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    False Covenant: A Widdershins Adventure
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    False Covenant: A Widdershins Adventure
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    False Covenant: A Widdershins Adventure
    Ebook338 pages4 hours

    False Covenant: A Widdershins Adventure

    By Ari Marmell

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    Currently unavailable

    Currently unavailable

    About this ebook

    It’s been over half a year, now, since the brutal murder of Archbishop William de Laurent during his pilgrimage to the Galicien city of Davillon. During that time, the Church of the Hallowed Pact has assigned a new bishop to the city—but it has also made its displeasure at the death of its clergyman quite clear. Davillon’s economy has suffered beneath the weight of the Church’s displeasure. Much of the populace—angry at the clergy— has turned away from the Church hierarchy, choosing private worship or small, independent shrines. And the bishop, concerned for his new position and angry at the people of Davillon, plans to do something about it. But a supernatural threat is stalking the nighttime streets—a creature of the other world has come to infiltrate the seedier streets of Davillon, to intertwine its tendrils through the lower echelons of society. Faced with both political upheaval and a supernatural threat to its citizenry, the local representatives of the Church are paralyzed and the Guardsmen are in over their heads. And then there’s Widdershins--who’s tried, and failed, to stay out of trouble since taking over Genevieve’s tavern; who’s known to the Church and the Guard both, and trusted by neither; who may, with some of her Thieves’ Guild contacts, have unwittingly played a part in the bishop’s plans; and who, along with her personal god Olgun, may be the only real threat to the supernatural evil infesting Davillon. From the Hardcover edition.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherPyr
    Release dateJun 19, 2012
    ISBN9781616146221
    Unavailable
    False Covenant: A Widdershins Adventure

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    Reviews for False Covenant

    4/5

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    • 4/5
      Intriguingly witty and fantastic read. Marmell did an excellent job of creating a sly but intelligent character in Adrienne Satti/Widdershins. She may be a thief but she is a righteous one, who just happens to talk to a god, Olgun, that is currently inhabiting her head. It's great to experience a story that is not about romance between two or more characters but rather building a relationship with the reader to want to envelop and invest themselves in the story. I loved experiencing the world through Adrienne's eyes because she has an innocence about her that's....inviting for a lack of better word, though this is not what I'm thinking. She is curious and reckless at times when she should just sit herself down somewhere. Now, this book is not all light and fluffy as it contains murder, mayhem, and lots of deception. However, it has many witty and comical moments as well. The plot was set in the present and would go back in the past to give background on how Widdershins got that point or how this character relates to a current event that is taking place in the now moment. Some people may not like this aspect of this book but personally it works fine and doesn't take away from the story at all. The characters are well detailed and developed effectively to bring this story to life. I like that Marmell has no qualms about killing off his characters, so don't get too attached, someone may go before you know it. But who is the question?I think this will be a great book for those that are into action-packed science fiction and fantasy novels with strong-willed female leads.
    • 1/5
      I was really disappointed in this one. I SO wanted to like it. The premise was interesting, the setting was fabulous, the main character sounded interesting... but it all just fell flat to me. The time jumps made no sense and it made it hard to follow the story line. I think it could have been done in a more linear fashion and would have been so much better. I don't normally mind the time jumps in fiction, but here they just seemed forced and annoying. The setting, when it was described was fabulous, but I kept feeling like there should be more, that I was deprived. I also couldn't find it in myself to really like any of the characters. Or respect them, or feel much of anything really.
      Overall, I though the book had fabulous potential but just didn't live up to it.
    • 3/5
      have read other books by Marmell, and even though this one is YA it's still bloody, but not that violent. How to explain, people die, a lot, but it's not shown as it would be in an adult book. Still, poor Widdershins.

      At first I was not sure if I would like how it jumped in time, but it worked perfectly. Because each flashback showed me something new. First we got Widdershins as she is now, a young thief with few friends. Then there is poor Adrienne, alone on the streets, a pick-pocket among others. Then there is Adrienne, a young woman of means (and it sure made me wonder how she got there, but I found out.) Things that happened two years ago made Adrienne stop being Adrienne, and Widdershins was born. I liked her, she was tough and she has the best sidekick. A God who she can hear, but that the reader can't hear. But I could still see him in my mind and he was too funny.

