Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for an advanced audio book in exchange for an honest review.

DNF

Narrated by the author.

I found it difficult to follow the story in audio book format even though I slowed down the speed from my usual setting.

I DNF’d this title at 36%... and I had such high hopes! The premise sounds right up my alley. It’s set in a world of goblin wars, magic, assassins, master thieves, giant murder birds and battle-tested warriors.

A thief who owes his school, the “Takers Guild,” a fortune for his dark education; attempts to rob an unsuspecting victim on a dark road one night. He soon finds that the victim he assumed would be an easy score, turns out to be a battle-worn warrior who happened to have fought in and survived the goblin wars. After his failed robbery attempt, he is forced to set off on an adventure with his would-be victim that will likely be more than the thief or the warrior bargained for.

So, why did I DNF it? I was reading via audiobook and it just was NOT working. The book is incredibly wordy, but there wasn’t a lot being said. At 36% into the story, I was still completely unsure of what was happening and how it would affect the rest of the book. Unfortunately, the characters are not interesting enough for the plot to meander the way it does, or for it to be so seemingly shallow.

It was also difficult for me to keep up with what was actually going on, because the narrator’s voice is very deep and his accent is extremely thick. With so many unnecessary words, I kept finding myself lost.

I may have had a better time reading this title if I had a physical book. It would have likely kept my attention better than the audio. As it stands, I just didn’t believe the story was worth the work to stay focused and push through until the end.

I am excited to read this book in print. That being said, this audio was extremely disappointing. It sounded like American doing an Irish accent, which is a choice for sure. Could not get beyond an hour into it. The book still intrigues, but I do not understand this stylistic choice.

4 out of 5 stars

I will start off with saying that I was approved for an audiobook of this title,
so my review will be based, not only on the story, but also on the voice
acting.

For the most part I really enjoyed the book, it’s very imaginative, fast paced and has a very unique world. I think that anyone who has enjoyed The Malazan Empire or The Lies of Locke Lamora will really like this. Our main hero is funny, relatable and cunning. He finds himself in a predicament, he owes money to the Thief Guild for his education, and they want their money. So they give him a task - to go with a knight who is on aa journey to find a lost princess, now turned Queen. While the description of the book sounds a bit generic - I promise you, the story is not. It is full of adventure, humor, sea voyages and kraken, witches, goblins and giants, heroic knights, love stories, friendships and quests. These are all the things I enjoyed about the book.

However, the book is not without its problems. I am going to start off by saying that the author is also the narrator of the book - which just rubbed me wrong…okay so you can write, doesn’t mean you can act. And boy…is his accent atrocious. The whole time he is trying to do a Scottish, Irish, Northern Ireland accent (I mean you name it - he tries) and it’s just…bad. Why couldn’t Tor hire an actor from somewhere in the UK/Ireland and call it a day?
And then there is the singing…I mean I know fantasy authors do this..but can we just not? I don’t care to read the song and I certainly don’t care to listen to them being sung with a bad accent.
But what really ticked me was the description of the giants. So giants are the bad guys here (along with goblins) and lo and behold they are described as having tattoos all over the body (which is fine) and having dreadlocks…can we abandon this trope that dreadlocks or POC hair styles are used to describe bad guys? NOT ONLY THAT, but the author then says that only the lower cast giants have dreadlocks because, and I am NOT making this up, they can’t afford to comb their hair. Okay so not only are the bad guys given POC hair but now they have that hair ONLY BECAUSE THEY’RE POOR? Did this go through any sensitivity reading? So yeah I took off a star for that. It really irked me…so so so much that I am still thinking about it.

Also - can we not with the animal cruelty and rape? Like can we have one fantasy book where that shit doesn’t happen?

ARC provided by NetGalley for an honest review...This was an enjoyable read and reminds me of the television show, "The Watch" that also includes characters divided into various guilds that have rules of governance, including an assassins guild. This book was filled with the right amount of comedy, sarcasm, and action.

Told from the perspective of the Blacktongue Thief, it is an easy read. It's filled with goblins, thieves, magic tattoos, and several other mystical creatures that at some point want to either hire, kill, or sleep with the main character. At times, I laughed out loud at some of the quick-witted sayings or colorful language.

Overall, a fun read.

I am not usually a fan of character driven novels or meandering plot lines but, for some reason, this book worked for me.

