#30 The Thief by Megan Whalen Turner
Gen is a thief who can steal anything, but that doesn't mean that he can't be caught. After spending months in prison he is summoned by
the magus, the king's top adviser, who tells him that Gen can earn his freedom if he carries an impossible theft. If he fails, his future looks even more grim. Gen soon finds himself on a journey with the magus at his side, as well as three new companions. Will Gen be able to pull off the the greatest theft of his lifetime?
I feel that there are multiple ways that you can enjoy a book. With some titles, caught up in the suspense of it all, you find yourself rushing towards the end to figure out what happens next. Other books prove to be slower pleasures. They lack the roller coaster fun, but you can't help but enjoy them from start to finish. The Thief is an example of the later. I tend to have a weakness for thief/trickster- type characters, so Gen really pulled me in from the start. I enjoyed his subtle (and sometimes not so subtle) way of undermining his captives. I thought that Turner really did a great job of crafting a great cast. Characters that probably would have gotten on my nerves in other novels turn out to be rather likable here, and I enjoyed watching them develop from beginning to end.
Also worth mentioning in the unique setting. The Thief is inspired by Greece, but not quite ancient Greece. The result is something not quite like anything I've read in fantasy literature, which is always a treat. One way Tuner develops her setting is through storytelling. The characters will share myths of ancient belief sets while on their travels. I really, really, enjoyed these chapters. They may not be the fastest moving in the book, but they are the most interesting as you really get to learn a lot about this new world. I know this sounds like a strange compliment, but The Thief is also a very economical book. I feel as if not a single paragraph or line was wasted, as every moment either told us something about the characters and their relationships, or the setting, or helped to move the story forward to foreshadow future events. The result is a short book filled with a lot of flavor. This is something I often try to do (emphasis on try) in my own fiction writing, so I really admire it.
The Thief reads like a good magic trick, filled with satisfying build up that really pays off in the final chapters. I'm happy that it was chosen as calico_reaction 's dare book for this months book club, as the book has been sitting on my shelf for years. I'm glad that I finally picked it up and read it, and I look forward to continuing the series.
Rating: five stars
Length: 280 pages
Source: library book sale
Similar Books: for other fantasy books about thieves try Lynn Flewelling's Nightrunner series.
I've read by this author: this is my first
Up next I will be reviewing Monsters of Men by Patrick Ness and The Mermaid's Madness by Jim C. Hines
xposted to temporaryworlds, bookish , and goodreads
the magus, the king's top adviser, who tells him that Gen can earn his freedom if he carries an impossible theft. If he fails, his future looks even more grim. Gen soon finds himself on a journey with the magus at his side, as well as three new companions. Will Gen be able to pull off the the greatest theft of his lifetime?
I feel that there are multiple ways that you can enjoy a book. With some titles, caught up in the suspense of it all, you find yourself rushing towards the end to figure out what happens next. Other books prove to be slower pleasures. They lack the roller coaster fun, but you can't help but enjoy them from start to finish. The Thief is an example of the later. I tend to have a weakness for thief/trickster- type characters, so Gen really pulled me in from the start. I enjoyed his subtle (and sometimes not so subtle) way of undermining his captives. I thought that Turner really did a great job of crafting a great cast. Characters that probably would have gotten on my nerves in other novels turn out to be rather likable here, and I enjoyed watching them develop from beginning to end.
Also worth mentioning in the unique setting. The Thief is inspired by Greece, but not quite ancient Greece. The result is something not quite like anything I've read in fantasy literature, which is always a treat. One way Tuner develops her setting is through storytelling. The characters will share myths of ancient belief sets while on their travels. I really, really, enjoyed these chapters. They may not be the fastest moving in the book, but they are the most interesting as you really get to learn a lot about this new world. I know this sounds like a strange compliment, but The Thief is also a very economical book. I feel as if not a single paragraph or line was wasted, as every moment either told us something about the characters and their relationships, or the setting, or helped to move the story forward to foreshadow future events. The result is a short book filled with a lot of flavor. This is something I often try to do (emphasis on try) in my own fiction writing, so I really admire it.
The Thief reads like a good magic trick, filled with satisfying build up that really pays off in the final chapters. I'm happy that it was chosen as calico_reaction 's dare book for this months book club, as the book has been sitting on my shelf for years. I'm glad that I finally picked it up and read it, and I look forward to continuing the series.
Rating: five stars
Length: 280 pages
Source: library book sale
Similar Books: for other fantasy books about thieves try Lynn Flewelling's Nightrunner series.
I've read by this author: this is my first
Up next I will be reviewing Monsters of Men by Patrick Ness and The Mermaid's Madness by Jim C. Hines
xposted to temporaryworlds, bookish , and goodreads