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Sworn in Steel

(Tales of the Kin #2)

Douglas Hulick (Goodreads Author)

4.21 · Rating details · 5,189 ratings · 225 reviews

It’s been three months since Drothe killed a legend, burned down a portion of the imperial capital, and unexpectedly elevated himself into the ranks of the criminal elite. Now, as the newest Gray Prince in the underworld, he’s learning just how good he used to have it.

With barely the beginnings of an organization to his name, Drothe is already being called out by other Gra ...more

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Paperback, USA Edition, 499 pages

Published May 6th 2014 by Roc (first published January 1st 2014)

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Jun 15, 2012 Mogsy (MMOGC) rated it really liked it

Shelves: arcs-and-galleys, fantasy, review-copy, assassins, thieves

4.5 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum http://bibliosanctum.blogspot.com/201...

At last, Sworn in Steel is in my hands and the days of wondering when this book will be released have finally come to an end. And it was absolutely worth the wait! Three years ago, at a time when I was just starting to get back into the Fantasy genre, I decided to pick up a debut novel from a fresh new talent and really enjoyed his fun little yarn about a gang of thieves and scoundrels. With this book Douglas Hulick show 4.5 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum http://bibliosanctum.blogspot.com/201...

At last, Sworn in Steel is in my hands and the days of wondering when this book will be released have finally come to an end. And it was absolutely worth the wait! Three years ago, at a time when I was just starting to get back into the Fantasy genre, I decided to pick up a debut novel from a fresh new talent and really enjoyed his fun little yarn about a gang of thieves and scoundrels. With this book Douglas Hulick shows he has come a long way since Among Thieves, with a sequel that is even bigger, better and packed with more fun than the original.

How is that possible, you ask? I mean, in the first novel, the main character Drothe managed to kill a legend, rise to the top of the underworld to become the newest Gray Prince, and burned down a good portion of the imperial capital while he was at it. How on earth do you top that?

Well, if you’ve met Drothe, then you would know he’s always up for a challenge. Even if it’s just to outdo himself. “In way over your head” isn’t even in his vocabulary; I seriously love this guy. Three months into his tenure of criminal overlord with barely a following to his name, Drothe is already the target of the other Gray Princes and has been framed for the murder of one of them. Someone obviously wants his attention. So Drothe finds himself traveling to the faraway land of Djan, where Imperials like him are less than welcome, all to find an old friend and seek redemption for the oaths he has broken. And who says thieves have no honor?

Drothe ends up doing quite a number on the Despotate of Djan. But Djan ends up doing quite a number on Drothe too. I’ve said this before with Among Thieves but I think it deserves saying again with Sworn in Steel: Douglas Hulick takes the idea of “something interesting must happen in every chapter” and takes that to the max. Drothe’s life is a hectic roller coaster ride that simply does not stop, and the safety restraints are for suckers. Perhaps because of this, these novels put me in mind of the urban fantasy tone and writing style, despite their traditional high fantasy setting. If Drothe and Harry Dresden have one thing in common it’s that neither of them gets anywhere near enough sleep.

Again, there will be twists and surprises aplenty, but I find the storytelling is a lot more refined and streamlined in Sworn in Steel. There was one ambitious plot twist in the first book that didn’t particularly work for me (though, it was one of those classic “Oh Drothe you sneaky, glorious bastard you” moments) but there was none of that awkwardness here. All the different pieces of the plot came together beautifully, and I’m treated to a new world with new characters and new agendas, all of which made the mystery and intrigue in this book so delightfully compelling. I loved being introduced to the culture, peoples, and magic of Djan, and seeing Drothe out of his comfort zone and frantically coming up with his crazy schemes to regain the upper hand was just the cherry on top. There’s also an assassin character making their first appearance in this that I would be very excited to see again! All in all, the book has done a stellar job expanding the world and the characters we know in the Tales of the Kin. Like I said: bigger and better.

Ask yourself, do you enjoy your fantasy with some kick? Do you like rich, twisty plots that always keep you guessing? Do you feel you need more scoundrels in your life? If you answer yes to these then you should definitely check these books out. ...more

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Sep 08, 2012 Azuritebright rated it liked it

Hulick apologized to his readers on his site, and explained the reason for the delay:

"As many (most?) of you have realized by now, “Sworn In Steel”, Book 2 in the TotK series, didn’t come out on June 5, 2012 as advertised on Amazon (or B&N, or…). Still other sites are listing the release date as being in September 2012, or even as far away as December 2025 (this last one seems to be mainly for ebooks, which either hints at one hell of a delay, or one sloooooow download).

So what’s the story?

In a Hulick apologized to his readers on his site, and explained the reason for the delay:

"As many (most?) of you have realized by now, “Sworn In Steel”, Book 2 in the TotK series, didn’t come out on June 5, 2012 as advertised on Amazon (or B&N, or…). Still other sites are listing the release date as being in September 2012, or even as far away as December 2025 (this last one seems to be mainly for ebooks, which either hints at one hell of a delay, or one sloooooow download).

So what’s the story?

In a nut shell, I was late handing the book into my publisher. Way late. So late that they took it off the publishing schedule and are only now figuring out where it will fit in. Any date you see on the web is going to be wrong. Furthermore, at this point, I don’t want to even hazard a guess as to the release date, since I don’t want to write a check I can’t cash.

What I CAN tell you is that book is done, and that I am currently engaged in the first round of revisions. This is going to involve cutting huge swaths of words from the book in hopes of making the final product a leaner, meaner read. (What can I say? I went a little nuts… :) I can’t say whether there will be a second round of revisions–neither I nor my editor will know about that until I get the current version beaten into shape. Rest assured, though, that work is being done, and I am making good progress.

All that aside, though, what I really want to do is apologize to all of you. You folks have been more than patient in waiting for word that I’ve been slow in getting out; and what’s more, when some of you have contacted me to ask about the book, you’ve been unfailingly polite and supportive. That means a lot to me, and it hasn’t gone unnoticed, especially in this age of instant gratification. It would have been easy to froth from the other side of a screen, but you all were better than that. You plain rock.

So thank you. And my sincere apologies for the delay, both in terms of Sworn In Steel and in letting you all know what was going on.

And lastly, as you can see I’ve tweaked the site a bit, and even added a more prominent blog. I’m hoping to post more regularly (okay, let’s be honest, I’m hoping to post *at all*) as I work through my revisions. I’m also wanting to do a more serious overhaul of this joint, but that may be a bit further down the line. My time in summer is limited, but I plan to check in at least a couple times a week (and even get the other pages updated at some point…)

Once again, thanks for you patience and your support."

http://www.douglashulick.com/?p=776

...more

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Aug 07, 2020 Lauren Stoolfire rated it really liked it

Shelves: fantasy, epic-fantasy

Sworn in Steel by Douglas Hulick is a great sequel and finale to the Tales of the Kin series. I read the first installment Among Thieves ages ago and I finally decided to jump back into Drothe's world and I'm glad I did. The characterizations are great and the world-building is pretty outstanding. I wish there was a map to reference though. If you're a fan of The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch you may want to give this a try. ...more

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Sep 11, 2012 RuthAnn rated it really liked it

Shelves: adulthood

Totally worth the wait. Just awesome. Last quarter of the book was nonstop action. Loved it loved it.

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Jan 26, 2012 Lucinda rated it it was amazing

Shelves: review-written

I have waited 3 years for this sequel and I was not disappointed.

I am a true fan of Rogue's Tales. Give me a clever, street-wise thief protagonist and a smart, well-crafted caper and I'm a happy reader. Throw in some memorable non-stereotypical sidekicks, great NOT one-dimensional female characters, and snarky/snappy dialogue and I'm a fan for life.

If you haven't read the first book, Among Thieves, go get it and read it too...Book 1 chronicles the rise of Drothe from "Nose" (information broker) I have waited 3 years for this sequel and I was not disappointed.

I am a true fan of Rogue's Tales. Give me a clever, street-wise thief protagonist and a smart, well-crafted caper and I'm a happy reader. Throw in some memorable non-stereotypical sidekicks, great NOT one-dimensional female characters, and snarky/snappy dialogue and I'm a fan for life.

If you haven't read the first book, Among Thieves, go get it and read it too...Book 1 chronicles the rise of Drothe from "Nose" (information broker) to "Grey Prince" (underworld godfather).

