The Thief (The Queen's Thief, Book 1)

The Thief The Queen of Attolia The King of Attolia A Conspiracy of Kings Thick as Thieves by Megan Whalen Turner This is one of those series of books that you really ought to read in order. While each book can and does stand alone, this is a tale that unfolds like a flower, one petal at a time, and you owe it to yourself to let yourself enjoy it the way it was meant to be enjoyed. Take Humpty-Dumpty’s advice. Begin at the beginning, go on to the end, then stop — and then wish that there was more to the tale! So: Imagine a land that looks like Greece but isn’t, inhabited by a people with Greek sounding names, who worship gods with Greek sounding names, but who have pocket watches, window glass, and flintlocks. They speak a common language, worship common gods, but have divided themselves into three separate states: Sounis, Eddis and Attolia: The queendom* of Eddis is both protected and trapped within its mountainous geography. It is sandwiched between the kingdom of Sounis on one hand, and the queendom of Attolia on the other. The king of Sounis covets Attolia, Eddis, and especially Eddis’ queen. The Queen of Attolia is struggling to keep her throne and her power against the machinations of the large empire of Mede across the sea to the south. Like the wolf at the door, Mede is hungry to get a foothold on their shores by using intrigue and influence to gain control of all three states, and another powerful empire to the north of them is equally determined not to let this happen. This is the book that begins the tale of Gen the thief, one of the most interesting and engaging characters I've run across in a long time. As the story opens, he has been locked in the palace dungeons of the king of Sounis for being what he is, a thief. It’s a heist tale, suspenseful and exciting; it sets the stage for everything that comes after. By the end of it you will understand the where’s and why’s of the story, and have met all the important who’s but one. The second book continues the career of Gen the thief, and introduces us to the last of the key players, The Queen of Attolia, a woman who must walk a tightrope to stay one step ahead of the machinations of the Mede ambassador who already sees himself as Attolia’s next king. When Gen falls into her clutches, she takes something important from him, but he steals something much more important from her. In The King of Attolia, the third book, Attolia gets the king it needs but doesn’t want, and in order for Gen the thief to obtain the one thing he wants most, he also has to take what comes with it — which is the last thing he wants I think the story was originally supposed to end here, but I can see how Ms. Turner couldn’t let it go. There was still one person who needed to tell his story. In the fourth book, A Conspiracy of Kings, the chief advisor of Sounis’ young apprentice, whom we met in The Thief, gets to tell his tale. It is the story of how a boy becomes a man, how a man becomes a king, and how the young apprentice puts the heir of Sounis on his throne. I suspect that Ms. Turner succumbed to the plea that every story teller hopes to hear, “Just one more story! Please!” That “one more story” is Thick as Thieves. In it, the chief slave of the former Mede ambassador to the court of Attolia tells how Attolia’s king enacted his revenge on both master and slave. I was lucky that the first three books were already out when I started The Thief. I only had to wait two days for the second and third books to arrive from Amazon. I read them again when the fourth book came out, and have just finished reading them all again now that the fifth book is out. I know at some point I’ll want to read them all again. Yes, they are that good. By the end of the first chapter of The Thief, the characters had stepped off the page and into the miniseries that was playing in my head as I continued reading. As I said at the start of this, do yourself a favor and read the books in order. Just when you think you know how the tale is going to go, the tale takes an unexpected twist. Things are not what they seem, and people are not who you think they are. Oh, and did I mention the volcano? *Don’t tell me a queendom isn’t a thing. If a country ruled by a king is a kingdom, then a country ruled by a queen is a queendom. Sit down and hush.

