The Blacktongue Thief

By: Christopher Buehlman

Narrated by: Christopher Buehlman

Kinch Na Shannack owes the Takers Guild a small fortune for his education as a thief, which includes (but is not limited to) lock-picking, knife-fighting, wall-scaling, fall-breaking, lie-weaving, trap-making, plus a few small magics. His debt has driven him to lie in wait by the old forest road, planning to rob the next traveler that crosses his path.

But today, Kinch Na Shannack has picked the wrong mark.

Galva is a knight, a survivor of the brutal goblin wars, and handmaiden of the goddess of death. She is searching for her queen, missing since a distant northern city fell to giants.

Unsuccessful in his robbery and lucky to escape with his life, Kinch now finds his fate entangled with Galva's. Common enemies and uncommon dangers force thief and knight on an epic journey where goblins hunger for human flesh, krakens hunt in dark waters, and honor is a luxury few can afford.

Critic reviews

The Blacktongue Thief is a delight from start to finish. What begins as a sidekick's view of the hero's journey soon blossoms into a finely crafted and highly entertaining ride through a world as monstrous as it is wondrous. Christopher Buehlman takes the well-worn tropes of fantasy and weaves them into a new and vibrant tapestry

The Blacktongue Thief announces a remarkable new voice to the genre. It's fast and fun and filled with crazy magic balanced by tight characterization. I can't wait to see what Christopher Buehlman does next

Wow! Truly outstanding. I can't say enough about how good The Blacktongue Thief is. Damned good stuff

The Blacktongue Thief is equal parts fairy tale, D&D adventure, and acid trip. Buehlman has successfully blended the essences of these elements into something at once familiar and fresh. I look forward to returning to this evocative and f*cked up world!

The Blacktongue Thief is a masterclass in voice and thoughtful world design, with a wonderful cast and a protagonist who grabs you instantly. Fans of Lynch's The Lies of Locke Lamora will love this one

Buehlman's prose floats nimbly from grisly to lyrical and back again, evoking a damaged world that's by turns bleak and starkly beautiful. A fantastical road trip with a hard-boiled sensibility, complete with shape-shifting assassins, murderous kraken and some delightfully gruesome magic

Instantly immersive, with wit as sharp as a thief's blade

Dark, gritty, lightning-fast, intelligent, irreverent . . . I loved it

I fell in love with Kinch on page one. He's a hilarious narrator and I was also touched by his sensitivity. Christopher's world building is unique, precise, and masterfully woven into a page-turning story. I couldn't put it down! A joyfully mischievous adventure, but also tragic and so heartfelt. Fans of Nicholas Eames and Joe Abercrombie will love The BlacktongueThief

Lyrical and visceral... Prepare to be transported

THE BLACKTONGUE THIEF is my kind of book. Chock-full of wry wit, foul language, and characters who arrive on the page with savage, sordid pasts hot on their heels. Often humorous, occasionally horrifying, and sometimes incredibly poignant, I loved every single page of this book. Every sentence, even. It's that good.

This is an extraordinary debut. It has all the trappings of a traditional quest - the motley band of adventurers, the history and songs, magic and monsters - but told in the snarky, self-aware voice of first-person urban fantasy. It's salty and funny and vivid as a bruise, a rollicking adventure with a cast (and a cat) you won't forget.

Fast-paced and action-packed, funny and adventurous - great fantasy fun.

Refreshingly original but reassuringly familiar, The Blacktongue Thief's cutthroat voice and deliciously dark world is sure to delight, shock and thrill

Great magic & a blind cat!

The narration brings the writing alive. An absolute romp of a story and such a great start to a series. The main character is superb and the world building of epic proportions

author outdoes himself

a great fantasy adventure about my fave class, the rogue. unique world, funny and touching moments, solid worldbuilding, and an amazing vocal performance.

Great story and narration

Thoroughly enjoyed this one. Great work from the author all round- felt like I was there

Amazing story!

Stumbled upon this Complete Gem, looking to fill the gap the First blade series left and oh boy! It sure did!

Humorous

Loved this story. Although dark at times, the humor kept it refreshing. Great voices from the narrator. So so tongue in cheek humor in almost every line. Brilliant.