Book Review #75: The Emerald Thief by Patrick D. Kaiser

Hello Dear Reader!

I’ve returned for an indie book review, a novel by @authorpdkaiser on Instagram, so if you’ve got time, be sure to check him out!

Putting a futuristic dystopian twist on the classic Robin Hood story, The Emerald Thief follows the story of Nine, a young slave girl who chooses to take a chance and win her freedom by participating in a deadly tournament to find the new Emerald Hood. Full of action, growth, and mystery, this story is full of twists and turns. But before I get into that, here is the back-cover summary (from Goodreads):

In the distant future, mankind has reached the stars as a young slave girl called Nine seeks freedom even if it costs her life.

In order to win that freedom, Nine must compete in a deadly tournament spanning across the planets. Kill or be killed is the name of the game. To the victor goes the spoils: the legacy and title of The Emerald Hood and all the wealth, fame, and power that comes with it.

As Nine fights for survival, some of her fellow competitors seem too good to be true as they attempt to make alliances with her. Others, however, seem beyond redemption as they kill their fellow competitors for the sheer joy of blood.

There's also the matter of a mysterious figure influencing the tournament from the shadows. Just what does he know about Nine's past? And why is he so keen on making sure she dies before she even sees the finish line?

Friends, foes, and everyone in between, who can you trust when everyone's a thief? Sometimes winning isn't an option unless you're willing to steal the victory. Who will be the next Emerald Hood?

On to the review!

A twist on the classic Robin Hood story with a Hunger Game-esque tournament set in space, The Emerald Thief follows the story of Nine, a young slave girl wanting live a better life. I absolutely loved her as a main character! Because she’s lived basically her entire life as a slave, she didn’t know much about the world outside of her home, which is showcased all throughout the book. Nine is a fast learner, a great improviser, and just purely kind-hearted, which unfortunately can’t be said about most Nobles. Goes to show status doesn’t equate to one’s quality of character!

Surrounding Nine are a wonderfully diverse cast of characters including a mysterious hooded figure, a tough woman with a ton of secrets, a fellow competitor with a split personality, a toxic group of entitled Noble teens, and a loyal ferret robot.  These are only a few of the characters featured throughout this book. Though there were many, each were fantastically fleshed out, and I enjoyed learning about all of their individual stories.

The world of The Emerald Thief is amazing! I usually don’t read stories about space, but I really liked this one! The story definitely takes place in a dystopian future, where all nine planets are inhabitable with the highly advanced technology that makes up the lines, which are livable spaces that exist within walls that generate oxygen and protect its residents from the sun’s harmful rays. I loved traversing through each of the lines and planets with Nine as she participated in the Emerald Hood competition, and I’m looking forward to seeing more of its technology and learning more about its history.

Overall, I really enjoyed reading this book, and there wasn’t much that really stuck out to me that took me out of my reading experience. I personally didn’t prefer the ending, as it was just a bit too abrupt and left things a bit too open for my liking, but again, that’s just personal preference. I also wish we got more screentime with Nine and her supposed love interest. They were cute, but I wish I got just a little bit more to flesh them out as romantic love interests. Other than these nitpicky criticisms based on my personal preference, I absolutely loved this book and enjoyed Nine’s story!

So, The Emerald Thief rating:

4.75/5 and highly recommend if you like twists on classic stories, space adventures, and a Hunger Game-esque tournament.

Thanks for reading!