A Conspiracy of Kings

The Queen's Thief #4

by Megan Whalen Turner

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, to kidnap. Sophos, the heir to the throne of Sounis, disappears without a trace.

In Attolia, Eugenides, the new and unlikely king, has never stopped wondering what happened to Sophos. Nor has the Queen of Eddis. They send spies. They pay informants. They appeal to the gods. But as time goes by, it becomes less and less certain that they will ever see their friend alive again.

Across the small peninsula battles are fought, bribes are offered, and conspiracies are set in motion. Darkening the horizon, the Mede Empire threatens, always, from across the sea. And Sophos, anonymous and alone, bides his time. Sophos, drawing on his memories of Gen, Pol, the Magus and Eddis, sets out on an adventure that will change all of their lives forever.

Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult, Fiction, Adventure, Audiobook, Young Adult Fantasy, High Fantasy

316 pages, Hardcover

First published March 5, 2010

About the author

Megan Whalen Turner is the author of short stories and novels for children, teenagers and adults. She has won the LA Times Book Award for Young Adult LIterature, a Boston Globe/ Horn Book Honor and a Newbery Honor. She won the Mythopoeic Award and was shortlisted twice for the Andre Norton Award.

Reviews

[Elle (ellexamines on TT & Substack) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve read five books of this now, so here’s a quick roundoff of my points:
✔Megan Whalen Turner is so good at planting and payoff it makes me want to cry
✔I have never seen an author follow through in such interesting ways
✔anyway a romantic pairing that got set up in book ONE just got payed off
✔all the scenes work individually but ALSO as callbacks to earlier plot points
✔she keeps pulling the rug out from under us with some huge reveal that makes you want to scream
✔so many different players
✔so much character development
✔so much dimensionality
✔but usually in a very good way? I’m always delighted by her plot twists
✔upsetting things happen but then the books as a whole are Happy And Good

That's my full review. But also, here is a roundup of things that stood out in this book:

✔Everyone showed up.
✔No, really. Every single lead.

Yes, I’ve gotten through three and a half reviews without doing a character roundup, so I just had to mention the current leads of this job:

➽ Sophos
the literal epitome of haha I want to die. I actually loved his character arc so much but he’s so much of a disaster.

➽ Eddis
a queen and icon, but in such a dimensional way. she is not a ruthless power player like my favorite female character, but she still wields so much power in her own narrative.

➽ Irene
still my favorite character, but she’s not showing up as much. and it is absolutely tragic and I think she deserves to be the lead character of the final book.

➽ Gen
final side note: Gen and Irene: interact with Sophos for a second
me: personally, I love Sophos’ parents
Absolutely the most hilarious protagonist I have ever come across.

Basically, I love this complete disaster of a found family of ridiculous, extra characters, and this ridiculous series of political intrigue and plot twists. I cannot wait for book six to hurry up and release.

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[Tatiana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Update 3/10/2017 Sadly, after reading YA for almost a decade now, I see that Megan Whalen Turner still remains almost the only author who puts sophisticated political intrigue into her fantasy books for kids.

BUT the wait for her next Thief book is almost over!

Original review
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 Sophos's 1st person POV. He narrates the 1st and 3rd part of the story. The 2nd part is told in 3rd person. I just love how Megan Whalen Turner plays with POVs, always finding new interesting ways to show the events and relationships from different angles.

A Conspiracy of Kings is absolutely on par with Turner's previous books - The Thief, The Queen of Attolia, and The King of Attolia. Many reviewers complain that this book is not as good because Eugenides is just a secondary character in it, but I disagree. I love Gen and his sneaky ways, but I enjoy the books because of the outstanding writing, skillful world-building and intricate political intrigues. All of it is present in A Conspiracy of Kings, plus another never-easy romance. And Sophos is an interesting narrator too. He is very unlike Eugenides and his insecurities and humbleness make his road to power ever so much more compelling.

