I want to hear about your favorite books that include heists as a major element. Bonus points if it’s set in a fantasy, sci-fi, or non-contemporary setting. (Basically I want something like Gentleman Bastards that’s not just rereading Gentleman Bastards)
Mistborn: The Final Empire! If I’m not mistaken, “heist book in fantasy setting” is literally one of the main things that inspired Brandon Sanderson to write this.
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I suggested the book in your original post. I’m lazy and don’t know how to read. Sorry. But I second Six of Crows!
6 of Crows by Leigh Bardugo - YA heist novel in fantasy (17th century?) Amsterdam.
Have you read Brent Weeks books? He wrote a trilogy called the Night Angel trilogy, and just released a fourth novel called Nemesis. I admittedly haven’t finished the book yet, but I’m 75% through it and find it so much better than than the original three books. His writing has improved substantially over the years (side note: the Lightbringer series is incredible).
But all this is to say that Nemesis is about a heist. Weeks wanted to write a book about a heist and to try first person perspective, and Nemesis is what came from that.
I have not! I’m guessing Nemesis can’t really be read as a standalone? I’ll look into it regardless
Patrick Weeks’ Rogues of the Republic series is a pretty good heist series. It is kindle only though.
Leigh Bardugo - Six of Crows. Multiple heists, fantasy setting and nice YA vibe.
Does The Hobbit count? 🙂
Mistborn?
Neuromancer by William Gibson. Sci-Fi heist.
Man… I should reread gentleman bastard. Is there a new book out yet?
Edit: Book four appears to be out but I’m wondering if I should reread the series or will I understand enough to be fine just diving in.
I looked it up and amazon says book four isn’t coming out until October of next year? I guess that leaves plenty of time for rereading…
Ope! I just saw an order on amazon button on goodreads (ik, ik goodreads bad but it was at the top of my search) so I thought it was out. I’m going to wait until it’s closer to that date to see if it’s real (I believe there have been false dates from this author before).
I hate to burst your bubble but TToE (4th book) is not out yet. There will be three novellas released first then book 4. All still have no set release date AFAIK
https://thewertzone.blogspot.com/2023/01/scott-lynch-releases-excerpt-from-new.html?m=1
Foundryside by Robert Jackson Bennett. Our protagonist thief accidentally steals a talking key, but I don’t want to spoil too much. Plus it’s been a while so I don’t remember a lot of details. I liked how the magic was like logical programming. How do you make a carriage sitting on an even surface roll forward? Tell it that it’s now on an incline.
Edit: Oops. Flipped the author’s name
Oh yeah, I’ve read that one before. Definitely a really neat magic system.
I only have poor recommendations after wracking my brain:
The Tower of the Raven by Ann Leckie is the closest I’ve come to a fantasy heist that’s accessible. The heist component is present, but that’s not a tag I’d add to the book without stretching. It does some deeply fascinating things, though.
Then in completely inaccessible fantasy heists we have Skin Game. Book FIFTEEN in the Dresden files. While the series has some other decent heist-like moments, this is a HEIST. And it’s one of the top 5 books of the last few years for me, maybe #1.
But in 3-4 years of my records, that’s about it for heists I’ve read.
I loved The Tower of the Raven. I’m not sure I’m willing to commit to as big of a series as Dresden files, but I appreciate the rec!
Dresden is pretty great and worth it in general, moreso with Skin game to work towards. But it’s absolutely long and it doesn’t sound like what you’re after at the moment.