I loved the main character's snarky cynicism. The humor was on point and at the level of Locke Lamora. I also thought the world-building and the magic system were interesting and well thought out.

The Blacktongue Thief has some magic, some roguery, some torture, some love, even some songs. It has a little bit of everything, and it's all well done.

Narrated by the author, which is not an easy feat to accomplish well, the audiobook is very engaging and moves along at a lively pace. The actual singing (instead of reciting lyrics to an imagined tune) adds SO much to the enjoyment factor. I found myself smiling whenever another tune came along.

If you like rogue's tales, witchcraft and sorcery, or just any kind of dark fantasy, this book is for you.

Having read the physical copy, I wanted to give the audio a try. I felt the narrator fit the story well. This book is full of snarky humor and tongue-in-cheek moments. and the BANTER. Lord, the banter. And the narrator fits the world and characters so, so well.

Thank you for the e-arc!

I enjoyed the narration of this audiobook very much. The story was a little drawn out in places that I felt it didn’t need to be, and skipped past some things I felt needed to be drawn out. I am interested in reading more from this author. I may pick this book up in paperback when it’s released and give it another go. Sometimes fantasy just needs to be read instead of listened to.

I've read other books by this author, but they were horror. I'm not sure if he has other fantasy novels, but he should definitely write more in this genre because his world building and unique characters are excellent!

This fast paced read is full of action, adventure, intrigue, magic, and humor. Although it took a few chapters for me to really understand the world I was in once I settled in I didn't want to stop reading.

Great read with characters I hope to read more of in the future.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC. All opinions are my own.

So I just finished this book and I'm trying to find a good way to explain it. This book reminds me of the movie Snatch. Stay with me here. Not plot-wise, but the feel of it: fast paced, darkly funny, a bit chaotic, gritty, and accents and ways of talking that make you pay attention and keeps you on your toes. There is so much snark, puns aplenty, and jokes throughout that really help lighten the harsh world and dark themes. I really enjoyed my time with this book and cannot recommend it highly enough.
I did listen to the audiobook so I want to talk about that as well. The author did a phenomenal job narrating his work, the accents were wonderful, the wit comes across so well (you can almost hear the smirks while he's talking) and there's even singing. This audiobook was fantastic, I definitely recommend listening, especially if you're having a hard time with the writing, as the cadence and mastery of the overall story really made me feel like I was right in the thick of it and made the experience even better.

This is my favorite book from the past year. Characters have voices that stand out, that make them loveable and hateable and somewhere in between. The plot varies from "the one person is having a bad day" to "the end of the world and we're all going to die and its going to hurt the whole time we're dying" but scales up believably.

The narrator talks like Brad Pitt's character from Ocean 11... long sentences, complex metaphors, he lies to himself as often as he lies to everyone else, I'm a fan. This style won't be for everyone, but you're wrong.

The magic is flexible and mysterious but follows its own Mad Hatter logic, and a character even comments on that logic during a fight and made me giggle.

In the audiobook, made up words sound great and flow, I would not want to have to read those words and think up my own pronunciation, so I recommend the book overall but the audiobook especially.

All right so let's start with the fact that this book is very much extremely not for me. So how did I end up with an arc, you ask? Well. I was suckered into thinking I would like it by reading all the rave reviews by authors I like. I kept reading that it was epic fantasy. I love epic fantasy. I even almost preordered the audiobook. I'm glad I didn't.

But. My main issue is probably this: I cannot stand the main character. He is, as another reviewer put it, an 'aggressively straight male.' The humor is bawdy and crass and crude and frequently about bodily functions. I couldn't get beyond this. It is also made abundantly clear that the story is not your typical epic fantasy, but with a heavy shading of dark grimdark horror, gore, etc. Definitely not my thing.

I also had the opportunity to review an advance copy of the audiobook. It's read by the author and while he has a decent voice, his accent made it frequently difficult for me to understand what he was saying. It was also difficult to distinguish between characters because they all had very similar voices/accents.

I gave it up pretty quicly but I'm confident from the tone of the story and from the other reviews that the things I had problems with continue throughout.

If you like the things I had issues with and this sounds like your kind of story? Read it. You'll probably love it. There are certainly plenty of rave reviews to that effect.

