What do you think?
Rate this book
The Guildmaster Thief #1
The Guildmaster Thief
From Nebula, Sturgeon, and StorySouth Award nominee Jake Kerr comes the story of Ralan, a street rat who rises to become the guildmaster of Ness' underworld. Featuring a rich world of geographical conflict, political intrigue, swashbuckling adventure, secret societies, and heroic feats, the Guildmaster Thief series focuses on a young man thrust into a role he never expected to fill.
- GenresFantasyHigh Fantasy
262 pages, Paperback
First published July 8, 2015
26 people are currently reading
124 people want to read
About the author
Jake Kerr
59 books38 followersAfter fifteen years as a music industry journalist Jake Kerr's first published story, "The Old Equations," was nominated for the Nebula Award from the Science Fiction Writers of America and was shortlisted for the Theodore Sturgeon and StorySouth Million Writers awards. His stories have subsequently been published in magazines across the world, broadcast in multiple podcasts, and been published in multiple anthologies and year's best collections.
A graduate of Kenyon College, Kerr studied fiction under Ursula K. Le Guin and Peruvian playwright Alonso Alegria. He lives in Dallas, Texas, with his family and a menagerie of pets.
A graduate of Kenyon College, Kerr studied fiction under Ursula K. Le Guin and Peruvian playwright Alonso Alegria. He lives in Dallas, Texas, with his family and a menagerie of pets.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
October 10, 2016
I did not finish this. I couldn't.
I got it for free from some reddit promotion I saw from the author. The beginning was lighthearted and didn't take itself too seriously, and was a decent romp. The issues just persisted throughout the pages, though, until they coalesced to be too much to ignore.
None of the characters or plot points make sense. Not a single one. I'm not going to iterate all of them, but this book felt like a combination of set pieces the author thought would be cool with minimal setup between to make them actually ring. Never mind the fact that I don't actually specifically remember any of the set pieces, so they couldn't have been that cool anyway.
Larsen is said to have been protecting his brother, but every time we see him on screen he just wants to kill him. That's a pretty big instantaneous motivation shift. On top of that, he does not have the kind of personality that would have been able to rise to power in the first place. He's just a selfish tantrum-throwing grown-up baby.
Maela (I may have misspelled this, but I can't be bothered to go back and double-check) gave her real name to a place she was trying to infiltrate. Also, her plot with Tim (whose name being so mundane conflicts with every other name in the story quite drastically; this feels like a placeholder name that the author forgot to go back and change) was the tropiest, most contrived nonsense I've read in a novel that I can ever remember.
The fact that the Thieves' Guild doesn't pick its own Guildmaster is insane. Ok, so the other guilds don't know the Thieves' Guild exists, and elect a figurehead, sure, whatever. But for everyone in the actual Thieves' Guild to actually obey to his orders like he has any authority over them, when he didn't even know they existed until fifteen seconds ago, is utterly asinine.
Also, everyone in the Wretched Quarter is a member of the Thieves' Guild, but nobody in any other Guild even realizes that the Thieves' Guild is real? Nobody in the other half of the city has ever even visited the half where literally everybody gets along in a tiny utopia? Because they have a few rows of houses that look disheveled so for literally 70 years nobody has explored past the small facade? No.
I'm out.
I got it for free from some reddit promotion I saw from the author. The beginning was lighthearted and didn't take itself too seriously, and was a decent romp. The issues just persisted throughout the pages, though, until they coalesced to be too much to ignore.
None of the characters or plot points make sense. Not a single one. I'm not going to iterate all of them, but this book felt like a combination of set pieces the author thought would be cool with minimal setup between to make them actually ring. Never mind the fact that I don't actually specifically remember any of the set pieces, so they couldn't have been that cool anyway.
Larsen is said to have been protecting his brother, but every time we see him on screen he just wants to kill him. That's a pretty big instantaneous motivation shift. On top of that, he does not have the kind of personality that would have been able to rise to power in the first place. He's just a selfish tantrum-throwing grown-up baby.
Maela (I may have misspelled this, but I can't be bothered to go back and double-check) gave her real name to a place she was trying to infiltrate. Also, her plot with Tim (whose name being so mundane conflicts with every other name in the story quite drastically; this feels like a placeholder name that the author forgot to go back and change) was the tropiest, most contrived nonsense I've read in a novel that I can ever remember.
The fact that the Thieves' Guild doesn't pick its own Guildmaster is insane. Ok, so the other guilds don't know the Thieves' Guild exists, and elect a figurehead, sure, whatever. But for everyone in the actual Thieves' Guild to actually obey to his orders like he has any authority over them, when he didn't even know they existed until fifteen seconds ago, is utterly asinine.
Also, everyone in the Wretched Quarter is a member of the Thieves' Guild, but nobody in any other Guild even realizes that the Thieves' Guild is real? Nobody in the other half of the city has ever even visited the half where literally everybody gets along in a tiny utopia? Because they have a few rows of houses that look disheveled so for literally 70 years nobody has explored past the small facade? No.
I'm out.
October 4, 2016
I don't really understand why this book got such great reviews. It seemed very childish and boring to me. A lot of people praised the worldbuilding, with everyone in the city belonging to guild, but it really wasn't that great. The characters were dumb and uninteresting.
My biggest issue was that there was no reason (in the portion of the book I read) that Ralan should actually become the Guildmaster Thief, and not just hold the title. Why couldn't an experienced thief be the actual leader while Ralan is just kept as a public figure? It makes no sense.
The pacing was good for YA, but because the plot was so dull I still got bored of it. The world is pretty dark (kids get beaten all the time) but I didn't feel this was given the appropriate tone in the book. Apparently there are great twists toward the end, but unfortunately I couldn't force myself to continue.
My biggest issue was that there was no reason (in the portion of the book I read) that Ralan should actually become the Guildmaster Thief, and not just hold the title. Why couldn't an experienced thief be the actual leader while Ralan is just kept as a public figure? It makes no sense.
The pacing was good for YA, but because the plot was so dull I still got bored of it. The world is pretty dark (kids get beaten all the time) but I didn't feel this was given the appropriate tone in the book. Apparently there are great twists toward the end, but unfortunately I couldn't force myself to continue.
June 15, 2018
Not sure how i stumbled upon this one. I think it was one of a few i received from the author looking for an honest review. Careful what you ask for.
All told, I enjoyed the novella. I have read some pretty scathing reviews of the story and i dont quite see why the ass kicking. Granted it is my first experience with this author and as much as it is a short story of introduction and not a full blown novel I am trying to figure out the reason for the bashing.
The story itself is not horrible. The plot is acceptable. It is a novella so things need to move along fairly quickly and might be perceived as a bit simple. But all in all i am prepared to give the next book a read. I would expect some fleshing out of the characters. I personally like to give series books a two book read. If there is not solid character development after the second book then I will give up on it. At this point, Mr. Kerr, if you want another honest review go ahead and send me the second book.
All told, I enjoyed the novella. I have read some pretty scathing reviews of the story and i dont quite see why the ass kicking. Granted it is my first experience with this author and as much as it is a short story of introduction and not a full blown novel I am trying to figure out the reason for the bashing.
The story itself is not horrible. The plot is acceptable. It is a novella so things need to move along fairly quickly and might be perceived as a bit simple. But all in all i am prepared to give the next book a read. I would expect some fleshing out of the characters. I personally like to give series books a two book read. If there is not solid character development after the second book then I will give up on it. At this point, Mr. Kerr, if you want another honest review go ahead and send me the second book.
August 11, 2017
Received ARC for honest review.
I was pleasantly surprised with this novella,as a starting point for an epic series.
Centres around Ralan who becomes the butt of every ones jokes as the Guildmaster Thief.
An entertaining and enjoyable read and I am looking forward to reading some more books from Jake Kerr.
I was pleasantly surprised with this novella,as a starting point for an epic series.
Centres around Ralan who becomes the butt of every ones jokes as the Guildmaster Thief.
An entertaining and enjoyable read and I am looking forward to reading some more books from Jake Kerr.
February 13, 2018
Good Story
Entertaining and well written book. Great character development, unfortunately most of the development was of the main character. The support characters were only broad brush developed to convey story points.
Entertaining and well written book. Great character development, unfortunately most of the development was of the main character. The support characters were only broad brush developed to convey story points.
May 7, 2017
I was a given an ARC by the author in return for my honest review of this book.
This book is the story of Ralan a 15 year old who has Guildmaster status thrust upon to stop him from being such a nuisance to his Guildmaster brother. Yeah I don't exactly grok that one either.
This book has a few issues. The main one from the point of view of a reader is the length. According to the author this is the first in an episodic series intended to be read together as a whole book. While I can appreciate what the author was going for I really feel that this first installment at least is just not meaty enough to justify a release as a separate ebook. I finished it in one short sitting and even for a short episode that is a little disappointing. K.J. Parker has used a similar format for his recent serialised novel The Two of Swords and his first installment clocks in at almost double the length of this ebook and even that is only really acceptable because of Parker's trademark density of prose. This book just doesn't pack the punch to justify the length.
The plot and setting are (so far) simplistic to a degree that is far more in keeping with a YA book (which this is not as far as I can tell) and not a fabulous one at that. The city, the guilds, the characters and even the names are all cookie cutter fantasy tropes and I'm pretty sure I know what is going to happen to this character for at least the next 5 "episodes" simply because I've read this kind of book before. I also kind of don't care if he succeeds or not. At the moment there isn't a single character who isn't just a personification of a character flaw.
All that said I did enjoy reading something simpler and less dark. It's probably because I read it in a gap between two Malazan books but it certainly was a refreshing change of pace. With a bit of work (on both the story and the formatting) this series could possibly shape up to be something as charming as The Riyria books by Michael J. Sullivan or something as interesting as the tales of criminals by Douglas Hulick.
At the moment though I couldn't recommend this to serious fantasy fans.
This book is the story of Ralan a 15 year old who has Guildmaster status thrust upon to stop him from being such a nuisance to his Guildmaster brother. Yeah I don't exactly grok that one either.
This book has a few issues. The main one from the point of view of a reader is the length. According to the author this is the first in an episodic series intended to be read together as a whole book. While I can appreciate what the author was going for I really feel that this first installment at least is just not meaty enough to justify a release as a separate ebook. I finished it in one short sitting and even for a short episode that is a little disappointing. K.J. Parker has used a similar format for his recent serialised novel The Two of Swords and his first installment clocks in at almost double the length of this ebook and even that is only really acceptable because of Parker's trademark density of prose. This book just doesn't pack the punch to justify the length.
The plot and setting are (so far) simplistic to a degree that is far more in keeping with a YA book (which this is not as far as I can tell) and not a fabulous one at that. The city, the guilds, the characters and even the names are all cookie cutter fantasy tropes and I'm pretty sure I know what is going to happen to this character for at least the next 5 "episodes" simply because I've read this kind of book before. I also kind of don't care if he succeeds or not. At the moment there isn't a single character who isn't just a personification of a character flaw.
All that said I did enjoy reading something simpler and less dark. It's probably because I read it in a gap between two Malazan books but it certainly was a refreshing change of pace. With a bit of work (on both the story and the formatting) this series could possibly shape up to be something as charming as The Riyria books by Michael J. Sullivan or something as interesting as the tales of criminals by Douglas Hulick.
At the moment though I couldn't recommend this to serious fantasy fans.
November 12, 2015
As I was sitting on reddit one day, I stumbled upon a post by a contributor I'd never seen before, talking about how he needed readers to join his Advanced Reader team for a series of books I'd never heard of before. Being a reasonable and rational man, I immediately signed up for the opportunity. Free books! I thought, with due consideration and much contemplation. And so begins my journey into the Guildmaster Thief, by Jake Kerr.
