Among Thieves is the debut novel by M. J. Kuhn, and it’s a book that promises & delivers on some of my very favorite things about dark fantasy:
•A ragtag group of rogues & thieves? Check
•A grimy, dangerous, seaside city? Check
•Some scenes on a boat? Check
•A badass assassin scaling walls & then slipping away into the night? Check, and mate.
Backstabbing, betrayal, dark magic, atmosphere for days, snarky humor, and just tons of hatchet-related shenanigans. Oh, and it’s casually queer too!
Full review to come on YouTube.

Thank you for supplying me with an ARC for my honest review.
I liked the writing style but honestly was a bit put off by how quickly characters were introduced. The plot moved pretty quickly. If you are into character driven plots - this book may be of interest.

Every character in this book has a secret the drives their behavior, and those secrets intertwine and drive their actions. In a world where magic exists - where babies are born with a potential to be Adept, either a Kinetic, with the ability to manipulate matter, or a Senser, with the ability to sense thoughts, trained by the Guildmaster, only one person can control each one: their owner - most Adept have no power of their own. In this world, which equates roughly to Europe in the mid 1800s in terms of technology, there are thieves of all levels and abilities. Some of these thieves will come together, grudgingly, to seek a prize that could set them up for life: the Guildmaster's Quill.

In an intricate and detailed novel, M. J. Kuhn creates a world where intrigue rules, where thieves follow the leader of their gang, and no one trusts anyone - until a group of people with various backgrounds come together to find the Quill, and uncover its secrets.

Lots of fun and a breakneck pace make this fast moving adventure fantasy with an unlikely ensemble of thieves and scoundrels perfect for fans of Bardugo's "Six of Crows." Multiple viewpoints, and great characters all set to betray one another keeps it unpredictable. This excellent debut novel wraps up nicely, but is still set up for a sequel, or more. I can't wait to spend more time with these lively and interesting characters. Excellent narration by Zoe Mills.

4.5/5 Stars
I was so excited that I got a review copy of this because it was compared to Six of Crows. Having now read it, I definitely think any Six of Crows fan should read it!

This book has a diverse cast of characters with mysterious pasts, a super thrilling heist narrative, and so many unbelievable twists! At the end, I did find myself slightly unsatisfied with the way the POVs were handled. Some characters were given much more time on the page than others and so some of the arcs felt a little shorthanded. That being said, I understand why it was important for it to be that way as a plot device.

Overall, I would highly recommend this book! Thank you so much to the publisher for the review copy!

I started and restarted this book multiple times. It's labeled as an Adult Fantasy, and at times I couldn't get through how YA it was. That being said, it is a debut novel, so I expect there to be some writing problems.

I did finally get through the book and I thoroughly enjoyed it! I thought the characters were fantastic and fun. They all had issues, but they learned together. I would like to see more of this world and how they travel around it, but M. J. Kuhn knocked it out of the ballpark with her debut novel.

Among Thieves is fast-paced and action-packed. It’s full of twists and cliffhangers that keep the story’s momentum going even when the POV changes. The characters are a group of outcasts who fall into a found family trope. The Six of Crows vibe is on point. It definitely has a first book feel, and the ending is lacking in satisfaction. The magic could be more fleshed out, and I’m hoping the sequel will expand on it.

Kuhn's debut, Among Thieves, is....competent. It's a fine novel in many respects. The characters are solid. Descriptions done well. Pacing is a bit off but nothing that put me off of it completely.

I think my issue is that the publisher purposely drew comparisons to Leigh Bardugo's Six of Crows and Among Thieves is at once too similar and too different for the comparison to be praise. For me, it damned my reading experience.

Six of Crows is a proper heist novel, with a mastermind holding the cards and a brilliant a-ha at the end that was satisfying. Among Thieves is a heist but "what if everything goes wrong." Which is a fantastic premise but it's not comparable to Bardugo's novel on those terms.

