Jack of Thieves by Ben Hale is an exciting adventure through the land of Lumineia that follows a young man on his quest to avenge his mother’s death. My husband has been after me for a long time to read these books, and I’m glad I’ve finally started. It’s fast-paced with fantastic characters and an incredible world. I can’t wait to learn more!

Jack is not quite the hero of the tale, but not a bad guy either. He’s a thief with a conscience….kinda. He’s cocky, arrogant, and charming when he wants to be. There are times where you want to smack the smile off his face and others where you’ll want to kiss him. Very confusing!

At the start of the story, Jack has just pulled off stealing from a well-known lord for a maid (See what I mean about not being the bad guy but not good either?) when the Thieves Guild finds him. They invite him to join. He pretends this hasn’t been his plan all along because he doesn’t want them suspicious of his motives. He is after three thieves that killed his mother. He wants revenge and he will have it through the Guild.

I was fascinated with the Guild and its innerworkings. While I enjoyed the story, there really wasn’t much driving the plot. Jack bounces from assignment to assignment and slowly gets his revenge. Despite there not being much to drive the plot, I found myself enjoying it. I loved how Jack could change his persona to fit the assignment and get what he wanted and still complete the job. I also really enjoyed the different magical beings: elves, dwarves, and druids. There is even an encounter with barbarians. I think this is a good introduction to Hale’s Lumineia.

Overall I really enjoyed Jack of Thieves. Jack is a character you can’t help but love. The writing is polished and builds upon other works by the author. I can’t wait to get into this fantastical world. I highly recommend this one for anyone that enjoys adventure with a touch of fantasy.