Crown Thief

Easie Damasco continues his reluctant heroics in David Tallerman's newest contribution to his Thief series.  Crown Thief picks up where Giant Thief left off with Damasco continuing his adventure along with most of his compatriots from his first adventure.  In Crown Thief, we are treated to more of Damasco's uneasy attempts to do the right thing, attempts that do seem to become more natural to him over time.  Without giving away too much, Easie loses some friends, gains some enemies, and repairs a few relationships from Giant.  Saltlick the gentle giant is still a major character (perhaps with as much claim to a protagonistic role as Easie in this book). If for no other reason, you SHOULD pick up this book to read Easie's neverending banter with his would be assassins; who else could stay so cool under pressure...Han Solo anyone? Easie finds himself teaming up with one of his antagonists from the first book, Captain Alvantes, and their squabbling banter comes close to resembling long lost brothers (You read it here first if it shows up in a book later!).  They are out to stop a cabalistic group of conspirators from taking over the land. 

Crown Thief manages to retain the light air of Giant Thief in the adventures of our roguish and hesitant hero thief.  Where Crown Thief excels is in bringing a greater and more serious sense of danger to Easie's life while that danger is still treated by Tallerman with Tolkein-esque respect for the reader's imagination. Too many new authors try to cram 50 Shades of Gray or Reservoir Dogs into The Lord of the Rings but the very thing that has resonated with readers of Tolkien throughout the years, the very thing that keeps Frodo, Gandalf, and the rest of the Fellowship at the top of a nearly unreachable Parthenon of fantasy literature, is that Tolkien left so much to the imagination.  He focused on fantasy and the creation of new worlds and characters, not overly descriptive texts on sex or torture.  Perhaps he did the world a disservice by preventing new generations of authors from inventing new realms of fantasy on their own.  Perhaps the new generation just lacks his imagination, for what covers much of bookshelves today are soap operas and treatises on pain wrapped in pretty fantasy paper.  A good author can create a sense of desire, love, or danger without turning the stomach or becoming inappropriate for younger readers.  Tallerman accomplishes all this. His Thief series can be enjoyed by readers of all ages.  Alpha Double Plus!

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