3 out of 5

A romance angle that feels a bit forced, but an appreciated attempt to expand the emotional palette and character depth of the Three Thieves series – Topper is still a bit of a one-dimensional foil, but Fisk starts to feel like less of a brute – that also continues to ground and flesh out the book’s world.

Camping out post Book Two’s hijinks, Dessa overhears a struggle and resolves a kidnapping in progress with her usual acrobatic flair, impressing the rescued by dint of her not giving a fig about who he is: the Prince of the title.  Our trio are transported back to the kingdom as heroes, plotting to scamper as soon as possible, but when feelings are kindled ‘tween Prince Paladin and Dessa – much to the king’s chagrin and concerning Topper and Fisk – those plans go awry…

Dessa is very much her own person throughout, even as something of a manic pixie girl from Paladin’s perspective, and her boldness during the rescue scene and some action later on is refreshing.  Fisk, as mentioned, also becomes an important element later on, acting as a voice of reason, and although the Prince is there just to make lovey eyes, Chantler does humanize him by story’s end.  However, there just aren’t enough pages to properly nurse this relationship, and Dessa’s sudden swooning feels a bit out of place as a result.  I did like that Scott established this as a separate kingdom, unawares of the Three Thieves’ legacy from North Huntington, but at the same time, without any cutaways to what’s going on with the Queen’s knights, the tale lacks some urgency.  And I dunno if that bird deserved its fate, y’all.

Ace YA comic booking all the same, with the three stars not preventing this book (and the rest in the series) from being very re-readable.