Thief's Covenant (Widdershins Adventures, #1)

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Thief's Covenant (Widdershins Adventures #1)

by Ari Marmell (Goodreads Author)

3.7 of 5 stars 3.70 · rating details · 558 ratings · 130 reviews

Once she was Adrienne Satti. An orphan of Davillon, she had somehow escaped destitution and climbed to the ranks of the city's aristocracy in a rags-to-riches story straight from an ancient fairy tale. Until one horrid night, when a conspiracy of forces-human and other-stole it all away in a flurry of blood and murder. Today she is Widdershins, a thief making her way throu...more

Hardcover, 273 pages

Published February 21st 2012 by Pyr (first published February 14th 2012)

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May 14, 2012 Jacob Proffitt rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, owned

Dark in places, funny in others, Thief's Covenant is a fun, if somewhat flawed, ride. Adrienne, aka Widdershins, is as kind as she can afford to be. An orphan, long on the mean streets of Davillon, she has long made her way as a relatively accomplished thief—odd, then, to find her the last surviving member of an underground cult. This has both an up and a down side, but she's coping as best she can and trying to stay alive long enough to realize more of the up.

What develops from there is a great...more Dark in places, funny in others, Thief's Covenant is a fun, if somewhat flawed, ride. Adrienne, aka Widdershins, is as kind as she can afford to be. An orphan, long on the mean streets of Davillon, she has long made her way as a relatively accomplished thief—odd, then, to find her the last surviving member of an underground cult. This has both an up and a down side, but she's coping as best she can and trying to stay alive long enough to realize more of the up.

What develops from there is a great tale of a woman facing long odds, even if she does have the occasional ace up her sleeve. I came to really like Adrienne and to sympathize with her plight. I liked that Marmell didn't populate Davillon solely with ruffians and scoundrels and that at least some of the people in power were trying to do the right thing, even if they were arraigned against our heroine through most of the book.

Not that the book doesn't have problems. Marmell often steps in his own way, drawing attention to himself as author and thus breaking the reader out of the story. The most obvious device of his undoing is the large number of time jumps. The story develops on several timelines (clearly marked, so not confusing at all) and Marmell can't seem to help but time his jumps right when you want to know what happens next in your current timeline. This is manipulative and off-putting enough that I wish someone had smacked him and explained the virtues of linear (or even semi-linear) storytelling. The jumps are annoyingly frequent even if they weren't poorly timed.

The second flaw is perhaps more subtle, but more jarring for me, personally. Marmell is really bad about inserting authorial intrusion that looks like its sole purpose is to be cute. The book is third person omniscient with no defined narrator, so there’s no “voice” to ascribe this to beyond that of the author. I'll give an example from page 26. Describing musicians, before we have a narrative perspective—i.e. we're narrowing in on the scene and haven't yet caught up with an actual perspective/viewpoint character. Describing musicians at an "event":

Furiously they played, lobbing their music into the crowd like arrows, reproducing some of the most popular tunes currently making the rounds of courts and noble soirees throughout Galice. Their outfits—the musicians, that is, not the pieces of music, though those too were arguably gussied up and overdressed—were lavish fabrics in a hypnotic mishmash of garish colors.

The arrows bit is fine, if a bit overwrought. But the break to make sure we know it's the musicians that are lavishly dressed? That's just the author playing around. These things detracted from the story by calling attention to themselves and breaking the reader out of the narrative flow.

So I liked the book. It hit a personal sweet spot for story and character. I'll definitely read the next book. Unfortunately, while I'd like to give this four stars, there's enough weaknesses to pull it down to three for me.(less)

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Feb 22, 2012 Ferdy rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: decent-heroine, steampunk-historical, likeable-heroine

Widdershins is the thief-turned-aristocrat-turned-thief formerly known as Adrienne Satti. For two years Widdershins has kept her former aristocratic life as Adrienne Satti a secret, in fear of being arrested for a crime she didn't commit. Widdershins survives by unashamedly stealing from the Davillon aristocracy.
Everyone in Davillon from the aristocracy to the Davillon guards to the thiefs worships one of the approved 120 deities, except Widdershins. Widdershins is the last living worshipper of...more

3 likes · like · see review

Apr 09, 2012 Stefan rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult, fantasy, far-beyond-reality-review

Thief’s Covenant is the story of Widdershins, a young woman formerly known as Adrienne Satti, who grew up an orphan on the streets of Davillon, escaped poverty to join the city’s powerful aristocracy in a rags-to-riches story, and then shockingly found herself cast down to the bottom rungs of society again. Now she’s clawed her way back up to the life of a successful thief… and the ghosts of her earlier life, make that lives, come back to call on her..

