Meet New Books
Meet New Books
Book Cover

The Thief

Book 1 in the series:The Queen's Thief

Save:
Find on Amazon

A young thief named Gen finds himself in jail after boasting about his latest heist, only to be recruited by the King's Magus for a quest to find a mythical stone that could unite kingdoms. The book is a mix of fantasy and Greek mythology, with charming characters and unexpected twists that keep readers engaged throughout the adventure.

The writing style of the book is described as clever, engaging, and filled with witty dialogue. The plot unfolds with elements of mystery and suspense, leading to a reveal twist at the end that surprises readers and leaves them eager to explore more of the series.

Characters:

Characters are well-developed and complex, with the protagonist displaying cleverness and depth, while supporting characters engage in dynamic relationships that enhance the narrative.

Writing/Prose:

The writing style combines engaging prose with a playful, witty narrative, employing an unreliable narrator to enhance the story's intrigue and character depth.

Plot/Storyline:

The plot features a clever young thief who, after being imprisoned, must use his skills in a risky quest to retrieve a legendary artifact, drawing readers into a web of political intrigue and deception.

Setting:

The setting is a uniquely crafted world inspired by Ancient Greece, characterized by its rich descriptions and mythological elements that enhance the narrative.

Pacing:

The pacing starts slowly but builds up tension, leading to surprising twists and a more intense climax, allowing for rich character development along the way.
I DIDN’T KNOW HOW LONG I had been in the king’s prison. The days were all the same, except that as each one passed, I was dirtier than before. Every morning the light in the cell changed from the wave...

Notes:

The Thief series is authored by Megan Whalen Turner and is set in a fantasy world inspired by Ancient Greece.
The central character, Gen, is a thief who is witty, clever, and somewhat complex in his motivations.
The first book in the series, The Thief, begins slowly but leads to significant twists and character development by the end.
The series is known for its intricate plots, political intrigue, and the clever use of unreliable narrators.
Many readers find the plot twist at the end of The Thief to be surprising and cleverly executed, prompting them to reread the book to catch hints they missed earlier.
The books feature rich world-building, with insights into a pantheon of gods that are real characters within the story, influencing the events around the main characters.
While the first book has minimal romantic elements, romance develops significantly in the subsequent books in the series.
Turner’s writing is praised for its depth and the way it weaves myths and legends into the fabric of the storytelling.
Readers are advised to go into the series blind, avoiding spoilers and summaries, as the mystery and reveals enhance the reading experience.

From The Publisher:

ALA Notable Children's Book

Newbery Honor Book

ALA Best Fiction for Young Adults

Bulletin Blue Ribbon (The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books)

Discover and rediscover the world of the Queen's Thief, from the acclaimed novel The Thief to the thrilling, twenty-years-in-the-making conclusion, The Return of the Thief. The epic novels set in the world of the Queen's Thief can be read in any order.

New York Times-bestselling author Megan Whalen Turner's entrancing and award-winning Queen's Thief novels bring to life the world of the epics. This first book in series introduces one of the most charismatic and incorrigible characters of fiction, Eugenides the thief. The Queen's Thief novels are rich with political machinations and intrigue, battles lost and won, dangerous journeys, divine intervention, power, passion, revenge, and deception. Perfect for fans of Leigh Bardugo, Marie Lu, Patrick Rothfuss, and George R. R. Martin.

Eugenides, the queen's thief, can steal anything-or so he says. When his boasting lands him in prison and the king's magus invites him on a quest to steal a legendary object, he's in no position to refuse. The magus thinks he has the right tool for the job, but Gen has plans of his own. The Queen's Thief novels have been praised by writers, critics, reviewers, and fans, and have been honored with glowing reviews, "best of" citations, and numerous awards, including the Los Angeles Times Book Prize, a Newbery Honor, the Andre Norton Award shortlist, and the Mythopoeic Fantasy Award.

A Newbery Honor Book

An ALA Notable Book

A YALSA Best Book for Young Adults

A Horn Book Fanfare Book

A New York Public Library Book for the Teen Age

A Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books Blue Ribbon Book

A Junior Library Guild Selection

"The Queen's Thief books awe and inspire me. They have the feel of a secret, discovered history of real but forgotten lands. The plot-craft is peerless, the revelations stunning, and the characters flawed, cunning, heartbreaking, exceptional. Megan Whalen Turner's books have a permanent spot on my favorites shelf, with space waiting for more books to come."-Laini Taylor, New York Times-bestselling author of the Daughter of Smoke and Bone novels and Strange the Dreamer

"Unforgettable characters, plot twists that will make your head spin, a world rendered in elegant detail-you will fall in love with every page of these stories. Megan Whalen Turner writes vivid, immersive, heartbreaking fantasy that will leave you desperate to return to Attolia again and again."-Leigh Bardugo, New York Times-bestselling author of the The Grisha Trilogy and Six of Crows

"Trust me. Just read it. Then read it again, because it will not be the same river twice."-Lois McMaster Bujold, acclaimed and Hugo Award-winning author of the Vorkosigan Saga, the Chalion Series, and the Sharing Knife series

"In addition to its charismatic hero, this story possesses one of the most valuable treasures of all-a twinkling jewel of a surprise ending." -Publishers Weekly (starred review)

"To miss this thief's story would be a crime."-Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books (starred review)

"A literary journey that enriches both its characters and readers before it is over."-Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

"A tantalizing, suspenseful, exceptionally clever novel."-The Horn Book (starred review)

Ratings (45)

Incredible (10)
Loved It (12)
Liked It (14)
It Was OK (5)
Did Not Like (3)
Hated It (1)

Reader Stats (133):

Read It (49)
Currently Reading (2)
Want To Read (66)
Did Not Finish (2)
Not Interested (14)

4 comment(s)

Loved It
3 months

(This is really more of a 3.5 for me, but I have high hopes for the series).

A bit simple, but relatively solid. The tone of this book is quite young, which isn’t a bad thing, but it did have me Jim Halperting at the camera from time to time.

I would’ve liked to see more women in the story, (especially some doing adventure-y things), but the characters are multifaceted. I liked not knowing where certain people’s allegiances lay.

I read this on a couple of friends’ suggestion, and I’m excited to see where the rest of the series goes.

 
Incredible
6 months

This book reminded me of Jennifer Nielsen's

The False Prince.

I loved it. It satisfied my fantasy/Greek mythology inspired craving.

 
Did Not Like
6 months

The last few pages barely made up for the rest of this pointless book. I may read the next one just because this was a short read and I am curious about whether the series gets better or stays the same

 
Hated It
9 months

Unbearably slow. Boring. Some plot twists in the end, but no reason to care about them.

 
 
Meet New Books is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a way for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to products and services on amazon.com and its subsidiaries.
When you click the Amazon link and make a purchase, we may receive a small commision, at no cost to you.