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10th out of 17 books
—
3 voters
Den of Thieves (Ancient Blades #1)
Born and raised in the squalid depths of the Free City of Ness, Malden became a thief by necessity. Now he must pay a fortune to join the criminal operation of Cutbill, lord of the underworld—and one does not refuse the master . . . and live.
The coronet of the Burgrave would fulfill Malden’s obligations, though it is guarded by hungry demons that would tear the soul from a...more
The coronet of the Burgrave would fulfill Malden’s obligations, though it is guarded by hungry demons that would tear the soul from a...more
Mass Market Paperback, 480 pages
Published
July 26th 2011
by Harper Voyager
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Rewrote this after re-reading it a few weeks later. It's such a pain to write negative reviews that I realized how chopped up I made it. Hopefully it reads better now.
Rewrote this after re-reading it a few weeks later. It's such a pain to write negative reviews that I realized how chopped up I made it. Hopefully it reads better now.
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Lo primero que tengo que decir es que me leí este libro tras leer la reseña de Fantasy Book Critic y que no había leído nada de este autor previamente. Con lo cual una de las cosas de las que ellos se quejan, que son las expectativas que despierta el autor, no se aplican en mi caso. Sin embargo, sí que tengo que decir que hay mejores novelas de ladrones, o, en general, gente de baja estofa que se mete en líos. Otra cosa también con la que estoy completamente de acuerdo, y hasta que no he vuelto...more
Den of Thieves is Book 1 of the Ancient Blades trilogy by David Chandler. The blurb made this sound like a debut novel, but actually it's only his first fantasy novel. Which makes a lot more sense, because it's actually really good, much more polished than I would have expected from a first effort. It's a very action-oriented style-- I got the impression that the author did a certain amount of world-building, but most of it was left off-stage in favor of a book that mixes up sword & sorcery...more
I had a hard time deciding on the star rating for this review. I finally settled on an even 3 stars. It wasn’t a bad book, to the contrary I enjoyed it a lot, but it also wasn’t an epic tale that I will remember years down the road. But I did like it. I was drawn in from the beginning and kept gravitating back to this book even while trying to finish another series.
It is an easy read but one that would keep you reading. The ideas were simple but well pulled off. I liked the way Malden was just a...more
It is an easy read but one that would keep you reading. The ideas were simple but well pulled off. I liked the way Malden was just a...more
May 11, 2012
Tal
rated it
3 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
library-book,
sf-fantasy
Born and raised in the squalid depths of the Free City of Ness, Malden became a thief by necessity. But his skill at thieving has attracted more attention than he bargained for, and now he must pay a furtune to join the criminal operation of Cutbill, lord of the underworld – and one does not refuse the master and live to tell the tale.
Stealing the coronet of the Burgrave would fulfil Malden’s obligations, though it is guarded by hungry demons that would tear the sould form any interloper. The de...more
Stealing the coronet of the Burgrave would fulfil Malden’s obligations, though it is guarded by hungry demons that would tear the sould form any interloper. The de...more
David Chandler offered me the chance to read the first novel in his upcoming fantasy trilogy, “The Ancient Blades.” Den of Thieves is Mr. Chandler’s first fantasy novel, but not his first professionally published novel, having written horror novels previously.
Den of Thieves is an interesting book. Firstly, it is the most medieval fantasy novel I have ever read. By this I mean that Mr. Chandler has done his homework and his Free City of Ness looks and feels like a medieval city, and not a Ren-fai...more
Den of Thieves is an interesting book. Firstly, it is the most medieval fantasy novel I have ever read. By this I mean that Mr. Chandler has done his homework and his Free City of Ness looks and feels like a medieval city, and not a Ren-fai...more
Den of Thieves by David Chandler is the first title in The Ancient Blades trilogy. It is also a thoroughly delicious tale in the old school known as sword and sorcery.
As in all the best sword and sorcery stories, our hero is not exactly a hero. To be specific, Malden is a thief. He's the bastard son of a whore, and thieving was the only profession open to him that allowed him to make a living. But Malden is good at it. And, important for any sword and sorcery hero, or should I say anti-hero, Mal...more
As in all the best sword and sorcery stories, our hero is not exactly a hero. To be specific, Malden is a thief. He's the bastard son of a whore, and thieving was the only profession open to him that allowed him to make a living. But Malden is good at it. And, important for any sword and sorcery hero, or should I say anti-hero, Mal...more
So David Wellington is now a fantasy author. Yes, the author field says David Chandler, but he went w/ a pseudonym on this one. I can sort of guess why: his previous books were about monsters, sure, but they were (spoiler) powered by magic. From magic in a modern-day setting to magic in a swords & sorcery setting isn't that much of a stretch.
The protagonist is a thief who burgles the wrong house and earns a debt to the thieves guild. An opportunity to pay off the debt comes in the form of a...more
The protagonist is a thief who burgles the wrong house and earns a debt to the thieves guild. An opportunity to pay off the debt comes in the form of a...more
Bestseller di Davide Chandler piccola parentesi su di lui (Davide Chandler è un autore di narrativa avventurosa e i suoi libri sono stati tradotti in undici lingue e vengono letti in tutto il mondo) questo romanzo fa parte della nuova narrativa newton uscito il 15 Novembre scorso, appena lo vidi sul sito della casa editrice ne fui subito attratta per via di questa copertina che secondo mè e veramente splendina infatti colgo l'occasione per complimentarmi con il grafico che l'ha progettata, ^_^ l...more
This was the ultimate caper novel. Malden is a thief in the free city of Ness. He is hired by Bikker, an ancient blade wielder, and Cythera, a witch, to steal the Burgraves' crown. In doing so, he frees a demon, which brings down a tower in the Burgraves' castle. In escaping from the demon, Malden enters the dungeon area of the castle, and frees Kemper, a ghostly gambler.
Malden is later approached by a knight, Sir Croy, who asks him to steal back the crown and help him free Cythera, who is an u...more
Malden is later approached by a knight, Sir Croy, who asks him to steal back the crown and help him free Cythera, who is an u...more
I was generous with the stars on this one because I really liked the story itself.
Beware: MILD SPOILERS AHEAD.
So the main character isn't smart enough to see through the myriad lies people tell him to get him to do things but is clever enough to outsmart everyone else, including a couple of demons and an 800 year old sorcerer. I found this very convenient.
I was also a little disappointed in the secondary characters as they weren't as fleshed out as they could have been and seemingly kept doing t...more
Beware: MILD SPOILERS AHEAD.
So the main character isn't smart enough to see through the myriad lies people tell him to get him to do things but is clever enough to outsmart everyone else, including a couple of demons and an 800 year old sorcerer. I found this very convenient.
I was also a little disappointed in the secondary characters as they weren't as fleshed out as they could have been and seemingly kept doing t...more
Den of thieves by David chandler
Malden is a thief in the free city of ness. Malden is soon pulled into a plot to steal the cornet of burgrave all because Malden hope to get real freedom that cutbill, lord of the underworld promised him. Malden well soon face more than he bargained for.
I really liked the plot it was simple but exciting. The characters were well thought out and interesting and I really like how the story came together. There was a couple times that I felt my mind wonder away from...more
Malden is a thief in the free city of ness. Malden is soon pulled into a plot to steal the cornet of burgrave all because Malden hope to get real freedom that cutbill, lord of the underworld promised him. Malden well soon face more than he bargained for.
I really liked the plot it was simple but exciting. The characters were well thought out and interesting and I really like how the story came together. There was a couple times that I felt my mind wonder away from...more
The first book of David Chandler's (David Wellington) Ancient Blades Triology is nothing new to the genre, but that isn't a bad thing. From the author himself, Chandler began writing the series as a sort of self therapy that his publisher eventually got wind of. The story is what you would expect and doesn't really cover any new ground that hasn't been tread before. BUT, it's in the details that make this book fun and exciting. The characters are real, with real problems, facing problems much bi...more
The book den of thieves was, in my opinion, a well written book. The book is about Malden the thief paying his dues to his new guildhead, Cutbill. This is one of those books that suck you in with amazing imagery and quick events, which helped the book refrain from the boring side. This novel has a bit for a few groups of people some romance, plenty of fights, and some theft. I would recommend everyone reads this at least once. It can be a little grown up, so it might not be the best for younger...more
Den of Thieves appears to be a departure from David’s other work. David Chandler is a pseudonym, the author is better known as horror writer, David Wellington. According to a brief introduction at the start of the novel, he didn’t really write it with the expectation of it being published.
I’m glad it was.
I liked many things about this book. It was set in a large city in a fantasy world of swords and magic. The main character was a thief, another character wielded a magic weapon and had amazing s...more
I’m glad it was.
I liked many things about this book. It was set in a large city in a fantasy world of swords and magic. The main character was a thief, another character wielded a magic weapon and had amazing s...more
No classic, but a fun, almost retro, fantasy romp with some very likeable characters. The frequent chapter breaks are annoying though, and would have been better if consecutive chapters that were still at the same scene were connected. Right now it's all start-stop, making the fast-moving story lose its momentum. David Chandler is actually the pen name of horror writer David Wellington, and at the end of the book he says he wrote it for himself and for fun. Still, I found it far more entertainin...more
Took me a few chapters to get rolling in this world, i did jump out to read a few other novels and was able within a few chapters to immerse myself back in the story, a + , I do like how when a chapter ends I am turning next page and right back to the story and character I was following at the time... to elaborate I really find books annoying when you leave a character or situation at a climax and turn page and you are with a different character and part of the story and need to wail however man...more
En serio, tengo una debilidad patológica por las historias de ladrones. Cuando un libro de fantasía está protagonizado por un ladrón… es que se me encienden las neuronas como si estallara una tormenta solar.
