Love, love, love! The best installment in one of my favorite middle-grade series! Shoving into the hands of anyone I can get to stand still long enough!

A really exciting second book. Fans of the first book or readers that enjoy their characters being in grave peril and needing to think their way out of it wi.. surely enjoy this new world created by Kevin Sands.

For me, one of the new book series highlights of 2021 was Children of the Fox by Kevin Sands, the first release in the Thieves of Shadow series. In my review, I described it as “a joyous adventure romp with lots of action, humor and banter, twists and turns.” That story ended on a cliffhanger and left me eager for the follow-up novel.

Seekers of the Fox is the second book in the series and immediately picks up where Children of the Fox left off as our heroes must deal with the aftermath of their actions, and with time running out quickly for one of their number. They have no option but to make a choice out of desperation which leads them to make a life or death bargain. The consequences of that lead the children on a quest to find a pair of swords with extraordinary powers: the Dragon’s Teeth.

The story is once again told by Callan, a 14-year-old con artist and de-facto leader of the group, who feels sharp responsibility for his band of child thieves and the decisions he has had to take to keep them safe. At the same time, he must manage the overwhelming desires of the Eye, a sentient and sinister magical artifact that they were hired to steal from a sorcerer in the first book and that is now in Callan’s possession.

Through the course of the novel, we get additional backstories for several of the children as well as some revelations which may change how the reader previously thought about one or two. All the kids are engaging in their own way and show character development since we first met them in the previous book. There is growing respect, trust, and affection between the individuals although not everyone is as willing to show their true colors just yet.

Once again the story moves along at a good pace as Callan and his team must uncover clues and solve mysteries to find where the Dragon’s Teeth swords have been hidden for hundreds of years while making deals with unsavory and unscrupulous characters, and undertaking perilous journeys on land and underwater. Callan and his band must use all their cunning and intelligence to outsmart adults, creatures, magical artifacts, and more along the way.

Kevin Sands has written another exciting and page-turning magical fantasy book for middle graders full of wit and humor whilst also giving a heightened sense of danger in this book so you don’t always get the reassuring sense that every character will make it safely to the end. With the autumn nights drawing in, Seekers of the Fox is a highly recommended adventure tale for all ages to sit down under a blanket and lamplight to while away the hours.

The Thieves of Shadow series centers on a ragtag group of kids that join forces among unexpected circumstances. The first book, Children of the Fox, follows five young criminals as they work to steal a heavily guarded magical treasure. Without giving too much away for newbies of the series, the second book, Seekers of the Fox, picks up immediately where its predecessor left off.

The books definitely need to be read in order, and it’s definitely worth checking out Children of the Fox — it’s a great read.

As with Children of the Fox, Seekers of the Fox is told from Callan’s point of view. He remains a strong protagonist — clever with a bit of snark — but he’s evolved, too. The other kids — Garath, Lachlan, Foxtail and Meriel — have become more than just a crew. They’ve become his friends, his family. That bond is what pushes the action forward. And while you will learn more about the other kids, their characters have yet to be fully realized — fingers crossed for Book 3.

In Seekers of the Fox, Author Kevin Sands stays true to the world he’s created — specifically the one in which the children operate. They’re still young criminals. They’re still pulling off heists and playing to their individual talents. Sands just pumps everything up. The stakes are higher, the action more intense and the magic more mysterious.

The Thieves of Shadow series is entertaining and engaging. It should appeal to a large cross-section of readers, and one or both books would make a great present.