A Conspiracy of Kings (The Queen's Thief, #4)

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A Conspiracy of Kings (The Queen's Thief #4)

4.08 of 5 stars 4.08 · rating details · 5,818 ratings · 918 reviews

Sophos, under the guidance of yet another tutor, practices his swordplay and strategizes escape scenarios should his father's villa come under attack. How would he save his mother? His sisters? Himself? Could he reach the horses in time? Where would he go? But nothing prepares him for the day armed men, silent as thieves, swarm the villa courtyard ready to kill, to capture...more

Hardcover, 316 pages

Published March 23rd 2010 by Greenwillow Books/HarperCollins Publishers (first published March 5th 2010)

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Jul 27, 2010 Megan rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya-fiction

Well, I did like this book. Don't get me wrong. But I have to admit that I'm mighty disappointed. This is the 4th book in the series, so imagine my surprise when the main character of the series barely makes an appearance in this installment. This would be a bit like getting the next Harry Potter book in your hands only to find out that J. K. Rowling had decided to write the whole book about Ron. We like Ron, but we what we really, really, really wanted was to find out what was going on with Har...more

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Apr 08, 2010 Miriam rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy

Engrossing, but I didn't love it the way I loved the previous three volumes of the series. It lacked the liveliness and humor that characterized the other books. In some ways, that made sense -- Sophos is kind and sincere person rather than a clever and adventurous one. In a natural progression from the third volume, this focused more on external politics and the ethical dilemmas of rule. Those are important and Turner handles them with delicacy. But I missed the funny!

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Apr 16, 2011 Catie rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-in-2011, series, ya, fantasy

After attempting to organize my thoughts about this book for about an hour and making no progress at all, I decided to throw in the towel and go to bed. Of course, once I got there and lay down, my brain would just not shut up about what it wants to write about this book (Oh, so now you’re talking, eh? Bastard.). So, I am giving in. This better not be a fake-out, brain.

I am so consistently surprised and impressed by this series as it progresses. A Conspiracy of Kings is definitely a favorite, se...more

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May 13, 2010 Tatiana rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2010, fantasy, ya, series-in-progress-still-like, ala-ya-2011, mythopoeic

I love, love this series and I am now very sad that after reading this 4th book I must wait another 3-5 years for the next one to be published! I guess I will have to ease the pain of separation by re-reading all 4 installments some time soon.

A Conspiracy of Kings is most and foremost Sophos's story. I will not give anything away by saying that it is a book about his ascend to the throne of Sounis. And of course, the road to power is hard and full of obstacles.

The story is told primarily from S...more

16 likes · like · see review

Feb 01, 2012 Maja rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: role-models, male-pov, just-another-book-crush, favorites, fantasy, amazing-writing, 2012-favorites, all-the-right-choices

The King of Attolia is still my favorite of the series, but this book is perfection.

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Dec 12, 2011 Anne Toronto1 rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy

"A Conspiracy of Kings" (Thief 4) by Megan Whelan Turner is how this book ends, but results more from long-range planning by their god(esse)s. I like the basic plot best of the series - reluctant poetry reader kidnapped, chooses to grow up and accept responsibility. "Sounis knew that sometimes his mind worked like a pig stuck in mud, but at other times, conclusions seemed to strike like lightning, one bolt after another." Despite shifting point of view, action, fights, escapes, propel the reader...more

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May 03, 2010 Jenny rated it 4 of 5 stars

How can it say "Published March 10, 2010"?????!!!?? That hasn't even happened yet! I can't wait that long. *WHINE* On a happier note... Yay! She wrote another one!

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Aug 11, 2010 Anne Osterlund rated it 5 of 5 stars

Megan Whalen Turner is AMAZING. Not just with crafting stories, which she is. And not just because her books have some of the most exciting climaxes in YA, which they do. But because she is sneaky. Her characters have a way of pulling one over on you.

