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Preview — A Plunder of Souls by D.B. Jackson
A Plunder of Souls
(Thieftaker Chronicles #3)
D.B. Jackson (Goodreads Author)
Boston, 1769: Ethan Kaille, a Boston thieftaker who uses his conjuring to catch criminals, has snared villans and defeated magic that would have daunted a lesser man. What starts out as a mysterious phenomenon that has local ministers confused becomes something far more serious.
A ruthless, extremely powerful conjurer seeks to wake the souls of the dead to wreak a terrible Boston, 1769: Ethan Kaille, a Boston thieftaker who uses his conjuring to catch criminals, has snared villans and defeated magic that would have daunted a lesser man. What starts out as a mysterious phenomenon that has local ministers confused becomes something far more serious.
A ruthless, extremely powerful conjurer seeks to wake the souls of the dead to wreak a terrible revenge on all who oppose him. Kaille's minister friends have been helpless to stop crimes against their church. Graves have been desecrated in a bizarre, ritualistic way. Equally disturbing are reports of recently deceased citizens of Boston reappearing as grotesquely disfigured shades, seemingly having been disturbed from their eternal rest, and now frightening those who had been nearest to them in life. But most personally troubling to Kaille is a terrible waning of his ability to conjure. He knows all these are related…but how?
When Ethan discovers the source of this trouble, he realizes that his conjure powers and those of his friends will not be enough to stop a madman from becoming all-powerful. But somehow, using his wits, his powers, and every other resource he can muster, Ethan must thwart the monster's terrible plan and restore the restless souls of the dead to the peace of the grave. Let the battle for souls begin in A Plunder of Souls, the third, stand-alone novel in Jackson's acclaimed Thieftaker series. ...more
Published July 8th 2014 by Tor Books
Thieftaker Chronicles #3
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Feb 25, 2018 Marlene rated it it was amazing
Originally published at Reading Reality
Today is Presidents Day, so I went searching through the towering TBR pile to find something set in the Revolutionary period. (Yes, I know that Presidents Day celebrates both Washington and Lincoln, but I'm still listening to the utterly marvelous Grant by Ron Chernow, and therefore have all the Civil War I can handle at the moment.)
Which brought me back to the Thieftaker Chronicles and A Plunder of Souls. I read Thieftaker last year for this holiday, and Originally published at Reading Reality
Which brought me back to the Thieftaker Chronicles and A Plunder of Souls. I read Thieftaker last year for this holiday, and loved it so much I dove into the next book in the series, Thieves' Quarry, perhaps a bit too soon.
So after most of a year, I'm back to this series. And A Plunder of Souls did not disappoint. Far from it.
The setting for the series is so well done that the reader feels as though they are walking the streets of pre-Revolutionary Boston with Ethan Kaille, complete with seeing the sights and even smelling the smells. If you like your historical fiction and mysteries to give you that "you are there" feeling, this series certainly does that well.
But the Thieftaker Chronicles are not merely historical fiction, and they aren't quite historical mysteries, although there is usually a mysterious element to the story. The author bills this series as "historical fantasy" because he has taken pre-Revolutionary America and added two elements, one slightly ahistorical, and one definitely fantastic.
Although there were thieftakers in Boston in the colonial period, there were none recorded in Boston during the time the series takes place. What Ethan does for a living is fairly obvious from the name – people hire him to find something that has been stolen, and/or to find the person who stole it.
But the fantasy element comes very much into play in this entry in the series. Ethan is a "speller", or conjurer. In Salem a century before, he'd have been labeled a "witch" and probably hung, burned, drowned or pressed for it. Ethan can cast spells, and he's not the only one in Boston who can.
The case that Ethan is hired to investigate is a particularly grisly one. Someone is vandalizing graves of the recently deceased and violating the corpses. The head and right hand of each corpse has been removed, an article of clothing has been stolen, a strange symbol has been carved over the heart of each corpse, and, in a particularly nasty message to Ethan himself, three toes have been cut off of each corpse's left foot – just as Ethan had those same toes removed years ago.
It's not just the mutilated bodies that have the local churches and cemeteries in an uproar. The ghosts of the violated dead are returning to their homes, looking just as they currently do in their graves.
And whatever or whoever is bringing back the dead, they are also doing something that draws power away from all the spellers in town. Ethan's powers are no longer reliable, nor are those of his friends and colleagues.
As the spirits multiply, Ethan finds himself banding together with old friends and even old enemies in order to bring down a mad spellcaster with a taste for power – and revenge.
Escape Rating A-: I read this in a single day. I started it thinking I'd finish it on the plane home from DC, but in the end I just couldn't wait that long. I got sucked in and didn't get spit out until the end.
The author brings this historical period alive in a way that makes the reader feel as if they are walking the streets with Ethan. Amazingly, it's not done by introducing a host of real historical characters, although there are a few historical figures whose work intersects with Ethan's. It's more that the story is so steeped in historical details that the reader can't help but be drawn in, while at the same time that wealth of detail never drags down the story.
As a character Ethan is certainly interesting to follow. He is very thoughtful about his life and his situation. Part of what makes him different is that he does not see himself particularly as a hero, more as someone who is often swept along by events who does the best he can. Ethan is also middle-aged for his time, in his early 40s. The years are catching up with him, and he's not sure how much longer he can continue as a thieftaker – especially since the increasing presence of British troops (the Redcoats really are coming) has depressed business considerably. With so many soldiers on the streets, the small time crooks who are Ethan's bread and butter are laying very, very low.
This particular entry in the series is steeped in magic. The crime, while not magical in itself, is done with magical purpose. Ethan finds himself at a crossroads, seeing that his spells are failing,realizing just how dependent he is on his ability to conjure, and uncertain of what to do if his talents fail him.
His enemy this time is thankfully not Sephira Pryce. Her character does not feel as real to me as others in the series, and every time she appears I feel myself gritting my teeth. On the other hand, the villain of A Plunder of Souls is just a bit over the top – and he's barking mad into the bargain. Very powerful, but also completely nuckin' futz. He's very scary and also a bit unfocused.
And apparently the villain in the next and final book in the series, Dead Man's Reach, as well. I'll be glad to see the back of this particular character, but very, very sorry to see this series end. ...more
Aug 19, 2014 Ron rated it liked it
Shelves: fantasy, ebook, historical-fiction, maps
Well-written historical urban legend set in colonial Boston, just like Thieftaker and Thieves' Quarry, but unfortunately follows the formula so closely that the reader can predict each succeeding action.
Don't get me wrong, Jackson is a master wordsmith. He paints vivid pictures of the time and place, his characters have depth and emotion, and he melding of history and fantasy is a marvel. I suspect if I'd waited a little more time between reading the books their formulaic structure might be less Well-written historical urban legend set in colonial Boston, just like Thieftaker and Thieves' Quarry, but unfortunately follows the formula so closely that the reader can predict each succeeding action.
Don't get me wrong, Jackson is a master wordsmith. He paints vivid pictures of the time and place, his characters have depth and emotion, and he melding of history and fantasy is a marvel. I suspect if I'd waited a little more time between reading the books their formulaic structure might be less obvious.
Also, three stars from me is the same as four from many other people.
A very good read.
Aug 22, 2014 Jon added it · review of another edition
Shelves: read-in-my-40s, fiction, liked-it, ebooks, historical-fiction, fantasy
3.5 to 4 stars
Jackson barely avoided getting bad marks for zombies. I'll let it slide because despite corpse desecration, it ultimately became a ghost story, at least for the formerly living. For the living, it was the usual rage and revenge running rampant in Colonial Boston, with a dash of conjuring to spice things up a bit.
The small pox subplot seemed like filler and is confirmed in the Historical Note at the end; included for historical accuracy.
A page turner and a welcome return of 3.5 to 4 stars
A page turner and a welcome return of Thieftaker Ethan Kaille. ...more
Dec 16, 2019 Benjamin Thomas rated it it was amazing
Shelves: mystery-detective-pi, historical-fiction, fantasy-general
Book three in the four-book set of the Thieftaker Chronicles is another corker. It's now 1769 in British-occupied Boston, and conjurer Ethan Kaille is about to take on the most difficult case of his career so far. A case that will pay him nothing, no less. Seems somebody has been robbing recent graves around the city and, strangely, taking skulls and other body parts. Worse, those deceased people have begun to appear as shades, haunting their families. And still worse, Ethan, as well as his Book three in the four-book set of the Thieftaker Chronicles is another corker. It's now 1769 in British-occupied Boston, and conjurer Ethan Kaille is about to take on the most difficult case of his career so far. A case that will pay him nothing, no less. Seems somebody has been robbing recent graves around the city and, strangely, taking skulls and other body parts. Worse, those deceased people have begun to appear as shades, haunting their families. And still worse, Ethan, as well as his conjuror friends, is experiencing sudden failures in his spell-casting abilities.
Once again, I love the combination of three of my favorite genres in a single novel. The author deftly melds mystery, historical fiction, and fantasy together to tell an engrossing story filled with danger and intrigue. This time around, Ethan solves the mystery about halfway through but how to deal with what he learns becomes the new mystery. Much of the final half is devoted to a much larger magical battle than we've seen before in this series and I really enjoyed the expanded spell options and methods that were used. The action was fast and perilous but, in the end, as happens with all the best magical battles, it is the intelligent and clever use of the magic system that wins out.
