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Stealing from Wizards #1
Stealing from Wizards Volume 1: Pickpocketing
Living in secret and stealing to eat is a hard life, but it's all Kuro has ever known. Fear and necessity forged him into the finest young thief in in the wizard kingdoms. Nobody can hide forever, though, and a run of poor luck lands Kuro in a place where his quick hands and quiet feet count for nothing: Avalon Academy, school of magic.
Out of his depth and unable to escape, can Kuro find a place among the other misfits at the school, or will his past return to ruin the one chance he has to leave his life in the shadows?
Out of his depth and unable to escape, can Kuro find a place among the other misfits at the school, or will his past return to ruin the one chance he has to leave his life in the shadows?
274 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 1, 2019
48 people are currently reading
925 people want to read
About the author
R.A. Consell
6 books70 followersR. A. Consell is a Canadian author living and in Ontario. He is a writer of fantasy fiction, a nerd culture critic, science consultant, costumer, prop builder, and engineering instructor.
He has been featured in Game Developer Magazine, Kotaku, The Mary Sue, and Bully Pulpit Games. He also consulted on The Science of Game of Thrones by Hellen Keen.
He has been featured in Game Developer Magazine, Kotaku, The Mary Sue, and Bully Pulpit Games. He also consulted on The Science of Game of Thrones by Hellen Keen.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 64 reviews
December 14, 2019
A wonderful, very fun to read, beginning of a new series which I cannot wait to read the rest of!
Loved it!
Loved it!
July 3, 2022
I won this book in Kindle format from Goodreads. I loved this book. There was never a dull moment. I adore Kuro. I could never get into the Harry Potter books. I think I'm waiting to read them to a grandchild someday. SfW is simpler maybe a little glossed over, but has some wonderful wizardry. I am nearly 50. This book is supposed to be for 8-14 year olds, but I think this book is for any age that's in the mood for magic and clever writing.
January 10, 2020
So engaging with brilliant world building. The characters are charming and you can't help but cheer them on in their magical adventures in their new school. Kuro, especially, pulls on your heartstrings as a scrappy and underdog protagonist.
December 25, 2019
So much fun
I loved this magical world and all its vivid characters. I laughed. I may have cried a little. And I can't wait for the next one.
I loved this magical world and all its vivid characters. I laughed. I may have cried a little. And I can't wait for the next one.
July 20, 2021
I absolutely adored this book. Looking forward to #2. I'm sure lots of folks have compared it to HP, but I would compare it to The House on the Cerulean Sea.
May 27, 2020
Consell is a delightful, and engaging storyteller. His use of language borders on magical, which is very fitting, considering the subject matter. I started out reading a chapter a night to my 10-year-old, but got so swept up in the story that I sat down and finished the rest of the book in 2 1/2 hours over my coffee early this morning while the child was still asleep!
This is a very Canadian fantasy novel and I say that in the best possible way. I'll admit to having been nervous when only the second sentence in mentioned "a bookstore in Halifax" as an anchor point in a magical world, for fear that this would prove to be simply a re-setting of previously tread storyways with a few Canadian names. But I ended up feeling, like Thorin apologizing to Bilbo, "Never have I been so wrong!" This is a magical world that feels like it owes more to Nova Scotian and Quebecois folklore, and perhaps Gordon Korman's "Macdonald Hall", than to certain other well-known books set at magical schools. Moreover, there are hints at a very Canadian set of tensions between west and east and issues of identity -neither of which feel heavy-handed, or at all forced - as well as a very funny send-up of the stereotypical Canadian politeness.
In short, I loved this book, and cannot wait for the next in the series.
This is a very Canadian fantasy novel and I say that in the best possible way. I'll admit to having been nervous when only the second sentence in mentioned "a bookstore in Halifax" as an anchor point in a magical world, for fear that this would prove to be simply a re-setting of previously tread storyways with a few Canadian names. But I ended up feeling, like Thorin apologizing to Bilbo, "Never have I been so wrong!" This is a magical world that feels like it owes more to Nova Scotian and Quebecois folklore, and perhaps Gordon Korman's "Macdonald Hall", than to certain other well-known books set at magical schools. Moreover, there are hints at a very Canadian set of tensions between west and east and issues of identity -neither of which feel heavy-handed, or at all forced - as well as a very funny send-up of the stereotypical Canadian politeness.
In short, I loved this book, and cannot wait for the next in the series.
February 5, 2020
I just loved this book! This is a wonderful first book in a new young adult, fantasy series, that is great for fans of Harry Potter. First, let me say that while it is a similar genre and style to HP, it is a completely different story and 100% worth reading. The characters are well developed and absolutely lovable. It has a good plot with room to grow and it is well written with nicely descriptive world building. It is full of heroes, villains, magic, and adventure. In summation, I absolutely loved it and cannot wait to continue reading Kuro's story!
I won this book in a giveaway in exchange for an honest review.
I won this book in a giveaway in exchange for an honest review.
August 22, 2021
I picked this up because someone on Reddit described it as Harry Potter meets Oliver Twist. Obviously it’s written for a young audience, and again the parallels to other books are strong (McCutcheon shares much in terms of looks and mien with Minerva McGonagall). Yet it was a captivating enough story with enough of the random oddments that seem to be necessary to tick the whimsy boxes plus a relatively solid plotas these things go. Yes, I’ll give book 2 a try.
August 1, 2021
I loved this book. Wonderful characters, intriguing storyline and a satisfying ending that gears you up for the next book. There are some darker themes addressed in this book: torture, abuse, and murder, but on the whole it's a wonderful fantasy akin to Harry Potter.
February 13, 2023
I wish I could read this book for the first time all over again
How can one review a book like this without feeling like there isn't enough words to describe how many emotions it made me feel? " I loved it " sound untrue , lacking. I think that it will be more accurate to say I fell in love with it.
How can one review a book like this without feeling like there isn't enough words to describe how many emotions it made me feel? " I loved it " sound untrue , lacking. I think that it will be more accurate to say I fell in love with it.
October 4, 2019
This book was a delightful and charming read. Light-hearted and humorous at times, and heart-warming at others. The characters have personality and depth, and the adventures are well-paced and lead to an exciting and satisfying climax. Charlie is totally my favourite. Highly recommend!
Want to read
November 11, 2019Thank you for the opportunity to review this book as a giveaway recipient. I am excited to finish it and will update my thoughts on this book soon!
November 18, 2019
Fun, charming and utterly fantastic. I can’t wait for the second book.
December 17, 2019
First thought after finishing it...
more
more
June 22, 2021
This was so charming! Fun story, I liked the characters, had a hard time putting it down. Fun world building. Detritus Lane reminded me a bit of Neverwhere, with people falling through the cracks.
July 6, 2021
Fantastic tale!
Wonderful, entertaining story! If you're a fan of Harry Potter, you'll love this book. I couldn't put it down once I started and I can't wait for volume two.
Wonderful, entertaining story! If you're a fan of Harry Potter, you'll love this book. I couldn't put it down once I started and I can't wait for volume two.
December 29, 2021
I discovered this book when I was browsing Wattpad and started reading it. When I got the end of the chapters available, I found out that the book was available in full format in two very readily available ways. 1. I could purchase it from Amazon as an ebook for a friendly low price, but the author released it as a podcast where he read the book out chapter by chapter. I immediately accessed the podcast and thoroughly enjoyed listening to it that way.
Stealing from Wizards centers around a young boy named Kuro who lives with a mean master who orders him around to do errands for him as they live in a magical alley called Dertius Lane. Kuro is a thief, and he lives on the edges of a magical kingdom, and you can only hide so long. Before long, he ends up at Avalon Academy, a school of magic, and entirely out of his depth with no knowledge of magic or what to expect. If you missed Harry Potter and are looking for a new magical read, this one might be for you.
