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Crow's Nest: Tales of a Thief
Crow—the best thief in all the glittering empire—hasn’t stolen so much as a single sentin in months . Hunting demons set loose by a mad wizard has put a serious cramp in his style. In the hands of the Emperor’s Eagles, he must march through the wilds, trap creatures he has nothing against, and refrain from practicing his most excellent skills.
But all that changes with an imperial summons. At the capital, the new challenge awaiting him is nothing so simple as absconding with a madman's bauble. The emperor wants him to steal an entire person. Crow does not steal people. Rule #5.
Pirates, demons, and wild magic make it a deadly proposal, but another page in his destiny will turn if the gods help him survive. And the gods love him.
Don’t they?
But all that changes with an imperial summons. At the capital, the new challenge awaiting him is nothing so simple as absconding with a madman's bauble. The emperor wants him to steal an entire person. Crow does not steal people. Rule #5.
Pirates, demons, and wild magic make it a deadly proposal, but another page in his destiny will turn if the gods help him survive. And the gods love him.
Don’t they?
419 pages, Paperback
First published December 10, 2021
3 people are currently reading
8 people want to read
About the author
Robin Lythgoe
8 books222 followersRobin Lythgoe was born in Maryland, but spent several years in Oregon and did a short stint in upstate New York before winding up in Utah. She married an artist, and together they have four wonderful children. Reading and writing have always been a part of her life, and she is particularly drawn to fantasy. When she was growing up her mother often led expeditions to the library, from which the entire party invariably returned laden with a stack of books guaranteed to make the arms longer. Robin read everything voraciously, and when she finished her stack, she'd start on her mother's… and then her sisters'. Today she writes tales about wizards and magic, fantastical places and extraordinary journeys.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
January 1, 2022
Where the heck did my review disappear to?! Ugh.
To summarize, I hope there will be a third in this series, because I'd buy it. Very enjoyable with likeable characters!!
To summarize, I hope there will be a third in this series, because I'd buy it. Very enjoyable with likeable characters!!
December 11, 2021
The God's love Crow and have seen him through some very perilous times, and have somehow connected him to the ancestors and Girl and Not-an-egg, his bonded baby dragon but now he has been summoned by the Emperor who knew he was the best thief in the Empire and who wanted to send him on a quest. He wanted Crow to travel to the islands and bring back his kidnapped uncle, but Crow usually drew a line at stealing people. However since his pardon was on the line he dare not refuse the emperor, so he and his friends and team of eagles led by Tanris, went to confront Prince Basi of Masni who had stolen Uncle Enikar and the fun begins. This book is full of magic, pirates, idols and demons, the ancestors and of course a lot of banter and wit! Though Crow insists he is not a warrior but a thief, he is thrown into numerous battles but as he always says the Gods love him so he usually get away unscathed, well almost!!This is another great tale about one of the most fun rascals ever one whose heart is in the right place and who is doing his best to save and protect the foreigners/demons who have unwittingly been brought through the many gates which were opening all over the Empire. He is the only one with the ability to close these and see his friends safely home!
December 10, 2021
Riveting Fantasy!
Crow’s Nest hooked me right from the start and was an absolute delight to read. I love our reluctant hero Crow and his sarcastic wit! He has such a hard time coming to terms with the cracks that are developing in his heart!
This is the second book in the Tales of a Thief series and I would recommend reading “As the Crow Flies” first (which is also excellent) to get to know our fascinating characters and provide more context for a richer experience.
Crow’s Nest is completely engaging, fun and full of adventure. This series is a must read for anyone who enjoys a well written, clever and original fantasy!
I received an ARC from the author in exchange for my honest review.
Crow’s Nest hooked me right from the start and was an absolute delight to read. I love our reluctant hero Crow and his sarcastic wit! He has such a hard time coming to terms with the cracks that are developing in his heart!
This is the second book in the Tales of a Thief series and I would recommend reading “As the Crow Flies” first (which is also excellent) to get to know our fascinating characters and provide more context for a richer experience.
