Reviews

The Blacktongue Thief by Christopher Buehlman

bkwrm1317's review against another edition

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adventurous funny lighthearted medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

Solid little fantasy read that was a lot of fun, even a riot at times. 

Our protagonist ends up going on a long and pretty wild adventure when he tries to rob a knight, also a handmaiden to the goddess of death, Dalgatha. Full of baudy humor, honor on the part of the knight, and a wild cast of additional characters, this took twists and turns I didn't anticipate. 

Decent read, had to pick it up a few times, as it didn't hold my interest the way I'd hoped it would, but am glad I read it - solid middle of the line for me, but folks who enjoy more traditional fantasy (middle earth, Tolkein and Martin type of stuff) might enjoy more than I did! 

xeyra1's review against another edition

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adventurous funny informative tense medium-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

4.5

I absolutely loved this fun, deranged romp with a chaotic main character that was so much fun to read. I loved so many characters here, there were events and situations that made laugh out loud and sadden me, so I ran the gamut of the emotional rollercoaster (but mostly it was just so damn funny).

A couple of points down just because of the sheer exhaustion of the entire thing. There was just so much information I kept having to refer to the map and calendar, and it all came from a frankly stream of consciousness 100 miles an hour protagonist's POV, so it did make the reading a bit hard sometimes.

But, man, this was such a delightful and truly chaotic adventure, with so many moments that made me sit up and chuckle. I am looking forward to more in this series. 

solrac1245's review against another edition

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adventurous dark funny medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

A fun read! Bittersweet ending but still a good one. More of an adventure than the destination type of book 

hannah_greendale's review against another edition

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adventurous dark funny tense medium-paced

4.0

kathleenabby's review against another edition

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adventurous dark funny medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character

5.0

This was one of the funniest books I've ever read! Also weirdly a breathe of fresh air considering how grim it was.

📖 We follow Kinch who owes the takers guild a small fortune for his education as a thief. His debt has driven him to lie in wait by the old forest old, planning to rob the next traveller that crosses his path.

But today he pick the wrong mark! He picked Galva, a knight and survivor of the brutal goblin wars. She is searching for her Queen, missing since the distant northern city fell to giants.

Unsuccessful in his robbery and lucky to escape with his life, Kinch now finds his fate entangled with Galvas.

✨ Review ✨
The best thing about this was Kinch. His narration is certainly impactful. He's a chaotic mess in the best kind of way. He's sarcastic and snarky. His Humour is vulgar and crude but he's so loveable. He's not always the most reliable narrator, there are moments when he almost tries to save face with you as the reader but then he'll heavily imply what actually happened. Those moments hit me in the feels.

He's not good, he's a liar and a thief but he also has so much heart. I absolutely adore him.

The side characters are also fantastic and bring there own personalities to this story. We have a group of people that shouldn't work together but yet they do. I loved all the different relationships. 

I loved the plot, but I love a quest. This is an action packed quest and I think it has an excellent balance between tension and humour but we do travel a lot and I know that isn't for everyone. It can feel like one event after another but there is intrigue when it comes to the magic system and the secrets this group is hiding.

I also love the magic system. It's not the first time I've come across tattoo magic but this does have a unique spin on it and it made for some awesome scenes.

I also love how there is an element of horror woven into this story. And I love all the creatures we come across. I cannot wait to get to my ARC of The Daughters War. 

This isn't gunna be for everyone especially when it comes to that gutter kind of humour but I adored this. I had sooo much fun with it and I can't remember the last time I book made me laugh so much. 


happytaxday's review against another edition

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adventurous dark mysterious medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.75

I ended up giving this book a higher rating than I originally thought that I might. I had trouble following it, and the heavy accent of the audio version did not help. There were some funny parts where I found myself laughing out loud, and when the book concluded I found myself wondering what’s going to happen next…

lmkennedy's review against another edition

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adventurous funny fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

behindpaperbacks's review against another edition

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adventurous dark funny mysterious medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0


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bookishactor's review against another edition

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adventurous funny medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes

5.0

THE BLACKTONGUE THIEF is the second book I’ve finished by this author, and it did not disappoint. Like his masterpiece Between Two Fires this book takes place in a world clearly modeled after medieval Europe, but unlike that book this novel clearly belongs to the genre of fantasy and is set in a richly developed land of imagination. The world-building, a land at precarious peace after the ravages of the Goblin Wars, is truly incredible and rivals that of George R.R. Martin and other titans of the genre. Buehlman also triumphs in character development, especially with his protagonist Kinch Na Shannack - debtor to the Takers (thieves) Guild - who becomes embroiled in quest and conspiracy taking him across a world filled goblins, giants, assassins, witches, and more. #theblacktonguethief blends action, humor, introspection, and spectacle and is a novel not to be missed. 

darrinbooks's review against another edition

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adventurous funny lighthearted mysterious medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5