Ari Marmell, the author of this entertaining...more

3 likes · like · see review

Mar 27, 2012 Den Plaag rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, female-protagonist

This novel is enchanting. Clean, intelligent prose, cleverly heightened with a vocabulary-enriching word every couple of pages.

The setting breathes the aristocratic atmosphere of 17th-century France: guilds, rapiers, dirks and flintlock firearms, plus the occasional sledgehammer for flashes of sophisticated (yet simultaneously almost ultra)violence. Mixed in are an affection-inspiring heroine and a crisp religious belief system for hook, line and sinker.

Hints of what more the city of Davillon...more

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Jun 29, 2012 Hallie rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, ya

I decided I'd like what Jacob liked about this enough to deal with the dislikes I'll probably also dislike!

Well, I got the above right, anyway - both in terms of the liking and the disliking. Feeling too lacking in energy to say much about it, but one quote has to be shared:

The aromas of rotting garbage, alcohol, vomit, and human offal intertwined to form a vulgar scent that caressed the dank streets with all the false affection of a diseased trollop.

So much wrong in just one sentence.

Like Jac...more

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Jun 08, 2012 Ghirardelli rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Adventure lovers and for some reason, Assassin's Creed fans

Recommended to Ghirardelli by: Cover, and the few pages I read in zee bookstore

Shelves: illustrated-covers, adventure, badass-kids-taking-names, how-to-make-a-good-series, i-am-an-official-fangirl, look-something-original, you-have-my-respect, you-are-beautiful, ya, time-skips-ahoy, favorites

4.5 Stars

Thief’s Convenant was a book I purchased when I didn’t know what I wanted to get, but my mom was paying for me anyway so I bought it on a whim. And for that, I am sorry, Thief’s Convenant for thinking so lowly of you. You are so much more than what I’ve read recently.

This is the story of Widdershins a.k.a. Adrienne Satti a.k.a. Madeleine Valois a.k.a. Sister Elspeth. She has a rags-to-riches-to-bloody-rags past and currently lives the life of a thief in the Finder’s Guild in Davillon. S...more

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Apr 21, 2012 the golden witch. rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: ebook, 2012, magical-reality, vaginal-fantasy, teenage-shennanigans, spies-and-thieves-and-the-mob, reviewed, alternate-universe-or-history, gods-and-monsters

This is a very charming bit of alternate-world YA fantasy. In an alternate-France, a thief wanders about, trying to deal with a trauma from years ago...with a god stuck in her head. In a world where there are 147+ gods in the Hallowed Pact and that people worship, Widdershins/Adrienne Satti the Thief tries to deal with making ends meet AND trying to appease Olgun, the god that accompanies her everywhere invisibly. Marmell does a wonderful job creating this alternate world where anything and ever...more This is a very charming bit of alternate-world YA fantasy. In an alternate-France, a thief wanders about, trying to deal with a trauma from years ago...with a god stuck in her head. In a world where there are 147+ gods in the Hallowed Pact and that people worship, Widdershins/Adrienne Satti the Thief tries to deal with making ends meet AND trying to appease Olgun, the god that accompanies her everywhere invisibly. Marmell does a wonderful job creating this alternate world where anything and everything can and does happen, and I really enjoyed it. "Thief's Covenant" is the first in a new fun new series about a thief, her wacky adventures, and how a dangerous past just might catch up to her in the process.

What I loved the most (aside from the Big Reveal that we get to see at the end of the book, setting us up for book 2) about this first installment in the series was the worldbuilding. Marmell does a fantastic job of setting us up in a world that feels a lot like Jacqueline Carey's "Kushiel" series (but is far, far more tame) - an alternate France-based world where gods and humans wander around together, and there are so many patron gods and rich houses you can't even count them all. Only 147 of them are named in the Hallowed Pact, a religious cease-fire of sorts that allows everyone to worship in peace.

But if your god is not on that list...watch out. And that's exactly what Widdershins/Adrienne has to deal with.