Yet...Among Thieves has so many similarities to Six of Crows. The way countries mimic real world countries--nearly identical to the ones Bardugo chose, the team she built and their tensions. The use of disguises and magic... Nothing that I would say is plagiarism at all (heist stories and criminal gangs are just built with similar, trope-y bones), but the publisher purposely making readers consider the two novels together makes it feel....not great

Again. The writing was fine. The characters were fine. My biggest writing complaint was it felt as though the novel didn't quite know when to end. And all of that would have been fine...if whoever had written the blurb hadn't made me think about a seasoned author's novel in comparison the entire time.

Thanks to Netgalley and Galley Press for the ebook ARC. All opinions are mine alone.

DNF at 45%.

The beginning was already a mess. So many names were dropped at the same time, so much lore about factions and politics and history and people, none of the main characters were properly introduced or described and I simply didn't know what to do with all the information given. I pushed on because I hoped that the story will eventually become more approachable and interesting to read...until I just couldn't push myself to read this book anymore.
There was some level of continuous intrigue - how will the characters succeed with their planned heist, who are they really, what are they hiding, what is the magic all about and so on... but in the end I didn't care about finding out any of that. The action scenes and the atmosphere were nice, but I can't see any other redeeming qualities. Also, this book is marketed as being an adult book - and I wouldn't call it such. The storytelling and characters feel distinctly YA, only with more F-bombs and gruesome scenes.

I enjoyed the story, but it had a lot of Six of Crows vibes. Characters were somewhat hit or miss for me; still seems like layers were being pulled back at the end and we'll find out more in the next book. I'm frustrated with books being written with them being all important. It seems like this used to be books were a complete story with a beginning middle and end and characters would develop and grow throughout the series, but lately it's more you get an adventure or task completed in each book and characters are revealed throughout the series instead of growing and changing.

this was a great debut novel, it was so well written and had great characters. I really enjoyed reading this book and had fun doing so. I look forward to reading more from the author.

A complicated heist with lots of backstabbing.

When their crazy mob boss learns of an insane opportunistic heist, a group of criminals are put to the task. The item in question is held by one of the most powerful men in the world, desired by kings, and hidden on an island guarded by superhumans. It's an impossible task for a highly talented team. But while they work together to obtain the item, they each have their own agenda.

Ryia chops of fingers and heads and other limbs for a living. Oddly, she's a wanted criminal in several parts of the world. Despite her cheerful attitude, she doesn't have a lot of friends. Tristan is a pickpocket. He's a nice kid, but he's stuck in a debt he can never repay. Ivan is a foreign disguise artist with his own reasons for sticking around. Evelyn was a high rising star in the noble guard, until one bad night killed all her dreams.
I don't usually like multiple narratives, but it worked nicely here, once I was several chapters in and got to know the characters. They were each distinct in their own ways, making them easier to remember. The plot involved all of them working together, but at the same time, they all had their own secrets, and their own reasons for backstabbing their teammates.

The title is very apt. The story is told from the perspectives of several men and women, all of whom are criminals of some kind and of some note. It's gritty and dark in the way one expects the underworld to be. This isn't the land of heroes.

There was some good emotional seesawing between teamship and backstabbing lone wolves. Even though they're hard hearted criminals, I ended up sympathizing with several of them. I wouldn't want to meet them on the street in real life, but they had great backstories and complex dilemmas. Not to mention, the stress of the heist and all the fantastic fighting scenes were gripping and thrilling. It was a great mix of questionable loyalties, morals, and lots of action.

Couldn’t make it past the first few chapters. The MC’s portrayal was particularly egregious—written in a way that felt like it was trying very hard to be cool and edgy but came off as embarrassing and cliche instead.

Among Thieves is the debut novel from author M.J. Kuhn, but you’d never guess that from reading it. Among Thieves is a slick heist novel centered around a group of outlaws planning and attempting the heist of a priceless object from the one place in the world that may be impossible to burgle and the last man in the world they’d wish to piss off. What follows is a story chock full of adventure, mayhem, and snark. I’m so angry that I sat on this ARC for so long!

“Patience, loves,” she murmured to the half dozen axes lining her belt. “You’ll get your chance, don’t you worry.”