Ten Likes/Dislikes: 1. (+) Gen, the protagonist - By far, the best part of this book for me was Gen, his witty comments, resourcefulness, cleverness, determination, and more, though I'm not keen on revealing much about him so that I don't ruin the story for you. It's no secret that Gen has a lot of secrets. His perspective is not really what you'd associate with "distant" nowadays, but it does feel slightly off, slightly distant, the same sort of trickster and wily humor that you might expect of a thief, and that you see in his interactions with the other characters, embedded into how he describes situations, as if he's laying clues out for you to understand his motives, his personality, his background. And he's one of the most well-drawn, fascinating protagonists in YA literature that I've read. 2. (+) World-building - If you are a world-building person, you will love this novel. There are so many details to appreciate. The details of the land during their journey across Sounis, Eddis, and Attolia. The way the land reflects political leanings. The different accents and specialties of each country. The histories, wars and invasions and diseases alike. The ancient Greek inspired culture, with peplos and related mythology stories, though with some historically inaccurate elements like guns, windows with glass panes, pocket watches, and printed books. The details of the treasure hunt itself and the history behind that particular item and how important it is to a certain culture. The details of Gen's thievery and the King's prison and the magus's duties along with the duties of other soldiers and land owners. The customs for the various religions. etc. etc. In some ways, it seemed like The Thief was set-up for the rest of the series because of the very well established world that would later, I bet, have more political intrigue. 3. (+) Stories within stories - What I really liked was the way Megan Whalen Turner created her own mythology within an ancient Greek mythology/culture based world (plus some other details like guns) and factored that into the story. The synopsis refers to the tales of "old gods and goddesses," and I couldn't help but think a bit of Scheherazade and One Thousand and One Nights as Gen and the magus inform us and the other boys of creation and thievery myths. 4. (+) Characters - Personally, I guessed a majority of the secrets and plot twists, but I don't think that makes the character cast any less worthy of admiration. It's clear that each character's motivations and backgrounds are well-drawn and shown in every action that they take, and the interactions between the guys are complex things in themselves. You're with the guys for a majority of the novel, but even the other characters who get very little time in comparison have ulterior motives and personalities that will certainly intrigue as they did to me. 5. (--) The Beginning - The beginning pages are reminiscent of some other books that I've read lately that also haven't eased me into the fantasy world as well as I'd have liked. Just last week, I'd given up on a book for the same reason, but where this book succeeded was in the writing style, which I'll get to later. Still, even with the engaging writing, the info-dumps nearly turned me away. 6. (+/-) Plot - Because I was bored for some parts of the novel. Because the plot was clearly fashioned with the series in mind. For about half the novel, the characters are traveling, the details of the countryside astounding but not hiding the fact that there was very little actually going on, no matter the twists that you uncover later. The devil is certainly in the details in this book, and while I loved that and that the book was showing me that I needed to pay close attention, I still wanted a bit more *excitement.* 7. (+/-) That Special Spark - So, that's a really general topic, but for me, this book lacked that special spark that makes me want to return to it days later, that makes me continue to think of the book hours after I finish it. Why? Well, although the characters were well-rounded, the only one who I felt at all connected to was Gen, and that happened a lot later, when he really started to pull the guns out, so to speak. And as for the world? Well, it's certainly fascinating and well-drawn, but I probably missed a good deal of it with the beginning info-dumps and unless I actually *care* about the characters a lot, then I'll probably not feel too invested in the world either. So that's all to say, while I sense a great deal of potential in Megan Whalen Turner and the world and characters she's drawn, this book hasn't quite *sold* me on the series yet. I plan on continuing, yes, but it's not a need-it-now kind of priority (though I have been warned that this book is not the best of the series). 8. (+) Writing - This prose is simplistic but not sparse. It's beautiful, textured, and evocative with all the details that Ms. Turner adds in to make the setting come alive and to add complexity to Gen's narrative and the mythology that she incorporates into the plot and world. 9. (+/-) Pacing - I mentioned that the beginning had a lot of info-dumps and that they're traveling for a good deal of the time. The book doesn't really pick up until about 6/10ths of the way through, and even then, there are a few lulling moments. Still, I can't completely fault the pacing because I honestly don't know what else could have been done, besides maybe adding more plot to this book and cutting back in that first half. 10. (+) The Cover - Yes for the treasure. Yes for Gen's dirty hands. Yes for the symmetry and elaborate design. (Though I do wish they'd done something to evoke the ancient Greek culture feel.) This book was recommended to me because I like Shadow and Bone, Graceling, and Grave Mercy. I agree with these comparisons: it's clear that the political machinations of each are echoed in this story, the mention of gods and religion somewhat reminiscent of that in GM, and the simplistic but textured and detailed writing style very similar to Kristin Cashore's style. I would also recommend this book to those who were fans of Throne of Glass but who also wanted that story's focus to be less oriented on the ball/fairy-tale/romantic aspect. The Thief is a promising start to a series full of political intrigue and complex characters that I will be following into the sequel.

