Book Review - Among Thieves by Douglas Hulick

At first this book sat in my to read pile for awhile. I always intended on getting to it, but some other book always popped up. Eventually I got around to picking it up, and boy am I annoyed that I didn't sooner! 

Among Thieves tells the tale of Drothe, an informant and 'heavy' for a local gang leader in the city of Ildrecca. When there is a problem (or suspected problem) within the organisation, Drothe is brought in to investigate and clean it up. When Drothe stumbles upon a much bigger mystery involving a relic whilst conducting one of these investigations, he finds himself caught up in a deadly and dangerous game that could shatter the criminal underworld of which he is a part.  

This book is, to put it simply, amazing. Brutal and uncompromising, it opens with a scene of torture that grabs you and then refuses to let go. As you read the novel you almost feel like your there standing next to Drothe, intimidating people and patting them down as you go about your business for the boss. At times I even found myself thinking about what move Drothe and I should make next. That is how immersed in the story I became. The fight scenes are, for lack of a better term, amazing. You can really tell that Hulick is a WMA practitioner with experience in fencing. I was delighted with how they played out, and again I found myself strategising on how I would handle the situations Drothe found himself in. The story itself is a ride of ups and downs and twists and turns. Witnesses and leads appear and then fall through, friends quickly become enemies, and we are always aware that things can quickly turn to shit fast! Drothe is a witty, funny, and likeable character despite the fact his business is usually involves torture and murder. His narrative had me glowing in pleasure, and the insights into his thoughts gave him a real depth of character. Yes, his business is bloody and hard, but god you still love him! By the end of the book I was just wanting more... and I found myself going back to sections just to reread a particular fight or turn of phrase.

I would happily reread Among Thieves tomorrow, and it has quickly jumped to be one of my favourite reads of the year! I will be hunting down the sequel quick smart. If you love Lynch, Abercrombie, or Polansky then you have to check this out! Seriously... if you don't... Drothe will get you! 

5 out of 5 Stars!

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