"Sworn in Steel" begins several months after the events of book 1 and deals with how Drothe handles becoming a Grey Prince (not very well) and how he tries to repair the damage done to both his inherited organization and his personal relationships. I purposely did not re-read book 1 prior to reading this book in order to get a feel for how the story would stand on its own merit. Hulick does a very good job of integrating the important information in book 1 into the flow of this book - there are no large blocks of exposition or stilted back-fill dialogue. Everything needed is conveyed in the course of the present story. I think it helps that he has the main cast leave their home city of Ildrecca and travel to the exotic desert city of Djan. This way the minor loose story threads in Ildrecca can just remain "loose" as Drothe focuses on the immediate tasks at hand.

The plot is twisty-turny and I loved trying to figure out who was a player and who was being played. It was really wonderful to arrive at the "A-HA!" moments at the same time Drothe did. There is nothing quite as enjoyable as watching a group of amoral rogues pursuing a prize.

Other things I love about Hulick's books:

The Kin and their Cant. Hulick has successfully recreated a fantasy version of the late-Renaissance criminal underworld. Their linguistic short-hand (their "cant") has a historical basis and Hulick's effortless use of it adds color to Drothe's world. The colors may be the darker hues, and often accented with shades of blood red, but the underworld of Ildrecca is vivid.

Hulick writes GREAT fight sequences; it is easy to visualize the action in a sword fight or knife duel.

Hulick's female characters are intelligent, capable, and just as likely to be lethal as the men. Drothe's sister, Christiana, a former courtesan, now dowager Baroness, is a wonderful foil for Drothe and I really enjoy every encounter between them. Fowler Jess, Drothe's "Oak" (bodyguard), is a perceptive and astute henchman. I like that she gets to not only be right, but also gets to actually say "I told you so" to Drothe. Hulick doesn't seem to have any problem with women being in powerful or important positions. His Kin have female Grey Princes, there are female magic users, actors, assassins, and knights. None of them have to resort to disguising their sex to make it in a man's world nor are they objectified "toys"; they are characters with unique voices and unique motives.

I just hope it doesn't take Him another three years to write book 3...

...more

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Nov 09, 2012 Victor Chen rated it really liked it

From the author's site
"This just in: SWORN IN STEEL is slated for a U.S. release date of May, 2014." ...more

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Jun 18, 2017 Ian Hall rated it really liked it

Very nearly 5* excellent intrigue and twists. I enjoyed how the storyline progressed and how we found out more secrets. I liked the new characters and the last 10% was fantastic.

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Apr 29, 2012 Jack rated it really liked it

Shelves: recent-reads, waiting-impatiently

It was almost perfect timing as I went and had refresher on the first novel, (audio) Among thieve's, But holding on to the second (sworn in steel) and not dive right in was well worth the wait as I was fully immersed in the story.
Having just finished I would say 4.5 to 5 star (still trying to figure out my rating system, some books I enjoy and rate 5 stars that really are part fondness for the time when I read them and the book itself)
Douglas Hulick is going to be an author I watch for in the ...more

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Jul 22, 2014 Rhubarb rated it really liked it

I'll preface this review by stating upfront that the story feels hugely convenient at some points - with events happening for no apparent reason other than to progress the story in a way which suits the protagonist.

However after saying that I really really enjoyed this book and it's a definite improvement on the first book (which I also enjoyed greatly). The main character Drothe is quite unique in a lot of modern fantasy novels in that he's not the unbelievably gifted individual who can complet ...more

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Aug 17, 2017 Steve rated it it was amazing

Shelves: fantasy, fiction

I found this incredibly easy to pick up and difficult to put down. Once I had managed to recall the broad strokes from the previous book, the action very quickly grabbed me and didn't let go. The chapters were a nice length, and it didn't feel like the book was dragging at any point. Unlike the previous book, the climax was rather delicious, and didn't include any overused tropes and managed to include some lovely short sharp shocks. The resolution was a nice touch, and I'm very much wondering i ...more

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Sep 09, 2011 Chelsea rated it really liked it

Shelves: fantasy, rogues

Come ooooonnnnnnn

Yesssssss now I have it

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Feb 10, 2014 Anya rated it really liked it

Sworn in Steel by Douglas Hulick is the second book in Tales of the Kin and continues Drothe’s adventures thieving and scheming, but this time in a new locale! If you haven’t read Among Thieves, there will be some spoilers below, but be sure to skip to the end and enter to win a copy of Sworn in Steel from Penguin! If you have read Among Thieves, you are in for a treat since Sworn in Steel continues not too long after the end of Among Thieves and pulls our favorite master swordsman back into the ...more

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May 01, 2014 OpenBookSociety.com rated it it was ok

Shelves: heidi

http://openbooksociety.com/article/sw...

