Book Review: No Heart for a Thief by James Lloyd Dulin
No Heart for a Thief releases January 24th and was a refreshing take on a character sharing their backstory. Dulin has written a solid dark fantasy debut with promise of so much more in the coming instalments. This story takes place in two timelines with similar elements of military based danger.
The reader follows Kaylo, a protagonist who craves interaction while being terrified of the responsibilities that brings. He has lived in solitude for many turns, all too aware of the dangers lurking at every corner. When the same military group that plagued his past shows up again hunting a young girl, he knows he must call on the spirits to intervene.
Tayen’s life has been shattered after flames ripped through her hometown. Hunted and on the run, she begrudgingly accepts Kaylo’s help, but it will take more than a hot meal to gain her trust. She wants to fight, a mantra playing in her dreams each night. Blood for blood, and she needs Kaylo’s help to get the revenge she craves.
But Kaylo carries a past, a legend. The hero of Ennea and Tayen needs to know how this recluse of a man came to be. While seeking safety in the present, Kaylo uncovers his past and how the so called ‘hero’ came to be. Past and present match up in a race against the Goust soldiers who are getting too close for comfort, and they will both have to learn to survive together whether they want to or not.
No Heart for a Thief felt fresh. It was an interesting take on the past story trope because we were still dealing with the same issues in the present and using the lessons of the past to try and stay ahead. I really enjoyed how the timelines complimented each other while also creating tension and forcing our characters to develop. By having both timelines play out simultaneously, we were also able to learn about the protagonists past and how those events affected the present.
Something else I really enjoyed here was the magic system. Seven spirits to be called upon by dancers who could listen to the song. Each of the spirits were intriguing, some tied to the elements, some tied to phenomenon like shadows and at the heart of the story, the thief. The thief was a spirit dancer with the ability to borrow spirits from other users whether they be fire, water, the seed which was an earth-based magic or the shadow dancers, then manipulate them in powerful ways. Due to their ability to take and use the spirts of others, the spirit thief is looked upon as an evil entity who is a threat to the current world. The legends say the spirit thief is connected directly to the one true God, and they are not to be trusted in any circumstances.
Following on from these legends comes my next point of praise; the conversations of acceptance, belief and harm that can come from prejudice in someone’s life. Kaylo has an ability that is feared, looked down upon and outright discriminated against. Throughout his life he has hidden who he is, believing that he is a source of pain for others often to the point of feeling like it is better he was never around. It was a fantastic look at how much these predispositions can hurt and affect someone for their entire lives and how just having one person believe in you can make a difference.
I had a great time with No Heart for a Thief, and I am looking forward to what happens next in this story!
Pre-order the book HERE
