Young Giravel is an orphan and a thief, not a warrior or a hero. But that's about to change... Unfairly labeled a thief by the residents of Thre'llish, a small village on the edge of a dark and mysterious forest, Giravel has become just that-a thief. With no money, no home, and few friends, he must steal in order to survive. But one day he risks too much and is caught in the act by city guards. To escape them, Giravel runs into the forbidden forest of Re'ador-a place where few people enter and none return. It is there that he meets Gem, a Spirit Beast who has been protecting the forest longer than Giravel could ever know. When Gem and Giravel find Goblin intruders in the forest, they believe these creatures are trying to take Re'ador for themselves-but they will soon find that things are much more complicated. Giravel has always dreamed of adventure, but now that he is in the midst of one, he finds it far more dangerous and difficult than he ever imagined... Tale of a Thief is a fast-paced, exhilarating debut novel chronicling Giravel's adventures as he faces danger and fearsome creatures, discovers a hidden magic within, and finally begins to unravel the mystery of his past.