Mark of the Thief (Mark of the Thief #1) by Jennifer A. Nielsen

​Nicolas Calva is a slave in the mines outside of Rome. When the miners open a sealed cavern believed to hold Caesar’s treasures, Nic is forced to enter it in order to retrieve a bulla for Major General Radulf. When things go wrong inside the cavern, Nic finds himself with the bulla possessed with the magic of the Gods, a bulla people would kill for.
Determined to gain his freedom, Nic finds himself in the center of a plan to overthrow the emperor and destroy all of Rome. Nic must decide which side of the war he stands on and who he can trust. With the magic of the bulla, can Nic save Rome and gain his freedom against Rome’s most powerful enemy?
This novel originally caught my attention when I spotted book two on a shelf at my local library. Mythology has always interested me, mostly Greek and Norse mythology, so, this novel instantly appealed to me. I enjoyed this novel very much.
The characters in this novel have interesting background stories that lead to powerful personalities. Nic, for instance, is a slave, along with his sister Aurelia, who has lost both of their parents. He has not been a slave all of his life, but he has worked tirelessly as a slave for years and yet his rebellious spirit and attitude has not been abandoned. Aurelia has managed to hang onto an amazing amount of hope regarding her family despite what happened to her and all she has been through.
The settings are very interesting. Rome itself is described in detail. The buildings, the shops, the people, are described in great detail. However, locations such as the mines and a senator’s home were described differently. Their locations and outside exterior and relation to other locations were rather vague, while the inside of the home and mines were described in more detail. I found this tactic to be very interesting.
The plotline is exhilarating. The fast pace and quick rising action pull you in quickly. There are a couple slow moments, however, they help the story in more ways than you originally realize.
I would give this novel four out of five stars. I would recommend this novel to fans of Rick Riordan.
I borrowed a copy of this novel from my local library and am currently seeking permission to use an image of the cover artwork above.