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Roshaven #1
The Rose Thief
Ned Spinks, Chief Thief-Catcher has a problem. Someone is stealing the Emperor's roses. But that's not the worst of it. In his infinite wisdom and grace, the Emperor magically imbued his red rose with love so if it was ever removed from the Imperial Rose Gardens then love will be lost, to everyone, forever. It's up to Ned and his band of motley catchers to apprehend the thief and save the day. But the thief isn't exactly who they seem to be, neither is the Emperor. Ned and his team will have to go on a quest defeating vampire mermaids, illusionists, estranged family members and an evil sorcerer in order to win the day. What could possibly go wrong?
280 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 17, 2017
7 people are currently reading
80 people want to read
About the author
Claire Buss
32 books237 followersSign up for Claire's newsletter: http://eepurl.com/c93M2L
Claire Buss is a multi-genre author and poet based in the UK. She wanted to be Lois Lane when she grew up but work experience at her local paper was eye-opening. Instead, Claire went on to work in a variety of admin roles for over a decade but never felt quite at home. An avid reader, baker and Pinterest addict Claire won second place in the Barking and Dagenham Pen to Print writing competition in 2015 with her debut novel, The Gaia Effect, setting her writing career in motion.
~Writing passionately and hopelessly addicted to cake~
Claire's Books:
The Gaia Effect, a hopeful dystopian novel and winner of the 2017 Raven Award for favourite Scifi/Fantasy novel, was published in 2016.
The Gaia Project, the sequel to The Gaia Effect and second book in The Gaia Collection, published in October 2018.
The Gaia Solution, the third book in The Gaia Collection, is on Kindle pre-order right now and will be published in paperback and ebook on 8th November 2019.
The Rose Thief, a humorous fantasy inspired by Claire's love of Terry Pratchett and set in Roshaven was published in November 2017. It won the Raven Award for best Sci-fi/Fantasy book in 2019.
The Silk Thief, Roshaven Book 2.
The Bone Thief, Roshaven Book 3.
The Interspecies Poker Tournament, a humorous fantasy novella, set before The Rose Thief in the city of Roshaven, published in May 2019.
Ye Olde Magick Shoppe, a humorous fantasy short story from the world of Roshaven, published 2019.
Tales from Suburbia, a collection of humorous plays, blogs and short stories was published in July 2017 *available as an audiobook*
Tales from the Seaside, winner of the 2018 Best Indie Book, is a collection of humorous short stories inspired by life at the seaside with two small children, published in July 2018 *available as an audiobook*
The Blue Serpent & other tales, a collection of flash fiction stories, published in March 2018.
Flashing Here & There, a second collection of flash fiction stories, published in July 2019.
Claire has had two short stories published in 2017. 'Underground Scratchings' can be found in the sci-fi and fantasy anthology Tales from the Underground, published by Inklings Press. 'Patient Data' can be found in the sci-fi anthology The Quantum Soul, published by SciFi Roundtable. A joint short story, A Christmas Badger, was written with CH Clepitt and published in the Sparkly Badgers' Christmas Anthology. Dress Like An Animal flash fiction and Afraid of the Dark poem can be found in Haunted - The Sparkly Badgers' Anthology.
She has also published a series of poetry books - Little Book of Verse, Little Book of Spring, Little Book of Summer, Spooky Little Book, Little Book of Autumn, Little Book of Winter, Little Book of Love & Little Book of Christmas.
You can follow her on Twitter @grashopper2407, Facebook.com/busswriter and visit her website www.clairebuss.co.uk for more information about Claire and her writing.
Thank you for visiting my page! Please Follow my profile for important updates. And thank you for your reviews!
Claire Buss is a multi-genre author and poet based in the UK. She wanted to be Lois Lane when she grew up but work experience at her local paper was eye-opening. Instead, Claire went on to work in a variety of admin roles for over a decade but never felt quite at home. An avid reader, baker and Pinterest addict Claire won second place in the Barking and Dagenham Pen to Print writing competition in 2015 with her debut novel, The Gaia Effect, setting her writing career in motion.
~Writing passionately and hopelessly addicted to cake~
Claire's Books:
The Gaia Effect, a hopeful dystopian novel and winner of the 2017 Raven Award for favourite Scifi/Fantasy novel, was published in 2016.
The Gaia Project, the sequel to The Gaia Effect and second book in The Gaia Collection, published in October 2018.
The Gaia Solution, the third book in The Gaia Collection, is on Kindle pre-order right now and will be published in paperback and ebook on 8th November 2019.
The Rose Thief, a humorous fantasy inspired by Claire's love of Terry Pratchett and set in Roshaven was published in November 2017. It won the Raven Award for best Sci-fi/Fantasy book in 2019.
The Silk Thief, Roshaven Book 2.
The Bone Thief, Roshaven Book 3.
The Interspecies Poker Tournament, a humorous fantasy novella, set before The Rose Thief in the city of Roshaven, published in May 2019.
Ye Olde Magick Shoppe, a humorous fantasy short story from the world of Roshaven, published 2019.
Tales from Suburbia, a collection of humorous plays, blogs and short stories was published in July 2017 *available as an audiobook*
Tales from the Seaside, winner of the 2018 Best Indie Book, is a collection of humorous short stories inspired by life at the seaside with two small children, published in July 2018 *available as an audiobook*
The Blue Serpent & other tales, a collection of flash fiction stories, published in March 2018.
Flashing Here & There, a second collection of flash fiction stories, published in July 2019.
Claire has had two short stories published in 2017. 'Underground Scratchings' can be found in the sci-fi and fantasy anthology Tales from the Underground, published by Inklings Press. 'Patient Data' can be found in the sci-fi anthology The Quantum Soul, published by SciFi Roundtable. A joint short story, A Christmas Badger, was written with CH Clepitt and published in the Sparkly Badgers' Christmas Anthology. Dress Like An Animal flash fiction and Afraid of the Dark poem can be found in Haunted - The Sparkly Badgers' Anthology.
She has also published a series of poetry books - Little Book of Verse, Little Book of Spring, Little Book of Summer, Spooky Little Book, Little Book of Autumn, Little Book of Winter, Little Book of Love & Little Book of Christmas.
You can follow her on Twitter @grashopper2407, Facebook.com/busswriter and visit her website www.clairebuss.co.uk for more information about Claire and her writing.
Thank you for visiting my page! Please Follow my profile for important updates. And thank you for your reviews!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 53 reviews
January 26, 2018
This is an engaging romp whose wild inconsequentiality had me in a little bubble of laughter throughout. It’s an avowed homage to the late, lamented Terry Pratchett, but is none the worse for that. Don’t get me wrong, this isn’t ‘fan fiction’ by any stretch of the imagination. The author takes us on a journey of her own making, peopled by a cast of the odd, the weird, the insane and the downright creepy - all of whom, one hopes, grew from her imagination. I’d hate to think the poor woman knows them all in the ‘real’ world.
To précis. Somebody is stealing the Emperor’s roses. This is Not A Good Thing - and Ned Spinks and his band of thief-catchers are tasked with apprehending the thief. Or else.
The story jumps along happily, although I did sometimes think plot got a bit sacrificed for jokes. But. Hey. Jokes, and funny ones of those.
The writing is crisp and clean and my only caveat there is that I did, once or twice, get a bit muddled by exactly whose head I was in at any given time. Although that’s only a minor blot on the escutcheon of a truly talented writer.
I very much enjoyed this book and I really hope Ms Buss has more of the like in her locker. Four and a half stars rounded up to five because I’m a Pratchett fan too. Highly recommended.
To précis. Somebody is stealing the Emperor’s roses. This is Not A Good Thing - and Ned Spinks and his band of thief-catchers are tasked with apprehending the thief. Or else.
The story jumps along happily, although I did sometimes think plot got a bit sacrificed for jokes. But. Hey. Jokes, and funny ones of those.
The writing is crisp and clean and my only caveat there is that I did, once or twice, get a bit muddled by exactly whose head I was in at any given time. Although that’s only a minor blot on the escutcheon of a truly talented writer.
I very much enjoyed this book and I really hope Ms Buss has more of the like in her locker. Four and a half stars rounded up to five because I’m a Pratchett fan too. Highly recommended.
November 10, 2017
What can I say about The Rose Thief? Well, I can start by saying how well written it was. I was gripped from the very first page. The story follows Ned Spinks, Chief Thief Catcher, and his band of merry Thief Catcher companions, my favourite being Jenni. They have been tasked to catch a thief, who has been happily stealing roses from the Emperor's (may he live for ever and ever) garden. Mayhem and murder ensue, as the gang try to find the culprit. The Characters are varied and all have there on little quirks. The banter between Ned and Jenni made me laugh... a lot. The whole book was well paced from dialogue to prose, and if you like the workings of Terry Pratchett, you will eat this up. I really do recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a good bit of fantasy, and to say it has everything you could ever need from a book, would be an understate. Well done to the author for thinking up such an imaginative and enjoyable story.
February 11, 2020
When someone steals the emperor's roses, it is up to Thief-catcher Ned and friends to find out who did it and retrieve it before it is too late and they lose love forever. Will they succeed? Read on and find out for yourself.
This was a pretty good action-packed fantasy. Be sure to check this book out on Amazon and wherever books and ebooks are sold.
This was a pretty good action-packed fantasy. Be sure to check this book out on Amazon and wherever books and ebooks are sold.
November 28, 2017
This is a brilliantly clever book that had me gripped from the beginning. It is an homage to Terry Pratchett in its witty writing style, yet so utterly unique in story that you will wonder where on earth (or beyond) the writer found her inspiration. The world is so intricately built that you can visualise every step the characters take on their journey, and the very British humour had me laughing out loud in places. This is another one where I felt that the romance could have spent more time developing, as it struck me as a bit sudden, but the characters all had such unique and cleverly drawn personalities that I was just enjoying them for what they were. If you like Pratchett you won’t be disappointed, this was a fabulous read and gets nine out of ten, or five out of five.
June 30, 2019
When it comes to humorous fantasy, it's difficult for me not to make comparisons with Terry Pratchett.With The Rose Thief, there's definitely a discworld vibe over the story. It is, of course, not quite the same, because I doubt anyone (or anything) can really match Pratchett – but it's not far off the mark.
So it's not quite a fair comparison, but it had to be made nonetheless.
That said, this is a good book in its own right, and I quite enjoyed the quirks and twists of it.
What I enjoyed:
Loads of fun magical/fantasy/fairy/mystery stuff. It's a melting pot of fun and interesting stuff just being thrown together, and it works. It's all in good fun, and it doesn't need to be explained or “balanced” or any of that other stuff that sometimes holds more “serious” fantasy back. It's full throttle magic mayhem all the way, and that's awesome.
What I have to complain about to balance out the stuff I enjoyed:
The book isn't without its flaws. Specifically, a lot of scenes that would have been exciting battles full of nail biting tension are over very quickly – sometimes to the point where it left me uncertain of whether what I'd just read really happened, or if it was just some trick.
Would I recommend this book, and to who:
Yes, without a doubt. I'd recommend this to anyone who likes the Pratchett and who wants something new.
So it's not quite a fair comparison, but it had to be made nonetheless.
That said, this is a good book in its own right, and I quite enjoyed the quirks and twists of it.
What I enjoyed:
Loads of fun magical/fantasy/fairy/mystery stuff. It's a melting pot of fun and interesting stuff just being thrown together, and it works. It's all in good fun, and it doesn't need to be explained or “balanced” or any of that other stuff that sometimes holds more “serious” fantasy back. It's full throttle magic mayhem all the way, and that's awesome.
What I have to complain about to balance out the stuff I enjoyed:
The book isn't without its flaws. Specifically, a lot of scenes that would have been exciting battles full of nail biting tension are over very quickly – sometimes to the point where it left me uncertain of whether what I'd just read really happened, or if it was just some trick.
Would I recommend this book, and to who:
Yes, without a doubt. I'd recommend this to anyone who likes the Pratchett and who wants something new.
September 15, 2018
A fun read in a fantasy setting. I really enjoyed the story and its characters with their quirky personalities.
September 9, 2018
Fun read
When someone steals many of the royal roses, Ned, the Thief Catcher, is asked by the Emperor to find the thief and keep them from stealing the red rose of love. Thus begins a much more complex romp than I expected at first. Little is what or whom they seem. So many wonderful characters inhabit this story, but my favorite is Jenni, the lisping sprite. Head hopping and occasional misspellings didn't deter my many chuckles or that lol moments.
When someone steals many of the royal roses, Ned, the Thief Catcher, is asked by the Emperor to find the thief and keep them from stealing the red rose of love. Thus begins a much more complex romp than I expected at first. Little is what or whom they seem. So many wonderful characters inhabit this story, but my favorite is Jenni, the lisping sprite. Head hopping and occasional misspellings didn't deter my many chuckles or that lol moments.
December 15, 2018
A Tale of Magic and Love
A variety of interesting and amusing characters, magic their way through to save the emperor, the realm and themselves.
Lovers of Terry Pratchet will enjoy this book
A variety of interesting and amusing characters, magic their way through to save the emperor, the realm and themselves.
Lovers of Terry Pratchet will enjoy this book
February 27, 2018
Entirely delightful and captivating!
‘The Rose Thief’ is a quirky fantasy adventure that makes compulsive reading. It is entirely delightful and captivating.
Laced with humour and loaded with vivid, unique characters, the story is set in the kingdom of Roshaven, where someone is stealing the Emperor’s roses. This sets off a chain of events in which the reader discovers that things are not always as they appear to be, and there is always more to someone’s actions than what is observed on the surface.
Buss has crafted the story with a high degree of originality: while it includes many standard fantasy elements, the author has shaped and combined them in her own way so that their qualities and abilities are all quite individual and delightfully idiosyncratic.
The reader is quickly engaged by the opening scenes, and then becomes invested in the characters and the challenges they face. The story is well-developed and moves at good pace, with the author demonstrating excellent control over the reader by accelerating and slowing them down at various stages without the reader being conscious of this happening until later.
The unfolding mystery and the development of the characters within the narrative is enhanced by the humour, which is at sometimes very cleverly saucy and at other times subversive, which made this reader chuckle quite a bit, but it is never inappropriate, nor does it overwhelm or distract from the story that is being told.
‘The Rose Thief’ is a book that I just wanted to keep reading. I really hope there is going to be a sequel.
‘The Rose Thief’ is a quirky fantasy adventure that makes compulsive reading. It is entirely delightful and captivating.
Laced with humour and loaded with vivid, unique characters, the story is set in the kingdom of Roshaven, where someone is stealing the Emperor’s roses. This sets off a chain of events in which the reader discovers that things are not always as they appear to be, and there is always more to someone’s actions than what is observed on the surface.
Buss has crafted the story with a high degree of originality: while it includes many standard fantasy elements, the author has shaped and combined them in her own way so that their qualities and abilities are all quite individual and delightfully idiosyncratic.
The reader is quickly engaged by the opening scenes, and then becomes invested in the characters and the challenges they face. The story is well-developed and moves at good pace, with the author demonstrating excellent control over the reader by accelerating and slowing them down at various stages without the reader being conscious of this happening until later.
The unfolding mystery and the development of the characters within the narrative is enhanced by the humour, which is at sometimes very cleverly saucy and at other times subversive, which made this reader chuckle quite a bit, but it is never inappropriate, nor does it overwhelm or distract from the story that is being told.
‘The Rose Thief’ is a book that I just wanted to keep reading. I really hope there is going to be a sequel.
August 1, 2018
Stealing roses might not seem like such a crime but some foolish person (the Emperor, may he live forever and ever) had the real meaning of love linked to a red rose growing in his garden.
I'm with the main character, Thief-Catcher extraordinaire, (or at least quite good) when he says, "What bloody idiot decides to tie love to a bloody flower."
Perhaps the Emperor (may he live forever and ever), was an idiot to bind love to a flower but the story that follows makes me glad he did!
Would I recommend it?
Is irreverent fantasy humor a genre yet? If it is, file this book with it's thief catching team of a stinky sprite, luscious tree nymph, spying firefly and a pair of spell casters right in the middle of it along with Terry Pratchett, Piers Anthony and A. Lee Martinez. Likewise if you are a fan of the aforementioned authors you might want to pick this one up!
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I discovered this book because I’m a proud member of Rosie’s Book Review Team!
I'm with the main character, Thief-Catcher extraordinaire, (or at least quite good) when he says, "What bloody idiot decides to tie love to a bloody flower."
Perhaps the Emperor (may he live forever and ever), was an idiot to bind love to a flower but the story that follows makes me glad he did!
Would I recommend it?
Is irreverent fantasy humor a genre yet? If it is, file this book with it's thief catching team of a stinky sprite, luscious tree nymph, spying firefly and a pair of spell casters right in the middle of it along with Terry Pratchett, Piers Anthony and A. Lee Martinez. Likewise if you are a fan of the aforementioned authors you might want to pick this one up!
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I discovered this book because I’m a proud member of Rosie’s Book Review Team!
April 23, 2018
The Rose Thief was a delightful read. So delightful that I managed to finish it in just 2.5 days. That's very fast considering my otherwise busy schedule. I love the British voice throughout and I'm happy that Claire Buss didn't try to Americanize this story. It kept me entertained through a long doctor's appointment and through an icky tummy allowing me to forget where and even when I was while reading it.
There were many lovely parts to this tale, but I can't explain without spoilers, so I'll just say this: Get the book, curl up with it and let it take you away.
There were many lovely parts to this tale, but I can't explain without spoilers, so I'll just say this: Get the book, curl up with it and let it take you away.
November 21, 2017
Sir Terence Pratchett would Approve!
'Surely a state dinner would mean all dignitaries so not only Lower Circle and Stalls but all the Guild Heads as well.'
The roses in the Emperor's garden are being stolen one by one. That means the Rose of Love that someone stupidly imbued with all the love in the world, could be next. And if the Rose of Love is taken then all love would fade away too.
Utter disaster.
Enter Ned Spinks and his trusty band of Thief Catchers - a sprite called Jenni, a firefly called Sparks, a wood nymph called Willow a slacker called Joe and even a mermaid, Pearl. Together with friends who are allies, but might really be enemies and allies who are allies and maybe friendly - and enemies who have to be allies and might one day be friends, the Thief Catchers of Rosehaven set out to catch the Rose Thief.
'Ned looked around for Jenni, she was kissing a frog. He sighed. Ten to one the frog was a prince from some far flung land who had upset the sprites.'
I loved this book. It has humour, adventure, romance and fantasy and the same kind of warmth that Pratchett achieved so effortlessly. The characters are fun and worth getting to know, the setting is marvellous and unfolds like a flower as the story progresses.
The humour is both obvious and laugh-out-loud and subtle, in either a slowly spreading smile or even a muted groan kind of way. It plays on fantasy tropes and it also brings in real-world oddities - such as the way the place officials are named after seating in the theatre.
'Sometimes it was comforting to be around what you knew and right now Willow needed root, trunk and branch to comfort her. Sparks stayed in the office. He was too buzzed to go outside right now.'
To my mind, this book has only one flaw. The head-hopping. The story is told from Ned's perspective - except when we hop into the head of whoever else at any moment and with no warning - twice in the same paragraph even. Sometimes the humour of the moment carries it, but often it just spoils the flow of the book and on most occasions, IMO, it added very little to the narrative.
That one issue aside this is a perfectly wonderful book and I can not recommend it highly enough to those who enjoy Pratchett-esque fantasy.
'Surely a state dinner would mean all dignitaries so not only Lower Circle and Stalls but all the Guild Heads as well.'
The roses in the Emperor's garden are being stolen one by one. That means the Rose of Love that someone stupidly imbued with all the love in the world, could be next. And if the Rose of Love is taken then all love would fade away too.
Utter disaster.
Enter Ned Spinks and his trusty band of Thief Catchers - a sprite called Jenni, a firefly called Sparks, a wood nymph called Willow a slacker called Joe and even a mermaid, Pearl. Together with friends who are allies, but might really be enemies and allies who are allies and maybe friendly - and enemies who have to be allies and might one day be friends, the Thief Catchers of Rosehaven set out to catch the Rose Thief.
'Ned looked around for Jenni, she was kissing a frog. He sighed. Ten to one the frog was a prince from some far flung land who had upset the sprites.'
I loved this book. It has humour, adventure, romance and fantasy and the same kind of warmth that Pratchett achieved so effortlessly. The characters are fun and worth getting to know, the setting is marvellous and unfolds like a flower as the story progresses.
The humour is both obvious and laugh-out-loud and subtle, in either a slowly spreading smile or even a muted groan kind of way. It plays on fantasy tropes and it also brings in real-world oddities - such as the way the place officials are named after seating in the theatre.
'Sometimes it was comforting to be around what you knew and right now Willow needed root, trunk and branch to comfort her. Sparks stayed in the office. He was too buzzed to go outside right now.'
To my mind, this book has only one flaw. The head-hopping. The story is told from Ned's perspective - except when we hop into the head of whoever else at any moment and with no warning - twice in the same paragraph even. Sometimes the humour of the moment carries it, but often it just spoils the flow of the book and on most occasions, IMO, it added very little to the narrative.
That one issue aside this is a perfectly wonderful book and I can not recommend it highly enough to those who enjoy Pratchett-esque fantasy.
April 12, 2018
What if Terry Pratchett and Douglas Adams had a baby in a magical universe? That’s THE ROSE THIEF!
Ned Sparks is the Thief Catcher of Roshaven—a town where magical creatures, controlled lawlessness, a complex bureaucracy, a mysterious Emperor (may he live forever and ever), and a large dose of whimsy, rule. Ned, along with a smelly sprite, a lighting bug (you really want to know how Ned communicates with him!), a grumpy maybe-warlock, and a wood nymph with some serious sex-appeal, is charged with finding out who is stealing the Emperor’s (may he... you get the idea) enchanted roses—and then the rose of love itself is stolen!
Let me admit a heresy: I do not like Terry Pratchett books. I’ve never been able to fully articulate why. Reading THE ROSE THIEF showed me why. Although Pratchett has plenty of humor, snide asides, witty snark, and magical hijinx, what he lacks is a depth of feeling. Love, you might call it. There is no depth of emotion behind his characters—they are 2 dimensional beings there to dance on the puppet stage. Claire Buss imbues each of her characters with a reason to love, to care, to really want to succeed in a world that seems entirely mad. You are pretty sure you’d rather these folks not pop into your world, but if you were in their’s, you’d certainly want to hang out with them.
This is a romp of a book with well-drawn characters, mysteries, romances, a quest, and dark forces. There are plenty of laughs of every kind to be had—from pure slapstick, to clever word play, and funny situations. Save THE ROSE THIEF for a day when you aren’t planning to do anything. You won’t want to put it down!
Ned Sparks is the Thief Catcher of Roshaven—a town where magical creatures, controlled lawlessness, a complex bureaucracy, a mysterious Emperor (may he live forever and ever), and a large dose of whimsy, rule. Ned, along with a smelly sprite, a lighting bug (you really want to know how Ned communicates with him!), a grumpy maybe-warlock, and a wood nymph with some serious sex-appeal, is charged with finding out who is stealing the Emperor’s (may he... you get the idea) enchanted roses—and then the rose of love itself is stolen!
Let me admit a heresy: I do not like Terry Pratchett books. I’ve never been able to fully articulate why. Reading THE ROSE THIEF showed me why. Although Pratchett has plenty of humor, snide asides, witty snark, and magical hijinx, what he lacks is a depth of feeling. Love, you might call it. There is no depth of emotion behind his characters—they are 2 dimensional beings there to dance on the puppet stage. Claire Buss imbues each of her characters with a reason to love, to care, to really want to succeed in a world that seems entirely mad. You are pretty sure you’d rather these folks not pop into your world, but if you were in their’s, you’d certainly want to hang out with them.
This is a romp of a book with well-drawn characters, mysteries, romances, a quest, and dark forces. There are plenty of laughs of every kind to be had—from pure slapstick, to clever word play, and funny situations. Save THE ROSE THIEF for a day when you aren’t planning to do anything. You won’t want to put it down!
August 2, 2018
The Rose Thief has an upside down opening: quite literally, as Ned Spinks, Chief Thief Catcher, is suspended by his heels for questioning at the time. Someone's been stealing the Emperor's roses, and one of them embodies the force of love. Steal that, and the kingdom will lose all ability to care. Ned's job is to track the rose thief...before he or she makes off with the rose of love. Between that, an undercover warlock, and the murder of a prominent figure in Roshaven's underworld, Ned's dance card for the day is getting full - and that's without the diplomatic pitfalls of beetle cheesecake (spit or swallow?)
The Rose Thief is a light-hearted comedy fantasy, set in a world of magic and intrigue (and we aren't going to mention the strap-on attachment that allows humans to talk with Sparks the firefly). The plot weaves politics, family feuds, and the power of love into a colourful adventure, underscored with a telling commentary on gender discrimination that forms a more serious sideline to the main story. The character of Jenni, Ned's partner-come-nemesis, was one that particularly drew me - a sprite with an entertainingly foul mouth to match her customary aroma, Jenni is one of the most powerful characters in the story, a force of nature with no interest in being in charge. I'd recommend this book to anyone who enjoys laughter and fantasy.
Reviewed for By Rite of Word.
The Rose Thief is a light-hearted comedy fantasy, set in a world of magic and intrigue (and we aren't going to mention the strap-on attachment that allows humans to talk with Sparks the firefly). The plot weaves politics, family feuds, and the power of love into a colourful adventure, underscored with a telling commentary on gender discrimination that forms a more serious sideline to the main story. The character of Jenni, Ned's partner-come-nemesis, was one that particularly drew me - a sprite with an entertainingly foul mouth to match her customary aroma, Jenni is one of the most powerful characters in the story, a force of nature with no interest in being in charge. I'd recommend this book to anyone who enjoys laughter and fantasy.
Reviewed for By Rite of Word.
May 23, 2018
Ned Spinks, Chief Thief-Catcher, must apprehend the robber who is stealing the Emperor’s magical roses. But even though he has the assistance of a sprite, a warlock, a nymph, and an assortment of other magical folk, there are vampire mermaids, illusionists, and even his own family members standing in his way.
Ned’s investigation takes him on surprising and oftentimes perilous journeys as Claire Buss’ unique fantasy mystery adventure winds its way across the pages of “The Rose Thief”. This exciting and enchanting read captures the imagination with a sparkling cast of characters and a strong plotline. Buss’ talent as a storyteller is made apparent in her ability to reserve her tale’s secrets while leading the reader through a maze of clues that may sometimes seem obvious, but her reveal is always unpredictable.
The characters in this book are well-developed and well-conceived, with duplicitous personalities and talents that are as varied as any individuals you will find in the real world.
Charming, witty, dangerous, and truly exciting, Buss’ “The Rose Thief”—may it live forever and ever—is a spellbinding take on a magical mystery adventure that readers will cherish and want to savor over and over again.
Ned’s investigation takes him on surprising and oftentimes perilous journeys as Claire Buss’ unique fantasy mystery adventure winds its way across the pages of “The Rose Thief”. This exciting and enchanting read captures the imagination with a sparkling cast of characters and a strong plotline. Buss’ talent as a storyteller is made apparent in her ability to reserve her tale’s secrets while leading the reader through a maze of clues that may sometimes seem obvious, but her reveal is always unpredictable.
The characters in this book are well-developed and well-conceived, with duplicitous personalities and talents that are as varied as any individuals you will find in the real world.
Charming, witty, dangerous, and truly exciting, Buss’ “The Rose Thief”—may it live forever and ever—is a spellbinding take on a magical mystery adventure that readers will cherish and want to savor over and over again.
June 14, 2018
I will admit that fantasy is not a genre with which I am familiar but, having said that, I am somewhat intrigued by the author's mind. The Rose Thief is nothing less than a whimsical romp through a magical world on a quest to retrieve the Rose stolen from the Emperor's garden... may he live for ever and ever.
With two-faced bob, fairies, sprites & pixies -- not to be confused, bubblies, shadow-wraiths, an endless host of other manifestations of an adept imagination, and plain-old, lovable thief-catcher ned, this story is equal parts a children's masterpiece and a trip down a hallucinogenic rabbit-hole; I guess it depends on one's perspective.
I can say with certainty, though, that Claire Buss succeeded in bringing to life an enchanting tale of fantastic characters that play together perfectly in their own magical universe.
With two-faced bob, fairies, sprites & pixies -- not to be confused, bubblies, shadow-wraiths, an endless host of other manifestations of an adept imagination, and plain-old, lovable thief-catcher ned, this story is equal parts a children's masterpiece and a trip down a hallucinogenic rabbit-hole; I guess it depends on one's perspective.
I can say with certainty, though, that Claire Buss succeeded in bringing to life an enchanting tale of fantastic characters that play together perfectly in their own magical universe.
November 10, 2017
From the opening invite, this book draws you in, so enter and be enthralled.
I thoroughly enjoyed joining Ned Spinks and his crack pot team of thief catchers as they race against the clock to solve what seems at first a simple case of garden theft.
But what’s simple about the theft of a rose; from the emperor’s garden no less? Or the theft of a rose imbued with the world’s ability to love? Or magic, or wizards and warlocks or mermaids and nymphs and sprites?
Or falling in love?
Laugh out loud, find your favourite character and enjoy their voices, traits, triumphs and foibles, then miss them terribly when it’s all over.....
Or is it?
I thoroughly enjoyed joining Ned Spinks and his crack pot team of thief catchers as they race against the clock to solve what seems at first a simple case of garden theft.
But what’s simple about the theft of a rose; from the emperor’s garden no less? Or the theft of a rose imbued with the world’s ability to love? Or magic, or wizards and warlocks or mermaids and nymphs and sprites?
Or falling in love?
Laugh out loud, find your favourite character and enjoy their voices, traits, triumphs and foibles, then miss them terribly when it’s all over.....
Or is it?
November 6, 2017
I was lucky enough to be a beta reader for Claire Buss's The Rose Thief and thoroughly enjoyed the quirky characters and irreverent humour throughout. The occasionally darker themes are offset by the book's affable tone and light asides, whilst the world-building gives a nicely British tip of the hat that fans of Terry Pratchett ought to appreciate. If only I could find myself a sultry, flesh-eating mermaid to call my own...
June 22, 2018
Delightfully Different Fantasy Sword and Sorcery Tale
A fantasy crime procedural, if you will, that sees justice done, just desserts meted out, damsels in distress rescued from various questionable situations, and the triumph of good over evil as love conquers all, without being sappy and treacle-y (although treacle is mentioned a time or two). Some darker themes waft through the narrative, as well as some gruesome, heart-breaking (at least for the main character) and startling deaths, so this is not as light-hearted a tale as one might expect, but it’s jolly well done.
A fantasy crime procedural, if you will, that sees justice done, just desserts meted out, damsels in distress rescued from various questionable situations, and the triumph of good over evil as love conquers all, without being sappy and treacle-y (although treacle is mentioned a time or two). Some darker themes waft through the narrative, as well as some gruesome, heart-breaking (at least for the main character) and startling deaths, so this is not as light-hearted a tale as one might expect, but it’s jolly well done.
October 6, 2019
Warm, witty and utterly charming, The Rose Thief is a true delight.
It follows the story of Ned Spinks, a Thief Catcher, and his assorted associates of magic wielders and otherworldly creatures. He has one particular thief to catch - the one who is stealing the Emperor's roses.
Oh, and there's one special rose that is particularly at risk - a rose that is imbued with love itself. If ever that is removed, then love itself shall vanish from the Empire.
Written as a Pratchettesque comedy - laughs with deeper meaning too - this is a real treat. There are deadly mermaids and vicious fairies, unlikely romances and plentiful snort laughs. It sometimes gets a little bogged down in the later part of the story with getting us to the finale, but that's the only negative I could say.
More than that, though, it really does ask some pointed questions - such as what if love were to disappear, what would that mean? How could the world go on without love?
I read this book at a really rough time in life - and it put a smile on my face when it was hard to find things to smile about. That alone gives it my recommendation.
It follows the story of Ned Spinks, a Thief Catcher, and his assorted associates of magic wielders and otherworldly creatures. He has one particular thief to catch - the one who is stealing the Emperor's roses.
Oh, and there's one special rose that is particularly at risk - a rose that is imbued with love itself. If ever that is removed, then love itself shall vanish from the Empire.
Written as a Pratchettesque comedy - laughs with deeper meaning too - this is a real treat. There are deadly mermaids and vicious fairies, unlikely romances and plentiful snort laughs. It sometimes gets a little bogged down in the later part of the story with getting us to the finale, but that's the only negative I could say.
More than that, though, it really does ask some pointed questions - such as what if love were to disappear, what would that mean? How could the world go on without love?
I read this book at a really rough time in life - and it put a smile on my face when it was hard to find things to smile about. That alone gives it my recommendation.
February 27, 2019
Loved the characterisation especially the Upper Circle - very clever. Descriptions were clear and I could visualise the scenes. A very enjoyable read.
August 6, 2019
Loved this from the start
Well well well what a pleasant little tale of magic and fantasy with a smattering of humour ground in this book is. Loved the characters and Roshaven sounds like a pretty fun neck of the woods. There is clear evidence of sTP throughout the whole book which always makes me smile.
I would recommend this to anyone looking for a cracking read to take them away from the drudgery that is real life. I look forward to the possibility of more from Ned and his team.
Well well well what a pleasant little tale of magic and fantasy with a smattering of humour ground in this book is. Loved the characters and Roshaven sounds like a pretty fun neck of the woods. There is clear evidence of sTP throughout the whole book which always makes me smile.
I would recommend this to anyone looking for a cracking read to take them away from the drudgery that is real life. I look forward to the possibility of more from Ned and his team.
June 11, 2018
The Game of the Rose
When we meet Chief Thief-Catcher Ned Spinks—in the first paragraph of Claire Buss’s “The Rose Thief”—he is strung up by his ankles, in “the third best reception room of the Emperor’s Palace.”
“Here Be Dragons” might be seen as the shorthand of a medieval mapmaker—or contemporary game player—for “entering odd and potentially dangerous territory.” Our introduction to Ned can be read as a similar semaphore for “Changes in Perspective Ahead.”
Indeed there are . . . Up may be down and down may be sideways: Plus mermaids eat people, sprites are smelly, and wood nymphs are seductive.
In brief: The Emperor has a garden full of magic roses; they are being stolen, one by one; the most important, the red rose, embodies love, and its loss would mean the literal loss of love for the entire community of Roshaven. Ned has been tasked—on pain of death and on a short clock—with catching the rose thief.
And so, with his growing band of misfit assistants—and a former enemy or two—readers embark, with Ned, on a series of trials, tribulations, and “mini-quests,” culminating in The Big Quest (which is not what you think it is).
This was FUN!
Maybe call it a mashup of “The Maltese Falcon,” “Lord of the Rings,” and “Who Framed Roger Rabbit?” It’s a funny, alt-world, noirish, romantic quest. I *think* that hits all the buttons.
Did I mention that it was FUN?
“The Rose Thief” does NOT suffer from one of the classic pitfalls of this genre: turgid and doze-inducing exposition; Buss doesn’t bury the reader in information dumps that derail the narrative in service of over-explaining the details of the world she has created. We get those details, as we should, organically, as we merrily roll along.
Not sure whether you would exactly call them “Easter eggs,” but she also deftly weaves in little subtle bits and pieces that I’m sure she found amusing and that will delight readers who pick up on them. These are often asides or throw-away lines, but entertaining nonetheless. For example, at one point Ned, musing to himself about violence quotes the lyrics of a 1960s Edwin Starr song, “War—huh. What is it good for? Absolutely nothing.”
That made me smile.
Did I mention that this book was fun?
When we meet Chief Thief-Catcher Ned Spinks—in the first paragraph of Claire Buss’s “The Rose Thief”—he is strung up by his ankles, in “the third best reception room of the Emperor’s Palace.”
“Here Be Dragons” might be seen as the shorthand of a medieval mapmaker—or contemporary game player—for “entering odd and potentially dangerous territory.” Our introduction to Ned can be read as a similar semaphore for “Changes in Perspective Ahead.”
Indeed there are . . . Up may be down and down may be sideways: Plus mermaids eat people, sprites are smelly, and wood nymphs are seductive.
In brief: The Emperor has a garden full of magic roses; they are being stolen, one by one; the most important, the red rose, embodies love, and its loss would mean the literal loss of love for the entire community of Roshaven. Ned has been tasked—on pain of death and on a short clock—with catching the rose thief.
And so, with his growing band of misfit assistants—and a former enemy or two—readers embark, with Ned, on a series of trials, tribulations, and “mini-quests,” culminating in The Big Quest (which is not what you think it is).
This was FUN!
Maybe call it a mashup of “The Maltese Falcon,” “Lord of the Rings,” and “Who Framed Roger Rabbit?” It’s a funny, alt-world, noirish, romantic quest. I *think* that hits all the buttons.
Did I mention that it was FUN?
“The Rose Thief” does NOT suffer from one of the classic pitfalls of this genre: turgid and doze-inducing exposition; Buss doesn’t bury the reader in information dumps that derail the narrative in service of over-explaining the details of the world she has created. We get those details, as we should, organically, as we merrily roll along.
Not sure whether you would exactly call them “Easter eggs,” but she also deftly weaves in little subtle bits and pieces that I’m sure she found amusing and that will delight readers who pick up on them. These are often asides or throw-away lines, but entertaining nonetheless. For example, at one point Ned, musing to himself about violence quotes the lyrics of a 1960s Edwin Starr song, “War—huh. What is it good for? Absolutely nothing.”
That made me smile.
Did I mention that this book was fun?
November 10, 2017
It has been years since I have felt immersed in such creativity. The Rose Thief called me back to a time when I was young and devouring anything with a healthy serving of imagination, such as Brian Jacques' Redwall series. The way in which Buss brought her characters to life in an immensely imaginative world delighted me as I turned page after page. The dynamic between her leading characters, Ned and Jenni, was stellar and had me chuckling and feeling like I could have fit right into their group. Wit , emotion, and a true sense of story collide in this magical offering from an author I will be following from now on. I highly recommend this book to all.
February 20, 2018
The Rose Thief is a light-hearted fantasy adventure in the style of Sir Terry Pratchet, packed with quirky characters and lots and lots of jokes. Although reminiscent to the late great Pratchett, this work very much has its own unique identity. The writing is excellent and the continual action keeps you reading. It's a nice easy read, with nothing too heavy, and is really accessible. Ned and his side-kick Jenni are very likable protagonists and their adventure is lots of fun.
The Rose Thief is a fun read that moves along at a swift and enjoyable pace!
A definite read!
The Rose Thief is a fun read that moves along at a swift and enjoyable pace!
A definite read!
October 31, 2019
This book had me laughing. I loved the fact that it reminds me a bit of Sherlock Holmes except with a paranormal, magical twist. The empresses roses are being stolen and Sparks and his group of merry friends help him hunt down the elusive Rose Thief. They travel to different corners of their world looking and hunting for the rose and they come across evil plots, crazy family members, and an emperor with an agenda. This book is a really good read. It is Well written, has good World building, awesome characters, and a very good storyline. I can't wait to see what happens in the next book. I hope there is a book 2.
March 23, 2018
This was a fun fantasy read with enjoyable characters forming a motley crew that makes up a detective agency charged with catching whoever is stealing the Emporer's roses. Ned, the official 'thief-catcher' is human, though he does have a few skills as a spell caster. Jenni, his right-hand imp, excuse me, SPRITE (don't call her imp, or pixie, or...) provides some great Eliza Dolittle dialogue that makes her a fun character. Others in the crew are a nymph, a firefly, a mermaid, and a young spell-caster (who isn't really who he claims to be).
Along the way of finding the thief, we also run into some druids and other fae as well as a wicked warlock. At times I got a 'Princess Bride' vibe from this tale, but there was some 'Discworld' tossed in, too. I've read several authors who've tried to channel Terry Pratchett and/or Douglas Adams and really fell flat. Good humor isn't that easy to write, and for the most part, Buss is spot on. There's also a nod to 'Twelfth Night', but I won't reveal which character has a secret identity.
If you like a light quest fantasy loaded with humor, this is your book.
Along the way of finding the thief, we also run into some druids and other fae as well as a wicked warlock. At times I got a 'Princess Bride' vibe from this tale, but there was some 'Discworld' tossed in, too. I've read several authors who've tried to channel Terry Pratchett and/or Douglas Adams and really fell flat. Good humor isn't that easy to write, and for the most part, Buss is spot on. There's also a nod to 'Twelfth Night', but I won't reveal which character has a secret identity.
If you like a light quest fantasy loaded with humor, this is your book.
June 27, 2018
May Claire Buss Write For Ever And Ever
In The Rose Thief, Clair Buss has created a rich, internally consistent fantasy world full of engaging characters and impossible creatures. It has a typically inconsequential fairy tale plot - someone is stealing the emperor's roses and coincidentally the emotions attached to them. Of course, the last go one to go is the red rose of love... The tale is full of running gags that evoke the spirit of Monty Python and each of the characters has his, hers or its own unique personality - or several of them! If The Rose Thief has any flaws, they stem from its richness and the author's deep understanding of the world she has created. Sometimes the narrative is a little hard to follow in a James Joycean sort of way and it gets a bit wordy at times. All in all, however, this is a book for a cold winter evening and a cup of spiced (cinnamon) tea.
In The Rose Thief, Clair Buss has created a rich, internally consistent fantasy world full of engaging characters and impossible creatures. It has a typically inconsequential fairy tale plot - someone is stealing the emperor's roses and coincidentally the emotions attached to them. Of course, the last go one to go is the red rose of love... The tale is full of running gags that evoke the spirit of Monty Python and each of the characters has his, hers or its own unique personality - or several of them! If The Rose Thief has any flaws, they stem from its richness and the author's deep understanding of the world she has created. Sometimes the narrative is a little hard to follow in a James Joycean sort of way and it gets a bit wordy at times. All in all, however, this is a book for a cold winter evening and a cup of spiced (cinnamon) tea.
September 6, 2021
The Rose Thief is a fantasy story overflowing with imagination, adventure, and fun. Ned Spinks Chief Thief - Catcher, his faithful sidekick Jenni (an ornery sprite), and the rest of his motley crew have been tasked with finding out who is stealing the Emperor's roses before the magical red rose of love disappears taking all the love in the land with it. In this story we visit all the highs and lows Rosehaven has to offer, and meet sprites, nympha, mermaids, and sorcerers, among many other magical creatures. Ned's search for answers reveals unexpected secrets, taking them on a wild and often dangerous adventure.
I finished this book and immediately picked up it's sequel The Silk Thief.
I finished this book and immediately picked up it's sequel The Silk Thief.
November 4, 2017
A fun and pacey read. Buss is great at creating wild and wonderful fantasy worlds (read her first novel The Gaia Effect) and this novel takes her ability further. Lots of action and twists and turns as the characters attempt to find out who done it!
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