The Knave of Secrets
by Alex LivingstonPublished by: Solaris on June 7, 2022
Genres: Adult, Fantasy
Pages: 400
Format: eARC
Source: Publisher
A twisty tale of card sharps and con artists, in a world of magic where secrets are traded and gambled like coin.The Lies of Locke Lamora meets Casino Royale
Never stake more than you can afford to lose.
When failed magician turned cardsharp Valen Quinol is given the chance to play in the Forbearance Game—the invitation-only tournament where players gamble with secrets—he can’t resist. Or refuse, for that matter, according to the petty gangster sponsoring his seat at the table. Valen beats the man he was sent to play, and wins the most valuable secret ever staked in the history of the tournament.
Now Valen and his motley crew are being hunted by thieves, gangsters, spies and wizards, all with their own reasons for wanting what’s in that envelope. It’s a game of nations where Valen doesn’t know all the rules or who all the players are, and can’t see all the moves. But he does know if the secret falls into the wrong hands, it could plunge the whole world into war…
Content Tags:
Perfect for readers who want:
- Heist plots with a cast of sarcastic characters
- Slightly dysfunctional squads
- High fantasy world with magic
- Card sharps, thieves, and swindlers
- High stakes, strategy, and betrayal
Many thanks to Solaris and TheWriteReads for an eARC in exchange for an honest, unbiased review. Quotes taken from an unfinished product and may differ from the final version.
Who doesn’t dream of living in a world filled with card sharps and con artists? I mean really. Okay, okay, so maybe it’s not everyone’s traditional dream world, but guaranteed there’s a lot of action and things going on. So that’s pretty hard to resist.
Which is why Knave of Secrets first grabbed my attention! I’m absolutely in love with the heist trope in general, but a heist trope that revolved around card games (particularly cheating in said games)? That’s a new one. Color me intrigued!
The Knave of Secrets is a high fantasy heist plot built around card games. It’s got a sarcastic squad of characters, lots of strategy and one-upmanship, action, danger, and betrayal. You know, all the best things about heists!
The book starts a little slow as it sets the scene (though, slow is relative, because there is a bit of a shootout, so do with that what you will). There’s a lot of characters to keep track of, so if you struggle with character recognition, like I do, this could be a struggle. The magic system is super interesting, though, and the premise is a lot of fun and very unique.
Favorite Quotes
“Did you say something smart?” It was the poorly-dressed farm boy, one of Valen’s co-conspirator Jacquemin’s favorite roles. “Again? You just can’t help it, can you?”
“It would appear I cannot,” Valen mumbled, his nose jammed in grass-covered loam.
“Aye. Next time we run a simple con and you feel like boasting to an armed drunk, you best remember having your face . . . hells, did he hit you?”
Valen felt Jacquemin’s fingers probing the bloody patch on his coat. “Unless one of these sheep is a sharpshooter, yes, I’d say the stuck-up noble with nothing better to do with his time than practice shooting at helpless things running away from him has put a bullet in me. He should be happy; I’m his first success of the day.”
About Alex Livingston
Alex Livingston grew up in various quiet New England towns before moving to Buffalo, NY to study English at Canisius College. He writes SFF prose and interactive fiction. Alex is married and lives in an old house with his brilliant wife and a pile of aged videogame systems.
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