Book Review: Liars and Thieves
Happy Friday Everyone!
Congratulations on making it through the week! If you’re as mentally exhausted as I am, you deserve a huge pat on the back, so treat yourself well this weekend. Just eight more hours!
Today I’m stopping by to share my latest read.
This time I read Liars and Thieves (Unraveling the Veil #1) by D. Wallace Peach.
This has been on my TBR since I interviewed this lovely author (go here for the interview), and a big part of this year is catching up on the reads I already own a copy of. Alright, let’s get into this, shall we? Scroll on!
Blurb:
Behind the Veil, the hordes gather, eager to savage the world. But Kalann il Drakk, First of Chaos, is untroubled by the shimmering wall that holds his beasts at bay. For if he cannot cleanse the land of life, the races will do it for him. All he needs is a spark to light the fire.
Three unlikely allies stand in his way.
A misfit elf plagued by failure—
When Elanalue Windthorn abandons her soldiers to hunt a goblin, she strays into forbidden territory.
A changeling who betrays his home—
Talin Raska is a talented liar, thief, and spy. He makes a fatal mistake—he falls for his mark.
A halfbreed goblin with deadly secrets—
Naj’ar is a loner with a talent he doesn’t understand and cannot control, one that threatens all he holds dear.
When the spark of Chaos ignites, miners go missing. But they won’t be the last to vanish. As the cycles of blame whirl through the Borderland, old animosities flare, accusations break bonds, and war looms.
Three outcasts, thrust into an alliance by fate, by oaths, and the churning gears of calamity, must learn the truth. For they hold the future of their world in their hands.
GoodReads
The Review:
I gave this novel four stars!
In a nutshell, this high fantasy book is about three main characters, an elf, a goblin, and a changeling. One frightening event draws them together and threatens the lifestyles they know. Can they solve the mystery behind the event and bring their races together, or is all-out war unavoidable?
I’ve been wanting to try D. Wallace Peach’s work since I found her on GoodReads, and I’m glad I gave this a go! First and foremost, I have to say that high fantasy is not my typical go to in reads, so my opinion probably won’t match what avid readers of the genre say. Hooray for diversity!
Overall, there were a lot of strong elements in this book.
The characters really made this book come to life. The three main characters are Alue (elf), Naj (goblin), and Talin (changeling). Of the three my favorite was Talin. I felt that his narrative was the easiest to follow, that and I enjoyed his scrappy character (they tend to win out for me in general).
Each character has to navigate through their own journey, and they each had depth that made them feel very real to me. I especially felt for Naj. Being a half-breed, it’s gotta be tough to fit in anywhere, especially in the divided landscape of this world.
The plot was very unique for a high fantasy, and I had a ton of fun! Throughout the book we learn a lot about the three distinct races and what makes them so different. I think that the author’s take on these races switched things up, and that was really refreshing. The system of magic and shifting was very intriguing. Also, this book was well rounded. Sometimes you explore the side of politics, while other times there’s a bunch of action or a good furthering of the mystery.
If I had to pick at anything, I would say sometimes the amount of detail overwhelmed me, but given that this is a high fantasy and rich detail is a given, I can’t judge too harshly.
Despite my not being an avid high fantasy reader, this book was a solid fun experience and is definitely worth a read!
That’s a Wrap!
Thanks for stopping by, and happy reading!
Have you read this book before? What did you think? Do you have a book recommendation similar to this one? Feel free to share in the comments!
If you’d like to see other reviews of mine, feel free to check out the book review section of my blog or my GoodReads. You can also follow my GoodReads reviews here. There are some great binge-worthy books on there!
Have a great day!
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I was wondering if you were the right audience for this book, and I’m so glad you gave it a shot and found it worthwhile. Good review! (And can we just say how beautiful the cover art is?!)
Yeah, I was a little worried myself, but glad this turned out well! Diana’s got some serious talent as a storyteller. Oh definitely, I love the cover!
Thanks for the comment, Priscilla. It is a little nerve-wracking when someone who doesn’t typically read fantasy gives it a try. And such an honor at the same time. Thanks for the compliment on the cover too!
Thanks so much for the review, Jonny. I stumbled on it this morning and couldn’t have been more delighted. I didn’t realize that fantasy isn’t high on your list, which makes me appreciate your time and efforts even more. I’m glad you liked the varied characters and the story. I like Talin too and feel for Naj. Alue can be annoying, but she learns a few hard lessons as the story progresses. Thanks again for taking the time to read and review!
Hey there! Yeah, I used to read a ton of high fantasy back in the day, but my tastes have changed over the years. That being said, this was a great high fantasy that I could follow pretty easily, so major brownie points to you!
Each character really shined throughout the book. It was a great time. 🙂
Thanks again, Jonny. I appreciate it that you gave it a go!!!
Sure thing! You’ve got a gift, my friend!
Sounds like an exciting book to read! !
Thanks for stopping by! If you like high fantasy, I definitely recommend it.