Dance of Thieves (Dance of Thieves, #1) by Mary E. Pearson

Narrated by Karissa Vacker, James Patrick

Cronin, and Ann Marie Lee

AnewnovelintheNewYorkTimes–bestsellingRemnantChroniclesuniverse,inwhichareformedthiefandtheyoungleaderofanoutlawdynastylockwitsinabattlethatmaycostthemtheirlives—andtheirhearts.

WhenthepatriarchoftheBallengerempiredies,hisson,Jase,becomesitsnewleader.Evennearbykingdomsbowtothestrengthofthisoutlawfamily,whohavealwaysgovernedbytheirownrules.Butaneweraloomsonthehorizon,setinmotionbyayoungqueen,whichmakesherthetargetofthedynasty'sresentmentandanger.

Atthesametime,Kazi,alegendaryformerstreetthief,issentbythequeentoinvestigatetransgressionsagainstthenewsettlements.WhenKaziarrivesintheforbiddinglandoftheBallengers,shelearnsthatthereismoretoJasethanshethought.Asunexpectedeventsspiraloutoftheircontrol,bringingthemintimatelytogether,theycontinuetoplayacatandmousegameoffalsemovesandmotivesinordertofulfilltheirownsecretmissions.Synopsis (via Goodreads): A new novel in the New York Times–bestselling Remnant Chronicles universe, in which a reformed thief and the young leader of an outlaw dynasty lock wits in a battle that may cost them their lives—and their hearts.

When the patriarch of the Ballenger empire dies, his son, Jase, becomes its new leader. Even nearby kingdoms bow to the strength of this outlaw family, who have always governed by their own rules. But a new era looms on the horizon, set in motion by a young queen, which makes her the target of the dynasty's resentment and anger.

At the same time, Kazi, a legendary former street thief, is sent by the queen to investigate transgressions against the new settlements. When Kazi arrives in the forbidding land of the Ballengers, she learns that there is more to Jase than she thought. As unexpected events spiral out of their control, bringing them intimately together, they continue to play a cat and mouse game of false moves and motives in order to fulfill their own secret missions.

𑁋

I absolutely loved this! It was my first book by Mary E. Pearson, and I had no idea it was tied to another trilogy (The Remnant Chronicles) that's set in the same world. Other reviewers have mentioned familiar characters, and a familiarity with the world, so I'm looking forward to reading it soon! However, I had no trouble reading this one without any prior knowledge of the world. Everything made total sense.

First of all, the narration for this was amazing! I requested a review copy of Vow of Thieves, but I honesty want to wait for the audiobook. It was that good! It really added another layer to the characters and the overall story.

Speaking of the characters, they're all beautifully complex and interesting. I was uncertain about Jase at the beginning, because he seemed like a bully, but we quickly learn what motivates him, and why his family is determined to present a united front. Their idea of territory is a little tricky, which does cause them some problems (if they can see it, it's theirs), but I enjoyed watching the Ballenger's compromise with Kazi and her friends.

The world they live in has a very rich history, and it was fun learning about new places. It's a vast world with very unique concepts, and despite being fictional, felt completely real.

Additionally, I loved the riddles Kazi was always sharing with Jase! They were clever and fun to figure out. Also, his stories about the Ballenger's and their origins, were equally fascinating. I think Jase and Kazi really complimented each other, and not just romantically. They challenged one another, and were both very dedicated to their roles in life.

Kazi had an interesting backstory, and I'm curious if we'll learn more about it in the next book. Kazi's life changed drastically after a sudden loss, but an unexpected kindness sent Kazi down a different path that altered her world forever. Both instances shaped the person she is today, and made her really good at what she does. Wren and Synove, the Ballenger siblings, and even the random people on the street were all wonderful. It's clear the author put a lot of thought and love into creating memorable characters. There were a few that I loved to hate, others I felt indifferent about, and those that left me feeling like there was more to their repective stories. I have a feeling not everyone is who they say they are.

There were a lot of twists that I didn't see coming, although the characters were equally surprised. I liked learning new information with them, instead of determining what would happen in advance. Their reactions felt like my reactions, and really intensified the entire experience.

I really, really recommend this one! It doesn't matter if you've read the other trilogy, because Dance of Thieves can easily stand on its own. The characters are fleshed-out, the story was captivating and engaging, and the history made me believe I was somewhere else. The story was detailed, but there was no wasted information. Everything the author said, we needed to know. We might not have known we needed it at the time, but things had a way of reappearing when I least expected them to.

Also, I just want to say that Synove's revenge was perfect.

The ending wasn't what I was expecting, but in the best possible way. I'm also really looking forward to the next book, because even though the first book had resolution, the author made sure to dangle something juicy at the very end. Is it August yet? I need Vow of Thieves in my life!