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The Prince of Cats
To stay alive, Jawad must succeed where all others have failed: he must catch the Prince of Cats. More legend than man, the Prince is draped in rumours. He can steal the silver teeth from your mouth in the blink of a smile. He is a ghost to walls and vaults, he laughs at locks, and Jawad must capture him before powerful people lose their patience and send the young rogue to the scaffold.
Ever the opportunist, Jawad begins his hunt while carrying out his own schemes. He pits the factions of the city against each other, lining his own pockets in the process and using the Prince as a scapegoat. This is made easy as nobody knows when or where the Prince will strike, or even why.
As plots collide, Jawad finds himself pressured from all sides. Aristocrats, cutthroats, and the Prince himself is breathing down his neck. Unless Jawad wants a knife in his back or an appointment with the executioner, he must answer three questions: Who is the Prince of Cats, what is his true purpose, and how can he be stopped?
Ever the opportunist, Jawad begins his hunt while carrying out his own schemes. He pits the factions of the city against each other, lining his own pockets in the process and using the Prince as a scapegoat. This is made easy as nobody knows when or where the Prince will strike, or even why.
As plots collide, Jawad finds himself pressured from all sides. Aristocrats, cutthroats, and the Prince himself is breathing down his neck. Unless Jawad wants a knife in his back or an appointment with the executioner, he must answer three questions: Who is the Prince of Cats, what is his true purpose, and how can he be stopped?
ebook
First published November 26, 2018
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About the author
Daniel E. Olesen
4 books42 followersIndie writer and freelance editor with a Masters in Comparative Literature, currently publishing The Chronicles of Adalmearc; every book can be downloaded for free from my website as they are published: www.annalsofadal.net
I am also a member of Sigil Independent, a guild of indie writers pledged to professionalism, publishing books of high quality and using industry standard methods. See more at: www.sigilindependent.com
I am also a member of Sigil Independent, a guild of indie writers pledged to professionalism, publishing books of high quality and using industry standard methods. See more at: www.sigilindependent.com
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
May 5, 2023
ARC provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
3.5/5 stars
The Prince of Cats was an enjoyable new beginning to a planned trilogy with a self-contained story that worked absolutely well as a standalone.
Honestly, The Prince of Cats by Daniel E. Olesen was never in my radar at first. When the author asked me to review this book, I wasn’t completely sold yet and the pressing mountain of books to read and review made me certain that I won’t be reading this anytime soon. However, when an early impression by Mihir from Fantasy Book Critic—a friend and one of the very few professional SFF reviewers I trust—stated that it was “The Lies Of Locke Lamora in an Arabian Nights setting with a solid dose of mystery and espionage.”, it immediately got my attention; I accepted the book, read it in two days—could’ve done it in one day but watching The Haunting of Hill House ruined my schedule—and here I am.
In order to save his own life, Jawad must do what nobody has ever achieved: catch the ever elusive Prince of Cats. In the midst of Jawad’s hunt for the Prince of Cats identity, purpose, and finding a way to stop him, he also has his own agendas to execute. This is a small book, it’s only 302 pages, and I highly appreciate that despite the small length, Olesen didn’t rush the story. The author took his time juggling both the character development and the plot and although it didn’t wow me at first, roughly around 30% I was fully immersed by the story, pacing, and character. The Prince of Cats is a character-driven book about a thief and more than anything else, I found Jawad’s personalities and the author’s simple and accessibly well-flowing prose to be the most dominant factors in influencing my enjoyment of the novel. Jawad as a thief was smart, devious, and quite charming. The story was told solely through Jawad’s perspectives and my attention was captured by his espionages, his determination to execute his schemes, and the unlikely friendship he built with Salah that were gradually developed and well-written.
I must also say that it’s always refreshing to read a non-Eurocentric fantasy; the world-building of the book was highly inspired by Arabian setting. The entire story of the novel took place in the city of Alcazar and the city reminded me a lot of the desert cities I occasionally found in the role-playing games I played. Reading Jawad traversed the city of Alcazar kind of made me reminisced about those games and also, the efficient details put into the places, buildings, clothing, and character names were a nice touch that made the city felt more vivid and believable.
Picture: The City of Alcazar by Kim Ji Won
My minor con on the book was that the mystery aspect was predictable. I managed to predict the identity of the Prince of Cats and what his motives were since the early chapters of the book and I was proven right. Don’t get me wrong, reading the mysteries gradually revealed was still enjoyable but when mystery aspect is in play, I want it to keep me guessing and surprise me; alas, it wasn’t the case here. Despite the minor issue I had, it didn’t change the fact that I found the book to be enjoyable; especially in the second half.
With this book, Olesen has achieved a great balance of lighthearted tone and well-placed tensions; enhanced with escalating intrigues and charming characters, I imagine that readers who loves reading non-Eurocentric fantasy with a great thief as the main character will find The Prince of Cats worth their time.
Official release date: November 26th, 2018
You can find this and the rest of my reviews at Novel Notions
3.5/5 stars
The Prince of Cats was an enjoyable new beginning to a planned trilogy with a self-contained story that worked absolutely well as a standalone.
Honestly, The Prince of Cats by Daniel E. Olesen was never in my radar at first. When the author asked me to review this book, I wasn’t completely sold yet and the pressing mountain of books to read and review made me certain that I won’t be reading this anytime soon. However, when an early impression by Mihir from Fantasy Book Critic—a friend and one of the very few professional SFF reviewers I trust—stated that it was “The Lies Of Locke Lamora in an Arabian Nights setting with a solid dose of mystery and espionage.”, it immediately got my attention; I accepted the book, read it in two days—could’ve done it in one day but watching The Haunting of Hill House ruined my schedule—and here I am.
In order to save his own life, Jawad must do what nobody has ever achieved: catch the ever elusive Prince of Cats. In the midst of Jawad’s hunt for the Prince of Cats identity, purpose, and finding a way to stop him, he also has his own agendas to execute. This is a small book, it’s only 302 pages, and I highly appreciate that despite the small length, Olesen didn’t rush the story. The author took his time juggling both the character development and the plot and although it didn’t wow me at first, roughly around 30% I was fully immersed by the story, pacing, and character. The Prince of Cats is a character-driven book about a thief and more than anything else, I found Jawad’s personalities and the author’s simple and accessibly well-flowing prose to be the most dominant factors in influencing my enjoyment of the novel. Jawad as a thief was smart, devious, and quite charming. The story was told solely through Jawad’s perspectives and my attention was captured by his espionages, his determination to execute his schemes, and the unlikely friendship he built with Salah that were gradually developed and well-written.
“Do not presume you know me,” Salah scoffed. “that’s how a thief thinks. I am a warrior. You’re only motivated by coin, whereas I am motivated by honour.”
“Of course,” Jawad grinned. “We are all driven by what we lack in life.”
“You little rat.”
I must also say that it’s always refreshing to read a non-Eurocentric fantasy; the world-building of the book was highly inspired by Arabian setting. The entire story of the novel took place in the city of Alcazar and the city reminded me a lot of the desert cities I occasionally found in the role-playing games I played. Reading Jawad traversed the city of Alcazar kind of made me reminisced about those games and also, the efficient details put into the places, buildings, clothing, and character names were a nice touch that made the city felt more vivid and believable.
Picture: The City of Alcazar by Kim Ji Won
My minor con on the book was that the mystery aspect was predictable. I managed to predict the identity of the Prince of Cats and what his motives were since the early chapters of the book and I was proven right. Don’t get me wrong, reading the mysteries gradually revealed was still enjoyable but when mystery aspect is in play, I want it to keep me guessing and surprise me; alas, it wasn’t the case here. Despite the minor issue I had, it didn’t change the fact that I found the book to be enjoyable; especially in the second half.
With this book, Olesen has achieved a great balance of lighthearted tone and well-placed tensions; enhanced with escalating intrigues and charming characters, I imagine that readers who loves reading non-Eurocentric fantasy with a great thief as the main character will find The Prince of Cats worth their time.
Official release date: November 26th, 2018
You can find this and the rest of my reviews at Novel Notions
November 28, 2018
Before we start, I’m going to be up front and state that I beta-read this book. That means that I was one of the first to get my grubby paws on it, and that I was given free reign to point out all the bits I didn’t like so that the author could fix them before publication.
Thing is, there wasn’t much that I didn’t like. The Prince of Cats is a very accomplished book, and one that I imagine a lot of people will enjoy.
It’s not very long— just over 200 pages in paperback — and it’s not very complicated, though that isn’t to say that it isn’t complex. It’s a short and easy read that can slot between the tomes and series in your TBR, and I can imagine that it would work wonderfully as a palate cleanser if you’re the type of reader who loves to binge.
But I don’t mean to suggest that the Prince of Cats is something of an appetizer, since it can serve as a more than satisfying main course.
Olesen is known in certain circles as a bit of a history expert. In fact, he’s done a few featured pieces for the Inn on the subjects of realism in fantasy and writing beyond your own experiences. That knowledge and research shines through here, as he brings the Arabic-inspired city of Alcázar to life. There’s tonnes of little details — poetry on the doorways, common proverbs — and these are woven together masterfully to create a setting that feels less like a “place in a book” and more like a living, breathing, bonafide city.
The main character, Jawad, is a delight. He’s cunning, he’s clever, and he’s a fountain of hilarious quips and barbed comments. Olesen writes his characters in a way that’s a little more “detached” than my usual tastes, but I found Jawad to be endearing despite that. He’s also a pretty good thief, although not too good, as he spends the opening of the book in prison after committing the most cardinal of sins: getting caught.
This touches on an aspect of Olesen’s writing that I really enjoyed. His characters can fail. They feel human. Jawad’s schemes can grow arms and legs to the point where he has trouble keeping up with it all. He’s still the metaphorical spider in a web of plots and lies, but, well… his web is in the back garden, there’s a hurricane, and he has to struggle really really hard to keep himself and his plans from being blown into oblivion.
The interactions between the characters make for some of the best scenes in the book. If you’re a fan of bromances, then you’ll love the banter between Jawad and Salah — a warrior in the employ of a wealthy merchant. Their relationship is hands-down my favourite part of the story, and honestly I’d read as many “buddy-cop” adventures with these two as I could get my hands on.
Story-wise, the plot is fairly simple. The Prince of Cats is a near-mythical thief that preys on the local merchants, and Jawad is tasked with catching him. He’s coerced into working as a sort of “penetration tester”, ensuring the merchant’s warehouses are thief-proof while laying traps to catch the prince in the act. This lends a sort of mystery vibe to the novel, where the big question is obviously “who is the Prince of Cats?” The author does a very good job of giving the novel a life outside of this question though, such that I didn’t find that my enjoyment was dependent on the reveal.
Since reviews have started appearing for this, I’ve seen a lot of great comparisons. I’ve heard that it’s like Locke Lamora meets Aladdin, meets Arabian Nights, meets Assassin’s Creed meets… Well, you get the picture. This is an enjoyable and fun-as-hell read about a rooftop-running thief with a penchant for witty banter. If that sounds up your alley, then I’d pick this up as soon as you can.
Thing is, there wasn’t much that I didn’t like. The Prince of Cats is a very accomplished book, and one that I imagine a lot of people will enjoy.
It’s not very long— just over 200 pages in paperback — and it’s not very complicated, though that isn’t to say that it isn’t complex. It’s a short and easy read that can slot between the tomes and series in your TBR, and I can imagine that it would work wonderfully as a palate cleanser if you’re the type of reader who loves to binge.
But I don’t mean to suggest that the Prince of Cats is something of an appetizer, since it can serve as a more than satisfying main course.
Olesen is known in certain circles as a bit of a history expert. In fact, he’s done a few featured pieces for the Inn on the subjects of realism in fantasy and writing beyond your own experiences. That knowledge and research shines through here, as he brings the Arabic-inspired city of Alcázar to life. There’s tonnes of little details — poetry on the doorways, common proverbs — and these are woven together masterfully to create a setting that feels less like a “place in a book” and more like a living, breathing, bonafide city.
The main character, Jawad, is a delight. He’s cunning, he’s clever, and he’s a fountain of hilarious quips and barbed comments. Olesen writes his characters in a way that’s a little more “detached” than my usual tastes, but I found Jawad to be endearing despite that. He’s also a pretty good thief, although not too good, as he spends the opening of the book in prison after committing the most cardinal of sins: getting caught.
This touches on an aspect of Olesen’s writing that I really enjoyed. His characters can fail. They feel human. Jawad’s schemes can grow arms and legs to the point where he has trouble keeping up with it all. He’s still the metaphorical spider in a web of plots and lies, but, well… his web is in the back garden, there’s a hurricane, and he has to struggle really really hard to keep himself and his plans from being blown into oblivion.
The interactions between the characters make for some of the best scenes in the book. If you’re a fan of bromances, then you’ll love the banter between Jawad and Salah — a warrior in the employ of a wealthy merchant. Their relationship is hands-down my favourite part of the story, and honestly I’d read as many “buddy-cop” adventures with these two as I could get my hands on.
Story-wise, the plot is fairly simple. The Prince of Cats is a near-mythical thief that preys on the local merchants, and Jawad is tasked with catching him. He’s coerced into working as a sort of “penetration tester”, ensuring the merchant’s warehouses are thief-proof while laying traps to catch the prince in the act. This lends a sort of mystery vibe to the novel, where the big question is obviously “who is the Prince of Cats?” The author does a very good job of giving the novel a life outside of this question though, such that I didn’t find that my enjoyment was dependent on the reveal.
Since reviews have started appearing for this, I’ve seen a lot of great comparisons. I’ve heard that it’s like Locke Lamora meets Aladdin, meets Arabian Nights, meets Assassin’s Creed meets… Well, you get the picture. This is an enjoyable and fun-as-hell read about a rooftop-running thief with a penchant for witty banter. If that sounds up your alley, then I’d pick this up as soon as you can.
November 25, 2018
Actual rating: 3.75/5
I’m tired of a western setting in fantasy books. It seems many authors feel the same, and they set their stories in more exotic places. Prince of Cats takes place in a secondary world influenced by Middle East traditions and landscapes.
The dexterity of hands determines how well a surgeon, a musician or a thief perform their art. PoC’s protagonist Jawad is a skilful thief, maybe not as good as a legendary Prince of Cats who can steal the silver teeth from your mouth in the blink of a smile, but he knows what he’s doing.
Jawad has plans and schemes he wishes to accomplish, but things don’t go as planned and he suddenly finds himself in the centre of the conflict between rich merchants, cutthroats and the Prince himself. Time plays against him, and he must find answers soon. Otherwise an appointment with the executioner may look like a decent option.
I liked Jawad and his voice. He makes an impression of a kind-hearted smartass and he's difficult not to like. Even Sahal warms to him with time.
Side-characters and antagonists felt real. While there aren’t many women in the book, the one we get presented closely doesn’t come across as sex-fantasy or damsel in distress. I appreciate it.
A well-crafted combination of humour and drama keeps the reader’s attention, lending moments of honest excitement to the story. The plot is not without its flaws. Prince of Cats identity isn’t difficult to guess, but Olesen handled developments well enough to keep me invested in the story.
TL;DR - short, sharp, fast and witty with a good sense of place.
Sigil Independent Guild members’ releases continue to impress me. If you’re looking for a way to discover quality self-published books, have an eye on them.
I’m tired of a western setting in fantasy books. It seems many authors feel the same, and they set their stories in more exotic places. Prince of Cats takes place in a secondary world influenced by Middle East traditions and landscapes.
The dexterity of hands determines how well a surgeon, a musician or a thief perform their art. PoC’s protagonist Jawad is a skilful thief, maybe not as good as a legendary Prince of Cats who can steal the silver teeth from your mouth in the blink of a smile, but he knows what he’s doing.
Jawad has plans and schemes he wishes to accomplish, but things don’t go as planned and he suddenly finds himself in the centre of the conflict between rich merchants, cutthroats and the Prince himself. Time plays against him, and he must find answers soon. Otherwise an appointment with the executioner may look like a decent option.
I liked Jawad and his voice. He makes an impression of a kind-hearted smartass and he's difficult not to like. Even Sahal warms to him with time.
Side-characters and antagonists felt real. While there aren’t many women in the book, the one we get presented closely doesn’t come across as sex-fantasy or damsel in distress. I appreciate it.
A well-crafted combination of humour and drama keeps the reader’s attention, lending moments of honest excitement to the story. The plot is not without its flaws. Prince of Cats identity isn’t difficult to guess, but Olesen handled developments well enough to keep me invested in the story.
TL;DR - short, sharp, fast and witty with a good sense of place.
Sigil Independent Guild members’ releases continue to impress me. If you’re looking for a way to discover quality self-published books, have an eye on them.
November 29, 2018
Read Lukasz's & my full review over at Fantasy Book Critic
OVERVIEW/ANALYSIS: The Prince Of Cats by Daniel E. Olesen caught my eye mainly because of its world settings which were inspired by Arabic history and lore. The author was kind enough to let me know about the book and hence I was super excited to receive an ARC.
The plot begins with Jawad, a thief who’s currently languishing in a prison called the Tower of Justice but commonly called the Finger due to its appearance (see city map below). Coerced into a deal for his release, Jawad agrees to find the Prince Of Cats and potentially alert his new employer about the Prince’s plans. Leashed to the hip with the head of security of the Al-Badawi household, Salah al-Mansur, a grim man of violent tendencies who doesn’t think of him any better than a gutter rat. Jawad has to prove his worth to Azal Al-Badawi, the leader of Dar-al-Allawn one of the Hundred Houses of Alcazar while keeping himself safe from Salah’s ferocious ministrations. Things get even more complicated as Jawad scours the city for news about the Prince Of Cats, whilst trying to avoid the attention of the local gangs.
Things start complicating as they do in such crime novels and that’s where the true beauty of this book lies. There are many reasons why this story kept me fascinated and riveted. Chief among them is the world (or in this case city) settings of the story which is very much modeled on the Arabian kingdoms of yore. The author showcases a world that will feel very fresh to most western based fantasy readers and reward folks (like me) who prefer to read more of a non-eurocentric settings. The author diligently inserts Arabic/Urdu/Persian words (hamam, mamluk, effendi, etc.) to further deepen the settings and it resonates very much with the story & characters as well.
The second and perhaps the best part of the story is the narrative voice. We have a sole POV throughout the story and it’s through Jawad’s eyes and voice that we the readers are veritably transported into the city of Alcazar. Jawad is one of those refreshingly dishonest characters who by virtue of his unscrupulousness injects a solid amount of fun into the happenings. His actions and behavior very much reflect the following golden words by the bard:
“I had rather be a canker in a hedge than a rose in his grace, and it better fits my blood to be disdained of all than to fashion a carriage to rob love from any. In this, though I cannot be said to be a flattering honest man, it must not be denied but I am a plain-dealing villain.”
Jawad almost always looks for the sneakier solution to any problem in his path, doesn’t really care about an honest living and is never dishonest about his nature to the readers or the characters around him. It’s quite refreshing to read about him and he joins a certain pantheon of lovable rogues such as Locke Lamora, Daniel Faust, & Royce Melborn. Jawad’s antics and decisions are what solidly fuel the story while providing humor and intrigue to keep the readers upbeat even though certain portions of the story are quite dark. His earthy humor and quick witted nature are brought to the fore vividly and we almost forget that while lovable, he's a deadly rogue nonetheless.
While the story is shared through Jawad’s senses, the rest the characters aren’t any pushovers either. There are quite a few such as Salah Al- Mansur, Zaida Al-Badawi, Ishak Al-Labdah who either share a solid or antagonistic footing with our protagonist but reveal themselves to be three dimensional as the tale progresses. A particular funny character is Ishak who provides a lot of humor with his memory lapses but yet is a powerful healer and chemist that is famed for his work. While the story doesn't have many female characters, it does give us two solid ones who are refreshing to read about. They don't quite fit any particular mold and thus add to the story's stakes.
The pace and plot twists are solid from end to end and the way the author ends the story. I want to read the sequel and get to know more of these characters as well as the lands around the south cities. This world is just too enticing for a one off and I for one will be bugging the author for more. With books such as these there’s always going to be a few complaints. Primarily, the end twist is one that can be predicted from miles away. It still doesn’t detract from the read and perhaps the author wasn’t hinging the story on it solely. For me there wasn't any other negative to this story.
CONCLUSION: Daniel E. Olesen weaves an incredible tale within an Arabian Nights setting and armed with the gritty outlook of The Lies Of Locke Lamora. Jawad the jewel thief is a gem of a character and I hope the writer writes more of him and in this setting. The Prince Of Cats is my new favorite crime fantasy story that outdoes the reader’s expectation with a twisted and briskly paced plot.
OVERVIEW/ANALYSIS: The Prince Of Cats by Daniel E. Olesen caught my eye mainly because of its world settings which were inspired by Arabic history and lore. The author was kind enough to let me know about the book and hence I was super excited to receive an ARC.
The plot begins with Jawad, a thief who’s currently languishing in a prison called the Tower of Justice but commonly called the Finger due to its appearance (see city map below). Coerced into a deal for his release, Jawad agrees to find the Prince Of Cats and potentially alert his new employer about the Prince’s plans. Leashed to the hip with the head of security of the Al-Badawi household, Salah al-Mansur, a grim man of violent tendencies who doesn’t think of him any better than a gutter rat. Jawad has to prove his worth to Azal Al-Badawi, the leader of Dar-al-Allawn one of the Hundred Houses of Alcazar while keeping himself safe from Salah’s ferocious ministrations. Things get even more complicated as Jawad scours the city for news about the Prince Of Cats, whilst trying to avoid the attention of the local gangs.
Things start complicating as they do in such crime novels and that’s where the true beauty of this book lies. There are many reasons why this story kept me fascinated and riveted. Chief among them is the world (or in this case city) settings of the story which is very much modeled on the Arabian kingdoms of yore. The author showcases a world that will feel very fresh to most western based fantasy readers and reward folks (like me) who prefer to read more of a non-eurocentric settings. The author diligently inserts Arabic/Urdu/Persian words (hamam, mamluk, effendi, etc.) to further deepen the settings and it resonates very much with the story & characters as well.
The second and perhaps the best part of the story is the narrative voice. We have a sole POV throughout the story and it’s through Jawad’s eyes and voice that we the readers are veritably transported into the city of Alcazar. Jawad is one of those refreshingly dishonest characters who by virtue of his unscrupulousness injects a solid amount of fun into the happenings. His actions and behavior very much reflect the following golden words by the bard:
“I had rather be a canker in a hedge than a rose in his grace, and it better fits my blood to be disdained of all than to fashion a carriage to rob love from any. In this, though I cannot be said to be a flattering honest man, it must not be denied but I am a plain-dealing villain.”
Jawad almost always looks for the sneakier solution to any problem in his path, doesn’t really care about an honest living and is never dishonest about his nature to the readers or the characters around him. It’s quite refreshing to read about him and he joins a certain pantheon of lovable rogues such as Locke Lamora, Daniel Faust, & Royce Melborn. Jawad’s antics and decisions are what solidly fuel the story while providing humor and intrigue to keep the readers upbeat even though certain portions of the story are quite dark. His earthy humor and quick witted nature are brought to the fore vividly and we almost forget that while lovable, he's a deadly rogue nonetheless.
While the story is shared through Jawad’s senses, the rest the characters aren’t any pushovers either. There are quite a few such as Salah Al- Mansur, Zaida Al-Badawi, Ishak Al-Labdah who either share a solid or antagonistic footing with our protagonist but reveal themselves to be three dimensional as the tale progresses. A particular funny character is Ishak who provides a lot of humor with his memory lapses but yet is a powerful healer and chemist that is famed for his work. While the story doesn't have many female characters, it does give us two solid ones who are refreshing to read about. They don't quite fit any particular mold and thus add to the story's stakes.
The pace and plot twists are solid from end to end and the way the author ends the story. I want to read the sequel and get to know more of these characters as well as the lands around the south cities. This world is just too enticing for a one off and I for one will be bugging the author for more. With books such as these there’s always going to be a few complaints. Primarily, the end twist is one that can be predicted from miles away. It still doesn’t detract from the read and perhaps the author wasn’t hinging the story on it solely. For me there wasn't any other negative to this story.
CONCLUSION: Daniel E. Olesen weaves an incredible tale within an Arabian Nights setting and armed with the gritty outlook of The Lies Of Locke Lamora. Jawad the jewel thief is a gem of a character and I hope the writer writes more of him and in this setting. The Prince Of Cats is my new favorite crime fantasy story that outdoes the reader’s expectation with a twisted and briskly paced plot.
November 26, 2018
Full review is here, on my blog!
This is the story of Jawad, who is a thief who manages to get himself caught while working on a mark. In exchange for his freedom, he agrees to use his talents to root out the infamous Prince of Cats, the greatest thief of them all, for a local merchant.
Of course, this is exactly as hard to do as it sounds, as the Prince of Cats is as wily as one would imagine a prince of cats to be, and shenanigans are abound on Jawad’s adventures.
I’ve heard this one described as Locke Lamora meets Arabian Nights, and I won’t disagree with that assessment. How awesome does that sound? It sounds pretty awesome, and guess what… it is!
First of all, Jawad is a snarky motherfucker, and I love it. Looove it. He is paired up with one of his employer’s men, a stoic warrior type named Salah, and the banter between them is often hilarious. Salah obviously doesn’t like Jawad, at least in the beginning, and Jawad obviously knows it and does everything he can to push Salah’s buttons. Their relationship changes as the book goes on, with Salah slowly coming around to Jawad’s charms and not being out and out hostile towards him. He comes to trust Jawad to a point.
So, I just really enjoyed the dialog in this one, and it kept me reading well into the wee hours, often making me giggle out loud in the night (uh, not at all waking up the spousal unit peacefully sleeping next to me. *gasp* I would never!). Jawad is just an interesting character. He has an interesting view of the world, which of course is that of a thief. By that, I mean that he seems to see things in terms of their value. He’ll see a vase and think that it’s worth twenty silver to the right buyer, or a nice set of clothes that are worth twenty-five silver to an honorable fence.
This was a really well written and exciting little romp into the city of Alcazar, and the mystery of the Prince of Cats was a good one to read. Twists and turns and things unexpected were abound in this short but exciting novel. Admittedly, I guessed a little bit of the mystery, but all the same, I had 4/5 stars of fun with this one! Mrrrow!~~
Thanks to the author for the review copy! :)
This is the story of Jawad, who is a thief who manages to get himself caught while working on a mark. In exchange for his freedom, he agrees to use his talents to root out the infamous Prince of Cats, the greatest thief of them all, for a local merchant.
Of course, this is exactly as hard to do as it sounds, as the Prince of Cats is as wily as one would imagine a prince of cats to be, and shenanigans are abound on Jawad’s adventures.
I’ve heard this one described as Locke Lamora meets Arabian Nights, and I won’t disagree with that assessment. How awesome does that sound? It sounds pretty awesome, and guess what… it is!
First of all, Jawad is a snarky motherfucker, and I love it. Looove it. He is paired up with one of his employer’s men, a stoic warrior type named Salah, and the banter between them is often hilarious. Salah obviously doesn’t like Jawad, at least in the beginning, and Jawad obviously knows it and does everything he can to push Salah’s buttons. Their relationship changes as the book goes on, with Salah slowly coming around to Jawad’s charms and not being out and out hostile towards him. He comes to trust Jawad to a point.
So, I just really enjoyed the dialog in this one, and it kept me reading well into the wee hours, often making me giggle out loud in the night (uh, not at all waking up the spousal unit peacefully sleeping next to me. *gasp* I would never!). Jawad is just an interesting character. He has an interesting view of the world, which of course is that of a thief. By that, I mean that he seems to see things in terms of their value. He’ll see a vase and think that it’s worth twenty silver to the right buyer, or a nice set of clothes that are worth twenty-five silver to an honorable fence.
This was a really well written and exciting little romp into the city of Alcazar, and the mystery of the Prince of Cats was a good one to read. Twists and turns and things unexpected were abound in this short but exciting novel. Admittedly, I guessed a little bit of the mystery, but all the same, I had 4/5 stars of fun with this one! Mrrrow!~~
Thanks to the author for the review copy! :)
March 25, 2019
The Prince of Cats is a fast-paced tale about a thief hunting the mark of a lifetime. Full of heart and wit, it lays plenty of foundation, then builds to a crescendo that understates the finale in a good way.
We follow along in the head of Jawad, a thief on the streets of Alcazar, who is thrown in prison after a botched job. Jawad is soon pulled out of said prison by a wealthy merchant and given a task to earn his freedom... to hunt down the illusive master thief The Prince of Cats. But Jawad has his own plans.
There's an Arabian Nights style feel to this one, as is obvious by the stunning cover, and it adds a wonderful flavour to the story. You can practically taste the sand. It's a story full of heart, and witty banter, and the characters are charming enough to carry it past its few flaws.
I highly recommend The Prince of Cats to people who are looking for a good thief story, for a story set in a non-traditional setting, and for a fast paced fun read. 4 stars.
We follow along in the head of Jawad, a thief on the streets of Alcazar, who is thrown in prison after a botched job. Jawad is soon pulled out of said prison by a wealthy merchant and given a task to earn his freedom... to hunt down the illusive master thief The Prince of Cats. But Jawad has his own plans.
There's an Arabian Nights style feel to this one, as is obvious by the stunning cover, and it adds a wonderful flavour to the story. You can practically taste the sand. It's a story full of heart, and witty banter, and the characters are charming enough to carry it past its few flaws.
I highly recommend The Prince of Cats to people who are looking for a good thief story, for a story set in a non-traditional setting, and for a fast paced fun read. 4 stars.
November 22, 2024
The Prince of Cats is a captivating new fantasy novel by Daniel E Olesen. Set in a fictional Middle Eastern city, the book almost instantly reminded me of the first Assassin’s Creed game (but with a thief). The main character, Jawad, running across rooftops, slinking around alleys displays the city of Alcázar in a way that is so reminiscent of the game that it got me all nostalgic.
People have compared this book to The Lies of Locke Lamora; while I can see why, the similarities mostly end at the protagonist being a thief – Jawad is very much a lone wolf (in contrast to Locke’s thief buddies), there isn’t a secret thieving underworld and the tone of the book is very different. The Lies of Locke Lamora is very tongue in cheek, filled with witticisms, and while The Prince of Cats isn’t gritty/hyper-realistic by any means, it takes itself more seriously and isn’t afraid to get serious at points (discussed below).
As mentioned, Jawad is first and foremost a thief. Every time he meets someone, his first impression is the monetary value of their possessions. It’s great to see him always try to estimate potential profits and is a perfectly simple way to show his priorities.
‘A necklace of gold hung around his neck with a few gemstones as ornaments, giving it a value of around two hundred and twenty pieces of silver.’
‘While he spoke, he noticed the earring in Hashim’s undamaged ear, worth about five silver pieces, and the dagger in his belt, worth only trouble.’
Unfortunately in fantasy there’s often a trend of male authors writing male main characters who, when introducing a woman, will immediately first describe her looks and establish just how attractive or unattractive she is. Olesen bucks this trend with Jawad by continuing to focus on his jewellery obsession.
‘Contrary to what he would have expected, she did not pair her expensive clothes with any jewellery other than pearl earrings,’
This isn’t an isolated incident either as Olesen continues to subvert gender tropes throughout the book. Later on Jawad rushes off to save the ‘maiden’ from trouble only to find out that she’s fine and is instead organising a rescue operation to help the actual victims. It’s refreshing to see the female characters treated like normal people (wow what a depressing sentence) and with The Prince of Cat’s wide cast of women (honourable mentions go to the the creepy torturer and irritable fence), Olesen creates a gender balance that feels completely natural and appropriate.
Though the plot focuses solely on Jawad’s trials and tribulations, there are plenty of interesting side characters who get to shine despite their limited ‘screen time’. Ishak is one who I particularly enjoyed – he’s a nice comic relief character that provides light-hearted interludes to balance the occasional quite serious moments that the book goes through. Not only does he have some great one-liners but he also has a nice wee friendship with Jawad. Considering Jawad’s tendency to work alone and when with others, to deflect emotion with humour, his visits to Ishak adroitly showed the little chinks of vulnerability in his demeanour.
It can sometimes be a little iffy when western authors write a book set in the Middle East. Often it just actually is a Eurocentric culture and style with a desert painted over. Or it goes way in the other direction and becomes a weird fetishisation of Arab culture with little historical basis. Oleson, a known history nerd, avoids these common pitfalls entirely. He clearly did his homework since often Arabic terms are used and always accurately. One of the characters mentions her family used to live in the desert and appropriately their family name is al-Badawi (translates to desert dweller). This example is somewhat pointed out to the reader but even the casual correct usage of words like ‘sidi’, ‘sayidaty’, ‘mamluk’ etc. are easy little ways to make the world more realistic. There are a few words that I think the author made up (‘haramlik’ and ‘salamlik’ in particular) but their etymology is clear enough to match up with the intended use (forbidden and permitted areas of the estate, respectively) such that they are still completely believable.
It’s worth mentioning that even though the book is set in a greater fantasy world, due to the cultural accuracy and lack of magic and fantastical elements, it could easily be considered a standalone historical fiction book.
One aspect of The Prince of Cats that I was particularly interested in was the character of Faisal al-Musharaf. More than once he is shown to have noticed a stealthing Jawad, and each time Jawad is taken aback. Jawad mentions how the upper class never see him when he chooses to move around covertly and this is proved multiple times so it’s curious to see how perceptive Faisal is. Not only that but the characters is also described as carrying a sword with a confidence that suggests he has a history with it. We never see this confidence in action which only boosts my curiosity. Outside of his mysterious backstory he is shown to be simply a nice person. He’s always courteous when talking to Jawad; compared to other members of the wealthy houses, he genuinely respects Jawad’s talents.
The only real criticism I have with the book is that the main character’s backstory is a handled a little clumsily. We are treated to a single memory of Jawad’s childhood with his brothers. This scene obviously haunts Jawad as we see it more than once but it becomes a bit too obvious that it’s vital exposition considering that it’s the only scene of Jawad’s past that is mentioned. In my opinion the story would have profited from having no explicit flashback. There was some clever exposition placed in the narrative each time Jawad visited his old teacher and this scene with his brothers could have been slipped into one of those meetings rather than being front and centre in the narrative.
The Prince of Cats is a fast paced book but there’s this one top-notch section that hits the brakes hard. What with Jawad’s lighthearted outlook disappearing combined with a drastic change in tone, this section makes for an excellently sudden brick wall for the reader and the Jawad to hit. The book could have been a little longer considering the pace and short-ish length but, all things considered, it’s a hugely enjoyable story with a compelling protagonist in a wonderfully real world.. While it comfortably works as a standalone, there are a few threads left open and I’m looking forward to see where they go.
People have compared this book to The Lies of Locke Lamora; while I can see why, the similarities mostly end at the protagonist being a thief – Jawad is very much a lone wolf (in contrast to Locke’s thief buddies), there isn’t a secret thieving underworld and the tone of the book is very different. The Lies of Locke Lamora is very tongue in cheek, filled with witticisms, and while The Prince of Cats isn’t gritty/hyper-realistic by any means, it takes itself more seriously and isn’t afraid to get serious at points (discussed below).
As mentioned, Jawad is first and foremost a thief. Every time he meets someone, his first impression is the monetary value of their possessions. It’s great to see him always try to estimate potential profits and is a perfectly simple way to show his priorities.
‘A necklace of gold hung around his neck with a few gemstones as ornaments, giving it a value of around two hundred and twenty pieces of silver.’
‘While he spoke, he noticed the earring in Hashim’s undamaged ear, worth about five silver pieces, and the dagger in his belt, worth only trouble.’
Unfortunately in fantasy there’s often a trend of male authors writing male main characters who, when introducing a woman, will immediately first describe her looks and establish just how attractive or unattractive she is. Olesen bucks this trend with Jawad by continuing to focus on his jewellery obsession.
‘Contrary to what he would have expected, she did not pair her expensive clothes with any jewellery other than pearl earrings,’
This isn’t an isolated incident either as Olesen continues to subvert gender tropes throughout the book. Later on Jawad rushes off to save the ‘maiden’ from trouble only to find out that she’s fine and is instead organising a rescue operation to help the actual victims. It’s refreshing to see the female characters treated like normal people (wow what a depressing sentence) and with The Prince of Cat’s wide cast of women (honourable mentions go to the the creepy torturer and irritable fence), Olesen creates a gender balance that feels completely natural and appropriate.
Though the plot focuses solely on Jawad’s trials and tribulations, there are plenty of interesting side characters who get to shine despite their limited ‘screen time’. Ishak is one who I particularly enjoyed – he’s a nice comic relief character that provides light-hearted interludes to balance the occasional quite serious moments that the book goes through. Not only does he have some great one-liners but he also has a nice wee friendship with Jawad. Considering Jawad’s tendency to work alone and when with others, to deflect emotion with humour, his visits to Ishak adroitly showed the little chinks of vulnerability in his demeanour.
It can sometimes be a little iffy when western authors write a book set in the Middle East. Often it just actually is a Eurocentric culture and style with a desert painted over. Or it goes way in the other direction and becomes a weird fetishisation of Arab culture with little historical basis. Oleson, a known history nerd, avoids these common pitfalls entirely. He clearly did his homework since often Arabic terms are used and always accurately. One of the characters mentions her family used to live in the desert and appropriately their family name is al-Badawi (translates to desert dweller). This example is somewhat pointed out to the reader but even the casual correct usage of words like ‘sidi’, ‘sayidaty’, ‘mamluk’ etc. are easy little ways to make the world more realistic. There are a few words that I think the author made up (‘haramlik’ and ‘salamlik’ in particular) but their etymology is clear enough to match up with the intended use (forbidden and permitted areas of the estate, respectively) such that they are still completely believable.
It’s worth mentioning that even though the book is set in a greater fantasy world, due to the cultural accuracy and lack of magic and fantastical elements, it could easily be considered a standalone historical fiction book.
One aspect of The Prince of Cats that I was particularly interested in was the character of Faisal al-Musharaf. More than once he is shown to have noticed a stealthing Jawad, and each time Jawad is taken aback. Jawad mentions how the upper class never see him when he chooses to move around covertly and this is proved multiple times so it’s curious to see how perceptive Faisal is. Not only that but the characters is also described as carrying a sword with a confidence that suggests he has a history with it. We never see this confidence in action which only boosts my curiosity. Outside of his mysterious backstory he is shown to be simply a nice person. He’s always courteous when talking to Jawad; compared to other members of the wealthy houses, he genuinely respects Jawad’s talents.
The only real criticism I have with the book is that the main character’s backstory is a handled a little clumsily. We are treated to a single memory of Jawad’s childhood with his brothers. This scene obviously haunts Jawad as we see it more than once but it becomes a bit too obvious that it’s vital exposition considering that it’s the only scene of Jawad’s past that is mentioned. In my opinion the story would have profited from having no explicit flashback. There was some clever exposition placed in the narrative each time Jawad visited his old teacher and this scene with his brothers could have been slipped into one of those meetings rather than being front and centre in the narrative.
The Prince of Cats is a fast paced book but there’s this one top-notch section that hits the brakes hard. What with Jawad’s lighthearted outlook disappearing combined with a drastic change in tone, this section makes for an excellently sudden brick wall for the reader and the Jawad to hit. The book could have been a little longer considering the pace and short-ish length but, all things considered, it’s a hugely enjoyable story with a compelling protagonist in a wonderfully real world.. While it comfortably works as a standalone, there are a few threads left open and I’m looking forward to see where they go.
December 8, 2018
The Prince of Cats was a really fun read. Thief Jawad has made some really terrible life choices and ended up imprisoned. Naturally, things go downhill from there and our enterprising young thief is shoved into a plethora of uncomfortable situations.
Character dynamics in The Prince of Cats are great fun. Characters have chemistry with each other and some great relationships develop over the course of the book. Jawad is a very fun character to follow around. To the outside world, he never seems to take anything seriously, however, the reader gets a really in-depth view of what really goes on inside his head.
Another really cool thing about this book is that you never know which side Jawad is on. There are a lot of people interested in what he’s trying to steal, and he keeps playing them off each other to the point where half the time you’re still trying to work out whose side Jawad is actually on.
Olesen does really well with his worldbuilding too. Inspired by Arabic culture, the city created throughout the book is complex and interesting. It’s really good to see a culture not based around Europe and I found that to be quite refreshing throughout.
Overall, Prince of Cats was a great fun and an enjoyable read.
Character dynamics in The Prince of Cats are great fun. Characters have chemistry with each other and some great relationships develop over the course of the book. Jawad is a very fun character to follow around. To the outside world, he never seems to take anything seriously, however, the reader gets a really in-depth view of what really goes on inside his head.
Another really cool thing about this book is that you never know which side Jawad is on. There are a lot of people interested in what he’s trying to steal, and he keeps playing them off each other to the point where half the time you’re still trying to work out whose side Jawad is actually on.
Olesen does really well with his worldbuilding too. Inspired by Arabic culture, the city created throughout the book is complex and interesting. It’s really good to see a culture not based around Europe and I found that to be quite refreshing throughout.
Overall, Prince of Cats was a great fun and an enjoyable read.
February 16, 2019
I've read The Eagle's Flight by Daniel Olesen which was a very detailed historical fantasy with incredible world building. I was sort of expecting the same thing going into this one, but what I got was more of a thief/heist book with a lot of humor in it. I always click well with books that make me chuckle from time to time, so when I got my first laugh out loud moment in the first chapter, I knew I was going to like this one.
"It was purely a case of ill luck that saw him currently incarcerated in the Finger. He had done everything right. Among decent folk, it was called the Tower of Justice. Among the indecent, it was named after what it resembled, a giant middle finger sticking out of the ground."
Jawad is a smartass and a thief, after a heist goes awry he found himself in prison, waiting for his hand to be cut off as a punishment. Instead, he's released from jail and was "hired" (more like involuntarily volunteered) by a very rich merchant to find the Prince of Cats - the 'king' of thieves. The Prince of Cats has been raiding the merchant's warehouses and it's cost him a fair amount of money and goods. He wants The Prince of Cats stopped. The line of logic here is that a thief can catch a thief. This new employer of Jawad's is a fickle one and threatens Jawad's life a number of times to ensure his cooperation. The merchant also assigned him a bodyguard, a man named Salah who is as dry as it gets. People who follow my reviews know that odd couples amuse me to no end, it's one of my favorite tropes, and it's been a while since I've read a good one. Where Jawad is sarcastic and verbose, Salah is dry and to the point. Where Jawad is more "cowardly", Salah is brave. Where Jawad is typically disingenuous, Salah is honorable and honest. The two of these guys make for some awesome banter and I enjoyed watching them try and coexist without killing each other. I loved it more as they start to have a begrudging 'friendship' budding between them, Salah even tries to help Jawad a number of times knowing it was a risk to his own reputation. However, having a bodyguard hinders Jawad's ability to overhear crucial conversations and get the right information out of people, so he constantly tries to slip his chaperone.
As his employer's paranoia starts to rise, Jawad's standing is getting more and more precarious, just wrong step away from imprisonment or death. He has to find out who the Prince of Cats is, and how to stop him before it's too late.
To complicate things a bit, Jawad starts to get a crush on the merchant's daughter, Zaida. She's unusual for her 'class' since she works for her father keeping ledgers even though it's not required, instead of lounging around as is her right. She's also very diligent and intelligent, taking on intellectual projects like mapping the stars to help researchers in the north. She seems to be one of the few that ever gave any respect to Jawad, which goes a long way in his book. I really liked her and I got behind this pretty adorable romance.
It's not a book that relies a lot on magic or fantasy creatures, but I didn't even notice that until I was about 20% along, I was enjoying myself just fine without it. This had an Aladin vibe to it, given the Arabic setting coupled with Jawad, the loveable "street rat". So, although I tend to prefer books with lots of magic, lots of fantasy elements, and stuff like dragons - I thoroughly enjoyed this more 'low fantasy' kind of book.
The pacing was excellent, it's a shorter book and there wasn't any meandering or overly descriptive passages - everything was relevant to the plot or character development which sped things along very quickly. Although the pacing was quick, I didn't find it to be rushed. One of my biggest pet peeves is rushing a romance, or rushing the conclusion, which usually makes me feel like something was missing or things were going "too smoothly" for the character. There was a lot of character development, relationship development, and other essential plot points that were well explained and presented. While not being overly descriptive, I felt like the world was vivid and colorful - and I always appreciate a deviation from middle-aged euro-centric settings (although I enjoy those too, it's nice to take a break).
I think what made this click for me was the overall tone - it was light-hearted despite the dire straits the character found himself in from time to time. Not only was Jawad a quick-witted character, the 'narration' itself had humor in it and kept things highly entertaining.
Audience:
non western setting (arabic)
single pov
third person writing
humor/light hearted
fast paced shorter books
thief/heist stories
Ratings:
Plotting: 12.75/15
Characters: 13/15
World Building: 12.5/15
Writing: 12.5/15
Pacing: 13.5/15
Originality: 11/15
Personal Enjoyment: 8.25/10
Final Score: 83.5/100 = 4.5/5 - highly recommended!
"It was purely a case of ill luck that saw him currently incarcerated in the Finger. He had done everything right. Among decent folk, it was called the Tower of Justice. Among the indecent, it was named after what it resembled, a giant middle finger sticking out of the ground."
Jawad is a smartass and a thief, after a heist goes awry he found himself in prison, waiting for his hand to be cut off as a punishment. Instead, he's released from jail and was "hired" (more like involuntarily volunteered) by a very rich merchant to find the Prince of Cats - the 'king' of thieves. The Prince of Cats has been raiding the merchant's warehouses and it's cost him a fair amount of money and goods. He wants The Prince of Cats stopped. The line of logic here is that a thief can catch a thief. This new employer of Jawad's is a fickle one and threatens Jawad's life a number of times to ensure his cooperation. The merchant also assigned him a bodyguard, a man named Salah who is as dry as it gets. People who follow my reviews know that odd couples amuse me to no end, it's one of my favorite tropes, and it's been a while since I've read a good one. Where Jawad is sarcastic and verbose, Salah is dry and to the point. Where Jawad is more "cowardly", Salah is brave. Where Jawad is typically disingenuous, Salah is honorable and honest. The two of these guys make for some awesome banter and I enjoyed watching them try and coexist without killing each other. I loved it more as they start to have a begrudging 'friendship' budding between them, Salah even tries to help Jawad a number of times knowing it was a risk to his own reputation. However, having a bodyguard hinders Jawad's ability to overhear crucial conversations and get the right information out of people, so he constantly tries to slip his chaperone.
As his employer's paranoia starts to rise, Jawad's standing is getting more and more precarious, just wrong step away from imprisonment or death. He has to find out who the Prince of Cats is, and how to stop him before it's too late.
To complicate things a bit, Jawad starts to get a crush on the merchant's daughter, Zaida. She's unusual for her 'class' since she works for her father keeping ledgers even though it's not required, instead of lounging around as is her right. She's also very diligent and intelligent, taking on intellectual projects like mapping the stars to help researchers in the north. She seems to be one of the few that ever gave any respect to Jawad, which goes a long way in his book. I really liked her and I got behind this pretty adorable romance.
It's not a book that relies a lot on magic or fantasy creatures, but I didn't even notice that until I was about 20% along, I was enjoying myself just fine without it. This had an Aladin vibe to it, given the Arabic setting coupled with Jawad, the loveable "street rat". So, although I tend to prefer books with lots of magic, lots of fantasy elements, and stuff like dragons - I thoroughly enjoyed this more 'low fantasy' kind of book.
The pacing was excellent, it's a shorter book and there wasn't any meandering or overly descriptive passages - everything was relevant to the plot or character development which sped things along very quickly. Although the pacing was quick, I didn't find it to be rushed. One of my biggest pet peeves is rushing a romance, or rushing the conclusion, which usually makes me feel like something was missing or things were going "too smoothly" for the character. There was a lot of character development, relationship development, and other essential plot points that were well explained and presented. While not being overly descriptive, I felt like the world was vivid and colorful - and I always appreciate a deviation from middle-aged euro-centric settings (although I enjoy those too, it's nice to take a break).
I think what made this click for me was the overall tone - it was light-hearted despite the dire straits the character found himself in from time to time. Not only was Jawad a quick-witted character, the 'narration' itself had humor in it and kept things highly entertaining.
Audience:
non western setting (arabic)
single pov
third person writing
humor/light hearted
fast paced shorter books
thief/heist stories
Ratings:
Plotting: 12.75/15
Characters: 13/15
World Building: 12.5/15
Writing: 12.5/15
Pacing: 13.5/15
Originality: 11/15
Personal Enjoyment: 8.25/10
Final Score: 83.5/100 = 4.5/5 - highly recommended!
November 1, 2018
Actual rating: 4.5
This review was originally posted on my blog!
When a few weeks back Daniel E. Olesen contacted me about his upcoming book, and we started to talk about it, I was instantly intrigued. A lowly thief as a protagonist and an Arabian setting? Bring it on! I didn't have the intention to read it so soon, because obligations, but damn that stuff, I needed a quick read to break up that tome I've been reading and since my reading plans were thrown to the wind anyway, decided to go all rebel. A decision I didn't regret.
The Prince of Cats is a surprisingly fast read. It's 302 pages long (according to Amazon) but seemed much more shorter. I guess this means I was so into it that I didn't even realised how fast I devoured the whole book - well, compared to circumstances, because I was travelling at the time. It also tells a lot, that it was able to get my mind off of things in a time where I was under a lot of stress and anxiety. Alcázar's exotic world and Jawad's charismatic personality swept me away from my troubles and kept me totally engulfed in the story.
At the beginning of the book, Jawad, a lowly thief finds himself in a cell in the feared prison called the Finger, fretting about not to loose his hand as a punishment for stealing. Luckily for him, he happens to keep some information about the whereabouts of the legendary thief, the Prince of Cats. Thus one of the city wealthy merchants offers him a chance: his freedom in exchange for Jawad's help to bring down the Prince. And while he is at it, he also decides to take advantage of the situation and wreak some havoc. To realise his plans he plays wealthy merchants and gangs against each other and also manages to earn some new enemies who stops at nothing to see him first broken then later dead when he stops being useful to them. He will need all of his wits to get out of this situation alive with his prize in his hands.
The plot itself is quite intricate and Olesen feeds us Jawad's plans bit by bit, just enough to leave you wonder what is going to happen next, how Jawad is planning to get out of the current mess. It's interesting to watch how he sets the different parties against each other, wondering what is his real goal. The ending felt a bit rushed, and I was kind of waiting for bigger twist. Some of the revelations weren't all that surprising to me. Otherwise this is a cleverly written story, focusing rather on characters and on conflicts between groups and characters rather than action - not meaning there aren't any. I think it would have done good to this story, if it was longer so we could have learned more about the conflicts between Dar al-Allawn and the Dar al-Gund merchant houses, or why Jawad decided to step on the Black Teeth gang's toes (although to be fair, you can guess by the end). On the other hand, it deserves some extra points for creative swearing.
Jawad is a charismatic, smart-ass character, driven by his desires and well-built plans which not always turns out as he would like them to. But a thief has to improvise sometimes and like a cat, he somehow always ends up landing on his feet. Using his boyish charisma, he easily befriends people and manipulates them to do his bidding. On the other hand, he has a kind side too which shows in helping his old teacher whenever he can. Jawad grows up on the streets, and some tragedy from his past still haunts him. But his most charming characteristic is his humor. I especially loved the way his relationship was built up with Salah, a loyal warrior in the wealthy merchant, al-Badawi's employment. Their personalities couldn't be any different - Salah is stiff, follows the rules and orders and a bit narrow-minded while Jawad loves freedom, likes to bend the rules, and is never afraid to give a witty come back.
"Where I need to go, Salah will be as inconspicuous as a belly dancer in an orphanage."
My most favorite relationship in this book though is between Jawad and Ishak, an old alchemist, who has a dirty mouth and hazy memory. Their banter adds humor to the story and balances the heavier, darker moments by giving you a chuckle or two.
"Next time someone offers you poison, you politely decline."
Jawad snorted. "Sage advice."
"Of course it is, you cat's paw," Ishak said as he turned to put his ingredients back to order. "I am a sage, thus everything I say is sage advice. If you want wise counsel, find a wise man."
The Prince of Cats has a wide selection of characters: merchants, thugs, and everything in between. Most of them don't have enough space to shine so we could get to know them better. About their lives, motivations, flaws or good traits. Naturally we learn the most about Jawad as we follow the story from his POV, but I still had that lingering feeling at the end that I couldn't really get to close to him. Despite learning what led him to these events, seeing what he sacrificed to succeed, his fears and happy moments. He remained somehow distant. It's maybe because of the narrative, this book being not written in the first person.
Salah comes the longest way in this book. He is the only one who actually steps out of his character and lets his views be challenged. As for female characters. There are only a few, but they have significant roles in Jawad's life. First Amal, his fence - the one who gives him a mark and makes sure the goods get to the right hands - with whom he has been in contact for a long time, and maybe the one in whom he trusts the most. As much as he can trust anyone in this business anyway. Jawad meets Lady Zaida in al-Badawi's home, the daughter of the merchant and only heir. They form an unlikely friendship and despite the difference in their social status, they also have quite a lot similarities.
"We are all slaves in this world," Jawad remarked casually. "We may have different chains, but all of us are shackled nonetheless."
I liked Zaida, because she refused to be the brainless, worthless puppet his father things she is. She might not be able to fight against her fate and become a political tool for his father to gain more wealth and ensure his place in society through marriage, but that doesn't mean she doesn't try to make herself useful. She has a sharp intelligence she is not afraid to use, but she is also kind and passionate. On the other side of the spectrum there is Basmah, the torturer of the Black Teeth gang whose only goal in life is to please her Master. And cause as much pain as she can.
As you can see, Alcázar's streets are full of lively characters, but let's take a look at the city itself. Gorgeous, isn't it?
Alcázar and The Prince of Cats has a very distinct Arabian feel to them with all the traditional buildings, the market, the architecture. It's a very well-built world and definitely would like to come back to visit it sometime in the future. Daniel E. Olesen made sure his world is really detailed - not only the city itself, but the society, the religious system (we only get a glimpse of this though).
There is something charming about The Prince of Cats despite its flaws, and the fact that it's not a heartwarming story. It's about revenge, freedom, relationships, keeping your enemies closer than friends. It has a sort of Arabian Nights vibe about it, especially the shepherd's story. I recommend to check this book out if you need a different setting, like to read about a thief, who is far from being perfect, or invulnerable.
This review was originally posted on my blog!
When a few weeks back Daniel E. Olesen contacted me about his upcoming book, and we started to talk about it, I was instantly intrigued. A lowly thief as a protagonist and an Arabian setting? Bring it on! I didn't have the intention to read it so soon, because obligations, but damn that stuff, I needed a quick read to break up that tome I've been reading and since my reading plans were thrown to the wind anyway, decided to go all rebel. A decision I didn't regret.
The Prince of Cats is a surprisingly fast read. It's 302 pages long (according to Amazon) but seemed much more shorter. I guess this means I was so into it that I didn't even realised how fast I devoured the whole book - well, compared to circumstances, because I was travelling at the time. It also tells a lot, that it was able to get my mind off of things in a time where I was under a lot of stress and anxiety. Alcázar's exotic world and Jawad's charismatic personality swept me away from my troubles and kept me totally engulfed in the story.
At the beginning of the book, Jawad, a lowly thief finds himself in a cell in the feared prison called the Finger, fretting about not to loose his hand as a punishment for stealing. Luckily for him, he happens to keep some information about the whereabouts of the legendary thief, the Prince of Cats. Thus one of the city wealthy merchants offers him a chance: his freedom in exchange for Jawad's help to bring down the Prince. And while he is at it, he also decides to take advantage of the situation and wreak some havoc. To realise his plans he plays wealthy merchants and gangs against each other and also manages to earn some new enemies who stops at nothing to see him first broken then later dead when he stops being useful to them. He will need all of his wits to get out of this situation alive with his prize in his hands.
The plot itself is quite intricate and Olesen feeds us Jawad's plans bit by bit, just enough to leave you wonder what is going to happen next, how Jawad is planning to get out of the current mess. It's interesting to watch how he sets the different parties against each other, wondering what is his real goal. The ending felt a bit rushed, and I was kind of waiting for bigger twist. Some of the revelations weren't all that surprising to me. Otherwise this is a cleverly written story, focusing rather on characters and on conflicts between groups and characters rather than action - not meaning there aren't any. I think it would have done good to this story, if it was longer so we could have learned more about the conflicts between Dar al-Allawn and the Dar al-Gund merchant houses, or why Jawad decided to step on the Black Teeth gang's toes (although to be fair, you can guess by the end). On the other hand, it deserves some extra points for creative swearing.
Jawad is a charismatic, smart-ass character, driven by his desires and well-built plans which not always turns out as he would like them to. But a thief has to improvise sometimes and like a cat, he somehow always ends up landing on his feet. Using his boyish charisma, he easily befriends people and manipulates them to do his bidding. On the other hand, he has a kind side too which shows in helping his old teacher whenever he can. Jawad grows up on the streets, and some tragedy from his past still haunts him. But his most charming characteristic is his humor. I especially loved the way his relationship was built up with Salah, a loyal warrior in the wealthy merchant, al-Badawi's employment. Their personalities couldn't be any different - Salah is stiff, follows the rules and orders and a bit narrow-minded while Jawad loves freedom, likes to bend the rules, and is never afraid to give a witty come back.
"Where I need to go, Salah will be as inconspicuous as a belly dancer in an orphanage."
My most favorite relationship in this book though is between Jawad and Ishak, an old alchemist, who has a dirty mouth and hazy memory. Their banter adds humor to the story and balances the heavier, darker moments by giving you a chuckle or two.
"Next time someone offers you poison, you politely decline."
Jawad snorted. "Sage advice."
"Of course it is, you cat's paw," Ishak said as he turned to put his ingredients back to order. "I am a sage, thus everything I say is sage advice. If you want wise counsel, find a wise man."
The Prince of Cats has a wide selection of characters: merchants, thugs, and everything in between. Most of them don't have enough space to shine so we could get to know them better. About their lives, motivations, flaws or good traits. Naturally we learn the most about Jawad as we follow the story from his POV, but I still had that lingering feeling at the end that I couldn't really get to close to him. Despite learning what led him to these events, seeing what he sacrificed to succeed, his fears and happy moments. He remained somehow distant. It's maybe because of the narrative, this book being not written in the first person.
Salah comes the longest way in this book. He is the only one who actually steps out of his character and lets his views be challenged. As for female characters. There are only a few, but they have significant roles in Jawad's life. First Amal, his fence - the one who gives him a mark and makes sure the goods get to the right hands - with whom he has been in contact for a long time, and maybe the one in whom he trusts the most. As much as he can trust anyone in this business anyway. Jawad meets Lady Zaida in al-Badawi's home, the daughter of the merchant and only heir. They form an unlikely friendship and despite the difference in their social status, they also have quite a lot similarities.
"We are all slaves in this world," Jawad remarked casually. "We may have different chains, but all of us are shackled nonetheless."
I liked Zaida, because she refused to be the brainless, worthless puppet his father things she is. She might not be able to fight against her fate and become a political tool for his father to gain more wealth and ensure his place in society through marriage, but that doesn't mean she doesn't try to make herself useful. She has a sharp intelligence she is not afraid to use, but she is also kind and passionate. On the other side of the spectrum there is Basmah, the torturer of the Black Teeth gang whose only goal in life is to please her Master. And cause as much pain as she can.
As you can see, Alcázar's streets are full of lively characters, but let's take a look at the city itself. Gorgeous, isn't it?
Alcázar and The Prince of Cats has a very distinct Arabian feel to them with all the traditional buildings, the market, the architecture. It's a very well-built world and definitely would like to come back to visit it sometime in the future. Daniel E. Olesen made sure his world is really detailed - not only the city itself, but the society, the religious system (we only get a glimpse of this though).
There is something charming about The Prince of Cats despite its flaws, and the fact that it's not a heartwarming story. It's about revenge, freedom, relationships, keeping your enemies closer than friends. It has a sort of Arabian Nights vibe about it, especially the shepherd's story. I recommend to check this book out if you need a different setting, like to read about a thief, who is far from being perfect, or invulnerable.
January 7, 2019
I received a copy of this book from the author via the TBRindr program
The Prince of Cats is an engaging tale of plans and twisting plots set a secondary world brilliantly patterned on the Middle East. The world is wonderful and the characters are well-drawn and crafted in such a way that they bring this world to life. Amidst this backdrop is a story of plans within plans, twisting until the very end. Buckle up, you’re in for quite the ride in Daniel E. Olesen’s tale.
Perhaps the most intriguing aspect of this novel is the twisting plot. We’re rarely given to know the inner workings of Jawad’s mind until one of his plans comes to a head. As a result, we’re kept guessing and this keeps the tension fairly high throughout the novel. The setting is another aspect of this novel that I thoroughly enjoyed. There are a number of small touches that help it to shine. Whether this be the regular sharing of tea or Jawad’s tendency to assess the value of everything he sees, Olesen has given his world building a great deal of attention and it shows. World building is often greater than the sum of its parts, and I think that shows in Olesen’s book. To talk about individual aspects of the world building doesn’t quite do justice to the final picture that emerges. In addition to the setting, many of the side characters were likable and well fleshed out. It’s impressive, in a book that is not overly long, to have side characters that feel alive. Olesen has done an excellent job here.
Unfortunately, I didn’t feel nearly as engaged with the main character, Jawad. I think this is mostly down to two things. First, there is a little bit of distance in the way Jawad’s viewpoint is written. This can be seen most notably in a couple scenes throughout the novel where—for instance—a room is described and we then realize that Jawad is unconscious. This mixing of third limited with third omniscient isn’t so much jarring as it simply introduces some distance from Jawad into the narrative. The second issue, and this one is much more important for me, is that we never know about Jawad’s plans until the very end. While this does serve to heighten the tension at certain times, the larger downside is that it feels like we never fully understand Jawad’s motivations. The novel could have been much improved if we had been able to know more of Jawad and relate to him more.
A story set in a wonderfully imagined world, The Prince of Cats twists and turns through plans and plots aplenty. The main character is more distant than I typically like, but the book as a whole is still a fun read. 3.25/5 stars.
5 – I loved this, couldn’t put it down, move it to the top of your TBR pile
4 – I really enjoyed this, add it to the TBR pile
3 – I liked it, depending on your preferences it may be worth your time
2 – I didn’t like this book, it has significant flaws and I can’t recommend it
1 – I loathe this book with a most loathsome loathing
The Prince of Cats is an engaging tale of plans and twisting plots set a secondary world brilliantly patterned on the Middle East. The world is wonderful and the characters are well-drawn and crafted in such a way that they bring this world to life. Amidst this backdrop is a story of plans within plans, twisting until the very end. Buckle up, you’re in for quite the ride in Daniel E. Olesen’s tale.
Perhaps the most intriguing aspect of this novel is the twisting plot. We’re rarely given to know the inner workings of Jawad’s mind until one of his plans comes to a head. As a result, we’re kept guessing and this keeps the tension fairly high throughout the novel. The setting is another aspect of this novel that I thoroughly enjoyed. There are a number of small touches that help it to shine. Whether this be the regular sharing of tea or Jawad’s tendency to assess the value of everything he sees, Olesen has given his world building a great deal of attention and it shows. World building is often greater than the sum of its parts, and I think that shows in Olesen’s book. To talk about individual aspects of the world building doesn’t quite do justice to the final picture that emerges. In addition to the setting, many of the side characters were likable and well fleshed out. It’s impressive, in a book that is not overly long, to have side characters that feel alive. Olesen has done an excellent job here.
Unfortunately, I didn’t feel nearly as engaged with the main character, Jawad. I think this is mostly down to two things. First, there is a little bit of distance in the way Jawad’s viewpoint is written. This can be seen most notably in a couple scenes throughout the novel where—for instance—a room is described and we then realize that Jawad is unconscious. This mixing of third limited with third omniscient isn’t so much jarring as it simply introduces some distance from Jawad into the narrative. The second issue, and this one is much more important for me, is that we never know about Jawad’s plans until the very end. While this does serve to heighten the tension at certain times, the larger downside is that it feels like we never fully understand Jawad’s motivations. The novel could have been much improved if we had been able to know more of Jawad and relate to him more.
A story set in a wonderfully imagined world, The Prince of Cats twists and turns through plans and plots aplenty. The main character is more distant than I typically like, but the book as a whole is still a fun read. 3.25/5 stars.
5 – I loved this, couldn’t put it down, move it to the top of your TBR pile
4 – I really enjoyed this, add it to the TBR pile
3 – I liked it, depending on your preferences it may be worth your time
2 – I didn’t like this book, it has significant flaws and I can’t recommend it
1 – I loathe this book with a most loathsome loathing
August 7, 2019
That was a little bittersweet.
It was the quick read I was looking for right now with plenty of action and a lovable character, I'm always here for a shithead like Jawad :) But, like I said I find it bittersweet, the reason is because the "big reveal" was SO predictable, I was hoping for a surprise but it didn't come :(
So, yes, a little disappointed by the end, but the story was so great that it almost doesn't matter :)
It was the quick read I was looking for right now with plenty of action and a lovable character, I'm always here for a shithead like Jawad :) But, like I said I find it bittersweet, the reason is because the "big reveal" was SO predictable, I was hoping for a surprise but it didn't come :(
So, yes, a little disappointed by the end, but the story was so great that it almost doesn't matter :)
November 12, 2018
I was given an ARC of this book, and I am very appreciative of it. I ended up devouring this novel in a single night, and didn't head to bed until 4am. It was spectacular! It has the lore and complexities of The Eagle's Flight, a sort of companion saga to this smaller, more personal tale. The characters are all dynamic, and not a single one came across as needless, flat, or unnecessary. Jawad was a great protagonist, and I found myself rooting for him for the duration of the story. Fans of the Assassin's Creed game series, The Lies of Locke Lamora, and other heist/thief centered stories with gripping plots and intrigue should definitely give this one a look. You will NOT be disappointed, I assure you!
March 1, 2019
I thoroughly enjoyed this. With it's middle eastern inspired fantasy setting, which is not a background that would normally draw me in, and a compelling story-line populated with engaging characters, this had me hooked more or less from the beginning. It didn't even matter that I could guess the motivation for the main protagonist's actions fairly early on - it all gelled together well to create a really enjoyable narrative. I really hope the author follows this up with more of the same.
April 19, 2020
A wonderful adventure book with mysteries, funny moments and three dimensional characters.
December 8, 2018
I've read Daniel Olesen's other book: "The Eagle's Flight" and loved it. In fact, it made my list of Top 3 Books I read in 2017. So of course when I found out the author had another book out there was no question I had to read it. The Prince of Cats is a very different book in many ways, but I still thoroughly enjoyed it.
It's a faster-paced story centered around a thief, Jawad, who finds himself compelled to work for a merchant with the goal of helping him catch an even bigger - almost legendary - thief called "The Prince of Cats". The book follows Jawad as he attempts to work his own plan and motives into the situation he finds himself in. I think I might have enjoyed the book much more if it focused on the plotting and scheming a bit more and showed us the character's full intentions from the start, letting us in on the plans so we can be more invested in their success and failure. I understand the reason some things were hidden, I just didn't find the "mystery" to be worth it.
Where the book shines is in its characterizations of Jawad and the bodyguard/warrior Salah and the development of their relationship. There is some funny dialogue and Salah shows actual development and change as the story progresses despite its short length. I also liked the chemist/healer Ishak.
Many others have commented on the "Arab-inspired" setting of the story. The author clearly did research and was able to put things into his world-building, especially names, that are Arabic inspired. In fact I spent much of my reading time trying to zero in on the setting and time period that inspired Alcazar. There are a lot of things that hint at pre-Islamic Arabia, including the references to female Goddesses and statues and the ruthlessness of the treatment towards the poor/orphaned, but then again there are words like Mamluks and some of the English transliterations of words like "Al-Gund" instead of "Al-Jund" that tell me Egypt in the 1100s or so... then again I found various instances of Turkish grammar which placed it more in the Ottoman Empire... and I just kept wondering how much of this interesting mix was on purpose and how much was just a result of randomly taking inspiration from middle-eastern history and not necessarily picking a specific time/place to use. Anyway, fascinating stuff that kept me thinking. And maybe I'm crazy, but I had the thought to re-read The Eagle's Flight and try to deduce the time period from there and then see if any of it matched up... I have a feeling there's a character that links the two stories...
It's also significant to say that the author managed to use this inspiration in his setting without making me angry or disgusted (which is how I usually feel when I venture to read Middle Eastern inspired settings because of all the stuff they get so completely wrong and all the tiring stereotypes). Instead, I was interested and into the world-building.
The only thing that annoyed me about this book was the swearing. If I didn't know the author's skill from having read his previous book I may have considered stopping, but I kept going. I understand why the author put it there - it's supposed to be from the POV of this character who is a thief and works with all kinds of unpleasant people, etc, but I just didn't find it necessary.
If I say any more I'm bound to include some spoilers so I'll just say that The Prince of Cats is a great fantasy book. Short and fast-paced, full of interesting characters, and a world I would love to visit again if there are other books planned! Check it out if you're looking for a new fantasy read!
It's a faster-paced story centered around a thief, Jawad, who finds himself compelled to work for a merchant with the goal of helping him catch an even bigger - almost legendary - thief called "The Prince of Cats". The book follows Jawad as he attempts to work his own plan and motives into the situation he finds himself in. I think I might have enjoyed the book much more if it focused on the plotting and scheming a bit more and showed us the character's full intentions from the start, letting us in on the plans so we can be more invested in their success and failure. I understand the reason some things were hidden, I just didn't find the "mystery" to be worth it.
Where the book shines is in its characterizations of Jawad and the bodyguard/warrior Salah and the development of their relationship. There is some funny dialogue and Salah shows actual development and change as the story progresses despite its short length. I also liked the chemist/healer Ishak.
Many others have commented on the "Arab-inspired" setting of the story. The author clearly did research and was able to put things into his world-building, especially names, that are Arabic inspired. In fact I spent much of my reading time trying to zero in on the setting and time period that inspired Alcazar. There are a lot of things that hint at pre-Islamic Arabia, including the references to female Goddesses and statues and the ruthlessness of the treatment towards the poor/orphaned, but then again there are words like Mamluks and some of the English transliterations of words like "Al-Gund" instead of "Al-Jund" that tell me Egypt in the 1100s or so... then again I found various instances of Turkish grammar which placed it more in the Ottoman Empire... and I just kept wondering how much of this interesting mix was on purpose and how much was just a result of randomly taking inspiration from middle-eastern history and not necessarily picking a specific time/place to use. Anyway, fascinating stuff that kept me thinking. And maybe I'm crazy, but I had the thought to re-read The Eagle's Flight and try to deduce the time period from there and then see if any of it matched up... I have a feeling there's a character that links the two stories...
It's also significant to say that the author managed to use this inspiration in his setting without making me angry or disgusted (which is how I usually feel when I venture to read Middle Eastern inspired settings because of all the stuff they get so completely wrong and all the tiring stereotypes). Instead, I was interested and into the world-building.
The only thing that annoyed me about this book was the swearing. If I didn't know the author's skill from having read his previous book I may have considered stopping, but I kept going. I understand why the author put it there - it's supposed to be from the POV of this character who is a thief and works with all kinds of unpleasant people, etc, but I just didn't find it necessary.
If I say any more I'm bound to include some spoilers so I'll just say that The Prince of Cats is a great fantasy book. Short and fast-paced, full of interesting characters, and a world I would love to visit again if there are other books planned! Check it out if you're looking for a new fantasy read!
January 19, 2023
Questo libro è pochissimo conosciuto, credo anche che sia stato pubblicato in autonomia. Io l'ho trovato per puro caso e adesso mi trovo qui a essere una delle pochissime a dargli una valutazione non propriamente positiva.
Ora, qui c'è una cosa interessante.
Sulla carta, questo è un buon libro. Certo, ha delle forzature che potrei stare qui a segnalarvi ma quelle secondo me potrebbero passare in secondo piano rispetto al resto. Rispetto ad altri libri non ho trovato il colpo di scena forzato (anzi, era prevedibilissimo, ma meglio così che imbrogliare il lettore) e in realtà il finale del protagonista è stato anche interessante. Per quanto la sua motivazione io l'abbia trovata ridicola (l'autore non è riuscito a farmi odiare i suo antagonista) il senso della sua trama era particolare e mi è piaciuto.
Probabilmente si stava qualche pagina in più per approfondire alcune cose, che sono davvero troppo frettolose o forzate.
Allora qual è il problema di fondo? Il problema è che non è scritto bene. Non scritto male, intendiamoci, semplicemente è mediocre. I dialoghi (soprattutto nel caso del protagonista, scritti apposta per essere "witty") non sono incisivi, non ti restano in mente e non riescono a rendere pregnante le relazioni che si creano. Il caso peggiore credo che sia tra il protagonista e la guardia, che è un continuo botta e risposta che dovrebbe fare ridere ma è semplicemente mediocre.
Se penso a libri simili i dialoghi sono la parte principale, non solo fanno ridere ma riescono a restarti in mente per parecchio, io questi li ho scordati due secondi dopo averli letti.
Qui non è nemmeno un caso di editing, qui è proprio che scrivere bene è difficile.
Ora, qui c'è una cosa interessante.
Sulla carta, questo è un buon libro. Certo, ha delle forzature che potrei stare qui a segnalarvi ma quelle secondo me potrebbero passare in secondo piano rispetto al resto. Rispetto ad altri libri non ho trovato il colpo di scena forzato (anzi, era prevedibilissimo, ma meglio così che imbrogliare il lettore) e in realtà il finale del protagonista è stato anche interessante. Per quanto la sua motivazione io l'abbia trovata ridicola (l'autore non è riuscito a farmi odiare i suo antagonista) il senso della sua trama era particolare e mi è piaciuto.
Probabilmente si stava qualche pagina in più per approfondire alcune cose, che sono davvero troppo frettolose o forzate.
Allora qual è il problema di fondo? Il problema è che non è scritto bene. Non scritto male, intendiamoci, semplicemente è mediocre. I dialoghi (soprattutto nel caso del protagonista, scritti apposta per essere "witty") non sono incisivi, non ti restano in mente e non riescono a rendere pregnante le relazioni che si creano. Il caso peggiore credo che sia tra il protagonista e la guardia, che è un continuo botta e risposta che dovrebbe fare ridere ma è semplicemente mediocre.
Se penso a libri simili i dialoghi sono la parte principale, non solo fanno ridere ma riescono a restarti in mente per parecchio, io questi li ho scordati due secondi dopo averli letti.
Qui non è nemmeno un caso di editing, qui è proprio che scrivere bene è difficile.
April 8, 2020
Nice fun little read.
Author has a way with words and builds a fascinating persian-eque world. The characters are authentic and well etched. Writing style eaves a good story and a thin vein of humour running all through makes it a fresh and nice read.
The pacing is a bit uneven esp in the middle but nicely picks up for a tidy climax where everything ties into place. A decent twist at the end to shake things up is a cherry on the cake.
Author has a way with words and builds a fascinating persian-eque world. The characters are authentic and well etched. Writing style eaves a good story and a thin vein of humour running all through makes it a fresh and nice read.
The pacing is a bit uneven esp in the middle but nicely picks up for a tidy climax where everything ties into place. A decent twist at the end to shake things up is a cherry on the cake.
December 14, 2018
You can find my full review of The Prince of Cats on my book blog, Bastian's Book Reviews.
In summary: Fans of Harry Dresden novels are likely to find this book right up their street - it's on a par with that series.
In summary: Fans of Harry Dresden novels are likely to find this book right up their street - it's on a par with that series.
December 29, 2018
I really enjoyed the setting of this novel, and I wish we had explored it more. But I loved the characters, and when the novel ended, I wished I could read more.
The book had its weaknesses, but I think there's a lot to like here, and I expect good things from the author in the future.
The book had its weaknesses, but I think there's a lot to like here, and I expect good things from the author in the future.
March 6, 2023
Very good!
Great plot, full of twists and turns that you never see coming. Great characters and dialogue. I do hope we hear more of Jawad and his trials on his journey through life.
Great plot, full of twists and turns that you never see coming. Great characters and dialogue. I do hope we hear more of Jawad and his trials on his journey through life.
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