Crow’s Nest is completely engaging, fun and full of adventure. This series is a must read for anyone who enjoys a well written, clever and original fantasy!
I received an ARC from the author in exchange for my honest review.
January 16, 2022
Fun read
Fantasy isn't my typical go to read, every once in a while I like to switch it up. Over all this was a fun read. I love the dynamic between Crow and Tanris. Their frequent banter kept me giggling. After reading As the Crow Flies I understood the negative feelings Crow had about Tarsha however I do wish that since she played a fairly large roll in this book more would have been done with her reason for being there. That being said I would recommend this book to those looking for a magical adventure. Robin has a way with words that kept me wanting to read more.
Fantasy isn't my typical go to read, every once in a while I like to switch it up. Over all this was a fun read. I love the dynamic between Crow and Tanris. Their frequent banter kept me giggling. After reading As the Crow Flies I understood the negative feelings Crow had about Tarsha however I do wish that since she played a fairly large roll in this book more would have been done with her reason for being there. That being said I would recommend this book to those looking for a magical adventure. Robin has a way with words that kept me wanting to read more.
January 24, 2022
In Crow's Nest(Tales of a Thief #2) by Robin Lythgoe that can be read as a standalone, Crow, a thief, is sent on a mission in return for a pardon. Wild magic and other challenges make it a deadly proposal. Read this book to see if he fulfilled his mission. I received this book through StoryOrigin in return for a voluntary review, which I am happy to do. I recommend this book that is available on Amazon
December 15, 2021
We follow the story of a master thief after he has had some successes and failures. He is forced to do a job that he does not want to do and a few of his friends join him on his adventure. There is a bit of humor in this story and quite a bit of sarcasm. I loved it!
December 13, 2021
I received an ARC copy of this book; I was not compensated in any way. All opinions are my own.
Sometimes, I admit, I take good books for granted. It’s only when I go a long time without reading anything decent—when all the books I read are derivative, poorly executed, and boring—that I really get to appreciate a good story. While Crow’s Nest might not be perfect, I still enjoyed it tremendously. This series has a lot of potential.
One thing I will say: make sure to read the first book, or indeed re-read it (it’s been a long time since the first one came out). This story assumes you are already familiar with the characters, the events, and the intricate details that tie it all together.
So why did I like it so much? In short, this is a fast-paced, witty, and imaginative high fantasy tale. The author has a knack for constantly keeping the reader on their toes, much like Crow; we never know which enemy will strike and when. Unguarded treasure could easily be a trap, and dangerous Gates can pop up at any time, in any place. A villain might be a wizard—and even if he isn’t, he should not be underestimated.
The characterisation is top-notch. I enjoyed Crow’s cleverness, his ability to think under pressure, and his indefatigable moral purpose. My other favourite character was Not-an-Egg: the strangely named dragon is adorable. Senza, or “Girl”, was another personality who got a lot of character development in this book. Gaziah, the Emperor, is set to be an interesting villain, with complex motivations.
The world building is very promising as well. The way demons are presented—as thinking beings forcibly removed from their world, who are mistreated, enslaved, and made enemies of—shows a real moral dimension to the story. These aren’t some Tolkienesque orcs who the hero can murder with impunity. The conflict between demon factions (the demons are at war with each other), and the various human factions, is realistic; there are no easy solutions, just like in the real world.
I was also fascinated by the portrayal of the native people, especially the Mazhar and the islanders. There’s a lot of lore to be explored in future books.
The quality of the writing is generally good: it’s descriptive, evocative, and the author has an expansive vocabulary (heck, even I learned a few words). There were a few minor things that let it down. It was sometimes unclear who was speaking. Furthermore, I was confused by some of the plot points, which I felt were not sufficiently well explained. I can’t go into them without spoilers, you understand. But it did detract from the experience, to the point that I contacted the author to let her know. This is why I docked ½ a star.
