Thick as Thieves (Queen’s Thief, 5)

The Queen’s Thief series is one of my favorite fantasy series ever, and the fact that these books come out every few years, builds such a delicious amount of anticipation, which I find is always fully rewarded once I get going with one of Megan Whalen Turner’s books. It takes awhile for the book to be written, but the way the plot is carefully developed - where the reader doesn’t always know everything that is going on until the very end - makes it such a satisfying read. All of the books in the Queen’s Thief series is built on a kind of twist and now that I expect it with the series, it was so interesting to read this book, looking for where the surprise will be. Thick as Thieves is a different kind of adventure to the previous books in the series, and centers on the point of view and personality of Kamet - a very intelligent, slightly prejudiced, sheltered servant who finds himself on the run with an Attolian. Most of the story is built on the relationship between Kamet and the Attolian (another delicious aspect to this story is that we are not told who the Attolian is, until almost the end of the book.) I loved the way the characters were developed in this - with enough action and close, daring escapes to make the plot move quickly. Kamet as a character was also fascinating to watch develop. He is a good man, but with flaws, and it was rewarding to see him become a better person through his ordeal. Although we are kept at a distance from the Attolian because we only see him through Kamet’s eyes - the Attolian’s character development was also noteworthy because of how the reader can interpret his character better than Kamet does because Kamet is hampered by his preconceived ideas. I’m always in awe of how intricately the books in the Queen’s Thief series are written, and Thick as Thieves was another wonderful installment. There were some previous characters that I would have liked to see more of, but I love that the author takes such different approaches to each book in the series, and seeing how the world-building comes together makes for a wonderful immersive reading experience.

It is always a refreshing change to read a book by Megan Whalen Turner. Besides being wonderful stories, her books are technically well written making them a pleasure to read. I am never distracted by glaring typos or poor grammar. In fact, I had to buy a second copy of the "King of Attolia" because I wore out my first one. If you are a fan of the series, you will have to add this book to your collection. Now, having said all that, I'm afraid I must admit that of the five books, this is my least favorite. The events that made up the main body of the story felt just a little too drawn out and repetitive. And while the main character Kamet was interesting, at no point did I develop an attachment to him as I did Eugenides or even Costis. I still believe that there are many more great books to come in this series and I am looking forward to the next adventure.

Kamet is happy to be a powerful slave to a powerful man. His master, Nahuseresh, may have fallen out of favor a bit over that small disaster in Attolia, but Nahuseresh is still the Emperor's nephew and brother to the heir. Kamet hoards his power and favors carefully as he knows he's destined to become the most powerful slave in the Mede empire and perhaps the second most powerful man, second only to the Emperor himself. Kamet's been trained all his life for this. Kamet's happy with his lot in life, greedily eyeing his destination and putting up with beatings as part of the status quo, until he's stolen at Eugenides' command. The King of Attolia takes his spite out on Kamet, sending an Attolian soldier to steal the slave away on the very day his master is poisoned. And thus begins Kamet's slow torturous journey to freedom he does not want in a kingdom he despises as a backward cesspit. There are many discoveries along the twisting road to freedom, friends made and found, gods wandering anonymously, and behind it all - overlapping intrigues and plans-within-plans - is our favorite thief. And behind him stand the gods. Megan Whalen Turner is at her twisty best. Everything we love about the Queen’s Thief series is here and in play again. We are immersed in Eugenides’ world in a fantastic read that I will immediately re-read just to see what hints or twists I missed. There’s so much about the human spirit, slavery, freedom, and friendship in this book. It’s all cleverly hidden in a story that’s almost impossible to put down to eat and sleep. Megan Whalen Turner is an incredible writer and every bit of that talent is invested in the hidden cracks and crannies of this story. My only quibble with this book is that it ended and I must wait for the next book.

