The Nine (Thieves of Fate)

When fantasy and science fiction collide, the results can sometimes be unpredictable, but The Nine by Tracy Townsend is an enthralling and beautifully constructed example of the genre. Rowena Downshire, the young girl at the heart of the novel, is a courier for a smuggler, spending her days delivering illicit goods and stealing whatever she can to help pay off her mother’s debt. She’s used to carrying dangerous items and being a target for theft, but she wasn’t prepared for the chaos one book brought into her life.

The Nine splits its voice between Rowena and several other characters central to the story in such a natural way that I was never lost as to who we were following or where we were in the city. Nor did any of the characters suffer for the branching attention; I felt like every character was well rounded and had enough backstory and motivation to feel like a well-rounded human(oid). Townsend’s writing through the narrative is compelling, if a bit high-toned to start with; once you get into the rhythm of the telling, the story flows quite well. It was a struggle to put down the book at any point, and I am definitely looking forward to seeing what comes next in the Thieves of Fate series.