Marmell gives us the past and the present in alternating chapters, keeping us guessing in terms of how Widdershins came to be (instead of just being Adrienne Setti, fallen noblewoman), how Olgun came to ride along with her as she thieves to make her living, and how all of it comes to collide when the high priest of the Hallowed Pact (he's kind of like the Pope in our world, I guess you could say) comes for meetings about keeping that spiritual cease-fire in place. Marmell is awesome at worldbuilding and I completely felt at home within this world. However, there were some repetitive chapters that could have either been cut or intercut with other chapters that had the same subject matter. That took my enjoyment down a significant notch, hence, only four stars. (That and there were some areas that were more telling than showing, but since the last half of the book he really improved in the showing instead of telling area, I'm willing to forgive it with the explosive ending.)

Overall though, I really enjoyed this first installment - Marmell keeps us guessing. Nothing is as it seems - nothing. And no one is safe. He's not afraid to kill his darlings to get results, and the results are definitely awesome. I can't wait to start the second book (out from Pyr June 2012) - he's set us up for more of Widdershins and Olgun on the run, but with far more serious consequences. At the end of book one it feels like Widdershins/Adrienne, once her backstory is complete, has definitely lost all innocence in terms of carrying around Olgun with her, and what that means to everyone else who upholds (or is trying to undercut) the Hallowed Pact. What that will mean in book 2, I can only guess, and Marmell has kept my interest enough to the point where I'm definitely excited about book 2 and all of its possibilities.

"Thief's Covenant" is out now from Pyr/Prometheus Books in hardback and ebook forms. This is one of the more creative YA fantasy books to come out this year so far so it's definitely worth the read! Be sure to check it out when you can.

(posted to goodreads, shelfari, and birthofanewwitch.wordpress.com)
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May 10, 2013 Robin Ambrose rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya-fantasy, ya

I confess: I can't resist a good yarn with a kick-a heroine. Especially one that makes me laugh as often as this one did. Toss in a fun rags-to-riches-to-rags sequence, a good portion of bloody mahem, and a pocket-sized god who never talks, and I found this book delicious. (Didn't hurt that the cover is fantastic!)

I will confess again: I expected this one to be written by a girl. (His name is ARI!) A few chapters in, though, I flipped to the back flap... and there's the beard. Which only delight...more

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May 07, 2013 Lesley rated it 3 of 5 stars

I agree with other reviewers about the disjointed nature of the narrative due to all the jumping around in time. For me, the result was that I didn't get a sense of what the big thing driving the plot was until close to the end. I knew various people were out to get Widdershins but the story seemed to just be one getting-away scene after another. I liked Widdershins enough to want her to get away, but was never sure what her motivation was other than stealing things. I really wanted to know stuf...more

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Jul 01, 2012 Monica! rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-in-2012, but-wait-theres-more, you-go-girl, ust-ftw, yippie-kay-ai-motherf-cker, the-nothingness-shows-through, the-sparkles-mean-its-magic, i-love-you-for-your-cover

There was something niggling away at my brain as I was reading Thief’s Covenant, and it wasn’t until I read the author’s bio on the back flap that I realized what it was.

He has also worked as an author of role-playing-game materials for games such as Dungeons & Dragons and the World of Darkness line. His earliest novels were written as tie-in fiction for the games Vampire: The Masquerade and Magic: The Gathering.

That’s it, guys! That’s why this book seemed so familiar! It was like I was back...more

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May 14, 2012 Ken Kugler rated it 4 of 5 stars

The Thief’s Covenant, A Widdershin’s Adventure, by Ari Marmell, is about Widdershinns, once Adrienne Satti. Her story, a rag to riches story and back to hunted murderer is the centerpiece of this first story of an intended series.
The beginning of the book is a little slow to understand because there is a back then forth in a story line that takes some time to get used to and follow. It starts with a murder of a cult following of a god named Olgun. Olgun is a minor god with a very small following...more

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Apr 25, 2012 Ryan rated it 3 of 5 stars

I picked this book up for two reasons. First, and most noticeable, there is a young woman hanging upside down on the cover - not a real person (I dislike those covers and avoid them), but very nice drawing. Second, this was a Widdershins adventure, and many of the best stories start by going the wrong way 'round the church.

I was pleasantly surprised and enjoyed the story of Adrienne/Widdershins. The story begins a few years before 'now', followed by chapters about 'now' and others that fill in t...more

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Apr 02, 2012 Rose rated it 4 of 5 stars

This book kinda snuck up on me. Of course the cover got me interested. I love a story with an interesting heroine who's strong, witty, and has that sense of 'Nobody's gonna stand in my way...' kinda attitude. You go girl!

