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This book has been set as "currently reading" on my goodreads for over a year now. I got around 150 pages in and always had long breaks between picking it up again because sadly it didn't grasp my attention enough and other books were much more appealing to me. During that time I had to force myself to pick this book up again, which resulted in only reading a few pages and then putting it back down because I don't like forcing myself to read because it only results in big slumps. I wanted to love this because the book started off funny and with the main character playing a trick, but sadly it didn't hold it up for me. I now have to wave the white flag and give up on The Thousand Deaths of Ardor Benn

I sincerely apologise that I wasn’t able to get around to reading this title prior to the publication date in order to review it.

Thank you to the publsiher for providing me with an e-arc of this book, I also purchased myself a physical copy and the audiobook,

This book was fantastic and I don't know why I put off reading it for so long! The dynamic between the main characters is great, the perfect mix between witty banter, tension and sad moments.

The world building and magic system is one of the most unique that I've seen and I have never seen dragons used in this way before.

I now need to go buy the other two books so I can complete the series!

I can’t deny that I was drawn to this title because of the comparison to The Lies of Locke Lamora, one of my favourite books. Having now finished reading The Thousand Deaths of Ardor Benn I can see why the comparison is made as there are some similarities between Locke and Ardor but really, the stories are so different that comparing Ardor Benn to Locke Lamora is quite misleading. Yes, heists are an incredibly important part of Ardor Benn and they make for intriguing plots but there’s also a hell of a lot of action, magic and dragons giving the story a very different feel to that of Locke Lamora. You can easily enjoy one without enjoying the other.

I did happen to enjoy reading this story. Sure, the heists are often a bit out there and sometimes come across as a bit too convenient but I still had fun reading about the adventures of Ard, Raekon and Quarrah and looked forward to what was going to happen next. The main characters were interesting and the world building in this story is detailed and fascinating – I particularly like the portrayal of dragons in this book and how the magic (grit) is derived from dragon faeces.

While I did enjoy the book and have fun reading it, the book isn’t perfect and has a few quite noticeable flaws. The sheer size of it, being well over 700 pages long, might be enough of a reason for some to put it down but my issue with the length was that it manages to feel like too many pages and not enough at the same time. The first half of the book dealing with the initial heist to steal the King’s regalia is rather slow paced to begin with which may be a stopping point for some but I don’t mind slow paced starts when done well – my curiosity about where the plot was going and the characters was enough to keep me reading. I thought that the con was interesting, smart and made sense but I can see how some people might prefer this section to be tightened up and shortened a bit.

For me, it was in the second half that things seemed to go haywire both in terms of characters and pacing. So much happens in the second half that some plot lines end up being glossed over and characters are forgotten about as if in an effort to speed through all the events to get to the final scenes faster. Ruse elements are discussed and plotted and then the story cuts to after all the actions have taken place, days of action are summarised in a few paragraphs after the fact and details are glossed over.

As for characters, Isle Halavend is forgotten about for quite a while (I thought more chapters from his perspective could have been interesting), there’s an unnecessary romance and a bunch of characters are introduced at the same time so it gets confusing but are then disposed of rapidly so you ultimately don’t care all that much about any of them or remembering who they are. The biggest disappointment in terms of characters however was Tanalin Phor who should have had a much bigger impact on the cast but instead was written with little personality and there solely for convenient plot purposes. She could have been a really interesting character but fell so far short of the mark.

I can’t deny that the ending was weird and it involved quite a bit of ‘just go with it’ thoughts but it did at least tie everything together eventually into a relatively satisfying end that I enjoyed enough to make up for some of the character and pacing stuff beforehand. While I can’t say that I loved it, it certainly left me interested enough in the characters and events that I do actually plan on continuing the series.

I received a copy of the book from Netgalley to review. Thank you for the opportunity.
An epic tale, perfect for die hard fans of fantasy. It is quite a committent if a story. There is some good writing and plenty of action.
However, i found it strange that the author would often say it is this but it is not which was frustrating read. Also it was difficult to get into the fantasy world as the story lacked structure.
An OK read.

The excellent start of a new fantasy series: it's gripping and entertaining.
I loved the world building, the character development and the tightly knitted plot that kept me hooked.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Esta trilogía cayó dentro de mi área de interés cuando Orbit decidió relanzar con una nueva portada, porque fijaos cuál es la antigua:


y la nueva:


La noche y el día, como quien dice.

Una vez atraída mi atención, la sinopsis también me pareció atractiva, con un ladrón experto en timos y un mundo secundario abierto con muchas posibilidades.

Al afrontar la escritura de esa reseña tengo sentimientos encontrados, porque hay cosas que me han gustado mucho y otras que me han decepcionado. La experiencia de lectura, por lo tanto, ha sido agridulce, especialmente debido a la longitud del libro. Es una novela muy muy larga, a la que a lo mejor le hubiera venido bien algún que otro recorte.

Los aspectos positivos me han influido más que los negativos. Principalmente, el sistema mágico en el que se sustenta la economía del mundo, un mundo restringido a un archipiélago. Al explicárselo a mi amigo Josep María Oriol lo definió como «copromagia» y es una palabra muy acertada. El sistema se basa en la utilización de una especie de pólvora que se obtiene tras el tratamiento de los excrementos de los dragones que pueblan una de las islas del archipiélago. Las propiedades de esta pólvora varían según lo que haya comido el dragón o como dirían en mi familia «según come el mulo, así caga el culo».

Los personajes también son atractivos, desde el propio protagonista Ardor (se me ocurren pocos nombre peor puestos para un lector español, no hacía más que recordarme el Almax) a su compañero de fatigas Raek y otros que va añadiendo a su complicado plan. La primera parte de la lectura, con el reclutamiento del personal y el desarrollo en sí del timo es muy entretenida.

Pero es que la justificación del timo en sí y los aspectos eminentemente religiosos que también ocupan algunos de los capítulos se me han hecho bastante cuesta arriba. Estos capítulos, protagonizados por un religioso en vez de por Ardor, se recrean demasiado en la erudición y en la investigación del pasado para justificar la conspiración. Son hechos que son necesarios para el subsiguiente desarrollo de la trama pero la exposición es excesiva. La relación con un personaje del pasado de Ardor también me parece bastante forzada, para añadir algo más de salsa a una historia que no la necesitaba.

Sin embargo, lo que peor ha sido el último tercio del libro en el que el autor no es que rice el rizo, es que realiza un doble salto mortal tirabuzón carpado en una piscina sin agua. No desvelaré aquí la GRAN REVELACIÓN (TM) que cambia totalmente el sentido de todo el libro, pero me parece una salida un tanto tramposa y efectista, que echa a perder todo el bueno trabajo de los primeros tercios del libro.

Tendrá que pasar algo de tiempo y algo de olvido hasta que me ponga con el siguiente ejemplar de la trilogía, pero no lo descarto del todo por algunas de las buenas ideas presentes en este libro.

Received from Little Brown Book UK and Netgalley for honest read and review.
This is a fine read ,it is a long book and takes a little while to get going,but once up and running it to me along quite nicely.
If you like Locke Lamora, then this is for you

Overall, I thought this book was really engaging and I was captivated. However, I did put this book down for a month and not read it so I wasn't fully pulled in. That hasn't stopped me from giving this book such a high review. I loved the character developments and arcs within this. I was a little disappointed with the ending, but this was because I thought this was a standalone novel. Knowing that there is a sequel has made me reevaluate my thought on this. I would really recommend this book for anyone who loves a book filled with twists, one that keeps you guessing until the very end, and a heist! Also, dragons.

This was perfection! Great characters, interesting world and DRAGONS! This is the perfect fantasy series to sink your teeth into and I can't wait to start book two!
Our main character Ardor Benn or Ard for short is a fun and witty ruse artist. I loved how he wasn't the perfect hero. He definitely had his faults, but that didn't make him less likable (which is often the case), it made him more relatable.
The magic system is very original and well done as well. It reminded me of something Brandon Sanderson would write which in my book is a massive compliment! :D
I definitely cried a little bit (a lot, I cried a lot) at a certain character death. How dare you do this to me Mr. Whitesides!
If you're in the mood for some great epic fantasy, you should definitely give this book a go!

