The first book in the series, The Thief, won a Newbery Honor award.

Turner has no official name for the series herself, sometimes referring to it as 'The Geniad', but fans have coined it The Queen's Thief. Turner is best known for her series of young adult novels primarily revolving around a character named Eugenides. She published the stories as Instead of Three Wishes: Magical Short Stories in 1995. Turner began writing a collection of short fantasy stories after moving to California in 1989. Before becoming an author, she worked as a children's book buyer for bookstores in Chicago and Washington D.C. Turner received her BA with honors in English language and literature from the University of Chicago in 1987.

In 1997, The Thief was named a Newbery Honor book. She is best known for her novel The Thief and its five sequels. *indicates starred review.Megan Whalen Turner (born November 21, 1965) is an American writer of fantasy fiction for young adults. Readers with a taste for adventure, history, fantasy, swordplay (and a bit of romance!) will find plenty to feast on in this story.Ĭautions: language (profanity a few instances of “damn” and “by the gods”) This is the first title in my favorite series that has been published within the last twenty years, followed by volumes that are increasingly brilliant and beautifully written. Eugenides is a fascinating character whose story weaves together the future of Sounis, Attolia and Eddis. Her writing is excellent, though sometimes she is too subtle by half, and is worthy of reading a second time. Turner’s series is set in a fictional era with a mélange of Ancient Greek and medieval elements. The conclusion spins the reader’s expectations, revealing that there is more to Eugenides than we realized, whetting the literary appetite with characters and schemes that are increasingly complex and set the stage for the richer story that unfolds in succeeding volumes. Eugenides complains throughout, despising his companions and the journey, until his abilities are put to the test along with his faith in the gods. The Magus and company tolerate him as they would a trained beast.

In spite of the wine shop boasting that landed Eugenides in prison, his skills as a thief and usefulness to steal the treasure appear questionable.

It’s complicated to explain their quest, but they are pursuing a lost gift of the gods to give to the king of Sounis, who will then claim sovereignty over the neighboring country of Eddis. 304 pages.Įugenides, a cocky thief, is hauled out of prison by the Magus of Sounis to steal a treasure from the mountains of Attolia. *The Thief by Megan Whalen Turner. Greenwillow Books, 1996. The first book in a top-notch series about an extraordinary thief and the intertwining of three kingdoms is amazingly well done.

The thief megan