When I learned of Megan Whalen Turner's The King of Attolia during this year's Newbery buzz, I thought it sounded intriguing. To fully appreciate it however, I was advised to start at the beginning of her tale with The Thief. Boy, am I glad I did. The story follows Eugenides, or Gen, a cocky thief living in ancient Greece. Because of his constant bragging (he can steal anything) he is captured and locked away in the King's prison. Months later, the King's scholar, the Magus approaches Gen with an opportunity. The Magus believes he knows the location of Hamiathe's Gift, an ancient treasure hidden away by the gods themselves. While many have tried, no one has ever successfully stolen Hamiathe's Gift and Gen is just cocky enough to think he can. He accepts the Magus' offer and sets off across the ancient Greece landscape (beautifully described by Whalen Turner) with the Magus, his two students Ambiades and Sophos, and a bodyguard, Pol. I have to say, I'm a sucker for big epic tales of adventure and I have a feeling that The Thief is just the beginning of a great one. The world that Whalen Turner has created is well thought out and very complex. You'll want to pay attention when the Magus and Gen are discussing the politics that govern their world. It may seem like small talk between the two but trust me, it plays a very key role in the resolution of this story. Adding extra layers to this journey are the rich, three-dimensional characters. Gen is of course, the star. He's devilishly clever and full of snotty retorts that put the Magus in his place. While I found myself siding with Gen throughout the story, I cannot say he'd be someone I would want to become friends with. The Magus is the boss. What he says, the group does and in the beginning of the story, you'll find yourself laughing out loud as Gen lays into him. But Whalen Turner is a master storyteller and she hasn't quite shown all there is to see. Sophos is the youngest. He is naïve and eager to learn all he can. Pol is Sophos' bodyguard and will stop at nothing to see to it that he returns home unharmed. Ambiades, Sophos' older brother, is the most boring character, coming off as jealous and deceitful right from the beginning. The Thief is labeled "young adult" and as a fifth grade teacher, let me tell you, this book would go straight over the top of many of my students' heads. If you enjoy a quick read that requires little to no thinking, this probably isn't the book for you. If you enjoy slow moving, but well-written and complex historical pieces, look no further. There are scenes of great action, but they are not written for "action's" sake. They just add to the broad depth of writing Whalen Turner has on display. The characters and their relationships are what drive this story and in the end, if you have been paying close attention, you'll be rewarded with a surprise ending, more precious than Hamiathe's Gift. I for one, am hooked and can't get my hands on The Queen of Attolia fast enough.

I had a hard time with this one. On the one hand, the story itself is interesting and has complex characters that add great dimension, but on the other hand... it felt really dry. The Thief begins with Gen, a thief, currently living his days as a prisoner in the King's prison when he is approached by a magus - the king's scholar. The Magus wants to enlist Gen's skills as a thief to unearth an ancient treasure, which Gen eventually agrees to. Thus, they embark on a long journey in an attempt to discover said treasure. Gen was a fun character, albeit a stubborn one. I appreciated his wit and dry humor even when other characters did not; it made Gen feel like a real person with a distinct personality. Now, I sometimes become annoyed with overly stubborn characters in books, but I actually enjoyed Gen's actions and how he didn't suddenly become some willing and obedient participant in the Magus' plan, but instead maintained his own strong-willed nature and wasn't afraid to say whatever he thought. Turner's writing style itself is wonderfully descriptive and clearly the work of a talented writer. She somehow makes a seemingly endless journey on horseback into something more important and beautiful to read. Despite the flowing language, The Thief still requires immense amounts of patience, as the plot appears fairly event-less throughout a good chunk of the book. Details are not overlooked, and although they do add some deeper dimension to the journey, overall they seem to merely make the book denser and harder to get through. I don't want to say much about the ending other than the fact that it truly saved this book. If the ending had not been as good as it was, I would have more than likely put this book down and not even considered continuing the series. However, the endings shows great promise for the rest of the series and makes me realize that, as an author, Turner certainly knows what she's doing. Overall, I'm giving The Thief three stars. I really wanted to like it, and part of me did. But I also felt like nothing happened and half the time I was slogging through it. As mentioned, I've heard that The Thief is not the best compared to the other books int he series, so I made give the second book a try. I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys high fantasy 'journey' books with thoughtful characters and storytelling. If you're into fast-paced books with lots of actions, well, this might not be the best choice.

It is so difficult to review this book because it is an excellent read, but to really delve into why it is excellent might detract from the experience for new readers! And I really think it helped going into this story with little expectations. It does take a bit of time for the story to pick up, but I did find the author's descriptions of the world and of the lives of these people so vivid as to be completely fascinating, and I enjoyed all the details. I think this story has a perfect blend of character development, plot and world building. All three support each other so well to tell the story. Just when it is necessary to know more about a character, the information is dropped in - as well as the information concerning the beliefs and politics of the world, and the purpose of the story. The plot does seem aimless at times in the beginning, but I enjoyed how everything was made clear as things that were hinted or briefly mentioned in the beginning became important. The story builds very well as we get to know more about the characters and their motivations. Gen is such a fun character - wry, unrepentant, and very cocksure - he narrates the book and keeps the flow of the story entertaining with his observations of his fellow travelers. Everybody it seems has secrets in this book, and it really felt like I was there on this journey of discovery with these characters as I continued to read. The writing, the characters and the world building - with it's influences of Greek mythology - all felt real and striking. I think when it comes to a book of this kind of fantasy, there is an expectation of real emotional poignancy. And there were a couple emotional moments in this book that could have been very affecting, but the plot moved too quickly to dwell on it. That made this story lighter fantasy fare - which is nice to read sometimes because it is just pure entertainment. This is a fantastic adventure tale with some surprising twists and great characters. And I've heard that the second book "The Queen of Attolia" is much better, so I'm really looking forward to finding out why!

This was such a refreshing and unexpected read! I picked up The Thief in an effort to complete one of my current reading challenge prompts, but I was not prepared for how endearing I was soon to find its unlikely hero and protagonist, Gen. The skinny.. When the magus finds himself in need of a thief to help him seek out an elusive, ancient treasure for the king, he turns to the prison. It is here that he chooses young Gen, a boastful and proud thief, selected solely for his skills to help him complete the job at hand. What is the job? Only the magus knows. So Gen, happy to escape his current confinements sets out with 4 men on a long and dangerous journey. Along the way, they will they will share food, trade stories of the old gods and goddesses, and possibly come to know one another just a little. " ‘I want you to steal something.’ I smiled. ‘Do you want the king’s seal? I can get it for you.’ ‘If I were you,’ said the magus, ‘I’d stop bragging about that.’ His voice grated. My smile grew. The gold ring with the engraved ruby had been in his safekeeping when I had stolen it away.” What I appreciated.. This is a beautiful slow burn sort of tale unfolds throughout the course of our narrator’s travels. And I adore traveling stories for some many reasons, I would not even know where to start. But the every changing setting and perils offer an environment that is ripe with opportunity. It is here we learn so much about our protagonist and companions. There are elements of mythology present, though I am unable to place my finger on any specific one. It felt as if Turner plucked the best from Greek mythology and other familiar cultures and tales, crafting them into something of her own. We are gifted with stories within a story as members of the traveling party trade their tales. Gen is an incredibly rewarding protagonist and narrator. He is witty, animated and invigorating. It does not take long to succumb to his odd, wily charms and find yourself slightly enchanted. Turner’s writing is captivating and seamless, creating a rich and immersive experience. The ending was not what I had imagined and I am thankful for that. While a few small moments were predicted, I admit to being caught unaware in the best of ways and loved the conclusion! “It’s a funny thing that the new gods have been worshipped in Sounis since the invaders came, but when people need a truly satisfying curse, they call on the old gods. I called on all of them, one right after another, and used every curse I’d overheard in the lower city.” Challenges some may encounter.. I cannot speak for later books in this series, but The Thief while a fantasy story at heart will read more true as slower paced, historical fiction during this first encounter. The fantasy elements come into limited play. So if you are expecting high fantasy, you may be setting yourself up for some disappointment. I felt the character description was slightly lacking, leaving me to wonder quite a bit about Gen and a few supporting characters. The Thief is a superb introduction to what promises to be a fulfilling and rich series. Boasting a distinct protagonist who carries a first-person narrative in the best of ways, it is likely to find an appreciative audience among fans of sharp, humorous fantasy and historical fiction. I am looking forward to picking up the next book!

I would actually be surprised if you hadn't heard of this book. It's been around for a bit and I've seen it on several author's blogs exclaiming their love for it. The one that made me particularly want to read it was Sarah J Maas, author of the Throne of Glass series. The premise is rather basic- Gen is a thief locked away in the king's prison. He's released by the king's magus (an adviser) under one condition- he needs to steal something. Thus begins the adventure. This book is short but has racked up lots of positive reviews. Many people who have read it fawn over it. But when I started reading it I had wondered if I picked up the wrong book. It was good, but it wasn't the best thing I had ever read (especially coming off of The Lumatere Chronicles). So I double checked the reviews and many of them said that you would have to wait at least a hundred pages before realizing how magnificent it really was. Normally I wouldn't wait that long for a book, but the story was good and the mythology was stellar (it's a world roughly based of ancient Greece/Rome and the mythology is reminiscent of it as well, in all the best ways) so I didn't mind. It's worth the wait. I think it's more than a hundred pages I had to wait, but as soon as it hit, I couldn't put it down. I was up until one o'clock reading it and when I was finished I couldn't stop saying "I need the next one" and rocking back and forth in withdrawal. While I haven't picked up the next one yet (I'm trying to conserve the amount of money I spend on books going into the new year) I will be as a special New Years present to myself. And then, chances are high, I'll pick up book three and book four. I wish I could tell you more, but it's best going into this book blind. Really, give it a try. It's short, it won't take up too much time, and it's a surprisingly amazing YA fantasy. I give it a solid five stars.

If you can manage the boring first half, the book is full of surprising twists and interesting character developments. I’m glad I kept reading. This author is good at showing and not telling even if it gets tedious sometimes.

Read this book through once and then again - you’ll have a whole new viewpoint on just how well it’s written!

first book of my fave series. The twists and writing of this one are amazing. Adore it, love it, the best!!

This was a nice book, an easy read. The character of Gen is so wonderful and well written. I really liked this.

何年か前に初めて読んだときは，人名や地名などの固有名詞が難しいことや，最初のほうではこれといった出来事が起こらないことから，なかなか物語の中に入っていくことができませんでした．繰り返し読んで，会話のやりとり等の細かいところの面白さに気づく余裕が出てきてからは，ずっと楽しめるようになりました．登場人物たちによって語られる，この世界独特の神話に関しても，最初は読みにくいと思っていたのがだんだん好きになっていきました．作中で語られる以上に詳しく知りたいと思ったほどです．続編に当たる"The Queen of Attolia"のほうが好きですが，その面白さもこちらを先に読んでこそだと思います．ただ，U.K.版のChapter6で話の流れがおかしいところがあり，U.S.版と比べたところ，段落が1つ抜けていました．これはミスだったのでしょうか．

I mainly find myself wanting to argue with the reviewers who found this boring and plotless. I fear it's a result of too many action films where there has to be an explosion or a fight on every second page. This book is an absolute gem, whether for a young adult or for an adult. The writing is subtle, and like any good mystery it plants little clues along the journey. The first section (which some reviewers found boring - 'they just walk') introduces the reader to the characters' personalities and backgrounds as well as skillfully building a picture of the geography and politics of the world without indulging in a clunky 'infodump'. A reader who is paying attention will begin to suspect the hidden levels of the story and I have rarely come across such a gem of a surprise ending. As mentioned by Lois McMaster Bujold in the reviews quoted in the description, it rewards reading and then reading, so you can marvel in the subtlety of the 'hidden' story.