Book review
Written by Stephen Deas
Gollancz hardback
Release date Out now

Berren is a 14-year-old pickpocket at the mercy of a master who gives him a roof over his head and an occasional beating. But one day Berren picks the wrong man to rob, and earns a new master with a mysterious past, a temperamental attitude and a talent for swords…

Fans of Stephen Deas’s previous novels shouldn’t expect the same level of deliciously devious goings in his latest release. Although many Young Adult novels are suitably engaging for the older reader, The Thief Taker’s Apprentice sits just a little more comfortably in the demographic it’s aimed at. Following a teenage boy in a coming-of-age storyline, the tension and excitement of this book stems from the perilous situations Berren finds himself in rather than any intricate political manoeuvring.

There’s still danger lurking around every corner, however, as orphan Berren fights for his survival in the dark, drunkard-filled alleyways of Deephaven city. His unpredictable new master ‘Sy’ is as mysterious to the reader as he is to Berren, making for an intriguing, if not particularly paternal, father figure, while Berren’s infatuation with Lilissa is an amusingly accurate portrayal of teenage love.

The characters are solid and the setting believable, and though the story takes a little while to get off the ground, the narrative developments are engaging, and there’s enough action and revelations to keep the pages turning. The Thief Taker’s Apprentice is the perfect adventure story for teens, but feels just a little too shallow for older readers, who should instead look forward to the third instalment in Deas’s dragon series Order of the Scales, which is set for release in early 2011. Alice Wybrew

VERDICT: 7/10
Not as involving as some of the other YA fantasy offerings out there, but still an enjoyable read that makes a good introduction to Deas’s exciting fantasy world for younger readers.