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The Thief brings to a close the story of Raimund, Audun and the red fire.
In the first two volumes of this trilogy, The Emperor and The Son, a young man called Audun set out to seek redress after discovering that he was the disinherited rightful heir of none other than Alberon, the self-styled Emperor of the North. He discovered a mysterious stone which appeared to contain the spirit of Oien, an evil alchemist whose powers had been locked away centuries earlier by the white magic of Alastair Munro, Eldest of Bala. Now, in this third and concluding volume, Audun is hoping the stone, and the magical Staff of Power, will enable him to reclaim his rightful position as King of Kermin. Meanwhile the fate of Raimund, an orphan who has been driven to thieving to survive, is also bound up with the magical stone after he is commanded in a dream to find it and deliver it to a mysterious stranger, while embarking on a lonely and dangerous quest to rescue his true love from slavery.
In the first two volumes of this trilogy, The Emperor and The Son, a young man called Audun set out to seek redress after discovering that he was the disinherited rightful heir of none other than Alberon, the self-styled Emperor of the North. He discovered a mysterious stone which appeared to contain the spirit of Oien, an evil alchemist whose powers had been locked away centuries earlier by the white magic of Alastair Munro, Eldest of Bala. Now, in this third and concluding volume, Audun is hoping the stone, and the magical Staff of Power, will enable him to reclaim his rightful position as King of Kermin. Meanwhile the fate of Raimund, an orphan who has been driven to thieving to survive, is also bound up with the magical stone after he is commanded in a dream to find it and deliver it to a mysterious stranger, while embarking on a lonely and dangerous quest to rescue his true love from slavery.
409 pages, Paperback
Published February 22, 2022
1 person is currently reading
5137 people want to read
About the author
Robert Reid
5 books2,271 followersRobert (Bob) Reid grew up in Scotland’s beautiful border country. Hawick was home until it was time to go to university in Edinburgh. A degree and a PhD in Chemistry followed. It was in Edinburgh that Bob met and married Phyllis. Work opportunities took them south, and their son Simon was born in Cheshire and their daughter Charis some years later in Swindon. Highworth, near Swindon, became home in 1982. It still is home and has become a special place to Bob and Phyllis.
Bob’s career of forty years was initially in technical management, then general management and business consulting. Work generally took priority over creativity. Semi-retirement in early 2018 created the time, family and friends the encouragement, for Bob to develop his writing. His first novel “White Light Red Fire” was published in April 2019 and is a historical fantasy loosely based on the Scottish wars of independence of the early 14th Century. ‘The Emperor’ was the first of a trilogy based in the same lands as “White Light Red Fire” but placed two hundred years later, in the early 16th century. The Son continued Audun’s story and the story of the red fire.
The third book, ‘The Thief’, was published 27th February 2022 and brought to a close the story of Raimund, Audun and the red fire.
The Empress tells Sylva and her son's story after their banishment by Audun. Sylva and the Princes will become engaged in a struggle for the rights of thrones.
Follow Bob on Facebook-https://www.facebook.com/robertreidau...
Bob’s career of forty years was initially in technical management, then general management and business consulting. Work generally took priority over creativity. Semi-retirement in early 2018 created the time, family and friends the encouragement, for Bob to develop his writing. His first novel “White Light Red Fire” was published in April 2019 and is a historical fantasy loosely based on the Scottish wars of independence of the early 14th Century. ‘The Emperor’ was the first of a trilogy based in the same lands as “White Light Red Fire” but placed two hundred years later, in the early 16th century. The Son continued Audun’s story and the story of the red fire.
The third book, ‘The Thief’, was published 27th February 2022 and brought to a close the story of Raimund, Audun and the red fire.
The Empress tells Sylva and her son's story after their banishment by Audun. Sylva and the Princes will become engaged in a struggle for the rights of thrones.
Follow Bob on Facebook-https://www.facebook.com/robertreidau...
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
September 16, 2023
And so the trilogy ends.... but is there hope for more in this world?
The ambiguity of who truly embodies heroism and villainy intrigued me throughout the series. Characters like The Son, who can be both good and bad depending on one's perspective, added depth to the narrative. It's a struggle within oneself, a theme that I very much enjoyed. This was also seen with The Emperor and The Thief.
The journey of Raimund was an interesting one. I would say it was the focus of most of the book, and I was expecting a different ending to his journey. However, the peaceful resolution provided a satisfying twist for me, as I usually read books where everything goes wrong at the end.
I also liked the way the author ended the book in an open manner. The author leaves room for potential future stories within the same universe Possibly in the same universe but in different series. This approach fosters curiosity about what lies ahead.
Overall, this trilogy was a compelling read. I enjoyed the character development, the world-building, and even the maps found in the book. The author has a great way of writing and I cannot wait to see what the author writes next.
The ambiguity of who truly embodies heroism and villainy intrigued me throughout the series. Characters like The Son, who can be both good and bad depending on one's perspective, added depth to the narrative. It's a struggle within oneself, a theme that I very much enjoyed. This was also seen with The Emperor and The Thief.
The journey of Raimund was an interesting one. I would say it was the focus of most of the book, and I was expecting a different ending to his journey. However, the peaceful resolution provided a satisfying twist for me, as I usually read books where everything goes wrong at the end.
I also liked the way the author ended the book in an open manner. The author leaves room for potential future stories within the same universe Possibly in the same universe but in different series. This approach fosters curiosity about what lies ahead.
Overall, this trilogy was a compelling read. I enjoyed the character development, the world-building, and even the maps found in the book. The author has a great way of writing and I cannot wait to see what the author writes next.
August 25, 2023
I should've known better than to doubt the allure of The Thief by Robert Reid. Every once in a while, I get the itch to pick up a book like this, and I'm so glad I did. This book is lovely in so many ways that it's a little hard to put it all into words, but I have given it a go. The narrative is a thrilling journey that kept me engaged from early on, while the characters are so well-developed they are a big part of what hooked me.
The plot is a good blend of suspense and intrigue, and the world-building is very visual and easy to picture. I was tentatively excited to pick this up, and I'm happy to report that it lived up to my expectations.
Sign me up for more books like this. The Thief is a must-read for anyone who enjoys a good thrill and a well-crafted story. I can't wait to see what Robert Reid comes up with next, but I will be reading his other titles in this series.
The plot is a good blend of suspense and intrigue, and the world-building is very visual and easy to picture. I was tentatively excited to pick this up, and I'm happy to report that it lived up to my expectations.
Sign me up for more books like this. The Thief is a must-read for anyone who enjoys a good thrill and a well-crafted story. I can't wait to see what Robert Reid comes up with next, but I will be reading his other titles in this series.
August 25, 2023
The Thief: The Emperor, the Son and the Thief Book 3 by Robert Reid is well-written and a great addition to this series. The trilogy recounts the three protagonists' destinies as they are individually impacted by supernatural powers. The three books together make a compelling narrative. Over the course of three volumes, you get interested in how the main protagonists fare due to how well they are constructed and developed. There's a ton of thoughtful description and intricate scene-setting as well. Individually the books work, but when you read them all, it is truly more impactful. This series is highly recommended due to its expert constancy.
October 19, 2023
I've said this before: Reid does a great job building his characters and universe. These stories are character-driven, and you can tell a lot of care and detail went into creating a sense of realism in Reid's world. This allows solid immersion and shows creativity far beyond many series that feel cookie-cutter.
I want to say that though you can read this without reading the prior two books, I don't recommend skipping around as some major plot development stands on top of the foundation of the earlier books in this series. They are worth your time, and it'll make this book all the more awesome… as this is probably my favorite book of the three, I highly recommend going through them all.
The first few chapters roped me in on this one and kept me moving from page to page. I had trouble finding a "good stopping point" so I could get sleep at a reasonable hour. Visions of destruction? A rightful heir sent to prison for murder and sorcery instead of being crowned? Den of Thieves? I liked how neatly Reid created so many threads, then pulled them into one another and tidied things up.
The downside? It's the end of the series. I'd love another book where we follow Audun on the Eagle en route to Morveria; but even if that’s not on the list of things to Reid to write next, you can bet whatever he works on will be compelling and fantastic!
This is the best book in a great series; I highly recommend it!
I want to say that though you can read this without reading the prior two books, I don't recommend skipping around as some major plot development stands on top of the foundation of the earlier books in this series. They are worth your time, and it'll make this book all the more awesome… as this is probably my favorite book of the three, I highly recommend going through them all.
The first few chapters roped me in on this one and kept me moving from page to page. I had trouble finding a "good stopping point" so I could get sleep at a reasonable hour. Visions of destruction? A rightful heir sent to prison for murder and sorcery instead of being crowned? Den of Thieves? I liked how neatly Reid created so many threads, then pulled them into one another and tidied things up.
The downside? It's the end of the series. I'd love another book where we follow Audun on the Eagle en route to Morveria; but even if that’s not on the list of things to Reid to write next, you can bet whatever he works on will be compelling and fantastic!
This is the best book in a great series; I highly recommend it!
September 6, 2023
Excellent characters, world-building, and imagery combine in this magical tale. I found it so easy to slip into the story, watching it unfold before me. I love the idea of magical artifacts playing such a key role in the politics (for lack of a better word) of the world, and the lives and fates of the people that inhabit it. Different characters, with their own stories, bound together by a magical stone. I found both storylines compelling - and I enjoyed getting to know the characters as they followed down their (inevitably crossing) paths. While this was a very enjoyable read, I plan on going back to read the earlier two books in the series to get a better idea of the overall plot at play.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews