A new city and a fresh start was what former thief Catt Zago was looking for, but what she found instead was Great Bakak, a city-state ruled ancient tradition and full of everyday magic. A place full of many gods and many people. A place where the King rules supreme, but the royal executioners seem to be calling the shots.
What Catt didn't expect was to meet a fascinating woman, a professor of magic at the local wizard university, doomed by a strange bit of luck to become the next King. Catt wasn't planning on committing any crimes, this was supposed to be a safe place to start over, but now, could she really be contemplating stealing a King?
"The new king might be anyone."
James Robert Paige's Thief Acolyte Consort is a fun sapphic novella that oscillates between cozy and horrific, with a strong disconnect between the themes and the tone of the book. It reminds Pratchett, in a sense, but the prose is very simple, almost elementary. It's a bit of a shame, because the worldbuilding is wonderful, rich, with attention to detail and some very nice ideas that subvert expectations, and some twists and turns that add depth.
Catt and Segna are a lovely couple, especially when they start working together. Their relationship starts in a subdued way, but by the end you really root for them to find a way out. The ending wraps up everything very nicely while keeping the door open, and it drives home the commentary about organized religion.
Thief Acolyte Consort is a nice palate cleanser.
✨ 3.5 stars
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