Magic of Thieves (Legends of Dimmingwood #1) by C. Greenwood
Publisher: CreateSpace, 2012
191 pages, kindle edition
Source: Free through Amazon
Synopsis (from Goodreds):
In a province where magic is forbidden and its possessors are murdered by the cruel Praetor, young Ilan, born with the powerful gift of her ancestors, has only one hope for survival. Concealment. In the shadow of Dimmingwood, she finds temporary protection with a band of forest brigands led by the infamous outlaw Rideon the Red Hand.
But as Ilan matures, learns the skills of survival, and struggles to master the inherent magic of her dying race, danger is always close behind. When old enemies reappear and new friendships lead to betrayal, will her discovery of an enchanted bow prove to be Ilan’s final salvation or her ultimate downfall?
When I was small, my mother taught me about the magickless—evil men who hunted our kind to destroy us. They came from across the water to steal the lands of our ancestors. Pretending to want peace, they enslaved us and sought to extinguish what they couldn’t possess, the one thing their harsh laws could never control. Our ancient powers. One day, my mother warned me, violence would shatter the safety of our home, and when that day came, we must fight. And we must win.
But as Ilan matures, learns the skills of survival, and struggles to master the inherent magic of her dying race, danger is always close behind. When old enemies reappear and new friendships lead to betrayal, will her discovery of an enchanted bow prove to be Ilan’s final salvation or her ultimate downfall?
When I was small, my mother taught me about the magickless—evil men who hunted our kind to destroy us. They came from across the water to steal the lands of our ancestors. Pretending to want peace, they enslaved us and sought to extinguish what they couldn’t possess, the one thing their harsh laws could never control. Our ancient powers. One day, my mother warned me, violence would shatter the safety of our home, and when that day came, we must fight. And we must win.
My Review:
The story begins with a small girl and her family being chased out of their homes by Praetor’s menas they attempt at cleansing the land of all magic. Having lost both her parents in one night, the child survives with the help of a neighbor who then sends her off to the another land to be with other magicians, who can help her wield her own power. But as fate would have it, she lands up among a band of thieves and is adopted by Brig – a soft hearted one. As she grows up among the band, she has to keep her magic a secret. She is soon joined by Terrac, a wannabe priest. Things get stirred up and soon Ilan is looking for revenge… Will she be able to avenge Brig’s death. What is in store for her next?
Ilan is a character that I had a love-hate connection with throughout. Though she is the only girl among the band of thieves, I think we should cut her some slack. But still, I could not understand her outbursts against Brig and Terrac and neither could I understand her fascination towards Rideon or the Red Hand. Terrac is a comparatively straightforward character that I liked. But I liked Brig the most. The plot read more like a prequel to the actual story. It reminded me of the prequel novellas to the Throne of glass series. I am guessing that the actual story of Ilan going up against or along with Praetor is the actual storyline that we are going to see in the coming instalments. The narration style of the author is however, simple and easy to get into.
My Rating:
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