Stealing from Wizards centers around a young boy named Kuro who lives with a mean master who orders him around to do errands for him as they live in a magical alley called Dertius Lane. Kuro is a thief, and he lives on the edges of a magical kingdom, and you can only hide so long. Before long, he ends up at Avalon Academy, a school of magic, and entirely out of his depth with no knowledge of magic or what to expect. If you missed Harry Potter and are looking for a new magical read, this one might be for you.
September 24, 2024
Really enjoyable audiobook narration
February 1, 2025
I picked this book up as a serial podcast and it was a great book to listen to in small bites each night before going to bed. 3.5 stars
June 27, 2021
4.5 stars. I loved this first book in the series. I wish the whole series were already out!
July 5, 2021
A very fun addition to the parentless kid goes to magical/special boarding school genre. The world created is new and fun. There are some similarities to Harry Potter, but without the need for internal ethical debates about if you can separate the art from the author's aggressive transphobia.
October 12, 2024
The similarities between "Stealing ..." and Harry Potter are numerous. But it is neither a copy nor a parody. It stands firmly on its own.
Great fun, original, sound world and characters.
I would recommend to anyone above the age of ten with an inner child who likes magic.
Great fun, original, sound world and characters.
I would recommend to anyone above the age of ten with an inner child who likes magic.
February 15, 2023
An hilariously Canadian coming of age story that brought me back to the magic-filled books of my childhood. A story both children and adults can enjoy with landmarks and turns of phrase many Canadians will recognize.
It was a joy to listen to the audiobook podcast read by the author with the intended accents to accompany the book, bringing extra life to the story!
It was a joy to listen to the audiobook podcast read by the author with the intended accents to accompany the book, bringing extra life to the story!
June 28, 2020
The book was much fun, but felt a bit rushed for the density of plot twists and revelations about connections between the characters (and the number of antagonists/potential antagonists).
June 12, 2022
I LOVED IT!! Found it on wattpad and listened to the audiobook. Surprisingly good voice acting from someone im guessing is not a trained voice actor
I loved the plot, the characters, & the setting especially. I've actually already read the second book at this point, and I think I might like this one better than the first one because of the color and the variety of the world. I love how much time is spent in Detritus Lane, I love the distinctiveness between the streets themselves, the building that Kuro lived in with Phineas, the church, the pipes, etc. Such an incredible world
If there was anything I disliked it'd be the beginning of the Avalon school year (or maybe even just Avalon in general. magical schools are great settings for stories like this but there's not a ton of innovation to be made), because it seemed a little outrageous and strange just for the sake of being outrageous and strange. Not enough to diminish the rating though, I loved everything else
Marie was my favorite character, and I loved Bella and almost everything she did. Almost is kind of far actually. I loved like one thing she did. Someone tell me if they draw her. Bye 5/5 good book write more
I loved the plot, the characters, & the setting especially. I've actually already read the second book at this point, and I think I might like this one better than the first one because of the color and the variety of the world. I love how much time is spent in Detritus Lane, I love the distinctiveness between the streets themselves, the building that Kuro lived in with Phineas, the church, the pipes, etc. Such an incredible world
If there was anything I disliked it'd be the beginning of the Avalon school year (or maybe even just Avalon in general. magical schools are great settings for stories like this but there's not a ton of innovation to be made), because it seemed a little outrageous and strange just for the sake of being outrageous and strange. Not enough to diminish the rating though, I loved everything else
Marie was my favorite character, and I loved Bella and almost everything she did. Almost is kind of far actually. I loved like one thing she did. Someone tell me if they draw her. Bye 5/5 good book write more
January 25, 2022
I love Consell's way of writing. In my opinion, this book is much better than Harry Potter. It's just as charming as the Potter books, but the story flows much better and the descriptions, lessons and explainations of the world makes much more sense and is way better rooted in the magic lore .
The plot is absolutely brilliant!
(I'll start on the second volume right now!)
The plot is absolutely brilliant!
(I'll start on the second volume right now!)
March 3, 2025
2025: Sigue siendo un libro espectacular, y definitivamente una de las mejores sagas middle grade que he leído en la vida.
2023: No tengo palabras para expresar lo que ha sido este libro. Es una historia preciosa de un niño que ha sufrido demasiado, y una de las cosas que más me ha gustado leer es la forma en que los traumas de su pasado se manifiestan en su vida diaria. Incluso cuando Kuro esta en un ambiente seguro, rodeado de personas que se preocupan por su bienestar, sigue desconfiando de todos y no logra entender cuando alguien actua de manera desinteresada. Duele de leer, pero es extremadamente realista.
Aun así (y a pesar de todo lo que he llorado), este es un libro feliz, que en mi opinión, trata mucho sobre la esperanza. Uno de mis aspectos favoritos fueron los profesores de Avalon, ver cómo se preocupaban por sus estudiantes y estaban dispuestos a poner ese esfuerzo extra para que todos pudieran aprender y sentirse bien en el colegio realmente te llena el corazón.
Esta es una historia en la cual los adultos realmente se preocupan por los niños, en la cual buscan no solo que aprendan, sino que también estén felices y se sientan a salvo en su colegio. En esta historia los amigos saben poner todas sus diferencias de lado, entienden que hay cosas que escapan de sus manos, son comprensivos y aceptan las diferencias entre ellos, incluso cuando estas les dan miedo y son difíciles de entender.
No puedo recomendar más este libro, es probablemente lo mejor que he leído en lo que va del año.
2023: No tengo palabras para expresar lo que ha sido este libro. Es una historia preciosa de un niño que ha sufrido demasiado, y una de las cosas que más me ha gustado leer es la forma en que los traumas de su pasado se manifiestan en su vida diaria. Incluso cuando Kuro esta en un ambiente seguro, rodeado de personas que se preocupan por su bienestar, sigue desconfiando de todos y no logra entender cuando alguien actua de manera desinteresada. Duele de leer, pero es extremadamente realista.
Aun así (y a pesar de todo lo que he llorado), este es un libro feliz, que en mi opinión, trata mucho sobre la esperanza. Uno de mis aspectos favoritos fueron los profesores de Avalon, ver cómo se preocupaban por sus estudiantes y estaban dispuestos a poner ese esfuerzo extra para que todos pudieran aprender y sentirse bien en el colegio realmente te llena el corazón.
Esta es una historia en la cual los adultos realmente se preocupan por los niños, en la cual buscan no solo que aprendan, sino que también estén felices y se sientan a salvo en su colegio. En esta historia los amigos saben poner todas sus diferencias de lado, entienden que hay cosas que escapan de sus manos, son comprensivos y aceptan las diferencias entre ellos, incluso cuando estas les dan miedo y son difíciles de entender.
No puedo recomendar más este libro, es probablemente lo mejor que he leído en lo que va del año.
September 25, 2024
I won a Kindle copy of this book through a Goodreads giveaway.
As others have noted, this book has the overtones and flavour of Harry Potter. One can easily see inspiration bits from the HP series in this book. However, this is not a copy of HP and an enjoyable read on its own.
As others have noted, this book has the overtones and flavour of Harry Potter. One can easily see inspiration bits from the HP series in this book. However, this is not a copy of HP and an enjoyable read on its own.
June 19, 2021
Wonderful!
Thoroughly recommended! It was great fun to read and I'm looking forward to the next already. I was told it had hints of Harry Potter, Artemis Fowl and Percy Jackson but there's way more to it than that
Thoroughly recommended! It was great fun to read and I'm looking forward to the next already. I was told it had hints of Harry Potter, Artemis Fowl and Percy Jackson but there's way more to it than that
November 10, 2023
A Harry Potter clone...
... but a fun one! I enjoyed this quite a lot. It became a fun game to ferret out all the parallels.
... but a fun one! I enjoyed this quite a lot. It became a fun game to ferret out all the parallels.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 64 reviews