The Magister, the Henchman, the Gutterboy & the Thief

This book is a 2008 Cybils Finalist for Fantasy and Science Fiction.

Oooh, fun, fun, fun. First-time author Sarah Prineas has created a fabulous novel that you can swallow down in one glorious afternoon (and then wish vainly for the sequel! Aaargh!), full of adventure, tension, and a very lovable hero.

Conn is cold. And hungry. And tired of being either one of them. He's a thief -- and a lock-picker, and he's very, very good, but when the Underlord's people have a contract out on you, even stealing what you need to get by is hard -- but Conn's so hungry, he has to try. His light, swift fingers lift the wrong thing from the wrong man -- and it just about costs him his life. The Wizard Nevery finds his locus has been picked from his pocket, but instead of it killing the little thief outright, it attacks him -- yet lets him live.

The Magister Nevery has been exiled from Wellfleet for twenty years -- twenty! And though his brother wizard desperately needs him back to help with the present crisis, Nevery was hurt by being exiled. He's proud and cautious and haughty. He's sure the "crisis" Magister Brumbee has written about is nothing more than the natural fluctuations of magic -- and since he's the greatest wizard in the world, and the rest are bumbling fools, he'll have to fix everything.

Having his pocket picked by a thief was not in the plans.
Having to take him on as a servant -- also not in the plans. And as an apprentice?! NEVER.

But there's something weird about this kid. The Magic Thief doesn't know anything -- how to read or write, how to wear decent clothes. He doesn't even know his age. But what he does know is that being a wizard is his destiny.

Now it's just a matter of convincing everyone else.

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Fill your longing for the sequel to this book by playing the runes game online. And don't forget: Buy this FIRST book, The Magic Thief, from an independent bookstore near you!