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A review by christinecc
A Conspiracy of Kings by Megan Whalen Turner
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I really, really liked this one.
So, in a nutshell, I have a lot of conflicting feelings about Megan Whalen Turner's (admittedly fantastic) political fantasy series, "The Queen's Thief." The reason for these conflicting feelings lies in the main couple we see develop in the second and third books, i.e., Eugenides (or "Gen") the thief of Eddis, and the reigning (and ruthless) queen of Attolia (a.k.a. Irene, to... like, one person... namely Gen).
In any case, Gen and Irene have a super messy relationship that always leaves me feeling a bit queasy. I realize it's a political marriage, etc., but it's also a romantic one and I've never quite understood the dynamic. Ah well.
But lucky for me, "A Conspiracy of Kings" has nearly nothing to do with Gen and Attolia, much to my delight. Instead, we follow the young heir to the throne of Sounis: Sophos, the king's nephew. Hardly raised as anything more than a spare heir until his uncle sires his own sons, Sophos is living in semi exile on an island with his mother and sisters (in a beautiful semi-Mediterranean location, might I add) when their villa is suddenly attacked and Sophos, the real target, is kidnapped to be used as a political pawn.
From hereon out, we watch as Sophos grows from a desperate, somewhat sheltered young man into, well, a much less sheltered young man--still young, still new to the role and power he will bear from this point on, but also brave enough to try and survive. Better yet, Sophos strives to win. It's just hard to understand the rules of the game. He has to regain his right to the throne, convince Attolia to lend him political and military aid, and with all this he must come to terms with the responsibility that comes with leading a nation.
Did I mention the entire surrounding area is under threat by the Medes, a dangerous empire with its sights set on Sophos's home, as well as Attolis and the neighboring nation of Eddis? Sophos has his work cut out for him. He can't win alone.
If you are worried about the YA label, don't be. YA may not be a genre but it does have certain scene-a-faire that turn some readers off, e.g., teen romance, love triangles, etc. Those are my cup of tea, so I'm not speaking ill of them, but they do tend to make me keep walking. "The Queen's Thief," by contrast, is a singularly exciting political fantasy dyed in Mediterranean cultures and mythology. You don't want to miss it, and you certainly won't regret making it to Book Four, where Sophos shines. It's a riveting ride the whole way.
Recommended if you like intricate and engaging political fantasy/historical fiction, with a healthy dose of adventure, compelling characters with depth, and a book that engrosses you from start to finish. This is the kind of book that reminds me why I love to read. For a moment I was twelve again, in another world, and I loved every page.
So, in a nutshell, I have a lot of conflicting feelings about Megan Whalen Turner's (admittedly fantastic) political fantasy series, "The Queen's Thief." The reason for these conflicting feelings lies in the main couple we see develop in the second and third books, i.e., Eugenides (or "Gen") the thief of Eddis, and the reigning (and ruthless) queen of Attolia (a.k.a. Irene, to... like, one person... namely Gen).
In any case, Gen and Irene have a super messy relationship that always leaves me feeling a bit queasy. I realize it's a political marriage, etc., but it's also a romantic one and I've never quite understood the dynamic. Ah well.
But lucky for me, "A Conspiracy of Kings" has nearly nothing to do with Gen and Attolia, much to my delight. Instead, we follow the young heir to the throne of Sounis: Sophos, the king's nephew. Hardly raised as anything more than a spare heir until his uncle sires his own sons, Sophos is living in semi exile on an island with his mother and sisters (in a beautiful semi-Mediterranean location, might I add) when their villa is suddenly attacked and Sophos, the real target, is kidnapped to be used as a political pawn.
From hereon out, we watch as Sophos grows from a desperate, somewhat sheltered young man into, well, a much less sheltered young man--still young, still new to the role and power he will bear from this point on, but also brave enough to try and survive. Better yet, Sophos strives to win. It's just hard to understand the rules of the game. He has to regain his right to the throne, convince Attolia to lend him political and military aid, and with all this he must come to terms with the responsibility that comes with leading a nation.
Did I mention the entire surrounding area is under threat by the Medes, a dangerous empire with its sights set on Sophos's home, as well as Attolis and the neighboring nation of Eddis? Sophos has his work cut out for him. He can't win alone.
If you are worried about the YA label, don't be. YA may not be a genre but it does have certain scene-a-faire that turn some readers off, e.g., teen romance, love triangles, etc. Those are my cup of tea, so I'm not speaking ill of them, but they do tend to make me keep walking. "The Queen's Thief," by contrast, is a singularly exciting political fantasy dyed in Mediterranean cultures and mythology. You don't want to miss it, and you certainly won't regret making it to Book Four, where Sophos shines. It's a riveting ride the whole way.
Recommended if you like intricate and engaging political fantasy/historical fiction, with a healthy dose of adventure, compelling characters with depth, and a book that engrosses you from start to finish. This is the kind of book that reminds me why I love to read. For a moment I was twelve again, in another world, and I loved every page.