HeartTheft Book 1: Covenant

HeartTheft #1

by Rukis

Taken in by an Abbey at a young age, Isidor of Ebon Gables is an inquisitive, passionate, fiercely pious young Akita in a rigid society where prescribed roles for all good folk are not just a road map for how to live one's life, but part of his faith and his holy profession.

Isidor is a Templar - pledged to an Order of armed enforcers who keep a vigil over the purity and adherence to religious edicts that their ruling class must follow - as well as an Inquisitor in training, elite Templar who execute the Church's orders that are best left in the shadows. Concealing the secrets of the upper-class, spying, and hunting the Church's enemies are all in a day's work.

"The Heart Thief" is one such enemy: an infamous antiquities thief who is suspected of stealing one of the Church's most holy artifacts. Isidor is dedicated to tracing the clues left by them and bringing them to justice as a means to prove himself. But unearthing the truth behind the crime - and the criminal themself - may bring more to light about the nature of the Templar Organization than Isidor is prepared to learn.

When new knowledge challenges conventional wisdom, doubt and introspection challenge doctrine, and a young man so accustomed to following his heart feels it lead him towards a future that is contradictory to who he believes himself to be... where will his journey of faith, love, and the search for truth take him?

438 pages, Paperback

First published July 5, 2024

Reviews

[GuineaPigFalconer · Rating 4 out of 5]

There’s not a book by Rukis I haven’t enjoyed, and as always I’m impressed by not only the detailed worldbuilding of the Red Lantern universe but also the rich characters. Good and bad alike, they’re all multifaceted and keep the reader on their toes. This book felt like a lot of set up for the latter half of the duology, which I look forward to reading next.

[Maureen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book and couldn't stop reading it! Like most (perhaps all) of Rukis' stories, HeartTheft features lovable yet flawed characters with dark pasts. This one in particular focuses on Isidor, an Akita raised in a strict religious order. I absolutely adored him, archaic views and all; he's well-meaning and questions things in a realistic way for someone with his background, and he grows over the course of the novel. I related to his internal journey of learning that the things you're taught growing up aren't necessary right for you or even true at all. And I cared enough about him and another character that one scene made me cry, which is always a win! HeartTheft also features a non-binary character, a first in the Red Lantern universe (to my knowledge). I really enjoyed them and found their gender to be sensitively and accurately portrayed. I rated the book four stars mainly because it doesn't totally stand on its own (I acknowledge that it has Part 1 in the title, but I nonetheless like books to mostly stand on their own even if they're part of a series). It does end at a point that makes sense, after the characters go through meaningful transformations, but at a major cliffhanger; you really can't be satisfied without reading book two. Readers get an introduction to a couple of Isidor's peers (a younger Sister as well as a Brother similar in age) but they don't appear again, and I really wanted their stories to be fleshed out (as I'm sure they will be in book 2). I did find some elements to be predictable, but part of that could have been avoided if I'd skipped the author's note at the beginning. It has trigger warnings that are important, but I'd suggest readers skip that if they don't have any triggers, because it does make it easier to figure out what's going to happen. Overall, though, this was a great book!

[FlashHeal · Rating 5 out of 5]

to get 5 stars from me isnt usually that hard. as long as I get a good story and especially it it makes have strong feelings about characters and the events happening to them. the one wall that usually drives me away from a book is anything that resembles Christianity. being LGBT I have had my own unpleasant experiences with the religion. Given I also enjoy Kyell Gold novels and one of my personal favorites does have a very christiany gay otter. so ways I can push past it with those being great stories.

now that said, even with my large distaste for Christianity like resemblances in novels, the writing compelled me. Isidor was an interesting character from the start and made me curious about what his flaws would push him to do(thanks to the author in his opening note about characters flaws) in this type of culture and the thought of this fabled thief to have caused a very christian group to be in an uproar. I had pushed past those as I felt this book would have a great story despite those misgivings.

finishing the story and knowing there is a part 2 has me wanting more. the flaws every character has has enticed me past the hard feelings I have towards the religion depicted in here and wanting to know the end. Kudos to you Rukis, you have expertly woven this story so far. I await the continued experience in part 2.

[Annie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rather predictable but thrilling nonetheless.