Y aquí hay ladrón para rato.
En la Ciudad Libre de Ness, reina la injusticia, brilla la desigualdad. A salvo tras un contrato legal perdido en el tiempo, la ciudad posee lo que nadie más allá de sus puertas: la libertad. Sin embargo, la vida es muy dura en sus barrios más pobres. Donde reside...more
Y aquí hay ladrón para rato.
En la Ciudad Libre de Ness, reina la injusticia, brilla la desigualdad. A salvo tras un contrato legal perdido en el tiempo, la ciudad posee lo que nadie más allá de sus puertas: la libertad. Sin embargo, la vida es muy dura en sus barrios más pobres. Donde reside...more
I bought Den of Thieves one as a present for a friend, and decided just to take a loo(c)k before wrapping it; when I put the book away, I was on page 32 and though not hooked, clearly interested and 'into' the book. It is a quick read, and a very satisfying read if you know what you are in for. High fantasy it isn't, low fantasy a la Abercrombie it isn't either - even though the cover tries to imitate everyone's (including my) favourite Joe. It's what used to be called 'sword & sorcery', a s...more
This book was a strange experience. There were many things about the world and writing that I really liked, but many aspects that I really didn't like, and overall I'm not really sure I enjoyed it. I thought more than once about setting it aside, but didn't. I'm somewhat glad I finished it, but I have absolutely no desire to go on to the next book in the series.
The good: a gleefully dirty (and realistic) world, with all the little details of how life circa (say) Elizabethan England actually work...more
The good: a gleefully dirty (and realistic) world, with all the little details of how life circa (say) Elizabethan England actually work...more
This is another entry in what I tend to think of as the underworld fantasy sub-genre (eg. Brust's Taltos series or Buroker's Emperor's Edge series). As with most of this sub-genre the underlying morality tends to be grey on grey or grey on black. It was an quick paced, enjoyable romp through a quasi-standard fantasy world sitting on the brink of a technological revolution.
The main character, Malden, is a young burgler and pick-pocket who at the begining of the story is provided with an offer he...more
The main character, Malden, is a young burgler and pick-pocket who at the begining of the story is provided with an offer he...more
I'm not much of a fantasy reader, although one of my favorite series began with The Dark Elf Trilogy by R. A. Salvatore, but it's not often that I have a chance to review read from the genre. Lately, I've been changing things up, reading outside my comfort zone, exploring new worlds and I can't be more pleased with the results of my little experiment. After reading Den of Thieves I have rediscovered why reading is a passion for me, why I love meeting new characters and most of all, why I choose...more
A pretty good read. It took a little for me to get into it. But when it clicked for me, I really enjoyed it. A fun fantasy read with real characters. The story is straightforward and not too over the top. The heroic "knight" is quite campy, like a character from an old Errol Flynn movie. Malden the protagonist is quite smart and funny. An enjoyable character. Overall a fun read.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. A couple of strange twists just when I thought I had a grasp of what was happening. The main character is a talented thief and hopefully more to come! I am very much looking forward to the rest of the books in this series.
Summary - Engrossing, entertaining, emotional and lovely read (couldn't think of any more "e" words :-)
Summary - Engrossing, entertaining, emotional and lovely read (couldn't think of any more "e" words :-)
Den of Thieves has gotten some negative reviews and I'm sad to say the book was indeed disappointing. Like a friend said in his blog review, the book is about a hundred pages too long, mostly because Chandler has to explain absolutely everything. There are bits that are promising, such as playing the fantasy tropes of "gritty" and "heroic idealism" against each other, but because of the author's style they never get developed.
Hate the cover. HATE IT! with all the talented artists out there in the world there is just no excuse for such a lame cover on any book. As for the novel itself. I loved David Wellington's Zombie and Vampire novels. Here he is writing under the name David Chandler. This reads a lot like later Raymond Fiest. Nothing too spectacular.
Not bad for the first book in a series. High fantasy setting, without the actual elves; all the main characters are criminals but forced to by the environment, but the evil characters are evil by choice. A few too many plot twists, some of which rather predictable. Will read book #2.
Den of Thieves is a heist novel that has it all. All fantasy fans should be able to find at least one thing to love. I liked the pacing and the great characters. Can't wait to read the rest. Read full review here
Good world-building and excellent action scenes, but the in between bits dragged a bit for me. I think my problem may be that I like heroes better than rogues, even when there as stupidly-noble as Sir Croy is. I never quite warmed up to Malden, the main character.
While there isn't a lot of depth to the narrative and most of the dialogue is equally shallow, some if the ideas and characters presented are unique and fairly interesting. A short and somewhat enjoyable read but it seems that overall the ideas presented could have been taken much farther.
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