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Crow: Thief of Magic

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'A beautifully written compelling story told with panache and style. A fantastic debut.' – Hannah Gold, author of The Last Bear

MAGIC KNOWS MAGIC.

With an incredible story, a stunning, richly detailed world, and a wonderful cast of characters, Thief of Magic is an unputdownable, exciting and hugely ambitious fantasy adventure.

'A dream of a book, packed with enchantment, imagination and immersive storytelling.' – Pari Thomson, author of Greenwild

'A unique, beautifully written debut with the heart of a dark fairy tale' – Philippa Leathley

Twelve-year-old Crow is a thief.

Scraping a living on the winding streets of Starsgard, Crow works for the leader of the criminal underworld, stealing from the city’s wealthy ruling class. But when a routine job takes Crow to the home of a mysterious sorcerer, his whole life is turned upside down – and after a planned heist goes wrong, leaving Crow alone and with nowhere to turn, he finds himself a new position as the sorcerer’s apprentice.

Before long, Crow is introduced to the ancient art of dream magic – catching dream essence and using it to create dreams for the rich citizens from whom he once stole. But when Crow learns of an ancient strain of nightmare magic that threatens to unleash devastation on Starsgard, he must make a terrible choice… and decide who he can really trust.

With a stunning, richly-detailed world, an incredible story, and a wonderful cast of characters, Thief of Magic is an extraordinarily exciting fantasy debut – perfect for fans of Impossible Creatures, His Dark Materials, and Skandar and the Unicorn Thief.

'A glorious adventure, glittering with dream magic, danger, and truest friendship. Crow's tale is sure to capture the imaginations of readers everywhere, and linger long after the final page – it is a phenomenal piece of storytelling.' – Aisling Fowler, author of Fireborn

'Richly atmospheric and immersive. The twists and turns kept me guessing until the end.' – Clare Harlow, author of Tidemagic

'With her intricate world building and compelling characters, Fiona Dixon invites us into a world of dreams, a world which I would happily never leave. Thief of Magic fizzes with enchantment and mystery.' – Ash Bond, author of Peregrine Quinn and the Cosmic Realm

'An absolute diamond of a magical adventure! Fiona Dixon has created a dazzling fantasy world, woven with epic dream magic and featuring an astounding main character. I loved it!' – Rachel Morrisroe, author of Felix and the Future Agency

' Thief of Magic is rich with adventure and bright with imagination. I never wanted to leave Starsgard.' – Megan Hopkins, author of Starminster

' Thief of Magic stole my heart! With every thrilling page, I fell further into the wonderful world of Starsgard. A brilliantly written, magical story of hope, friendship and the power of dreams.' – Becca Rogers, author of The Girl with Gills

294 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2026

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Fiona Dixon

3 books4 followers

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5 stars
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
Profile Image for whatbooknext.
1,345 reviews49 followers
May 22, 2026
Crow lives on the streets of Starsgard of Eortha - bonded by fear and control by the Reaver gang. The only good thing in his life, is time spent with his close friends Sal and Jonas. They share their food they scrounge or buy with their meagre spoils of pick pocketing allowed by the gang or anything else they can earn. They also share their dreams to escape the gang and finally be free of them.

While working on a plan for their future, a job goes terribly wrong and lives are lost. Crow's life is suddenly changed forever as he finds himself under the care and then tutelage of the city's Dream Maker.

Viktor Avery is wealthy and famous in Starsgard, but he isn't all he seems. Crow must decide whether to believe a strange ghost's warning about Viktor, or Viktor's kindness and care of him.

Crow discovers his special knack to stay alive on the rough dark streets of the city is more magic than street smarts. Can he harness it in time to save himself, his friends and the entire city?


My thoughts

Beginning with a detailed map, Crow's world was easy to immerse myself in. He's a kind and thoughtful character, living on the streets where food is scarce and kindness even more so.

His bond and loyalty to his friends is heart warming in such a harsh life, and his unexpected apprenticeship to harness the full power of his latent magic, an intriguing story line.

Crow's magic is connected to Dreams, and to his horror, Nightmares too, which bring important contrasts to this novel and Crow himself. Rich world building kept me reading right up to an exciting climax and satisfying conclusion.

Perfectly paced with action, tough choices to be made, and deciding who to trust as a young street-kid, this middle-grade novel is an engaging read. I cared about Crow very early in the narrative and was keen to see him come into his own on the streets of a fictional medieval-styled, fantasy city.

(Thanks to Harper Collins NZ for my ARC)
Profile Image for Jason Collings.
Author 7 books8 followers
June 12, 2026
Full disclosure: I really wanted to love this book before I'd even opened it...
Job done.
Crow: Thief of Magic is just brilliant. Crow himself is complete heart of it, one of a long line of literary thieves in fantasy novels, and completely earning his place amongst the finest of them. He's twelve, scraping by on the streets of Starsgard, and he had me on side within a couple of pages. I’m not going to talk plot, read it yourself, it’s great. The imagination is vivid, the characters rich and memorable, and you get plenty of villains for your money: why have one when you can have three?
What got me most, though, is that it's not just a romp. The better Crow gets at his job stealing dreams for the Dreamcatcher, the more he has to think about whether he should be doing it at all. I love that little moral itch, the psychology of right. It elevates what could have been a simple adventure story into something that has depth without ever turning into a lecture. Friendship, trust, wanting to belong. It's all there. Just lovely.
It’s been a long time since I’ve been the YA target of this novel, but it is honestly just as good for adults reading along as for their kids. This is a book I’ll read again, and before too long. Stop thinking, and just buy it. It’s worth it for the fabulous cover, then open the book and you suddenly realise you’ve hit the jackpot.
Profile Image for Hana.
28 reviews23 followers
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
April 12, 2026
​I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this story! From the very first page, the prose felt incredibly cinematic—I could easily envision this being adapted into an animated feature film. It has that rare "pixar-esque" quality that would captivate children while remaining deeply engaging for older readers.

Crow was easily the standout for me. He is such a compassionate, innocent, and loyal protagonist. Even when faced with adversity or hurt, his desire to do best by his friends, Sal and Jonas, never wavered. While the entire cast was charming, I would have loved to dive even deeper into Viktor’s backstory.

The magic system—centered around the fascinating interplay between dreams and nightmares—is brilliant yet accessible. I loved the exploration of how these forces affect our lives differently. The writing style is smooth and uncomplicated, making it a perfect recommendation for MG/YA readers or anyone looking for a "comfort read."

With a satisfying mystery and a heartwarming ending, this is a story I’ll definitely revisit when I need something sweet and uplifting.

​Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Profile Image for Amy.
151 reviews2 followers
April 27, 2026
✨ Crow Thief of Magic by Fiona Dixon ✨

💚 This fast-paced fantasy novel was absolutely compelling. I couldn’t put it down and spent every moment with my nose in the pages, desperate to find out the ending and test my theories.

🐦‍⬛ Fiona’s debut is filled with magic, corruption, greed, betrayal, unlikely friendships, mystery and a plot that will keep you guessing until the end.

🐈‍⬛ My favourite character was Nekima, a cat who can communicate with the main character, Crow. But is she who she says she is or will she deceive Crow in the end?

💭 Crow finds himself in the role as a dreamcatcher’s apprentice when a heist goes wrong with his friends. Finding himself all alone, he does what he needs to do to survive. Did he make the right decision?

✨ There are many amazing characters and rich description throughout. This debut is guaranteed to be a hit with fans of mystery and magical adventures. If you’re a fan of Shadow Thieves or Dream Hunters then you are sure to love this book.

