What do you think?
Rate this book
Kings of Copper Trilogy #1
By Hook & Crook
What if robbing a vault earned you a standing ovation?
In the city of Azoria, heists are a sanctioned sport, a dazzling spectacle where only the boldest thieves thrive. And Lars Harrow is the best.
But Lars wants more than fame. He wants the heist that will cement his legacy and put him beyond the reach of the city's power brokers. When a shadowy patron offers him a job targeting Cecil Thume—the ruthless mastermind who controls every theft in Azoria—Lars sees his shot at something bigger.
Yet the deeper he digs, the more dangerous the game becomes. A brutal murder sends a clear Thume isn’t just profiting from the city’s underworld... he is the underworld. And he’ll do whatever it takes to keep control.
As the line between thief and pawn blurs, Lars must decide how much he’s willing to risk. The city, his crew, and his own future hang in the balance.
If you enjoyed books like Six of Crows, Mistborn, or The Lies of Locke Lamora, you won't be able to put down this electrifying tale of ambition, greed, betrayal, and redemption.
In the city of Azoria, heists are a sanctioned sport, a dazzling spectacle where only the boldest thieves thrive. And Lars Harrow is the best.
But Lars wants more than fame. He wants the heist that will cement his legacy and put him beyond the reach of the city's power brokers. When a shadowy patron offers him a job targeting Cecil Thume—the ruthless mastermind who controls every theft in Azoria—Lars sees his shot at something bigger.
Yet the deeper he digs, the more dangerous the game becomes. A brutal murder sends a clear Thume isn’t just profiting from the city’s underworld... he is the underworld. And he’ll do whatever it takes to keep control.
As the line between thief and pawn blurs, Lars must decide how much he’s willing to risk. The city, his crew, and his own future hang in the balance.
If you enjoyed books like Six of Crows, Mistborn, or The Lies of Locke Lamora, you won't be able to put down this electrifying tale of ambition, greed, betrayal, and redemption.
- GenresFantasy
422 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 15, 2024
25 people are currently reading
59 people want to read
About the author
S.G. Karam
2 books7 followersS.G. Karam is a software professional, lifelong geek, reader, educator, cook, traveler, tinkerer, blogger, amateur guitar maker, tech book writer, and for the first time, a sci-fi/fantasy novelist.
Reading fantasy has been a huge part of his life, starting with Margaret Weis & Tracy Hickman, Robert Asprin, Terry Brooks, Robert Jordan, Tolkien, and continuing into authors like Brandon Sanderson and George R. R. Martin.
Reading fantasy has been a huge part of his life, starting with Margaret Weis & Tracy Hickman, Robert Asprin, Terry Brooks, Robert Jordan, Tolkien, and continuing into authors like Brandon Sanderson and George R. R. Martin.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
March 4, 2025
This was a great start to the series. Fresh, fun, suspenseful, and perfect for fantasy fans. The narration was fantastic. Full RTC
January 24, 2025
I've been searching for a good heist book with the theives at centre stage, ever since reading The Lies of Locke Lamora and becoming absolutely obsessed, and this book scratched that itch and more!
Featuring a group of theives that gave me friendship vibes similiar to the gang in the Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo, the story focusses on a steampunk-esq heist, with enough convulated twists, and intriguing villains (I hope we see Vivienne in book two because that woman is all kinds of sexy morally grey and I was HERE for it!) for you to keep invested throughout the whole read.
I haven't read a steampunk-esq novel before, but as a scientist, I really enjoyed this twist to the usual fantasy element, with the introduction of dynamos powered innovations. I also found it an interesting spin that thievery was legalised, and enjoyed the appendix at the back that went into the politics in more detail. I liked that the villains had backstories and motivations for their nefarious behaviour. I’d like to learn more about the rest of the gang in future books (I appreciate it’s hard to outline all characters in just one book when there are so many!).
As a personal preference, I would have liked to see more heists that involved connieving complex plans (which I think the author would be able to pull off!) rather than the sneak in - grab smash - sneak out variety.
I look forward to seeing how the gang develops in the second novel! Is it bad that I’m rooting for Vivienne?
Featuring a group of theives that gave me friendship vibes similiar to the gang in the Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo, the story focusses on a steampunk-esq heist, with enough convulated twists, and intriguing villains (I hope we see Vivienne in book two because that woman is all kinds of sexy morally grey and I was HERE for it!) for you to keep invested throughout the whole read.
I haven't read a steampunk-esq novel before, but as a scientist, I really enjoyed this twist to the usual fantasy element, with the introduction of dynamos powered innovations. I also found it an interesting spin that thievery was legalised, and enjoyed the appendix at the back that went into the politics in more detail. I liked that the villains had backstories and motivations for their nefarious behaviour. I’d like to learn more about the rest of the gang in future books (I appreciate it’s hard to outline all characters in just one book when there are so many!).
As a personal preference, I would have liked to see more heists that involved connieving complex plans (which I think the author would be able to pull off!) rather than the sneak in - grab smash - sneak out variety.
I look forward to seeing how the gang develops in the second novel! Is it bad that I’m rooting for Vivienne?
March 20, 2025
In a world where thievery provides entertainment for the populace, thieves benefit from notoriety. This causes clashes that entertain the masses as much as their hijinks. Thus Lars and Darius find themselves at odds. Then a mysterious woman slinks out of the shadows to challenge their worldview and invite them to help her reshape the world. But who will survive the ensuing upheaval? And who will prove to be true allies?
An interesting look into how people motivated by common goals can use their strengths to make things happen. It felt like some backstory still wants to come out, so I’m going to have to commit to reading the next book.
An interesting look into how people motivated by common goals can use their strengths to make things happen. It felt like some backstory still wants to come out, so I’m going to have to commit to reading the next book.
January 17, 2025
intelligent steampunk fantasy
This is an exciting first book in a new series and introduces us to Lars Harrow, a celebrated thief! In this book, heists are not only legal but also a cause for public admiration where the thefts become the most talked about things in the steampunk city of Azoria.
This is a gripping tale and I thought, very well-written. I did find it a little long.
This is an exciting first book in a new series and introduces us to Lars Harrow, a celebrated thief! In this book, heists are not only legal but also a cause for public admiration where the thefts become the most talked about things in the steampunk city of Azoria.
This is a gripping tale and I thought, very well-written. I did find it a little long.
November 5, 2024
This was pitched to me as a gaslamp fantasy with heists as performances and thieves as celebrities. As a longtime fan of anything steampunk or heist-related, needless to say I pounced on it.
The premise is: in Azoria, heists are legal as long as you can get your loot off the property without getting arrested. Lars and his crew are the city’s most infamous ‘steal from the rich’ gang. However, after a mysterious client sets them on the trail of the aristocrat-tycoon responsible for legalizing heists in the first place, they start to uncover a dangerous conspiracy.
First, the things I liked: The book's steampunk vibe was true to the genre; it had cool gadgets and inventions, wily industrialists, and that vaguely Victorian feel with a modern touch.
I would have liked to see the characters fleshed out some more, going a little deeper than the familiar tropes. The prose could also be frustrating at times, with certain favorite dialogue tags or character descriptions being overused.
Overall, it was a fun read in a well-loved genre. The idea was extremely cool, even if some of the characters were a bit too shallow to be engaging and the overall execution sometimes wasn't perfect.
The premise is: in Azoria, heists are legal as long as you can get your loot off the property without getting arrested. Lars and his crew are the city’s most infamous ‘steal from the rich’ gang. However, after a mysterious client sets them on the trail of the aristocrat-tycoon responsible for legalizing heists in the first place, they start to uncover a dangerous conspiracy.
First, the things I liked: The book's steampunk vibe was true to the genre; it had cool gadgets and inventions, wily industrialists, and that vaguely Victorian feel with a modern touch.
I would have liked to see the characters fleshed out some more, going a little deeper than the familiar tropes. The prose could also be frustrating at times, with certain favorite dialogue tags or character descriptions being overused.
Overall, it was a fun read in a well-loved genre. The idea was extremely cool, even if some of the characters were a bit too shallow to be engaging and the overall execution sometimes wasn't perfect.
March 30, 2025
I loved this book, its fast paced, full of suspense, plotting and danger. The world building is amazing, and the characters are well written with layers. I loved Linora, she is so full of wonder and happiness.
This is my first steampunk novel, I'm a fantasy girl at heart but I really enjoyed it, the fantasy elements tied in with dynamos and crystals, heists and the back stories, even the villains have their back story's and reasons for their behaviour, some of them you almost feel sorry for.
The premise is heists are legal and celebrated, the thieves are celebrities in their own right but not everyone likes that, Lars and his crew are one of the main crews, we follow them through some tricky situations, where friend becomes foe and foe becomes friend.
The plot is interesting and the plot twists kept me hooked, I enjoyed the appendix at the back with the information on the politics and linoras article, it adds a further layer of understanding to the story, i am definitely looking forward to continue the series. fast paved, full of suspense, plotting and danger. The world building is amazing, and the characters are well written with layers. I loved Linora, she is so full of wonder and happiness.
This is my first steampunk novel, I'm a fantasy girl at heart but I really enjoyed it, the fantasy elements tied in with dynamos and crystals, heists and the back stories, even the villains have their back story's and reasons for their behaviour, some of them you almost feel sorry for.
The premise is heists are legal and celebrated, the thieves are celebrities in their own right but not everyone likes that, Lars and his crew are one of the main crews, we follow them through some tricky situations, where friend becomes foe and foe becomes friend.
The plot is interesting and the plot twists kept me hooked, I enjoyed the appendix at the back with the information on the politics and linoras article, it adds a further layer of understanding to the story, i am definitely looking forward to continue the series.
This is my first steampunk novel, I'm a fantasy girl at heart but I really enjoyed it, the fantasy elements tied in with dynamos and crystals, heists and the back stories, even the villains have their back story's and reasons for their behaviour, some of them you almost feel sorry for.
The premise is heists are legal and celebrated, the thieves are celebrities in their own right but not everyone likes that, Lars and his crew are one of the main crews, we follow them through some tricky situations, where friend becomes foe and foe becomes friend.
The plot is interesting and the plot twists kept me hooked, I enjoyed the appendix at the back with the information on the politics and linoras article, it adds a further layer of understanding to the story, i am definitely looking forward to continue the series. fast paved, full of suspense, plotting and danger. The world building is amazing, and the characters are well written with layers. I loved Linora, she is so full of wonder and happiness.
This is my first steampunk novel, I'm a fantasy girl at heart but I really enjoyed it, the fantasy elements tied in with dynamos and crystals, heists and the back stories, even the villains have their back story's and reasons for their behaviour, some of them you almost feel sorry for.
The premise is heists are legal and celebrated, the thieves are celebrities in their own right but not everyone likes that, Lars and his crew are one of the main crews, we follow them through some tricky situations, where friend becomes foe and foe becomes friend.
The plot is interesting and the plot twists kept me hooked, I enjoyed the appendix at the back with the information on the politics and linoras article, it adds a further layer of understanding to the story, i am definitely looking forward to continue the series.
November 19, 2024
"By Hook & Crook" was such a pleasant surprise and very refreshing compared to my latest reads. Coming from a stint of novels that take several pages with long, drawn out prose to build minor scenes, Karam throws us right into an exciting showdown between the main protagonist (Lars) and his sharp rival in the first chapter. The action, the quick-wit, and the desire to understand what was going on in this world became imminent. Before long I'm introduced to a range of new and very likable characters with deep personalities of their own, in addition to a world that's clearly on the brink of a future-defining breakthrough. The power and influence the main antagonist holds over the main city (Azoria) creates a strong tension between he and Lars, making this story one that you genuinely cannot put down. For every triumph that Lars and his crew accomplished, somehow it felt like a personal feat for me (as the reader) as well. The descriptions of Azoria and the world around it are deep and historic, with the locations outside of Azoria having their own unique qualities and lore too — which makes me thankful that this is only the first book of the series. I'm very eager now to learn how some of the discoveries made in this entry play into the future of the world. All in all, it's a brilliant novel. From the introduction of the crews and the fast pace themes, to action scenes that feel like YOU are the one in the hot seat, to clever and emotional dialogue, very satisfying world-building, huge plot-defining developments, non-stop action, and a beautiful underdog story, the "Kings of Copper" series is shaping up to have it all. Thank you, Mr. Karam! Looking forward to the next entry.
November 5, 2024
Rogues and steampunk are two of my favorite things, and merging those with the idea of heists as public performances had me sold.
By Hook & Crook hits the right notes for a fast-moving heist story with an intricate but logical plot and a solid gaslamp setting. There are enough twists and turns and reveals to keep the momentum up. It reminded me of a slightly less bantery rendition of Lindsay Buroker’s Emperor’s Edge series: it’s got the same basic “quirky team of criminals use their infiltration skills to solve a mystery” format.
The flip side of a short, fast-paced book with a huge cast is that the characters don’t get fleshed out a whole lot. It’s an assemblage of familiar tropes—Brilliant Mastermind, Plucky Love Interest, Quirky Engineer, Muscle, Rival Thief, Stiff-Necked-But-Decent Police Captain, Femme Fatale, Scheming Industrialist, Other Femme Fatale Who’s Actually On Your Side—and none of them get much of a chance to be more than that.
Overall—a solid, entertaining romp that, even if it never quite gets the emotional hooks in, at least keeps you moving through it fast enough not to mind.
By Hook & Crook hits the right notes for a fast-moving heist story with an intricate but logical plot and a solid gaslamp setting. There are enough twists and turns and reveals to keep the momentum up. It reminded me of a slightly less bantery rendition of Lindsay Buroker’s Emperor’s Edge series: it’s got the same basic “quirky team of criminals use their infiltration skills to solve a mystery” format.
The flip side of a short, fast-paced book with a huge cast is that the characters don’t get fleshed out a whole lot. It’s an assemblage of familiar tropes—Brilliant Mastermind, Plucky Love Interest, Quirky Engineer, Muscle, Rival Thief, Stiff-Necked-But-Decent Police Captain, Femme Fatale, Scheming Industrialist, Other Femme Fatale Who’s Actually On Your Side—and none of them get much of a chance to be more than that.
Overall—a solid, entertaining romp that, even if it never quite gets the emotional hooks in, at least keeps you moving through it fast enough not to mind.
January 15, 2025
I received this book through voracious readers only, in exchange for an honest review. I give it a solid 3.5. The steampunk genre was new to me and I loved the science fiction/fantasy aspects. I will seek out more books of this genre.
The complex heist story and the sting were fun and entertaining, although I found the characters rather one dimensional. The biggest issue for me was the prose. It struck me as pedantic in its attention to details, repetitious in its use of adjectives and tedious, which in turn made the story a bit ponderous to wade through. That being said, I loved the premise! Clever!
The complex heist story and the sting were fun and entertaining, although I found the characters rather one dimensional. The biggest issue for me was the prose. It struck me as pedantic in its attention to details, repetitious in its use of adjectives and tedious, which in turn made the story a bit ponderous to wade through. That being said, I loved the premise! Clever!
March 16, 2025
I went on quite a ride with this one. Everyone is a pawn, and NOONE is to be trusted. What do you do when authority is corrupt?
In a rich and glittering world heists are not only common but sanctioned thievery. Karam gives so much detail to everything. It's like a movie is literally playing out in your mind. The web he spins will catch you, just as the characters themselves pull you in. We are invited along with the plans, meetings, etc
Add to that riveting dialogue, mystery and intrigue, and a sprinkle of some romance. By Hook and Crook is nothing short of beguiling as we read along and find out ways these clever thieves try to outdo one another.
In a rich and glittering world heists are not only common but sanctioned thievery. Karam gives so much detail to everything. It's like a movie is literally playing out in your mind. The web he spins will catch you, just as the characters themselves pull you in. We are invited along with the plans, meetings, etc
Add to that riveting dialogue, mystery and intrigue, and a sprinkle of some romance. By Hook and Crook is nothing short of beguiling as we read along and find out ways these clever thieves try to outdo one another.
March 16, 2025
By Hook & Crook was my first time reading anything from the Gaslamp/Steampunk genre, and if Karam’s work is anything to go by I have been missing out! By Hook & Crook was such a fun read set in a unique, dynamic world filled with exciting heists and characters to both root for and against. I was hooked from the first chapter and all the twists and turns kept the momentum going right up to the end. A great start to a series! I look forward to reading the next one!
June 5, 2025
By Hook & Crook was a fantastic ride. A steampunk (Gaslamp?) heist story where thieves are celebrities is a fresh take on a fun trope. Fans of Lies of Locke Lemora will find much to love here.
October 14, 2025
It was interesting that we followed a group pf thieves who tried to do good and they were able to thwart a big bad. I am excited to see where we go from here.
February 20, 2025
This book was really fun, and the narration in the audio version was perfect. There are a lot of really well thought out characters, but Jax and Liora are my favorites. All of intrigue and moving parts make me very excited for book two!
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews