Rating: 
Summary: An EXCELLENT Book!!
Review: This book is an example of Misty at her best. A lot of the fans of her Valdemar series have often wondered what some of the Heralds were actually like before being chosen by their Companions, and Skif is one of the major characters whose past has always been hinted at, but you never really got into detail. With this book, there is plenty of detail and intrigue, and you also get a personal glimpse into another of the Heralds, Alberich the armsmaster. I am looking forward to her next book!!
Rating: 
Summary: A great addition to my Lackey Library!
Review: I was really looking forward to this book since i own every Valdemar-related Mercedes Lackey novel. Since i refuse to buy Fantasy books in hardcover(I cant be seen with such a dorky item), i waited for my birthday and recieved it as a gift. This book isnt a masterpiece like the Vanyel series or anything, but it was quite adequate to fill me with the warm,fuzzy feelings Misty's work usually exudes.Tastes great,less filling.There are some inconsistencies in the text, both explicit and implied,but nothing focal or obvious enough to be really annoying.The funny thing is,i never particularly liked Skif in any of the other books-he always seemed kind of frumpy and uninteresting,even stupid.But this history of the pre-chosen Skif made me like him a lot more.In conclusion, this book is great for a nice Lackey fix, until her book about Alberich comes out this fall or whatever. I recommend you buy it in paperback.
Rating: 
Summary: Not up to standards
Review: I was very disappointed with this one. If you bother to get through the thick accents that plague the first hundred pages, you might even manage to make it to page 300, where the real action of this 350page book begins. I usually really like her work, this was not typical.If you are a true fan, don't buy the hardcover, it will leave you feeling cheated.
Rating:
Summary: Not enough about Skif
Review: In other Valdemar books, we learn that Skif can get in any room, remove any item from a person, and so forth. In this book, it seems that he isn't *that* good at pickpocketing on the street, even though he milks it in the Collegium. And then, it seems that he quits being a thief long before he becomes extremely talented at breaking and entering. I found this very inconsistent, and would have been more disappointed had I higher expectations.
Rating: 
Summary: solid read
Review: I have always liked Skiff and this book went a ways toward rounding him out more for me. Compared to the book about Lavan Firestorm, this was a significant improvement. The story was well done and did not have the rushed feel of the previously mentioned book. I also thought the character developement was pretty good. I love adolescent angst as much as the next fantasy reader but occasionally it can be overdone and it was refreshing to see a very resiliant non-angsty character in this story. I think you will enjoy it.
Rating:
Summary: A decent story
Review: I liked this book but it didn't quite live up to the expectations I had for it. I love Mercedes Lackey and don't think this was her best effort. It was a good read and an entertaining story though. I thought Skif's backstory was interesting. The over use of dialect was bothersome and had the unfortunate tendancy to pull me out of the story.
Rating:
Summary: Much Better Than I Expected
Review: After the disappointing Brightly Burning, I really hadn't expected much out of this book. I wasn't even going to buy it, except I got it as a gift for Christmas. I was pleasantly surprised. This book was much better than I was expecting, and a thousand times better than the last Valdemar novel I read. Skif's story doesn't have the emotional impact of earlier Lackey works like The Last Herald Mage or The Arrows Trilogy. His story is engaging though, certainly engaging enough to keep the reader interested. What I think is lacking from his character is there just isn't enough there for a reader to relate to. He's an orphan. He's been abused. He's alone. Nowhere in the story do I get a sense that he's really unhappy with his life; in fact, he seems to enjoy it all in all. I think that element steals a little something away from an otherwise good story. Unlike other reviewers, Skif's mode of speech didn't really bother me. As far as dialects go, it was fairly well done. Alberich's transposed mode of speech did throw me, though, especially since it was done consistently. I was happy to see Lackey veer back to a character driven plot rather than the "save the world" plots her last few books have featured. I think that might be why I enjoyed this novel so much. Rather than fighting great evils, the plot basically centers on Skif's need to find out who was behind the fire that killed his adopted family. This is a good read, but not Lackey's best.
Rating:
Summary: Mecedes Lackey Does It Again!!!
Review: This book is a fasinating look into the life of Skif, a beloved character of the series, before Chosen and right after Chosen. It is a must have for all Valdemar readers! Fantastic writing style as usual, I couldn't put it down!
Rating:
Summary: Good, but not Lackey's best
Review: This story definately fills a gap in Skif's his history that I'd hoped Lackey would fill, but it isn't as good as her other books. While it definately expands Skif's character some, it doesn't go as far into his life as I'd have liked. When Skif was introduced in Arrows of the Queen, he was a character that grabbed my attention right off. I'd always wanted to learn more about his early years as a theif. This story takes the reader from Skif's childhood working in his uncle's tavern, through his years as a thief, his attempt at revenge, and--finally-- into his first years as a Herald. The ending was a bit abrupt, but overall was good. I'd only recommend to people who've read at least Arrows of the Queen, Arrows Flight, and Arrows Fall. If you haven't read those, this story won't hold your attention.
Rating:
Summary: Better Than Expected!
Review: A long-time Valdemar lover, I've lately been disappointed in the stories Lackey has been writing. I thought Brightly Burning was fairly horrible and in consequence I was not exactly looking forward to Take A Thief. I'm happy to report it was an enjoyable read but I don't think it ranks up there with the best of Valdemar novels. I thought the idea of telling Skif's story was a good one. He's been a reliable second string character from the beginning and he has an intriguing past, ripe for a good story. While the story is interesting, it doesn't show much about life in the slums that we haven't already gleaned from previous novels. By all accounts, Skif got off fairly lightly, happening on a 'good' band of thieves led by an benevolent and legless ex-mercenary. I can't fault that too much, this is, after a fantasy, but a little more realistic detail would have added a lot of texture. I did enjoy seeing the roots of Skif and Lord Orthellan's mutual disdain for each other but it added up to a thin premise to hang a story on. My biggest complaint throughout was the lower classes' "speech" which frankly Lackey didn't do a very good job rendering. A minor point but when you think that almost the entire book concerns Skif living in the slums talking like that and living among those who do - it does invade the whole novel and make for an irritant. I also thought Alberich's speech patterns equally unconvincing and annoying. I just re-read Arrows of the Queen and yes, his speech is slightly altered but not to the extent it is here. Let's just hope Lackey can come up with a reasonable compromise before her new novel about Alberich comes out. My last beef is Lackey's completely gratuitous mention of herself as Herald Myste, the Herald Chronicler. Get over yourself! A mention and nothing more I might have forgiven as a wink to the reader but at almost a page's worth, and implying Myste has some sort of relationship with Alberich? YUCK. I'm not alone in wondering if Lackey hasn't milked all she can out of Valdemar. This is was an enjoyable read but seems a long way from the earlier, more compelling novels of Valdemar. Oh, the writing has gotten more polished but the story just didn't catch me the way her others have. Maybe it is because I am a jaded veteran. An ok read but I won't be buying it to add to my Valdemar collection.
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