Like I said above, the story is centered around a group ne’er-do-wells who are planning to steal something from the most powerful man in the world. I’ve seen the comparisons to Bardugo’s Six of Crows, but I haven’t read that series and can’t comment on the accuracy of it. What this instantly reminded me of though was The Lies of Locke Lamora. There are a bunch of similarities between the two, the main being that our protagonists and POVs are a group of anti-heroes with loose morals and tons of wit. Each of the crew bring their own specialties to the table. There’s Ryia, the enforcer, Nash, the smuggler, Ivan, the master forger, Tristan, the quick-handed pickpocket, and Evelyn, the disgraced former captain of the royal guard. Where Among Thieves really differs, and I think shines, is in the twisting narrative and ever changing and often conflicting loyalties of the main characters. Through their respective POV chapters, we learn the histories and motives behind each of the members of The Saints and what they each have to gain by betraying their gang and taking the prize for themselves. This brought a lot of fun to the story as I was constantly reevaluating who I wanted to see come out on top! Even so, I didn’t really get to know the characters as much as I had hoped for, but that may be due to the type of story Kuhn was telling. With the split POVs, it feels like we don’t get enough time to live in each of the characters heads and really know them, even if we do understand their motivations.

“Good people never end up in power, Captain. They don’t have the stomach for it.”

One of the most impressive things about Among Thieves is how much worldbuilding Kuhn manages to pack into the pages without it feeling like we’re reading a history textbook. Each of the characters have their own histories and are from all across the world and with the chapter to chapter POV changes, Kuhn was able to scatter in a ton of worldbuilding and make it feel natural in a way that it never took me out of the narrative. Speaking of the worldbuilding, the world of Among Thieves pulled me in and kept me wanting to know more from page one. The mystery of the item at the center of the heist and the all-powerful Guildmaster and his army of Disciples and Adepts filled me with questions and kept the pages turning. He who controls the Disciples and Adepts control the world and the Guildmaster uses this to his advantage at every turn. The magic system is pretty soft, but very fun nonetheless. It basically boils down to two different types of users, ones who can do telekinesis-type magic and those with heightened senses. Nothing was overtly explained, but I don’t think this type of story really needed it to be completely ironed out.

I really enjoyed Among Thieves and am impressed by the fact that this is a debut. It doesn’t read like one! I can express just how fun of a read this was! Ocean’s Eleven meets The Lies of Locke Lamora, with the caveat that everyone on the team has secret plans to screw over everyone else. Add in a cool world ruled by a man nearly made a god by the awesomeness of his power and you’ve got a sweet cocktail. The only thing that really brought this down for me were the characters being a little underdeveloped, but even that feels like I am being nitpicky. Overall, Among Thieves gets a glowing recommendation from me and I can’t wait to see what Kuhn does next! Hopefully, Among Thieves 2: The Thieves Among Us.

“Simple.” Clem’s lips curved into a smile that might have been handsome if it wasn’t for the insanity lurking at its edges. He pulled Efrain Althea’s severed finger from his pocket and set it delicately on the table before lifting the teacup to his lips. “We ruin them all.”

3.5 rounded up. This was a fun ride! I requested Among Thieves due to the cool cover [and the promise of a heist] and was not disappointed.

What’s good?
Pacing. The pacing on this one was very steady. It was fast, but not too fast that you felt you were missing anything. Each character got enough focus within their individual POVs and every chapter served to advance the plot to its next point.
Fun Factor. This was genuinely fun to read. A lot of fantasy can take itself too seriously or get bogged down in trying to be dark or serious. This one was a rollicking good time- there are plenty of lighthearted or humorous moments mixed in with the violence and thrills.
[Women] Characters. Ryia, Evelyn, and Nash were all great fun. They each had their own individual personalities and I enjoyed slipping into each of their separate POVs. I also liked the alliances that formed between different members of our party throughout the story.
Writing. Kuhn’s writing felt simple and fresh. It flowed from beginning to end and I didn’t get stuck on much except for the included fantasy-foreign-language (more on that below).