The Thousand Deaths of Ardor Benn (Liar. Thief. Legend) has to be one of the most fun reads I’ve come across this year, it was entertaining from start to finish, with layers within layers of adventure and schemes that keep you reading and plunging headfirst into the next stage. I also can’t start this review without talking about the cover, which was the first thing that caught my attention because it’s absolutely stunning, with that classic fantasy feeling and beautiful colours.
This book isn’t small, and yet the pacing and the plot and its complexities mean that it never feels that long, because it is gripping from the first page to the last. Yet for all the complexities of the plot and the ruses and schemes of Ardor Benn, the story never loses its focus or its core, and Whitesides does an admirable job of bringing that together with action and adventure and making it easily understandable without losing that breadth and depth.
Another strong point for the book is the worldbuilding, from the various religions to the magic system, it is a rich, vividly imagined world that felt as real and believable as the one outside your door. The attention to detail, from single beliefs to more widespread practices from the characters, to the general population are explored and woven into the fabric of the world, without any of those pesky infodumps. They’re living, breathing faiths, that adds another strand to the world and to the experience and motivations of the characters, without becoming overbearing or detracting from the sense of adventure. If the religions are well developed and interwoven, then the magic system is an exercise in ingenuity. I’m always down for anything that involves Dragons, and this has to be one of the most individual takes on something that is a staple of fantasy that I have seen, and I love that the types of ‘Grit’ formed from the Dragon’s excrement vary according to diet, not only because it’s unique, but because it builds it not only into the biology of the Dragons but of the world itself, rather than just having Dragons sat without the world.
However, as strong as the pacing, details and worldbuilding are, I feel it is the characterisation that really makes The Thousand Deaths of Ardor Benn shine. The twists and turns, the excitement of the heist are all reasons to keep reading, but it is the characters that really bring you into the adventure and the world, and invest you in what is happening. Ardor was a fantastic protagonist, charismatic and with a mouth that could charm the birds out of the trees (if he was a Disney Princess, and not a Thief), and I loved waiting to see what he would say and do next, rooting for his successes and admiring his adaptiveness when things (inevitably) went awry. Raekon is the perfect counterbalance to Ardor, with the skills and intelligence to make those dreams and ruses into reality. Add Quarrah Kai to the mix, and you have one of the most interesting heist groups I’ve read, and I have to say that she was my favourite, as she adds a completely different dimension to their dynamic coming from working alone to being part of the team. As strong as the main characters are, the secondary cast does not lose out, and there is a strength and diversity to them that only deepens and strengthens the rest of the worldbuilding and Whitesides does an excellent job of giving them all individual voices and motivations.
This was a highly entertaining read, with revelations and twists galore that kept you on your toes and holding your breath. It was also light-hearted, with plenty of wit and banter across the pages. Sure there is some violence, as to be expected from a book like this, but it steers clear of the darker stuff and is a much-needed breath of fresh air especially for 2020.

To be posted to Blog/GR and other sites on 13/11

If you love a good ruse, this book is absolutely for you, with almost half the novel describing how Ard and his crew attempt to steal the King's regalia. The plan is entirely over the top, involving new identities and some costly services, but very entertaining.

The other major appeal of this novel is the intricate magic system, which is based around grit, a flammable powder that has an array of effects depending on the source material used to make it. The concept brings to mind Brandon Sanderson's Mistborn, but with added dragon poop.

Which brings me to, what in my mind, are the stars of the show. While dragons aren't heavily featured in the scales, I love Whitesides' take. His dragon scenes are injected with adrenaline, painting them as truly violent and fearsome creatures. For me, this was definitely the highlight of the story.

With several exciting elements, I would recommend this book if you are looking for a fun, easy to follow and immersive fantasy.