And, of course, all the activity takes place amongst the backdrop of Boston just prior to the Revolutionary War. The Boston presented in these books is historically accurate, right down to the original street names, taverns, and soon-to-be historical personages.
The ending of this volume leaves things somewhat open, or at least Ethan thinks so. I can't wait to read the fourth and final book to see if he's right. ...more
Sep 20, 2017 Nicole Luiken rated it really liked it
Shelves: thriller-mystery, sf-fantasy, historical
Still enjoying this historical/mystery/fantasy series. I really liked the handicap the main character was faced with this book: his magic is no longer working reliably and his enemy knows it. Lots of tense stand0ffs with rising stakes.
Apr 13, 2014 Daniel Shellenbarger rated it liked it
Shelves: picaresque, mystery, historical-fantasy, revenge
A Plunder of Souls takes us back to 1769 Boston, teetering on the verge of Revolution as the British occupation pushes more and more of the town towards supporting the radicals. But that's not our story. Conjurer/thieftaker Ethan Kaile is faced with a grisly task when several prominent cemeteries are vandalized and dozens of corpses are ritually dismembered. Even worse, the shades of the dead are haunting their families. On a personal level, these heinous acts herald a decrease in Ethan's A Plunder of Souls takes us back to 1769 Boston, teetering on the verge of Revolution as the British occupation pushes more and more of the town towards supporting the radicals. But that's not our story. Conjurer/thieftaker Ethan Kaile is faced with a grisly task when several prominent cemeteries are vandalized and dozens of corpses are ritually dismembered. Even worse, the shades of the dead are haunting their families. On a personal level, these heinous acts herald a decrease in Ethan's ability to conjure and when it becomes clear that the person responsible is a conjurer from Ethan's past with a grudge and a near monopoly on conjuring in Boston, well... let's just say that Ethan has had better weeks.
I've really enjoyed D.B. Jackson's thieftaker series. He has put a lot of effort into developing the historical context and his characters (even the ones that aren't politically correct or likeable) are generally well-fleshed-out and more than just cartoonish hate-mongering post-modern cardboard cutouts (as is too often the case with historical fiction these days). The mysteries in the first two books were quite clever and kept me guessing for the majority of the story and nicely tied in to the greater affairs of Boston's descent towards revolution. Sadly, this book didn't quite live up to its predecessors. While the characters are still mostly well-crafted and the initial set up is great (both the disturbing mystery and the contextual events in Boston relating to the occupation), the new antagonist is insanely over-powered so much so that he doesn't even bother trying to cover up or deny responsibility. And there goes the mystery. Likewise, after revealing the who, what, when, where, and why of the story (pretty early on), the story goes into plot circles. It seemed to me that the last half of the story was just Ethan confronting the villain, trying to convince him not to go through with his scheme. Then Ethan gets the snot beat out of him by said villain, who tells him that he can't win (in typical melodramatic fashion) and then lets him go, and then they do it all over again, while Ethan agonizes over how he can't kill the villain. By the end of the story I was mostly just frustrated (view spoiler)[ and then the villain pulls off a cheap arch-nemesis move and disappears at the end when it seems he's dead (hide spoiler)]. All in all, it's still a decent read, but it could've been more. ...more
Jul 06, 2014 T. K. Elliott (Tiffany) rated it really liked it · review of another edition
Shelves: reviewed, fantasy-gaslight
Once again, a very good read - this has become one of those series I look out for.
Ethan Kaille is a man trying to do a job under quite difficult circumstances. He has the ability to do magic, but this doesn't really make his life any easier (quite the reverse) - and he's not particularly powerful, although there are hints that his limitations are more to do with his lack of skill than anything else.
In this book, we see a bit more of Sephira Pryce, which is a good thing - she becomes a bit more Once again, a very good read - this has become one of those series I look out for.
In this book, we see a bit more of Sephira Pryce, which is a good thing - she becomes a bit more multi-dimensional. There's only a limited amount you can do with a character who seems to exist only to cause trouble for Ethan: in this book, we see another side to her.
This is an excellent book if you want a believable setting, a protagonist who isn't brilliant at everything (and sometimes makes mistakes), and an interesting take on magic. ...more
Jul 08, 2014 Alleyne Dickens rated it really liked it
Shelves: historical-fantasy, urban-fantasy
A good installment of this series. I loved the way Mr. Jackson pulled in threads from his earlier books and wove them into a compelling story.
On the negative side, this book was a little slow to get rolling. And I wish the main character would get a horse already! Kale walks a lot -- on a bad leg and giving details of the streets he takes. Unless you live in Boston, it won't mean anything to you. And especially since we were listening to it and not following Kale's route on a map.
I do love how A good installment of this series. I loved the way Mr. Jackson pulled in threads from his earlier books and wove them into a compelling story.
I do love how imaginative this series is, taking historical events and spinning magic around them. The writing is strong and the story is engaging. A new volume comes out soon and I'm waiting impatiently to add it to my library! ...more
Feb 13, 2014 Darrell Grizzle rated it it was amazing
One of the things I love about DragonCon, the annual convention in Atlanta, is discovering wonderful new books and authors with whom I'd not been familiar. In 2012 my "discovery" was D.B. Jackson, who had just published Thieftaker, the first novel in this series. I fell in love with the novel and have eagerly awaited each book in this series. A Plunder of Souls did not disappoint! I've come to love the world Jackson has created, a world based in the historical pre-revolutionary Boston, but with One of the things I love about DragonCon, the annual convention in Atlanta, is discovering wonderful new books and authors with whom I'd not been familiar. In 2012 my "discovery" was D.B. Jackson, who had just published Thieftaker, the first novel in this series. I fell in love with the novel and have eagerly awaited each book in this series. A Plunder of Souls did not disappoint! I've come to love the world Jackson has created, a world based in the historical pre-revolutionary Boston, but with magical elements and characters I've grown to care about - even the delightfully evil villainess, Sephira Pryce. This novel was action-packed and the system of magic used in this world was intriguing as always. Highly recommended, even if you haven't read the first two novels in the series. ...more
Aug 15, 2017 Shayla McBride rated it liked it
Shelves: suspense
I wish there was a 3.5 star because this book is really not a 3, yet not a 4. If you enjoy historicals with real magic, you should enjoy this. The setting is very well done, almost over-explained. Kaille is a fine hero with a concern for spirits few could match. Supportinng characters, particularly Janna, are excellent, well drawn and varied. The plot is fascinating if simple. What may keep tnis book out of the top tier is hard to explain. It's not close in point of view, which gives the tensest I wish there was a 3.5 star because this book is really not a 3, yet not a 4. If you enjoy historicals with real magic, you should enjoy this. The setting is very well done, almost over-explained. Kaille is a fine hero with a concern for spirits few could match. Supportinng characters, particularly Janna, are excellent, well drawn and varied. The plot is fascinating if simple. What may keep tnis book out of the top tier is hard to explain. It's not close in point of view, which gives the tensest scenes a distance they don't need. It has a somewhat formal feel, and could use less journalistic reporting, particularly in action scenes. I will read more in this series. ...more
Jun 30, 2014 Jasper rated it it was amazing
Shelves: read-in-2014, epic-fantasy, sword-and-sorcery, urban-fantasy, tor, alt-history, supernatural
originally posted at: http://thebookplank.blogspot.com/2014...
I have been a long time fan of David B. Coe's books and last year I read my first, and his second book in the Thieftaker Chronicles (written under the pseudonym of D.B. Jackson), Thieves Quarry. The earlier books of David B. Coe were epic fantasy and with the Thieftaker Chronicles he introduced an alternate history series taking place in Boston, however it's not only an alternate history story, D.B. Jackson masterfully weaves urban originally posted at: http://thebookplank.blogspot.com/2014...
I have been a long time fan of David B. Coe's books and last year I read my first, and his second book in the Thieftaker Chronicles (written under the pseudonym of D.B. Jackson), Thieves Quarry. The earlier books of David B. Coe were epic fantasy and with the Thieftaker Chronicles he introduced an alternate history series taking place in Boston, however it's not only an alternate history story, D.B. Jackson masterfully weaves urban fantasy and detective themes into his story as well! The Thieftaker Chronicles are a prime example of what is needed to keep fantasy new and exciting!
In Thieves Quarry, Ethan Kaille, one of Boston's most (in)famous thieftakers had his work cut out for him and was dealing with his biggest case so far. Since Thieves Quarry introduced me to Ethan Kaille and the world that D.B. Jackson envisioned in his Thieftaker Chronicles I didn't have any knowledge of what happened in the first book, this didn't proof to be a barrier as some of the dealing of the first book were explained but mostly Thieves Quarry is a stand-alone contained story, like those case files you see in many urban fantasy series. Just a short note for those who aren't familiar with the Thieftaker Chronicles. The story revolves around the Boston Thieftaker, Ethan Kaille, who has a special gift. Ethan is a conjurer, able to call magic spells, but there is a twist. There is always a cost, and this can be either big or small depending on the type of spell. Ethan uses this conjuring for solving his crimes. It has given him a huge advantage over others but it also has caused him to get drawn into some difficulties and since the events of Thieves Quarry, his fellow thieftaker and revival Sephira Pierce also has one working for her and this has taken his edge away.
A Plunder of Souls begins with Ethan working a normal case to retrieve a set of pistols and jsut as he has solved the case i.e. retrieved the stolen goods he gets a visit by his revival Sephira and her strong hands. Ethan with his wit manages to escape and keep his well earned pay. Only after this Ethan is approached for another job, one with a more gruesome theme than retrieving a set of pistol. Throughout Boston in several cemeteries bodies have been dug up and their graves desecrated, several items have been cut off the bodies and symbols have been carved into their chests. By one of these things Ethan's directly connects the dots, all the dug up corpses miss three toes from their feet and this is just what Ethan has as well. Is someone gunning for him? As Ethan get deeper and deeper into his investigation several clues just don't seem to add up and just as he is about to give he makes one breakthrough, one with links to his past. If you have read Thieves Quarry and thought that Ethan had a tough job, in A Plunder of Souls he is facing his toughest case so far. One person, Sephira, with her interference doesn't make Ethan's job any easier. But in order to save the fate of his fellow conjurers and the people of Boston both Ethan and Sephira have to call for a cease-fire else there won't be nothing left for them to fight over. As with D.B. Jackson's books you are always in for an inventive plot/story and A Plunder of Souls is no exception. D.B. Jackson pulls all the stops to create one epic story. As I have mentioned many times before I am a big sucker for cool magic and D.B. Jackson explores the conjuring ability, it's strengths and boundaries in much more depth in A Plunder of Souls.
I have to say that I was very impressed with the story that D.B. Jackson has put down in A Plunder of Souls. Thieves Quarry was a great read but with A Plunder of Souls he really has outdone himself. The idea behind the second book in the series was great and when you read the eventual plot of how it all was done it was like this awing moment, and as I have mentioned with A Plunder of Souls D.B. Jackson pulls all the stops and makes an even bigger idea come to life this really makes you wonder just what other deadly encounters there are in store for Ethan and how dangerous this conjuring can be.
A big plus to the story of A Plunder of Souls was the focus on the bad guy. In the beginning Ethan is clueless about who could be desecrating the graves but eventually he does find who is doing this grim business and that is only about half way in. So I was wondering just how the story would continue since it should have been a done deal for Ethan and his conjuring ability. However it soon proves to be the opposite. In the last half o the book D.B. Jackson shows just how dangerous certain people and their actions can be. Ethan tries again and again to defeat the bad guy but he just cannot over come the strength of him. It reminded me a bit of a cold war kind of thing where both threatened the other but hardly coming to the deadly blow... Also the bad guy in this case thinks he is invincible, these kind of thoughts can easily cause your downfall...
Ethan once again makes up for an great protagonist to draw the story forward. There is no denying he has a great knack of solving the crime business for the people of Boston but D.B. Jackson clearly shows that the living in 1769 was far from easy going and Ethan lives day by day and job by job, when he doesn't work he won't make money and he won't be able to eat and pay his rent. It was nice to see that this influences the behavior of Ethan, that he has to accept jobs even those that don't appeal to him just to get some money to keep on going. On a different side, though Ethan's actions are steered by this he isn't one to be negative about it and makes the best of everything, there is enough reprieve when he is with friends and I do think that Ethan likes to best Sephira every way he can. Though there is a definite tension between them, it never really comes to blows. I am a big fan of their little interplay. It does seem pretty innocent but does make me wonder whether this is just the case.
As for the other characters that you see in A Plunder of Souls most of them are recurrent like Sephira and her band as well as Kannice which is an ungoing complex love relation. Just as we learn more and more about Ethan's character, D.B. Jackson also invests a lot of time in developing the secondary characters more and more. Even though Sephira is turning dirtier and dirtier by the moment there are some great moments when a certain realization dawns on her and made her wonder whether constantly crossing Ethan is for the better of both. The conjurer, Mariz, that Sephira added to her band did show a great importance in this book and he still owes his life to Ethan and this added a division between his loyalties when he had to deal with Sephira and Ethan at the same time, some nice inner struggles there. Just the last person I want to mention is Janna Windcatcher, she is Ethan's go to person when it all comes to conjuring, the best thing here is that even though Ethan is stubborn, when it comes to the higher forces he gladly takes on the experience of an more experienced conjurer. All in all the characters are well fleshed out and you can really see that D.B. Jackson has invested a lot of time in them.
A Plunder of Souls is a terrific addition to the Thieftaker Chronicles. D.B. Jackson shows once again that he knows how to pull all the right strings to create one creative story. As I have said if you though that Thieves Quarry was great wait till you get your hands on A Plunder of Souls, its even better, D.B. Jackson has really outdone himself. The story of A Plunder of Souls shows just how deadly conjuring can be but also shows how dangerous people can be when they are set out for revenge and when they don't shy away when it comes to sacrificing other for their gain. The alternate world wherein the Thieftaker Chronicles take place really has that historical sense working in it's favor, you can see the hardships of that time, just getting around earning enough money to live another day, it musn't have been a great time to have lived in. However the world isn't only painted with dark and grim strokes but there is also the joy and humor found in Ethan's character and his interactions with several other characters. A Plunder of Souls is a great book and features nicely as a standalone, D.B. Jackson has signed a four book deal so I am curious to see just where the fourth book will take us and in the meanwhile I will be rooting that it will be extended beyond the four books! Definitely a recommendation. ...more
Nov 17, 2017 Eric rated it really liked it
A solid 3.5-4. I've loved the Thieftaker books. I actually bought this one first, started it, and realized it was part of a series. I was so intrigued with the idea, I bought the first two.
Magic in pre-Revolutionary America is an awesome idea, and I appreciate that he's not totally overpowered with his magic either. Ethan has his limitations and he really has to get creative and I loved that about the first two. Come the third book, however, I was hoping for some more development of his powers. A solid 3.5-4. I've loved the Thieftaker books. I actually bought this one first, started it, and realized it was part of a series. I was so intrigued with the idea, I bought the first two.
Magic in pre-Revolutionary America is an awesome idea, and I appreciate that he's not totally overpowered with his magic either. Ethan has his limitations and he really has to get creative and I loved that about the first two. Come the third book, however, I was hoping for some more development of his powers. In books 1 and 2 he faces down some powerful spellers and comes away... doing the same 3 spells he's always done. Come the end of the book, a little bit happens to show Ethan is learning and applying new things, but I was hoping for a bit more of that in this book.
Don't get me wrong, I loved it. What drew me in was the fact that this one involved the shades of the dead returning and how an evil conjurer was making that happen. Pretty fun stuff! I will be reading the next one! ...more
Sep 21, 2019 Merenwen Inglorion rated it liked it
Shelves: historical-fantasy-fiction, rtc
Full review to come...
Overview of my thoughts at the moment:
-For the entire first quarter (perhaps longer) of the story, Ethan scrambling around trying to find leads was like watching Clayton from Tarzan strangling himself (I still kinda like him, but I'm wondering why he hasn't changed, like, anything about the way he investigates, seeing as it typically ends with him beaten to a near-pulp)
-As with the last book, the "clues" that Ethan was following seemed a bit contrived; only this time Ethan Full review to come...
-As with the last book, the "clues" that Ethan was following seemed a bit contrived; only this time Ethan seemed more like a marionette being jerked about, in lieu of running every time the author shouted, "Look over there!"
-Jana is the most amazing character in here, a mix of Toph from Avatar: the Last Airbender, and Granny from Ice Age (forget which movie, but I remember her)
-I think the only reason I was able to finish it was because the weather is turning to Fall temperatures, and certain scenes were enjoyable whilst the borderline-cutting-cold swirled about me and my coco ...more
Sep 20, 2017 Kelly rated it it was amazing
Shelves: favorites, historical-fiction, fantasy, mystery
So far, this book has been my favorite of the Thieftaker Chronicles. I definitely recommend reading the other two (at the very least the second book) before you dive into this one, as it makes the atmosphere and setting all that much richer, and will help you avoid some pretty major spoilers.
I found the plot of this tale delightfully chilling and many a moment of suspense. My inner literary-nerd was also highly delighted by the character progression and interactions throughout the novel.
What So far, this book has been my favorite of the Thieftaker Chronicles. I definitely recommend reading the other two (at the very least the second book) before you dive into this one, as it makes the atmosphere and setting all that much richer, and will help you avoid some pretty major spoilers.
What else can I say... not much! It was a really fun read, and I can't wait to go wondering the streets of pre-Revolutionary Boston with Mr. Kaille again. If you like history, fantasy, or the occult, I highly recommend you give this one a look!
Happy Reading! ...more
Nov 30, 2017 Lisa Hall rated it really liked it
Graves are being desecrated in Boston. Ethan Kaille, Theiftaker and conjurer, is called to a local church by his friend Pell to discover who the culprits might be. At first, Kaille thinks resurrectionists, but it only takes a few glances to see there is more to the disruptions than a student of surgery learning a trade. These graves have been plundered for a much far darker reason.
This was more of a 3.5 than a solid 4. This story dragged a bit in the middle, maybe because it took our intrepid Graves are being desecrated in Boston. Ethan Kaille, Theiftaker and conjurer, is called to a local church by his friend Pell to discover who the culprits might be. At first, Kaille thinks resurrectionists, but it only takes a few glances to see there is more to the disruptions than a student of surgery learning a trade. These graves have been plundered for a much far darker reason.
This was more of a 3.5 than a solid 4. This story dragged a bit in the middle, maybe because it took our intrepid detective a bit too long discover the full plot. I like the characters Jackson builds, especially Ethan. On to book 4. ...more
Apr 28, 2019 Ironclad rated it it was amazing
I found this book in a little used book store in Florida. At the time, I had no idea it was the second in the series. The author does a good job explaining events and previous events so organically I didn't realize they weren't memories but call backs to the book before. I got hooked on this series and finished the rest of them. I love the idea of using magic to edit historical events! Spectacularly done with a very unique style of magic!
Oct 08, 2018 Lynn rated it it was amazing
Shelves: fantasy, alternate-history, adventure, magic, suspense, science-fiction-fantasy, historical-fiction, thriller, detective
Another intriguing offering from this rather brilliant author.
The historical events are real and the magic is chilling. The addition of a seriously unhinged, powerful character bent on vengeance makes for a compelling read, set in a late 1700's Boston limping in an unprecedented heatwave and another outbreak of smallpox.
Dec 03, 2018 Caroline rated it really liked it
Shelves: historical-mystery, urban-fantasy
This dips more into the ghost lore of the Thieftaker series as Ethan investigates a series of corpse desecrations. I especially liked the team ups towards the end of the book, with some nice twists on the relationships of various characters that had been pretty consistent up until now.
Jul 20, 2017 Doris rated it it was amazing
Eathen has had me so wrapped up in his battles with Miss Pryce, Janna, Black, Mariz being allies in a battle for their "conjuring" abilities, fight to the death.
I read this book in less than 24 hrs.
I almost read around the clock.
RECOMMEND the series.
Sep 03, 2017 Rudi Opperman rated it really liked it
Shelves: fantasy
Life with Ethan Kaille is definitely not boring. Great series to read.
Sep 27, 2014 Lynn Worton rated it really liked it
This is the third book in a fantastic historical urban fantasy. I loved it!
Ethan Kaille is an interesting character. He is a Thieftaker, a conjurer who uses his magic to track down thieves and the stolen items. I liked this eighteenth century gent. He has a very sharp mind, and is quite talented as a magical detective. He has a dark past, which gives him an air of mystery.
I downloaded this as an audio book, so I could listen to it while doing housework, or just before going to bed.
The tale was This is the third book in a fantastic historical urban fantasy. I loved it!
The tale was again narrated by Jonathan Davis, who brought the characters and story alive with his narration. I love his smooth tone and could listen to him speak for hours!
In this story, Ethan is hired by the minister of the local church to investigate a case of grave robbing, but what he stumbles across is even more sinister than just a few missing trinkets. Ethan finds himself facing even more danger than ever before. He will have to unite with fellow Conjurers and even his nemesis, Sephira Pryce, to outwit a deadly foe.
The story has several twists and turns, which kept me hooked from beginning to end. The descriptions of the characters and scenes brought Boston in 1769 to life; I could picture it quite clearly. The book is set about a year after the previous story. There is still tension between Britain and her colony, but Boston is struggling to deal with an outbreak of smallpox on top of the highly volatile political situation. There is plenty of action and danger in the story, but unfortunately, some of the scenes seemed to be slightly overly long and tended to drag. I did like the scene where Ethan joins forces with the other conjurers, but some of the plot leading up to that point felt a bit weaker than it should have done. I did feel a little disappointed that the villain didn't really make an appearance until two-thirds or more into the book, and, when he did appear, he hid behind the captured "souls" he had plundered. This made him seem more cowardly, rather than sinister than he should have been. This, however, did not affect my overall enjoyment in this story. I am now looking forward to reading/listening to the next book in the series as soon as it becomes available.
D.B. Jackson has written a fantastic historical urban fantasy. I love his writing style, which is fast paced and action packed. But, the story flow was not as fluid as his previous books, and the plot had a few holes that were a bit ambiguous. However, I would most definitely read more of this author's books in the future as I am fast becoming a huge fan.
There are a few scenes of a sensual nature, though not explicit, and scenes of cutting (for spell making) that may upset some readers. Therefore, I do not recommend this book for younger readers or those of a nervous disposition. However, I highly recommend this book if you love paranormal, urban fantasy, mystery, thriller or detective genres. - Lynn Worton ...more
Jun 12, 2015 Tom rated it really liked it
A Plunder of Souls, D. B. Jackson's third book in the Thieftaker series, doesn't waste a lot of time kicking into high gear. Like Thieftaker and Thieves' Quarry, A Plunder of Souls revolves around Ethan Kaille, a sorcerer (or conjurer in the context of the series) with a checkered past doing his best to make ends meet and maintain his honor on the streets of British colonial Boston. Back is the usual rogues' gallery of foils and foes, including firebrand Sam Adams and the Wicked Sephira Pyrce. A A Plunder of Souls, D. B. Jackson's third book in the Thieftaker series, doesn't waste a lot of time kicking into high gear. Like Thieftaker and Thieves' Quarry, A Plunder of Souls revolves around Ethan Kaille, a sorcerer (or conjurer in the context of the series) with a checkered past doing his best to make ends meet and maintain his honor on the streets of British colonial Boston. Back is the usual rogues' gallery of foils and foes, including firebrand Sam Adams and the Wicked Sephira Pyrce. A spectral threat looms over the city at large, all as we have come to expect from this series.
Where the previous two books have focused on mystery and the sinister machinations of an unknown villain, A Plunder of Souls dispenses with all that gives us a very front and center villain in Captain Nate Ramsey. There isn't much mystery to Ramsey's motives, though the means marks another departure for the series. Along with its villain, A Plunder of Souls really puts magic at the fore of the story. This allows Jackson to really dig his teeth into the metaphyics that govern the universe of his novels, with promising results.
But back to the villainous Ramsey. It is well understood that the hero of any story is nothing without a good villain. In fact, in my experience, the villain is often more important than the character of the hero. If we, the audience, don't buy into the villain, don't buy his or her motivations and complexities, than what follows is largely formulaic (especially in genre fiction). Perhaps it his directness or his intensity, but Nate Ramsey quickly becomes one of those villains you love to hate. I feel the need to applaud Jackson. Given Ramsey's motivations, it would have been very easy for the writer to paint him as overly sympathetic and justified. Thankfully, Jackson avoided that awful knee-jerk tendency and gave Ramsey a suitably black heart. In a stroke, his motivation also becomes one of his few weaknesses, and one that Kaille is loathe to employ regardless of the threat posed.
Perhaps it was because I read this book following the long slog that was Mark Chadbourne's The Devil's Looking Glass, but the pacing felt lightning quick and satisfactory. Despite all the technobabble about how magic works, the book never feels like it slows long enough to loosen its grip. Where in the previous two books, the main character has had time to pause, reflect and connect the dots, A Plunder of Souls has a real sense of urgency to it — as if in taking that time to tie everything together, the hero and reader alike will be steamrolled by unfolding events. Jackson even manages to give us some real character growth in regards to Kaille, though the true measure of that will depend on the The Dead Man's Reach, the next installment of the series. You can bet that will be on my reading list for 2016. ...more
Apr 09, 2016 Joseph Finley rated it really liked it
"A Plunder of Souls" is a welcome and worthwhile edition to D.B. Jackson's "Thieftaker" series, a quartet of historical fantasy novels set in colonial Boston. Like the series' first two books, this one follows the adventures of Ethan Kaille, a thieftaker employed by Boston's wealthy citizens who wish to go "above the law" to retrieve their stolen goods. Ethan is also a conjurer, or "speller," as they're called, who can work magic with the assistance of his spectral guardian, a medieval ghost he "A Plunder of Souls" is a welcome and worthwhile edition to D.B. Jackson's "Thieftaker" series, a quartet of historical fantasy novels set in colonial Boston. Like the series' first two books, this one follows the adventures of Ethan Kaille, a thieftaker employed by Boston's wealthy citizens who wish to go "above the law" to retrieve their stolen goods. Ethan is also a conjurer, or "speller," as they're called, who can work magic with the assistance of his spectral guardian, a medieval ghost he calls Uncle Reg. This magic system is original and fascinating and one of the series' strengths. While the magic in this story world has never been fully explained – in fact, even Ethan does not understand all the workings behind his powers – it works brilliantly in these novels.
Other than the main character, my favorite thing about the "Thieftaker" series is its setting. Reading these books, you get a real sense of colonial Boston, and boy is it fun. The first two installments involved some fairly significant historical events, namely the Stamp Act Riots and the British occupation of Boston. This one involves a smallpox epidemic that actually plagued the city in the summer of 1769, and while it's not as interesting as the events in the first two books, Sam Adams and his patriots are still present, and even Paul Revere has a cameo. (I suspect we'll see more him in future novels.) In any event, every time I pick up one of these books, I want to sit in an old Boston pub and drink some ale!
The first two "Thieftaker" novels were true mysteries that neither Kaille nor the reader could solve until the very end. That may be why I enjoyed the first two books a bit more than this one. In "A Plunder of Souls," there's still a mystery – someone is desecrating graves, causing the spirits of the defiled dead to crop up throughout Boston, and the clerics of King's Chapel have hired Kaille to put a stop to it. But unlike the prior two books, Kaille solves the mystery well before the end. What remains is an incredibly powerful adversary that Kaille spends the rest of novel trying to defeat – if he even can be defeated.
A powerful enemy is nothing new to this series, though "A Plunder of Souls" offers up the most potent villain yet. That said, I would have preferred a little more mystery in this tale. Nonetheless, the book allowed me to escape once more to Ethan Kaille's Boston, and that's a place I truly enjoy spending time. So, I'm looking forward to the next book in the series. And I plan to read the first chapter with a big flagon of ale, and maybe even a bowl of chowder on the side! ...more
Jul 17, 2017 Melissa rated it really liked it
Shelves: fiction
See my other reviews at Never Enough Books
When the graves in some of Boston's cemeteries are found disturbed, at first the church believes it to be grave robbers of some sort. However when it is learned that each body has been desecrated in the same manner and each bears a strange symbol carved in to their chest, they realize that something much stranger is going on.
Enter Ethan Kaille, a thieftaker and conjurer who has used his abilities in the past to catch various thieves and villains. His See my other reviews at Never Enough Books
Enter Ethan Kaille, a thieftaker and conjurer who has used his abilities in the past to catch various thieves and villains. His initial investigation turns little up, yet the more he digs the more he comes to understand that what he is dealing with is incredibly powerful. Add to this the fact that Ethan's abilities to conjure are beginning to wane and each spell becomes more and more difficult to cast. Soon he realizes even if he were to combine his abilities with the few other conjurers in the city they might not be enough to defeat the one behind the grave robbing and the disturbed souls could possibly be lost forever.
D.B. Jackson has a PhD in American History and once again has put it to good use in A Plunder of Souls. He takes us back to Boston in 1769, where a smallpox outbreak has the city on edge. Growing dissent against the British crown only adds fuel to a fire that will eventually erupt.
Jackson does an admirable job of bringing 18th century Boston to life on the page even if the overall story has become a bit formulaic. This being the third book in the series, readers will recognize common plot threads and might even be able to predict character movements as the story progresses. I am not saying this is a bad thing; there are those who enjoy reading a book where they know what is going to happen next. Not all readers enjoy this kind of thing and those who don't might take issue.
More squeamish readers also might have problems as some scenes are a bit more gruesome. Nature isn't terribly kind when it comes to decay.
I enjoyed reading A Plunder of Souls even with the few flaws it has. While not the strongest book out of the series, it is a good addition. ...more
Jul 01, 2014 H. P. rated it really liked it
Shelves: modern-sf
A Plunder of Souls is D.B. Jackson's third book in the Thieftaker Chronicles (three and counting and no sign of slowing). The Thieftaker Chronicles chronicle the adventures of Ethan Kaille, a thieftaker in 1760s Boston and a conjurer. D.B. Jackson has a PhD in American History and is an accomplished fantasy author (as David B. Coe): both show. In A Plunder of Souls, Kaille has been hired as by a local church to investigate a series of grave desecrations. It's soon clear that something more A Plunder of Souls is D.B. Jackson's third book in the Thieftaker Chronicles (three and counting and no sign of slowing). The Thieftaker Chronicles chronicle the adventures of Ethan Kaille, a thieftaker in 1760s Boston and a conjurer. D.B. Jackson has a PhD in American History and is an accomplished fantasy author (as David B. Coe): both show. In A Plunder of Souls, Kaille has been hired as by a local church to investigate a series of grave desecrations. It's soon clear that something more sinister than mere grave robbing is afoot and that Kaille is in over his head.
A Plunder of Souls gets off to an unfortunate start. By book three, my default is the less Sephira Pryce, the better. Ethan and Sephira's relationship begins to change during the book, though, and she winds up playing a different, more interesting, role here than in the first two books. We also continue to see a more assertive Kaille, a welcome bit of character progression in the second book.
Unfortunately, American history takes a back seat in book three. The main historical event of note is a minor influenza epidemic. Samuel Adams makes a cameo, but otherwise the Sons of Liberty are silent. This is particularly disappointing after the second book.
I do have one particular complaint about the ending. Jackson makes a decision that I think is about future books, not this one and this one suffers for it. It isn't going to stop me from waiting with anticipation for the next book, though. ...more
Nov 29, 2014 Brian Palmer rated it liked it
I enjoyed the book, but I fear the series is running out of steam without a major shakeup (there are some small shakeups in the cast here, perhaps setting the seed for continuations). The lead, Ethan Kaille, is a thieftaker, who in theory goes after ordinary thieves but in these novels is usually called upon to investigate more mysterious happenings. In this, he is asked to investigate grave robbings. Thankfully, Ethan has a small supply of spells, and friendships in the city to help him when I enjoyed the book, but I fear the series is running out of steam without a major shakeup (there are some small shakeups in the cast here, perhaps setting the seed for continuations). The lead, Ethan Kaille, is a thieftaker, who in theory goes after ordinary thieves but in these novels is usually called upon to investigate more mysterious happenings. In this, he is asked to investigate grave robbings. Thankfully, Ethan has a small supply of spells, and friendships in the city to help him when his spells start failing.
The historical surrounding -- Boston as tensions among the colonials and the redcoats rise -- remains interesting, but it hasn't changed (yet, if it ever will). There are historical cameos that play no big role in this. And magic remains mostly as undeveloped as ever -- this novel concerned a big potential advance in magical understanding, but everything felt static.
Small bits of the writing style bug me ... Ethan uses Latin phrases to cast his spells, and then *every* *single* *time* the author immediately translates the phrase. The phrase describes the source (e.g., blood) and the effect (e.g., fire). But before Ethan says the phrase, the author describes him cutting himself, and after , the author describes something burning. And there are only 3-5 spells that Ethan uses in the plot. ...more
Jun 18, 2014 Betsy rated it really liked it · review of another edition
Shelves: historic, magic, fantasy, new-england
It is interesting that despite the fact that I am a paranormal fan, the witchery aspect of this series is low on the list of what I enjoy the most. I love the setting, the characters, the history and the potential. Either a bit more history or more introspection would serve me well and greatly increase my engagement with this series.
The city of Boston is a character of its own. She is on the verge of Revolution and I felt this aspect was most gorgeously drawn in the first installment as mobs and It is interesting that despite the fact that I am a paranormal fan, the witchery aspect of this series is low on the list of what I enjoy the most. I love the setting, the characters, the history and the potential. Either a bit more history or more introspection would serve me well and greatly increase my engagement with this series.
The city of Boston is a character of its own. She is on the verge of Revolution and I felt this aspect was most gorgeously drawn in the first installment as mobs and soldiers erupted with violence in the streets. Having lived in Boston for a few years, I can visualize the turmoil. Boston is a gorgeous, fascinating city...well preserved and ultimately walkable.
I see relationship building and introspection the greatest opportunity for this storyline to move from good to great. I genuinely enjoy Ethan and his relationships with other conjurers: Janna, North, Mariz and Patience. I wish I could enjoy Ethan's relationship with Kannice even more (and I am not necessarily implying a longer peek in their bedroom). A slightly more inciteful and lingering look at Ethan's relationships and interactions with the conjurers, Sephira (his once enemy and potential frenenemy), Kannice or even his friend Diver would push this book from a 4 star to five. ...more
Nov 03, 2015 Allison rated it it was amazing
Shelves: urban-fantasy-alternate-history
This series has finally found its stride. The first two books did not impress me as much as I wanted to be impressed given the creativity of the worldbuilding, the interesting and varied characters and the well-written prose. I think the problem is D.B. Jackson is not comfortable as a mystery writer, so he had trouble setting up a mystery without a whole lot of exposition shoved in at the end as the villain monologues about his motives. Despite the unfortunately weak plots, I've kept coming back This series has finally found its stride. The first two books did not impress me as much as I wanted to be impressed given the creativity of the worldbuilding, the interesting and varied characters and the well-written prose. I think the problem is D.B. Jackson is not comfortable as a mystery writer, so he had trouble setting up a mystery without a whole lot of exposition shoved in at the end as the villain monologues about his motives. Despite the unfortunately weak plots, I've kept coming back for more, hoping this time Mr. Jackson would find a formula that brought all the elements into better harmony.
This book hits the sweet spot at last. The plot this time is more action-adventure rather than mystery--we know who the villain is and what his goals are from less than halfway through the book, the problem is how to stop him because this guy looks truly unbeatable. He is the anti-Ethan Kaille in just about every way--unscrupulous, slightly insane, and dangerous (every good hero needs a nemesis, right?). To fight him, Ethan will need to enlist both friend and foe or risk unleashing a worse plague than smallpox on Boston: a conjurer with ultimate power and no conscience.
I am wholeheartedly looking forward to the next book if it is as good as this one. ...more
Aug 30, 2017 The Gael rated it it was ok
Shelves: historical, fantasy, mystery
This book has an interesting premise, and catches attention straightaway. The magic is decently fleshed out, and the "mystery" and ultimate accomplishment necessary to defeat the antagonist were sufficiently intriguing.
Unfortunately, I realised that I wasn't going to like this book by the time I got a quarter of the way through. However, I couldn't leave it unfinished, so I'm irrationally bitter about this book occupying my time, though that's my own fault. My dislike for it boils down to it This book has an interesting premise, and catches attention straightaway. The magic is decently fleshed out, and the "mystery" and ultimate accomplishment necessary to defeat the antagonist were sufficiently intriguing.