What’s not as good?
Worldbuilding & Fantasy World Elements. There were far too many factions, place names, and secondary characters for me to keep track of at the beginning. I did get the hang of it after a while, but I will admit it was a rocky start. This novel really needs a map and a character/place list at the beginning- hopefully a future edition will remedy this. I also did NOT like how close the made-up languages in the novel were to English. It felt a bit cheap and annoying.
[Man] Characters. It took me probably much longer than it should have to get a distinct feel for Ivan and Tristan. At the beginning I kept getting them confused. Callum Clem felt more distinct than both of them and he wasn’t even a POV. Ivan felt better-developed by the end of the novel, but I’m still going to say that Tristan felt a bit weak.

Bottom Line:
This was a solid fantasy novel and I will certainly be checking out what the author writes next. If this sounds like it’s up your alley, definitely give it a shot.

Among Thieves is a quick read. It's action-packed, there's a lot going on but it never feels overwhelming. Which probably is thanks to the multiple POVs, which means we get insight into everything that is happening. It's maybe not the most original of books, but it sure is fun to read, and really, sometimes that's all that matters.

The setting was immersive but the story and characters felt a little too lifted from other recent fantasy novels.

The ending!!! Okay, I'm officially invested in this story and it needs to be series.

Synopsis:
A cast of morally-gray and untrustworthy characters forced together on a high-stakes heist filled with danger and betrayal. We have five main POVs with various roguish skills for the biggest and most dangerous job this world can imagine. Each of these people have their own secrets and reasons for committing to this crazy mission. No one trusts each other and for good reason. So ensues an absolute rollercoaster of a heist.

Thoughts:
The story started a little slower than I would have liked, but the second half was exactly the heist book I signed on for. It was a little more betrayal heavy than I anticipated which did hurt my heart, but it also made for an exciting book and it definitely fit with the vibe of these characters. Around the halfway point, the book picked up speed and kept you in that chokehold of excitement until the end. The story itself was a really fun one and I really enjoyed it once it got going.

Getting to know the five main characters, connecting with them, and trying to get the world figured out did feel like a big challenge in the beginning. The pacing was slower to account for these things and I do get why all of it was needed. However, the world building and character building felt kind of info-dumpy and I wish I could have gotten all that information in a more interesting way. More interaction between the characters in the first half would have been a great way to do this, but it felt like a lot of that development happened in the second half of the story.

Wrap Up:
Goodreads doesn't have this listed as a series right now... Let's get that fixed, please? I'm going to need the rest of the story because ending it like that is not cute if it's a standalone. I'm upsetti spaghetti.

I was given a free copy of Among Thieves by M.J. Kuhn (author), Gallery/Saga Press (publisher), and Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.

This review will be spoiler free.

I would categorize this novel as sword and sorcery featuring thieves, confidence artists, assassins, and other types of that operate in the criminal underworld of a fantasy city.

The world building is nothing out of the ordinary as the story takes place in a gritty and dank city. Nothing atypical or unusual about the city.

The magic used in Among Thieves is nebulous and amorphous and some people appear to be imbued with magical ability and act similarly to golems. The people with the magical abilities appear to be used for enforcers, guards, and the like.

The story features points from an assassin, confidence artist, a former pirate, and a couple of other characters. I did not find any of the pov characters to be interesting or engaging.

The biggest issue I had with Among Thieves is with the story. I know Among Thieves is marketed for adults, but I felt I was reading a young adult novel. Even though the characters are criminals doing dangerous work, I felt they came across as acting closer to teenagers.

I thought the flow of the story was very slow and I was taken out of the story on more than one occasion. I stopped reading Among Thieves at thirty-one percent.

I think this story is possibly suited for readers who enjoy reading young adult novels.

I would like to thank M.J. Kuhn, Gallery/Saga Press, and Net Galley for the free ARC.

There is a lot to like about this book--an interesting and unique world, well-written prose, and an engaging cast of characters. Ultimately, though, it was not for me. I found the beginning to be incredibly slow, and the whole plot around the quill just wasn't super compelling. On top of that, it was a bit too vulgar--and not in a witty way. I will admit, though, that the second half of the book moved much more quickly, and I can see certain readers being really curious about what happens next. Not my cup of tea, but Kuhn is an undeniably talented writer and I wish this book all the best! Thank you so much to NetGalley for the opportunity to read Among Thieves in exchange for an honest review.