The flashbacks of how Widdershins came into becoming a total kick-a thief are there thru the book. All the jumping back in time got some getting used to and there were times I got confused when I started reading a chapter.

However, the world building was fantastic and there wer...more

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Mar 01, 2012 Dorri rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: horror-spooks, young-adult

Browsing the bookstore a stark black, white, and sienna cover caught my attention. Reading the info on the front cover flap I learned that the girl hanging down was named Widdershins. I wasn't sure what to think of her as the bare bones info provided said she was a destitute child, turned upper class, turned theif. I'm all for a good theif's tale so I picked it up to see if the first chapter or Prologue would grab my attention.

Then it began: "The girl watched, helpless, as the world turned red b...more Browsing the bookstore a stark black, white, and sienna cover caught my attention. Reading the info on the front cover flap I learned that the girl hanging down was named Widdershins. I wasn't sure what to think of her as the bare bones info provided said she was a destitute child, turned upper class, turned theif. I'm all for a good theif's tale so I picked it up to see if the first chapter or Prologue would grab my attention.

Then it began: "The girl watched, helpless, as the world turned red below her. She clung - first to the walls above, where few could have even attempted to climb, and then to the rafters - terrified to move, to breathe, to think, lest she accidentally attract a murderous eye. No matter how she tried, no matter how hard she bit her own hand in a desperate attempt at silence, she couldn't entirely suppress her sobs. Her body shook with them; her face glistened. But any sounds she made were lost in the carnage below; any tears that fell vanished in the sheen of blood that covered the floor. Blood that, minutes before, had pumped from the hearts of men and women she knew. Men and women she loved."

A slaughter to begin the tale told in both current tense and retrospect. We learn as Adrienne Satti, now the thief Widdershins, weaves her way through the world, that she was once a destitute child who lost her parents, became a rags-to-riches girl when she was taken in by one of the wealthy men of the city (after a bit of theiving brings her to his attention), and becomes a thief who has a god named Olgun riding shotgun in her mind. Mainly because she is the last of his followers.

Throughout the story we learn that the city's thieves' guild is after her, the city guard has her on a most wanted list, the Archbishop of the Pact of the Gods is coming for a visit (and Widdershins can't quite resist the urge to steal from him), and something ominus has suddenly made her the number one target. Widdershins is in more trouble than Olgum can get her out of, but she is crafty enough to try.

I read this book in one two hour sitting. I was entranced. I do warn you, Mr. Marmell writes Widdershins story in a backwards/forwards kind of text. Make sure to read the chapter headings to find out which time you are in, because the information he is giving you is important! By the end of the book I was in tears for Widdershins and yet yelling my support. It was with great relief that I learned this will be a series. I cannot wait for more!(less)

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Feb 22, 2012 Barry Huddleston rated it 5 of 5 stars

While “Thief’s Covenant” is written for the YA crowd, I have to admit that this 53 year-old enjoyed this novel. I admit that I was a little concerned with the structure of the book. The novel began with a double flashback, first two years in the epilogue then eight years in Chapter one. In time, I slipped into the story and anticipated the multiple chapters of flashbacks.

The pace of the book was great and I really had empathy for the main character. The Renaissance-like setting was a nice change...more

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Jul 26, 2012 Beth Wood rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya

Thief's Covenant is a book that is hard to classify by genre. It has adventure, mystery, intrigue, and a touch of supernatural. The setting is somewhat like medieval France. The main character, Adrienne, has a phoenix-like knack for rising above difficulty, although never unscathed. The story is intriguing and kept me guessing and uttering "OH!" right up to the end of the book. I can't wait to read more books with this character.

Ari Marmell has apparently written other short stories and novels a...more

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Dec 23, 2011 Nicole rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: own, own-arc, ya-fantasy

I've been keeping an eye on Pyr's new YA division since they first showcased their new titles at BookExpo America - hello, a fantasy publishing company with an entire YA division? Of course I'd keep an eye on it. Nothing surpasses my love of high fantasy except, perhaps, my love of ice cream.

This is a great taste of what their new division could have to offer. With brilliant characters and a fantastic world, Thief's Covenant is a story that'll keep you hanging on the edge of your seat from the f...more

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Feb 27, 2012 Blodeuedd Finland rated it 4 of 5 stars

I have read other books by Marmell, and even though this one is YA it's still bloody, but not that violent. How to explain, people die, a lot, but it's not shown as it would be in an adult book. Still, poor Widdershins.

At first I was not sure if I would like how it jumped in time, but it worked perfectly. Because each flashback showed me something new. First we got Widdershins as she is now, a young thief with few friends. Then there is poor Adrienne, alone on the streets, a pick-pocket among ot...more

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Aug 26, 2012 E.L. rated it 3 of 5 stars

Recommended to E.L. by: Kate Coombs

Shelves: 2012-reads-and-rereads

Loved the lavish prose of this, and unlike some, I didn't even mind the non-linear method of storytelling. Probably because I am a sucker for books that go against the "norm" and make it work. The occasional authorial intrusions did get distracting after a while, as did the odd combination of modern slang with the 17th century setting.

But the pros far outweigh the cons. Widdershins herself is an engaging heroine - witty, sharp, not too perfect but not falling into the cliched imperfections of s...more

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Apr 27, 2012 Teri rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: bought, in-my-collection, 2012-release

What really struck me as something in the Thief’s Covenant was the span of time portrayed in the story. Like a jar of marbles, pieces of Adrienne Satti's life slowly come into focus for the reader between present day chapters. As readers move through the book so much is built up upon the character's story and histories together that one cannot be but amazing at the fluid progression and perfectly time divulging of the past inherit in TC.

Adrienne Satti is a survivor. From childhood brought adul...more What really struck me as something in the Thief’s Covenant was the span of time portrayed in the story. Like a jar of marbles, pieces of Adrienne Satti's life slowly come into focus for the reader between present day chapters. As readers move through the book so much is built up upon the character's story and histories together that one cannot be but amazing at the fluid progression and perfectly time divulging of the past inherit in TC.

Adrienne Satti is a survivor. From childhood brought adult, Adrienne has suffered at the hands of fellow man and t much break she is trying to survive all of her adventures as they twist and turn beneath her feet.

The Thief's Covenant is a most amazing story of heartbreak and triumph, while surround by luscious world building. The entire book takes place behind the walls of a city named Davillon, and through the eyes of Adrienne the inner workings of the people are revealed. From the rich houses and past the fancy parties to the retch covered streets and the marketplaces Ari Marmell has produced Davillon for readers. Rich in description and details TC has taken on a mantel of fantasy so well that it was hard to put down. With a strong group of characters that have a fantastic voice throughout the story I just did not want to leave their heads. Adrienne Satti keeps sing dealt the low hands in life, but as she struggles to stay alive and also to find it in herself to move on and seek absolution in her faults is fresh. Adrienne or Widdershins trusts little of the world and questions just another everything. With a string attention to detail this character can move stealthily through a world of heavy thievery competitions and a lengthy set of rules.

Trying to keep away from the jail cells and the assassins, Adrienne struggles to keep herself together but also take on dangerous new challenges. With several supporting character's making appearance throughout the story readers will feel compassion, delight, and heartache alongside the characters as they struggle to right wrongs setting place in their city.

Readers will delight in this new fresh release that keeps them at the edge of their seats airing for more. With more nicknames than your average person Widdershins will capture readers with her voice and wit while she runs from all sides of the laws. The Thief's Covenant is a new series that is not to be missed.
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Feb 13, 2012 Savannah rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: friendship, fantasy, fiction, librarybook

Oh, I wanted to like this book. I love the clever thief trope and I had high hopes. But I won't say now that these hopes were shattered: that's exactly the mistake this author makes.

There's a good book in here, I think, if only a really serious editor took it in hand. But the language is stilted, albeit occasionally clever in a bloggishly fanboy sort of way (hint: he wrote Dungeons & Dragons manuals), staggering under the weight of the author's absolute inability to pass up even a single opp...more

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Feb 09, 2012 TheBookSmugglers rated it 3 of 5 stars

First Impressions:

Ana: It is always a pleasure to see a straight-up Fantasy novel published for young adults and I was excited when I learnt that Pyr (a great adult Fantasy publisher) was coming up with an imprint for YA. Although I admit I was expecting a bit more of oomphage from this title, The Thief’s Covenant turned out to be a laid-back, fun, popcorn-Fantasy read with a cool girl-protagonist.

Thea: Like the shallow creature I can be, I fell for this book when I saw the cover (by the brillia...more

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Dec 26, 2011 Ashley rated it 5 of 5 stars

Thief's Covenant by Ari Marmell
Pages: 240
Publisher: PYR
Genre: YA Fantasy
Release Date: February 14th, 2012
Buy it (Pre-Order): Hardcover

She is Widdershins, a thief making her way through Davillon's underbelly looking to find answers, and justice with a sharp blade, a sharper wit, and the mystical aid of Olgun, a foreign god with no other worshipers but Widdershins herself.

I started just casually reading Thief's Covenant one evening, but from the very first line, I was hooked. Ari Marmell spares us...more

Thief's Covenant by Ari Marmell
Pages: 240
Publisher: PYR
Genre: YA Fantasy
Release Date: February 14th, 2012
Buy it (Pre-Order): Hardcover

She is Widdershins, a thief making her way through Davillon's underbelly looking to find answers, and justice with a sharp blade, a sharper wit, and the mystical aid of Olgun, a foreign god with no other worshipers but Widdershins herself.

I started just casually reading Thief's Covenant one evening, but from the very first line, I was hooked. Ari Marmell spares us no detail when it comes to the gritty and the gory, but he also can convey a deep sense of friendship and emotion with the flip of a page. Thief's Covenant is an expertly crafted, epic high fantasy adventure that kept me reading for hours. It's nothing like what you'll expect--I promise, it's a thousand times better.

This novel was a breath of fresh air, because not only was it built on an intriguing mythology, but the writing style itself was something unique. Ari Marmell wrote with a tongue-in-cheek tone, quite often making little jokes about his own characters in the narrative that always made me crack a smile, or sometimes outright laugh. This gave the book a bit of charisma, since it felt like some of Ari's personality shown through his words. I also liked how some of the story is told in backwards chronological order. The novel started at a critical point in time, throwing us in without any context, and then slowly backing up and showing us the events that led to it. It alternates between 'Now' and a certain amount of years in the past, which I thought was a great way of telling the story without information overload.

Widdershins was one of those female main characters that I so love--the kind that can fend for herself and give a good ass-kicking if the need should arise. And in Thief's Covenant, the need arise quite frequently. She had the help of her invisible yet always present companion, Olgun, a god whose following has died out, leaving only Widdershins. Their interaction with each other was cute and funny, and provided a lot of the comic relief in suspenseful moments. I give Widdershins a solid 9 on the Bad-Ass Meter. It wasn't all about kicking butt with her, it was also about protecting those she loved, which I really like in a character.

Overall, I really loved Thief's Covenant! I'm extremely eager for the sequel. I can't wait to know what happens to Widdershins and Olgun. Ari Marmell has absolutely secured himself as one of my favorite high fantasy authors. PYR, Prometheus Books' new YA division, has been coming out with some definite winners, so it'd be a good idea to keep tabs on their new releases, including this one. 5 out of 5 stars!

Original review posted on What's Your Story? (less)

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Mar 18, 2012 Rose rated it 4 of 5 stars

Yay!!!!!!! No romance!!!! Okay, on with the review.

I loved the premise of this book. A society of thieves; a strong, witty, intelligent heroine; a god who communicates with emotions and has only one follower; all amazing. The actual story was good, but not as good as it maybe could have been. Widdershins is this super skilled ninja who takes many stupid risks and has a god living in her head, which I thought was pretty cool. Having a deity to watch your back is very useful for a thief. Some of t...more

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Mar 01, 2013 Katie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: to-buy

Summary:

Adrienne Satti went from being the orphan girl, to a master thief. She worked her way up from rags to riches, with the help of none other than the God she can communicate with in her mind.

Now, just as things are becoming promising, a dark power starts its chase after her, and she must confront the past she so desperately tried to escape from.

Review:

This book was really an adventure.

Adrienne, or Widdershins; the name she goes by to hide her true identity, is a strong, female character.

She...more

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Apr 03, 2012 Stefanie rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult, some-kinda-fantasy, love-this-series, fab-favs

What a marvelous, well thought out book. Though the one thing that really stands out with Thief's Covenant is the writing itself. I can honestly say this book was fun to read, and I mean it in terms of not only the great plot and characters, but the amazing writing from the author. There are some of the best similes, metaphors, alliterations, etc. in here that I ever have had the pleasure of reading, and it did not feel overdone in the least.

The plot was great and it really was an entertaining...more

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Jun 19, 2012 Lisa rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: in-my-collection, review-for-author

OK I admit that I was a little concerned Thief's Covenant (Widdershins, 1) began with a double time flashback, first it started with two years in the epilogue then eight years in Chapter one. In time, I slowly slipped into the storyline.

The pace of the book was a little laggy but picked up after 5 or so chapters and I really had a soft spot for the main character she was strong willed girl, I love heroines like her in books we so need more!!! I also adored how everything that happened in her pas...more

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Mar 27, 2012 Tara Hall rated it 3 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Teens

Shelves: recommended-for-teens, reviewed

Again this is a series that is just getting started, so I'll keep this review pretty brief until we get more from this world.

I really enjoyed the main character. She has that "woman in a man's world" thing going for her, but she's still very feminine. I really enjoyed that the author had a strong female main character and managed to avoid the sappy romance. I also enjoyed Widdershins's humor and wit. Her narration kept me reading more than anything else.

I think the secondary characters were a...more

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Dec 18, 2012 Joshua Palmatier rated it 4 of 5 stars

This is the first book by Ari Marmell that I've read, but after this I'll definitely be reading more. Thief's Covenant is the first book in this young adult series, called Widdershins.

The main premise is that Widdershins is a thief who once had a chance to become part of the aristocracy, but a horrific event forced her to return to her old ways. What she doesn't realize is the fact that her surviving that horrific event has drawn her into something far darker and deadlier than even those at the...more This is the first book by Ari Marmell that I've read, but after this I'll definitely be reading more. Thief's Covenant is the first book in this young adult series, called Widdershins.

The main premise is that Widdershins is a thief who once had a chance to become part of the aristocracy, but a horrific event forced her to return to her old ways. What she doesn't realize is the fact that her surviving that horrific event has drawn her into something far darker and deadlier than even those at the highest level of power suspect. It not only affects the aristocracy and the thieve's guild, but the church as well.

This was a well-plotted and well-written book. Once I started reading, I was drawn into the story and kept there, mostly by the characters in the book, which were all interesting and unique. The characters were, in fact, one of the best aspects of the book, the best being Widdershins herself by far. The plot was convoluted, but ultimately made sense. The setting was, perhaps, a little close to Dungeon & Dragons in nature, but certainly didn't detract from the book. Again, the characters pulled this up to a different level.

My only complaint/concern was that there were a significant number of time jumps in between chapters in this book. I'm not afraid of time jumps (if you've ever read my books, you'll know this), but in this case, there were approximately four different time periods that readers were expected to keep track off, and a number of jumps back and forth between them. Some readers will find this difficult to follow, even though there are clear headers in each chapter as to which time period each is set in. This time jumping is, really, the only reason I didn't give this book five stars.

But again, in the end I think the characters and plot save the book. It was a fun, fast-paced read, with some great humor to off-set some of the rather violent and darker turns at points. As I said, I'll definitely be reading the sequel to this book, and be looking for Ari Marmell's other books as well.(less)

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Mar 05, 2012 Sarah (Inklings Read) rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: hardcover, own

Ok.. so here's the deal: In theory, this book is fantastic! In reality, however, Thief's Covenant didn't live up to my expectations. I was in love with the idea of the book versus in love with the book itself.

My main issue with this book lies in the fact that I felt a constant disconnect between myself and Widdershins. She was spunky, witty, strong, and intelligent - all qualities I look for in heroines. I just never felt dedicated to her cause. I lacked that passion for her character. I didn't...more

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About Ari Marmell

Ari Marmell was born in New York, moved to Houston when he was a year old, moved to Austin when he was 27, but has spent most of his life living in other worlds through a combination of writing and roleplaying games. He has been writing more or less constantly for the last dozen years, though he has only been paid for it the past five. He is the author of multiple roleplaying game supplements incl...more

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Books by Ari Marmell

Agents of Artifice (Magic: The Gathering: Planeswalker, #1)

False Covenant (Widdershins Adventures, #2)

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Quotes from Thief's Covenant

“It was one of the primary rules of thievery. When hiding, sneaking, and trickery are all out, the correct answer is "run like hell.” — 12 people liked it

“Genevieve hunched her shoulders against the storm of sound and fury and struggled to imagine a worse sort of hell. Widdershins, of course, seemed perfectly happy, but Widdershins was weird.” — 4 people liked it

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Thief's Covenant (Widdershins Adventures #1)

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