On fantasy heist stories

If you love Ocean’s Eleven and epic fantasy, this is the list for you. Below are three books that bring the heist trope into a fantasy story with rewarding results for the reader:

• Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo - When Kaz Brekker and company are commissioned to break into the Ice Court to retrieve a hostage, they have no idea just how much can go wrong. This YA fantasy story is full of twists, unexpected connections, and fascinating characters. Add in an impossible heist and you’ve got a book that’s worth reading.

• The Final Empire by Brandon Sanderson - Sanderson’s Mistborn series begins with a young urchin girl being enlisted to help pull off the “heist” of the century - deposing Lord Ruler. The rest of the series has the characters dealing with the aftermath of their actions - a fascinating way to handle a heist story. This is an excellent start to a fantasy series that everyone should read.

• The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch - Locke Lamora and his band of Gentleman Bastards are pros at pulling off heists - or so they think until someone starts getting the better of them. Full of hilarious hijinxs and some very serious consequences, this book maintains an excellent balance between the silly and the deadly serious - and shows the reader what it takes to become a world-class thief.

What heist stories have inspired your thievery? What would you add to this list?

August: Best and Strangest

Can you believe it’s autumn already?! Only a few more months in which to finish up any reading challenges you’re doing - whether it’s a Goodreads Challenge, Book Riot’s Read Harder challenge, or any other reading challenge you’re doing to push yourself. Here’s what I read this month to keep up with my challenges:

BEST

• Saga Vol. 3 by Brian K. Vaughn and Fiona Staples - I’ve really loved this series and it’s consistently been a fantastic read. Saga is bizarre, hilarious, and so emotionally involved that I need a break before picking up the next one. I’m excited to keep reading it and thrilled that I have no idea what’s going to happen next.

• Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo - I’m surprised this is one of the best books I’ve read this month because it was good, but not excellent. My reading this month has obviously been a bit rough. Regardless, I’ve been hearing about this book for ages and I finally got around to reading it. I was delightfully surprised. While it’s very much a YA fantasy, I enjoyed it a lot and I’m excited to read Crooked Kingdom. If you like heist stories, this is a good book for you.

STRANGEST

• The Drawing of the Three by Stephen King - This series has consistently been really strange…..but it’s getting better. This book involves possessing other people’s bodies (kind of?), traveling through the desert with a wheelchair, and fighting lobstrosities (they’re actually called that in the book). It’s bizarre and exciting and unlike anything I’ve ever read before….in such a good way. Highly recommended for fantasy readers.

EVERYTHING ELSE I READ THIS MONTH

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What’s the best book you’ve read this month? The strangest?