"The Blacktongue Thief" Discuss Everything *Spoilers* > Likes and Comments

A few questions to get us started:


1. What did you think of the world?
2. What did you think of the characters?
3. What worked or didn't for you?
4. Overall thoughts?

It took me a little bit to acclimate to writing/language. I wonder how the audiobook fared, maybe easier or harder to understand? Early on our MC says something “While I wreck your womb and enslave your heart” 🤮🤮 and it took me a while to convince myself to continue on lol.

Overall I found the world and fantasy interesting; loved the normalizing of queerness and female warriors. Galva (of course 😂) was my favorite.
I was very upset with Norrigal’s ending but it looks like there might be a work around, I wanted to jump right in to the next book to find out what happened but will have to wait, didn’t realize the next book wasn’t out yet. I did immediately put The Daughters' War and it just came in.

I found the audio book hard to follow and understand. I ended up getting the ebook and listening while reading along.

I'm wondering if a lot of people were expecting a romance between the two main characters? I found it refreshing that there wasn't

CBRetriever wrote: "I'm wondering if a lot of people were expecting a romance between the two main characters? I found it refreshing that there wasn't"

I wasn’t, the vibe just wasn't there between them. I wasn’t expecting it between him and Norrigal either but it did develop. I appreciated that it was not the main focus as I was more interested in the world. (Don’t get me wrong, I read lots of romance so I have no problems with that in general, although I prefer queer romance stories)

I was wondering if the goblins would be more complicated villains but so far they don’t seem to be - did any one understand or catch their origin story? Has there always been wars or did one group travel to the others territory? Can’t remember.

that might be in the prequel book

Nicol wrote: "I was wondering if the goblins would be more complicated villains but so far they don’t seem to be - did any one understand or catch their origin story? Has there always been wars or did one group ..."

Definitely read the prequel for this. Although the "Knock" remains unexplained. I'm thinking some kind of multiverse transit that may show up in a later book - like the one soming out soon.

I'm still trying to figure out why so many people seem to dislike this book

Nicol wrote: "I wasn’t, the vibe just wasn't there between..."

Agree, they felt more like siblings at times.
But for me, I actually rated the book slightly lower because major focus in the second half shifted to building Norrigal and Kinch’s romance. Galva and the other characters just got pushed aside to the background and I kinda loved the whole platonic bond that was developing, and his interaction with the other side characters too. it was fun when everyone interacted together, the dynamic was great. All that Norrigal and Kinch was boring by comparison.

I thought this book was very creative. For me this was a new type genre and I have to say it was great. Really excited for the next book coming soon.

I read this a while back and can't remember much. I did finish it!

Never did work out why his tongue was black.

Bethan wrote: "I read this a while back and can't remember much. I did finish it!

Never did work out why his tongue was black."

just something that differentiates him from other people. From a review :

https://www.bookreporter.com/reviews/...

I would be remiss if I didn’t briefly talk about the “tongue” of the title. Kinch and his native countrymen are the only people in his world whose tongues are black instead of pink. So they serve as a neat and easy way to recognize those who share a common background and culture. Note that a black tongue, though it causes some folks to judge and revile Kinch, makes the essential character of him and his people absolutely no different from those with pink tongues.

Thanks for explaining that.

Bethan wrote: "Thanks for explaining that."

wasn't me - it was the linked site that explained it

I liked the world in this book, with its competing powers, fractured political system, and magic. The writing style did convey the feel of many different cultures and languages. I did read this after I read the prequel, The Daughters' War, and that has colored my thinking. Both books together certainly provide a more in-depth view of the world, especially the background with the goblins and Galva's relationship with Mireya.

Kinch, to me, is really an anti-hero. He's an immoral man, given to using immoral means, but in this story he is pursuing a worthy goal. Doesn't mean I liked him. I thought he was a jerk, but a well-drawn character. Galva is terrific, but, again, I read The Daughters' War first where she is such a great MC and narrator.

The story moved fast, which I liked. Kinch and the characters around him bounce rapidly from one peril to another. It makes it a good action story. I did think some of the perils were there primarily to provide another peril, and some of the escapes from peril were too convenient - just the right magic spell at the right time. The one place I really had a problem was right at the end. The Guild was sending an assassin to kill Mireya, but they actually had her in their hands in Oustrim, so why didn't they simply kill her then instead of taking her on that trek to the cave where Kinch, Galva and company rescue her? What have I missed?

Overall, I enjoyed the book and will read the next one. I liked The Daughters' War better (said that before), but I'll still call this one good.

One of the things I enjoyed about it is that goblins were vile and monstrous. IMO too much effort put into rehabbing them and orcs and other monstrous entities into protagonists.

Thanks to everyone who voted for this one, because I had a fantastic time reading it, and I don't know if I'd have picked it up otherwise.

The tone was one of my favorite things about this: I like the dark, crass, wry narration, and the use of multiple languages and the humor/confusion/connections that can be made there felt very real to me. I also liked the songs, and the way they were used in the narrative. Like, when Kinch, Norrigal, and Mallk joined in a song for the harpooner's comfort while he was being murdered was very moving, in such a vivid, clashing way.

A couple months ago when I read Birth of a Dynasty I was lamenting how there weren't enough giants in that book or in the genre as a whole, so I was pleased to have giants playing an important part in this book, lol.