Honor Among Thieves by Ann Aguirre and Rachel Caine Review

Title: Honor Among Thieves

Author(s): Ann Aguirre and Rachel Caine

Age Group: Teen/Young Adult

Genre: Science Fiction

Series: The Honors, book one

Star Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars

I borrowed this book from my local library and reviewed it.

I found Honor Among Thieves the way that I usually find my library books, a recommendation list. It’s been sitting in the pile for a while now, and I didn’t want to return it without reading it. (Story of my life, lately!) I pushed it to the top of the pile after asking my husband what I should read, and this book got his vote. I wasn’t quite sure what to expect, but it certainly wasn’t this, and I mean that in the best kind of way. Chock full of action, excitement, philosophy, questions, and of course, aliens, Honor Among Thieves may not be the most original book out there, but it has become one of my favorite books of 2018. I just finished it last night in the tub, and I’m still reeling; the only thing keeping me halfway sane is that there’s more to come. What a wonderful, searing series debut, with one of the weirdest relationships I’ve ever seen at its heart.

Zara Cole lives a life that is quite unusual. Refusing to live life within the strict confines of what she calls ‘Paradise’, she ekes out a brutal, gory existence among other misfits in the Zone. She’s resigned to her way of life, so when she gets into a particularly sticky situation, she fully expects to die a messy death out in the fringe. But that all changes when she is selected as an Honor out of a pool of random people. Honors get the privilege to live amongst the stars, with a mysterious race of alien life called The Leviathan. Thrust into a prestigious position that she never wanted in the first place, Zara accepts, albeit reluctantly. Forced to adapt all over again, Zara begins to like this new fate she’s been given. That is, until she starts digging and finds opposition on all sides. She must decide if the secrets she uncovers are worth her life, or if some things are just better staying buried…

This book was, in a word, a surprise. Science fiction is a genre that I deeply love, though it’s often hit and miss with me. I was a little worried at first; I’d read some reviews that said the book fell short, due to plot issues, lack of originality, and character development. But despite all of this, it was so much fun that I decided to disregard others’ thoughts on the book. Honor Among Thieves has everything that I love in a science fiction novel: spunky, hilarious heroines, breakneck pacing, aliens, political intrigue and dark secrets, killer character development, and a shocking ending that made my jaw drop. It took a little bit for me to get into it, but once I did, I couldn’t put it down. And when I did, it was constantly on my mind. I loved the concepts introduced in this book; I liked the way the authors took a typical topic and gave it a really cool spin. The Leviathan were one of my favorite parts of the book, especially Nadim, and his relationship with Zara and the other Honor, Beatriz. (Diverse books forever for the win! I freaking loved that Zara was biracial and Beatriz was Brazilian, it made me so happy!) Beatriz was another fun standout of a character, and I also really loved Marko, Chao-Xing, and Typhon. This book was one of the best of 2018, and I can’t wait for the sequel! The bottom line: A gorgeous, meaty and deep series opener that takes place in the deep black depths of space, I loved Honor Among Thieves! One of my favorite books of the year! Next on deck: People Like Us by Dana Mele!