First, I'll explain a little about the book. The Guildmaster Thief is a short story, though probably more of a novella (I'm no English major nor a publisher, but I know it's shorter than a full novel). Priced at a mere 99 cents, it's a cheap book to pick up, and a quick read. This makes it perfect for people who can only read in snippets, or who want a diversion during a bus commute. For a more dedicated reader, the story can almost certainly be completed in a single sitting.
The main character of the story, Ralan, is a teenager with a bad attitude and a penchant for mischief. He's not exactly the most likeable character for most of the story, though given some time to develop he begins to show more redeeming characteristics. What first seems like a spoiled brat who isn't smart enough to see the consequences of his actions eventually grows into a character who has been rebelling against the coddling of his older brother, and who really does have a heart under his prankster mask.
Without going into too much detail (the story is short as-is, I'd hate to spoil any of what is there) My chief complaints are thus: Ralan is quite unlikable as a protagonist for at least half of the story, perhaps a bit longer. Secondly, the main antagonist of the story, Ralan's older brother Larsen, seems to be nothing more than greedy and prone to outbursts of violence. He seems easily manipulated, and there's no clear reason for Larsen to have risen to the position he has found himself in.
To counteract these grievances, which are really minor as the first is (partially) resolved through the story and the second will hopefully be expanded upon in future stories, you are introduced to a small slice of a world that holds great promise. The city/state/nation the story is set in is controlled by powerful Guilds, and the Guildmasters who run them. We're given a peek into the complex political landscape of the country, and hear whispers of its ancient histories. The potential for excellent depth is there, but not much of it is explored in this instalment. I'm looking forward to learning more in future novels, which I will be reviewing here in the near future.
First, I'll explain a little about the book. The Guildmaster Thief is a short story, though probably more of a novella (I'm no English major nor a publisher, but I know it's shorter than a full novel). Priced at a mere 99 cents, it's a cheap book to pick up, and a quick read. This makes it perfect for people who can only read in snippets, or who want a diversion during a bus commute. For a more dedicated reader, the story can almost certainly be completed in a single sitting.
The main character of the story, Ralan, is a teenager with a bad attitude and a penchant for mischief. He's not exactly the most likeable character for most of the story, though given some time to develop he begins to show more redeeming characteristics. What first seems like a spoiled brat who isn't smart enough to see the consequences of his actions eventually grows into a character who has been rebelling against the coddling of his older brother, and who really does have a heart under his prankster mask.
Without going into too much detail (the story is short as-is, I'd hate to spoil any of what is there) My chief complaints are thus: Ralan is quite unlikable as a protagonist for at least half of the story, perhaps a bit longer. Secondly, the main antagonist of the story, Ralan's older brother Larsen, seems to be nothing more than greedy and prone to outbursts of violence. He seems easily manipulated, and there's no clear reason for Larsen to have risen to the position he has found himself in.
To counteract these grievances, which are really minor as the first is (partially) resolved through the story and the second will hopefully be expanded upon in future stories, you are introduced to a small slice of a world that holds great promise. The city/state/nation the story is set in is controlled by powerful Guilds, and the Guildmasters who run them. We're given a peek into the complex political landscape of the country, and hear whispers of its ancient histories. The potential for excellent depth is there, but not much of it is explored in this instalment. I'm looking forward to learning more in future novels, which I will be reviewing here in the near future.
November 12, 2015
I was really torn between giving this four or five stars, since the length of the book doesn't really gives out enough of itself to really judge the story as whole. But then I thought about it, and I can't imagine a better start to en epic fantasy story and if I couldn't give that five stars, then what could I?
Giving away the book for free, expecting us to get hooked seems a bit over-confident, but reading it I could feel myself getting attached to the characters, the world and the story. I've been reading a lot of modern fantasy lately - a lot of good fantasy - and I was expecting this to be good-not-great, but suddenly I couldn't wait to pick up the book, and was so relived that I had the next couple of volumes ready on my kindle.
The world is reasonably simple, at least at first glance, and you pretty easily get an idea of the world and the tone of the story. As you progress, the characters and plot is unfolded at an excellent pace, letting you discover everything without having to juggle too many names, places and connections at once. That doesn't mean that the story is simple, and the politics and scheming of the characters quickly become more complex and intriguing.
The characters are really well written. They might be a bit trope-based, but they feel fresh and real, and play of each other really well. The drama is great and the humor really makes you loose yourself in the whole thing. A+, go read.
Giving away the book for free, expecting us to get hooked seems a bit over-confident, but reading it I could feel myself getting attached to the characters, the world and the story. I've been reading a lot of modern fantasy lately - a lot of good fantasy - and I was expecting this to be good-not-great, but suddenly I couldn't wait to pick up the book, and was so relived that I had the next couple of volumes ready on my kindle.
The world is reasonably simple, at least at first glance, and you pretty easily get an idea of the world and the tone of the story. As you progress, the characters and plot is unfolded at an excellent pace, letting you discover everything without having to juggle too many names, places and connections at once. That doesn't mean that the story is simple, and the politics and scheming of the characters quickly become more complex and intriguing.
The characters are really well written. They might be a bit trope-based, but they feel fresh and real, and play of each other really well. The drama is great and the humor really makes you loose yourself in the whole thing. A+, go read.
February 15, 2016
7/10 (Good)
The Guildmaster Thief is the first novella in an epic fantasy series of the same name. It’s a good introduction to the series. It builds a solid foundation and sets the stage for future novellas full of intrigue and mystery. I have to admit that aside from being an epic fantasy series, the main draw for me is the unique format the author is using for this series. He is writing sets of four stand-alone novellas. Each set of four novellas will be collected into an omnibus edition that will contain a major story arc. So while the format drew me in, the story kept me reading.
Being a self-published work, it wasn’t surprising to find mistakes that a professional editor would have caught, however; the characters and story were good enough that I was able to overlook those issues. I think Jake Kerr deserves to be picked up by a major publisher. Hopefully his talent won’t go unnoticed for long.
The Guildmaster Thief is the first novella in an epic fantasy series of the same name. It’s a good introduction to the series. It builds a solid foundation and sets the stage for future novellas full of intrigue and mystery. I have to admit that aside from being an epic fantasy series, the main draw for me is the unique format the author is using for this series. He is writing sets of four stand-alone novellas. Each set of four novellas will be collected into an omnibus edition that will contain a major story arc. So while the format drew me in, the story kept me reading.
Being a self-published work, it wasn’t surprising to find mistakes that a professional editor would have caught, however; the characters and story were good enough that I was able to overlook those issues. I think Jake Kerr deserves to be picked up by a major publisher. Hopefully his talent won’t go unnoticed for long.
December 2, 2016
Enjoyable light fantasy read
I thought this was going to be typical YA fantasy with one dimensional characters and a basic plot. I was delighted to discover that there's some depth to this book, and by the end I was checking to see if there was a release date for book 2! Worth a look. 3.5-4 stars.
I thought this was going to be typical YA fantasy with one dimensional characters and a basic plot. I was delighted to discover that there's some depth to this book, and by the end I was checking to see if there was a release date for book 2! Worth a look. 3.5-4 stars.
May 7, 2016
Entertaining little novella about a guildless boy, his punishment and the consequences.
We get only glimpses into the world, but I'm intrigued by what I've seen so far, the MC is likeable with a rebellious streak, and his new Deputy is badass :-)
Will definitely continue to read the series.
We get only glimpses into the world, but I'm intrigued by what I've seen so far, the MC is likeable with a rebellious streak, and his new Deputy is badass :-)
Will definitely continue to read the series.
November 20, 2015
This book has a major problem that is common to all of Jake Kerr's work: It is too short! I read this book in one sitting and didn't want it to end. It is a lot of fun.
November 25, 2015
Really enjoyed this book, some interesting characters in a bit of a cliched world
May 25, 2016
This was a teaser novella more than a book, but the story was interesting. I would read on in the series, for sure.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews