I received this book for free from in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Take a Thief
by
Mercedes Lackey
fantasy in a Kindle edition that was published by DAW Books on October 1, 2002 and has 435 pages.
Explore it on Goodreads or Amazon, Audibles.
Other books by this author which I have reviewed include Unnatural Issue, "The River's Gift", Finding the Way and Other Tales of Valdemar, Foundation, Intrigues, Gwenhwyfar: The White Spirit, Owlknight, Charmed Destinies, Changes, Beauty and the Werewolf, Invasion, Home From the Sea, Dead Reckoning, Conspiracies, Bedlam's Edge, Crown of Vengeance, Redoubt, Harvest Moon, World Divided, Elemental Magic: All New Tales of the Elemental Masters, Sacrifices, Steadfast, Burdens of the Dead, Bastion, Victories, Blood Red, The House of the Four Winds, Games Creatures Play, Closer to Home, Born to Run, Wheels of Fire, When the Bough Breaks, Chrome Circle, Changing the World: All-New Tales of Valdemar, Under the Vale and Other Tales of Valdemar, Arcanum 101, A Tangled Web, Winter Moon, Moving Targets and Other Tales of Valdemar, Elementary: All-New Tales of the Elemental Masters, No True Way: All-New Tales of Valdemar, From a High Tower, Hunter, Closer to the Heart, Silence, A Study in Sable, Elite, Closer to the Chest, Tempest: All-New Tales of Valdemar, A Scandal in Battersea, The Hills Have Spies, The Bartered Brides, Dragon's Teeth, Eye Spy, Breaking Silence, Pathways, The Case of the Spellbound Child, Passages, Magic's Pawn, The Black Gryphon, Magic's Promise, The Serpent's Shadow, The Oathbound, The White Gryphon, The Silver Gryphon, Beyond, Spy, Spy Again, Oathbreakers, The Lark and the Wren, The Gates of Sleep, Phoenix and Ashes, The Wizard of London, The Robin and the Kestrel, Oathblood, Exile's Honor, The Silver Bullets of Annie Oakley, Owlflight, Brightly Burning, Exile’s Valor, Sword of Ice and Other Tales of Valdemar, Crossroads and Other Tales of Valdemar, Crucible, Choices, Into the West, Into the West
First in the series of stories revolving around Skif and twenty-sixth in the overall Valdemar series. If you’re interested, there is a chronological listing of the Valdemar books on my website.
My Take
Oh, brother. It’s rather gross reading as you start with Lackey describing Uncle Londer’s purchasing for his tavern. Yuck. As for Londer’s treatment of his family and staff, oy. I do love the karma in this. It’s quite the contrast with Queen Selenay who requires a certain level of schooling and introduced free breakfasts for students to help encourage their learning.
Bazie does have a practical mindset when it comes to theft and the plunder’s resale. Take a Thief follows Skif as he acquires increasing skill in the burglary trade with plenty of operations in different situations. It’ll be excellent training, lol.
Interesting. Cymry explains how Companions Choose, going for those Chosen who are best suited to what the Queen and country need.
Lackey uses third person protagonist point-of-view from Skif’s perspective, and we get the full weight of how awful it is to be poor and without family in Haven. It is a huge contrast with what Skif will experience later in the story. I know I felt more satisfied.
It’s another series that values males and females, at least among the Heralds, although women aren’t first-class citizens in the rest of their world. Yet another contrast between Skif’s early childhood and later life.
It’s a good pace and mostly easily read — some of that dialect and Alberich’s speech patterns will slow you down a bit. There’s plenty of action and you’ll get a good education in what goes into thieving, lol. Of additional interest are Alberich’s plans for Skif and Skif’s own experiences in the Collegium. Yep, it’s a contrast, all right.
The Story
The dubious shelter of his uncle’s tavern and the slop available to eat make Deek’s offer heaven-sent. It may be a hard life, but with Bazie and the gang, Skif has enough food and a family.
It’s that second fire that sets Skif out on his journey of revenge, utilizing all his skills as a thief. Then an opportunity appears when Skip sees the white horse, and Skif is grinning at the profit to be had until he gets the shock of his life.
The Characters
The book-loving Skif works at the Hollybush Tavern owned by his uncle Londer Galko. Kalchan is his bullying cousin and the eldest son. The half-witted Maisie is the used and very abused waitstaff and cleaner. Old Moll is the cook.
Bazie, a disabled Tedrel mercenary, leads a gang of thieves that includes Deek, Lyle, and Raf. Larap left. Ames, Jodri, and Willem used to be part of the gang. Dooly and Jarmin are used-clothing merchants.
The Heralds, a.k.a. . .
. . . the white shirts, are the ultimate policing authority in Valdemar and are Chosen by a Companion, a white horse-like being. Cymry is one of those Companions. Herald Alberich, a former captain of the Karsite army and the only Herald not to wear whites, is now the Weaponsmaster at the Collegium. Some of his alter egos include Rokassan. Kantor is Alberich’s Companion. Herald Teren is in charge of all newly Chosen. Queen’s Own Herald Talamir was one of those who rescued Alberich back in Dragon’s Teeth: “Stolen Silver”. Rolan is his grove-born Companion. Herald-Chronicler Myste maintains Herald histories. Herald Ryvial will investigate. Kris, Dirk who’s Kris’ best friend, Jeri, Coroc (the Lord Marshal’s son), and Nerissa are fellow trainees.
Dean Elcarth is in charge of Herald’s Collegium. Gaytha is the Housekeeper. Mero is the Collegium cook. Blues are regular students, not Herald-trainees.
Lord Orthallen is one of the households Skif invades. Kalink is a “new money” grain merchant. Vatean is a wealthy merchant, Guildmaster in the Traders’ Guild, and friend of Orthallen. Kash is one of Vatean’s bodyguards. Rovenar has moved to his country estate. Trenor Severik is another wealthy merchant whose miniature collection was stolen. Thomlan Vel Cerican is a greedy landlord who squeezes his tenants. Lord Gartheser recommended Vatean to the Council. Lady Cathal speaks for the Guilds.
Talken Kelken, a.k.a. Jass, Hodak, Derial, is an arsonist, thief, and information broker. Young Lonar is bribed to move. The Widder Koil is raising four or five children. Korwain fell into hard luck. Penchal is an artist. Trana and Desi Farane are whores and sisters.
Temples
The Temple of Belden is a charitable order that provides schooling and where Cousin Beel is a novice. Dolly is one of Skif’s fellow students. The Temple and Priory of Thenoth, the Lord of the Beasts, care for injured, sick, and aged animals. Most of their priests are people who are without a place in society such as Brother Halcom, who has little sympathy for rich men. Who can blame him! Brother Absel isn’t up to heavy work anymore.
A beak is a city watchman. The Broken Arm, run by “Pappa” Serens, is popular with Alberich the spy. The King’s Arms is the nearest rival to the Hollybush and its owner hates Uncle Londer and Kalchan. The White Rider is a busy hostelry. The Tedrels were a landless people who went mercenary and worked for anyone. Rethwellan is another country. The Master Thief is something of a Robin Hood, stealing from those who oppress the poor. We would think of an Artificer as an engineer. Karse is a Valdemaran enemy that worships Vkandis Sun God.
The Cover and Title
The cover is divided vertically with two-thirds of the left side a lilac stone wall with a dulled gold heater shield forming a window for a peachy Cymry with her white mane and blue harness to emerge. The right third is a colorful nighttime with a deeper purple sky, a sliver of moon, and a line of houses with Skif in all gray climbing down a wall having emerged from a teal-framed shutter. From the lilac sign below Skif, the building appears to be Jeremy Pye’s. Back to the left, the author’s name (at the top) and the title (below Cymry) are a deep blue. Just above Cymry’s head is the series info in brown.
The title refers to Cymry’s smart idea to Take a Thief.