Sophos is the temporary heir to the throne of Sounis. Temporary because his uncle will no doubt marry and produce a different heir. And because Sophos is an utter failure at pretty much everything. Other than poetry. And temporary because when his f...more

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Jan 13, 2012 Laura (Kyahgirl) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: action-adventure, fantasy, military-law-enforcement, part-of-a-series, set-during-a-war, young-adult, fantasy-alternate-history

4/5; 4 stars; A-

In The King of Attolia, while Eugenides is coming into his power, there are a few seeds of another story planted; that of Sophos, the Sounis heir who went 'adventuring' with the Eugenides during The Thief. This book is the fruit of those seeds. We learn what Sophos has been up to and how things are progressing in Sounis.

I didn't like this book quite as much as the previous one, although I can safely it was still wonderful. The POV switched around and sometimes it went from third...more

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Aug 02, 2010 Lightreads rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: disability, fantasy, fiction, young-adult

So feel free to jump in and tell me if I get any of this wrong, but I think the way this works is I read a book for pleasure and then I talk about it. It’s the “for pleasure” that’s really throwing me.

I read this book two months and the bar exam ago, and I don’t actually have a lot to say about it. Young adult fantasy politics series that makes me flail and emit high-pitched noises. These are books that are not nearly as young as they pretend to be. They are about violence and disability and tak...more

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Dec 21, 2009 Maria rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult

**Before the start of the review, I wanted to put a spoiler warning. This being the fourth book in the series, there will be some minor spoilers, nothing plot related or anything major. But the ocassional mention of some small piece of information from one of the previous books is included for purposes of clarity.**

It’s no secret that The Queen’s Thief series is one of my favorite series. I read the first three books in about two weeks and then did a second read-through with the purpose of goin...more **Before the start of the review, I wanted to put a spoiler warning. This being the fourth book in the series, there will be some minor spoilers, nothing plot related or anything major. But the ocassional mention of some small piece of information from one of the previous books is included for purposes of clarity.**

It’s no secret that The Queen’s Thief series is one of my favorite series. I read the first three books in about two weeks and then did a second read-through with the purpose of going back and finding all the clues, details, and bits I missed the first time. I was excited when I heard there was going to be a fourth book because it meant that I would get to spend more time in the Queen’s Thief world. It would have been fine if the series ended with The King of Attolia. In fact, each of the first three books stands on its own, so that if you were to pick up any of them, you could understand the story. This really isn’t true for A Conspiracy of Kings. Now, there is too much background information to know. You could still read it on its own, but it wouldn’t amount to the same experience or the same level of understanding.

Getting the ARC was exciting – much squeeing and happy dancing occurred. I stared at it for awhile, opening it to the first page, reading the first line and then closing it again. When I did start it for real, it was so easy to get lost in the writing and the story. Just like the other three books, there are lots of twists and turns, plenty of “what just happened?” and “what did he say?” moments, including going back and re-reading paragraphs or whole scenes.

Reading A Conspiracy of Kings felt like reading about long lost friends. I cared about what happened to the characters, especially about Sophos who really did grow up in between the end of The Thief and the start of A Conspiracy of Kings. This was his book. Parts 1 and 3 are his story; in his words spoken to someone he loves. So it made me wonder if any of it was colored by that, was anything left out or changed at all because of who he was telling. These two sections were very narrow in scope, focusing solely on Sophos’s experiences. Parts 2 and 4 are told in third person point of view, they give more information about what is going on in the wider world and place certain actions and events in context.

If The King of Attolia was about outward appearances and how a person’s actions can dictate what other’s think about them, then A Conspiracy of Kings was about the roles people play and the various personas they have to adopt and/or play in different situations. It is also about changing friendships and relationships and how people in power have to balance personal and royal relationships. Despite his changing circumstances, it was reassuring to see that Sophos was still Sophos; someone prone to blushing, interested in learning as much as possible from those around him, still enamored with the Magus. I was glad to see that the other characters were much as I remembered them. They all met my expectations and responded to things mostly how I thought they would. The absence of certain characters did make me wonder and hope that we will find out where they were and what they might have been doing in the next book.

A Conspiracy of Kings was the first book in the series whose ending really left me with more questions than answers. There are always questions at the end of Ms Turner’s books, but more so with A Conspiracy of Kings. I am looking forward to the next installment very much. Overall, this was a wonderful book. I wholeheartedly recommend this book (and series) to just about everyone.
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Mar 25, 2010 Nikki rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult, own-it, fantasy

Can I say that my only complaint is not seeing more of Ina and Eurydice? I really hope they're in the next two books, because I love Sophos's sisters.

And I love the sort of mixed-up character of Sophos himself. I love how he doesn't really like himself at first, despising his only friend because the friend is like looking at his own faults in a mirror and understanding why his father doesn't like him. I love how along the way when his situation might seem terrible, he's actually sort of relieved...more

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Jan 11, 2012 Josie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, young-adult

Definitely not my favourite of the series (that spot is still reserved for The Queen of Attolia), but it's solid, nonetheless. Obviously it was never going to measure up to the others because there is simply not enough of Gen in it, but Sophos was still very likeable. I enjoyed seeing him change and mature - actually, I was finding him quite sexy towards the end there, what with his scars and 'broad shoulders' and being 'as tall as the Magus' (who, I recall, is quite tall himself), and roaring a...more

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Nov 29, 2011 Michelle rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction, intrigue, teen, own

Sophos is the heir to the king of Sounis, but most people think he is an idiot. His uncle, the king plans to remarry so Sophos figures he will no longer be the heir once his uncle has a child. Then he and his family are attacked by rebels. He is kidnapped and sold into slavery. He is content to live as a slave with no one expecting anything from him or being disappointed in his efforts. But Sophos will not be able to escape his destiny forever.[return] [return]I knew that this story would focus...more

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Oct 31, 2011 Jaclyn rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: adventure, young-adult, series

This one didn't get me quite as excited as books 2 & 3 did. I was really hoping that bringing Sophos and Eugenides back together, but this time as kings, would make for a really good book, but for some reason it didn't excite me all that much.

Sophos has been missing for quite some time now, and everyone has presumed him dead. So when he mysteriously shows up in Attolia, emprisioned no less, it comes as quite a shock to everyone, most of all to Eugenides, the King of Attolia.

The first part of...more This one didn't get me quite as excited as books 2 & 3 did. I was really hoping that bringing Sophos and Eugenides back together, but this time as kings, would make for a really good book, but for some reason it didn't excite me all that much.

Sophos has been missing for quite some time now, and everyone has presumed him dead. So when he mysteriously shows up in Attolia, emprisioned no less, it comes as quite a shock to everyone, most of all to Eugenides, the King of Attolia.

The first part of the book is told in flash back, leading us to understand how Sophos ended up in Attolia in the first place. The second half of the book moves us forward from there, and it's all written in psuedo letter-style from Sophos to the Queen of Eddis. I found the first half to be a bit boring, and somewhat reminiscient of The Thief, in which we keep waiting for something to happen, and nothing happens. The good news is that this time, we don't have to wait until the end of the book for something to happen, only until the middle. From there it gets pretty action packed.

Even though there was a lot of action, it still felt like a flat story to me. I think it's because Sophos's lack of belief in himself as King, makes me feel a little apathetic toward him. Everything seems to happen to him, and I felt myself constantly waiting for him to make a decision and take charge of the situation. He is King afterall, that's what he's supposed to do. I realize that his journey from an heir who is lacking in confidence and skill, to a King worthy of the title, is the entire point of this book; but I don't ever enjoy books about weak characters, and Sophos was pretty weak throughout this entire book. Since he finally grows into a character worthy of some interest at the end, I will continue on with the series when the next book comes out. I am actually really looking forward to it b/c it seems now that all the main characters are developed and have their roles laid out for them. I am hoping the next book will show them working together against their common enemy, the Medes. I'm looking forward to seeing how these cunning minds, when working together will triumph. Or at least that's what I'm counting on, I guess only time will tell where Turner decides to take these characters though.(less)

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Apr 23, 2013 Lindsay rated it 3 of 5 stars

I have been captivated by this series. It has surpassed my expectations in many ways and made me re-think what I expect in a book series in other ways.

I enjoyed this book. I enjoyed it the least of the series so far, though. I recommend reading it . . . but especially after book 2, I wouldn't have the same expectations.

Part of what has made me re-think book series is the expectation of each book being narrated by the same person . . . I've discovered that as much as I want the same narrator, I'v...more I have been captivated by this series. It has surpassed my expectations in many ways and made me re-think what I expect in a book series in other ways.

I enjoyed this book. I enjoyed it the least of the series so far, though. I recommend reading it . . . but especially after book 2, I wouldn't have the same expectations.

Part of what has made me re-think book series is the expectation of each book being narrated by the same person . . . I've discovered that as much as I want the same narrator, I've been enriched by the many views of the various people in the series. So that said, Sophos' narration and story was needed. He was a favorite character in book one, and by book three I was unsettled at the thought of him dead. Therefore, I was delighted to discover book four.

Pros: the timeline hangs with book 3. We get back into Sounis. Sophos/Sounis is an underdog, really the first one in the series.

Cons: a bit brief at sections to the point of being confused. The political strategy wasn't well-developed enough for me. What I mean: I struggled to follow what was happening. I either needed more narrative or better sign-posting. I read many pages several times over trying to figure out what I had missed, only to realize I hadn't so much missed anything but wasn't reading between the lines very well.
This style of writing worked well in books one and two, less so in three, and left me confused in four.

SPOILER ALERT I do admire the reality and creativity of it. As much as I would like more romanticized versions of things (a Thief loyal to his Queen, who takes a throne but still defers to her and everyone keeps his or her own sovereignty despite allegiances) the actual circumstances are more likely (a Thief who is loyal to his Queen, but takes the throne of another country and then rules that country and takes over other thrones' sovereignty because it's what's in the best interest of that county and not in the interest of one's feelings and associations).

This is a complete aside, but my heart went out to Berrone and I was proud of Sophos for taking care of her.(less)

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Apr 18, 2013 Shoshana rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2013, fantasy, middle

3.5 stars.

I think this is middle-grade? But it's very politic-y so maybe it's not.

I picked this up not realizing it was the not-first in the series; by the time I realized it, I was engrossed enough to keep going. This is very rare for me, as I have a must-follow-series-in-order compulsion. Anyway, I'm glad I picked this up because I really did enjoy it, and while there were confusing aspects (because I didn't know back story), Turner did a pretty good job of slipping bits in without getting ex...more

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Jan 09, 2013 Kathleen rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2013, young-adult, fantasy

Final verdict on A Conspiracy of Kings: it was okay.

The beginning was really good, and I enjoyed pretty much all of the book until we got back to Sounis, at which point I more or less lost interest. The ending seemed to drag on far too long for me, especially the battle sequence, and (view spoiler) I felt like once we left Attolia the urgency passed out of the book and I was left drifting.

However. This is not to say it's...more

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Jan 01, 2013 Mary rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: high-school-books, middle-school-books, fantasy

As we learned in The Thief, Sophos is the nephew of the King of Sounis, and his heir. As in Attolia, the Barons of Sounis are not easily ruled, and have divided loyalties. Sounis, Eddis, and Attolia are often at war with each other, and the empire of the Medes would like to control all three kingdoms. When Sounis loses control of his country, Sophos disappears, leaving his friends and Sounis's magus to wonder if he has been killed in the rebellion. This is the story of what happens to Sophos whe...more

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Dec 04, 2012 Ed added it · review of another edition

Turner, Megan Whelan. (2010). A Conspiracy of Kings. New York: HarperCollins/Greenwillow. 336 pp. ISBN 978-0-06-187094-1 (Hard Cover); $17.99.

Sophos really does not want to be king, but when enemies intent on destroying the country beset Sounis, Sophos realizes that his future, his safety, and becoming king are locked together.

One of the pleasures of a Megan Whelan Turner book is that they all expect women to be smart. The very best men are only as successful as their willingness to trust the in...more Turner, Megan Whelan. (2010). A Conspiracy of Kings. New York: HarperCollins/Greenwillow. 336 pp. ISBN 978-0-06-187094-1 (Hard Cover); $17.99.

Sophos really does not want to be king, but when enemies intent on destroying the country beset Sounis, Sophos realizes that his future, his safety, and becoming king are locked together.