Unfortunately, I realised that I wasn't going to like this book by the time I got a quarter of the way through. However, I couldn't leave it unfinished, so I'm irrationally bitter about this book occupying my time, though that's my own fault. My dislike for it boils down to it not being my preferred form of literature--it was largely action, little characterization, and I didn't feel for the protagonist enough. On the grounds of sympathy and personality, I liked the villain better as a character. The protagonist didn't interest me. It could partially be due to my not having read the previous two books in the series, but frankly the writing style and content doesn't encourage me to think that I would like them any better.
The book as written is a fantasy-style alternate-history romp through colonial America that stands on its own merits as such. It just wasn't for me. ...more
Nov 07, 2014 Dave rated it it was amazing
Yet another one of DB Jacksons novels that grows on you with every page.
By far this was the best in the series. Conjurers coming together and all, Awesome!
This book has death, grave desecration, spirits (shades), evil conjurers and everything that makes a eerily good read.
This book is the darkest in the entire series yet! there are numerous deaths (including yellow hair's)
OMG OMGOMGOMG
I took this up serially after the first and the second one...
If the first book blew my Yet another one of DB Jacksons novels that grows on you with every page.
If the first book blew my mind, and the second had me in a haze for hours, this one literally killed me. Yes I almost died of exhilaration.
Just when I thought it couldnt get anymore exciting than the second book (with ships of corpses and what not), this one swept me right off my feet!!
Good things: Souls, desecrated tombs, ghosts of conjurers, powerful spell making, conjurers united!!! OMG
I loved this book!! Ghosts roaming around, conjurers losing their powers, and what not!!!!
Bad things: NONE...
The best in the series.
My rating (updated) 5/5 ...more
Fantasy > Urban Fantasy
Historical Fiction > Historical Fantasy
About D.B. Jackson
D.B. Jackson has been writing fantasy and science fiction under a different pen name for over fifteen years. He has published novels, short stories, and media tie-ins in more than a dozen languages. He also has a Ph.D. in American History, and now, for the first time in his career, he is combining his love of fantasy with his passion for history. His first historical fantasy series, The Thieftaker
D.B. Jackson has been writing fantasy and science fiction under a different pen name for over fifteen years. He has published novels, short stories, and media tie-ins in more than a dozen languages. He also has a Ph.D. in American History, and now, for the first time in his career, he is combining his love of fantasy with his passion for history. His first historical fantasy series, The Thieftaker Chronicles, includes Thieftaker, Thieves' Quarry, A Plunder of Souls (to be released in July 2014), and Dead Man's Reach (due out in 2015). The Thieftaker novels, which combine elements of fantasy, mystery, and historical fiction, are published by Tor Books. He is also at work on a new contemporary urban fantasy series, The Weremyste Cycle (written under the name David B. Coe), which will be published by Baen books. The first book, Spell Blind, will be out in January 2015. ...more
Thieftaker Chronicles (5 books)
Books by D.B. Jackson
Trivia About A Plunder of Soul...


Winner of this year competition Tree of the Year won thanks to record 9526 votes. The tree of the year 2018 became the Large-leaved Lime from Kopčany which has more than 200 year history and it stands beside one of the oldest building from Great-Moravian era in Slovakia. The winner will be represent Slovakia in international competition European Tree of the Year. The second place won the Small-leaved Lime from Riečnica, and the tree appeared in the famous Jakubisko's film "Sitting on Branch, Enjoying Myself". The third place belongs to Magnolia from Betliar. This year 20 704 people voted in the poll.
Thanks to Nadácia Slovenskej sporiteľne as a main partner, was poll organised for the 16th time. The Tree of The Year was supported also by ISA Slovakia, DAJAMA publisher, bookstore Artforum and ABIES Gardening. The patronate is held by singer Peter Lipa for the 7th time. Mission of the poll is to point to old, precious or endangered trees as well as to raise people's interest in the environment.
"We consider as a very important today, to protect and develop our natural heritage. The old and precious trees covered by Tree of the Year Poll deserve our attention, treatment and protection. The poll also contributes to raising the awareness of people in Slovakia about the importance of trees for our lives as well as for ecology and the economy, "said Štefan Máj, Chairman of the Slovak Savings Bank Foundation Board of Directors.
The winning lime, in addition to the title, will receive a reward in the form of a professional dendrological report from ISA Slovakia and a financial contribution for treatment of 300 euros. Trees placed on the 2nd and 3rd place are also awarded a cash prize of € 300 that can be used to treat them. The Ekopolis Foundation did not forget even the schools and rewared 3 of them with planting materials.
On the edge of the village of Kopčany, in a quiet meadow, there is an old lime and an old church. They protect each other and have resisted the weather for more than two hundred years. The church is from the 9th – 10th century, and is one of the oldest buildings of the Great Moravian period of Slovakia. They create a typical sacred couple for our country – the lime with its roots protects the forgotten stories of the ancestors from the Great Moravian Empire and completes the unspoken atmosphere of this archaeologically and culturally significant place.


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Liberalism: a begging the question fallacy
by Brett Stevens on January 25, 2014
For some time I have considered liberalism to be not a political philosophy, but a sales philosophy. The notion of equality is eternally socially popular because it removes the burden of contribution and fitness to join a group.
As Groucho Marx famously said, "I don't want to belong to any club that will accept people like me as a member." He overstated it but the point is that joining a club with low standards is a non-accomplishment, which is why groups with higher standards are valued.
Liberalism removes the standards entirely and in place of the prestige of being a difficult-to-enter club becomes a "well intentioned" club. That means you derive prestige not from being personally fit, but from having the right opinions and meaning well in such a way that people cannot refuse you because of their guilt in the face of your powerful justification.
Viewed from this angle, liberalism becomes a kind of special role like a police officer. You are entitled to go anywhere and do anything because you bring enlightenment, you mean well and you're going to reform nature. Herein is the fallacy: you are projecting onto other people the idea that your ideas are inherently good and represent an actual improvement.
And those things are not only unproven, but history suggests they are probably incorrect. Progressives, liberals, reformers, Enlightenment and other tropes are as eternal as humanity. They existed in ancient Greece and Rome and every human society ever on earth. The reason for this is that they are justifications that, as a society spins out of control, enable people to rise in power by working around the dysfunctional power structure or by subverting a functional one.
Let's look at the begging-the-question fallacy:
Premises in which the truth of the conclusion is claimed or the truth of the conclusion is assumed (either directly or indirectly).
Claim C (the conclusion) is true.
We can see this in liberalism, which makes use of the "truth of the conclusion is assumed":
Inequality is a big problem in our society and egalitarianism will solve it.
Therefore, egalitarianism is good for our society.
The glitch is in the first phrase where we assume inequality is a big problem. It's an easy assumption since as we were all taught in kindergarten, if you want to get along with the group, you must treat everyone the same way.
That works in kindergarten class, but that's really for the convenience of the teachers who then don't have to listen to complaints. It's not a metaphysical or even logical rule. It's a social rule, "how to herd humans 101."
Here you can see this fallacy in the wild:
What's so bad about nationalism in general? Perverse moral priorities. Human beings are naturally biased in favor of the groups they identify with; psychologists call this "in-group bias." Once you recognize this human failing, your moral priority should be bending over backwards to treat out-groups justly.
Humans favor in groups, and that's unequal; therefore, we should fix this because… because we assume that inequality is the root of all problems of course! It's a textbook fallacy.
A more sensible approach would be to ask, "Why is it that humans emphasize in-groups?"
A reasonable investigation will reveal, "Because if you want to live in a place with standards, you need to build an in-group based on support for those standards."
It's no different than how you hire to make a startup: you pick people who are going in roughly the same direction. Or how you pick your friends. Or even how you assemble a sports team for a pick-up football game. You pick people who can work together because they share the same assumptions, values and rough approximation of abilities. That is the mathematical reason for in-groups.
The liberal alternative to in-groups is to have an open group where anyone can join, but the price for joining is that you subject yourself to an ideology which will be enforced on you. And if you deviate from it, the herd will turn on you.
This is why liberals love diversity. They hate the idea of in-groups and so they want the most motley group they can get. That in turn strengthens their position, because the ideology gets stronger and those who wield it get free things like government jobs, speaking arrangements, promotions, social prestige, etc.
Although it has been taboo for a long time to mention this, the great drive toward the motley is showing some cracks:
It is far too easy to present "diversity" in one-sided terms: as a triumph of enlightenment over bigotry and creativity over closed-mindedness. But the subject is too important to be left to the cliché-mongers. Diversity can bring risks as well as benefits and perils as well as perks. There are trade-offs to be made, for example between the trust that comes from sharing a common background and the cultural sensitivity that comes from employing people from different parts of the word.
Roy Y.J .Chua, of Harvard Business School, is one of the few academics to produce serious studies of this subject. Mr Chua agrees that in a world of multinational corporations and global product markets success depends more than ever on your ability to foster multicultural thinking and cross-border collaboration. But in a paper in the current issue of the Academy of Management Journal ("The Costs of Ambient Cultural Disharmony: Indirect Intercultural Conflict in Social Environment Undermine Creativity") he goes on to note that getting people from different nationalities and cultural backgrounds to co-operate is fraught with difficulties. At best differences in world-view and cultural styles can produce "intercultural anxiety", at worst outright conflict. The very thing that can produce added creativity — the collision of different cultures — can also produce friction. The question is whether the creativity is worth the conflict.
Notice there's another assumption in here which is that the motley produces creativity. History suggests otherwise: small groups have shown great creativity especially when not diverse, as they dispensed with communication issues and could focus directly on problems.
But this leads us to an even bigger question: if liberalism is based on a fallacy, and exists solely to make people feel good and thus to sell itself as a product, why do we treat it any differently than Coca-Cola, used car salesmen or television commercials?
Tags: begging-the-question fallacy, crowdism, diversity, fallacy, leftism, liberalism
Millennials: abuse victims | The reason for the suicide of the West

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Chautauqua Lecture Series • Educational, 27-Jun-2022
Originally broadcast at 10:45 a.m. ET Monday, June 27, 2022.
The primary sponsor of today's lecture is The Susan Hirt Hagen Lectures Fund. Additional support is provided by The Helen C. Lincoln Fund for International Programming, the Malcolm Anderson Lecture Fund, and The Edith B. and Arthur E. Earley Lectureship.
Fareed Zakaria is a bestselling author, columnist for The Washington Post, and host of "Fareed Zakara GPS," a weekly international and domestic affairs program that airs on CNN and CNN International. Since its debut in 2008, the show has become a prominent television forum for global newsmakers and thought leaders, won the prestigious Peabody Award in 2011 and earned an Emmy Award nomination in 2013. Zakaria, who last spoke at Chautauqua in 2016, returns to the Amphitheater with his insights and analysis of geopolitics and international affairs to open the 2022 Chautauqua Lecture Series and a week questioning "What Should be America's Role in the World?"
Zakaria is the author of four New York Times bestselling books: In Defense of a Liberal Education; The Post-American World; The Future of Freedom; and his newest book Ten Lessons for a Post-Pandemic World, which was released in October 2020.
Prior to his tenure at CNN Worldwide, Zakaria was editor of Newsweek International, managing editor of Foreign Affairs, a columnist for Time, an analyst for ABC News, and the host of "Foreign Exchange with Fareed Zakaria" on PBS. In 2017, Zakaria was awarded the Arthur Ross Media Award by the American Academy of Diplomacy. In 2019, he was named a "Top 100 Global Thinker" by Foreign Policy magazine, and Esquire magazine once called him "the most influential foreign policy adviser of his generation."
Zakaria serves on the boards of the Council of Foreign Relations and New America. He earned a bachelor's degree from Yale University and a doctorate in political science from Harvard University.
Up Next in Chautauqua Lecture Series
Nikolas K. Gvosdev & Geoffrey Kemp: M...
Originally broadcast at 3:30 p.m. ET Monday, June 27, 2022.
A continuation of more than two decades of programming, the 2022 Middle East Update will be presented at 3:30 p.m. Monday, June 27, 2022, in the Hall of Philosophy. The conversation between Nikolas K. Gvosdev and Geoffrey Kemp will focu...
Constanze Stelzenmüller
Originally broadcast at 10:45 a.m. ET Tuesday, June 28, 2022.
This program is made possible by the Cornelia Chason Miller Memorial Fund
Constanze Stelzenmüller is an expert on German, European, and trans-Atlantic foreign and security policy and strategy and the inaugural holder of the Fritz Ste...
Kathryn E. Stoner
Originally broadcast at 10:45 a.m. ET Wednesday, June 29, 2022.
This program is made possible by the Charles and Gail Gamble Lecture Endowment.
Stanford University political scientist Kathryn Stoner is a senior fellow and Mosbacher Director of the Center on Democracy, Development, and the Rule ...


Last Friday I rounded up the troops in the form of my two best mates, Cath and Emily, and their children, and we went on the latest castle hunt in the heart of Kielder Forest… Kielder Castle.
Kielder Forest surrounds a huge man-made lake (the largest in Europe), with a dazzling array of activities from cycling to water sports to art spotting to star gazing.
I've written about Kielder Forest and Lake before as Mike and I went on a date with a difference a while back. It is stunning and such is the draw of Kielder Forest, Emily and Cath were willing to drive over an hour and a half to join us.
We set off fairly early (for us) on the morning of our visit, armed with an epic picnic and our Regatta waterproof suits we were ready for any weather. Which was a good thing.
We are working as Regatta ambassadors for our next 4 castle trips and I'd been joking with Lauren, the marketing manager, that we were praying for rain…well we certainly got it. That and all the other weather types, except snow I think!
The drive to Kielder is just under an hour and it's a stunning trip. The A68 is both beautiful and fun. The hill summits are so steep you feel like you're on a roller coaster at times. And then we plunged into the Northumberland National Park. The Castle is on the northern tip of the lake, so you have plenty of opportunity to enjoy the views of the lake as you drive, dipping in and out of the forest until the castle appears out of nowhere, just past Kielder Village.
We parked a short walk away, and once everyone was fully clad in their all-in-one waterproofs and given a snack to fend off hunger until picnic time, we set off down the hill.
Kielder Castle is actually a "Castellated Folly". Built during 1771-75, it was the hunting lodge for the First Duke of Northumberland, Earl Percy, who also owned nearby Alnwick Castle. It was a seasonal home but it grew to the point that in the 1860s the castle employed 19 servants.
The Forestry Commission bought the castle in 1930 and nowadays it houses a visitor centre, cafe and exhibitions for both Kielder Forest and the Birds of Kielder, which were fun for a wander around.
There's also a small kiddy corner with books and information about their latest trail walks. The current one involved the Gruffalo and worm hunting!
After a swift coffee break we took a walk down the hill to Kielder village where we were told we'd find an adventure playground and a spot for our picnic.
When we arrived at the park, you could still see the castle poking through the trees.
Emily and I hotfooted to get the cars and left Cath with all the kids, including baby Sam, promising to be as quick as possible. Good thing as when we got back poor Cath was having to deal with Reuben and Beau at loggerheads over a swing whilst simultaneously dealing with a nappy explosion. Ah, motherhood!
Then, just as we were ready to enjoy our picnic, the heavens opened. The kids were fine in their suits, it was just us mums that were a sorry for ourselves!
It soon cleared and we spent a lovely hour or so, soaking up the views while the kids played nicely (most of the time).
I have to say I can't believe I've not invested in a waterproof suit before. Even though it wasn't raining for most of the trip, it came in so handy for keeping them cosy, dry and clean. It even meant going through the slide puddle was no problem. He slide straight off the end, which was apparently the best thing ever!
Then just as the sun was starting to dip and the nearby houses were lighting their fires, we reluctantly made the trip home.
I'm already planning our next Kielder visit, maybe even this weekend. I had a waterskiing lesson there years ago as a surprise Birthday present from my mate Dan and I really fancy having another go with the family. If not that then at least a bike ride through the forests and by the lake.
Have you been to Kielder Forest and the Castle? What did you do during your trip?
I'd love to hear what you did and any recommendations for activities with kids.
This trip to Kielder Forest and Castle was made in association with Regatta who provided the kids' all-in-one waterproof suits (plus another 25 suits for my local kids charity). They are brilliant and I seriously don't know why I've never got one for Reuben before. The kids stayed cosy and dry, despite the picnic in the rain and the slide puddle!
We invested in all in ones at the start of the summer and they are great! We'll have them every year now going forward.


At 64 I could not imagine life without cycling. I have always cycled, but never competively. I enjoy my cycling more now than ever. My bikes are old french Touring bikes which I like tinkering with And I am lucky to have an abundace of relatlively traffic free roads with some great scenery. No stress no targets, just the odd burst of speed to work the heart a bit. At the moment I am gradually upping the mileage And would contemplate an Audax later. The biggest plus is my Health is Improving.
8mph, Paulus, 12boy and 5 others like this.
I feel exactly the same and I'm 64 too.
The buzz I get the night before another planned 100 mile ride is always there. I'm not fast, just a steady plodder but have always had good long distance endurance.
Equally I get fantastic satisfaction exploring new tracks and trails for shorter rides on my mtb. I can never imagine falling out of love with riding my bikes.
12boy, Ice2911, rugby bloke and 2 others like this.
It's not quite the complete story, because I was a highish mileage commuter between 1993 and about 2004. But certainly in the 10 years up to mid-2015 I was hardly riding at all.
There is a difference; nowadays I'm about 3mph slower that I was in my 20s. A key part of learning to enjoy cycling again in my mid-50s was accepting this inevitability. So far this year even 3mph is looking a bit optimistic, but there has been the virus. I'm looking forward to some warmish weather.
People have talked about the negatives of Strava. I'm only interested in comparing myself with myself, and I've found the ability to maintain a detailed record of every ride a powerful motivator. What wouldn't I give to be able to look back now at all the rides I did in the 1980s and 1990s?
I thought my cycling days were behind me, but they weren't.
SpokeyDokey, Johnno260 and Littgull like this.
All I do in the way of recording rides is to make a note in my pocket diary of how many miles I've cycled each day, including zero-mile, non-riding days. I do the same for walking, in both cases rounding the number up or down to the nearest mile. I don't obsess about decimal points as it will all average out pretty much spot-on anyway. Over the course of a week or month I can look back at how much activity I've done, but I don't beat myself up over it if the numbers aren't great This week, unless I do a couple of mile extra detour on the way home from the pub, I will have actually done more miles on foot than on a bike, but its just how it works out.
I think for a lot of us "older" fun riders we can remember the days going out for a day's ride and hardly seeing another bike save for people cycling to work.
Nowadays it is everywhere and perhaps the over popularisation of it does away with some of the simple pleasure of getting on your bike and exploring some back lanes.
I think though that we as people go through change, I used to be an avid football fan, followed club and country all over the world, despite the fact neither were very successful!! Nowadays I barely even look at the results.
I used to do all kinds of sports. One year, 23 years ago I found myself out every weekend playing ball tournaments while the wife stayed home watching I Love Lucy reruns. I found cycling then dawned on me she could do it too. She does 3,000+ miles every year over the last 23 years. 40, 60, 100 mile rides on her single bike, the tandem, and loves every mile of it.
Now I can't imagine myself enjoying any other activity without her now that the kids are all out!
Plus, she encourages me to stop at all the bike shops to check out stuff. I'm sticking with this cycling thing!
8mph, SpokeyDokey, Kempstonian and 7 others like this.
12boy, MrBeanz, Paulus and 2 others like this.
Try a 'different' part of cycling - how about off road. Doesn't have to be the 'gnarly' stuff, but about getting away from roads - there are loads of things you never see from a road.
For the football, the same as me. home. aways, foreign trips. It cost an absolute fortune. I gave the football up a few years back. I still go to the odd match. But to be honest I get far more pleasure going to my local National League team Bromley then I do Chelsea these days.
When I first started commuting to work back in the very early 80's, I don't think I ever saw another cyclist and that was in SE London, where with the lack of car/cyclist awareness, you were taking your life in your hands. The same for going out on 'fun' rides. However, seeing the amount of people on bikes these days, both leisure and commuting makes me a happy man. I am definitely a more is better when it comes to others cycling.
frank9755, Pat "5mph", Littgull and 3 others like this.
Littgull, Jody and dave r like this.
Do it. There are tonnes of views I've seen, which I never see on the road bike - same part of the area, maybe just a few hundred yards away, but roads go in the easiest direction - that bridleway might just give you astounding views. They generally traverse somewhere the roads don't. There is no rush, just get out and enjoy. Take a picnic or factor in a coffee stop.
Littgull, dave r and JPBoothy like this.
I think I'm over the worst of it, didn't ride at all at weekend and don't feel any guilt whatsoever but it's a hard habit to kick.
Ice2911 and dave r like this.


In this first in a series of cases on organizational network analysis (ONA), Vic Gulas, the new head of IT at the engineering consulting firm MWH Consulting, is charged with turning a geographically organized department into one organized by function. He knows that the success of the reorganization will depend on effective collaboration, but he cannot get a sense of what collaborative relationships do and do not exist by looking at a formal organizational chart. Instead, Gulas uses ONA, a method for mapping relationships among people in a group. In the ONA results, Gulas sees a group still fragmented by geography and constrained by hierarchy and other gaps in connectivity. After studying the highly detailed assessment of working relationships within the IT department, Gulas must decide in the A case what steps he can take to align the department's network with its business objectives.


Kera and the Lesbians, hailing from San Diego and currently residing in Los Angeles, lovingly refer to their musical style as 'bipolar folk'. Bipolar in the sense that in one song drummer Michael will pound his drums, expelling his demons with sheer force, while Kera croons and screams and serenades, enchanting all within earshot. Eamon's guitar playing is reminiscent of sleepy desert afternoons, spent on porches accompanied by the smell of leather and aging wood, while Phil's bass lines get the crowd moving and grooving. Brandon's use of brass is at once warm and rounded, but so tactfully manipulated that it inevitably raises goosebumps. The lyrics more literally embody the band's polarity, telling tales of anxiety, friendship, insanity and ill-fated love, from Kera's very unique point of view.
This is a band to see live. Kera's passion is tangible, at times bringing the crowd to tears, but most consistently keeping a dancing crowd completely enraptured, hanging onto every word her very expressive being has to sing. She brings heaps of charm to the set, with her joking between songs and her Elvis-like dance moves, it's obvious that she and the whole band live for this. Their range has allowed them to perform with a diverse list of acts including Devendra Banhart, Best Coast, and Crystal Castles.
The band has a definite DIY work ethic, having self released two EPs, and a debut coming out early 2014. They also do their own booking and artwork internally. Their newest release "YEAR 23″ is manic covering one of Kera's most aggravating habits and instilling in the listener a mounting feeling of tension that it mercifully relieves, while still giving a taste of the madness of obsession.


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Input Output Announces Privacy-Centric Blockchain & Token On Cardano
Input Output Global Inc. (IOG), the firm behind the Cardano blockchain, is releasing a new data-protection and privacy-centric blockchain and accompanying token, company chief executive officer Charles Hoskinson announced at an event at Edinburgh University in Scotland on Friday.
6:08 21st Nov, 2022
Dubbed "Midnight," the blockchain is one of the side-chains running off Cardano and will offer zero-knowledge-proof smart contracts, which allow parties to complete transactions without disclosing any identifying data to each other. The accompanying token will be called "Dust."
Hoskinson said the blockchain will balance users' privacy while still allowing authorities access to the system if permission is granted.
Referencing existing privacy-centric blockchains Zcash and Monero, Hoskinson said that Midnight will be built in a more widely accepted programming language to allow a broader range of developers to build on the network.
Midnight is still under development and IOG said that it will continue to provide updates as they work on it into 2023.
Emurgo Pte. Ltd., one of the founding entities behind Cardano, also announced on Friday the first fiat-backed stablecoin on the network, USDA, which will launch in the first quarter of 2023.
Hoskinson also announced the Edinburgh Decentralization Index in a video ahead of his visit which he said will begin to measure the decentralization of cryptocurrencies in light of the contagion from the collapse of FTX.com.
ADA, the native token of Cardano, fell by 8.2% to US$0.30 in the 24 hours to 11:10 a.m. after posting mild gains over the course of the weekend following Friday's event.
AdoptionBlockchainIOHKCardanoCharles HoskinsontokenCrypto


1. So first let's start off with priming the eyes and I am going to use the Too Faced Shadow Insurance and then set this with Charmer from the Tartelette In Bloom Palette to set this so the other shadows blend easier.
2. Now let's go in with Jetsetter in the crease and keep applying and blending until it's the intensity that you want.
3. For the star of the show, the Glossybox Glossy Mauve Eyeshadow which is a beautiful purpley taupe kind of shade. I first use a flat brush to apply this on the lid and blended in with the crease shade, and then to build the intensity I use my finger. You can also use a setting spray to wet your brush and then apply but it depends on what kind of look you are going for. But it's shimmery, it's a subtle pop of colour for the everyday neutral shadow wearer and it makes hazel eyes really come alive and really pop against the purple hues so I am in love with this.
4. I have recently been loving a slightly smokier lower lash line so I first go in with the crease shade from before, and then using some black kohl liner run along the waterline and smudge with a pencil brush into the lower lashes slightly. One this is done. I like to run a small amount of Glossy Mauve along the lashes too to finish off the lower lash line.
5. Using the shade Leader from the Tartelette In Bloom Palette I like to smudge this into the top lashes and into the outer corner slightly. I don't want this to be too intense, just enough to make the lashes look fuller and the outer corner a little darker and connect with the lower lash line.
Optional: Using my finger, I go into the shade Rocker from the Tarte Palette again and place this right in the centre of my lid just to highlight and make my eyes appear slightly bigger and rounder. It's nothing major and you can miss this part but I like how it looks.
You can of course add liner and lashes to this if you like, but this is more for an everyday kind of look, whether you want to wear it for work or school or a date, whatever the occassion, it gives your eyes a brighter pop of colour and overall I just love how it looks.
I hope you like this look, and if you're looking at doing something different with your makeup look, then I highly recommend giving this purpley look a go.
What's your favourite eye look to make your eyes pop?


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an excellent day to seek common ground.
The Apostle Paul not only ministered to people that he met in his travels, he spent a lot of time teaching them to minister to others. He said, "Though I am free and belong to no man, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible." (1 Corinthians 9:12 NIV).
Part of our responsibilities as members of this army is to help enlist others as well. In order to accomplish this, we must do many things, just as Paul taught. One important thing to remember is to never present a know-it-all attitude. Another is to be friendly and easy to approach. Still another is to establish common ground with the person we are talking with or helping.
For instance, if we are volunteering at a place that provides meals for those who are hungry, we would not want to show up expensively dressed or displaying expensive jewelry. We wouldn't want to distract anyone from what we are attempting to do, nor would we want to create the impression that we are better than they are.
If we are speaking with someone on the subject of sin, we would not want to create the impression that we have never sinned. We would not want to give someone the idea that we are free from temptation.
It would be difficult for most people to identify with someone like that.
If we want to bring someone closer to God, we must walk with them and show them we do understand their perspective and we do appreciate their circumstances.
As the Son of God, Jesus was capable of exhibiting awesome power. Although He did perform some wondrous miracles, His humility was an extremely important part of who He was. He tried to show that He was just like us in many ways. He loved the people He came to save and He never failed to connect with common, everyday people.
No matter what situation we find ourselves in, it is always desirable to seek common ground with those around us. It is the surest way to helping others understand what we are trying to share with them, and while we will not be able to save them all, we will certainly be able to save some.
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