Swords & Larceny – eARC

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TALES OF THIEVES AND WARRIORS, WRITTEN BY FAN FAVORITES!

FIND THE MARK

The dragon’s hoard. The dwarves’ hidden mine. The mage’s secret library overflowing with enchanted relics. The world is brimming with treasures—if you’re bold enough to claim them.

PLAN THE JOB

Waltzing in with a broadsword and demanding the crown jewels? That’s a fast track to the dungeon. A true master thief needs a strategy—one with style, cunning, and just the right amount of risk.

ASSEMBLE THE TEAM

It is dangerous to go alone. You’ll need the best in the business—whether they be fae tricksters, goblin lockpickers, elven illusionists, or human masterminds.

PULL OFF THE HEIST

But even the most flawless plans have a way of unraveling. When the stakes are high and the odds are stacked, only the cleverest and most daring will make it out with the prize. Thirteen daring tales of fantasy heists and high-stakes capers—where charm is as sharp as steel, and the score of a lifetime is just one misstep away.

With stories by Christopher Ruocchio, Wen Spencer, A. Lee Martinez, Edward M. Erdelac, Jim Zub, John C. Hocking, James Enge, Tim Akers, Mark Finn, Bill Willingham, Adrian Simmons, Tracy S. Morris, and Stephen Aryan.

Contributors:
Christopher Ruocchio
Wen Spencer
A. Lee Martinez
Edward M. Erdelac
Jim Zub
John C. Hocking
James Enge
Tim Akers
Mark Finn
Bill Willingham
Adrian Simmons
Tracy S. Morris
Stephen Aryan
David Afsharirad

Cover Art by Todd Lockwood

Paperback

This is a work of fiction. All the characters and events portrayed in this book are fictional, and any resemblance to real people or incidents is purely coincidental.

First printing, September 2025

Distributed by Simon & Schuster
1230 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY 10020

Printed in the United States of America

ISBN-13: 978-1-6680-7287-5

Copyright © 2025 by David Afsharirad and Mark Finn

Introduction: “Stealing the Shire” © 2025 by Mark Finn; “The Beer Run” by Mark Finn; “The Mistress of Spiders and the Hooded Crow” © 2025 by Bill Willingham; “Gilt and Glamour” © 2025 by Tracy S. Morris; “The Unworthy” © 2025 by Stephen Aryan; “Legacy of Dragons” © 2025 by Wen Spencer; “The Orpheus Job” © 2025 by A. Lee Martinez; “Five Beneath the Palace of Kalgranis” © 2025 by Adrian Simmons; “The Darkflame Deception” © 2025 by John C. Hocking; “To Steal a God” © 2025 by Tim Akers; “Just a Bit of Smoke” © 2025 by Jim Zub; “Black Bones of the White Hypaethral” © 2025 by Edward M. Erdelac; “The House of Fame” © 2025 by James Enge; “The Shrine of Lost Stars” © 2025 by Christopher Ruocchio

All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book or portions thereof in any form.

A Baen Books Original
Baen Publishing Enterprises
P.O. Box 1403
Riverdale, NY 10471
http://www.baen.com

Electronic version by Baen Books
http://www.baen.com