For me, the book wasn't quite the sum of its parts and could have benefited from further editing. Some of the concepts felt slightly far-fetched even for a fantasy book, which I think came down to delivery, and the sheer number of variables that Ard's ruses rely upon tended to give the book a constructed feel.

The novel also wasn't anything exciting in terms of representation and diversity, which is understandably (and rightly), something that many readers now expect authors to consider. The depiction of racism seems more focused on worldbuilding than any meaningful social commentary. Representation of women is also weak, and at one point a key character actually thanks Ard for "helping me find my place" a few chapters after she realises she has lost her independence as a person and relies more on Ard to make decisions. Yikes!

All in all, I'm glad to have finally read this book, which could have been great. While I probably won't continue the rest of the series, I can see why many people will enjoy it.

Part of me is glad I put off reading this for so long because now I can binge the whole series! But a bigger part of me is wondering why I didn't read this the second I bought it because it was awesome. I gave it four stars instead of five because some of the characters at the start felt a little flat for me, but by the end I was totally blown away by all the twists and turns that I absolutely didn't see coming. I can't wait to see where the story, and in particular where Ardor Benn himself, will go from here.

Thank you to Nazia at Orbit Books for providing me an ARC in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts are mine only.

A Thousand Deaths of Ardor Benn is a unique novel. In the sense, that's its half musical, half heist, and half dragon. Its also that a ruse artist has to steal the King's Replica! I don't wish to spoil anything, but Tyler's done a fantastic job in illustrating the daily struggles that thieves have to go through to steal such items which amount to treason! All of these three elements mentioned creating a fabulous start to this novel. And yes, the magic system known as grit, is bascially burned dragon poop that creates the magic that humans need. My favorite Grit magic? The memory wipe! A fascinating weapon if used in the right hands. Grit is a unique system, and it's not easy to come up with a magic system for any fantasy writer, whether from the beginning stage to the advanced stage. Also if you want dragon snapping humans....(here's a hint) and there's a lot of cultural messages being sent here. Dragons are a big part of this world. The bakery is as well! You'll come across a lot of pastries :)

A good magic system immerses you into the world, whereas a bad magic system will not immerse you. That falls into the simple category of what determines how a good story is executed and how well it is planned. Tyler here has made it simple enough, and it's enough to immerse you into this world. He's created a good magic system. He's done a good job. Its simple enough, yet complex enough as well to immerse you and make you want to find out more. Though, I would have gone with fewer systems of grit purely because half the novel relies on a treasure trove of explaining how grit came to be, and what it has to do with the dragon.

My critique of this part would be that even though it is a fantasy novel and it's a first, the trend is these days, to set up the world and begin a slow burn. I've read hundreds of fantasy books and I am thinking that maybe a slow burn isn't needed so much. Some parts of the story did slow down for me, and there were times where I felt the pacing should have been a little bit better. But then again, this is a fantastic story and a story with a lot of potential. I did like Ard in many parts, but without wanting to spoil the story, Ard sometimes may have acted like a selfish guy when in reality, I don't think he is. I think the guy's lonely and he needs someone to love.

The chemistry between Raek, Ardor, and Quarrah was a good set up and a good build-up. I do, however, want to see more of Ardor and Quarrah as I felt you could have had a whole novel for Ardor and Quarrah alone. Their love setup is well constructed, but it is also to some extent realistic. You can fall in love, but what happens when you realize that that foundation isn't as solid as you thought it was? That's only a hint I've given, but it's not enough. Once you discover the intricate backstory that is behind all of this, you'll soon begin to understand. Rank was one of the BEST characters. Loyal and good, and a character that I want to SEE more of in fantasy. And I liked Quarrah a lot, she's a loyal character as well, and I feel that Ardor has to see this: She'll make a fantastic partner. Go marry her you, idiot!

Overall, this is a fantastic story. A fantastic setup. Dragons, Ruse Artists, Pastries, and whatnot. What's not to like when a ruse artist or thief for that matter gets involved in shaking the destiny and fortune of an entire Kingdom? I can't wait to read book 2 already! 10/10 from me. It's very...musical! Very musical indeed!

