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The Language Thieves
The Cerebrals are a tribe so elusive that most believe them to be imaginary. Like vampires, they live on an isolated Scottish island and drain languages from people’s minds. The few who have encountered them fear losing their speech and vow never to mention them again. No one on the island can even imagine the sinister plan behind the thefts. With powers so vast, these thieves have hidden their secrets from the world for centuries. Until now!
When sixteen-year-old Daniel moves with his sick mother to the island, he discovers the Cerebrals are somehow connected to her loss of speech. Being a speaker of English and Irish Gaelic, Daniel is now under constant threat of being attacked and losing a language himself.
With his friends, Connor and Jenny, Daniel is poised to unravel the secrets the tribe has been keeping from the world. The shocking scheme is unveiled when Daniel sneaks into the Cerebral village. Now, he must not only save his mother but also stop the tribe from systematically destroying all languages in the world.
When sixteen-year-old Daniel moves with his sick mother to the island, he discovers the Cerebrals are somehow connected to her loss of speech. Being a speaker of English and Irish Gaelic, Daniel is now under constant threat of being attacked and losing a language himself.
With his friends, Connor and Jenny, Daniel is poised to unravel the secrets the tribe has been keeping from the world. The shocking scheme is unveiled when Daniel sneaks into the Cerebral village. Now, he must not only save his mother but also stop the tribe from systematically destroying all languages in the world.
- GenresFantasy
291 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 19, 2018
3 people are currently reading
21 people want to read
About the author
Marc Remus
35 books26 followersMarc Remus is an award-winning German painter and author. His books have received many literary awards and have been translated into Chinese, Dutch, German, Italian, Spanish, and Norwegian.
Remus was educated in the United States, graduated with a BA in art and illustration from Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, CA, and lived in Japan and Central America for some years. He has travelled to more than sixty countries and visited over a thousand cities, of which he has painted over two hundred. His work has been featured on TV and in many magazines and newspapers in Germany, USA, and Mexico.
During his art studies in California in the 1990s, Remus took his first children’s book illustration class. His college teacher inspired him to start writing and not just illustrating. The result was a picture book called Painting Brian, which led to his first book and eventually to the Magora series. In the early 2000s, Remus studied for four years at the Institute of Children’s Literature. In 2016 the Magora book, which he had initially written more than twenty years before, was finally published. During the five years that followed, eight more books were published, and Remus received many literary awards for his achievements.
Having a sweet tooth since childhood, Remus embarked on a new journey in 2019. Surrounded by many overweight friends and family members, Remus came up with an idea to teach children a healthy way of eating without preaching. This idea resulted in The Chocolate Clouds.
Today, Marc Remus continues to work on new children’s books while spending much of his time on a Greek island, studying Greek and Mandarin.
Remus was educated in the United States, graduated with a BA in art and illustration from Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, CA, and lived in Japan and Central America for some years. He has travelled to more than sixty countries and visited over a thousand cities, of which he has painted over two hundred. His work has been featured on TV and in many magazines and newspapers in Germany, USA, and Mexico.
During his art studies in California in the 1990s, Remus took his first children’s book illustration class. His college teacher inspired him to start writing and not just illustrating. The result was a picture book called Painting Brian, which led to his first book and eventually to the Magora series. In the early 2000s, Remus studied for four years at the Institute of Children’s Literature. In 2016 the Magora book, which he had initially written more than twenty years before, was finally published. During the five years that followed, eight more books were published, and Remus received many literary awards for his achievements.
Having a sweet tooth since childhood, Remus embarked on a new journey in 2019. Surrounded by many overweight friends and family members, Remus came up with an idea to teach children a healthy way of eating without preaching. This idea resulted in The Chocolate Clouds.
Today, Marc Remus continues to work on new children’s books while spending much of his time on a Greek island, studying Greek and Mandarin.
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
July 28, 2018
Fun fantasy in the real world!
The concept of lost languages brings to mind the depth of the meaning and importance of diversity. In Ireland, they are trying to bring back their Gaelic language before it is lost ~ even the signs in town are in 2 languages and students are studying Gaelic in school.
Thanks Marc Remus for a great way for our youth to understand the importance of their own culture ~ including their language.
The concept of lost languages brings to mind the depth of the meaning and importance of diversity. In Ireland, they are trying to bring back their Gaelic language before it is lost ~ even the signs in town are in 2 languages and students are studying Gaelic in school.
Thanks Marc Remus for a great way for our youth to understand the importance of their own culture ~ including their language.
August 5, 2018
I got The Language Thieves because I became a big fan of the Magora fantasy series by Marc Remus. My niece loved that series, so I was pleased to find a new title by the author!
The Language Thieves is completely different than his other books, but no less exciting and thrilling! The audience I’d say is young adults rather than middle graders, but I’m sure adults will enjoy it as much, at least I did. The story is well-written, the characters are believable and memorable, and the plot moves fast. Anybody who speaks more than one language or has studied a language in the past can relate to this topic.. I was fascinated by how the author weaved old legends to his own story, taking the reader to another world, somewhere on a mysterious island in Scotland. Mixing fantasy, sci-fi and love, this is a great read!
The Language Thieves is completely different than his other books, but no less exciting and thrilling! The audience I’d say is young adults rather than middle graders, but I’m sure adults will enjoy it as much, at least I did. The story is well-written, the characters are believable and memorable, and the plot moves fast. Anybody who speaks more than one language or has studied a language in the past can relate to this topic.. I was fascinated by how the author weaved old legends to his own story, taking the reader to another world, somewhere on a mysterious island in Scotland. Mixing fantasy, sci-fi and love, this is a great read!
July 24, 2018
An Amazing Fantasy World Within Reality
Did you ever wonder why there are so many different languages spoken today? Or why some languages are no longer used?
Do you speak multiple languages? Perhaps you should be on guard. Or just enjoy reading The Language Thieves!
Marc Remus has done it again! He’s created a beautifully detailed fantasy within our real world, taking legends from the past to create a totally believable adventure.
I was hooked on his teenage characters from chapter one. I cheered for their successes and worried when they were in danger. And Remus definitely added a good dose of danger and excitement.
The settings are so beautifully described that I felt like I was in them.
And if you enjoy exciting adventure, perfectly balanced with fun relationships between good friends, and some cool history woven in, then you’ll love this fantasy. I can’t wait to read the next Remus masterpiece.
Did you ever wonder why there are so many different languages spoken today? Or why some languages are no longer used?
Do you speak multiple languages? Perhaps you should be on guard. Or just enjoy reading The Language Thieves!
Marc Remus has done it again! He’s created a beautifully detailed fantasy within our real world, taking legends from the past to create a totally believable adventure.
I was hooked on his teenage characters from chapter one. I cheered for their successes and worried when they were in danger. And Remus definitely added a good dose of danger and excitement.
The settings are so beautifully described that I felt like I was in them.
And if you enjoy exciting adventure, perfectly balanced with fun relationships between good friends, and some cool history woven in, then you’ll love this fantasy. I can’t wait to read the next Remus masterpiece.
December 19, 2019
The illness of his mother brings 16-year-old Daniel to a remote island in Northern Scotland. There he discovers that his mothers' illness is linked to a mysterious tribe living hidden in the forest. This tribe, the Cerebrals, steals languages from people's minds and leaves some of them in a catatonic state. Daniel ventures out with his friends Jenny and Connor to find the village of the tribe. When they sneak into the village, they learn that the Cerebrals have a global plan to extinguish all languages. Daniel fights now to help his mother and save languages from extinction. This book is well-written and entertaining. The characters are fully developed and sometimes quite funny.
December 22, 2019
I had a wonderful time with this book. My daughters and I couldn't put it down and read to the very end in just a weekend. The idea behind the story is very creative. The author mixes traditional myths (The Confusion of Tongues, Atlantis and Babel) with a modern story and comes up with an ingenious ending.
December 21, 2019
The Cerebrals are a tribe in Northern Scotland that steals languages from people. The main character Daniel tries to find out how these mysterious people do that. It is an action-filled adventure with lots of surprises. The book gives a new perspective on why languages have been disappearing from the world daily.
December 21, 2019
Nice book! It is about how languages die out, especially small ones. I see this in Asia so often. Small languages disappear because big ones take over. Everybody forgets how to speak them. Book explains how this happens.
December 19, 2019
Daniel has an issue being of Irish descent and wants to forget the Irish Gaellic language. Moving from Arizona to Northern Scotland into a building decorated with Irish symbols doesn't make his life easier. But when he discovers a tribe that steals languages from people he suddenly realizes how important his language is. A fight against the Language Thieves takes place. The plot of a world-wide conspiracy is perfectly woven into a well-developed personal story.
December 19, 2019
An interesting concept that I didn't expect but loved very much. The story of a boy who runs into a strange tribe in Scotland. He discovers that they steal languages out of people's heads. That is why they are called Cerebrals. This book is hard to describe because it has so many different layers. I would just suggest to read it and find out for yourself. I wouldn't be surprised if you were thrilled as much as I was.
December 20, 2019
This is a book with lots of beautiful descriptions as well as action. A mysterious tribe in Scotland steals languages from people's minds. Nobody knows how they do this and why until 16-year-old Daniel moves to the island and unravels the secret that lies behind it. There is not a single page that is boring and it keeps you wanting more with each chapter.
December 22, 2019
An interesting read for all who love fantasy, scifi and a little bit of romance.
December 21, 2019
book that is different from any other and can't be placed into one genre. A little bit of fantasy, sci-fi and adventure combined with a world conspiracy to extinguish languages
December 20, 2019
Great read! I enjoyed the vivid descriptions of the Language Thieves' village where everything is dominated by languages from all over the world.
December 19, 2019
This was a good book that can be read quickly without being slowed down by complicated expressions or vocabulary. I wish this was a series.
December 12, 2019
I stumbled across this book during a free promotion on Kindle Unlimited by this independent author. Having read many self-published books from independent authors I was reluctant at first because I have had many bad experiences with these types of books. But "The Language Thieves" is clean, well edited and the writing is excellent. With very simple words the author creates an imaginative world that blew my mind. The Cerebrals are a mysterious tribe in Scotland that turns out to be something completely different than what I expected at the beginning. This book gained back my trust in independent authors.
September 16, 2018
"Were there actually people called Cerebrals who could steal languages from your mind?
They sounded like vampires draining words from people."
The Language Thieves by Marc Remus is fun, quick-paced young adult story for anyone who is a fan of languages.
Daniel is moving to a remote area in Scotland with his parents after his mother suffers a strange disease that renders her unable to speak or move and after his father is cured of cancer. His father brings everything Irish and green along with them, while Daniel resents his Irish roots.
On board the ferry transporting him and his parents from Ireland to Scotland, Daniel encounters a strange scene where a man somehow steals a language from a boy who had been speaking Irish Gaelic earlier. After that, a girl, Jenny, warns him not to mention to anyone that he speaks a second language at the island, Inverdee, where he would be living.
Shortly after we are introduced to strangely-dressed people, known as Cerebrals, who are believed to be the language thieves.
"It was happening all over the world. Languages were disappearing every day. It seemed as if someone was deleting one language after the other."
"But that's been happening for centuries. Languages just keep dying out."
"And this is what they want you to believe," Jenny said. "They want you to think it's normal that people pass on their languages to the next generation. But I think it's a cleverly-devised plan by the Cerebrals."
The novel moves as Daniel attempts to learn more about the Cerebrals, who are superb at covering their tracks, and as he wonders if they had a hand in his mother's illness. Along with Jenny and Connor, the trio infiltrates the Cerebral village, trying to discover the Cerebrals' agenda for stealing languages. What they uncover is brilliant!
I enjoyed the pace in The Language Thieves, which was mostly quick. I think the book would make for a good movie, especially with all the architecture involved in the Cerebrals' village.
We also meet the Cerebral Emily, whom Daniel has a crush on and who is terrified of the Cerebral tradition, a kind of rite-of-passage, where children often return changed or don't return at all.
"This is very serious. If you don't keep this to yourself, you will be in great danger. This language will be taken from you, and if you are really unlucky, you will be left with an empty mind."
The Language Thieves is Remus' first young adult novel. He previously wrote the middle grade series Magora. I felt that some of the text was still in the middle grade range, even though Daniel, Connor, and Jenny are within the 15 to 16-age range.
I also liked how Remus kept me guessing throughout the novel whether it was fantasy or science fiction. No, I'm not telling. I also felt the ending was slightly rushed; that there should have been more emotions and development at the end.
The writing was easy, too easy. I liked the use of Gaelic and the overall plot of how and why the languages were being stolen. I felt that Jenny was the most mature of the trio but I think they all developed in one way or another. There weren't many images to quote but the book read like a movie with lots of vivid description.
"I have finally figured out a secure way to get rid of all the languages in the world. Once this is accomplished, they'll all speak the old language again."
Overall rating: 4 stars
It is worth mentioning this part from Remus' bio:
"Marc Remus has travelled many times to Ireland and Scotland and developed a passion for these countries over the years. While he stayed with his family in Arizona, he began writing his first young adult novel. The Language Thieves interweaves the writer's fantasies with his experiences in Ireland, Scotland, Arizona, making the book a unique multicultural blend.
They sounded like vampires draining words from people."
The Language Thieves by Marc Remus is fun, quick-paced young adult story for anyone who is a fan of languages.
Daniel is moving to a remote area in Scotland with his parents after his mother suffers a strange disease that renders her unable to speak or move and after his father is cured of cancer. His father brings everything Irish and green along with them, while Daniel resents his Irish roots.
On board the ferry transporting him and his parents from Ireland to Scotland, Daniel encounters a strange scene where a man somehow steals a language from a boy who had been speaking Irish Gaelic earlier. After that, a girl, Jenny, warns him not to mention to anyone that he speaks a second language at the island, Inverdee, where he would be living.
Shortly after we are introduced to strangely-dressed people, known as Cerebrals, who are believed to be the language thieves.
"It was happening all over the world. Languages were disappearing every day. It seemed as if someone was deleting one language after the other."
"But that's been happening for centuries. Languages just keep dying out."
"And this is what they want you to believe," Jenny said. "They want you to think it's normal that people pass on their languages to the next generation. But I think it's a cleverly-devised plan by the Cerebrals."
The novel moves as Daniel attempts to learn more about the Cerebrals, who are superb at covering their tracks, and as he wonders if they had a hand in his mother's illness. Along with Jenny and Connor, the trio infiltrates the Cerebral village, trying to discover the Cerebrals' agenda for stealing languages. What they uncover is brilliant!
I enjoyed the pace in The Language Thieves, which was mostly quick. I think the book would make for a good movie, especially with all the architecture involved in the Cerebrals' village.
We also meet the Cerebral Emily, whom Daniel has a crush on and who is terrified of the Cerebral tradition, a kind of rite-of-passage, where children often return changed or don't return at all.
"This is very serious. If you don't keep this to yourself, you will be in great danger. This language will be taken from you, and if you are really unlucky, you will be left with an empty mind."
The Language Thieves is Remus' first young adult novel. He previously wrote the middle grade series Magora. I felt that some of the text was still in the middle grade range, even though Daniel, Connor, and Jenny are within the 15 to 16-age range.
I also liked how Remus kept me guessing throughout the novel whether it was fantasy or science fiction. No, I'm not telling. I also felt the ending was slightly rushed; that there should have been more emotions and development at the end.
The writing was easy, too easy. I liked the use of Gaelic and the overall plot of how and why the languages were being stolen. I felt that Jenny was the most mature of the trio but I think they all developed in one way or another. There weren't many images to quote but the book read like a movie with lots of vivid description.
"I have finally figured out a secure way to get rid of all the languages in the world. Once this is accomplished, they'll all speak the old language again."
Overall rating: 4 stars
It is worth mentioning this part from Remus' bio:
"Marc Remus has travelled many times to Ireland and Scotland and developed a passion for these countries over the years. While he stayed with his family in Arizona, he began writing his first young adult novel. The Language Thieves interweaves the writer's fantasies with his experiences in Ireland, Scotland, Arizona, making the book a unique multicultural blend.
December 20, 2019
Found this book through a free promotion offered on Twitter. I was positively surprised by this book. It has a lot of beautiful scenes, the plot flowed and the characters were loveable. The ending was amazing even though it felt a little bit rushed to me. Overall this was a great book.
December 5, 2019
Off the bat, this is an amazing book! It surprised me very much. I was drawn in by the cover but did not expect such a wild ride. It's a mixture between fantasy and sci-fi about a tribe in Scotland that steals languages. As strange as the concept seemed at first, in the end the entire book came together smoothly. It's an exciting story with lots of twists and turns. My daughter is a little too youg to read this story (just 7 years) but my 13 year old son loved it as much as I did.
December 3, 2019
I love science fiction and fantasy. This book was an amazing experience that combined the two genres and took me on a wild ride with a surprise ending.
It's easy to read and a page turner. Love it!
It's easy to read and a page turner. Love it!
October 15, 2018
The Language Thieves is a young adult fantasy by Marc Remus. Sixteen-year-old Daniel is none too happy about his father’s decision to move the family from Arizona to a remote Scottish island, of all places. His mother was stricken by a mysterious illness that has rendered her incapable of communication. Daniel speaks English and Irish Gaelic although he isn’t too keen on overtly displaying his Irish roots. Once on the island, he meets two new friends, Jenny and Connor, who are as suspicious as he is about a strange, elusive tribe that inhabits a part of the island: the Cerebrals, with their own unique culture, obsession with language, and their worship of the brain. The Cerebrals keep themselves apart from the rest of the population, and don’t want their kids to have anything to do with the locals. A bit difficult when Daniel finds himself falling for the cute Emily, who just happens to be a Cerebral. What is the mystery behind the Cerebrals, and do they have anything to do with Daniel’s mom’s affliction? How can they possibly be dangerous?
This is a young adult fantasy that is quite different from the norm. The plot dives back into ancient history and draws together some very intriguing theories. Young adult fans of Atlantis and ancient civilizations will devour this story. The plot is full of twists and turns and although I am not usually surprised, this book made me sit up. The action starts right away, aboard the ferry en route the island, when a young teen is attacked by strange men. The pace is steady and escalates as the youngsters team up to resolve the mystery behind the Cerebrals, their mission, and how it will affect the whole world.
Daniel is the most well developed of the trio, but Jenny is a solid sidekick gifted with IT skills and Connor is close behind as the loyal friend willing to follow first and ask questions later. The teens sound and behave mostly as one would expect teens to do and this adds realism to the plot. The romance between Daniel and Emily is sweet but underplayed so that it does not overshadow the main plot. The intrigue and mystery behind what the kids discover will certainly have young readers doing their own investigations into history, culture, and the value and place of ancient languages in society. I liked this thought-provoking angle – just how many ancient languages are still spoken today, and how many have been lost in the last century? The descriptions of the Cerebrals and their culture, dress and architecture are unique and showcase the author’s incredible imagination. A great cover and good layout and editing add to one’s reading pleasure. Themes of friendship, loyalty, teamwork and family abound. This is an intriguing fantasy by Remus and perfect for the young adult market.
This is a young adult fantasy that is quite different from the norm. The plot dives back into ancient history and draws together some very intriguing theories. Young adult fans of Atlantis and ancient civilizations will devour this story. The plot is full of twists and turns and although I am not usually surprised, this book made me sit up. The action starts right away, aboard the ferry en route the island, when a young teen is attacked by strange men. The pace is steady and escalates as the youngsters team up to resolve the mystery behind the Cerebrals, their mission, and how it will affect the whole world.
Daniel is the most well developed of the trio, but Jenny is a solid sidekick gifted with IT skills and Connor is close behind as the loyal friend willing to follow first and ask questions later. The teens sound and behave mostly as one would expect teens to do and this adds realism to the plot. The romance between Daniel and Emily is sweet but underplayed so that it does not overshadow the main plot. The intrigue and mystery behind what the kids discover will certainly have young readers doing their own investigations into history, culture, and the value and place of ancient languages in society. I liked this thought-provoking angle – just how many ancient languages are still spoken today, and how many have been lost in the last century? The descriptions of the Cerebrals and their culture, dress and architecture are unique and showcase the author’s incredible imagination. A great cover and good layout and editing add to one’s reading pleasure. Themes of friendship, loyalty, teamwork and family abound. This is an intriguing fantasy by Remus and perfect for the young adult market.
December 11, 2018
Daniel is none too thrilled to be moving to Ireland. But when he learns about a centuries-old tribe rumored to steal people’s language, he is determined to learn more. The Cerebrals, as they are called, live on a remote Scottish island. They have created a means by which they can drain language directly from people’s minds. Daniel can’t help but wonder if the Cerebrals have anything to do with his mother’s recent illness. And now, to make matters worse, it appears the island to which they are moving is inhabited by a tribe called the Cerebrals.
Author Marc Remus’ The Language Thieves is an entirely unique YA Fantasy with Sci-Fi elements. Historical references are beautifully intertwined within the story lending credibility to this thrilling novel which is full of unique plots and sub-plots. Recommended for home and school libraries, The Language Thieves has earned the Literary Classics Seal of Approval.
Author Marc Remus’ The Language Thieves is an entirely unique YA Fantasy with Sci-Fi elements. Historical references are beautifully intertwined within the story lending credibility to this thrilling novel which is full of unique plots and sub-plots. Recommended for home and school libraries, The Language Thieves has earned the Literary Classics Seal of Approval.
February 7, 2019
Unique storyline that will appeal to both teenagers and adults. It seems far-fetched, but that’s part of what makes the book so appealing. And the cover? Magnificent. Mr. Remus is a talented author and artist.
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews