The Magic Thief is a fantasy series written by Sarah Prineas. The series consists of three books: The Magic Thief, The Magic Thief: Lost, and The Magic Thief: Found. The story is set in the city of Wellmet, a place where magic is an essential part of everyday life. In this world, magic is a force that flows through the city, powering its machines and protecting it from danger. However, the magic is being stolen, causing chaos and putting the city at risk. The main character of the series is Connwaer, a young thief who discovers he has an unusual connection to magic.
The main character of the series is Connwaer, a young thief who discovers he has an unusual connection to magic. Conn is taken under the wing of Nevery, a wizard who becomes his mentor and helps him understand and control his magical abilities. Together, they work to solve the mystery of the stolen magic and save Wellmet from destruction.
The magic thief seriew
This is a series that hadn’t really been on my radar until last year, when I Winterling, also by Prineas. This spring, Charlotte wrote a Waiting on Wednesday post about how, while she liked Fer and Rook just fine, she was really anxiously waiting to find out what would happen to Conn. I thought that if Charlotte – and lots of other people – liked the Magic Thief better than the Winterling books that I had considered quite solid, I’d best get on reading them.
Here’s a series that got slowly pushed to the top of my list by the sheer amount of fellow blogger love for it. I tried to speed through the first three books (as much as it’s possible to speed through audiobooks) so that I could read the fourth one in sequence, as it’s nominated for the Cybils and I’d have to read it anyway. I’ll do the best I can to talk about these books without too many spoilers.
The Magic Thief. Book 1. by Sarah Prineas. Narrated by Greg Steinbrunner. Recorded Books, 2008
Connwaer is a pickpocket and lockpick living on the foggy, cobbled streets of Wellmet. One cold evening he picks a wizard’s pocket, and ends up not with coins, but with the wizard’s locus magicalicus, the stone tuned just to him that lets him do magic. Just touching this would kill most people – but as Conn doesn’t die, the wizard, Nevery Flinglas, decides to keep him around. Conn is determined to be Nevery’s apprentice, but the Council of Wizards will only accept him if he can find his own locus magicalicus. The magic in Wellmet is fading, and that means Nevery is too busy to help Conn – even though Conn thinks he has an idea what’s happening. But will anyone believe a former gutter boy?
Besides Nevery, the supporting cast includes Bennet, Nevery’s tough bodyguard and housekeeper, who spends his time knitting when not baking biscuits or running Nevery’s errands; the red-haired, nonmagical wizard school student Rowan, assigned to tutor Conn in reading; and another wizard’s snooty young apprentice. The characters ought to feel like stock characters, but Prineas brings them all to life vividly and convincingly. The city of Wellmet is its own character, divided by a river into the well-off Sunrise, crowned by the Dawn Palace where the Duchess lives and the shady Twilight, run by the Underlord and full of narrow alleys and smoky factories. Conn himself is mostly what classical D&D would call a chaotic good character, willing to break all the rules to save the city – though for all his willingness to steal and pick locks, he is unfailingly honest.
By the end of book one – spoiler! – Conn has saved the city, but is left unable to use magic and the wizards are unconvinced that Conn’s solution worked for the reasons Conn believed it did.
The Magic Thief Book 2: Lost. by Sarah Prineas. Narrated by Greg Steinbrunner. Recorded Books, 2009
Still unable to do magic the accepted way, Conn resorts to forbidden pyrotechnics to try to contact the magic of Wellmet. He’s driven to break the rules by arrival of evil Shadows, who arrive in the darkness and turn people to stone. When explosions that should have been small get out of control, Conn is banished from Wellmet. He manages to join up with Rowan, who’s being sent as an official envoy to the nearby desert city of Desh, the probable source of the Shadows. There they meet the Jagus, the young sorcerer king of Desh, surrounded by his creepy white cats. Once again, Conn’s ability to feel magic and his gutter boy skills combine to make him the only person who can solve the problems – even if he will need rescuing along the way.
The Magic Thief Book 3: Found. by Sarah Prineas. Narrated by Greg Steinbrunner. Recorded Books, 2010.
Conn is still officially banished, but hiding in Wellmet anyway – the magic needs him! He and Nevery can feel that the Dread Magic is on its way to Wellmet. Conn is desperate to find a locus magicalicus stone so that he can communicate with Wellmet’s magic and find out what’s going on. Once again, though, the spell involves pyrotechnics, and they get badly out of hand. Conn’s locus stone isn’t anywhere near Wellmet – and the punishment for returning is death. This story includes dragons, and an ending that must have been a nasty shock for people who didn’t know when or if book four would be available.
The Magic Thief Book 4: Home. by Sarah Prineas. Narrated by Greg Steinbrunner. Recorded Books, 2014.
Now Rowan is officially Duchess of Wellmet and Ember the new Underlord. Rowan thinks that Conn is just the person to complete the trio, and names him as Ducal Magister. But nothing feels less like home to former gutter boy Conn than the white and gold apartments in the Dawn Palace with its wardrobe filled with silk robes. Rowan challenges him to tell her who he thinks he is if not the Ducal Magister – a stumper of a question, to be sure. But before they can finish the conversation, Rowan’s new secretary interrupts to call them away to the next official meeting. The meeting makes it even clearer to Conn that he’s in the wrong place – locus stones have been going missing, and the other magisters are convince that Conn must be responsible for them – made worse when his dragon, Pip, shows up carrying one. Wellmet has two magics now – Conn’s doing – and since they’re not playing nicely together, the magisters are less than grateful for Conn’s saving the city last time around. Conn determines to go underground to find out who is behind the thefts. Sure and certain, Conn will get himself into bad trouble before he gets things cleared up again, and there will be magic, explosions, and lots of racing through alleyways followed by minions intent on beating the fluff out of him along the way.
All the books are mostly told by Conn, with short bits in Nevery’s clipped writing for his journal and, later on, somewhat more formal writings from Rowan’s diary, as well as letters between various major characters. Steinbrunner does a fantastic job reading them all in a variety of British accents – Conn’s voice is maybe a bit posher than one might expect from a gutter boy, but his enthusiasm and youth shines through, contrasted nicely with Nevery’s growly voice and Rowan’s definitely polished tones. But Conn’s own distinctive turns of phrase are also delightful – Nevery’s “clean glean looks”, the way Conn “blinks the brights from his eyes” after the frequent explosions. With a roguish main character determined to do right even when everyone else believes the worst of him and does their best to stop him, plus original magic, excellent villains, a small dragon, and lots of pyrotechnics, this is a book with heart and kid appeal in spades. I was utterly charmed.
All the books are mostly told by Conn, with short bits in Nevery’s clipped writing for his journal and, later on, somewhat more formal writings from Rowan’s diary, as well as letters between various major characters. Steinbrunner does a fantastic job reading them all in a variety of British accents – Conn’s voice is maybe a bit posher than one might expect from a gutter boy, but his enthusiasm and youth shines through, contrasted nicely with Nevery’s growly voice and Rowan’s definitely polished tones. But Conn’s own distinctive turns of phrase are also delightful – Nevery’s “clean glean looks”, the way Conn “blinks the brights from his eyes” after the frequent explosions. With a roguish main character determined to do right even when everyone else believes the worst of him and does their best to stop him, plus original magic, excellent villains, a small dragon, and lots of pyrotechnics, this is a book with heart and kid appeal in spades. I was utterly charmed.
Throughout the series, Conn faces many challenges and learns valuable lessons about friendship, trust, and the power of believing in oneself. Along the way, he encounters a cast of interesting and diverse characters, from other magical beings to the street urchins he used to run with. Prineas' writing is engaging and filled with vivid descriptions that bring the city of Wellmet and its inhabitants to life. The Magic Thief series is a captivating and delightful read that blends elements of magic, adventure, and mystery. The series has been well-received by both critics and readers alike, praised for its well-developed characters, imaginative world-building, and fast-paced plot. It is suitable for readers of all ages, making it a great choice for fans of fantasy and magical adventures. In conclusion, The Magic Thief series is an enchanting and engrossing fantasy series that takes readers on a thrilling and magical journey. With its lovable characters and exciting storyline, it is a must-read for anyone who enjoys a good fantasy tale..
Reviews for "The Legacy of The Magic Thief Series: How it Continues to Captivate Readers"
1. Emily - 2 stars - I really wanted to like "The Magic Thief" series, but I found it to be quite underwhelming. The plot felt disjointed and there were too many instances where important details were left unexplained. The characters lacked depth and development, making it hard for me to connect with any of them. Additionally, the world-building was weak, leaving me feeling confused and uninvested in the story. Overall, I found it to be a lackluster fantasy series that fell short of my expectations.
2. James - 2 stars - "The Magic Thief" series failed to capture my interest. The writing style felt flat and lacked the vibrant descriptions and engaging prose that I look for in a fantasy novel. The pacing was inconsistent, with some parts dragging on unnecessarily while others felt rushed. The main character, Conn, was underwhelming and lacked the charm and charisma that would have made me root for him. I also found the magic system to be poorly explained, leaving me confused about the rules and limitations. Unfortunately, this series just didn't live up to the hype for me.
3. Sarah - 1 star - I couldn't get past the first book in "The Magic Thief" series. The writing was juvenile and the dialogue felt forced and unnatural. The plot was predictable and lacked originality, making it difficult for me to stay engaged. The characters were one-dimensional and lacked depth, making it hard to care about their fates. Overall, I found this series to be a disappointment and wouldn't recommend it to fellow fantasy lovers.