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Kings of Copper Trilogy #1
By Hook & Crook
Lars Harrow thrives in Azoria, where dynamo-powered innovation fuels the dazzling spectacle of sanctioned heists. As one of the city's most celebrated thieves, he’s turned daring thefts into electrifying performances. Yet beneath the thrill of each score, a restless ambition burns—Lars dreams of pulling off a heist so audacious it will change the game forever and make him the master of his own destiny.
His chance comes when a mysterious patron offers him the key to infiltrating the secret warehouse of Cecil Thume, the ruthless mastermind who profits from every heist in Azoria. As Lars chases the promise of new technology that could rewrite the city's future, a brutal murder sends a clear Thume will stop at nothing to protect his secrets.
Navigating a labyrinth of intrigue, double-crosses, and the risk of betraying everything he holds dear, Lars discovers Thume's influence runs far deeper than he ever imagined. With each daring move, he gambles not just with Azoria’s fate but with his own humanity.
His chance comes when a mysterious patron offers him the key to infiltrating the secret warehouse of Cecil Thume, the ruthless mastermind who profits from every heist in Azoria. As Lars chases the promise of new technology that could rewrite the city's future, a brutal murder sends a clear Thume will stop at nothing to protect his secrets.
Navigating a labyrinth of intrigue, double-crosses, and the risk of betraying everything he holds dear, Lars discovers Thume's influence runs far deeper than he ever imagined. With each daring move, he gambles not just with Azoria’s fate but with his own humanity.
- GenresFantasyScience Fiction
364 pages, Hardcover
First published November 15, 2024
27 people are currently reading
63 people want to read
About the author
S.G. Karam
2 books10 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.
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 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
February 9, 2026
This is a fun and exciting heist fantasy novel that puts the thieves right at the heart. The best part of the book for me was definitely the characters as the reader follows along with their escapades and learns plenty about them in the process and I enjoyed seeing where they all ended up. Lars and his crew were an incredible selection of characters with different personalities and I loved their dynamic and friendship that stays strong throughout. The family bonds and banter they share was really enjoyable to read as they aim to work together and pull off the biggest heist yet.
There were also a few side characters who added to the story with Myrim becoming an important character, and Vivienne and Shelle who were two very alluring and seductive women but I was never sure if I could fully trust them! The book follows many different POVs of the main characters which allows the reader to learn more about each one and it provides more insight into their personality. The first quarter of the book was very intriguing and engaging but the middle of the book seemed to slow down quite a lot and the characters were the only thing keeping me invested in the story.
The start of the novel with the heist was very exciting and action packed and I would have loved it if the story carried on like this but the excitement slows down dramatically and there are a lot of conversations and planning about what they are going to do rather than actual action which started to drag a little bit for me. However, the ending did have a surprising reveal which shocked me and definitely made up for the slow middle so I would recommend you stick with it to discover the exciting ending!
I really enjoyed the heist scenes throughout this novel which were intricately detailed, action packed and made you feel like you were in the heart of the scene with the characters. The setting was also described in a lot of detail which helps the reader to imagine the locations and feel fully immersed in this world. I enjoyed the plot, the characters and the descriptions to create a unique world that made me intrigued to find out what happens next in the series.
At the end of the book there was also some extra information provided by the author with an appendix including ‘The Ithris Sanctioned Heists Act’ and a ‘Treatise on Dynamo Engineering and Applications’. This was fascinating to see the amount of effort and research gone into it and may be of interest to many readers, but it also read like a terms and conditions and an essay which was a little boring to me.
There were also a few side characters who added to the story with Myrim becoming an important character, and Vivienne and Shelle who were two very alluring and seductive women but I was never sure if I could fully trust them! The book follows many different POVs of the main characters which allows the reader to learn more about each one and it provides more insight into their personality. The first quarter of the book was very intriguing and engaging but the middle of the book seemed to slow down quite a lot and the characters were the only thing keeping me invested in the story.
The start of the novel with the heist was very exciting and action packed and I would have loved it if the story carried on like this but the excitement slows down dramatically and there are a lot of conversations and planning about what they are going to do rather than actual action which started to drag a little bit for me. However, the ending did have a surprising reveal which shocked me and definitely made up for the slow middle so I would recommend you stick with it to discover the exciting ending!
I really enjoyed the heist scenes throughout this novel which were intricately detailed, action packed and made you feel like you were in the heart of the scene with the characters. The setting was also described in a lot of detail which helps the reader to imagine the locations and feel fully immersed in this world. I enjoyed the plot, the characters and the descriptions to create a unique world that made me intrigued to find out what happens next in the series.
At the end of the book there was also some extra information provided by the author with an appendix including ‘The Ithris Sanctioned Heists Act’ and a ‘Treatise on Dynamo Engineering and Applications’. This was fascinating to see the amount of effort and research gone into it and may be of interest to many readers, but it also read like a terms and conditions and an essay which was a little boring to me.
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?
February 10, 2026
The concept of this book is amazing: teams that pull off heists as entertainment to gain notoriety. They then find themselves in a much more dangerous game as they start to target the power players in their city.
This book is full of intrigue, which was fantastic. I quite liked all the double crossing and switching allegiances. It made me suspicious of everyone and made for some tense reading.
From the start, there was a lot of action; it did lag a little at points in the middle, I think, because there were so many threads to the story that needed to be kept up with. As it came to the climax, though, the pace was right back to where it had been at the start.
I did think that some of these threads could have been left out without it impacting the overall story. It’s hard to say, though because it’s book one of a series, so maybe these threads have been included to introduce some things that will be explored further later in the series. They just felt a little tacked on in this instance.
The characters were great, there were a lot of people to keep track of, but I enjoyed the camaraderie of the teams and the mix of personalities that each team has. I did feel at points I would have liked to go a bit deeper with the characters, but there was so much happening that there wasn’t really the chance.
I won’t lie; I have a few questions about the ending, and it’s going to be hard to explain why without giving things away. It was wrapped up well, with some expected and unexpected antics, but I felt like I missed some crucial information that helped the characters reach the endpoint.
Overall, this was a very unique and fun story that I really enjoyed.
Originally posted on everywhere and nowhere
This book is full of intrigue, which was fantastic. I quite liked all the double crossing and switching allegiances. It made me suspicious of everyone and made for some tense reading.
From the start, there was a lot of action; it did lag a little at points in the middle, I think, because there were so many threads to the story that needed to be kept up with. As it came to the climax, though, the pace was right back to where it had been at the start.
I did think that some of these threads could have been left out without it impacting the overall story. It’s hard to say, though because it’s book one of a series, so maybe these threads have been included to introduce some things that will be explored further later in the series. They just felt a little tacked on in this instance.
The characters were great, there were a lot of people to keep track of, but I enjoyed the camaraderie of the teams and the mix of personalities that each team has. I did feel at points I would have liked to go a bit deeper with the characters, but there was so much happening that there wasn’t really the chance.
I won’t lie; I have a few questions about the ending, and it’s going to be hard to explain why without giving things away. It was wrapped up well, with some expected and unexpected antics, but I felt like I missed some crucial information that helped the characters reach the endpoint.
Overall, this was a very unique and fun story that I really enjoyed.
Originally posted on everywhere and nowhere
February 11, 2026
This book was provided for review by The Write Reads as part of the Book Bloggers’ Novel of the Year Award. Thank you!
In the city of Azoria, thievery is a sport. The locals treat the thieves like superstars, the papers feature their work on the front page. To have one’s home broken into by one of these high level bandits is considered an honor.
Lars Harrow is one of the best. He and his team are one of a bare handful who able to pull off the highest scores. When a mysterious benefactor offers them a job that seems too good to be true, Lars has to decide how far he’s willing to go in the name of fame.
The overall story line in By Hook & Crook was a very original one. In a city where thievery is legal and considered good for the economy, it offers a different twist on how thieves are considered. Here they are treated like superstars, their heists are featured in newsprint. They have a kind of hero status, and what they do is considered good for the city as a whole.
Like with sports teams, there are levels from amateurs to professionals. There are only a handful of professional teams and it was very entertaining to see how two different teams played against each other. There’s a kind of friendly rivalry going on where everyone acknowledges and respects the others. With each team having the same general make-up, there is even collaboration when the need arrives.
I found By Hook & Crook to be a very engaging story that is well written with good pacing. The reader is pulled into the world of Azoria from the first page and is held rapt until the end. The action is nicely done and the mystery of who is truly pulling the strings leaves you guessing even once you are done.
The only quibble I have is how I really would have liked more background on the relationship between Lars and Tris. It’s alluded to that their relationship has been one of mutual teasing/flirting/pining but few if any details are given. Having them cement their relationship so early in the book felt a bit sudden due to this. Having them dance around another throughout the book and having them become an item later would have felt more natural in terms of the storytelling and would have been more enjoyable, in my opinion.
I really enjoyed reading By Hook & Crook. As a fan of Locke Lamora, this one is also a very good read. I didn’t realize it was the first of a series but I’ll be looking for the next books and I encourage my readers to do the same.
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.
March 17, 2026
Thank you to BBNYA, The Write Reads, and the author for providing me with a free e-book in exchange for an honest review! All opinions contained within are my own.
One thing about me is that I love a heist in a novel. Fantasy, sci-fi, historical fiction… if it has a well-thought out and well-written heist, then I am all in! Mix in political intrigue and fascinating characters and in just in bookish heaven. That’s why I was instantly hooked by the excerpts I read of By Hook & Crook during BBNYA 2025!
This novel follows Lars, a master thief in a city where high-level criminals are celebrities and the citizens love a dynamic heist. Lars and his team of thieves are living the high life, coming off the high of yet another well-executed heist, when an offer and a murder starts to change everything. Now all of their futures are on a precarious edge and who knows which way they will tip.
This was such a fun ride wrapped up in book form! Fair warning, there are a lot of machinations going on in this book, a lot of politics and moving parts, but I think the author did an incredible job of making it flow in a way where I didn’t get lost. I was here for all of it, haha! I could have done without the bits of romance, that was no fault of the author’s. I just wanted all heist, all mystery, all the time 😂 That, to me, means that the plot was so engaging that I didn’t want any other distractions!
I think what really made this book work, though, were the characters. The characters in this story really came to life on the page! I will say that the members of Lars’ gang were a lot more fleshed-out than the other players in this tale, but they are the focus of the story, so I suppose that makes sense. Some side characters could feel a little one note, but they were still interesting.
Overall, this was a wild ride that I gladly strapped myself into, haha. I enjoyed the twists and turns, the invigorating plot, and the wonderful characters. I’m definitely interested in continuing on with the series!
One thing about me is that I love a heist in a novel. Fantasy, sci-fi, historical fiction… if it has a well-thought out and well-written heist, then I am all in! Mix in political intrigue and fascinating characters and in just in bookish heaven. That’s why I was instantly hooked by the excerpts I read of By Hook & Crook during BBNYA 2025!
This novel follows Lars, a master thief in a city where high-level criminals are celebrities and the citizens love a dynamic heist. Lars and his team of thieves are living the high life, coming off the high of yet another well-executed heist, when an offer and a murder starts to change everything. Now all of their futures are on a precarious edge and who knows which way they will tip.
This was such a fun ride wrapped up in book form! Fair warning, there are a lot of machinations going on in this book, a lot of politics and moving parts, but I think the author did an incredible job of making it flow in a way where I didn’t get lost. I was here for all of it, haha! I could have done without the bits of romance, that was no fault of the author’s. I just wanted all heist, all mystery, all the time 😂 That, to me, means that the plot was so engaging that I didn’t want any other distractions!
I think what really made this book work, though, were the characters. The characters in this story really came to life on the page! I will say that the members of Lars’ gang were a lot more fleshed-out than the other players in this tale, but they are the focus of the story, so I suppose that makes sense. Some side characters could feel a little one note, but they were still interesting.
Overall, this was a wild ride that I gladly strapped myself into, haha. I enjoyed the twists and turns, the invigorating plot, and the wonderful characters. I’m definitely interested in continuing on with 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.
February 11, 2026
I haven’t really read many fantasies focusing on thieves and heists before, not really since I read some of the amazing Robert E Howard stories in my youth. So this really was a breath of fresh air. It’s set in the sort of steam punk style world of Azoria. The hook being that crimes a government sponsored form of entertainment. It’s well written with some particularly punchy dialogue in places.
I loved the setting, the gadgets, the markets, the atmosphere, but it was the characters that really stood out. There is a found family vibe to lars and his crew which is both sweet and entertaining. And I do love the fact that these guys aren’t just good guys. Or good guys at all really. But you really root for them. There is a lot going on, but as long as you concentrate it is easy enough to follow. A BBNYA finalist that fully deserved the honours!
I loved the setting, the gadgets, the markets, the atmosphere, but it was the characters that really stood out. There is a found family vibe to lars and his crew which is both sweet and entertaining. And I do love the fact that these guys aren’t just good guys. Or good guys at all really. But you really root for them. There is a lot going on, but as long as you concentrate it is easy enough to follow. A BBNYA finalist that fully deserved the honours!
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.
February 10, 2026
BBNYA 2025 finalist, By Hook & Crook by S.G. Karam is Book one of the Kings of Copper Trilogy and things are off to a great start with this one!
Karam introduces us to the city of Azoria, where sanctioned heists are turned into public spectacles where the charismatic master thief Lars Harrow strives for his destiny. He's backed by a tight-knit, loyal crew and we get some great character building banter and exchanges between them. There's a tonne of twists and turns and Lars is particularly great because he is very far from your typical Mary Sue type. He is basically the bad guy you root for!
Very good
Karam introduces us to the city of Azoria, where sanctioned heists are turned into public spectacles where the charismatic master thief Lars Harrow strives for his destiny. He's backed by a tight-knit, loyal crew and we get some great character building banter and exchanges between them. There's a tonne of twists and turns and Lars is particularly great because he is very far from your typical Mary Sue type. He is basically the bad guy you root for!
Very good
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 16, 2026
I saw this in the BBNYA finals and so decided to give it a shot. Its an entertaining and original heist fantasy with some nice steam peak vibes.
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!
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