Reviews

The Blacktongue Thief by Christopher Buehlman

ryan4092's review against another edition

adventurous funny mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot

3.0

olivereads17's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny fast-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

orso's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny mysterious fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

ladyanne's review against another edition

adventurous dark funny slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.75

This book has some of the best worldbuilding I've seen in a while (I was hooked from the moment giant war ravens became a thing) and lyrical (if somewhat vulgar) writing. The plot was not extraordinary or breathtaking, but it was fun to sit back and see what strange place their quest would take them to next.

timinbc's review against another edition

4.0

This reminded me a bit of the Locke Lamora books, except for being set in a darker world. But our narrator, having grown up in this dark world, just thinks it's normal. It took me a while to realize that things were Abercrombie-dark, perhaps because we had some scenes that drew our attention elsewhere.

There's quite a bit of Standard Quest 2.1, with a with hut that walks, a sea voyage with the inevitable kraken/whale/giant squid, meetings with weird wizards who give A Thing You'll Need Later. Speaking of which (witch?), there were times when it seemed that everyone knew what was going to happen except our questers. Luckily, Buehlman turned that over at the end, when some unexpected players appeared (in a perfectly credible way, even if it was a bit "you see, Jim, ...")

All else aside, one has to keep reading to find out what the heck is going on with the cat.

This was fun and I'll read the next one.

btwhitney's review against another edition

adventurous dark funny lighthearted mysterious tense fast-paced

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

5.0

adamwh's review against another edition

adventurous funny medium-paced

4.0

princeofdarkness's review against another edition

adventurous funny hopeful inspiring mysterious medium-paced

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

5.0

The best fantasy novel I have read so far. Can't wait to read The Daughters War. 

dirtyrottenfink's review against another edition

adventurous funny lighthearted medium-paced

• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.0

cookie1980's review against another edition

adventurous funny mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0