Welcome to London, but not as you know it. A place where magics and horror run free, wonders and miracles are everyday things, and the dark streets are full of very shadowy people . . .
Gideon Sable is a thief and a con man. He specializes in stealing the kind of things that can’t normally be stolen. Like a ghost’s clothes, or a photo from a country that never existed. He even stole his current identity. Who was he originally? Now, that would be telling. One thing’s for sure though, he’s not the bad guy. The people he steals from always have it coming. Gideon’s planning a heist, to steal the only thing that matters from the worst man in the world. To get past his security, he’s going to need a crew who can do the impossible . . . but luckily, he has the right people in mind. The Damned, the Ghost, the Wild Card . . . and his ex-girlfriend, Annie Anybody. A woman who can be anyone, with the power to make technology fall in love with her. If things go well, they’ll all get what they want. And if they’re lucky, they might not even die trying . . .
The Best Things You Can Steal by Simon R. Green. Book number 1 in the Gideon Sable Series. Kindle edition published by Severn House Publishers, March 2021. 183 pages.
I received a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
One of my favorite things about Simon R. Green’s work, is that he creates some of the best lovable, quirky, and creative characters to cheer for (or against)! He never fails to give us unique and entertaining characters. Even side characters are fun. The Best Things You Can Steal is no different from any of Simon’s other books when it comes to creative characters. Once again he comes up with a group of outcasts who fit together perfectly! I had so much fun watching these characters go on this crazy heist.
It’s not just the characters that are eccentric and fun to watch. Simon is also great at making quirky versions of London filled with odd and magical gadgets and do-dads. The magic fills the streets and you can’t help but want Simon to give you a full tour of his London. The author even gives us a taste of what kind of weird and unusual items are around in this book, with a magical pawn shop type place and a secret auction of things that should not be.
The Best Things You Can Steal was a very fun heist book. The first half of the book did feel a little bit slow, but it’s understandable because there is a lot of set up going into getting a crew together. Even with the first half of the book being a little bit slower, I did enjoy the extra time to get to know more about the characters. We had a lot of backstory and conversations before we got to the true plot of the story (the heist). I really like these characters and I hope we will see them again in the next book. I had a very entertaining time reading about how these characters became friends.
This is a really quick and enjoyable read. The characters are interesting, the settings are unusual. Simon just has such fun stories! You can’t help but love these characters and the stories they are in. This book reminded me so much of Simon’s Nightside series from a while back. It was the same sort of magical feel and creative vision.
Creature From The Book Lagoon 