The Blacktongue Thief by Christopher Buehlman Summary
Overview of The Blacktongue Thief
In Christopher Buehlman's acclaimed fantasy debut, a thief navigates a world of magic, monsters, and deadly intrigue. Endorsed by Robin Hobb as "dazzling" and boasting a 4.58 Goodreads rating - what secret ingredient made this 2021 release so irresistible to fantasy readers?
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A Thief's Dark Path Through a Broken World
In a land still reeling from devastating goblin wars, Kinch Na Shannack is no hero. He's a debt-bound thief with a black tongue marking him as Galtish, pointy ears hinting at elven ancestry, and a tattoo branding him as property of the powerful Takers Guild. When a routine highway robbery goes catastrophically wrong, Kinch finds himself face-to-face with Galva-an Ispanthian warrior woman accompanied by a massive war corvid (a raven the size of a stag) who effortlessly slaughters his companions. This disastrous encounter sets Kinch on an unexpected journey when the Guild assigns him to follow Galva on a mysterious mission to Oustrim, a kingdom now overrun by giants. The Guild plants an assassin named Sesta to monitor him-first as a blind cat, later in human form. What seems like a simple tracking assignment reveals itself as part of a vast conspiracy: the Guild orchestrated the giant invasion as revenge against Oustrim for expelling them. What makes this world fascinating isn't just its dangers but its lived-in quality. Horses are nearly extinct since the goblin wars. Women often lead armies because so many men died in previous conflicts. Magic exists but comes with steep costs-free magic is dampened by iron but enhanced by copper, while caught magic stored in tattoos offers reliability at a price. Kinch himself is no valiant adventurer but a pragmatic survivor skilled in lockpicking, wall-scaling, and quick thinking. His narrative voice-sarcastic, profane, and often hilarious-guides us through this landscape with a mix of cynicism and reluctant hope.
Unlikely Companions on a Perilous Quest
A World Scarred by Magic and War
A Journey Through Peril and Wonder
The Shadow Power of the Takers Guild
The Final Reckoning and New Beginnings
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"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
From Columbia University alumni built in San Francisco
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
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