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The Thief Lord  By  cover art

The Thief Lord

By: Cornelia Funke
Narrated by: Simon Jones
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Publisher's summary

Welcome to the magical underworld of Venice, Italy, where hidden canals and crumbling rooftops shelter runaways and children with incredible secrets...

Prosper and Bo are orphans on the run from their cruel aunt and uncle. The brothers decide to hide out in Venice, where they meet a mysterious thirteen-year-old boy who calls himself the "Thief Lord." Brilliant and charismatic, the Thief Lord leads a ring of street children who dabble in petty crimes. Prosper and Bo delight in being part of this colorful new family. But the Thief Lord has secrets of his own. And soon the boys are thrust into circumstances that will lead them to a fantastic, spellbinding conclusion.

©2001 Oliver Latsch; 2000 Cornelia Funke (P)2000 Random House, Inc., Listening Library, An Imprint of Random House Audio Publishing Group

Critic reviews

Book Sense Book of the Year Award Winner, Children's Literature, 2003

"It's a compelling tale, rich in ingenious twists, with a setting and cast that will linger in [listeners'] memories." (School Library Journal)

"Brilliantly narrated by Simon Jones, this enchanting tale of adventure, mischief, and magical outcomes is utterly charming.... This blend of Jones’s practiced storytelling and the magic of Funke’s lovely tale will leave you spellbound." (AudioFile)

What listeners say about The Thief Lord

Average customer ratings
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    5 out of 5 stars

Took me back

I read this as I kid, and it has been wonderful to relive this story!!

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Excellent production, original story

What a wonderful book! I thought the story was very original, unpredictable and quite wonderful. I have always liked this narrator and thought he was perfect. All the characters seem quite real and varied. I have a hard time with the negative review posted here, obviously someone who does not like fantasy. Also I have never considered Simon Jones a "soothing" reader -- on the contrary I find him quite invigorating!

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12 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Great fun

At first I thought this book was a little too much like others about thieving street children, but Cornelia Funke is now one of my favorite writers and her characters are fabulous, alive and fun. Lots of twists and turns - I'm always amazed at her ability to think up so many adventurous plot twists that all come together in the end. Really fun listen. If you haven't listed to Inkheart & Inkspell, though, those are must listens for those of us who love these types of books! And if you like these books and haven't yet listened to "His Dark Materials" (starts with the Golden Compass), by all means do. Not the same author, but great fantasy adventures, too.

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6 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

Good Children's Story

Taking place in Venice, following the story of 2 run-aways, this story takes you on adventures throughout the city while the children live in an old theatre and depend on the Theif Lord for their needs. Good story with alot of heart.

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3 people found this helpful

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A favorite!

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Fascinating story, beautiful language and beautifully written.

What did you like best about this story?

My daughter listens to it over and over.

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1 person found this helpful

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  • HT
  • 08-28-18

A Favorite

One off my most favorite books to listen to. Very enjoyable and engaging book to listen to.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

Kids in Venice

The Thief Lord fascinated my family as we traveled in the car this summer. Kids survive and thrive without parents like Charlie Brown and his gang did. This group pulls together well amidst the adversity that inevitably arises when an aunt an uncle search for two of the children in the streets and canals of Venice.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Sooooo goooooddddd

It was super good!!! I think It deserves a higher rating. Simon Jones was really good at voicing the story and the story was captivating that instead of watching YouTube I listen to the audio book!! I love it!!!

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

A wonderful childhood fantasy!

A wonderful story with adventure and a bit of mystery and an unexpected twist at the end.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

A masterpiece! One of my favorite stories ever.

I would love a whole series based with these beloved characters, in this enchanting setting! It should be counted among children's classics, such as The Secret Garden.

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