Brought to you by OBS reviewer Heidi

*Beware of possible Spoilers*

sworn-in-steel-tales-of-the-kin-douglas-hulickThe long awaited second novel of the Tales of the Kin series, Sworn in Steel …

It’s been three months since the end of Among Thieves (at least in the world of the characters) and Drothe is struggling with his rise to power as a Gray Prince. He’s used to running the streets so having an organization to command below him is strange for our new prince ...more

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Oct 05, 2017 Mario rated it really liked it

Shelves: fantasy

Great follow up to Among Thieves, taking Drothe's adventures to a greater level. The Nose is now a Grey Prince and this book is accordingly bigger in every sense, with a greater scope and detail to the world. There's a spectacular expansion of the lore, from the side of the Kin, to the Deagans, and the various schools of magic.
As for the shenanigans surrounding our intrepid hero(?), the book actually begins with all kinds of headaches already befalling him and the story and intrigue move on at ...more

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Oct 31, 2013 Kevin rated it really liked it

Really enjoyed this one. Douglas Hulick's book is even better than his first and it was worth the wait... Unfortunately now I have to wait for the next book. If you like books about thieves then add this one to your list of series you need to read. ...more

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Apr 09, 2014 Justin rated it really liked it

Shelves: read-2014, fantasy, penguin, 2014-release

http://www.staffersbookreview.com/201... ...more

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Mar 12, 2014 Arushi rated it really liked it

Shelves: grimdark, crime

Sworn in Steel starts off three months after Drothe became a Gray Prince. Three months of power struggle, of gaining a reputation and three months without Bronze Degan. But that is not his immediate problem, his problem is that another Gray Prince is dead and as far as the street is concerned, Drothe is to blame.

So starts a trip to Djan, to find Bronze Degan so that Drothe may clear his name, and maybe, just maybe, repay the debt that he owes Bronze.

Drothe is again his resourceful and yet blun ...more

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Jul 23, 2015 Ashley rated it really liked it

In Hulick's Sworn in Steel, we continue to follow the exploits of Drothe, once a mere Nose working for the crime lords of Illdrecca, the seat of the Dorminikan Empire. Now, however, he has been raised to the status of Gray Prince, an exclusive club for only the baddest of the bad. Now, he is framed for killing another Prince, the punishment for while too unseemly to mention. His only chance to come out on top is to go along with the blackmailer, traveling to a rival kingdom to look for his forme ...more

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Jan 04, 2018 Bitsy Vontrapp rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Brilliant

This book, and its predecessor, Among Thieves, reminds me of one of my favorite series, Thieves World, by Robert Lynn Asprin and Lynn Abbey. Mr. Hulick has created a rich new world, filled with characters that come alive and seem to take on a life of their own, staying with you even after you've put down his books. The world building is exquisite, filled with so many cultures, factions and magic systems. Mr. Hulick has an amazing eye for detail, going so far as to describe his protagon ...more

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May 21, 2014 Joseph rated it really liked it

When last we left Drothe he had risen from a humble Nose to a full-on Gray Prince. He had also, because of an act of betrayal, been separated from Degan, his oathbound companion and swordsman par excellence.

In this second volume, Drothe is sent, not entirely willingly, in search of Degan and possible reconciliation; Degan has apparently relocated to el-Qaddice, the (distinctly Middle Eastern-feeling) capitol of the Despotate of Djan, Drothe's home country's bitterest rival. Needless to say, comp ...more

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Oct 20, 2011 Elspeth marked it as to-read · review of another edition

Okay, where is this book?
Amazon says they don't have it, and its not in kindle form.
FML! ...more

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Nov 16, 2013 James Cox rated it it was amazing

Fantastic! That's it. Everything about this book was fantastic. ...more

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Mar 24, 2012 Milo rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, 2014-releases-read

Excellent book.. Fast moving, fun and entertaining. Can't wait for more. ...more

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Jul 16, 2014 Jasper rated it really liked it

Shelves: read-in-2014, epic-fantasy, tor, sword-and-sorcery

originally posted at: http://thebookplank.blogspot.com/2014...

