The Smoke Thieves by Sally Green is a new fantasy series that revolves around the lives of five people. A princess, a soldier, a traitor, a thief, and a demon hunter. These people dwell in different parts of this fictional world. They have their own paths and problem before destiny brings them all together to save the world from a cruel king and his mad plans.
“War is often seen as the end, but often it is a new beginning.”
Blurb as on Goodreads:
A princess, a traitor, a soldier, a hunter and a thief. Five teenagers with the fate of the world in their hands. Five nations destined for conflict.
In Brigant, Princess Catherine prepares for a political marriage arranged by her brutal and ambitious father, while her true love, Ambrose, faces the executioner’s block. In Calidor, downtrodden servant March seeks revenge on the prince who betrayed his people. In Pitoria, feckless Edyon steals cheap baubles for cheaper thrills as he drifts from town to town. And in the barren northern territories, thirteen-year-old Tash is running for her life as she plays bait for the gruff demon hunter Gravell.
As alliances shift and shatter, and old certainties are overturned, our five heroes find their past lives transformed and their futures inextricably linked by the unpredictable tides of magic and war. Who will rise and who will fall? And who will claim the ultimate prize?
What I liked about the book:
- The Premise. Demon Smoke is kind of a drug inhaled for pleasure. It’s acquisition and possession is illegal. But it also has properties that can lead thousands on the path of destruction to acquire it.
- The world building is lovely. I fell in love with the land of Pitoria and its culture. I wish there is more of Illast in the next books. Reference to this exotic land where women are free and independent has me intrigued.
“People dismiss, belittle or ignore women. But when I represent my country I am not a woman: I am a land and a people and a queen” – Queen Valeria of Illast
- There are a lot of characters in the book to start with. But the narrative steadily removes the unwanted characters and brings the rest of them closer towards one destination and one goal.
- Characters. All the characters have their own point of view. We get to know each one intimately as they trudge through their lives, facing their own challenges, and end up together. My favorite characters are Catherine and Tash.
- Catherine is a princess who has always lived an oppressed and dependent life. But once in Pitoria, she grows and develops into a loved queen-to-be with her wit, charm, and courage.
- Tash is a fierce young girl who knows no fear. Her character is a contrast of innocence and crime. I loved her loyalty to Gravel. She does not forget to care about him even when she is struggling for her own life.
- I liked the steadily growing romance between March and Edyon. Even though Edyon is frivolous and soft, he cares about March deeply. It will be interesting to see where their relationship grows given that March is reluctant to admit his feelings and that one of them is a prince.
- Action packed scenes is another part I enjoyed reading.
What I feel was lacking:
- I found the progress of the story slow. At the end of this first book, we only know the background of various people involved and how they ended up together.
- To make the multiple narratives seamless, a lot of information is repeated. This made the story verbose.
Recommendations:
It was an enjoyable read, though a little slow. But I think it is a promising series that can get readers hooked.
Thank you, Publishers and Netgalley, for providing me an e-ARC of this book.
Love,
Neha
Book: The Smoke Thieves Author: Sally Green Publisher: Penguin Books Publication: May 2018 No. of pages: 512 My rating: 3.5/5
The Reading Owl 