The Thief's Gamble (Paperback)

McKenna's debut is certainly different from the normal heroic fantasy tales produced by the more established writers, and I think that there will be many who will find her fresh approach to world building a pleasant change from the standard quests. As an introduction to a world where the politics and the major powers are in a state of flux, this book lays the foundation for a fascinating series. The thought and work that has gone into building a convincing history to Einarinn is particularly commendable. Here is someone who is not just setting out to write a story, but to immerse her readers in an unusual depth of background, culture and geography, whilst also telling a story that has enough pace to maintain a bond between the reader and the lead characters.

My only real criticism would be that I felt some of the characters introduced later in the story, lacked the depth of those who had been around since the beginning. I found myself unable to picture these characters quite so clearly. Nevertheless, I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and I am looking forward to getting the subsequent volumes in the series.

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However, there's also much here for the more discerning fantasy fan. For starters, this is a fantasy world with rather more depth than the usual cardboard cut-out pseudo-medieval realm; the story takes us through environments and situations which carry within them a sense of historical and technological change. The action of the tale is triggered by an antiquarian initiative, led by wizards and scholars, to investigate the true reasons behind the fall of an empire. We hear of advances in smelting techniques, of new fashions and the effects of trade; this rarely feels like unnecessary detail, but is generally brought into the narrative when it is relevant to the plot. The magic systems are kept simple but remain intriguing.

The characters vary; some, such as the titular thief Livak (first-person narrator for around half of the chapters), work very well. Livak is a million miles from that patronising epithet "feisty" - she's quick-witted and capable without constantly feeling the need to prove it. She's also believeably experienced without being utterly world-weary. Casuel, in the subplot strand, borders on caricature but as a general rule works as a good contrast. The rest of the cast tend to be painted in broad strokes, and the interactions between them tend a little towards the flat, particularly once Darni is separated off from Livak's group.

The problems, such as they are, come with the story itself. The author herself has admitted that the basic plot is pretty formulaic, but that she had tried to use the cliches to produce something a little different. She hasn't entirely succeeded - this remains, after all, fundamentally a 'quest', for all the convincing background colour. Politicking rears its head only rarely, and for all the great build-up of place and history, the (rather rushed) climax plays out as a fairly standard magical confrontation.

Nevertheless, despite its bumps and flaws, this is a well-drawn picture of a world that I look forward to reading more of. McKenna undoubtedly has talent; if she'd only let her excellent world-building skills drive the story rather than the by-the-numbers fantasy plotting, she could be a considerable force in the genre.

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