Thief of Lives is an unusual combination of mythology. The traditional pseudo-medieval fantasy setting, with elves and (presumably) dwarves, contrasts sharply with the primary focus of the characters: killing vampires. Or rather, exploiting the ignorance of the people who believe in vampires, because two snake-oil salesmen can make a good living getting rid of things that don’t really exist.
This book follows up on the first, which revealed to the protagonists that their mythical enemy actually existed, with an exploration of the stereotypically dark and mysterious past. What’s a formulaic fantasy wanderer without an air of mystery? Obviously, not stereotypical enough.
Like its predecessor, Thief of Lives is very much a B-grade fantasy novel. It will successfully pass the time, but little more.