I am leaving this review having only read 16% but so far I have really enjoyed it and am looking forward to reading the remainder of the book over the next week or so. I am enjoying the writers style and the detail he is giving his characters. I am getting a good sense of the world he is building and look forward to discovering more.

It is deceptively difficult to set up complex heists in fantasy worlds. Whilst you an assume certain laws of physics pass over, you need to set up the stakes, the level of weaponry before you get to the real problem - namely magic. If magic exists then why would Danny ocean need to set up a complex second vault to film whilst robbing the first one, if he can just teleport in and out. The only solution is to set up complex rules for magic that will preclude that, and magic with rules - well that isn't really that magical is it. The Thousand Deaths Of Ardor Benn, the first of the World Of Grit novels, has found a compromise which works well for it. Namely there is magic, it all works by the application of pre-mixed potions and powders (the grit), and it all has set scientifically drawn out properties which can be multiplied, compounded but the outcomes are set. There are a number of grits with certain powers (light, flight, memory wiping etc) and Whitesides does a great job of introducing them as the story unfolds. The story being of a scam artist (ruse artist as he prefers), pulling a ridiculously complex job which has more profound implications. The book manages to introduce the rules of its world, its core characters and set up the heist effortlessly, including the stakes and the complexity with the tools available (mainly grit).

There is a lot of comfort in a character like Ardor Benn (the name sadly not being one of them). He is a classic heroic criminal archetype, does it for the thrill, very clever, emotionally locked off. Throw in a sidekick and you might be with Fafnir and the Grey Mouser or Scott Lynch's Locke Lamora (which this shares a lot of DNA with). Where this has a jump on its forerunners is in the slow steady world building which actually means this is all about something. There is a surprisingly nuances view on leadership - the nation has been steady and prosperous under the current king for over twenty years and only now are cracks showing. The idea of a leader being great in all areas but one (potentially catastrophic) blindspot, means the characters actually have to consider the morality of their actions. Throw in some romance, dragons and a last act sci-fi twist which really does raise the stakes to a ridiculous degree, and you have a near perfect page turner.

What I liked the most about the Thousand Deaths Of Ardor Benn (and I liked it a lot), was how deft and light the narrative was with its world building. The test is often in slang, which here gets slipped in and explained seemlessly,. The cops are the regulators, who become the "Reggies" very quickly. There are two types of guns (which use grit to shoot their ball bearing bullets), a Singler is one shot, a Roller has six shots - it has a rolling barrel, but also roller works nicely with the balls. There isn't much of this, but it instantly gives you a sense of solidity to the world, particularly if you are dropped in in media res - which is basically how this book reveals all of its characters. Infact the only real issue I had with it was about the restrictiveness of the hierarchy of grit (see para one about how magic loses its magic), and the sequel has some thoughts on that. This is the real deal, a fun page turning fantasy action, adventure romance with a bit of thematic heft.

This was a really fun book to read. It deserves 5 stars for the humour alone. It's not laugh-out-loud funny (not for me, anyway), but I found myself smirking and snorting quite a bit! "The Thousand Deaths of Ardor Benn" has a very enjoyable plot, some great characters, and the writing is of a high standard. This is the first book in the "Kingdom of Grit" series, and I cannot wait for the second!

My thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley. This review was written voluntarily and is entirely my own, unbiased, opinion.

Welcome to the Greater Chain—a place where everything is run on Grit, dragon poo, that has differing properties based on what the beast is fed; now meet Ardor Benn, ruse artist extraordinaire, who uses said poo-turned-Grit, to pull the wool over the eyes of his marks. Only, this time, it’ll be the ruse to end all ruses. To say this book is fun, would be an understatement. Though, it certainly knows when to pull its punches. Ard is probably one of the most instantly likeable characters I’ve ever come across—the Grit ‘magic’ system one of those most original I’ve seen as of late (if only for from where it is derived.) The prose is lyrical, easy to read and happy go lucky, but it’ll certainly have you on the edge of your seat, shedding a tear or two, and certainly rooting for our main cast. Whitesides has produced an exciting series which I can’t wait to add to my book shelf.

I don’t know whether I would say the plot was fast-paced, but I would perhaps say that it is intriguing enough to put up a facade (to pull a ruse on the reader) that it’s moving quickly, because I finished this chonk of a book—some nearly 800 pages—in little under a week. Speedy by my standards. It is certainly intelligent which by that I mean I don’t know how Whitesides coped with such a complex plot but still managed to make it understandable, enjoyable and awe-inspiring; now, the book is a set of complex ruses by the man himself, Ardor Benn, using Grit. The sheer ingenuity of this made-up magic system that pairs well with a man like Ard blew me away. Outwardly, each type of Grit serves a functional, mundane (in most cases) purpose, but with a little intelligence, and careful mixing from Raek—the brains to Ard’s plots—they pull off some ridiculous stunts. And let’s not even get into what happens on the island of dragons, Pekal …

For me, this book is all about the characters. While the plot and the ruses were indeed central to the book, it was Ardor, Raekon and Quarrah that kept me reading and reading. Even in an epic fantasy book, the ruses and tricks have to be seated in the believable and for the most part, seated in just how believably the characters can pull them off. Ardor is a smooth, silky and slick crafter of words, sentences—he is the dreamer with which those thoughts are fuel for his most powerful weapon: his mouth. Ard is believably charismatic, a man the reader is led to trust, that all would get behind, if he had a chance to talk to them. Then there’s Raek, who is quite simply the man who makes the dreams happen; Ard’s right-hand man, a genius of Grit, a scientist. And last (by no means not least) Quarrah Kai, thief extraordinaire. There is no item too difficult to steal. A woman who can size up a room in minutes and pick a lock she can’t see, without the proper equipment, in seconds. Put together, there is no ruse too big. Not even one positioned to steal from the king himself. The way in which these characters interact with each other, get close—some more than others—is spectacularly human, utterly believable, and is the magic behind this book.

A special note has to go to the world-building and in particular the pervasive religions that drive the characters. The most prominent in the Greater Chains is Wayfarism and it is the urgings of the Homeland within this that cleverly intersperse various plot points. It ties the characters together, the usage of Grit, the beliefs behind some special types of the prior. From singular beliefs, to the practice of the religion, there’s nothing left to thought. The Thousand Deaths of Ardor Benn displays real intelligence at its base level and that is why it was such a joy to read.

Overall, my advice is go out and buy it on release day. Make sure you’ve got it on your shelf, read it as carefully and lovingly as it is crafted. It deserves that. And thanks goes to Orbit for the copy, you’re great. This book is the most ambitious of ruses and I dare say that Whiteside has certainly pulled it off. Will you fall for it?

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing this eARC in exchange for an honest review. All of the views expressed in this are my own.
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I was very eager to get started on this and I was not disappointed.

Ardor Benn is an interesting character who's just the right combination of cocksure, witty and charismatic to place him in my list of favourite fantasy characters to date. I also love how Whitesides writes dialogue and conveys so much of the character's personality in it without being too obvious.

That doesn't mean the rest of the cast is pushed to the back. Every character is fleshed-out and it's impossible to forget or feel indifferent towards any of them.

This novel also has some of the best and richest world-building I've had the pleasure of reading. It also helps that the cover art is absolutely gorgeous! The magic system was super interesting, similar to that of Mistborn except in this the material is fed to dragons to give various results.

Story-wise I was not disappointed at all. The pacing slowed in the middle for a bit but it picked right back up very soon.

I would highly recommend this to anyone looking for a great heist series! I'm excited to try out the next instalment in this.

Overall rating: 4.5 stars
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Short review on Litsy (due to character limit)

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an eARC of this in exchange for an honest review.

This was an exciting start to a new heist fantasy series!

Whitesides does an incredible job of creating a memorable protagonist and a well-rounded cast of characters.

If you're looking for rich worldbuilding and an insane magic system (hint: dragons) then this is the series to go for!

Overall rating: 4.5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