It’s this combination of modern language patterns and period authenticity that really allowed me to stay enraptured. While he could have gone overboard and delved into the English syntax of the time, he didn’t-at least, not for descriptions and narration. This is due in part to the style of prose Jackson writes. Not only that, but the reminders of the period are nuanced enough that they impart information, add to the story, and are a character in their own right-all while keeping the reader aware that this is not a recent time period. The magic is subtle enough that you don’t get pulled out of the setting. Thieftaker is different than both of those. Again, the time period takes a back seat to everything else.

Another example is Devon Monk’s Age of Steam, a steampunk-slash-magic-slash-werewolf tale set in expansionary America. Sure, it’s the Napoleonic war, but with dragons. A prime example of this is Namoi Novik’s Temeraire novels. When I am, they’re usually infused with elements that put the historical aspects on the back burner. Throw in two opposing factions, rising tensions both political and personal, a murderous antagonist so far out of Ethan’s league that he’s the next city over, and you’ve got the basics for a pretty typical kickass urban fantasy.Įxcept Thieftaker isn’t your typical urban fantasy. However, he has competition that doesn’t appreciate his being hired for this particular job.

Upon investigation, it is readily apparent to Ethan that the girl was murdered with magic. When the daughter of one of Boston’s wealthiest is murdered with no apparent cause of death, her family goes to the only person they can: Ethan Kaille, conjurer.

Thieftaker by D.B. Jackson