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A Midwinter Theft: a tale of The Poet's Eye
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Freelancers Galen and Lisveth are specialists in odd jobs that require magic and muscle. They've just been hired for a simple pickup job in a rural town, and surely it will be just as simple as it seems. Surely.
Snarky friendship, magic, and small town drama feature in this bonus story from the upcoming epic fantasy series.
Freelancers Galen and Lisveth are specialists in odd jobs that require magic and muscle. They've just been hired for a simple pickup job in a rural town, and surely it will be just as simple as it seems. Surely.
Snarky friendship, magic, and small town drama feature in this bonus story from the upcoming epic fantasy series.
23 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 19, 2023
13 people want to read
About the author
Laura VanArendonk Baugh
70 books156 followersLaura was born at a very early age and never looked back. She overcame her childhood deficiencies of having been born without teeth and unable to walk, and by the time she matured into a recognizable adult she had become a behavior analyst, an internationally-recognized and award-winning animal trainer, a costumer/cosplayer, a chocolate addict, and of course a writer.
Laura writes fantasy in a variety of subgenres as well as non-fiction in the art and science of behavior and training.
website | Newsletter | Patreon | Twitch | Twitter | Facebook
Laura writes fantasy in a variety of subgenres as well as non-fiction in the art and science of behavior and training.
website | Newsletter | Patreon | Twitch | Twitter | Facebook
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
December 25, 2025
A Midwinter Theft is a deceptively compact fantasy tale that delivers far more depth than its length suggests. Laura VanArendonk Baugh drops the reader straight into the lived-in world of Mandoral with confidence, trusting us to keep up and that trust pays off.
Galen and Lisveth are instantly compelling, not because they’re flashy heroes, but because their partnership feels earned. Their banter is sharp, affectionate, and grounded in shared history, the kind of snark that only works when characters genuinely understand one another. The story’s emotional core lies in that relationship, even as magic, muscle, and a supposedly “simple” job spiral into something messier and more human.
What stood out most to me was the tone: this is a winter story that feels cold not just in setting, but in atmosphere. The rural town isn’t a backdrop; it breathes with small-town tension, unspoken grudges, and quiet complications that make the job anything but straightforward. The magic is subtle but consequential, woven into the world rather than used as spectacle.
As a bonus tale tied to The Eyes of Mandoral, it succeeds both as a standalone heist-adjacent story and as a tantalizing glimpse into a larger epic. By the end, I wasn’t just satisfied I was curious. Curious about the world, the magic, and especially about Galen and Lisveth’s past and future.
Smart, character-driven, and quietly sharp, A Midwinter Theft proves that a short story can still carry weight, heart, and consequences. A rewarding read for fantasy fans who value wit, relationships, and worlds that feel real rather than overexplained.
Galen and Lisveth are instantly compelling, not because they’re flashy heroes, but because their partnership feels earned. Their banter is sharp, affectionate, and grounded in shared history, the kind of snark that only works when characters genuinely understand one another. The story’s emotional core lies in that relationship, even as magic, muscle, and a supposedly “simple” job spiral into something messier and more human.
What stood out most to me was the tone: this is a winter story that feels cold not just in setting, but in atmosphere. The rural town isn’t a backdrop; it breathes with small-town tension, unspoken grudges, and quiet complications that make the job anything but straightforward. The magic is subtle but consequential, woven into the world rather than used as spectacle.
As a bonus tale tied to The Eyes of Mandoral, it succeeds both as a standalone heist-adjacent story and as a tantalizing glimpse into a larger epic. By the end, I wasn’t just satisfied I was curious. Curious about the world, the magic, and especially about Galen and Lisveth’s past and future.
Smart, character-driven, and quietly sharp, A Midwinter Theft proves that a short story can still carry weight, heart, and consequences. A rewarding read for fantasy fans who value wit, relationships, and worlds that feel real rather than overexplained.
November 29, 2023
This is a short story featuring characters from an upcoming book called "The Poet's Eye". I've always found her work to be both pleasant and enjoyable, and she is very good with respect to characterization and dialogue. I plan to read that book when it's published.
December 11, 2025
Excellent prequel to The Poet’s Eye! I’m looking forward to this new epic fantasy, enjoy!
Disclaimer: I received this ebook from the author and this is my honest and freely given opinion.
Disclaimer: I received this ebook from the author and this is my honest and freely given opinion.
April 9, 2023
A short story set in the world of The Poet's Eye. Galen and Lisveth were hired to steal an object from a person in a small town. The plan didn’t go as smoothly as they hoped. There is lots of magic, action and a little trickery in this story. The characters are interesting and the story flows nicely. An enjoyable quick read.
JHB
JHB
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews