Series: The Queen’s Thief Book 1
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy
Length: 280 pages
Audiobook Length: 7 hours and 41 minutes
First Published: 1996
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Rachael’s Review
Among the best fantasy books for adventure-loving young teens is The Queen’s Thief series. Sitting in the King’s prison is a young thief named Gen who claims he can steal anything. So the king and his Magus put him to the test, needing him to steal a treasure that will let the King control other lands. But Gen has an agenda of his own, and it’s anyone’s guess which side he is on.
My husband’s family decided to start a book club that included the nieces and nephews so I ended up rereading Megan Whalen Turner’s The Thief. I read the first five books years ago and remember liking them. However, on a reread of The Thief, I realized how much I don’t like the first book. The Thief spends most of its story as a travelogue interspersed with long folk stories about the world’s mythology. The action is haphazard at best and the characters aren’t developed well. Although the first book isn’t a favorite, I still would recommend the series for it settles into a fun political fantasy in the next few books.
Publisher’s Description
The king’s scholar, the magus, believes he knows the site of an ancient treasure. To attain it for his king, he needs a skillful thief, and he selects Gen from the king’s prison. The magus is interested only in the thief’s abilities. What Gen is interested in is anyone’s guess. Their journey toward the treasure is both dangerous and difficult, lightened only imperceptibly by the tales they tell of the old gods and goddesses.
Megan Whalen Turner weaves Gen’s stories and Gen’s story together with style and verve in a novel that is filled with intrigue, adventure, and surprise.
Quotes from The Thief
A thief never makes a noise by accident.
A little danger adds spice to life.
And the Earth had no name. The gods know themselves and have no need of names. It is man who names all things, even gods.
Let the gods into your life and you rapidly lose faith in the natural laws.
About Megan Whalen Turner
Megan Whalen Turner is an author best known for The Queen’s Thief series. She currently lives in Ohio. Visit the author’s website →
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