No Heart for a Thief

Malitu #1

by James Lloyd Dulin

We are the stories we tell ourselves...even the lies. The Thief, a great spirit, and her descendants have abused their ability to steal magic for centuries. When Kaylo starts to hear the song of other people's magic, he must learn to hide from his people as well as the invaders. A gift or a curse, Kaylo may be able to save his people from the Gousht Empire that claimed their land with this stolen magic. Eighteen years later, Kaylo still prays to the spirits, but not out of loyalty or love. He knows better than to rely on those selfish bastards for anything. While hiding in the forest from his foolish acts of rebellion, he encounters a girl, Tayen, being pursued by two soldiers of the empire. Against his better judgment, he risks facing the consequences of his past to intervene. When Tayen attempts to run off seeking vengeance for her family, he offers to train her to wield her magic and a blade. If he can't convince her to relinquish her need for vengeance and stave off the demons of his past, he's going to get them both killed.

Genres: Fantasy, Adult, Fiction, Dark Fantasy, Science Fiction, Ebooks, Epic Fantasy

442 pages, Hardcover

First published January 24, 2023

About the author

James is a nerd with a head full of stories and limited time to put them on the page.

He grew up in Grand Rapids, MI, spending an excessive amount of time at a local community theater where he developed his affinity for storytelling. This affinity grew into a deep admiration for language and spoken word poetry while studying mathematics and education at the University of Michigan. A few hundred mediocre poems and lackluster performances later, he decided his dream of writing a novel might not be as ridiculous as he once thought. He firmly believes that art—even silly books about magic, or maybe especially silly books about magic—has the ability to tell stories that sink beneath the surface.

Reviews

[John Mauro · Rating 4 out of 5]

My complete review of No Heart for a Thief is published at Grimdark Magazine.

No Heart for a Thief is the introspective dark fantasy debut from indie author James Lloyd Dulin and the first entry in his Malitu series.

The novel opens with a bang as Kaylo, an aging thief and self-described spirit dancer, rescues a fourteen-year-old girl, Tayen, from enemy soldiers who murdered her family. Tayen soon recognizes Kaylo as the famous but reclusive Hero of Anilace, also known as Ennea’s Thief. But Kaylo feels unworthy of such glorious titles and assumes personal responsibility for the ongoing war between Ennea and the invading Gousht Empire. Kaylo’s solitary existence comes to an end as he reluctantly becomes mentor and guardian for the orphaned Tayen.

The plot of No Heart for a Thief is told on two timelines. Although the novel opens with the present-day story of a middle-aged Kaylo protecting and training Tayen, most of No Heart for a Thief consists of Kaylo narrating his backstory to Tayen. Kaylo’s story is full of tragedy for which he feels personal responsibility. The passing of eighteen years has not healed his emotional wounds or lessened his sense of guilt.

Kaylo tells Tayen of his own training as a boy discovering his powers as a spirit dancer, i.e., an Ennean who has the ability to hear The Song and wield the power of one of the Great Spirits. There are seven Great Spirits of Ennea: The Shadow, The River, The Flame, The Mountain, The Wind, The Seed, and The Thief. Each of the Great Spirits can bestow magical abilities on their spirit dancers. The Thief is the most controversial of the spirits, known for her pursuit of power or equity, depending on one’s perspective. Her gift is to borrow the magical powers of the other spirits.

Despite the epic scale of the war between Ennea and the Gousht Empire, the focus of No Heart for a Thief is very personal. Kaylo’s coming-of-age backstory reveals the connections between his history and the more recent events in Tayen’s life. One of my favorite parts of No Heart for a Thief is seeing the bond develop between these two unlikely companions. I wish that more pages had been devoted to this present-day story.

The intertwining nature of religion and magic is a highlight of No Heart for a Thief. James Lloyd Dulin contrasts the polytheistic religion of Ennea with the monotheistic beliefs of the Gousht Empire, who as colonizers seek to impose their religion on the Ennean people, instructing them in the ways of their One True God. The intersection of the Ennean and Gousht belief systems also forms the basis for a rather surprising plot twist late in the novel. Dulin leverages this twist to give a satisfying conclusion to No Heart for a Thief while also setting up nicely for the next volume of the series. However, I was hoping for more moral complexity among the Gousht Empire, who serve as classic epic fantasy villains.

Overall, No Heart for a Thief is a solid debut from James Lloyd Dulin and recommended for fans of introspective character-driven fantasy with innovative magic systems.

[Boe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Disclaimer: ARC provided by the author in exchange for honest and fair review

No Heart for a Thief is fantastic and you should definitely read it…Okay fine you want me to tell you more fine I will but can we just take a minute to appreciate that cover. I mean if that didn’t have you hooked the moment you saw it I don’t know what will.

James Lloyd Dulin dark fantasy Malitu series is his debut and man did he come out swinging. The book focuses around two main characters Kaylo who looks older than he is and Tayen fourteen-year-old girl from enemy soldiers who murdered her family and were about to kill her as well.

Kaylo has been living as a bit of a recluse prior to bringing Tayen into his home so there was a bit of an adjustment period as they got to know one another. Trust doesn’t come easy on either side but it doesn’t take Tayne long to realize that she was saved by the Hero of Anilace, or as he was called in the stories her father told her Ennea’s Thief. Kaylo is not a fan of that title as he’s the type of character who wears his heart on his sleeve and as such he feels responsible for the ongoing war between Ennea and the Gousht Empire. That’s all about to change though now that he has assumed responsibility for providing and protecting Tayen.

Tayen however is going through a world wind of emotions but her mind and her heart keep coming back to the one thing she keeps hearing her mother say in her dreams there must be blood for blood. Kaylo in an effort to slow her down and keep her alive agrees to train her but to do so he must first reveal to her how he came to be known as Ennea’s Thief

As a result the plot is really a story within a story if you will. I would say you spend about 30% of the story in the present day following Kaylo and Tayens interactions as he trains her to be a warrior so she can seek out her revenge and the other 70% is spent focused on Kaylos back story where we learn about the tragic events that shaped Kaylo and damaged him both personally but also emotionally. James does a fantastic job conveying the sense of guilt Kaylo feels for all the things that have gone wrong up until the present day.

During the backstory we learn about The Song and how the most people in Enna have the ability to wield the power of one of the seven Great Spirits: The Shadow, The River, The Flame, The Mountain, The Wind, The Seed, and The Thief / The Balance. I found this magic system very intriguing as it's not something I’ve personally seen before (it may be inspired by other books I’m not sure). While I could see great use cases for each of them I often found myself dreaming about all the ways The Thief could be leveraged to give someone the advantage. I hope book two expounds on this more as we will hopefully learn more about how he got the title Ennea’s Thief.

I truly enjoyed the coming of age backstory that allowed us the ability to look into the depths of Kaylos soul and I often found myself hurting right alongside him as things went wrong. However, just like there are 2 sides to every coin there are two sides to this book and I personally believe that had James chosen to tell only one or the other the book would not have worked. The fact he was able to beautifully write both and intertwine them in a way where the transition never felt out of place is testament to his writing craftsmanship.

I could definitely see some nods/throwbacks to other authors who have come before him as I found the religious belief system of Jani to often remind me of the tinkers from the wheel of time. Which is a stark contrast to that of the religious beliefs of the Gousht Empire who will stop at nothing to convert everyone over to their way of life. Although not everything is what it seems and the cliffhanger James leaves us on makes me wish books were like Amazon prime orders and so I could have the sequel in two days as I finished this book a little over a week ago and I still find myself daydreaming about the story.

Honestly this book was a top 5 read for me in 2022 thanks to the author providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest thoughts and it actually caused me to bump out a previous book from my top 5 right at the end of the year. I feel very confident that this book will be in a lot of readers' top 5 for 2023 and whenever the sequel drops you can be sure I’ll be getting my hands on it as early as I can because I need more of the Malitu series in my life.

[The Fantasy Review · Rating 4 out of 5]

Spoiler-Free No Heart for a Thief by James Lloyd Dulin

I was immediately drawn to the cover of No Heart for a Thief by James Lloyd Dulin and requested an arc after reading the Goodreads description. I am so glad that I did!

No Heart for a Thief is being released January 24th 2023 by G & D Publishing. You can preorder it now from all your favourite places.

Into the review!


First Impressions

From the beginning, this was not what I was expecting from either the cover or description. No Heart for a Thief is an engaging, character driven fantasy story told in two parts: the present-day and flashbacks.

Like The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss, we have a main character, Kaylo, who is a well-known figure - known as the Hero of Anilace and Ennea’s Thief. He tells his story to Tayen, a girl he saved from occupying soldiers in their country, through flashback chapters.

I think I preferred the present-day story a little more, but both parts interweave well and are thoroughly engaging. The writing style is just fantastic too! Here is a quote that really stuck with me:

"You see, little Shade, a story is a peculiar thing. Change a word - the emphasis of a word - and it can become something it was never meant to be. A hero can become a tyrant. A tyrant can become a great uniter. And a boy who makes a lot of stupid decisions can become a myth."


The Characters

Kaylo is such an interesting main character. Initially there is a lot of mystery surrounding him, but through his telling of the past 18 years of his life, we get to know him much better. He is a complex person, initially withdrawn and reluctant, but as the book progresses, he comes out of his shell.

Tayen is a fantastic character to follow. She has a hard, tragic story, much like Kaylo, and struggles with a desire for revenge. She does progressively become less impulsive throughout the story, taking the time to learn from Kaylo as a mentor instead.

The final point I want to make about the characters is that there is a lot of humour here - especially in their interactions. I was not expecting this! But several times I found myself chuckling. This did not bring me out of the story, but instead solidified my love of the characters.



Cool Magic System

I can’t speak much on this without spoilers, as very little is given away about the magic system at the beginning, and we are drip fed information throughout the book. However, what I will say is that it’s intriguing, mystical, and fun to read!

The magic system incorporates spirits and gemstones, giving individuals certain powers. That’s as specific as I can be! But trust me, it’s cool and you’ll definitely love it.



The Worldbuilding

Despite being quite an intimate, character-driven story, the worldbuilding is fantastic. We are in Ennea, a country occupied by an intolerant Gousht Empire. The Gousht take slaves, force the local population to speak their language, and generally attempt to destroy the Ennean culture.

There are obviously dark themes throughout, and the incredibly difficult and demoralising lives of the natives is harrowing to read. James Lloyd Dulin treats this theme with care throughout the book, making for quite a philosophical and engaging read - Like I said earlier in my review, this was not what I was expecting!


Final Thoughts

No Heart for a Thief by James Lloyd Dulin is a fantastic debut fantasy novel and I am eagerly awaiting the next two instalments in this series (called Malitu). Definitely check this book out if you enjoy complex interesting characters and thought-provoking themes.

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[Esmay Rosalyne · Rating 4 out of 5]

This review was originally posted on Before We Go Blog

4.5 stars

When I first read this book back in January 2023, I went in completely blind and was absolutely blown away by the astounding quality of the story hidden behind this dark and alluring cover. I loved it so much, in fact, that I decided to do a re-read now that book 2 is right around the corner. And let me tell you, it was somehow even better this second time around. No Heart for a Thief is truly one of the most refreshing, gripping, and emotionally engaging fantasy stories out there.

For the past 18 years, Kaylo has been living a reclusive lifestyle, desperately trying to escape his turbulent and traumatic past. But his peace is disturbed when he ends up saving a young girl, Tayen, from the enemy soldiers who recently killed her family. She recognizes him as the legendary Hero of Anilace, also known as Ennea’s Thief, and soon Kaylo has to come to grips with the fact that he can’t outrun his past any longer.
With the hopes of protecting from her own burning desire for revenge, Kaylo somewhat begrudgingly becomes her guardian and mentor, and starts sharing his life story with her. What follows is a beautifully crafted dual timeline story, switching between Kaylo’s past and Tayen’s present, which will keep you emotionally engaged the entire way through.

“You see, little shade, a story is a peculiar thing. Change a word -the emphasis of a word- and it can become something it was never meant to be. A hero can become a tyrant. A tyrant can become a great uniter. And a boy who makes a lot of stupid decisions can become a myth.”

Now, let me start this review off by saying that this is a dark and challenging story dealing with difficult themes of war, occupation, racism, colonialism, oppression, grief and loss. Yet at the same time, it’s also an utterly magical and engrossing fantasy story that will fill you with wonder. All of the heavy subjects are handled with so much care and they are woven into the story in such a beautifully organic way that I never felt like they became overbearing or too on-the-nose.

On top of that, I really loved that the scope of this story is a lot more personal and intimate than you might expect. Yes, there is a large-scale war/occupation going on, but unlike in a lot of other fantasy stories, we are not focusing on the large battlefields or the big political power players of this war. Instead, this story hones in on how the war and occupation personally affects our two protagonists, which results in an introspective, meditative, intimate, emotional, and ultimately heart wrenching story.

I personally immediately latched onto both Kaylo and Tayen, even though they are both definitely not without their flaws. And yet, that is exactly why I loved them so much. They are painfully human and their respective inner conflicts are incredibly well-written, which is why I found both of their harrowing journeys so moving and compelling to follow.

“He knew her anger like he knew himself. Her fear and rage were not seperate entities, just the loudest part of her trauma.”

Tayen is such a fierce and impulsive little spitfire at the start of the story, so it’s really no surprise that she immediately captured my heart. She never loses her brashness, but I really appreciated how we slowly but surely got to see some glimmers of growth as she started to take Kaylo’s guidance and advice to heart.
Kaylo himself took me a bit longer to warm up to, but as we dove deeper into his backstory, I quickly started to become attached to him as well and by the end I honestly couldn’t tell you who my favourite character here is.

I remember that I was initially a bit caught off-guard when we suddenly jumped into Kaylo’s coming-of-age backstory on my first read, but I did not have that problem on this second read at all. It is truly masterful how both timelines interweave and compliment each other, and I enjoyed every single second of watching this story unfold.
I particularly loved how Kaylo’s own moral and spiritual journey guides him in his mentorship of Tayen and I thought it was delightful to see their bond develop as they find solace in each other’s company. I mean, who doesn’t love a good grumpy mentor/eager mentee relationship and some heartwarming found family vibes?

“The worry. The preoccupied love. The endless frustration. Maybe this bordered close to fatherhood.”

I honestly wouldn’t have minded to spend more time in the present day, because I think I could have connected to these characters on an even deeper level if we hadn’t spent about 70% of this novel in Kaylo’s past. That said, I think Dulin is a very gifted storyteller and this is one of the most effective and impressive executions of a frame narrative that I have ever encountered.

Now, even though the character- and relationship development was the highlight of the book for me personally, there’s also much to praise about the outstanding world building. This world feels so rich and well-established, and it was fascinating to see the culture clash between inhabitants of Ennea and the invading Gousht Empire.
The power and importance of (oral) storytelling is a very big focus in this story, which is a theme that will obviously hit home for us readers who have a big passion for stories. The idea that history is (re-)written by the victors is also gracefully explored here, and it was extremely harrowing to see how the invaders would do anything to erase native history and culture.

“If stories were the lifeblood of our people, what would happen if they were lies?”

I found it especially intriguing to discover how that theme bleeds through into the spiritual and elemental based magic system. The way that magic and religion are inextricably tied together in this world is truly captivating and I loved seeing how this impacted our protagonists’ lives on a personal level, particularly for Kaylo. His internal conflict, stemming from his struggles with his magic and faith, was so incredibly well-written and added so much complexity and depth to his character.
It might take a while to fully wrap your head around the unfamiliar concepts regarding the magic system, but to me that only added to the mystical and entrancing quality of the story.

And speaking of entrancing, I would be remiss not to mention the incredibly beautiful and captivating prose. I loved how Dulin made this world and the characters come to life through his evocative descriptions and compelling dialogue. There are also some great (magical) action and training sequences that had me glued to the page, because they were written in such an enthralling way.

“In the hands of a ruthless person, skillful words could be more powerful than a hundred blades.”

For the most part, though, this story is low on the action and has a quiet, meditative and introspective quality to it that perfectly fits with the spiritual and moral journeys of our characters. There are a number of profound and philosophical lines that just demand to be highlighted and reread, because they are so poignant and impactful. I stated it before already, but Dulin truly is a masterful storyteller!

So, safe to say I am absolutely blown away by this ambitious and promising debut novel. This is the type of story that so perfectly demonstrates why the fantasy genre is such a powerful tool to explore difficult real world issues, while still delivering an exciting and engaging story that can fill you with wonder. And after this brutal ending, I am honestly desperate to see where this story and these characters go next.

I highly recommend No Heart for a Thief if you are looking for an intimate and emotionally-driven fantasy story with a framing narrative, strong found family vibes, intriguing magic and lore, thought-provoking themes, and a whole lot of emotional gut punches. Dulin is without a doubt an author to watch!

Thank you to the author for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

[Blaise · Rating 5 out of 5]

https://undertheradarsffbooks.com/202...

Today is my stop on the Escapist Book Tour for the amazing novel by James Lloyd Dulin, No Heart for a Thief. This story holds many dark twists and turn. At the heart of the plot are two main POV’s trying to see the best way forward in a grim world. One has lived a life of pain, death, and sacrifices while the other has just begun to exprience life’s harsh realities. The mentor must try to save the student before it is too late because there will be no turning back.

The Goust Empire has claimed the land our main character live in with the remnants of stolen magic with a great spirit known as the thief behind it all. Kaylo has the ability to hear the songs of other magic users which some might see this as a gift, he lives with it everyday as a curse. His battle with the Goust Empire holds a big and deep scar of his past life and he now lives in a secluded forest living his life in self imposed seclusion eighteen years later. When two Goust soldiers are chasing a girl named Tayen, Kaylo kills the soldiers and takes Kaylo back to his home. While in the process of healing, Tayen tells Kaylo of the death and murder of her family at the hands of the Goust Empire and she has her heart set on vengeance.

Kaylo wants no part of this conquest but allows Tayne to stay until she is fully healed. As time slowly passes, Tayen learns about the great warrior Kaylo once was and starts to hear the songs of the mist. Relunctantly, Kalyo tells Tayen about his dark past and agrees to train Tayen in hopes that he can change her mind from going down a path of no return. I will leave it here in order to not ruin a thing for anyone itching to dive in.

When reading a debut novel, there are usually one or two areas where the author excels at. Whether characters, world-building, magic system, tone, etc. James Lloyd Dulin’s answer is to excel in all of the above. The characters of this story feel real and you can’t help but take in their pain as if it were your own. The grit and dark scenes of this story will stay with you for many days to come. The atmosphere we find ourselves in was second to none as our two main characters, at least in the beginning parts of the story, seem to be one with nature and all of its beauty.

My favorite part of the book was the mentor and student interactions with Kaylo and Tayen. Kaylo wants Tayen to turn away from this dark path but the only way to save Tayen is to teach her the great hardships he onced faced eighteen years ago. We do get flashback scenes for Kaylo but be warned, they are not for the faint of heart. Tayen will not be denied her vengeance but at least she will bring the sharpest knives to the party. The writing is reader friendly but carries a dark undertone with weight and layers behind the words. There are a few twists towards the end that make for a satisfying conclusion while setting up the next book in the series.

No Heart of a Thief will easily be in my Top 10 reads of 2023 and James Lloyd Dulin is an author you will want to keeo a close eye on. This book will sneak up on you even into the twighlight hours of the morning during the work week. I hope this book will make its way onto your TBR someday soon because you will not want to miss out on this!

Cheers!

[Dom · Rating 4 out of 5]

* You can find my full video review here: https://youtu.be/IAEo3vPkeUg *

No Heart for a Thief is the debut novel from James Lloyd Dulin, and it’s the first book in his Malitu trilogy. It’s a dark fantasy tale of occupation and rebellion, with the emphasis on occupation however, which is a slightly different take on the theme.

Where usually these stories tend to be about fighting back to reclaim the homeland, this one is told on a more personal level, with people just trying to stay out of the way, and stay alive—for the most part.

Taken in by the intriguing synopsis, it wasn’t too long before the story upended my expectations, with a second storyline, or indeed a second timeline, taking up a good portion of the book.

We start off right in the thick of things, with the main character, Kaylo, running into a young girl, Tayen. There’s a bit of a fight with some soldiers who are chasing Tayen and this gives us a first look at the magic of this world, which is interesting, and well put across in a way that gives enough to build intrigue, but not enough to know exactly what it is or how it works.

With Tayen looking for vengeance for her family, Kaylo reluctantly agrees to train her to fight back, with both steel and sorcery. As he does so, he begins to tell her his own story, which is where the book splits in two.

On the one hand, we have “the present”, where Kaylo and Tayen are trying to keep hidden from the Gousht Empire while acting as teacher and student. We then have “the past” which is Kaylo’s story of eighteen years ago, and ultimately how he ended up in that place, at that time, to find and help Tayen.

I would guess that these two parts are split quite evenly across the book, or if anything, the past has more chapters dedicated to it, but there’s no pattern to it, no alternating between chapters or anything like that.

It did throw me a bit, as the changes weren’t always highlighted. There were a couple of times where, at the end of a chapter, Kaylo announced that he was going to continue his story, and then over the page, the next chapter would be in the past. Sometimes this was missing though, so the first time it happened to me, I was a bit confused as I’d put the book down one night with a chapter in the third person and set in the present, then picked it up the next morning and it was in the first person and set in the past.

I don’t think this was really an issue though, as readers will quickly get used to that, and if the entire story was in chronological order, it wouldn’t have worked well with the shift of characters and events that would require around the halfway point. Splitting the story up this way also serves to give a break from the learning phase, so it’s a good technique to accompany a passage of time, rather than having just a training montage or something similar.

I did like both parts of the story, but if I’m being truthful, I was probably more drawn to the present in the first half of the book, and then the past in the second half—largely following the action of the respective timelines. The past really started to kick up a notch at around that point and hit some of the markers that I really enjoy in this type of story.

In terms of the other elements of the book, I really liked the magic system here, and I like the way it was introduced in a way that made me echo some of the characters in asking “what just happened” because the explanations came later.

Sometimes this can be a problem, but the balance here was pretty much perfect, so I wasn’t left actually confused at any point—I had enough information to build some theories, and then those theories would be fed with little snippets here and there as I continued reading.

I thought it was an interesting take on spirit magic, with crystals and the songs of living things, that was well put together and well utilised in the story.

The characters were good, with good depth to Kaylo through his dual storyline, but maybe not as much to the other characters though. This wasn’t really a problem though, as much of the book is told in the first person, so you’ll usually get that sort of divide anyway. There’s definite potential to Tayen’s character as well, and with the way the story ended, some of the interesting side characters look set to play a bigger part going forward, which I look forward to.

Overall, I got a lot of enjoyment out of this book. I’m definitely interested in where the story is going, it’s given me enough unanswered questions to keep me hooked, without leaving me unfulfilled, so all round, it was a job well done.

[Lena · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you so much to the author James Lloyd Dulin for providing me with an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. All my opinions are my own.

No Heart for a Thief is author's James Lloyd Dulin debut epic dark fantasy and the first book in the Malitu trilogy.

At the beginning of the story we find Kaylo, a hermit living in the forest, saving Tayen's life from a horrible fate. She's been running for her life since finding her family murdered at their home. After Kaylo saves her, he offers her a place to stay. She's reluctant but she's lost her entire family and soldiers are after her (and her magic).

No heart for a thief, no save heaven, only a grave will do.

I absolutely loved this book. And I really wish it was longer because I really wanted to continue this amazing story! I really appreciated the author taking the time to write a very thoughtful and detail Author's Note.

No Heart for a Thief is a very strong debut from the author, an absolutely amazing action packed story with fascinating and very complex characters. This wonderful dual timeline story, is one of loss, sacrifice, survival and magic that just makes you question these Spirits and Gods, more with each passing chapter. The pace is absolutely terrific and it will just leave you wanting for more until and beyond the very end. Cannot wait for the next book in the trilogy.


Read my full review here

[Tyra Leann · Rating 5 out of 5]

5/5 stars.

Thank you to the author for providing me with an ARC.

No Heart for a Thief is an absolutely incredible story that I'd encourage everyone to pick up. The author deal with complex themes of colonialism/white supremacy. He himself is white and is provides a list of BIPOC authors who deserve to be centered on these issues which I think indicates that he is very mindful of the space he's occupying in the space.

Onto the story itself, Kaylo is the main character (though not the only POV) and he is telling his story to a young girl who stumbles upon his camp. The magic in this world revolves around spirits and those who commune with them. Kaylo is twice-marked, by both The Seed and The Thief. There are two plot threads to follow the present day and the story itself. Kaylo is a compelling character and by following both threads we really gain a greater picture of the character growth he'd undergone.

Full review to come on FanFiAddict tomorrow when the book is published!

[Zamil Akhtar · Rating 5 out of 5]

Big five stars from me for No Heart for a Thief.

Emotion pours through every page of this book. This is one of the most heartfelt tales I’ve read in a long while, filled with tragic circumstances and the very human responses to them. The struggle that these characters endure is painted in such vivid detail, with prose that is off-the-charts.

It’s also a fantastic examination of colonialism/imperialism and its eradication of culture – not just the outward aspects of culture, but the different ways people think about the world and humanity’s place in nature. It’s a theme that is beautifully presented throughout this novel’s 400+ pages, and embedded deeply in the rich worldbuilding that utterly transported me.

Read this if you love unique, immersive worlds, character-driven tales filled with emotion, and resonant themes!

[Rachel (TheShadesofOrange) · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars
This was a solid epic fantasy debut. The story is a very intimate narrative, focusing on the two main characters. I actually wished the story had been wider in scope because I wanted to see the rest of the world.

The writing was quite nice with clean prose. The character work was easily the strongest element. I liked seeing these two characters work together. The story leans into several tropes but they are ones I enjoy and so they didn't feel tied.

For a debut novel, I was pleased with this one. I would recommend it to readers looking to start a new fantasy series.

Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher.

[E.J. J Doble · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was impressive and heartfelt, with some really well-thought-out themes and motifs that made the book feel very complete on an emotional level. Kaylo is a fantastic protagonist, both grief-ridden and also determined to do better, and watching his story unravel was very intriguing to watch. The magic system, equally, was very exciting and fresh, and the idea of a thief or "Malitu" was very nicely done, especially the social ostracizing.
Perhaps my only negative with the book would be that it jumps into backstory very fast at the start, which I understand is to draw parallels between Kaylo's current situation and his previous life, but it just felt a bit jarring when I read it. Not enough to knock a star off, however, as the use of backstories was very effective throughout the remainder of the book.

A great final read of 2022!

[C.J. Daley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved the cover, so I signed right up for the ARC team and I was happy to be approved. Liked it so much I purchased a copy too!

Let me start with saying, WOW, that is how you write an ending! The climax is just so incredibly epic and beautiful and dark at the same time. Threads that were weaved throughout the entire story coming together to make a beautiful little sweater of gut-punching, heartbreaking action and tension. I am blown away.

An epic debut with heavy emotion, heart, power, and gravity. Written in part as a study of colonialism, this fantasy brings a completely new world with incredible characters, magic, and histories.

The main character, Kaylo, is a jaded loner. He has been through the ringer, and connecting with others is not his thing. When Tayen crosses his path, he’s faced with a choice—let her be captured, or worse, killed. He makes his choice, and the novel has its momentum. With a story like this, for me at least, it reminded me heavily of The Last of Us. As with TLOU, both characters bounce off each other, bickering and fighting, before finding caring. It’s such a good dynamic, and the author brings some new things to the plate with it. The side characters are just as important and fully imagined as well though, it’s just super solid.

The magic system is brought to the world’s inhabitants through the Great Spirits, or worshipped godlike presences. The gifts bestowed to the people allow them to call upon these spirits, altering the world around them in various ways. It was refreshing that this didn’t have limits attached for the users, but it was simply understood that it isn’t limitless either.

The writing is fantastic, and I loved that the teacher told the story of his life as a way to give her lessons as opposed to the regular fantasy teaching scenes. It also gave the story two timelines which were both great.

Personally a 5/5*. I’ll be thinking about this one for a while. Bring on book two asap.

https://fanfiaddict.com/review-no-hea...

[Booksblabbering || Cait❣️ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Character-driven, great world-building, thoughtful prose, and a warning tale of colonialism.

The Gousht version of ‘civilisation’ sees the Tomakans killed, ripped from their homes, re-educated.
Against his better judgement, Kaylo, a jaded, lone 34 year old rescues a stray Tomakan girl from soldiers. She is thirsty for revenge and he promises to train her if she exercises patience.
Told in a dual narrative from the present day and in flashbacks with young Kaylo telling his story which led to him being known as The Hero of Anilace, a leader of the Uprising.

This is a strong character driven story emboldened with interesting world building. There are spirit dancers who can control the elements, and gods they pray to and a certain god they hate. These gifts can be stolen by both the Thief and now the enemy Gousht with crystals.

It is interesting how Dublin shows how stories can be manipulated and changed to suit the teller’s purpose.

"My mother said that our stories are all we have. Stories are our people.
Without them, we are moments in time without beginning or ending."

All of our characters deal with, to some degree, self-loathing. For running, for surviving, for not acting, for acting. Dublin writes a powerful message of dealing with your choices.

"The older you get, the more you'll realize that no one knows what they are doing. We get by however we can. Besides, plans usually turn to shit." He handed her the blade she swung the night before, secure in its scabbard. "When that happens, you'll need this."

A very enjoyable three stars!🌟

Thank you to the author for sending me the book in exchange for a review!

Bookstagram

[Jord MiddleofNowhere · Rating 4 out of 5]

No Heart for a Thief starts with a bang and continues to fulfill on the promise as the book continues to unfold. The character is introduced in a very dynamic way and makes it exciting to know where he came from as well as what his overall plan is. The author definitely does a great job building this intrigue and keeping the reader invested in both the past story as well as the current story. There were a few times that I was switched back and forth between the times that felt very sudden and jarring. Overall, I really enjoyed the story as it explains the invasion and the magic that is the central part of the entire story.

The strength of the novel was definitely the magic system and the creative way that it was used throughout the story. It was varied and dynamic, especially as it related to all of the characters throughout the novel. The twists and turns of the impact that it can have is what really made the story more interesting and varied to read. The biggest issue that I had with the novel is the time that we had with some of the characters. It was hard to connect with someone other than the main character as the story switches often and accomplishes a lot within the short amount of pages that the book contains. The characters would come in and be gone within a short amount of time just because of the passage of time. I would have liked to be able to connect with some of the characters a lot more.

This is a solid debut novel and I am sure that it will only continue to get better. I am excited to see how the magic continues to build upon itself and how it will impact the story in even more exciting and interesting ways. I see a lot of promise and will definitely be a series to watch going forward. The author definitely has a great story to tell and it has started off on a good foot. Don't let The Thief steal your desire to read this novel.

Thank you for taking the time to read my review. As always, happy reading and Stay Great!!

Disclaimer: I received a copy from the author in exchange for an honest review.

[Jamedi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Full text review: https://jamreads.com/reviews/no-heart...

Interview with James L. Dulin: https://jamreads.com/interviews/some-...

No Heart for a Thief is a dark epic fantasy novel, the first in the Malitu trilogy, and the debut from James L. Dulin. It touches on some themes that I personally enjoy seeing being used in fantasy, such as colonialism and rebellion; and it has a really particular style of narration that also caught my interest.

This is a story about a man who has tried to maintain himself out of the fight against the occupation, Kaylo, who has chosen to keep a reclusive lifestyle in hopes of forgetting his violent past. This relative peace gets broken as he is forced to save a girl, Tayen, from the soldiers that killed her family, unchaining the consequences of that act. Soon, Kaylo becomes a sort of master and mentor for Tayen in hopes to keep her far from her vengeance wishes, trying to protect her; this girl recognizes Kaylo as the legendary Ennea's Thief, the Hero of Anilance, making Kaylo acknowledge that he can't run from his past forever.

What starts with this is a greatly crafted dual-POV story, switching between Kaylo's past and Tayen's present, weaving it to create a character-driven plot around the occupation of Ennea by the Ghoulsh, and how our main characters have lived it. Because it is important to remark, that despite Ennea being a land under occupation and in war, this theme is going to be treated in a much more intimate way, taking the focus on how those characters have lived it and how it has influenced their lives. It becomes a really dark story even from the start, with death and violence in it, but treated with respect and focuses mostly on how it has affected our characters.

Another theme that gets touched, despite it being in a more light way, is how history gets modified depending on who is the one telling it, usually getting oriented to the side of the winners. We can see how Ennea's beliefs have been modified, firstly after the internal wars between tribes, and secondly by the Ghoulsh invasors; creating an internal struggle in a spiritual sense for Kaylo.

Worldbuilding is certainly another of the aspects that you can see has got a great amount of work behind it. Ennea is an interesting land, which has a long history before the period we are being spectators, with their own beliefs and customs; there are several small examples that are great illustrating it. Magic is also an important part of this world, the Song is a sort of hard magic system, but with diffuse rules. It is interesting to see how it has also evolved with time, and how due to the circumstances, these diffuse rules have appeared, showing more intricacy as a result of the lack of clear knowledge about it. The way it is cast and how it is executed by connecting nature spirits is another of the aspects that made it really spectacular to read it being practiced.

Pacing is solid during the whole novel, but it suffers a little bit at the start of the story, especially until we are aware of the particular style of this narration; in that sense, using a dual POV is both, a strength and a weakness. Tayen's storyline is slightly slower, while Kaylo's is highly emotional, being my particular favourite.

In summary, No Heart for a Thief is an excellent debut, a dark fantasy story with a great scope, but centered around characters. If you are looking for a different way to reflect colonialism and rebellion, or if you want a character-driven fantasy story, I suspect this book is perfect for you.

[Seanchalant · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an advanced reader copy from the author in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed in this review are mine and mine alone.

From the first chapter, I felt like this book was something special. The prose flows beautifully and the characters instantly grab your attention. It didn’t take long for me to fall into the lives of Kaylo and Tayen.

Beginning with an excellent action scene that simultaneously sets up the stakes, establishes the character and builds the world, No Heart For A Thief grips instantly. From there, Tayen and Kaylo develop and wonderful grumpy-mentor/eager-trainee relationship reminiscent of Wolverine and Laura from Logan or Arya and The Hound in Game of Thrones Season Four.

And as if that wasn’t enough, we start getting first person flashbacks, ala The Name of the Wind and I fucking swooned. Without a doubt my favorite storytelling trope, I fell instantly into both narratives, never upset that we changed timelines. We learn why Kaylo cut himself off from the world, juxtaposed with him training Tayen and slowly opening again.

I honestly can’t think of a single complaint I have with this book. The magic, an elemental system, has enough rules to understand and enough mystery to still be magic. The conflict is gripping and timely. The world is steeped in history and lore. And most of all, the characters, from Kaylo and Tayen, to the side characters who aid them along their way, are very distinct, fully-realized and relatable.

No Heart For A Thief sneaked in at the last minute and stole its way into my favorite reads of 2022. I have been waiting for a book to show up and sweep me off my feet for quite some time and James Lloyd Dulin delivered on that perfectly. This is the kind of book that will remind why you love fantasy in the first place.

RELEASE DATE: JANUARY 24th, 2023

[Omar Mohammed · Rating 5 out of 5]

Disclaimer: I received a free ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review. All opinions in this review are my own.

*****

It’s incredible to think that this is James Lloyd Dulin’s first book. Although it may not be a surprise, as he self describes in the book’s ‘About the Author,’ he’s “a nerd with a head full of stories and limited time to put them on the page.”

No Heart for a Thief (NHFT) is a book that centres itself on world-building, complete with a unique and interesting take on a magic system that comes from archetypal spirits (regardless of one’s own…liking or interest in said spirits), as well as rich and complex character development. Luckily for me, those are the two main things that I look for in a story and Dulin does this masterfully.

However, out of the two, character development is where his storytelling shines. While Kaylo and Tayen shine as the two protagonists of the story, many secondary and tertiary characters jump out of the page as fully realised and realistic individuals who inhabit fully the world he’s built. What makes his character work so great, and therefore a treat for persons who love character-driven stories, is that he’s unafraid to make you run the gamut of emotions for his characters. I, for example, despised and cheered on Tayen, while literally saying out loud “For f’ks sake Kaylo” and then tearing up for him just a few chapters later. His characters are deeply flawed, make morally grey and questionable choices and it’s always a toss of the coin whether they would (or should) come out on top in the end. Special shout out to Jonac, who may be my favourite character in the story.

The magic system is also complex and like all great world building devices, gives you enough while still clearly benefitting from a trove of lore and history that is off the page — and hopefully to be unveiled in later sequels to the book. At times it reminded me of combinations of magic systems from the Threadlight series, Codex Alera and the Bound and the Broken. The ‘song’ as it’s called, still has a lot of exposition to go in unravelling what it can or can’t do, but Dulin clearly intends to do so in later editions.

What underlies this story, and what makes it resonate for readers like myself who come from backstories of colonisation and the displacement of cultures and peoples, is the through-line of the power structures and imbalance inherent in the coloniser/colonised dynamic. The story’s plot, while suffering from the one major weakness (not a big one), of the villain as a system, is also historically honest in that regard. In the horrendous history of colonisation around the world, it was often the entrenched system of racism, classism and so on that perpetuated the wrongs, and not comfortably located in one ‘big bad.’ This is a truth throughout the book, where Kaylo, Tayen and the others all have their own antagonists and target of their vengeance. However, in reality, these big bads are all just cogs in the wheel of colonisation. While at times, I can imagine some readers thinking the parallels might be too heavy-handed, I would say it needs to be.

I sincerely appreciate Dulin’s own self-reflection on telling stories like this, as someone who does not come from such a background, and this deep interest and care comes through his storytelling. Because, for me, the single most impressive thing about this debut is Dulin’s storytelling and his wielding of the English language. NHFT is beautiful to read. He touches the line of overdoing the flowery and descriptive prose, but always keeps his toe on the right side. The results are paragraphs and descriptions that can take your breath away, and that can even move your emotions in just the description of a forest.

Final thoughts: All in all, it’s a fantastic debut that leaves you wanting more, with engaging and realistic characters that inhabit a lived-in world that reflects our own in both good and bad ways, while supported by an exciting and innovative magic system. Cannot wait for book 2 in the Malitu series!

[James Harwood-Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent!

The Empire invades. Forcing its beliefs upon the Ennean people. In the midst of ongoing conflict a legendary hero will begin to open his soul.

No heart? Nope. Lots of heart! Innovative spirit magic and plenty of action. Excellent start to series!

[Lezlie The Nerdy Narrative · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've had this book on my TBR since 2023 and finally picked it up last week. Now that I've finished, I'm kicking myself for waiting so long! The silver lining in this case is that there are an additional two books in this series that I can immediately move into! (It's the little things, right?!)

This is the kind of book that you get immersed into so easily and lose track of time passing. At first, I was so taken in by the two main characters and soaking up everything I could about the magic system that I failed to notice the amazing world building that was taking place. This author has the writing style that I love the most: full of vibrant imagery that easily forms the scenes in my mind's eye and written in a way that I can just fly through the narrative as quickly as my little eyes can go. I know that may sound ridiculous, but I'm one of those people who can't sit still for long periods of time, so when I stay rooted to a book for hours at a time, that's a big deal for me.

I enjoyed the dual timeline, where we meet Tayen in her present, but learn of Kaylo's past as he takes to teaching her to survive, fight and use her magic as a spirit dancer. It initially felt to me like it could possibly be a passing of the torch sort of thing, but as I continued my way through the story, I began to think that perhaps Kaylo's adventure isn't over, it's merely picking up after a brief hiatus. Maybe Tayen has given him purpose again?

One of the themes illustrated with this story is colonization. I have to say this author did a great job fleshing this out, using characters and their actions, teachings beliefs to justify and explain their actions. It felt impartial and a fair view of how both sides felt. I don't think I'm doing a good job explaining myself here, but I appreciated that the theme wasn't just one-sided, if that makes a little bit better sense. (if not, just read it and help a girl out here!)

I've heard from other fans of the series that the books get better and better, so I am very, very excited to discover that for myself AND to see what happens next! If you were to force me to find one thing to complain about, I'd say the ending! It wasn't exactly a cliffhanger, but close enough to have me hollering WTF at 10:17PM last night when I finished it. (Scared both of my poor old pups to death, lol)

[Jason Barber · Rating 5 out of 5]

First off I received an ARC of the this book from the author James Lloyd Dulin and I am so thankful I did. I am very surprised at how beautifully written this book is, and absolutely loved the book through out. The cover caught my eye first thing when I saw it and peaked my curiosity. From the very beginning of this story it pulls you in, especially with the unique magic system and overall unique qualities of the stories. Through out the novel it takes you on two journeys between the past of the protagonist and then to the present with the two main characters, Kaylo and Tayen, along with other great characters as well, I'm looking forward to seeing these characters grow and to continue this great journey with "No Safe Have, Malitu: Book Two! I have to say this has definitely been a highlight to my 2022 books read, and would highly recommend giving this new author a chance, I know I will be keeping an eye out for the next installment of Malitu.

[TheReadingStray · Rating 4 out of 5]

Found Family ✓ Heart-Wrenching ✓ Mentor – Apprentice ✓ Revenge Story ✓

“I know how much it hurts to rememeber, and how remembering is the only thing that comes close to comfort.”

Check out my Blog :)

What is the Book about?

We are the stories we tell ourselves…even the lies.

The Thief, a great spirit, and her descendants have abused their ability to steal magic for centuries. When Kaylo starts to hear the song of other people’s magic, he must learn to hide from his people as well as the invaders. A gift or a curse, Kaylo may be able to save his people from the Gousht Empire that claimed their land with this stolen magic.

Eighteen years later, Kaylo still prays to the spirits, but not out of loyalty or love. He knows better than to rely on those selfish bastards for anything. While hiding in the forest from his foolish acts of rebellion, he encounters a girl, Tayen, being pursued by two soldiers of the empire. Against his better judgment, he risks facing the consequences of his past to intervene.

When Tayen attempts to run off seeking vengeance for her family, he offers to train her to wield her magic and a blade. If he can’t convince her to relinquish her need for vengeance and stave off the demons of his past, he’s going to get them both killed.

Rating
Plot ★★★☆☆
Characters ★★★★★
Excitement ★★★☆☆
Atmosphere ★★★★★
Writing Style ★★★★★

Favourite Character
Kaylo

My thoughts while reading it

“No Heart for a Thief” by James Lloyd Dulin is a haunting symphony of darkness and redemption, immersing readers in a world where the echoes of tragedy resonate long after the final page. This debut, the first installment in the Malitu series, invites us into the tortured soul of Kaylo, an aging thief and spirit dancer whose heart bears the scars of a war he feels personally responsible for.

The narrative begins with a visceral intensity as Kaylo, a reluctant hero, snatches a young girl named Tayen from the clutches of death. Her family slaughtered by the merciless hands of Gousht Empire soldiers, Tayen becomes a vessel of grief and vengeance. In Kaylo’s secluded forest sanctuary, the stage is set for an emotional journey that transcends the boundaries of fantasy.

Dulin’s storytelling prowess shines through a dual-timeline structure, weaving together the present-day struggles of Kaylo and Tayen with the haunting echoes of Kaylo’s tragic past. The characters are not mere ink on paper; they are living, breathing entities with wounds that bleed emotion into every word. As Kaylo reluctantly takes on the mantle of mentor and guardian, the reader is drawn into the intricate dance of pain and redemption, witnessing the fragile blossoming of an unlikely bond.

The magic system, grounded in the ethereal Great Spirits of Ennea, lends a unique and enchanting quality to the tale. The Thief spirit, with its morally ambiguous powers, adds a layer of complexity that tugs at the heartstrings. Dulin masterfully juxtaposes the polytheistic beliefs of Ennea against the oppressive monotheism of the Gousht Empire, crafting a rich tapestry that serves as a backdrop for the characters’ internal struggles.

Yet, it is the emotional intensity that sets this debut apart. Dulin doesn’t just tell a story; he immerses readers in the raw, unfiltered emotions of his characters. The mentor-student dynamic between Kaylo and Tayen is not just a plot device; it is a poignant exploration of loss, sacrifice, and the indomitable human spirit.

As the novel draws to a close, a bittersweet symphony resonates, leaving an indelible mark on the reader’s soul. Dulin’s ability to infuse every word with emotion transforms “No Heart for a Thief” into an unforgettable experience. This is not just a fantasy novel; it is a journey into the depths of the human heart, where pain and redemption coexist in a delicate balance. James Lloyd Dulin’s debut is a masterful blend of darkness and hope, a testament to the enduring power of storytelling to stir the deepest recesses of the soul.

Reading Recommendation? ✓
Favourite? ✘

[Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

After thinking about this so more (actually can's stop thinking about it) amd having a live chat with the author (https://youtube.com/live/ySeXvXfypN0?...), I think I'm bumping this up to 4.5 stars!

Fantastic storytelling weaved in with a magic and belief system that drew me in instantly!

Hidden for maybe slight spoilers - though I don't actually write what happens just hints.

No Heart for a Thief is book 1 in the Malitu series and a dual timeline dark fantasy novel. I was sucked into the storytelling aspect of this novel and didn't want to leave. The magic and belief system were engaging and I wanted more and more of it as I read further in. It's a story of colonialism, magic, and religion - the author states at the end that is not telling any one story in particular, however it was so reminiscent of the Indigenous stories in the US that that was the image I had the entire time. (Reminded me a lot of the Spellbinders and Gunslingers series by Joseph John Lee.)

Kaylo is our MC and he's telling his life story (in part) to a young girl he takes on as an apprentice, of sorts. I was instantly attracted to Kaylo's character and story and wanted more. He is the type of character that could be said to be morally gray, he's a vague hero/anti-hero. All throughout the book, readers aren't quite sure if he's the good guy or the bad guy - yet we get the majority of the book through his eyes, so therefore we want to root for him, regardless. (Or at least that was my experience.) My problem with Kaylo's character though - and this is just purely reader's preference, nothing wrong with the actual writing of it - is that he is always down on himself, a everyone hates me or will hate me if they know what I really am type of character. This type of character is fine, if the character turns at some point and no longer thinks that. There was maybe a slight redemption of this at the end, but not enough for me. Like I said nothing wrong with the writing, I just don't sympathize well with a character who is constantly like this.

Another thing that was a reader preference for me and knocked it down to 4 stars is that the pacing is extremely slow. This is a slow read - at least it was for me. Even though it only took 10 days, it felt like I was reading a lot slower. Nothing wrong with a slow paced book, I just prefer a big quicker. It's also a character driven book, which contributes to the slower pacing. It's focused on the characters not so much on the plot. Though it's not 100% character driven, as things do happen. Just slowly giving the characters time to grow.

I often have a hard time with dual timeline books like this. In this case, I was equally drawn to both timelines and wanted to be stuck in both worlds while reading and so when it jumped to another it took me a while to acclimate to the new timeline. This is mostly on me as a reader, and just how I read.

Overall though, fantastic story and start to a series and I can't wait to see where it goes from here.

[Luke Winch · Rating 5 out of 5]

This ARC was provided by the author in an exchange for an honest review and will also be published on Goodreads.

It wasn't enough that they killed her family and took her home. The Gousht had taken away everything her life should have been. She should have grown up in the city surrounded by friends and family. She should have gone to school. She should have become a part of Ennea. Instead, Tayen was trying to escape Ennea before the dying land crushed her beneath its corpse.

Fantasy and sci-fi stories not only have the ability to entertain and enthral us, they are a medium of story telling that can tackle difficult issues that we face in real life. Fantasy books that I have read in the past have dealt with sexuality, persecution, hate crimes, grief, the effects of war, prejudice and violence. When facing these issues through fantasy, it provides a cushion, a means to help us talk about something that we find difficult to confront within our every day lives, or on the news, or in a non-fiction book. That is the power of the fantasy genre, to keep the conversation going, to question ourselves, to question others and to ultimately bring us understanding, compassion or catharsis.

No Heart For A Thief is one of these stories. It is a dark fantasy tale set in a time of occupation by an invading force where your skin colour or the colour of your hair marks you as an inferior or dangerous person. The author has a trigger warning at the beginning of this novel and I am glad that he does. Because even as a white middle aged man, I found some moments of the story quite harrowing and emotionally challenging.

But please don't you let that put you off. James Lloyd Dullin has written a powerful, visceral but beautiful story that centres on two characters who need each other more than they know.

Kaylo is a man who has cut himself off from human contact, hiding from the legend and myth that surrounds him, he yearns for an emotional connection but ultimately fears it too. He is The Thief and bestowed the power to steal spirit magic from others; hated and persecuted by all other dancers, people who can wield a spirit magic of their own.

Into his life comes Tayen, a young girl torn from her family by fire and violence, whose young heart is consumed by vengeance and yearns the means and weapons to exact her revenge on the Gousht empire that has taken everything from her.

Together they must find solace and understanding to one another as they are relentlessly pursued by the soldiers and trackers of the Gousht, a pale skinned, pale haired race who follow the One True God and will stop and nothing to eradicate the people of Ennea's beliefs and way of life and enforce their own religion and doctrine on the population.

For me to give you anymore information about the story and it's characters, would do nothing but lessen the impact that this book could have on you. James has created a powerful morality tale that I found deeply thought-provoking and incredibly immersive and that is in part thanks to his wonderful prose. At times poetic, other times philosophical, there were lines that I read where I had to take a pause and appreciate the author's craft.

There was an art and a grace to how Jonac managed conflict. He never fought the tide. He addressed the moons, rather than the waters they pulled.

Another aspect to the author's writing that I really enjoyed and haven't come across that often, was the fact that the story is written in third and first person. This is because Kaylo is telling a story to Tayen within the story we are reading. Kaylo's past is critical to understanding who he is; the people he has met, the actions he has taken, the spiritual and moral journey he has been through. This in turn is paramount to how he interacts with Tayen and the moral guidance that he is desperate for her to absorb, before her path to vengeance destroys her.

I love Kaylo as a character and we get to see where he started and the man he has become, which is the beauty of the simultaneous timelines we get. I adored how James connected both those stories through Kaylo's advice and moral guidance to Tayen, to the very people who made an impression on his younger self, who taught him about their values, their philosophy and way of life. Jonac is one of the standout characters for me and the interaction between him and younger Kaylo is a lovely mirroring of our present relationship between his older self and Tayen. It is done with skill and aplomb and brings those timelines together beautifully.

Tayen is a beautifully realised character whose trajectory mirrors that of our young Kaylo. A child deep in grief, whose emotions are wild and erratic, she is the storm that needs calming. Though we spend the majority of time with Kaylo, I found returning back to the scenes between these two a comfort almost. Her irritation at Kaylo's moral and spiritual guidance can sometimes be quite comical, but at the same time, as someone who has experienced the grief of losing a family member, I understand that frustration, that anger and rage that you are not in control and James gets this across wonderfully with the character of Tayen.

The magic system in this book is fantastic. When a magic system can excite me and bring something fresh to the table, you know this is an author who has spent a great deal of thought and effort into it. There is a musical metaphor to the system, the magic users are called dancers, who attune to an energy called, The Song. Ennea, The Mother, created seven spirits, and each of those spirits can imbue itself to a person. There are elemental spirits such as The River and The Mountain and others such as The Shadow, think of it as a stealthy magic, and The Seed, which gives you the ability to control plant life and attune to nature. Lastly of course if The Thief who, when a dancer is charging up, for want of a better word, their ability, The Thief can snatch it and use that ability themselves. It felt fresh and dynamic and with James' prose, made for some riveting action scenes.

As I mentioned up front, this book deals with some difficult themes. There is violence to children, death of family members, racism and discrimination. These of course made certain scenes deeply moving or even profound and some I found quite upsetting, but none of it was done needlessly or gratuitously. James tells a story of an invading force, attacking, conquering and occupying another races homeland. Historically conquering forces eradicate native history or culture and supplant it with their own and how James weaved this into the narrative I found fascinating and harrowing. History is written by its victors and James really stamps this home with the Gousht.

As a bit of a history buff, these aspects of the story really interested me but the heart of the book is of course our two main protagonists and the how their lives intertwine. There is an element of found family here, a real universal need to help another divert from a destructive path that you once took, to ensure a life with some contentment and happiness. I found some of the scenes between Kaylo and Tayen deeply moving and that is helped hugely by knowing what the younger Kaylo has been through.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The pacing is sublime, the authors prose is wonderfully engaging and the characters memorable. Because of the difficult themes the book covers, it may not be for everyone, but that's the beauty of fantasy, there is so much diversity out there. For me personally, I engage with fantasy that challenges me, challenges my beliefs, my thoughts and actions towards others and really makes you think about the world around you and I love that.

No heart for a thief, no safe haven, only a grave will do.

As the first entry into a series, James establishes the world confidently, presents us with deeply flawed characters whose journeys have just begun, and a dark fantasy story brimming with possibilities and promise. Bring on book two Mr Dulin!

5/5

[Craig Bookwyrm · Rating 5 out of 5]

You can read my full review here:

https://escapistbookcompany.com/2022/...

[Julia Sarene · Rating 4 out of 5]

No Heart for a Thief by James Lloyd Dulin is a very impressive debut!

It's an epic fantasy that manages to balance a complex world and magic system with a rather more close and intimate viewpoint than these type of stories usually have. This gave it a bit of an unique and fresh feel, which is always a big plus for me!

Instead of being about a big rebellion trying to overthrow the oppressors who have conquererd the land, it's about the smaller scale of just surving day by day, though I'm sure there'll be more politics and fighting in book two, as there are hints about what might have happened before.

The story starts off with the main character rescuing a young girl, who is then craving vengeance for her family. Here the story splits between scenes of training her magic as well as her fighting skills, and a secondary time line of the main character telling her about his past.

I got confused for a moment every so often, when the switch between the timelines wasn't clearly marked, though I always found my footing again quickly. At times I would have liked to stay in the present a bit longer, but overall both storylines were engaging and interesting.

The magic system was both mysterious, but still felt solid enough to fit smoothly within the world.

[Wolfmantula · Rating 5 out of 5]

Follow me on Twitter: Twitter.com/wolfmantula
For more reviews, go to: https://wolfmantula.com/recent-posts/

MY ⭐️ RATING: 4.5/5
FORMAT: Kindle Ebook

No Heart for a Thief is a solid dark fantasy debut by author James Lloyd Dulin, who weaves together a great story of an indigenous people who are being forced to convert to a single god religion by the Gousht. I have heard some good praises on this, which lead to me getting a signed hardcover for my personal collection. The cover art is by the illustrious Felix Ortiz and Martin Mottet, so it’s not too shocking that it is absolutely stunning, which also had a part to play in getting that copy for myself.

The story is told on two fronts, both in the present and in the past, the beginning starts in their present day with a perfect hook that immediately draws you in, then it settles down a bit as we start to get to know more about Kaylo, the main character of the story. The past timeline is the most prevalent as Kaylo tells of his past to the recently rescued Tayen. Dulin does a really good job of digging in and really helping to set the stage of the world in its present day as well as the development of Kaylo to understand why he is, who he is now. Dulin’s world-building was phenomenal, it was truly a work of art and a delight to experience the world that he has created in all of its magical detail.

Kaylo is by far the most interesting character of the story since he is the focal point, but it does have a lot of secondary characters that play a big role in the story, such as Tayen and Jonac, though I thought Tayen would play a bigger role because of the student/mentor trope that I read this had, but what I found was that not only is Kaylo the mentor to Tayen, but a student to Jonac as well which makes this a very interesting blend of that particular trope. Even though Tayen was less featured than I expected, she has an interesting story that will play out later on I hope. Jonac is also very interesting as we get to know a lot about him and his people through the backstory that Kaylo tells to Tayen.

“You see, little shade, a story is a peculiar thing. Change a word the emphasis of a word and it can become something it was never meant to be. A hero can become a tyrant. A tyrant can become a great uniter. 
And a boy who makes a lot of stupid decisions can become a myth.”

I really loved the elemental magic that Dulin implemented, particularly the magic of Kaylo the thief, whose magic is both a blessing and a curse. It’s a story that sets the groundwork of his redemption and a people’s vengeance to be free and worship the many spirits they believe in. Stories like this really make you think about our own history and the things that tribes went through when the America’s were being colonized. One of the things I like to do when I read stories about indigenous tribes, is try to figure out on my own who the inspiration was, and I could be off here, but it is my belief that The Potowatomi people are who this story is based around. They were from the Grand Rapids, Michigan area where the author is also from. The Gousht likely the French, came to turn indigenous people to a single god religion.

While this had a decent bit of action in it that was bloody and brutal, I have a feeling that book two should be pretty crazy with how No Heart for a Thief ends leading me to believe that there could be less past and more present in the next installment! With all that said, I did have just one issue that kept me from giving it a better grade, and that was that I would’ve liked to see more present day with Tayen than we got, because the parts that we got, I really enjoyed. Don’t get me wrong, I liked Kaylo’s backstory, but I would’ve liked to see more progression from Tayen as she trains with Kaylo as well.

[K.E. Andrews · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a free ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. I had seen so many good things about this story, and it didn't disappoint! First off, I really enjoyed Dulin's writing style of being able to weave a story together with a well-constructed plot, great pacing, and dealing with two different timelines all the while dropping in great lines that hit home a lot of points. This book gives off Avatar the Last Airbender vibes and had one of my favorite tropes of older father figure who has seen some stuff and younger angry child, which made me think of Geralt and Ciri. While it took a bit to understand the magic system in the beginning, it all made sense in the end, and I really liked it. Kaylo as a dancer for The Seed was such an interesting choice (and being someone who likes gardening) I enjoyed reading how the character connected with the magic. At first, I was thrown off by the shift to the first-person POV for Kaylo's story, but that ended up being one of my favorite parts of the book. Dulin took on of my favorite characters, Jonac and his family, and broke them apart in such a way that I love and hate him for (I knew something would happen to Jonac and Dulin shows that even if you don't kill characters, you can hurt them in other ways). I really enjoyed the themes of forgiveness and balance in this story. The twist at the end makes me excited to see where this story is going in book 2. There were times I wanted a bit more background about the world and for the Gousht Empire and a bit more descriptions of the Freecity at the end of the book. That part I was less invested in because so much of the rest of the world had been described and built up, but Dasoon felt a bit empty description-wise. As far as debut novels go, this is such a strong and fantastic start for Dulin. 4.5/5

[myfriendsarefantasy · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Time is not a path we walk; it is the wind that rushes about us on our journey,”

No Heart for a Thief is a violent, grim dark fantasy with a gripping story and an intriguing magical system. The story begins with Kaylo saving a fourteen year old girl named Tayen from soldiers who have murdered her family. It is told on two timelines, one in present day and one where Kaylo is telling Tayen about his past.

“You see , little shade, a story is a peculiar thing. Change a word—the emphasis of a word—and it can become something it was never meant to be. A hero can become a tyrant. A tyrant can become a great uniter. And a boy who makes a lot of stupid decisions can become a myth.”

This is a brutal world where people hide their true identities if they have been blessed by one of the seven spirits from the Empire, who would steal them and draft them into slavery. One of those spirits is known as the thief or a malitu and has the ability to take other people’s spirits. Imagine hearing your whole life the tales of the evil malitu and then discovering you are one.

“You know what they say, ‘No heart for a thief. No safe haven,’” Jonac whispered into my ear. “‘ Only a grave will do”

This book was devastating, full of grief and just the beginning of Kaylo’s story. There were some violent scenes with graphic imagery that definitely gave it a grimdark fantasy feel. It was reminiscent of The Name of the Wind in the way it began in a present day crisis and went back to the beginning of the story of how everything came to be.

I felt the story ended suddenly though that may have been because I wanted to stay within the World. To say it ended on a cliff hanger wouldn’t be accurate, but it left us with lots of questions. I look forward to the release of the next book in the series and finding out more about Kaylo and Tayen in No Safe Have, Malitu. Thank you to James Lloyd Dullin for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Marilyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an emotionally packed book about oppression, religion, and enslavement. Although this focuses on indigenous people of an area, the situation could be at any time in history at any place around the world where there is repression and forced acceptance of the conqueror.
The magic system was hard to understand, and it took quite a long while reading to finally imagine it. It’s a very interesting system. It also is intermingled with religious beliefs. How this will help or hinder the main characters is intriguing to witness as you read about their journey.
The characters are also well developed and easy to imagine. Kaylo and Tayen are a really good duo. I look forward to more of their story.
The chapters go back and forth between the present and the past. Even though it was fascinating to see Kaylo’s past life, it was a bit jarring at times. I needed more time with the duo and then some chapters dedicated to Kaylo’s past. Once I was engaged in one story, I was pulled into the other story and had to adjust all over again. So this part of the writing didn’t flow for me. But the writing was splendid and conveyed locations, emotions, and characters vividly.
A heartfelt debut novel with a nod to the inexcusable treatment of people seen as lesser than the conqueror’s culture and ideas.

[K.D. Marchesi · Rating 4 out of 5]

**Thank you to the author for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review**

No Heart for a Thief was a refreshing take on a character sharing their backstory. This tale takes place in two timelines, the past and the present, both deadly.

We follow Kaylo, a protagonist who craves interaction while being terrified of the responsibilities that brings. When Goust soldiers show up hunting a young girl he knows he must call on the spirits and help in whatever way he can.

Tayen has lost everything, and is untrusting of her new protector but needs him for her survival.

Kaylo carries a legend. The hero of Ennea and Tayen needs to know how this recluse of a man came to be. The past and present match up in a race against the Goust soldiers on the hunt. As the story progresses so do the relationships.

A few of my favourite elements:
No Heart for a Thief felt fresh, both story time lines coupled the other in a way that built up the tension between each one. The use of magic was excellent and a really intriguing, I can't wait to see more. The deeper conversations of acceptance and belief in one self and the effects of years and years of prior beliefs. The author has written a really solid debut and I am looking forward to more from this world!

Full review to come out on EPICINDIE.NET and on my YT channel in the coming weeks!