Ad/gifted by The Rebel Reading Society
Out 7th May. Preorder now.
Profile Image for Z The Cheetah.
6 reviews
August 1, 2026
The book didn’t match up to the blurb. When it says he steals magic, I was expecting something a lot more fantasy with a lot more danger (but there was still a lot of danger). The blurb hinted to a much different plot and it was a lot different to what I expected. And I didn’t like how Nekima’s style or wording kept changing. Sometimes she talked with the classic irritable feline manor and sometimes with a more gentle tone. And the stuff about Viktor killing his apprentices to stay young felt a bit too heavy considering how close to the end it was. And it didn’t really explain about Europha and Starsguard. Are they on another world? Another planet? A secret, hidden part of the real world? And it talked about the character’s pasts as if it was a sequel, making you think you’d missed something important. And wouldn’t people start realising that the “grandson” looks the same as the last “grandson” and the “grandson” always comes a few weeks before his “grandfather” “dies”. And the “grandson” starts looking 100% identical to the dead “grandfather”. How do people not get suspicious?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
282 reviews1 follower
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
March 20, 2026
this was an excellent, very exciting and well-written children's fantasy. not too many characters, and all had their place in the story. Crow was a really good hearted main character, without being all goody-two-shoes. he was, after all, a thief.
I loved the idea of creating dreams (and nightmares) that people could use and give themselves a wonderful dream and sleep (as an insomniac I'd love to just open a bottle of a dream and instantly fall asleep!) and it was well explained. you learned alongside Crow as Viktor trains him as his apprentice.
I only have one issue with this book, a small one. And that's the title. I don't feel like it really fits with the story, as, although Crow is a thief to begin with, he doesn't really steal magic at any point. I feel using the Dreamcatching element in the title would have been better. but that's just my opinion. otherwise this book was great.
Profile Image for Farah G.
2,457 reviews33 followers
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
March 20, 2026
Twelve year old Crow is a thief, eking out a hardscrabble living in Starsgard as a member of a criminal gang, The Reavers, which he and his two best friends dream of escaping from.

When he is given an unexpected opportunity to apprentice with a dreamcatcher, Crow discovers that he is blessed with powerful magic. But is there more to this offer than he realises? Especially given the strange events focused around the comet that is coming closer to the planetary orbit and affecting the magical powers wielded by Crow and others...

Featuring original story telling and excellent world building, this book holds appeal for readers in the target group and beyond.

I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review
Profile Image for Morag Forbes.
499 reviews11 followers
May 25, 2026
I think of this book had been named ‘The Magic Thief’ the whole story would have been set up better. As the stealing of magic itself didn’t really seem to feature in the book. That said I enjoyed the fact the world building included some of the history of Starsgard and I always appreciate a map in a book. The descriptions of the dreams and nightmares immediately brought them to life. None of the characters were over simplified as all good or all bad either which can be hard to do in a middle grade book.
However I felt it was missing that unique spark. The plot was quite predictable in many ways. It was a bit like a cross between The Golden Compass and Oliver Twist.
Profile Image for A.K. Adler.
Author 6 books9 followers
May 7, 2026
I'm fully down with the themes and the magic system built around them, where dreams and nightmares help people discover harmony and balance. The worldbuilding and the emotional stakes for Crow are well realised, but I was less convinced by the structure of the plot. For one, the secondary point of view (Viktor) gave too much away and eliminated all the suspense; secondly, although Crow faced big obstacles, the magical solutions to them came to him very easily.

Overall, sweetness and fun: full marks; suspense: zero.
Profile Image for Grace.
144 reviews
July 31, 2026
A magical urban fantasy, with an underdog main character, a talking cat, and dream magic.

Crow is a street urchin, reliant on the gang they belong to for survival, but he has always dreamed of escaping. Through a series of events, he ends up meeting the Dreamcatcher, who senses the dormant magic in Crow and takes him on as a new apprentice Dreamcatcher.

I really enjoyed following Crow's story, as he was a very likable main character and easy to root for. The plot was also very unpredictable, and despite the clues being dropped throughout the story I could never quite tell which route we were going down.

The final ~20% felt quite rushed, and I honestly just wanted to see more of Crow learning dream magic before the big conclusion started rolling.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the eArc!
58 reviews1 follower
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
February 11, 2026
Excellent magical adventure. Crow works in the underworld but wants out. His opportunity comes when a job goes wrong. With nothing left, he discovers his latent magic powers and becomes an apprentice to a sorcerer whose speciality is dream magic. But as in all good stories, all is not as it seems, and as All Saints day approaches things are about to come to a head. Full of intrigue, ghosts, magic and a talking cat. Brilliant.
Profile Image for Steve Blackman.
Author 1 book4 followers
June 30, 2026
I was really looking forward to reading Crow Thief of Magic by Fiona Dixon, and it did not disappoint! In Crow we have a hero in whom we can invest and believe. Starsgard is an exquisitely detailed world, filled with characters to love and loathe. The ticking clock of the comet adds real tension and the story builds to an immense, cinematic conclusion. And if that’s not enough, there’s an excellent talking cat. An incredible choice for a richly entertaining summer read.
Profile Image for Stacey Bookerworm.
1,263 reviews8 followers
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
April 19, 2026
This book is sure to be an instant classic. I really enjoyed the worldbuilding and the friendship between Crow, Sal, and Jonas.

I finished this in a day, and I would quite happily start it all over again.

The dreams and nightmares gave me BFG vibes, which I absolutely loved.

This may be my favourite book of the year so far.
Profile Image for Torbjörn Ungvall.
139 reviews126 followers
June 9, 2026
Crow: Thief of Magic is an easy-to-read fantasy adventure. Being a short story, the storytelling is fantastic and paints a richly detailed world. The characters are likable, even if a bit two-dimensional; in this short story, it just makes you want to know more. A cozy read about a magical world and dream magic sets us up for many more books, hopefully...
Profile Image for Jo Bardgett.
118 reviews6 followers
June 8, 2026
Crow Thief of Magic
By Fiona Dixon
Published by HarperCollins Publishers

Crow: Thief of Magic is full of fantasy, intrigue and mystery. Perfect for readers 8 years and above who love crime covered in magic!
This stunning, unique world created by Dixon tells the story of Crow, a twelve year old street child looking to break free from the clutches of the underworld.

Crow works for the underworld, stealing from the rich. But this is not a retelling of Oliver but an exciting story full of friendships, dangers and challenges. When a routine job takes Crow to the home of a mysterious sorcerer, his life is turned upside down, leaving Crow alone and with nowhere to go. So he takes on the new position as the sorcerer’s apprentice and his intriguing curiosity continues to get the better of him.

Before long, Crow is creating dreams and nightmares for the rich from who he once stole. But an ancient strain of nightmare magic threatens to cause devastation on Starsgard. What can Crow do? Stand back and watch his world be destroyed?
Or face the dangers to survive?
But who can Crow really trust when magic never fails to surprise him?

This is a wonderfully ambitious story full of strong characters, that Dixon brilliantly describes. Crow: Thief of Magic is an extraordinarily exciting fantasy debut – perfect for fans of exciting, fantasy adventure mixed in with some dirty underworld crime.

Joanne Bardgett - teacher of littlies, lover of Children’s literature.
#Netgallery
Profile Image for Stephen the Bookworm.
1,007 reviews182 followers
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
May 15, 2026
Crow: Thief of magic is a brilliant debut in the world of children's fantasy fiction.

This is the story of Crow - a member of thieving hidden community - surviving in the city of Starsgard. But when the chance to carry out a large jobbed escape the city with his fiends Sal and Jonas goes horribly wrong, Crow finds himself at the home of Viktor. Viktor is a magician -a man with an incredible skill. He is a dream catcher and Crow is given the opportunity to be his apprentice.

Set against the backdrop of an impending sighting of the comet Oros, Crow finds himself in a world where he is working with the people he used to steal from. Can he change his life? But when Crow begins to realise that not all is what it seems and there is the potential of a mysterious spell casting death across a city, he has to fight for his life and the citizens. A race against time begins.

Fiona Dixon has written a tremendous debut- perfect for 9-12 year olds. A personal book read or a great KS2 class story. Fast paced, full of wonderful imagination and a tension that builds and builds. Crow is a wonderful creation and I'm sure it won't be long before he returns.

Highly recommended - storytelling at its best - and I'd even go as far to say that if you are an adult who enjoys a great fantasy story why not come and join Crow's adventure.

Thank you to Harper Collins Children's books and Netgalley for the advance copy
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews