The Blacktongue Thief by Christopher Buehlman Summary

The Blacktongue Thief follows Kinch, a hilariously vulgar thief deeply indebted to the shadowy Takers' Guild who trained him. After a botched robbery, he's ordered to befriend and travel with the very knight he tried to rob, forming an uneasy alliance. Their journey takes them across a richly imagined world filled with goblins, krakens, giants, and dark magic, blending sardonic humor with adventure in this character-driven fantasy novel.

Christopher Buehlman is an American novelist, comedian, and playwright born in St. Petersburg, Florida, known for his literary horror novels and fantasy fiction. He won the 2007 Bridport Prize in poetry and gained a cult following as "Christophe the Insultor" on the renaissance festival circuit. His notable works include the horror novels Between Two Fires, Those Across the River (nominated for a World Fantasy Award in 2012), and the fantasy sequel The Daughters' War.

The Blacktongue Thief is perfect for readers who enjoy character-driven fantasy with dry, sardonic humor and strong first-person narration. Fans of Joe Abercrombie's witty dialogue, The Lies of Locke Lamora, or Sebastian de Castell's Greatcoats series will find this book appealing. However, readers who prefer complex, multi-layered plots over straightforward adventures, or those who don't connect with irreverent humor, may find it less engaging.

The Blacktongue Thief is highly worth reading if you prioritize entertainment, humor, and memorable characters over complex plotting. The book excels with its laugh-out-loud humor, strong character voice, and excellent chapter hooks that keep readers engaged. While the plot is linear and the protagonist shows limited growth, the brilliantly witty narration and creative world-building make it an incredibly fun read that many reviewers give their highest recommendation.

Kinch stands out as a first-person narrator through his self-aware, sardonic humor and conversational storytelling style that makes readers feel like they're hearing tales from a close friend. His personality is defined by his love of adventure, coins, and his debt to the Takers' Guild, creating a flawed but entertaining perspective. While some readers note he shows little character growth throughout the story, his dry wit and depth revealed through humor make him comparable to beloved rogues like Abercrombie's Glokta.

The audiobook of The Blacktongue Thief is narrated by Christopher Buehlman himself, which significantly enhances the storytelling through his intimate understanding of the material and comedic timing. His conversational delivery brings subtle jokes to life that might otherwise be missed in print, making many readers recommend the audio version specifically. The only minor drawback is less differentiation between character voices, requiring closer attention to dialogue tags, but this is far outweighed by his engaging, hilarious narration.

The Blacktongue Thief is the first book in Christopher Buehlman's fantasy series set in a world filled with magic, goblins, and guild intrigue. The sequel, The Daughters' War, was published in 2024, continuing the story in this richly imagined universe. Buehlman first signed the deal for The Blacktongue Thief in spring 2019, with the book releasing in 2021 after an extended wait.

The Blacktongue Thief and The Lies of Locke Lamora share similar irreverent humor, roguish protagonists, and guild-based thieves navigating dangerous adventures. Both feature witty first-person narration and blend humor with darker fantasy elements. However, The Blacktongue Thief has a more straightforward, linear plot compared to Locke Lamora's intricate schemes and heists, focusing more on character voice and journey-based adventure than complex plotting.

The primary criticisms of The Blacktongue Thief center on its lack of character development and momentum, with Kinch showing virtually no growth from beginning to end. Some readers found the plot too straightforward and linear for contemporary fantasy standards, with a forced feeling at times and unclear main objectives. The extremely fast pacing, while creating excellent chapter hooks, doesn't allow time to contemplate the broader scope of the story, and readers who don't connect with Kinch's humor struggle to engage with the book.

The Takers' Guild is the shadowy organization that trained Kinch and other thieves, keeping most of them in perpetual debt for their services. They recruit poor children, train them in thievery, and charge them for the education, ensuring lifelong financial obligation. The Guild has influence everywhere—"their thumb in every pie"—and directly controls Kinch's actions by ordering him to befriend the knight and travel with her, driving the central plot forward.

The Blacktongue Thief contains grimdark elements while maintaining a more humorous tone than traditional grimdark fantasy. The book features morally grey characters, violence, and darker fantasy themes woven throughout Kinch's adventures with goblins, krakens, and giants. However, unlike bleaker grimdark works, Buehlman balances these elements with sardonic humor and jovial character interactions, creating what reviewers describe as "slightly grimdark" rather than fully embracing the genre's typically pessimistic worldview.

Christopher Buehlman's writing in The Blacktongue Thief combines his background as a comedian with literary depth, creating prose that's simultaneously hilarious and emotionally resonant. His ability to build wonder and then devastate readers in just two pages demonstrates his control over pacing and emotional manipulation. The conversational, dry humor doesn't sacrifice intelligence or depth, with memorable quotes like "Only the strong, the rich, and the dying think truth is a necessity; the rest of us know it for a luxury" showcasing his philosophical wit.