Sworn in Steel

March 10, 2014
The Kin once known as Drothe is coming to terms with his recent advancement to a Gray Prince at the start of Hulick’s middling sequel to Among Thieves. Coming home to the city of Ildrecca with his companion, Fowler Jess, Drothe knows that he will be framed for the murder of fellow underworld leader Crook Eye, but he doesn’t realize the levels of intrigue and double-crossing that will attend his return. The scope of the conspiracy and the scope of the world expand together. Unfortunately, the characters lack the roguish qualities needed to make a story of a thieves’ guild entertaining; Drothe doesn’t show enough wit or intelligence to allow the reader to believe he would survive, let alone rise to power. Ildrecca is a shadow of some of the great settings in fantasy literature, possessing only a passing acquaintance with the richness of culture and detail that made Lankhmar and Sanctuary thriving locales.

May 15, 2014

Drothe was always a crook, but now he is a crook with responsibilities. In this sequel that picks up soon after the events of the marvelous Among Thieves, our antihero is now a Grey Prince, one of the criminal elite. But he will have to clear his name and fight off rivals if he wants to enjoy his new place as underworld royalty. Just as wickedly enjoyable as the first book, this series sophomore effort will suit those looking for fast-paced action in a grim fantasy world.

Copyright 2014 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

May 15, 2014
Drothe, newly promoted Gray Prince of the Kin, returns under cover of night to the city of Ildrecca. He's got problems. The most pressing one is that he's being framed for the murder of another Gray Prince. Then he meets someone who claims to be able to make the frame job go awayin exchange for a favor. The favor is a complex one, requiring a trip to the Despotate of Djan, which requires patronage. Fortunately for Drothe, he befriended a group of players on his way back to the city, and one of the princes of Djan styles himself a patron of the arts. So Drothe heads to the capital city of Djan as patron of an acting troupe and finds himself embroiled in the underworld politics of a completely foreign city; the person he's working for has definitely not told him the whole story, which makes for some interesting missteps. Drothe tries to do the right thing despite gaps in his knowledge, even in the midst of complicated politics he's not familiar with. It's an entertaining story, and enjoyable, even without knowledge of the previous volume; one hopes there will be more tales of Drothe.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2014, American Library Association.)