Douglas Hulick is for me a bit of an underdog when it comes down to the fantasy books. In the die-hard circle his name is well known but outside of that many of the casual readers might have let the Tales of the Kin escape their attention. So I do hereby call, no shout out that you should really read the books of Douglas Hulick, it's great epic fantasy. Douglas Hulick has a terrific interpretation of the genre. I do have to be honest originally posted at: http://thebookplank.blogspot.com/2014...

Douglas Hulick is for me a bit of an underdog when it comes down to the fantasy books. In the die-hard circle his name is well known but outside of that many of the casual readers might have let the Tales of the Kin escape their attention. So I do hereby call, no shout out that you should really read the books of Douglas Hulick, it's great epic fantasy. Douglas Hulick has a terrific interpretation of the genre. I do have to be honest and say that I only read his first book, Among Thieves, last year, for those who read it on the publication day, they had to wait three year for the sequel, lucky me only 6 months! One question does remain to be answered, is this sequel worth the wait? Yes, it is!

After all that Douglas Hulick showed in Among Thieves I do have to say that I had a few reservations when it came down to the sequel. There were a lot of cool things in the first book that could cause a potential stagnant sequel. It can be hard to make up a more and exciting storyline, however this is far from the case in Sworn in Steel, Douglas Hulick definitely ups the ante. How does Douglas Hulick do it? Well he nicely expands his existing universe and takes you and emerges you into a completely new environment. In Sworn in Steel you go from the criminal city of Ildrecca to the more exotic Despotate of Djan. This chance in scenery really helped to make another non-stop action packed story, there is far from a moment that drags in Sworn in Steel. You are in for a treat. Trust me.

For the story of Sworn in Steel is a direct continuation from where Among Thieves ended. Drothe managed to kill off a Gray Prince, one of the most (in)famous leaders of the Ildrecca underworld and well wouldn't you have it, if you kill one of those you automatically find yourself promoted in the ranks. So yes, Drothe now finds himself to be a Gray Prince. But a transition from Kin to Gray Prince is quite the change and all the added responsibility to Drothe's new task seem to weigh him down and he doesn't really know how to go about this all. Added to this comes the fact that he is being framed for a murder he didn't commit. Another Gray Prince winds up dead on the streets of Ildrecca and all the evidence points towards Drothe... One member of the Degans known as Wolf needs Drothe and has planned this blackmailing into the details. Drothe can do nothing else but to accept his newly appointed task by Wold, that of traveling to the Despotate of Djan. Do you remember the Bronze Degan from Among Thieves? Drothe needs to find him. Also if you still recall what happened, Drothe and the Bronze Degan didn't part in the best of ways, as betrayals often aren't the best... Because of his blackmailing Drothe does accept but also because he is a guy that wants to set things right with the Bronze Degan does he accept. In his travels he isn't alone as he soon meets up with a group of interesting stage travelers and troubadours. Though this might sound a bit odd with Drothe's purpose of traveling to the Despotate it is nicely linked to the remained of the story. All in all I have to say that the story of Sworn in Steel was terrific to read and that those 500 pages, which the story spanned, didn't feel like it at all but more half of it. And, this is also far from just a sequel of an excursion to a different setting, there are some great revealings along the way that will put a smile on your face. Just as a sequel should be giving more and more details about the world to further bolster that feeling of epicness. yes that is a word!

Drothe came over as a very solid characters in the earlier books, he knew the streets and everything that went about in Ildrecca, but with his promotion to Gray Prince he is becoming less sure of everything, probably due to the weight that is resting on his shoulders. And this does reflect back to how his character acts and reacts. Drothe has to find himself back in his promotions and need to find out how to delegate stuff and not do everything himself. This is one element that you see developing along the story, Douglas Hulick does make Drothe once again an engaging character but instead of him taking the reigns in everything he allows Drothe to take in everything and only reacts, most of the time. Looking back on this was actually only natural as, how would you react if you would be placed into a completely new environment? The best thing is to just take in everything, and react when and where it counts, and this latter part does come show for a few times and when it does it offers some breakneck acceleration and great fighting scenes. If you look back on Drothe in the first book and in the beginning of Sworn in Steel he is the same guy, but in the end... he is changed person, and knows where he want to go.

Next to Drothe, Douglas Hulick shows some recurrent characters from the first book and also introduces plenty of new ones, both to like and to very much dislike. It was great to see that we got more time invested in Fowler the Oak that stands guard over Drothe, her character is fun to read about. Fowler is the protector and when Drothe goes about his own way, since he is used to it when he wasn't a Gray Prince was fun to see. In many ways Fowler is this determined women without regard to the womanly bits but on several occasions it was good to see her be more womanly about several things. A great addition to the storyline was Aribah, a young woman that Drothe gets acquiantted with in Djan, and who he takes back to Ildrecca. I wont go into her origins and exactly what she does, but if she is connecting with Drothe, then you might be able to see just where this will be going.

Now I have already talked about the characters and the story itself and have mentioned that mainly due to the location the story is readily taken forward, there is one thing I haven't said yet and that is what type of information is revealed along the way. Well you will get the full low down on the Order of the Degans! Yes these guys have got quite the interesting history to say the least. Since Drothe has to find the Bronze Degan, he starts to uncover all kinds of bits of history about the Order and that there is much more going on than we first had dared to guess. Because it was mentioned that every member of the Order of Degans was mentioned after a metal wasn't it? But where does the Ivory Degan come from?? It was great to see that Douglas Hulick besides emerging us into a completely new surrounding took the time and effort to further build on the premise of the story to which he introduced us in the first book. As an added bonus you also get to see much more of the magic system that makes the world of the Tales of the Kin go round.

For me Douglas Hulick has taken those needed steps in Sworn in Steel to take his story of Tales of the Kin that much further. A sequel is a tricky book to write but he managed to avoid dooming his series and falling into repetition, instead the story of Sworn in Steel introduces many great promises and with breakneck speed and non stop action readily places you on the edge of your seat. By going to a new geographical location the story gives a fresh breath of wind in general but the "stink" that we saw in in Ildrecca with the criminal ruling is just as present in Djan, and Drothe really has his work cut out for him. In Among Thieves we have gotten to know the creativity of Douglas Hulick when it comes down to plot twists etc and this is again not missing in Sworn in Steel, every page has a potential plot twist lurking behind the words and this will keep you sharp on on your toes for the whole story. As I said before, Douglas Hulick ups the ante with Sworn in Steel and with creating such an outstanding sequel after a solid debut I can only imagine what will be in store in the third book. ...more

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Jun 07, 2020 Gavin Fast rated it really liked it

I really liked reading this book. It answers many of the questions that were raised in Among Thieves, and the pacing is done very well. To me Drothe is up there with the likes of Locke Lamora and Vlad Taltos, 2 of my favorite fantasy rogues! And I would recommend these books to anyone who enjoyed those other characters. While not the quickest with his sword his tongue and internal monologs usually makes up for it.
I also enjoyed the new setting of this story and how it opens up the world we were ...more

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Jul 04, 2014 Grim rated it it was amazing

I really really enjoyed this book. The first in the series “Amongst Thieves” is an excellent book, but this sequel is even better. Something is always happening, there is action or plot twist, or just something plain compulsive in every single chapter. The story races along with enough variety, new plot developments, realisations, and action to make to keep you on the edge of your seat throughout the book.

Written in the first person solely from Drothe’s perspective this is basically my ideal of I really really enjoyed this book. The first in the series “Amongst Thieves” is an excellent book, but this sequel is even better. Something is always happening, there is action or plot twist, or just something plain compulsive in every single chapter. The story races along with enough variety, new plot developments, realisations, and action to make to keep you on the edge of your seat throughout the book.

Written in the first person solely from Drothe’s perspective this is basically my ideal of the perfect character. He has character, integrity (for a thief) edge, grit, courage, vulnerability, he dangerous and quick witted - he makes mistakes, he’s not perfect but he does his damndest to correct or make up for those mistakes. Drothe’s character is very well written, the reluctant “Gray Prince”, prepared to risk everything for his friends, his people, his principles, although or maybe because he’s a thief – it makes him extremely likable. You can’t help but root for him at every turn. In this book everyone seems to over estimate him, seeing plots and machinations where he had none so Drothe often has to play catch up on the fly, using quick wits, and cunning with a deceitful and insightful mind on the side.

At the end of “Amongst Thieves” Drothe betrayed his best friend “Bronze” Degan, who as result threw his sword away and went missing. Drothe did it to save everyone he cares about and potentially the entire empire from an eternal emperor whose going steadily insane. He did the maths and if he had to do it over he’d do it again. However he still feels guilty about it, so when Wolf another Degan sets him up for murder and blackmails him into looking for Bronze but also offers him a way to help Bronze to boot Drothe jumps at it (the help Bronze bit).