*Thanks to NetGalley, Macmillan Audio, and Macmillan-Tor Forge for providing an e-arc and audiobook arc for review.

I listened to the audiobook and I'm actually disappointed there isn't a Spotify playlist for the singing.

This is my favorite book from the past year. Characters have voices that stand out, that make them loveable and hateable and somewhere in between. The plot varies from "the one person is having a bad day" to "the end of the world and we're all going to die and its going to hurt the whole time we're dying" but scales up believably.

The narrator talks like Brad Pitt's character from Ocean 11... long sentences, complex metaphors, he lies to himself as often as he lies to everyone else, I'm a fan. This style won't be for everyone, but you're wrong.

The magic is flexible and mysterious but follows its own Mad Hatter logic, and a character even comments on that logic during a fight and made me giggle.

In the audiobook, made up words sound great and flow, I would not want to have to read those words and think up my own pronunciation, so I recommend the book overall but the audiobook especially.

**I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The Short Version: If you’re looking for an epic journey through a expertly crafted fantasy world where misfortune lies around every corner all told by a wise ass thief attempting to stretch his penchant for good luck into a happy ending, you’d be wise to pick up The Blacktongue Thief.

The Long Version: The Blacktongue Thief is an epic fantasy journey where a thief, Kinch Na Shannack, who’s in debt to the people who trained him as a thief takes on a job escorting a warrior as she journeys into a land ravaged by giants.

I had the pleasure of receiving an ARC version of the audiobook from Net Galley, which is performed by the author. You can feel the authors love for his characters and his story as he narrates, which creates a deeper, richer experience. The author does have a strong accent however, and this at times makes listening a bit more trying, but it certainly fits with the story and feels correct. The audiobook has benefit also as there are several songs referenced in the book and these can be heard instead of imagined, which provides another layer of richness.

As for the story itself, the world is expertly crafted and the author does a great job balancing between providing enough detail to be immersed and raining down exposition to the point of exhaustion (which is far too common in fantasy). The characters are distinct, and I really enjoyed the caustic wit and general smart ass nature of Kinch. I cared about the main characters and they were well developed with good arcs to each of them. There is plenty of action and the story flows at a good pace most of the time, with no shortage of conflict.

As far as drawbacks, the magic system gets a bit fuzzy around the edges but not enough to make it feel like an after thought. The second act sags a bit and at times events feel unnecessary to the plot, as if detours were added to stretch the journey to a more epic in length. Lastly, I don’t know for sure if the author intends to make this a series, but the ending didn’t truly resolve things and felt somewhat open ended and unsatisfying. It wasn’t weak, I just wanted a bit more.

Overall a 4 out of 5 I’d recommend very strongly as long as the author’s narration won’t turn you off.

Component Ratings
Idea/Concept: 4 out of 5
Characters: 4.5 out of 5
Character Development: 4.5 out of 5
Prose: 4.5 out of 5
Narrator’s Performance: 4 out of 5
Plot: 4 out of 5
Theme: 3.5 out of 5
Magic system: 4 out of 5
World Building: 4.5 out of 5
Ending: 4 out of 5

Have you ever loved a book so much that you listened to the audiobook after reading it?

I just did this with Christopher Buehlman’s The Blacktongue Thief! I received an ARC from @TorBooks and loved it so much that when I saw it was offered as an ALC via @MacMillan.Audio, I immediately requested it.

I’ll do my best not to gush but no promises <shrug> Stepping into the world that Mr. Buehlman created was a breath of fresh air. Never have I ever read/listened to a book that both made me laugh, cry, and feel sheer terror the way this book did, sometimes in the space of just a few paragraphs.

The characters are all dear to me but none so much as Kinch, the humorous ‘Blacktongue’ thief himself. In fact, I think I may have fallen in love with him … just a little bit. Full of charm, mischievousness, humor and heart, Kinch is on the wrong side of his guild training to be a thief. He has a tattoo of an open hand on his face, inviting any good folk to place a slap there to remind him of his debt to the Takers Guild, thus denoting his place in the world as both a debtor and a thief. Meeting Galva, a tough as nails Spanth warrior on the road in less than desirable circumstances takes Kinch on an adventure of a lifetime and I was so glad to be there with him. Meeting up with Norrigal the witchling adds a little romance and respectability to Kinch’s ‘fair-thee-well’ attitude. Bully Boy, the blind cat is the cherry on top.

The world building is absolutely phenomenal – every detail is rich and descriptive with a magical system that is intricate and enthralling. A political system that is entwined with faith in Deities and Gods, rife with realism, deception and danger, made for a compelling story. There are flesh-eating Goblins, Kraken in the deep sea and Giants along with a whole host of other magical beings and beasties.

Narration: Mr. Buehlman narrated his audiobook and all I can say is, well done and bravo! You, sir, are a pleasure to listen to and I thoroughly enjoyed the experience!

I know in my heart that I didn’t review this book justly, there’s just too much to say about it and I can’t seem to collect my thoughts on any one thing that is a standout because it all stands out! It’s really that good and for all my friends that have had to hear me raving about it …. Here’s my less than stellar review but know it comes from the heart.

If you’re a fan of fantasy and you read this book, I know it’s one that you will enjoy enormously! As for me, I will be waiting – impatiently – for the next book!

My thanks to the author, @TorBooks & @Macmillan.Audio for gifting me a copy and ALC of The Blacktongue Thief

The Blacktongue Thief proves a thoroughly amusing dark fantasy adventure full of verve and humor. The protagonist, Kinch Na Shannack, a scrappy and clever thief with more to him than meets the eye, provides an exceedingly entertaining narrative voice that really buoys the story with his self deprecating, sardonic humor and sarcasm as he's flung from rock to hard place and back again. How apropos that he should choose to worship the god of mischief, who might just grant a bit of luck to those who can give him some amusement, however perverse. The richly developed, war ravaged and monster filled world, as well as the inventive magical system both are full of mystery and surprise and the source of many a bizarre and amusing twist.

Interestingly, overt magic, i.e. spellcasting and the like, takes a backseat to more subtle and pervasive supernatural properties that can be embodied to varying degrees either within people or objects. This allows magic to be fairly pervasive, yet generally remain low-key rather than dominating the story. It's a well crafted balance that I appreciated.

Buehlman gives a stellar performance doing his own audio narration, seamlessly adopting an Irish brogue that I was shocked to hear. Not only is he American (born and raised in Florida from what I understand), but he managed to also pull off an incredibly convincing New York accent for his narration of The Lesser Dead, which I also enjoyed immensely.

With The Blacktongue Thief, Buehlman really gets so much right and has laid down a compelling foundation on which to develop the Blacktongue series. The ending to this first book is satisfying while still setting things up nicely for a continuation in future books, which I eagerly look forward to!

Rating: 10/10

Thanks to the publisher and author for an advance copy of The Blacktongue Thief for review consideration. This did not influence my thoughts or opinions.

The Blacktongue Thief is… astonishing. Buehlman has raised the bar on what makes a special fantasy debut, and not since Kings of the Wyld by Nicholas Eames have I been so enamored from cover to cover. Absolutely brilliant.

People. I literally do not know where to begin. I’ve seen this book talked about for almost a year now (writing this as of 10/23/20) and it still has seven (7) months to go before it is released into the world. How do you talk about something that hits so hard and completely blows your mind without spoiling it for the masses?

Kinch may be one of the best POVs I’ve ever had the honor of tagging alongside. Through his eyes, we see sprawling landscapes, treacherous seas, hideous goblins, massive giants, huge war-birds, and so so much more. But what makes him so captivating is his mouth. Through his story-telling, every single piece of the larger picture is so accurately laid in front of the reader, dropping you into each scene with just enough description as to not overwhelm. His personality alone is enough to fill a room, what with an overabundance of sarcasm mixed with a teaspoon of sensitivity.

Buehlman’s writing style also shines throughout the book with tongue-in-cheek humor, descriptive narration that does not take away from nor slow the pace of the story, and prose fuh days. On top of the hilarious conversations, inner-monologues, and descriptive fight scenes, he also adds depth to the story with multiple cultures (which shape a majority of our main characters), tales, songs, an imaginative magic system, and the overarching hangover from the Goblin Wars.

I really don’t want to dive much deeper because this is one of those novels you just have to experience for yourself. I cannot recommend it enough. I believe it will be the best fantasy debut of 2021 and should be on every single pre-order cart/wishlist available. Fans of Eames and Abercrombie will devour these pages. I cannot WAIT for the next two (2) novels.