Still, on the whole this was a wonderful story. I am excited for future releases!
Rating: 4.5/5
Sometimes, I admit, I take good books for granted. It’s only when I go a long time without reading anything decent—when all the books I read are derivative, poorly executed, and boring—that I really get to appreciate a good story. While Crow’s Nest might not be perfect, I still enjoyed it tremendously. This series has a lot of potential.
One thing I will say: make sure to read the first book, or indeed re-read it (it’s been a long time since the first one came out). This story assumes you are already familiar with the characters, the events, and the intricate details that tie it all together.
So why did I like it so much? In short, this is a fast-paced, witty, and imaginative high fantasy tale. The author has a knack for constantly keeping the reader on their toes, much like Crow; we never know which enemy will strike and when. Unguarded treasure could easily be a trap, and dangerous Gates can pop up at any time, in any place. A villain might be a wizard—and even if he isn’t, he should not be underestimated.
The characterisation is top-notch. I enjoyed Crow’s cleverness, his ability to think under pressure, and his indefatigable moral purpose. My other favourite character was Not-an-Egg: the strangely named dragon is adorable. Senza, or “Girl”, was another personality who got a lot of character development in this book. Gaziah, the Emperor, is set to be an interesting villain, with complex motivations.
The world building is very promising as well. The way demons are presented—as thinking beings forcibly removed from their world, who are mistreated, enslaved, and made enemies of—shows a real moral dimension to the story. These aren’t some Tolkienesque orcs who the hero can murder with impunity. The conflict between demon factions (the demons are at war with each other), and the various human factions, is realistic; there are no easy solutions, just like in the real world.
I was also fascinated by the portrayal of the native people, especially the Mazhar and the islanders. There’s a lot of lore to be explored in future books.
The quality of the writing is generally good: it’s descriptive, evocative, and the author has an expansive vocabulary (heck, even I learned a few words). There were a few minor things that let it down. It was sometimes unclear who was speaking. Furthermore, I was confused by some of the plot points, which I felt were not sufficiently well explained. I can’t go into them without spoilers, you understand. But it did detract from the experience, to the point that I contacted the author to let her know. This is why I docked ½ a star.
Still, on the whole this was a wonderful story. I am excited for future releases!
Rating: 4.5/5
April 22, 2022
Awesome reading.
Crow is one of the most endearing characters that I've ever read about. He is deliciously naughty, outrageous, funny, and so real that he springs from the page and into your heart. He's on a quest with his stalwart companions that grow and develope almost as much as Crow does. There is a Duke to rescue, foreignors,(or demons as some call them) to find a way home for, and another gate to close, all while infiltrating a pirates stronghold. But as Crow would tell you he's the best thief alive which makes him the best person to sneak in anywhere. Along the way he starts to finally accept and appreciate the ancestors and begins to come to terms with being a druid and having magic.
Crow is one of the most endearing characters that I've ever read about. He is deliciously naughty, outrageous, funny, and so real that he springs from the page and into your heart. He's on a quest with his stalwart companions that grow and develope almost as much as Crow does. There is a Duke to rescue, foreignors,(or demons as some call them) to find a way home for, and another gate to close, all while infiltrating a pirates stronghold. But as Crow would tell you he's the best thief alive which makes him the best person to sneak in anywhere. Along the way he starts to finally accept and appreciate the ancestors and begins to come to terms with being a druid and having magic.
July 23, 2022
It's not often I give a 5 star review
With much talent the author has created such depth in the plot and his characters; I love finishing a book feeling like I have made life long friends. A truly wonderful story about incredible people, places, challenges, relationships and a mischievous, lovable baby (not an egg) that fired my imagination! Can't wait for the next in the series.
With much talent the author has created such depth in the plot and his characters; I love finishing a book feeling like I have made life long friends. A truly wonderful story about incredible people, places, challenges, relationships and a mischievous, lovable baby (not an egg) that fired my imagination! Can't wait for the next in the series.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews