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    Thick as Thieves
    Thick as Thieves
    Thick as Thieves
    Audiobook8 hours

    Thick as Thieves

    Written by Megan Whalen Turner

    Narrated by Steve West

    4.5/5

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    About this audiobook

    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.

    Thick as Thieves is the fifth novel set in the world of the Queen’s Thief. 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 and feature one of the most charismatic and incorrigible characters of fiction, Eugenides the thief. Megan Whalen Turner’s 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.

    Kamet, a secretary and slave to his Mede master, has the ambition and the means to become one of the most powerful people in the Empire. But with a whispered warning the future he envisioned is wrenched away, and he is forced onto a very different path. Set in the world of the Queen’s Thief, this epic adventure sees an ordinary hero take on an extraordinary mission. 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.

    “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, #1 New York Times-bestselling author of Six of Crows and Crooked Kingdom

    ""Megan Whalen Turner has constructed a clever world filled with suspense and intrigue and characters that will never be forgotten. Once you dive into the world of the Queen's Thief, prepare to have your life stolen from you until you finish them all."" —Joelle Charbonneau, New York Times-bestselling author of the Testing trilogy

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherHarperCollins
    Release dateMay 16, 2017
    ISBN9780062679888
    Author

    Megan Whalen Turner

    Megan Whalen Turner is the New York Times–bestselling and award-winning author of five stand-alone novels set in the world of the Queen’s Thief. Return of the Thief marks her long-awaited conclusion to the epic and unforgettable story of the thief Eugenides—a story more than twenty years in the making. She has been awarded a Newbery Honor and a Boston Globe–Horn Book Honor and won the Los Angeles Times Book Prize for Young Adult Literature. She has twice been a finalist for the Andre Norton Award and won the Mythopoeic Fantasy Award for Children’s Literature.

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    Reviews for Thick as Thieves

    4.5/5

    294 ratings27 reviews

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    • 4/5
      Other than strange stories of fake gods it was what I’ve come to expect and love about the queens thief series.
    • 5/5
      my favorite in the series so far. the tale is a delightful adventure story with all the hallmarks of a good hiest.
    • 4/5
      This is a marvelous entry to the Queen's Thief series.

      I was cautious going in, nothing we had seen of Kamet in the previous books made me want to hear his story. But I was wrong, I might come to love him as much as Gen, I really might (especially if he's given another book, oh how I would love it if he showed up ever again).

      I adore Gen, but my mind just can't follow his twisty plotting more than about ten minutes ahead. Kamet, my darling Kamet, has an organized mind and a precise point of view. Kamet always has a plan, a story, a contingency that draws from his rich stores of knowledge; this extra clarity makes for a very satisfying read that beautifully and coherently expands the world. Kamet's POV does make the book more predictable than the first three (also, the trickster is far away), but the twists are still there. It's a solid road trip/political machinations plot, more in line with the Thief than the intervening books have been. As always, about two thirds of the way through you aren't sure how Turner is going to put down all the spinning plates without breaking them, but she succeeds sensibly.

      Four and a half stars, not at all disappointing, off to start the reread.
    • 4/5
      Thick as Thieves is the fifth book in The Queen’s Thief series. I really enjoyed the first four books in this series but this book was wildly different than the other four. This story is truly about the unlikely friendship that builds between Kamet and an Attolian. There is a small part where the Attolian King, aka Gen, plays a part and it is everything I would expect out of Eugenides. I enjoyed the character who played the Attolian, even though I did not know who it was for a very long time. It led to an ah-ha moment and it will mean something to fans of this series.I thoroughly enjoyed Thick as Thieves for the story it was BUT as part of The Queen’s Thief series I was a wee bit disappointed. I think it was just that this story was told from Kamet’s point of view with him being the narrator and the story did not lend itself to deep involvement of the other characters. It could be renamed “The Memoirs of Kamet” and be completely accurate. I do want to continue on in this series though, but only to see what tricks Gen has up his sleeves and to see if maybe the Queen is going to play a larger part.
    • 5/5
      one of the more entertaining books in the series. Lovely to meet Kostas again. Love the relationship between him and Khamet.
    • 3/5
      I enjoyed this installment! Wish I would have remembered some important details from the previous books but nonetheless a good read.
    • 3/5
      While still well written, I found this book of the series somewhat tedious. Maybe I am missing something here. Oh well. Nonetheless, I will now go on to the next book …. I am still interested to see what will happen!
    • 5/5
      I just cannot seem to get enough of this series. The world that MTW has created feels so real. Her character seem like they actually exist. Oh how I do not want this series to come to a conclusion!
    • 4/5
      Very engrossing and exciting read. I do take issue with on thing though, slavery plays a big part in this story and I feel like the author hasn't fully addressed the implications of the inclusion of that in the worldbuilding, although this installment did much better than those previous.
    • 4/5
      Reading this (and rereading King of Attolia) is the first time I noticed how interwoven these books are with each other. In King of Attolia there's this side-note about the disappearance of Sounis's heir, and then comes Conspiracy of Kings. Thick As Thieves and Return of the Thief meanwhile each travel on briefly intersecting arcs. To be honest I'm more interested in the arc set in the Attolian Peninsula: this feels more of a "let's take a break to explore the world" sidestory and while the main character in nice enough in his own arrogant way, ultimately it's Gen who's the star of the series so I'm always keen to see more rather than less of him. Still this book retains sufficient of Gen's trickery, even in his mostly-absence, to retain my enjoyment.
    • 4/5
      Thick as Thieves by Megan Whalen Turner is the 5th book in her Queen’s Thief series, but it could also be read as a stand alone story. Kamet is the slave-secretary to the former ambassador of Attolia, Nahuseresh. He enjoys his position, even though he must endure his masters moods. One day when a fellow slave tells him that his master has been poisoned, he joins forces with an Attolian soldier who has offered to help him get to Attolia. Since the slaves of a murdered master are put to death as a precaution, Kamet knows he needs to leave the Empire. Together they travel across the Mede empire looking for a way to fully escape all that are trailing after them.This was a fun adventure story that was lighter in style than some of the previous books. Kamet and Costis, the Attolian soldier, make an interesting pair and as they bond and grow in friendship, the reader learns to care for these characters and to root for their success. The last third of the book comes full circle back to the political machinations of the King and Queen of Attolia and gives us a very satisfactory ending. This is a superior YA fantasy series as the author takes great care to slowly build her characters and create relationships that feel real. The setting, world building and politics are crafted with care and the result is a complex, multilayered story that fully engages the reader. I am hopeful that there will be more books in this series.
    • 4/5
      I will Kindle and buy a hard copy of this as soon as it comes out! It has to be as good as the others. Her writing is fabulous. Worth rereading to catch all the subtleties.

      We waited seven years for this one. I took it slow to savor it. I did not do a reread before reading this one, kind of wish I had, but it wasn't necessary.

      Costis, a favorite of Eugenidies, comes to lure Kamet away from his master and set in motion a long range plan to save the peninsula from the Medes. If you've read the others this is no spoiler. But how it all works out--that's for you to read.
    • 5/5
      My only disappointment: the gay subtext never becomes text. (And if you're confused by what subtext I'm talking about, just go ahead and Google Gilgamesh and Enkidu, who are clearly the inspiration for Immakuk and Ennikar.)

      In all other ways, this novel is absolutely satisfying and delightful.
    • 4/5
      A mildly suspenseful and philosophical adventure. After some disappointment with the intervening books (between the excellent Book 1, "The Thief" and this book, #5), I was pleasantly surprised how engaging the story became. Largely centered on Kamet, a slave and an Attolian helping him escape, the narrative is exciting and thoughtful by turns. The final twists in the plot were unexpected and very amusing.The plot development was evenly-paced, with adroit changes and revelations as the story unwinds. The two protagonists become very strong characters as part of this series, which appealed to me. Both have appearances in earlier scenarios, so I recommend reading the earlier books in the series before reading this tale.
    • 4/5
      This is the first book by Whalen I have read but it won't be the last. Kamet is a young slave who is literate and can read and speak 5 languages which makes him very valuable to his master, the Emperor's brother. He goes on the run when he hears that his master was poisoned, afraid that he would be the first one people thought of for the deed. He meets with an Attolian soldier and the two travel together trying to stay out of trouble.This story reminded me a lot of Mark Lawrence's Prince of Thorns without the magic.
    • 5/5
      Really great. I love how Kamat has poor vision and is so generally cranky. I loved his faulty but reasonable assumptions, and how you don't realize that the Attolian is Costis until quite a bit into the book.
    • 3/5
      Narrated by Steve West. Cunnat is a long-time, top-level slave to his master. On learning that his master has died of poisoning, Cunnat knows his options are extremely limited. He takes up an Atolian soldier’s offer to escape and secure his freedom. Thanks to a riverboat fire, their journey to Atolia ends up not as straightforward as hoped. Cunnat has been so steeped in the life and attitudes of a slave that it is difficult for him to act freely. West does well portraying the men's growing relationship and Cunnat’s inner struggle to forge an identity outside of slavery. In the end though, the story does not move very quickly; not much happens.
    • 4/5
      This is a marvelous entry to the Queen's Thief series.

      I was cautious going in, nothing we had seen of Kamet in the previous books made me want to hear his story. But I was wrong, I might come to love him as much as Gen, I really might (especially if he's given another book, oh how I would love it if he showed up ever again).

      I adore Gen, but my mind just can't follow his twisty plotting more than about ten minutes ahead. Kamet, my darling Kamet, has an organized mind and a precise point of view. Kamet always has a plan, a story, a contingency that draws from his rich stores of knowledge; this extra clarity makes for a very satisfying read that beautifully and coherently expands the world. Kamet's POV does make the book more predictable than the first three (also, the trickster is far away), but the twists are still there. It's a solid road trip/political machinations plot, more in line with the Thief than the intervening books have been. As always, about two thirds of the way through you aren't sure how Turner is going to put down all the spinning plates without breaking them, but she succeeds sensibly.

      Four and a half stars, not at all disappointing, off to start the reread.
    • 4/5
      Note: Some Spoilers for Previous BooksThis is the fifth installment in the "Queen’s Thief" fantasy series, and it is as charming as the previous entrants into the series. Each book has told a story about the Attolia Kingdom and its neighboring countries from a different perspective. This one is told by Kamet, a minor figure from The Queen of Attolia. It also prominently features a character from the third book, The King of Attolia.The saga centers on Eugenides, or Gen, named after the God of Thieves. Like his namesake, he had been trained to steal anything and everything, in his case in service to his cousin Helen, Queen of Eddis. But now he is the King of Attolia, having married the queen of that nation. This union followed the failure of the Mede ambassador, Nahuseresh, to win the queen’s hand so he could thereby capture Attolia to incorporate into Mede.Kamet is one of Nahuseresh’s slaves, but a powerful one, managing all of his finances. He can’t manage Nahuseresh’s moods quite as competently, and is often beaten by him. Still, when he is approached by an Attolian in the halls of the castle who offers to take him to freedom in Attolia, Kamet isn’t interested. After all, he has a lot of power for a slave. But then one of his fellow Mede slaves warns him that Nahuseresh is dead, poisoned during a meeting with his brother. Kamet knows that when a man is murdered, his slaves are tortured and then put to death. Kamut feels he has no choice but to escape, and sneaks out to meet the Attolian at the docks. He doesn’t actually plan to accompany him all the way to Attolia though; he figures the Attolians want to kill him also, and decides he will get away from any pursuers in his own land and then somehow get away from the Attolian.What ensues next is a buddy road-trip, with Kamet and his Attolian rescuer growing closer as they battle starvation, thirst, a hostile terrain, and a series of dangerous pursuers. Along the way, the Attolian asks Kamet to entertain him with stories about Immakuk and Ennikar, legendary Mede heroes and best friends, as this verse attests:“Greatly wise cloaked in wisdom was ImmakukGreatly strong clothed in strength was his true friendEnnikarGreat was their love and greatly did it sustain them inTheir journeys together.”[Those who have studied literature will recognize in the saga strong correspondences to The Epic of Gilgamesh, stories from ancient Mesopotamia dating from as early as 2100 BC and often regarded as the earliest surviving great work of literature. Various Babylonian tablets have been found with “episodes” that feature Gilgamesh, King of Uruk, and Enkidu, a strong man created by the gods to stop Gilgamesh from oppressing the people of Uruk.] It is clear that this saga will be paralleled in the story of these two travelers as well. But the outcome of their journey is always uncertain. First of all, Kamet becomes increasingly conscious of, and guilty over, the betrayal of not telling his rescuer that he believes they are being pursued so vigorously because Kamet must be under suspicion for killing his master. As far as Kamet knows, the Attolian doesn’t even know Nahuseresh is dead. This fact could put him in as grave a danger as it puts Kamet. Secondly, Kamet is repeatedly thwarted in his attempts to sneak away from the Attolian, in part by his own lessening desire to leave him. But he doesn’t trust that he won’t just be killed by the King of Attolia when they arrive there. Kamet believes the king to be a barbarian. We the readers may know differently, but we also do not know what fate is intended for Kamet.Discussion: There are many issues to ponder explored by the author. For example, as she points out, in the Mede Empire, stealing is considered bad, but it is not a mortal crime. Helping to free a slave, on the other hand, is punishable by death, because it constitutes “disturbing the order of the empire.” We have seen many examples of this attitude in the antebellum South in the U.S. It is always interesting that even while masters maintain their slaves are “content,” they recognize the dangers to their convenient set-up of giving slaves too much latitude, letting them meet with each other and compare notes, educating them, and most importantly, of not instilling habits of obedience both by psychological manipulation and physical violence. Kamet’s response to the possibility of being free is illustrative. He knows no other way to be than to serve a master, and he even makes excuses for his master’s violence toward him. He didn’t have “respect” for masters who let their slaves get away with presumptuousness or trickery.A second item to contemplate is the true significance of the Ennikar and Immakuk story. Is it just a nice use of the literary device of a frame tale, or does it have even more meaning? A couple of strange characters appear at different times in the adventures of the two main protagonists who inexplicably seem to know who they are, and who help move the action in the right direction. It’s certainly thought-provoking.Finally, perhaps the other biggest issue is just what kind of story this is. Is it one of best buddies? Is it a love story between two men? Either way, the development of the relationship between the two is lovely, and constitutes a large part of the appeal of this story. Discussion: This fifth book, like the others, tells a heart-warming story with winning characters and nuanced characterizations. There is good pacing as we follow the protagonists on their danger-filled journey, and impressive growth in, and development of, Kamet, because at first, even while he may be “free” in body, he is still not “free” in his mind.Evaluation: This is a terrific series. The books can be read as standalones, but the writing is so good and the story so wonderful, you won’t want to miss any of them.
    • 5/5
      Kamet, a slave in The Queen of Attolia escapes after his master's death knowing that, in the Mede empire, he would be killed if he doesn't leave. An Attolian offers him a way out, and this is their adventure.The latest book in the "Queen's Thief" series is an excellent addition, even if it does not have much of my favorite characters. We learn more of Kamet's story and how the Medean empire works. As the reader - should you have read all the other books before this one and you probably should - you know more than Kamet about who the mysterious Attolian is. Ultimately a satisfying read and one I will probably appreciate more upon rereading.
    • 5/5
      The fifth book in Megan Whalen Turner's "Queen's Thief" series is finally out, and like each of its predecessors it finds a new and fascinating perspective on the rich world she has built. Thick as Thieves is told in the voice of Kamet, the steward/secretary/slave of empire official Nahuseresh (whom we've met before). As the story opens, Kamet's carefully managed and predictable world is turned upside down when he learns that his master has been poisoned. As this carries an inflexible sentence of death and possible torture for all Nahuseresh's slaves, Kamet flees in the only way he knows how: with the strange Attolian who invited him to escape to freedom earlier that day. Turner has such a way of creating realistic characters with believable motivations and priorities. For instance, Kamet tells us that slaves do not like to be done favors by one another; in their precarious existence, being in someone's debt in any way is a liability that must be discharged at the earliest chance. Kamet's prolonged distrust of the Attolian can only be explained by his life in a cruel culture where slaves are disposable commodities to be used up and tossed aside. As always, the world-building is excellent. Here in the empire, it's reminiscent of The Horse and His Boy in the setting and basic storyline of unlikely companions escaping bondage and worse in a harsh and opulent society. I noticed similarities between this installment and the first in the series, The Thief. Both are journey stories where most of the action happens on the road to the final destination. In The Thief, there is a prisoner in the party on a quest to find Hamiathes' Gift; in Thick as Thieves, the "prisoner" is a slave fleeing more toward safety than freedom. As with The Thief's magus, Thick as Thieves also features a main character who isn't called by a proper name. He's simply "the Attolian" in Kamet's mind—underscoring the cultural divide and Kamet's feelings of superiority to such an uncouth personage. Even a slave can be proud; indeed, in the empire slaves must be proud to maintain any vestige of self respect. It is a fascinating look at the psychology of slavery. I won't tell you who the Attolian is, except that no, it is not Eugenides, who draws ever further away from the reader as he grows in power and plots to keep the Empire at bay and thwart his personal enemies. The queen makes a short appearance and I won't give any spoilers, but oh :(There's a twist. There's always a twist. This one didn't have quite the shock power of some of the others, but it was satisfying nevertheless. The Thief continues to weave his webs—and so does his author. Now if only we didn't have to wait several more years for the next book!
    • 5/5
      Eugenides sends a trusted warrior to steal Kamet, the head slave and trusted scribe of Nahuseresh, who almost destroyed Eugenides—taking his right hand, as it were. Kamet doesn’t want to leave, but then he learns that Nahuseresh has been poisoned; he and the rest of the slaves will suffer horrible deaths unless he runs, taking the guilt upon himself. With the Attolian beside him, he begins a long and painful journey towards a freedom he doesn’t seek in a kingdom he doesn’t respect. It’s a good entry in the series, even if I forgot a lot in the interim, and Eugenides is just as epically crafty as ever.
    • 4/5
      At last, the fifth book in The Queen’s Thief series! While this book can theoretically be read independently, the previous books are good too so why not start with them? The series starts with The Thief, but the second book, The Queen of Attolia, remains my favorite.After the debacle in Attolia, Kamet is glad to be back in Medes. As the slave of a powerful master, Kamet hopes to accumulate power and influence of his own. So when an Attolian solider offers to help him escape, Kamet laughingly dismisses him. Until he finds out that his master has been murdered and that he and the other slaves are to be put to death. Kamet and the Attolian solider (who is recognizable as Costis if you’ve read the other books) journey across the Mede empire, short on resources and constantly pursued.Out of all the books in the series, Thick as Thieves is most reminiscent of the very first book: a first person account of a journey. However, Thick as Thieves for the first time moves the setting outside of Attolia, Eddis, and Sounis. I believe that each book in a series should expand the world in someway, and Thick as Thieves is wonderfully successful in this regard. Whereas the previous books in the series have add Greek mythology influences, Thick as Thieves expands the cultural lore to include elements similar to the Epic of Gilgamesh. That much I was able to perceive, although I’d guess there’s other elements of Babylonian and Sumerian culture and mythology that went over my head.As I already noted, the plot structure is most similar to the first book in the series, which I’m not that thrilled about. The Thief was my least favorite book in the series, and I miss the third person political narratives of the other books. Oh, well. At least Turner’s writing is sublime and she does spin some characteristic plot twists that I failed to see coming.Also characteristically, Turner’s character development is excellent. Kamet is a compelling first person narrator. His world has suddenly been upturned and he’s having to learn to think about it and himself in new ways. Plus, he’s for the first time developing an actual friendship, with someone who’s his equal.And here lies a large topic of discussion I’ve seen among other reviewers: “Is the relationship between Costis and Kamet entirely platonic?” However, I’ll raise you another question: “Why is The Queen’s Thief series so heterosexual?”Before reading Thick as Thieves (or even hearing the buzz about possible homoerotic subtext), I wanted the novel to add canonically queer characters. Their absence from the world Turner’s constructed is especially notable given that the series draws so heavily off of classical culture and mythology. And as someone who’s studied Latin for five years (including Catullus), let me tell you, the ancient world was not heteronormative. It’s something I thought about when I read and reviewed the fourth book in the series back in fall 2015, but I didn’t mention it in my review. Instead, I saved my criticism for a vague tumblr post. I haven’t normally criticized books for failing to include queer characters, but I find myself less tolerant of this as time goes on. It’s sort of similar to growing dissatisfaction with narratives that don’t include women (who are also largely absent from Thick as Thieves as it happens).With the previous books, it was easily excusable. But since the first book was published in 1996 and the fifth in 2015, children’s and young adult publishing has gone a long way towards becoming more inclusive. After all, it’s not like a Queen’s Thief book that included non-heterosexual characters wouldn’t find readers — the series already has a devoted fandom, and Rick Riordan has proved that an established series can add queer characters and still be successful.When I heard other reviewers saying they saw queer subtext in Thick as Thieves, I was interested but wary. I want queer representation, but subtext isn’t representation. And to be frank, I’m tired of subtext.Personally, I didn’t read any romantic undertones in the relationship between Costis and Kamet. I didn’t see any of the romantic or sexual language that I typically see when an author’s establishing a relationship as romantic. The closest Thick as Thieves comes is when a supporting character mistakes Costis and Kamet as lovers, which is the first acknowledgement from the series that queer people do exist. It’s also a type of scene that I’ve seen before and never been fond of. It basically feels like the author’s trying to position their work as queer inclusive… without ever actually including queer characters.To all the people saying that men can have friendships without it being romantic: fair point. However, the Queen’s Thief series isn’t exactly lacking when it comes to depictions of male friendship (which is far more prevalent than the female equivalent), but it hasn’t included any romantic relationships between male characters. If Kamet and Costis were a romantic couple, it wouldn’t erase the friendship between Costis and Gen, Gen and Sophos, or any of the other positive relationships between male characters in the series. While I personally didn’t see Costis and Kamet’s relationship as romantic, I’m not saying that readers who did aren’t onto something. I’ve always been terrible about telling the difference between romance and friendship (grey-aro here!), so I’m hardly the best person to judge here. I’ve seen some people saying they think Turner left the nature of Costis and Kamet’s relationship purposefully ambiguous. I really hope that’s not the case. It’s one thing for an author to accidentally write a relationship with perceived queer subtext, but it’s quite another to purposefully create an ambiguous, “are they/aren’t they” scenario. That would be queerbaiting. As the case stands, I don’t think Thick as Thieves can be called queerbaiting, but it’s a thought worth mentioning.When I said that I wanted the series to include queer characters, I never meant the leads. Just some minor characters to show that queer people do have a place in the world Turner’s created. Yet subtext is not sufficient, and I’m not pleased that this ostensible subtext is being praised in some circles as progressive.Thick as Thieves is a well written narrative which I found enthralling. I read this entire young adult novel in a single Sunday afternoon. Yet, at the same time, it’s a bit of a disappointment.Originally posted on The Illustrated Page.
    • 4/5
      An enjoyably tense adventure that involves some twists (of course), picks up some unexpected plot threads from previous books and ultimately made me care more about Kamet, a minor character from The Queen of Attolia, than I expected to.I’ve not been a fan of calling this series Queen’s Thief. I think I’d already started thinking of it as the Attolia Books before I discovered the series’ then-unofficial title - it seemed logical and rolls off the tongue nicely.But reading Thick as Thieves made me realise just how much this series is defined by the unlikely, impossible things that Eugenides sets out to steal. This time it’s his nemesis’ righthand-man, Kamet. Eugenides isn’t able to steal Kamet in person, so he sends someone else to do the actual stealing - but Gen’s metaphorical fingerprints are all over this plan. (This made me so gleeful.)Kamet has been very happy with the respect and responsibility of being Nahuseresh’s slave, thank you very much, but circumstances push him into fleeing with the Attolian sent to “rescue” him.Kamet is rather out of his depth on the resulting roadtrip. His companion, an Attolian guard, is not - although it takes Kamet a long time to properly appreciate this. Having seen what the aforementioned Attolian guard is capable of when he is out of his depth, I was very entertained by all of this. It’s fascinating getting different perspectives on familiar characters, and that’s something Turner handles particularly well.Something happens towards the end of the book that initially struck me as having no purpose beyond walloping the reader in the feels, so to speak - but then I realised that it was a reminder of the limitations of Gen’s power. In spite of what he has achieved, there are things - things that are important to him - which lie outside his control.Hopefully it won’t be another six or more years until the next Queen’s Thief book - but if it is, I’m sure it’ll be worth the wait. ”You understand my language pretty well,” he said. “Yes,” I answered. My Attolian was probably better than his. He had a farmer’s accent and didn’t always conjugate his verbs correctly.
    • 3/5
      It has been a few years since I read the 4 earlier books in this series but that should not have caused any problems reading this, although I had to juggle a few place names around in my head for a bit to try and remember what was what. I'll just say I did not enjoy this story as much as I remember greatly enjoying earlier books in the series. There are some clever elements here but it just seemed much too drawn out and I was frankly bored with it in places. I could throw some specific criticisms in here, but I'll pass. It is not a bad book but I can say I was expecting much more.
    • 4/5
      Set in the world of Queen's Thief, this is the story of Kamet, a high-ranking slave in Mede. When his master is murdered, he makes his escape with the aid of an Attolian soldier before he is accused of the crime in spite of his ignorance. Fleeing across Mede is a dangerous proposition, not only because of the soldiers chasing him, but also due to thieves, slave traders, harsh terrain - and the fact that he doesn't want his fellow traveler to know why he is really running.
    • 5/5
      Kamet may be a slave, but he's a powerful one. Entrusted with his master's accounts, promised as a gift to the future emperor, Kamet will someday be one of the most important men in the Mede empire. When an Attolian approaches Kamet and offers him freedom, Kamet sits down and has a good laugh. Why would he leave a position of power in the greatest country in the world for a miserable backwater like Attolia? Then, his master is poisoned. Kamet knows he will be accused, tortured, and killed along with most of his master's other slaves -- but if he runs, the blame for the poisoning might fall on him alone. Kamet had no desire to take the Attolian up on his offer, but it appears he will be doing so whether he wants to or not. Escaping the empire won't be easy, but it's the only way Kamet can stay alive.Turner's fans have been waiting years for this book, and it does not disappoint. The plot is as intricate, the characters as complex as one would expect. The focus of the story is Kamet and his companion, so we see little of characters from other books in the series. This book could stand alone, though it clicks into the larger framework of the Queen's Thief series like a puzzle piece, and I still recommend starting the series at the beginning. Fans will be glad to know that the series doesn't look to be wrapping up any time soon, though of course it will probably be another five to eight years until we get the next book. While I wait, I plan to reread the whole thing. I'm sure I will pick up on details that I missed before.