Turns out Bronze has left the empire and is somewhere in the Despotate of Djan, the empire’s long-standing enemy, with whom they are on the brink of war. This makes it difficult for an imperial to enter Djan, so Drothe sets off with a troupe of actors as cover, his oak mistress and a Degan whose blackmailing him, threatening him, and whom he definitely doesn’t trust. Once in Dejan the fun starts, the local thieves think the new Gray Prince is muscling in on their business and want to kill him, a clan of assassins want to steal his night sight, the Despote’s officials don’t trust him, and want to set up him and his acting troupe, Bronze Degan doesn’t want him there and Wolf’s turning up the screws on the blackmail. Intrigue, action, plot, sub plot, side plot, nefarious plans and conspiracy galore.

The prose flows, there’s just enough description to paint a picture, often a master piece, but there’s never too much description, it never detracts from the story only enhances it just enough. For me the balance is perfect, the thief speech and terms colourful and intriguing, and wonderfully written. (That’s a personal opinion I know some people desire greater description and scene painting but to me too much becomes boring and distracting, description levels in books is a personal thing.) As I said above there is action or intrigue in abundance, never more than a few pages between the next fix. No long long back stories or suppositions, the back stories and histories are wonderfully weaved into the action and balanced well throughout the book without any large info dumps.

As its in the first person Drothe’s character shines through as we watch the changes he goes through growing into his role as a Gray Prince, but being in the first person you don’t get as much insight or character development from any of the other characters in the traditional sense. This could be a negative thing, but not here. Lacking the ability to explore his other characters inner minds and motivations from their personal point of view, instead the author uses Drothe’s intellect and insight to look at the others around him and make suppositions and opinions and insightful observations about their characters and their motivations. This is very cleverly done. When you interact with someone you do not know what motivates them but you do guess, and the guessing, the calculation, hedging bets, gambles, the possible uncertainty, calculating the odds, we see all this from Drothe point of view and it works. In fact it’s better than just works, it’s the cold calculation and the reasoning process behind it that’s part of what makes this book an addictive read. ...more

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Apr 10, 2015 Sora rated it liked it

When writing any story, a good question to ask ones self is "what is that's propelling the story forward? What is it that needs to be resolved before the story can end?"

It was certainly asked in Hulick's first novel, Among Thieves. There was a clear throughline of challenges the protagonist Drothe has to get through in short order, for the sake of survival, friendship, and other things. And those challenges felt clear and understandable.

Unfortunately Sworn in Steel doesn't really have the same d When writing any story, a good question to ask ones self is "what is that's propelling the story forward? What is it that needs to be resolved before the story can end?"

It was certainly asked in Hulick's first novel, Among Thieves. There was a clear throughline of challenges the protagonist Drothe has to get through in short order, for the sake of survival, friendship, and other things. And those challenges felt clear and understandable.

Unfortunately Sworn in Steel doesn't really have the same drive the first one had. In fact a lot of the time the drama and challenges Drothe once again faces feel artificial, and sometimes forgotten altogether like the author brought it up to go somewhere but then couldn't find anywhere for it to go.

For example, apparently the only way any criminal in this world ever greets any other is through threats, cons, setups, cajolery, kidnapping, or etc. No other means of communication is apparently allowed. Even when, as is often the case in Sworn in Steel, the two parties don't actually have any direct reason before hand to be hostile towards each other whatsoever, the go to greeting is "do it or I'll kill you and everyone you know!"

It becomes a crutch to rely on when things are getting too dull. It's not just how the entire story starts back up again *Minor spoilers*
Despite a quick face to face talk obviously showing that both initial main characters would share a mutual goal anyway with animosity between the two really only complicating matters */Spoilers*

But it also happens quite often, again and again and again, just to introduce some drama to proceedings the author seems to realize would otherwise have gotten kind of dull. And often these threats to Drothe don't even go anywhere or are forgotten about for half the book. One character will show up, threaten Drothe's life, and then disappear with no consequence for most of the rest of the book, which is what makes for the dull dead areas to begin with and necessitates yet another character/party showing up to threaten Drothe yet again. It gets utterly tiring, and the author even knows that pretty much none of these threats really make any sense, as each one is followed up by a detailed explanation trying justify it that doesn't really connect.