One of the pleasures of a Megan Whelan Turner book is that they all expect women to be smart. The very best men are only as successful as their willingness to trust the intelligence of the women around them. While all of the Eugenides’ books make it clear that there is a firmly established patriarchy, it is also very clear that underestimating women comes at a very high price. In this book Sophos will assume the name of his country, Sounis, despite the fact that he would rather read poetry. Enemies surround Sounis and even so called friendly countries are quite capable of absorbing and assimilating the people of Sounis. It seems as if Sophos really only has choices between bad and horrible. Nevertheless, Sophos plots a course of action that may not be followed exactly, but then his fellow conspirators may have a few surprises of their own. Readers will delight in the roller coaster ride of unraveling all of the details and nuances of Sophos’s attempt to save his country. This book is one that crosses genres without alienating hardcore fans. Readers who love romance will read this book right along with those who love political intrigue and adventure. While this is yet another masterful book in this series, it is not necessary for readers to have read earlier books (although reading the series certainly makes this book richer). And even for those readers very familiar with the series, Turner has a knack for surprising—astonishing—readers with how carefully she keeps track of all the plot threads and weaves them into books that virtually sing. This sophisticated fantasy fits nicely into either high school or middle school libraries.
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Oct 29, 2012 Lucy rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: loved, would-read-again

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I am probably too much of a fan of the series by now to give this a fair review; however I am pretty sure I would have enjoyed this a lot regardless of whether I had read the earlier books.

Character
For me this is the most important part of any story. Sounis was easy to get behind.
-lifelong desire to live up to family or his own expectations and lifelong history of failing to do so.
-painful self consciousness
-clever (his name sophos is appropriate)
-hot bod. Well this is how I was picturing it.

I...more I am probably too much of a fan of the series by now to give this a fair review; however I am pretty sure I would have enjoyed this a lot regardless of whether I had read the earlier books.

Character
For me this is the most important part of any story. Sounis was easy to get behind.
-lifelong desire to live up to family or his own expectations and lifelong history of failing to do so.
-painful self consciousness
-clever (his name sophos is appropriate)
-hot bod. Well this is how I was picturing it.

I could easily identify with his character due to this history of failing ( >_> ), and I like how he developed to be more confident. Also I like characters to be pragmatic. This is definitely a large part of the novel, with the central characters forced to make difficult but necessary decisions. Like the story about Berrone's kittens, a little ruthlessness is sometimes kinder in the long run.
I can compare with e.g. the 2nd batman movie (I loved the first) which frustrated me no end because of batman's dirt stupid attitude about not killing. And many, many other movies where the good guy fails to finish off his adversary, - or even, you know, shooting him in the leg or cutting off his hand or something – when he is captured leading to inevitable grief down the road.

Plot
Definitely you could say some things are contrived: the very, very lucky set of circumstances with Berrone, later with his father at Hanaktos, or the events at Oneia. However since the gods are a large part of the world, and Sounis is a special snowflake dustmote, I think it is fine. The more so because many other events in the story are preplanned and controlled by the lead character. He was lucky to find the hanktos conspiracy, but he planned the escape, oneia and elisa was planned outside of knowign about the extra soldiers etc.
Some stuff (kidnapping) “just happens” to sounis but most of the time he is making and living with the consequences of his own decisions.

World
I am not someone who really cares that much about world-building. All I require is that the world feels like it has more than just the main characters, and everyone else are not cardboard cut-outs. So I can actually care to an extent about the outcome of Big World Events. Example: Essos in GRRM's series? Nope. I don't give a shit. All the people I am interested in are in Westeros. Westeros feels more alive and fleshed out.

Anyway this particular novel achieves this. I do not want to see sounis invaded by medes. I like the greece v persia type world, which obviously draws heavily on RL history but is fairly unique among fantasy books (at least the ones I've read).

