SFF

The Facefaker's Game

by Chandler J. Birch
Simon451: S. & S. Nov. 2016. 464p. ISBN 9781501147753. pap. $15.99; ebk. ISBN 9781501111990. FANTASY
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Ashes is one of the petty thieves and con artists of Burroughside, trying to stay on the good side of Mr. Ragged, the district's vicious crime lord, while avoiding the wild Ravagers who roam the streets at night. In the midst of running a rigged card game, he catches the attention of Jack Lantern, who sees potential in the young thief and becomes his mentor. Jack takes Ashes into his crew and trains him to use a power that can spin illusions. The crew is planning a heist against one of the cream of society, but Ashes is waging his own war against Mr. Ragged.
VERDICT This debut series opener is a natural fit for fans of Scott Lynch's The Lies of Locke Lamora and Brandon Sanderson's The Alloy of Law, although the supernatural system is not as well-developed, and the differences in magic types, while repeated several times, never really gels.
Reviewed by Megan M. McArdle , Sep 15, 2016
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