Brendell Rogue Thief.

Brendell Rogue Thief

Patrick Welch

http://www.sff.net/people/patrickw/

Double Dragon Publishing

[e-mail]

P.O. Box 54016 1-5762 Highway 7 East Markham Ontario L3P 7Y4 Canada

ISBN: 1554042186 $5-$6, various eBook formats

Entertaining Read........ Highly Recommended 5 stars

The narrative opens in Hannis Bay where Brendell is breaking into the Thief Guild offices. Brendell intends to right the wrong played upon his father. It was not a rogue thief, but a contract through the guild that caused a thief to steal everything Brendell had sent to his father, money, mementos, everything. After sending warning letters to each of his siblings Brendell set out to become a security consultant and prevent the guild from carrying out its contracts. The contract on Galus Norr in Banik's Cove is Brendell's first destination. A run in with members of the Assassins Guild, capture and the puzzlement deepens before an invitation to join the Assassins Guild comes as a bit of a surprise. Brendell meets Guild master Garoff Cistonarov, receives his first assignment and begins a ride to Houff. More danger, more problems and capture by the Thief Guild follow. A surprise meeting with an old crony, carping among the guilds, and Brendell thrown into a dungeon; what more could possibly take place? Brendell will soon discover he does not want to know the answer.

In this exciting sequel to Brendell: Apprentice Thief Writer Welch has crafted a well-written, intricate account over flowing with zestful deception, potent emotions, and precarious stratagem all ingeniously interwoven to grant the reader a spine tingling journey from opening page to ending paragraph. Welch's invariably busy, creative mind offers a fast paced work filled with engaging characters, snappy dialogue and absorbing yarn all set against a framework of staggering spectacle and reverberation, fragrance and ambiance sure to draw the reader straight into the tale and hold interest fast to the end. The reader is caught up in the action, we breathe the smoke of campfires, experience Brendell's heart pounding attempts to escape and shiver at each re-capture. Brendell's torment following the perfidiousness of his Guild is predictable, comprehensible and quite plausible. Infuriated and feeling forsaken by his guild Brendell's determination to exact retribution is something the reader can fully understand. Conflict abounds. Exhilarative accomplishments, well fleshed characters, a splendidly masterminded storyline: writer Welch proffers a razor sharp, focused narrative with drollery and eclat in this thrill packed work.

Brendell Rogue Thief is a banner book for the home pleasure library as well as the upper middle grades through high school reading list. Readers will relish reading Brendell Rogue Thief equally before a blazing winter fire, or as a way to enjoyably pass a long summer afternoon spent sipping iced tea and reading out on the porch.

Enjoyed the read, very happy to recommend.