As compared to other novels in the series
I likd it better than the last one. It was actually much ebtter than I expected. I was blown away and read it in one sitting. MWT is one of few authors who somehow does not disappoint when writing a series. She also fooled me once again with the plot. There were things I did not see coming.(less)

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Aug 26, 2012 Nicole Gozdek rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy

Ich bin mit großen Erwartungen an die Lektüre von "Die Verschwörer - Die Legenden von Attolia 4" von Megan Whalen Turner herangegangen, schließlich hatten mir die ersten drei Bände der Fantasyreihe gut gefallen. Leider hat mich der Roman dieses Mal enttäuscht. Zwar hat mir die Hauptfigur, Kronprinz Sophos von Sounis, gut gefallen, aber der Funke ist dieses Mal nicht übergesprungen.
Das liegt daran, dass die Hauptfiguren, anders als gewöhnlich, nicht im Laufe der Zeit für den Leser besser verstän...more

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Aug 06, 2012 Daria rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: i-d-take-writing-lessons

I can say the same thing here as I did for King of Attolia: Turner is smart. She's too smart. We are unworthy of her. She illustrates a romance in about a sentence and, if she were to narrate all worldly political intrigue, political-intrigue-watching would be an international pastime. And Turner just enjoys keeping things from us, the sneaky little puppeteer.

This installment focuses mainly on Sophos (remember that nice kid from The Thief?), and it's a relief to get away from the cold-blooded A...more I can say the same thing here as I did for King of Attolia: Turner is smart. She's too smart. We are unworthy of her. She illustrates a romance in about a sentence and, if she were to narrate all worldly political intrigue, political-intrigue-watching would be an international pastime. And Turner just enjoys keeping things from us, the sneaky little puppeteer.

This installment focuses mainly on Sophos (remember that nice kid from The Thief?), and it's a relief to get away from the cold-blooded Attolian monarchs. He's still nice, still noble - but, hey, no one can remain noble and reconquer his throne at the same time. So we follow Sophos in empathy on his journey, in hopes of seeing him shed the boy Sophos and become the king Sounis.

Turner (through the voice of the Queen of Eddis), observes, "We are not philosophers; we are sovereigns" - justifying the actions of absolutist monarchs in regards to war. There's a lot of blood on everybody's hands by the time the book is done; the only one questioning the morality of his actions is Sophos. To which Eddis, of course, promptly replies, "A king gotta do what a king gotta do. Off with their heads!"

(I paraphrased, of course.)

And we, the readers, are on the sides of said tyrants - of course we are! We're practically cheering them on to shoot down the antagonists dead. We love our heroes. They're our confidants and friends. Now that they're all nice and settled and ruling the three lands between themselves, forming some sort of moody VIP Monarchs Club, we, the readers, can be happy for them.

But here's the catch (and the sheer brilliance); the monarchs frighten me. To me, Attolis, Attolia, Eddis, and Sounis seem more real than any other sovereigns I've seen in literature. Please, Aragorn, lob all the Orc heads you want; we won't bat an eye while you reclaim the Lands of Men. I'd trust Thirrin of the Icemark with my life, while we know her to have deflected three consecutive invasions of her homeland. But with these guys... I'd watch my step. I'd probably keep glancing over my shoulder if I were invited into their throne rooms. I'd only ever accept a drink from Sounis, and maybe not even that.

Turner is wickedly sly. She knows we can't hate the protagonists, but we can certainly be... uneasy around them. After all, half the time, she doesn't reveal to us what's on their royal minds.

And this makes conspiracies among kings dangerous, indeed.
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Jul 13, 2012 Dawn Marie rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya

I was browsing a half-off book rack when I found Megan Whalen Turner’s The Queen of Attolia and The King of Attolia. I will admit that I picked them up because I liked the titles (I’m a sucker for royalty, although I think it’s a ridiculous way to really let someone run a country – genetics are dicey!) and because the covers were stern and handsome and alluring. (So I’m shallow, suck it.) As I also love to read books in a series in a big pile, I noted that I needed another book to complete the s...more I was browsing a half-off book rack when I found Megan Whalen Turner’s The Queen of Attolia and The King of Attolia. I will admit that I picked them up because I liked the titles (I’m a sucker for royalty, although I think it’s a ridiculous way to really let someone run a country – genetics are dicey!) and because the covers were stern and handsome and alluring. (So I’m shallow, suck it.) As I also love to read books in a series in a big pile, I noted that I needed another book to complete the set: the first one, The Thief. It was a Newberry Honor Book, and therefore full price, but I had a good feeling and bought them all, hurrying home to cram them into my brain.

Technically, I am told that the Queen’s Thief series is aimed at kids 9-12. That’s kind of nice in the sense that these books aren’t pap: they are clever and intricately plotted and full of all manner of Greek-derived culture, politics and vocabulary, making them a groovy way to broaden any kid’s horizons. I should point out that they are not at all based in historic fact. In the countries of Eddis, Sounis and Attolia, the gods are forgotten, but still make themselves known. Turner has invented her own pantheon and I found that I was always longing to hear another story about Eugenides, the god of thieves, as well as his namesake, the wily Gen, our focal point for the first three books.

The first book, The Thief, is told in first person. It’s about a boy who is dragged from prison in order to steal an amulet that may or may not actually exist. I’m not sure Gen counts as an unreliable narrator; he brags that he can steal anything, and he does; he never tells an outright lie, but of course it’s what he hasn’t said that makes all the difference, and you are impressed all over again. While I love The Thief, I found the POV a little gimmicky somehow, and the book a little slow to start – but you need to climb the hill so you can roll right down the other side. Trust me, the worldbuilding and the gradual focus on Gen’s traveling companions (especially the Magus) is worth your while. It’s a tremendously satisfying read.

Which brings us to the second book, The Queen of Attolia. Even if you’ve never read any of the books in the series, the cover for this one gives a major plot point away. Ultimately, I think it added an atmospheric sense of dreadful inevitability, somehow – and the action it presages takes place very near the opening anyway. The Magus is back, and we get to spend some time with Helen, Queen of Eddis, with her broken nose, frizzy hair and mellow sense of humor. Again, the book hinges on a conceit that you may not buy, but it worked for me. We get to see more of the world in this story, and get some much needed perspective on Gen, who of course becomes more fascinating the more we learn about him.

I love me some Eugenides, is what I’m trying to say here, and book three might be my favorite in the series so far because it’s told from the point of view of Costis, a stoutly loyal man who has no idea who or what Eugenides is (the answer: A TOTAL. FUCKING. BADASS.), so we get to learn Gen all over, outside-in. The King of Attolia shores up any doubts you may have had about the verity of the second book. Plus, it’s full of court intrigue and kind of thrilling: Costis, hurtling through the garden, shouting ATTOLIA! ATTTOLIA! That’s the stuff! (Psst: Costis/Aristogiton 4EVA!)

A Conspiracy of Kings is the much-awaited next book in the series; Turner takes her time, man. The Thief came out in 1996, Queen in 2000, and King in 2006.
I had been fretting about Sophos, the sweetheart introduced in The Thief, since he went missing in book two. This is the story of what happened to him, and all the choices he made. Eugenides is only visible in the periphery of this one, but as always, he’s pivotal.

All told, these books are utterly engaging, and I would recommend them to anyone who likes a fully realized world with myths of its own and a trickster with a noble heart.

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Jun 22, 2012 Tago T rated it 4 of 5 stars

As some people have noted, this book could might as well be named King of Sounis instead. But no, it wasn't name that because mwt wanted us to start reading and bet yet again surprise at the change of pov. I understand why Sophos deserve his stand alone book, but GODS!, I wanted more Eugenides!! (and Irene) I love this series so much is because of the two of them. Mwt has no doubt master the art of making readers psychologically crave for Gen moments, and there so few - that must be the trick to...more

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Jun 14, 2012 Laura rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: 8th grade and up

Shelves: 2012

"The Thief" is the best of the series, but if you have an affinity towards the characters, you will want read the next books. None of them are as well written as the first, but the plots do keep you engaged. My biggest problem with Turner's writing is that she is too subtle - sometimes to the point of losing her readers. If this were James Joyce then I would blame my own ignorance, but this is not Joyce but young adult fiction, so the subtleties are either a product of poor editing or the author...more

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Mar 06, 2012 IndyPL Kids Book Blog rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-fiction, adventure

Author Turner started this complex adventure in The Thief, and continued it in The Queen of Attolia and The King of Attolia. I had not read any of these before reading A Conspiracy of Kings. I still really liked it, but I think I would have liked it even more if I had read the other ones first. A lot of the plot has to do with political strategy, enemies, alliances, agreements & betrayals. When you can keep it straight, the brilliance of the strategizing is really fun.

Think of it as the TV s...more Author Turner started this complex adventure in The Thief, and continued it in The Queen of Attolia and The King of Attolia. I had not read any of these before reading A Conspiracy of Kings. I still really liked it, but I think I would have liked it even more if I had read the other ones first. A lot of the plot has to do with political strategy, enemies, alliances, agreements & betrayals. When you can keep it straight, the brilliance of the strategizing is really fun.

Think of it as the TV show Survivor…only the players are real queens and kings and countries are at stake. They really are just trying to outwit, outplay & outlast each other. But in this game, if your torch goes out, you’re dead and your country is invaded.

In this one, the future King of Sounis is Sophos. He’s a teenager. I read that he made a kind of clumsy, whiny appearance in the other books. The very last thing he wants is to be King. There are actually a lot of other people who don’t look forward to him being King either. His own father has hidden him away with his books and his tutors - out of sight, out of mind.

When Sophos is kidnapped in a surprise attack and sold into slavery, he oddly finds relief from the pressure of having to face his future. As a slave, he has certain doable tasks to perform. He doesn’t have to make any decisions. He makes friends. What he doesn’t expect is all the information he can get when he isn’t living as the protected prince. He finds himself unable to ignore the battles that are taking place that imperil his country, his family and his friends. He also discovers that the the things he has been learning in books really can help him in his real life. He also discovers that having people think you are capable of very little, can be a pretty powerful tool.

He plots a daring escape, manages an unlikely rescue and begins planning a complex series of alliances and maneuvers that show he really has the stuff of which leaders are made. Play the Power Match Game to see if you are clever enough to be King. Author: Megan Whelan Turner

For more: http://www.imcpl.org/kids/blog/?p=6669 (less)

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Feb 15, 2012 Scott rated it 4 of 5 stars

A Conspiracy of Kings is the fourth book in Megan Whalen Turner's series (oddly, the series itself is unnamed), so there's really no way to write a review of it without spoilers for the preceding books. But in a way that doesn't matter. The series is unusual in that each book stands apart as unique from all the others, and even though there is a more or less common thread of events that run through them, they feel very disparate from one another.

The Thief was an adventure and a heist story, cent...more

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Aug 01, 2011 Madame X rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, ya-or-teen-protagonist, gorgeous-writing

I've put off reviewing this book for weeks now, but I might as well spit it out. A Conspiracy of Kings is good...but it's not as good as the Thief trilogy. Under normal circumstances, I probably wouldn't hold that against the author - the Thief trilogy is so good it would be pretty darn hard to equal it, let alone top it. But these aren't normal circumstances, because Turner goes out of her way to remind us again and again of how much better the Thief books were. A Conspiracy of Kings is set in...more

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Jan 30, 2011 TheBookSmugglers rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: best-of-2010

Original Review HERE

I discovered the Queen’s Thief series last year and fell irrevocably in love with it – suffice to say that in a scale between 1 and 10 of book awesomeness, they are certainly … 11. A Conspiracy of Kings ,the fourth book in the series was easily my most anticipated read of 2010 , one which I waited for with fervour and passion hoping for another perfectly excellent read from Megan Whalen Turner. It is with the utmost enthusiasm that I report that yes, this is another GREAT ONE...more

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About Megan Whalen Turner

For those of you who have to write reports for school, I will say that I was born in 1965 and I have siblings, all of them older, which makes me the baby of the family. We had a pet cat when I was growing up. He died a long time ago, but I think he is living his next life with the author of Tithe, Holly Black. I have seen pictures and her White Cat appears too similar for mere coincidence. I moved...more

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The King of Attolia (The Queen's Thief, #3)

The Queen of Attolia (The Queen's Thief, #2)

Instead of Three Wishes: Magical Short Stories

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Quotes from A Conspiracy of Kings

“All my life they had made choices for me, and I had resented it. Now the choice was mine, and once it was made, I would have no right to blame anyone else for the consequences. Loss of that privilege, to blame others, unexpectedly stung.” — 65 people liked it

“Sounis had been thinking of Ambiades. "He would have been a better man under different circumstances."
Gen looked at him. "True enough," he said. "But does a good man let his circumstances determine his character?” — 65 people liked it

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A Conspiracy of Kings (The Queen's Thief #4)

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