refreshing in their honesty. Brynla isn't afraid to ask for help and never turns down help when offered. I feel like Brynla is one of the most realistically attainable heroine types I've read. There may be magic involved, but she acts like an adult. She doesn't get in a snit when she doesn't get her way; she doesn't shut down lines of communication when angry. She is not entirely ruled by her emotions as so many other heroines are. Brynla is a breath of fresh air after one too many stereotypes.

If Brynla is fierce vulnerability, Andor is tough sensitivity with a little neediness thrown in for good measure. Andor's response to Brynla's confession and request for help for her period cramps was as surprising as it was perfect. He doesn't just lust after Brynla; he truly respects her, and it shows. Also, when he draws a line in the sand, he refuses to let anyone drag him over that line. He has a spine and uses it. Again, a son who actually stands up to his overbearing parent is almost a novelty in fantasy these days, and I enjoyed it tremendously.

The rest of REALM OF THIEVES is just as intriguing. Dragons, religious cults, illegal drug trading, goddesses, political intrigue - it has it all. Plus, at no point in time do we ever meet a king or queen. Royalty exists in Ms. Halle's world, but neither Brynla nor Andor is royalty. Once again, it is rare that a fantasy story does not revolve around a lost royal or a displaced royal looking to recapture a throne. Even better, Ms. Halle packs her novel with tons of action without pages upon pages of backstory, world-building, or character development. An entire month goes past off-page, and it was so surprising I had to double-check what I had read. No training/falling in love montage here. Ms. Halle is one confident author who knows her readers are intelligent enough to know what happens during that missing time and trusts her audience to form a picture of her world through the characters' observations and thoughts.

It is Ms. Halle's trust in her readers that really impresses me with REALM OF THIEVES. She doesn't spoon-feed her readers. Her characters act their age and show wisdom from lived experiences. They don't pretend to be anyone other than who they are; they don't play mind games or other power games. What you see is what you get, and I am all for it. Add that on top of one creepy-as-hell cult, a surprising plot twist mentioned at the very end, and all that action and adventure, and REALM OF THIEVES is a speedy and engaging novel that left me wanting more. This is one series I can't wait to continue!

thatbookishdragon's review against another edition

3.5

adventurous emotional lighthearted mysterious fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

onebookmore's review against another edition

4.0

Realm of Thieves is a high-stakes, darker romantasy with mafia-style politics, an unforgiving dragon-infested world, and a FMC who’s as sharp as she is scarred. The illegal dragon egg trade and the brutal risks, kidnappings, violence, and deadly consequences involved gave the story a sense of danger that rarely lets up.

Brynla is layered and complex, and her survival instinct and staunch independence make her a compelling protagonist right from the start, especially as her past in a dragon-worshipping cult adds depth to her motivations. She’s strong and smart, and I enjoyed her journey. Also, shout out to Brynla’s dog, Lemi! I loved Lemi and the bond Brynla shared with her canine companion. It was my second favorite relationship in the story.

Of course, my favorite relationship in the book was the fantastic romance between Brynla and Andor! Their dynamic had so much tension, and there was a delicious push-and-pull between them. I loved their banter and how they slowly connected, and their more intimate scenes were sizzling! Andor’s mix of restraint and intensity made him a surprisingly perfect partner for Brynla, and his softer nature adds an unexpected layer to his morally gray role, which was a nice contrast to the otherwise intense world.

Other things that really stood out were the setting, world-building, and atmosphere. The dragons were amazing and intimidating, the magic system was complex and unique, and the looming presence of rival criminal houses all vying for dragon eggs and hiring people to steal them for their magical power added so much tension and suspense to the story. At times, the political threads were a bit dense, but the author generally does a good job of pulling readers back into the action and plot without feeling too much like an info dump.

This was a strong and immersive start to the series, and I loved the ending! While not everything was tied up, the world, characters, and plot left me curious about what’s to come. I’m especially interested to see how the shifting alliances and brewing wars, as well as some of the betrayals and surprising revelations, develop as the series continues.

jmonfared's review against another edition

3.0

adventurous medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

samfox's review against another edition

1.0

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for the opportunity to read Realm of Thieves by Karina Halle.

I have read Karina Halle’s books before and enjoy her writing and characters. So, I was excited to start this book. She has a lot of the elements I enjoy for a romantasy. Especially dragons. However, this fell apart quickly. The marketing for this story is incorrect. This is not enemies to lovers, and the characters read closer to YA. The conflicts feel closer to guidelines than actual problems. These characters and world building are not fleshed out.

Overall, this was a bit disappointing.

ashley_a_reads's review against another edition

2.75

adventurous emotional tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

This book was just okay on the cusp of me liking it. Everything g about this should have been something I enjoyed: dragons, heists, political intrigue. But it all just fell flat.

I found Andor to be the most beige human I’ve ever seen in a book. Like absolutely nothing interesting about him. Brynla was pretty much the same but gets points for being a thief.

I don’t know while things happened in this book I had such a hard time connecting or paying attention. I think you’re safe to pass on this one.