Mark of the Thief
In the first book of her new series, Jennifer Nielsen introduces the reader to Nic, a slave in the mines outside of Rome. Those in power believe the treasure of Julius Caesar is buried somewhere in the mine, and Nic’s overseer commands him to crawl into an unexplored and dangerous section to seek the treasure, especially a bulla that is supposed to carry magical powers. Nic finds the bulla and slips it around his neck, triggering its magic immediately. In the wake of this magic, Nic escapes.
Once the authorities realize Nic has escaped, they cast a wide net to find him. Luckily, he is befriended by a griffin and a street urchin named Aurelia, who help him elude his would-be captors and try to rescue his sister, Livia. From one adventure to another, Nic discovers he has no idea how to use the magic he possesses, but somehow he manages to baffle the senators and generals who chase him.
Told in first-person point of view, this book has it all: a likeable hero, magic, and a band of evil men who must be thwarted so that Rome can survive. It’s an enjoyable read, well told. One minor quibble is the abruptness of the ending. This is the first book in a series, so one expects a cliff-hanger, but the ending felt choppy rather than suspenseful. Otherwise, this is a book I would happily buy for my grandchildren.
