Honor Among Thieves

By Rachel Caine and Ann Aguirre

Meet your new favorite kickass heroine in this daring YA series by New York Times bestselling authors Rachel Caine and Ann Aguirre, a thrilling yet romantic futuristic adventure perfect for fans of Claudia Gray’s A Thousand Pieces of You.

Petty criminal Zara Cole has a painful past that’s made her stronger than most, which is why she chose life in New Detroit instead moving with her family to Mars. In her eyes, living inside a dome isn’t much better than a prison cell.

Still, when Zara commits a crime that has her running scared, jail might be exactly where she’s headed. Instead Zara is recruited into the Honors, an elite team of humans selected by the Leviathan—a race of sentient alien ships—to explore the outer reaches of the universe as their passengers.

Zara seizes the chance to flee Earth’s dangers, but when she meets Nadim, the alien ship she’s assigned, Zara starts to feel at home for the first time. But nothing could have prepared her for the dark, ominous truths that lurk behind the alluring glitter of starlight.

• Language: English
• Publisher: HarperCollins
• Release date: Feb 13, 2018
• ISBN: 9780062571014

Rachel Caine

Rachel Caine is the #1 internationally bestselling author of almost fifty novels, including the New York Times bestselling Morganville Vampires young adult series. Her novel Prince of Shadows won multiple awards, including being named to the Spirit of Texas Reading List, and most recently, Ink and Bone, the first of her Great Library series, is an international bestseller and critical success, and winner of multiple nominations and awards, including being named to the Lone Star List by the Texas Library Association.

Reviews for Honor Among Thieves

[stacyatufi · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

HONOR AMONG THIEVES started out strong, but then it took a turn towards weird. I honestly don't even know where to start with this one. Zara seemed to be a strong yet flawed character. I enjoyed the settings that were introduced and the situations that happened. Then about 1/3rd of the way in Zara went to space and the story totally lost me. I'm actually surprised that I didn't mark this as DNF. I guess I just hoped that things would turn around and unfortunately it didn't. I didn't get the connection between Zara and Nadim—the sentient ship. It's romantic in a way and I just couldn't get over the weirdness of that. There are a ton of questions that don't get answered and I honestly was just really bored. Did I mention that there is sexual tension between Zara and the sentient ship? Yeah I just couldn't.I don't plan to continue the series.* This book was provided free of charge from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

[kmartin802_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

HONOR AMONG THIEVES kicks off a new epic fantasy trilogy collaboration between Rachel Caine and Anne Aguirre.Zara Cole's problems with authority and need for freedom made her run away from the hothouse environment of New Detroit to the Lower Eight where crime is rampant and everyone is out for themselves. She doesn't pay much attention to the big news of the day. The alien Leviathans are back to pick out a new crop of Honors to travel with them for a year as crew on their huge living spaceships. Zara is more concerned with finding her next mark and stealing enough to live on for the next few days.Unfortunately, Zara's new mark is connected to a crime boss who wants what she stole and is willing to kill her to get it. Zora checks herself back into rehab for her antisocial tendencies in order get away but is tracked down. Luckily, she is picked to be one of the next hundred Honors and agrees in order to get off Earth and out of danger.What Zara doesn't know is that teaming up with the Leviathan Nadim only changes the kind of danger that she will face. She and Beatriz, the second Honor on Nadim, need to be trained and pass tests before their one-year Tour. But Zara is anything but a rule follower and asks lots of questions of Nadim and about their mission. I really enjoyed the world building in this story with huge sentient beings acting as spaceships. I liked that Zara was smart and suspicious but a good friend if you could gain her loyalty. I loved the relationship that developed between Zara and Nadim. I can't wait to find out what happens next for them in further books. I highly recommend this series for fans of science fiction.

[acargile-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is a science fiction thriller akin to Star Trek.It’s the century of 2100 when the people of the Earth have been rescued by alien beings. The Leviathan came and gave advanced technology to Earth to save it. In return, select humans get to take a tour of space for a year. These travelers, Honors, live in the alien, so the alien is their ship. They have a close relationship with the Leviathan. After the yearlong tour, some Honors are selected to go on the Journey. They never return; instead, they travel out to see other worlds.Zara lives on the edge of society, stealing and living dangerously. Her mother and sister live on Mars, but Zara chose to remain behind because she’s caused so much trouble for them. She wants them to not worry about her. After getting in trouble with a major crime boss, Zara’s days are numbered. She finds sanctuary in a facility, but she knows that she can be killed at anytime. Suddenly, cameras appear and she’s been selected as an Honor, which doesn’t make sense. She’s tempted to tell them off but realizes she would be safer in space. In a year, things will calm down and she can return. Life in space is more than Zara expects. Her companion is whip smart and they strike up a friendship. More surprising is that Zara can communicate more deeply with the Leviathan than others. Their ship/alien is named Nadim. The others who were on Nadim have bonded with another alien Leviathan to go on the Journey. Of course, everything isn’t as it seems. The girls must be strong, smart, and capable of working alone, for it’s just the two of them with Nadim. Nadim is kind and caring. I am not a fan of Star Trek or any sci-fi along those lines, but there are many sci-fi books that I have loved. It’s these space ones that give me pause. I had trouble suspending my disbelief and seeing how one can live in an alien yet control the “ship.” I liked all of the characters and found the story interesting, continually turning pages instead of stopping; it’s a bit of a roller coaster ride. I did like it and think many people will. I liked Illuminae better, but I think more of you will like this novel better. I think this series will be intense, so give it a try.

[thegenreminx · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Umm, living alien ships that take two Honors (people chosen for the honor of a year long voyage on the ship) into space where they get to experience the universe??! Sign me up! Right from the start I was drawn into Honor Among Thieves. Zara was a character who chose to walk the hard path. She had issues with authority and did what she wanted to do – always. It wasn’t until she found herself backed into a corner that she was given a completely unexpected choice, but to her it was not an honor. When she was chosen as an Honor is was more like she was stuck between a rock and a hard place. She did not like either option she was given but chose to participate in the Honors program because it was the safer option.Once she and her companion, Bea, were aboard their Leviathan named Nadim, they quickly realized that there was more going on than what appeared on the surface. On one hand, Zara finds that she has a deeper connection to Nadim than anyone expected and it makes her feel quite unsettled but at the same time she feels “right” for the first time in a long time. On the other hand, it becomes pretty clear to Zara and Bea that they were not being told the truth about the relationships between the Leviathans and their role in regards to humankind. Zara started to question why they were truly there and this “questioning” leads to some pretty dire situations for the crew.I loved Nadim, he was a fabulous character for a sentient alien being. I found everything to do with the Leviathans just fascinating and man did I wish for it to be true because sign me up for a year long voyage in space! I like the relationship that built up between Zara and Bea, it was a great emotional bond that they shared. It was honest and they were all in when it came to looking out for each other. I loved it! There is a great representation of diversity in this story as well, so A+ for that. The pace was steady but I did feel like the story slowed a bit in parts. The action – I loved the action scenes! Zara was such a fierce character in those scenes and I liked that she and the others were engaged with alien creators who were pretty nightmarish. Honor Among Thieves was a sci-fi gem of a read and I can’t wait for the next book in this series!

[jlslipak · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Description:Petty criminal Zara Cole has a painful past that’s made her stronger than most, which is why she chose life in New Detroit instead moving with her family to Mars. In her eyes, living inside a dome isn’t much better than a prison cell.Still, when Zara commits a crime that has her running scared, jail might be exactly where she’s headed. Instead Zara is recruited into the Honors, an elite team of humans selected by the Leviathan—a race of sentient alien ships—to explore the outer reaches of the universe as their passengers.Zara seizes the chance to flee Earth’s dangers, but when she meets Nadim, the alien ship she’s assigned, Zara starts to feel at home for the first time. But nothing could have prepared her for the dark, ominous truths that lurk behind the alluring glitter of starlight.468 PagesExpected Publication Date: February 13, 2018Published by: Katherine Tegen BooksMY THOUGHTS:I was provided with this arc in exchanged for an honest review.I’ve read a LOT of science fiction book over the years, I’m even writing one, and when I saw that this book was about a ‘chosen one,’ I was a bit hesitant to read Honor Among Thieves. I even started it, and then put it away because I just couldn’t get into it for some reason.After getting through all my other ARCs, I picked up this book and tried again. Well, I’m an idiot! Once I was able to sit and read a few chapters in a row, I was hooked. I have no idea what my problem was. Moving on…This is such a well-written book. The plot is extraordinary, flowing from one transition to the next, smoothly building the tension and developing conflict. The setting was intricately developed, drawing the reader into the environment surrounding the Protagonist both on earth and in space. Everything the Protagonist experienced was perfectly and clearly written and her responses, amazing, enticing and critical to the story development. As the reader, you’re drawn into her personal conflicts, witness her flaws getting in her way and how her past is affecting her present. You learn how she became the way she is at the beginning of the book and watch her develop from there.The Protagonist’s character development was bang on. I watched this damaged, uncontrollable, antagonistic young adult start off as someone who was desperate, broken and in need of something that seemed to remain just beyond her reach. She transverses through the book as an unwanted ‘throwaway,’ ends up doing something that affects her life drastically and seeks out the only place she thought she’d feel safe. It wasn’t. For some reason, a little unclear until the end, she is selected for a program that really shouldn’t have been for her. She has no choice but to accept or face another possibility that could be far worse.At this point, I was getting a Hunger Game vibes. This didn’t last long as the Protagonist is whisked off into space and into a place completely out of her comfort zone, if she really had one to start off with. More characters are brought into play, the one most important is Nadim. Wow! He felt so real to me and the bond that develops between the Protagonist and Nadim is unbelievably fantastic. So much detail (which you need for science fiction), the experiences between Zara and Nadim were beautifully written. I was right there with them, seeing and feeling all of what they felt. I love their bond and how it plays into the story.Creating aliens that the reader can visualize is incredibly difficult but exclusively important when writing science fiction books. The Leviathan are such an extraordinary concept. Just how they are described is done well. The style of writing was reminiscent of H.G. Wells. Every last detail completely fleshed out and developed. Even the relationship between the Leviathan themselves, was superbly done.The relationship between Protagonist and Nadim begins fragmented, flawed and moves quickly towards becoming whole and realistic, the author moving the story along smoothly showcasing the relationship’s development–its pros and cons; and, careful not to venture into the realm of ridiculous (this is sci fi after all). Nadim and those like him are fantastical creatures that you wish were real.There is a ‘savior’ element of aliens coming to the aid of humans when they were about to destroy themselves, but there are also costs, consequences, and reasons that you learn about as the book progresses. The connection between humans and aliens who are so physically different coming together spiritually/mentally to face challenges not experienced by humans until now… wow, that’s all I can say… wow!There’s another ‘savior’ element where the Protagonist “saves the day.” But this is done not without the help of others and this factor is also written well. I’ve read many aliens save humans but for a devious reason books. This book is not that.It’s a good chunky book, and I highly recommend that you read four or five chapters at a time to keep the story unfolding fairly and comprehensively, and not to let it sit for lengthy periods of time because this book is meant to be read in one sitting. You’ll disappear into an imagined possibility that will leave you wanting more.The one common element YA readers want is a ‘quick read.’ This book is not meant to be that. If you love involved and creative science fiction, then this one is a good choice. The YA Protagonist has been fleshed out completely. She is a fantastic, strong female character, a bit badass, a bit damaged, and truly one that science fiction readers will love.The secondary characters are perfect for the Protagonist. They are critical to the story, not just thrown in ‘cuz.’ They complete their roles of driving the Protagonist toward her goals, and help her achieve successful resolutions. They too are well-developed, flawed and realistic, and I really enjoyed their own quirks and issues, and, learning more about them.As a science fiction, this is relatively an easy read.The only thing I didn’t like, was the ending. It left too many questions unanswered and I wasn’t ready to give up this adventure yet. I was that hooked. I will be reading the next book and I hope it does as good a job with these characters as what the first did. This is going to be a high standard to match.

[embarrasseddragon234 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Gosh, I don't even know how to describe how good this book is, it's just fabulous and I really don't know what else I can say about it. Honestly, I had been having trouble finding new books that would actually hold my attention for very long recently but I got this at my library and couldn't put it down, and that's such a cliche way to say how good a book it but it's true, all the other books that I got that day just seemed dull in comparison. I can't wait for the rest of the series to come out, I need to find out what happens to Zara and the Honors next.

[wanderlustlover_1 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Flames and so much pain.

I wanted to love this book so much. The description is right up my alley, and being in the middle of my Farscape rewatch when I started reading it, I was so perfectly in the place for even more living-ship Leviathans. But this book was so disappointing. The kind of painfully disappointing where I would have seriously considered not listening to it after the first half, if it wasn't for the fact it is a book club book and I love my book club.

The plot is predictable at every turn, and every outcome in any conflict is incredibly convenient. The entire piece centers on our main character, who can do anything with her street smarts, but who only remembers things when the plot suddenly calls for it. She's the first person in hundreds to do uncounted things in this book, which with every mounting one (well over a dozen times in the plot) seems even more and more unlikely.

[judygibson-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Well, my sister recommended this to me so I laid hands on a copy only to see that the library had shelved it as YA, which I generally spurn. But I started it anyway, and basically could not put it down. Great action, great characters, interesting story. And not at all full of teen angst and other coming-of-age stuff that doesn't interest me. I liked it very much and am interested in seeing where the rest of the series goes.

[quondame · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Super competent rogue teen girl in space with something extra. Living space leviathans zip about the solar system visiting multiple planets in less than a week, and reach light years away in days. The plot action is fast and packed and predictable. Space Opera popcorn for the preadolescent.

[bookbrig-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I'm here for sci-fi with aliens and sentient spaceships, and this book has both in spades. I really loved the way the story played out: the asides from Nadim, the questions about the tour and the journey, and the slow reveal of what was happening in the wider universe. Plus the characters are amazing, and I would like to read the next book immediately, pls.

[theyodamom · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Aliens come to earth offering help and more to humans. These are not your typical two legged, upright aliens no these are like spaceships. You can travel in them, and some humans go on a kind of foreign exchange program traveling out into the universe with them. How cool is that ? Oh but it gets so much better, they can communicate with humans, in ways that I'm not going to tell you but they are awesome. The book centers on one alien, and his honors (humans) two very different girls. This alien is a kind of runt of the litter, and on his last chance mission. Yes, there is a tug on the heart strings. One of the girls is not a follow the rules type and quickly crosses the line with questions and bonding with her host more than she should. There are space fights, dramatic encounters, emotional breakthroughs, and revelations that shock.I loved it, I want to hear it on audio now. It was so visually written it would be a fabulous movie. Please make the movie somebody. I was on the edge of my seat through the whole book. it had a slight Star Trek vibe going- bonus. The characters where all so well developed I was felt for all of them. I'm shocked I'm not a SciFi reader, I expected to not like this. It ends with a cliffhanger so be ready to grab the next book.