      The story is about a lot of people hunting Widdershins, for different reasons. But it is all connected, even if I will not say how and why. The story worked so well and there was even a surprise gasp from me, oh I loved that surprise. Bravo. But I am being tease now since I will not tell you what that was.

      Being the girl I am I am hoping for a romance to blossom, how it would work I do not know, but it is there ;) I am looking forward to book 2 to see if anything happens.

      Conclusion:
      The ever so cool Widdershins made this my fav Marmell book to date. I liked that the book was dark, yet light and it did not end with a cliffie either which is always appreciated. But still I do want to know what happens next, because things are far from over. I would recommend this one to fantasy lovers, young and old.
    • 4/5
      Our protagonist in Thief's Covenant is a young woman who wears many masks and goes by many different names. Once she was Adrienne Satti, an orphan taken off the streets to be raised as an aristocrat's ward, but then was forced to shed her old life to escape arrest for a savage crime she didn't commit. And now, she is known simply as Widdershins the wily thief.And really, how could I not be drawn to a book starring a character with a name like Widdershins? Along with its impishly clever cover (I kept thinking I was holding the book upside down), it made me believe I was going to be settling down to a cute young adult novel, but to my delight it ended up being something so much more than that. It's true Thief's Covenant could be light and funny at times, but at others it was also quite dark, grim and heavy. For instance, the book opens on page one with a scene following a bloody and brutal massacre, which instantly dispelled any sort of preconceived notions on my part. But this I considered to be a point in the book's favor, along with the fact that it doesn't seem to fall prey to typical Young Adult genre conventions (I for one thought the decision to forgo a romantic arc was brave but ultimately wise). As such, I really think a wider audience can enjoy this without being worried about it feeling "too YA". In fact, I couldn't help but keep comparing this to Scott Lynch's The Lies of Locke Lamora, not only for the obvious similarities like the subject of the orphaned thief and the past-present format of the novel, but because Thief's Covenant also contains the kind of unexpected plot twists and gut-wrenching story developments that are so characteristic of the Gentleman Bastard books.Being such a slim volume, I was also pleasantly surprised at the richness of the setting and how layered the story is. This book takes place in a world where every person, from the wealthiest noble to the grimy street urchin, worships one of the dozens of gods approved by the Hallowed Pact. Widdershins, however, is a follower of the almost-forgotten minor deity Olgun, but their worshipper-worshipped relationship is one that is unlike any other. Olgun is in fact a major presence in Widdershins' life, or more accurately, a rather major one in her head. Like I said, there's plenty of cheer in this book too, and the playful banter between the two of them is a very good example of the humor you will find to break up the tension.I only wish the story had been better paced; part of this is due to the aforementioned time jumps which occur quite frequently, with flashbacks to an earlier part of Widdershins' life almost every other chapter. On the one hand this was a very good way to give us a better idea of her character, and I find I really enjoyed her back story. On the other hand, it made the plot feel disjointed and gave the book a slow start. And yet, one thing I did notice was the carefully planned and measured way the chapters were laid out, done with such a subtle elegance that the events told in the flashback chapters would always relate to what was happening to Widdershins in the present. In this way, all the questions you'll have about her character and her history will eventually be answered. The steady doling out of details admittedly made this book a little tough to get through for the first half, but the rewarding second half made picking this book up well worth it in the end.
    • 4/5
      Not sure how "YA" this book is, but thoroughly enjoyed the witty descriptions scattered through the story. I did wish it had a 'cast of characters' page to help me keep all the players straight for the first half or more of the book, but very solid overall.
    • 5/5
      Interesting! This is the word that I have chosen to describe this book. I was interested in the cover, because it kind of reminded me of a good game. And as I dove into its pages, the word interesting kept pressing through my mind until the last word ended this book. This book was a differnt read for me...for sure! But for some reason I loved it. At first when it kept going to all these flashbacks, I wasn't sure if I was going to like it or be confused. I can see this confusing people but I was unaffected. The flashbacks brought the characters old life to you while still continuing with the other story. Adrienne is a girl who went from "rags to riches" to "riches to rags." Not many characters have the chance to say that. But no matter she was persistent in all that she did and thats what I believe made me fall in love with this girl that as she continues on will turn into a young lady that one would come to respect. Sometimes. I fell in love with the action, adventure, that this book brought to me while I read in bed. I give the task of having all readers to check this book out and see if this story will capture your hearts. Full of the past that will decide the future Mr. Marmell creates a riveting story that one, like me would not forget.I give this book 5 souls!
    • 4/5
      Really great YA fantasy/horror. Marmell is quite good at this stuff. I loved that the event of the first couple pages aren't fully explained until about 70% of the way through.
    • 4/5
      Thief’s Covenant is an extremely fun ride. Marmell knows exactly how to set the scene with wonderfully vivid descriptions. There’s a number of very gory, creepy parts, and lots of characters die horrible, bloody deaths. At times, the bloodshed seems pointless; why kill off such great supporting characters? But it does raise the stakes and make the story that much more heartbreaking. I also love the banter between Widdershins and her divine companion Olgun. Overall, Thief’s Covenant is a highly entertaining read. To me, the book seems more adult-oriented than young adult, so I'd recommend it for either audience.
    • 5/5
      I started this right on the heels of reading Falling Kingdoms so, needless to say, tentatively. Thankfully, my fears at this being another YA High Fantasy with stilted dialogue and uncomfortable exposition were completely unfounded.

      I was so charmed by this book. It was absolutely delightful.

      Sometimes, I think that current YA High Fantasy (which is such a struggle to type out, can I just say YA HF? Because that's what I'm doing now) is always on the border of being overwrought. Everyone tries so hard to be new and different and yet it all ends up being very similar or just being too much (and I'm talking about a genre that still feels so small and always will because, let's face it, fantasy is hard to write). And it's the too much that bothers me the most (as someone who just really loves traditional fantasy and traditional worldbuilding). This was none of those things (it also... wasn't traditional fantasy/worldbuilding shh.) The worldbuilding was pseudo-French in the best of ways (my mind kept giving me Privilege of the Sword vibes but it's been so long since I've read that (like... eight years long) that I don't know how realistic a comparison that actually is. The pantheon of gods was so tastefully built up to not be overwhelming, just enough so that the reader figures out how it all works; house gods, a pact between "church approved" gods, etc., and it's east to follow.

      Widdershins was a true delight as a main character. I see complaints about characters like her a lot but they're my favourites. My favourites are the ones who are good at what they do, are aware that they're good at what they do, and utilise the fact that they're good at what they do. I also loved that unlike most novels about thieves (or assassins) this one actually noted when she struggled to do things like, say, scale the sides of buildings (because, you know, those things are hard even for seasoned thieves and making it sound like it's so easy is just implausible). It's the little things that make me appreciate a book sometimes.

      I really loved Widdershin's relationship with Olgun, it was delightfully written in its one-sidedness. Choosing to only have the dialogue be from her and only get vague impressions of feelings from him was great.
      I loved that some tropes were followed and others weren't. I loved that the high church official was a super chill dude. (Because in fantasy books so often those roles are terrible characters with ulterior motives, but no, he was super chill). Whereas the characters in the thieves guild were... less cool comparatively. Usually, it's the opposite way around. I appreciated the change up.

      The fight scenes were so great. Ah, they were so great, I loved them all. I love fight scenes that don't rush by too fast. With that, there were definitely times when this book was super gory and super dark. But that was part of what made it so charming. The writing style was fun and lighthearted but there was an incredibly dark undertone painted throughout the whole book.

      The writing style delighted me the most, especially the metaphors. Usually, I really don't like weird metaphors? We all know of my beef with Cassie Clare's bizarre metaphors. But these were so much fun.

      "Widdershins probably would have replied, but her friend’s violent embrace was only marginally looser than that of a hungry boa constrictor."

      And all the metaphors were fun like that! I think that's how metaphors should be used, but whatever. Just the writing style as a whole was my favourite part. I had this line marked simply for being fantastic:

      "Her own knowledge of herbs and medicines would have fit on an arrowhead, while still leaving room for a jaunty sonnet."

      It's all just so much fun.

      The plot is relatively simple, which I think works to this books benefit instead of working against it. The one big flaw for me was the time jumps. After a while they got easier to figure out, but at first I was really confused at the time jumps. They felt very erratic and all over the place. Ultimately, they came together to make sense of the larger story, but chapter by chapter they were kind of jarring. Really, though, that was it. I loved all the characters (Renard! Flamboyant Renard, he was a delight! The Archbishop, one of my favourites, all of them. all the characters) I enjoyed the setting. It was all just a grand time.