Thieves world review (old version)

[Rift120]

I was VERY lucky on Ebay a while back, and managed to get a winning bid on a complete 'Thieves World' book colleciton 1-12. Even better, I got the winning bid at about 15 dollars, shipping included. Now that i have finally finshed reading the series I figured I'd give a review of it.

This review covers the old Thieves world anthologies which had publishing dates from 1979 to 1989. All are currently out of print, however you CAN pick up the novel 'First Blood' which is a reprinting of the tales from the first two thieves world anthologies.

This review does NOT cover the various thieves world novels that are out there, nor does it cover the three NEW Thieves world books (Sancutary, Turning points, and Enemies of fortune)  that have restarted this marvolous series.

Now then for those who don't know, Thieves World was originally created by Robert Asprin and Lynn Abby. The concept was simple, yet brilliant. They would create a world and invite other Fantasy authors in to write stories. Each author would create a charcter(s) that existed in said world and share their basic information with the other Authors. Every Author could then use the other authors charcters int heir short stories, as either background charcters or main players in the story. The only rules were that you couldn't Seriously Maim or Kill off another authors charcter. Best of all, what happened to the charcters in the other stories became CANNON.

Best example of this was in the 2nd and 3rd book. WHere one author had the charcter Tempus drugged and placed at the mercy of a evil Vivcicionist named Kurd (this was okay, because Tempus had the ability to heal from any wound... ). So in the third book another author had his charcter the Thief Shadowspawn rescue Tempus, at which point Tempus's author decided that this meant Tempust owed the thief a serious debt of honor and arranged some heavy duty combat training for him. Which in turn the Shadowspawn author used as a plot device to give him the skills he needed to take out Tempus's patron God Vashanka.

The end result iwas the fantasy town of Sanctuary, AKA The Anus of the Rankan empire, AKA thieves world. Needless to say this was NOT a nice place. Sanctuary is the place were fantasy authors could let there dark side out to play and it shows in several of the darker stories. There is no real 'good guy' in any of the novels, each charcter having done dark and/or morally questionable deeds in the course of their adventures.

Sanctuary is also a rich and full town. Mainly because each author was able to focus on different parts of town and society in thier stories without worrying about the other areas of town seeming flat and lifeless, because other authors were focusing on those areas as well. Thus each author only has to add a bit of color here in there to help create the full picture that the novels create.

the majority of the theives world anthologies tends to center around a single main 'event', such as the arrival of the 'Beysib' or the final showdown between the witches Roxanne and Ischade. Thus providing a framework for the authors to write there stories based aroudn the concept 'where was my charcter so and so during this event and what were they doing?'. THis in turn presented to the readers a very human overview of how Sancutary reacted and changed through major events.

Of course sanctuary, lovely town of wrteched scum and villany that it is, is only secondary to the main attraction of thieves world. Its (in)famous residents. From the semi-naive prince Kitty-cat, to the wrathful god empowered Tempus, to the stealthy master thief Shadowspan, to the thrust into events and powers beyond his imaging Lalo the painter, each charcter is a joy to read. Especially as you go through each authors interpretation of the charcter in question.

Ischade for example, her creator envisoined her as a evil witch who schemed and plotted, yet was tormented by the fact that her curse denied her  true love. Another author portrayed her as not evil, but eternally bored and thus causing chaos for her own amusment. While yet another portrays her as a mysterious figure who will grudgingly 'help out' people with her magic. Best of all, all these portrayls are TRUE cannon, just facets of a personality that makes the charcter seem more human and true.

Each reader of this series, assuming you can find them at aused bookstore or online, will have their favorite charcters adn those they love to hate.

My favorites?

The Cocky Thief Shadowspawn (note to self, track down the stand alone novel someday)

The mystical painter Lalo the Limmer and his ever tolerant wife GIlla (Lalo's stories are among my favorite, its just normal people coping with extrodinary things)

Harran and his mystical 4 person trinity with the goddess Siveni (Dammit why'd they have to kill him off..well at least Tyr the divine dog survived ^^;)

Myrtis the Madam of the Aphrodisia house (Granted there really is only one story where she is the main charcter...but its sucha good story!)

As to those I hate?

Haught (ever read a charcter where you just want to reach into the book and smack him upside the head?)

Chenya (Is it just me, or does she read like a Self-insert? Oh wow she can't 'lose', and supposedly everyone from the rich to the lowly street whores love her... at least in her creators stories, everyone else protray her as a spoiled brat!)

Overall this series is a modern day classic. Unless you absolutly despiese the fantasy genre, I guarentee there is at elast one short story in this series you'll love if not several. Definatly go out and find.

5 out of 5

[Brian]

Wow.  I hadn't read that series in _years_.  Didn't Mercedes Lackey have a character?  That apprentice of the Blue Star or whatever, with a decidedly Ranma-esque plot twist?

[Rift120]

Lythande was created by Marion Zimmer Bradley actually.

[Brian]

That's the one.  I read this when I was ... 13, I think.  That'd be about ... er ... 14 years ago.  Good fun, though.

[StormDragon]

Hey, this sounds interesting :o I may just pick up 'First Blood.'