Apparently in the "Tales of the Kin" universe the only possible greeting or even communication whatsoever between two parties of criminals is one going up to the other, hitting them in the face a couple times, insulting them, and putting a knife to their throat, and only then asking them who they are, what they're doing there, and would they like to stop by for some tea later? ...more

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Oct 09, 2012 Christopher rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Sworn in Steel kicks off straight after the events of Among Thieves with the Kin of the city of Ildrecca still' adjusting to the presence of the new Grey Pince Drothe! :D Adjusting of course meaning various assassination attempts and the avoidance of them by Drothe and his crew led by the ruthless freckled Fowler! :D

The plot has more twist and turn than the alleys of the Despotate of Djan that Drothe and Fowler find themselves running around in in search of Drothe's friend Bronze Degan and are s Sworn in Steel kicks off straight after the events of Among Thieves with the Kin of the city of Ildrecca still' adjusting to the presence of the new Grey Pince Drothe! :D Adjusting of course meaning various assassination attempts and the avoidance of them by Drothe and his crew led by the ruthless freckled Fowler! :D

The plot has more twist and turn than the alleys of the Despotate of Djan that Drothe and Fowler find themselves running around in in search of Drothe's friend Bronze Degan and are steadily drawn into more and more plots with the Degan being even more front and centre than Drothe could imagine! :D The way that a plotline can veer away from right to left and then back again and then vertically before landing again keeps you guessing throughout the book and you soon learn when trying to guess what will happen to think of every possibility! :D

The characters are portrayed warts, sword cut, aching bones and all which brings a three dimensionality to the characters that makes their interactions never predictable to even people within their own occanistation or bands! :D Sworn in Steel and with Among Thieves is told from the POV of Drothe so you spend the book guessing along with the character as to what is going to happen as well as putting the clues together! :D

Throughout the books there is a heavy vein of humour throughout with many of the characters getting beaten around by various events and still keeping their chin up so to speak indeed in one scene Aribah actually draws attention to that! :D

The action is thick and fast throughout with the fight scenes being extremely visceral as are the conclusions to one of them! :D Though handily throughout there are clean up crew throughout in the form of guard dogs that assist with disposal which is another part of the book that add to the general feel of the carnage that takes place throughout the book and adds to the feel of el-Qaddice! :D

The pace of the book is incredible fast paced and you will find yourself rooting for the characters though you sometimes it will occur that you are routing for essentially a crime syndicate led by Drothe with Freckled face Fowler stealing many of the scenes she is in! :D Lol

Brilliant, fast paced and plot twisting edge of the seat stuff! :D Highly recommended! :D Sequels please! :D Lol ...more

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Dec 12, 2013 Courtney Schafer added it

Been waiting eagerly for this one ever since I read the first in the series (Among Thieves) back in 2011 - and I'm happy to say I found Sworn in Steel well worth the wait. Protagonist Drothe is just as engaging a character as in the first novel, the story takes all manner of interesting twists and turns, and along the way we learn many fascinating things about degans and the history of the empire. Drothe spends much of the story in the city of Djan, which is both beautifully realized and quite a ...more

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May 01, 2014 Susan rated it it was amazing

Shelves: first-reads

Fortunately, I just finished the first book in the series and didn't have a long delay before I could start this one. (Unfortunately, I'm now waiting for the next one, along with everyone else...)

The Tales of the Kin series reminds me of Scott Lynch's Gentleman Bastard series, as it explores the underworld - the criminals and the organizations that bind them together. Both are original enough that you don't feel like you've read this same story fifty times before plus the main characters are fla ...more

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About Douglas Hulick

Douglas Hulick

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Douglas Hulick is author of "Among Thieves", the first book in the "Tales of the Kin" fantasy-adventure series. He is busy at work on the as-yet untitled second book in the series, with a third to follow.

When not writing, Douglas is a stay-at-home dad (or should that be: when not busy being dad, Douglas is an as-time-permits-writer?). Either way, he makes his home in the upper Midwest. He has a B. ...more

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“You talk; I'll sleep. feel free to make up my side of the conversation in case you get bored. I recommend throwing in the occasional 'fuck you' on my behalf, just to keep things true to life.” — 5 likes

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