“They killed my parents. They took my name. They imprisoned me in darkness. I would not be broken.”Viola, a child sold to pay her father’s debts, has lost everything: her mother, her home, and her identity. Thrown into a life among criminals, she has no time for grief as she endures the brutal training of an apprentice thief. The Night Guild molds an innocent waif into a cunning, agile outlaw … outlaw skilled in the thieves’ trade. She has only one choice: steal enough to pay her debts.
The cutthroat streets of Praamis will test her mettle, and she must learn to dodge the City Guards or swing from a hangman’s rope. But a more dangerous foe lurks within the guild walls. A sadistic rival apprentice, threatened by her strength, is out for blood.
What hope does one girl have in a world of ruthless men?
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I was blown away by this Epic book! It’s well worth reading!
I could not read this fast enough! Ilanna is forced into training to get into the Night Guild with many other children her age. There are quite a few time skips, as the book covers years, but it really adds to the story more than it takes away. You learn just enough of her training to understand how she gets where she does, but not so much that you get bored with her usual day to day activities.
That being said, I didn’t really see this as “grimdark” fantasy. I do believe it needs a trigger warning for those who cannot handle reading about sexual assault. Kudos to the author for researching appropriately and for including informative text at the end of the book.
I am very excited to continue this series and see what the future holds for Ilanna after the cliffhanger ending.
Powerful story! The life of a child who ends up in the Night Guild is not easy. Ilanna barely survives the hardships she must endure after her father gives her to the Night Guild to settle his debts. But with the support of good friends, she not only survives…she thrives. I read the Hero of Darkness & Heirs of Destiny series before this book, and it is interesting to see how characters and organizations I am familiar with came to be who & what I know.
This was a dark book that took a minute to get into. However, Ilanna quickly becomes my all time favorite character in Einan. Your heart will bleed for this poor girl who becomes a legend!
This is an absolutely brilliant first in series book. The storyline about a child given by her cruel father to settle a debt is totally gripping . What she had to endure to become a journeyman is extremely well written, some of the situations and other characters who try to help her or in some cases because she’s a girl resent her leads her into a life of constant battles to prove herself, she soon learns the only person to trust is her.
I have no problem in recommending this book.
Book one sets the stage and it’s a heavy one, full of horrendous life situations a child should never be exposed to. On the streets , it’s about survival, and majority of the time, it’s about choosing the lesser of two evils. Be prepared, this tale is truly not for the weak of heart! If you are not easily offended, then this tale will grab you and hold you hostage. Iliana’s fate will stay in your mind until her life story is complete. And then you will want yo read it again and again! All my reviews are always voluntarily written.
4/5
CHILD OF THE NIGHT GUILD is the first novel in the Night Guild series by Andy Peloquin. It deals with a concept I’ve always loved in fantasy: the Thieves Guild. Before the mafia existed, the concept of an organized criminal underworld in Medieval times. Created in fantasy by Fitz Leiber, the Thieves Guild has been a mainstay of fantasy settings influenced by it like Dungeons and Dragons or Skyrim.
There’s just something inherently interesting about the professional cut-purse, burglar, pick-pocket, and (sometimes) assassin who deals with all the threats of a world full of the supernatural. The incredibly entertaining Thief games are an example of it. The idea that not only is thievery a profession but it is a codefied one with training, standards, masters, and apprentices. What sort of experience is this for someone growing up in it?
Viola (later Seven and Illanna) is the daughter of a debt-ridden man who ends up sacrificing his daughter to the Night’s Guild. Stripped of her identity and trained in the secret arts, she soon finds herself popular with some of her fellow students while dire enemies of others. She is not the first woman in the Night Guild but it is rare enough to be remarked upon.
Andy Peloquin manages to nicely combine the Young Adult school drama of things like Harry Potter and Divergent with a Medieval crime story. Seven is a flawed heroine who is not the best at her job but gets by on sheer determination. Unfortunately, that very determination and pride invites anger as well as jealousy from her peers.
Much of the book reads like a typical coming of age drama wedded with a fantasy setting, which isn’t a bad thing because it’s a well-written coming of age drama. Illanna is a wonderfully well-written character who is believable as a child as well as teenage girl. Her interests are believable and make her come off as a sort of roguish Hermione.
Andy Peloquin writes a much darker story than Harry Potter, though. One element I didn’t care for in the book is the fact there’s a rape scene, which I didn’t think was necessary. Nothing is shown on page but it felt like an unneeded addition. Contrasting this, Illanna is a protagonist who takes her lumps and actually has to spend time recovering from serious injury.
I think people will enjoy this book if they want a Medieval fantasy Young Adult drama. The characters are a bit stock but I was entertained by it enough to pick up the second one immediately after.
It’s a rarity that a book leaves me speechless, unsure if I’ll be able to give the story its proper and most deserving credit. Child of the Night Guild by Andy Peloquin has done just that to me. I’ve been ruminating over how to give this beyond phenomenal story its due. Child of the Night Guild took me completely by surprise. This is the first book I’ve read by Andy Peloquin and it most definitely will not be my last. I will read everything he publishes in the future. The reason I picked up this book is that I noticed how Andy Peloquin wrote when he did takeovers. I am very impressed when I see amazing writing skills by an author, and Andy Peloquin is creative writing at its finest!! Believe his statement when he writes, “I am an artist. Words are my palette.” It’s true. This author has a way with words that is extremely rare, and most struggle to find this level of quality in writing, including me.
Child of the Night Guild was full of surprises, twists, turns-things I didn’t see coming at all. The story of a young girl who is determined to survive no matter the cost. And survive she does. Not only that, she refuses to let anyone else be better at what they do than she. Back alleys, abuse, thievery, tragedies, successes … it’s all there. This is one story you do not want to miss.
This is not your typical story of romance, HEAs, erotica; nope, none of that exists in this book. Still, there is love of the best kind. Are you scrolling through your Kindle in hopes of finding that next, DIFFERENT story? Look no further. You’ll find everything you’re seeking in Child of the Night Guild by Andy Peloquin. I don’t know how I’m going to make it until book two is released in June. I’m so thankful I found this author’s work.
~Have You Heard? Book Blog
I listened to this on Audible and I cannot stop thinking about this amazing world Andy Peloquin has created. You will laugh, you will cry, you will rage, you will shout with joy, you will hold your breathe waiting to see what happens next!
Let me start off by this review took me 2 days just to write. This was such an amazing book I had to really really think about what I wanted to say to really give credit to such a work of art. This book will catch you and keep you begging for more. I was captivated from the first few words and that never stopped throughout the whole story.
Andy Peloquin has created the most amazing world. By far it has quickly reached the top of my favorite books I have ever had the pleasure to read/listen to and now one of my favorite authors. If you listen to this on audiobook, what makes this even more absolutely stunning is the reader! Rebecca McKernan did an amazing job! Her accent really brought out the characters and added so much to this book by putting you in a different world and really bringing it to life.
This precious little girl, Viola, only 8 years old, is thrown into a world where they take her memories, her very existence and changes it all into a number. She is now number Seven. She is among several other young children being brutally trained for apprenticeship in the Night Guild. Because she is just a small thing and the only girl, she has to work that much harder and be smarter and faster than the rest. We see Viola/Seven at her weakest but see her rise to great heights (pun intended) and see her fall, struggle and become even better than before! The heartbreak and brutality Viola endures is amazing but it makes her who she is. We watch her grow into a young woman determined to be the best, determined to survive everything life throws at her. She has a new name now. A new home, a new world than when she started her journey. She has come a long way and made some great friends. To see how devastating this place is and all its beauty and secrets takes a genius and I am so glad Andy created such a masterpiece. I can’t stop thinking about everything in this story.
This is not your average story whatsoever. I honestly didn’t know what to expect reading this because the main character was so young in the description that I thought it may be a bit childish or not my type of book. GOSH WAS I WRONG. This is everything. Viola has a mind of her own and you are always guessing what she will do next or what will happen. And each time her name changes you can see her character grow. I wont say what her last name is because that is for you to find out. The ending to book two really got me, I cried and had to stop listening for a few hours but then I HAD TO KNOW what happens next. I was utterly invested in this story. I felt her pain, I felt her strength and determination. This is beyond words to describe that you NEED to get this. When I find a book I absolutely love I always buy the actual book to it so if I’m ever on a hike or out hunting or just have a moment where I can pick up a real book I have one of my favorites to turn to.
I listened to this every moment I got, getting ready for work, actually at work (I’m a Sales Manager at a hotel and I may or may not have left a few phone calls go to voicemail during some moments – I did call them back after!) and I couldn’t get enough!
I will anxiously await the next audiobook for book 2 and 3! This was one wild ride I can’t wait to continue! This is worth so much more than 5 stars. Out of all the books I’ve listened to over the past 2 years this is by far the best!
I requested and was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review with my honest opinion.
Love it!