The Blacktongue Thief

The Blacktongue Thief follows Kinch Na Shannack, a thief indebted to the Takers Guild, as he reluctantly partners with a knight from the Northern Kingdoms. Their journey across a war-ravaged land becomes entangled with goblin wars, dark magic, and ancient secrets. The world is grounded in a reimagined medieval setting where magic exists alongside practical concerns like guild politics and economics. Giants' bones litter battlefields, goblins pose a constant threat, and blind warrior priestesses wield magical birds of prey. Buehlman's first-person narration delivers the story through Kinch's frank and irreverent voice, mixing dark humor with vivid action sequences. The prose maintains a brisk pace while building a complex world filled with distinctive cultural details and languages. The novel explores themes of debt, loyalty, and the ways war reshapes both landscapes and people. Through its mix of comedy and brutality, it questions what it means to be bound by obligation - whether to a guild, a country, or a companion.

Readers describe this book as balancing dark humor with serious fantasy worldbuilding. The narrative voice stands out, with many reviews highlighting the protagonist's witty first-person perspective. Liked: - Creative magic system and monsters - Detailed world lore without info-dumping - Strong character relationships - Fresh take on fantasy tropes - Well-paced action scenes Disliked: - Heavy use of made-up slang and terminology - Some found the humor forced or distracting - Romance subplot feels rushed - Complex pronunciation guide needed Ratings: Goodreads: 4.0/5 (9,800+ ratings) Amazon: 4.3/5 (2,100+ ratings) LibraryThing: 4.1/5 (300+ ratings) Reader quote: "Like if Joe Abercrombie and Terry Pratchett collaborated on a grimdark fantasy novel." - Goodreads reviewer Critical quote: "The constant quips and jokes undermine otherwise tense moments." - Amazon reviewer

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🗡️ Christopher Buehlman wrote The Blacktongue Thief while teaching himself to play Irish bouzouki, an instrument that features prominently in the novel's bardic elements. 🌟 The book's unique magic system includes "goblin smoke," which allows users to see through walls but comes with the side effect of temporary blindness afterward. 🏹 The author incorporated real medieval combat techniques into the fight scenes, drawing from historical European martial arts manuals and his own experience in medieval reenactments. 🐱 The giant war-cats featured in the novel were inspired by Maine Coon cats, which can grow to be over 40 inches long and weigh up to 25 pounds. 🗺️ Buehlman created the fictional language "Blacktongue" specifically for the novel, incorporating elements from real-world Germanic and Romance languages to give it authenticity.