Satisfying for readers of all ages, Turner's books are filled with political machinations and divine intervention, friendship, fortitude and deceit. She has twice been shortlisted for the Andre Norton Award. Her books have been awarded the Mythopoeic Prize for Children's Literature, the Los Angeles Times Book Award for Young Adult Literature, a Newbury Honor, and a Horn Book/Globe Honor. Biography: Megan Whalen Turner is an award winning and bestselling author of six standalone novels set in the world of the Queen's Thief.The stakes slowly rise across the book, but I loved how small and intimate it started off, as that felt so much more relatable (and made me immediately like the ever hungry Gen). It felt very different to have a main character be worried about the small things and feel ambivalent to the big world around. The book starts quite slowly, full of Gen’s nonchalant air as the others are taught languages and history, and he focuses about the next meal and getting a good sleep. It really conjured up memories of holidays in Greece, which was wonderful escapism, and also made the world feel more alive as I could place myself in Gen’s shoes trudging up the hillside past olive trees. The world itself was gorgeous – particularly the physical descriptions of the landscapes. The copy I was lent had a explanation from Megan Whalen Turner about how she built the world, and it was fascinating seeing how she took the Greek myths and used them as inspiration. I was always eager for the next one to be told, as they do provide a respite from the journey, but also slowly thread through the plot and world. The flavour is there, but they paint a very different world. Sure, they (and the world) are based on Greek Mythology, but they’re not Greek Myths. They’re like being sat down in the evening and having someone tell you Greek Myths. I loved the myths threaded throughout the story.

I wanted more time in the world and with Gen, so good thing that there’s a large series to track down! This is such a good adventure book, but so short. Their journey toward the treasure is both dangerous and difficult, lightened only imperceptibly by the tales they tell of the old gods and goddesses.

What Gen is interested in is anyone’s guess, but he is a survivor and a trickster. The magus is interested only in the thief’s abilities. To attain it for his king, he needs a skillful thief, and he selects Gen from the king’s prison – where he’s ended up after boasting of his skill. The king’s scholar, the magus, believes he knows the site of an ancient treasure.

The thief book megan whalen turner