No, you won't see much of Eugenides or his queen here, but Megan Whalen Turner is still an astoundingly talented storyteller who had me turning pages from the moment I opened the package in this evening's mail until a few minutes ago when I finished a highly satisfying and much-anticipated book. All the elements we've come to expect are here: intrigue, complexity, the machinations of men and the subtle hand of the gods guiding the course of events (or are they?). Just as Sounis and its neighbors always reminded me of a variant Greek world, I found myself treated to something like a tour of an alternate Near East, complete with its own Gilgamesh figure. The fears I was left with for the safety of Attolia and its inhabitants at the close of the last book were not unaddressed, in spite of having to wait long for our narrator to set foot on Attolian soil and bring us back to the characters we might most long to see. I have no regrets whatsoever about buying and reading this book, no complaints about Ms. Turner's narrative choices, no disappointment of any kind. I would still love to see more of the Queen's Thief in future, but feel immensely privileged to have had the experience of reading all these wonderful books, from the first twenty (!) years ago to this latest (but hopefully not last) entry. If you only want to see more of the same people and places, you may feel less enthusiasm than I, but if you love the world the author has made, how real she makes it, how deeply the characters feel (hopes, fears, loyalties, dreams, disillusions), how completely and confidently she renders the mythology, politics, and culture -- do yourself the favor of reading this book. Kamet, the narrator, may know everything and nothing, but I enjoyed every step of the journey I took with him.

This is the fifth book in the Queen's Thief fantasy series, a series which I discovered only recently, but which I already love. I love it enough to have re-read the first three books soon after having first devoured them, despite the many books languishing on my shelves waiting for a first reading. I don’t think any fantasy series will ever unseat Le Guin’s Earthsea or Tolkien’s Middle-Earth in my affections, both of which were part of the fabric of my childhood, and both of which created worlds that tug at me more than the world of the Queen’s Thief. It is not the world of the Queen’s Thief that draws me so strongly, though that world is beautifully rendered. Rather it is the characters. Eugenides. Costis. Sophos. Kamet. If they do not mean quite as much to me as Strider or Sam, Ged or Tenar, still they mean a great deal. If you haven’t read any of the Queen’s Thief books, I would strongly recommend skipping reviews and spoilers, and trying them for yourself, starting at the beginning with “The Thief.” As to this book in particular, I liked it very much indeed. Spoilers ahead.... I liked the central pairing of Kamet and Costis. I liked how their friendship echoed the stories of Immakuk and Ennikar. I liked the writing. I liked Eugenides’s part. I like to think of the tale’s aftermath suggested in the final note to Relius.... Of Kamet poring over the scrolls by Enoclitus by day, then coming home at dusk to Costis, to his friend.

I absolutely loved the 1st three books in this series, and really enjoyed the 4th, but this one was not worth reading except for the series plot development at the end. The beginning is ok, and the end, but the entire middle just drags along from the main character's perspective in the 1st person. Kamet and the other main character (I do not want to name because it would be a spoiler) travel from one place to another and, even though there is tension and action along the way, you really feel like this book is way too long and could have been greatly condensed and made part of a full book or turned into a novella. The series' primary characters are absent until the very end, and since it really is their complexity, mystery, and relationships that drive the story, I spent the whole book waiting for them to appear and relieve my boredom. I just "knew" Ms Turner would turn things around and make good on her amazing skill at keeping enough of the story hidden from the reader to completely surprise us with unexpected twists which she is known for, but that never happened in this book. I had already figured most things out, so despite the plot development at the end, it wasn't really worth staying up late for. Also, the other main character ends up being one of the main characters from a previous book (though not a primary character), but you aren't convinced it's him until the end, so I had a hard time getting into his character especially since we never hear from his point of view. Even after having it confirmed it is him because of something he reveals, it was still hard to appreciate his character. Furthermore, the side mythology stories were awkward and way too long.. All in all, a disappointment. However, the first 4 are super, so I will definitely give Ms Turner another chance when the next book is released.

I have long been an ardent fan of Turner's work and had begun to fear that circumstances had made a fifth book wishful thinking. Like some others, I think her departure from Eugenides as the focus point was a very clever and successful plot device. I am not sure why the book is being marketed as a stand-alone, however. It is as integral to the cycle as any of the other titles. I have always been impressed with how Turner weaves little nuggets, almost like Easter eggs, throughout each book which will tie them all together. I must be slipping, though, because this one has tidbits for which I can find no real link, such as young Erondites, other than his name, of course. Still, it was worth the wait. It is hard these days to find a well-edited book that's also a pleasure to read. Nicely done. If you are wondering why I didn't give it five stars, it's because I'm still hoping for one that reaches the level of the third book of the cycle. However, as a part of the cycle, it still rates an extra star.

Reader thoughts: Not quite as good as 1 and 3, but I predicted the biggest "twist" in the book. Better than books 2 and 4, I think. Eugenides, like Sage from The Shadow Throne, is getting predictable in his tricks. It took Sage only 3 books to be so and Gen 5 books, but Gen is only the MC in the first book. So, it's even. I liked that Kamet was a different MC from the other ones. He wasn't strong or particularly crafty. He knows languages and can lie well. That's about it. He has never held a sword and is scared to. He also can't see well, which I can relate to. I liked the ways he kept discovering more and more freedoms, that he could hold his head up without fear. At the end of the book, he realized he could be the one to end a conversation and that he didn't need an excuse. I kept waiting for the book to get to Attolia. I think this was the biggest problem, that I saw every conflict as a delay. Costis and Kamet were attacked by slavers, part of a caravan, in a ship that burned down, running from bounty hunters, nearly caught by plague, etc. I saw these conflicts as temporary even though they tied into the overall plot of Costis and Kamet learning to trust each other and keeping secrets from each other while in Mede. Writer thoughts: When the reader knows the author is trying to trick them, it is easier to spot when and where. I think this is the main reason MWT has switched povs every time. She wants to show Gen from a fresh perspective. His own, the queen's, a guard's, a neighboring ally, and now from an enemy's perspective. Everyone first sees Gen as a useless show-off, and by the end of the book they see him as cunning. It's a fun journey, and the only way MWT could get readers to go through that learning arc every time is if she had a different pov character for each book.

One of my favourite authors and a great book. Really fast delivery.

I was surprised to learn there was a new book in the series, and had to order it immediately when I found out. It lived up to and exceeded my expectations :)

The latest installment in the Queen's Thief series is as brilliant as its predecessors. Eugenides aka The Thief does not make an entry until three quarters into the story.But he has been pulling the strings far longer.Now that that's out of the way, let's concentrate on why I liked the book.I wasn't fond of Kamet the slave from the earlier books in the series.The way he spirited his master Nahuseresh right under the nose of the Queens....grr. However here he's paired with an interesting character from the series as the duo make their way from the Mede Empire to Attolia. The author gives a vivid picture of the slavery in the Mede Empire. The lives of both the educated (never pampered) upper slaves as well as the slaves doing menial duties are carefully drawn.Things are never black and white.The masters are not cruel all the time -at times they are almost tender and considerate.Of course as the Attolian says, that's because they consider the slaves as valuable property not out of any tender feelings. Just like the earlier books in the series, this one too has tales of Gods (narrated by Kamet to the Attolian)- only these are the Gods of the Medes. And they love interfering with the lives of the mortals - in this case Kamet.As always the best thing about the books is the politics. Kamet thinks that he's a pro at the game.But as we all have learned by now, he's no match for the Thief.

A wonderful addition to the Queen's Thief series. Kamet may not be as charming as Gen but his journey to Attolia (and to friendship with "the Attollian" :D) is certainly entertaining and beautifully written.

Muy buen libro en una serie que me encanta. Me encanto tambien que llego en la fecha prometida.