Audiobook review: Thief of Dreams by Bec McMaster
Zemira Az Ghul is the half-fae daughter of the Wraith King, a sadistic ruler who uses his daughters to do his dirty work. He is willing to free Zemira and return the missing part of her soul if she steals the Dragon’s Heart from Prince Keir from the Court of Dreams.
Prince Keir lives in isolation from the outside world, but after 3,000 years, is looking for a bride. He’s invited various fae princesses and ladies to his realm, and Zemira takes the place of one to gain entrance. Once there, she hopes to go unnoticed, but she captures the attention of the Prince, not something a thief wants.
Thief of Dreams is a novella prequel to the Court of Dreams series, and based on this book, it is a fantasy series with romantic elements. It is not a standalone romance. We get looks into both Keir and Zemira’s lives and witness the start of a potential romance. The novella does a good job of building the world and introducing characters and conflict, but it doesn’t do much more.
Narration: The story is shared in the first person, present tense POV of Zemira. I did not care for it at first because it came across choppy. However, after a couple chapters I got used to the present tense writing and narration. The female narrator reads with what sounds like to me an upper crust British accent, and I found it suited Zemira. The dialogue for each character is adjusted accordingly, and I enjoyed the female characters more than the males. Males are generally deeper, but sound off a bit.
Thief of Dreams is a decent start to a potentially good series, but the open-ended nature of the story is a bit frustrating. While the narrator did a good job, the present tense writing annoyed me at times. Since I love this author, I’m willing to try the next book to see what happens.
My Ratings
Story: B-
Narration: B-
Jen
About the Book:
Twenty brides. One prince. Who will survive when the competition turns deadly?
When Prince Keir of the Court of Dreams sends out a summons in search of a bride, the Wraith King sees a chance to steal the powerful Dragon’s Heart. He sends his best thief, Zemira Az Ghul, to penetrate the court as one of the potential brides.
All Zemira wants is freedom from the chains that bind her to the king, and if she finds the relic she’ll have it. But the Court of Dreams is more dangerous than she ever expected, and Zemira must soon choose between her freedom—and her heart.
Author: Bec McMaster
Narrator: Rachael Beresford
Series: Court of Dreams #0.5
Genre: Fantasy Romance
Audiobook Release Date: July 31, 2020
Publisher: Tantor Audio
Length: 3 Hours 34 mins
Source: Tantor Audio
Audio Speed: 1.5x
Purchase info:
Audible/Amazon (affilate link)