An excellent addition to The Queen's Thief series and a must read for all Megan Whalen Turner fans. I wonder what else she has in store for us. Will Eddis, Sounis and Attolia have to take on Mede? The danger of Mede invasion is always looming. And what is the fate of Eddis? Its future looks rather bleak at the moment...

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

No, it's not quite the same as the other books.
And I understand why other readers may have been a bit put off because this installment was told from Sophos' point of view with him as the main character, but I really loved it.
I wanted to know what had happened to him, so this was perfect for me.



Oh, and I loved the way Sophos' initial story narration ended that first time.
It quite surprised me that he was telling this story to the Queen of Eddis. And so cute that it stopped at the point she walked into his room!



Besides all the swashbuckling adventure time, the backstabbing politics, the family drama, the "finding yourself" montage, and the reunions?
A love story.
Awww.
Come on now, you know you love a love story.



The explanation Helen gives Sophos at the end! Stop. I love it.
Sophos thinks he's ruined everything and that by asking her to marry him it means she will lose the sovereignty of her country to Gen.
BUT!
Remember the dream about Eddis (the country) basically being destroyed by a volcano or something? Ok, well Helen (Eddis the queen) has been trying to find a way to evacuate her people and resettle them somewhere else before that happens. So by marrying Sophos (now King of Sounis) and having to pledge her country right along with him to Gen (King of Attolia.), it means she can now save Eddis. Did she and Gen plan this all along?
I'm still not sure how it will all work out but it makes me love Eddis, Sophos, Irene & Gen even more than I did before.



Recommended!

[❄️BooksofRadiance❄️ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 ⭐️ (for that ending.)

I love this series so damn much.

But, needless to say, that at first, I was very reluctant and fearful to start this book because, well... how would you feel if told that the brilliant hero of one of your favourite series will take a back seat, so that others may step in? Because the fact is, Eugenides (Gen) MAKES this series. Of course, along with its brilliant writing.
Every book with him in it is like an adventure you never want to end (I’m STILL melancholic from completing the King of Attolia). When he’s in his element - cunning, deceiving, brilliantly throwing everyone off their game and pulling the rug right from under them is seriously what makes me look forward to each of these books. So, do imagine my fear and reluctance.

A Conspiracy of Kings is Sophos’ book. The focus of the story shifts from Eugenides to Sophos and literally tells his coming of age story.
We were first introduced to Sophos, the reluctant heir to the kingdom of Sounis in The Thief and became Gen’s friend, only to disappear during the events of The Queen of Attolia. And in this book, we learn all about his journey and his many trials, as he goes from a soft-hearted, timid boy, to a slave, to King.
In the space of one short book, Sophos goes through some serious character development as he learns the harsh realities of being an heir to a throne and the responsibilities it bears.

plot-wise, it is still as politically driven as its predecessors with plenty of deceit, manipulative antics and lots of plots and counterplots.

Structure-wise, the book is split into two narrative modes. The first and last parts of the story are told in the first person by Sophos and middle part in the third person by a narrator (The section which includes Gen). If you feel scepticism coming your way, ignore it because it all weaves in together beautifully, with a great sense of interconnectivity.

All in all, as much as I loved Sophos, it was ultimately Gen who once again sucked me into the story as he still managed to craft one heck of a masterful plan without even having that much presence at all. Which really is a testament to Turner’s writing skills.

[Mir · Rating 4 out of 5]

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!

[Alienor ✘ French Frowner ✘ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Look, I'm not going to beat about the bush : yes, I know that the relative absence of Eugenides as an explanation for my rating is ridiculous. I objectively, honestly know that. Now, does that change in any way the fact that my heart is ridiculous by essence, because that's what hearts do, right, falling in love, breaking, and so on, as the unruly little shits they are? Well, no.

I can stress
a) how captivating A Conspiracy of Kings is ;
b) how brilliantly Megan Whalen Turner handles the POVs ;
c) how endearing and interesting Sophos is (and his growth! Awesome stuff here, I'm telling you!)

(we could go all day, but I'll choose not to, if that's okay with you)

... having said all that, I can't ignore that I didn't enjoy it as much as I did books 2 and 3, and I very much believe that it's because Eugenides' interactions and tricks are necessary for me to give it a full 5. Sophos is a very good character, but he lacks Gen's spark.

¯\_(ツ)_/¯

HOWEVER, let's not make it seem as if A Conspiracy of Kings wasn't an amazing YA Fantasy novel, alright? Because just thinking about what that genre offers us 99% of the time, there's no forgetting that Megan Whalen Turner has by far the upper hand over Morgan Rhodes, Sarah J. Maas or even - and I do love them - Cinda Williams Chima or Julie Kagawa. By the way, I saw readers shelving these novels as middle-grade, and I wonder... Is that because there's no sex scenes, even fade-to-black? No, I have to ask, because I genuinely do not understand what's so childish about intricate conspiracies, complex characters, a writing very engaging, blurred lines between good and evil - there's no such thing as a moustache-twisting villain in these books, but rather, complicated human beings who make the choices they think are best... Perhaps I am deluded about what is Middle-Grade and what it is not, but please enlighten me? Or maybe not, as I'm quite convinced that I wouldn't agree with you. So there's that.

"Then I walked to my bed and sat, making a show of careless bravado by crossing my legs and slumping as if I had not a worry in the world. In other words, I gave my best imitation of Eugenides."

Anyway, as usual with series, I won't rehash the plot because
1) You may not have read the other books, and would probably burn me at a stake if I spoiled you, and we wouldn't want that, would we?
2) I tend to repeat myself in these cases and I assure you that you don't want to be on the receiving end of my disheveled rambling when this series is concerned. Trust me. Or no, better : ask my friends.

On a final note : Yes, every one of Eugenides' apparitions gave me life, and I'm almost certain that would I reread A Conspiracy of Kings later, I'd probably give out a 5 stars rating.

For now, I'll have to accept that I am not an objective reviewer.

*snorts*

As if it existed.

PS. I'm including my favorite quote under a spoiler tag for those of you who have read it. I just couldn't not XD

"Then, as you well know, Eugenides looked me in the eye as if i were a complete stranger and said, "The simplest way to end a war is to admit you have lost it.
The silence after that was not polite."

I must be an awful human being because I laughed. So. HARD. I just adore the way Gen always surprises me. It's a full-time job and he's the best at it XD

PS bis. I'm diving headfirst into an horrible book hangover, am I not? I will never learn, it seems. Sigh.

My reviews for the other books of the series :
۩ Book 1, The Thief ★★★★
۩ Book 2, The Queen of Attolia ★★★★ 1/2
۩ Book 3, The King of Attolia ★★★★★ [ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS I'VE EVER READ]

For more of my reviews, please visit:

[Tadiana ✩Night Owl☽ · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the fourth book in the fantastic THIEF historical fantasy series, but the first one in which Eugenides isn’t front and center, and Gen is sadly missed by both me and the main character, Sophos. Still, it’s an interesting and thoughtful tale with (of course) a few great twists up its sleeves.

Sophos, a young man in the royal family of Sounis, is unexpectedly attacked in his villa, along with his family. He’s able to evade his attackers, but one thing leads to another and Sophos ends up being sold into slavery, which is at least better than being murdered. It’s a rough adjustment for the once-soft young man, though he’s actually happier without the pressures and expectations of royal life. Gradually he’s able to make friends among the slaves and finds himself reasonably contented with his new life. But life, or fate, or the gods, have more in mind for Sophos.

It’s a solid coming-of-age story in an Ancient Greece-like setting. This one’s a soft 4 stars for me, but overall this is an amazingly good series that shouldn’t be missed.

[Robin (Bridge Four) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Buddy Read with some series fanatics at Buddies Books & Baubles

Every once and awhile I like to jump into some Middle Grade reading. They can be a lot of fun and full of great stories that I don’t have to really focus completely on to enjoy as an adult. This is one of those MG stories that I’ve read and thought I really would love it if this was an Adult Fantasy instead. It is written mostly about adults or young adults becoming more than they thought they could be, but I would have loved a more in depth adult version of this story just for the character interactions.

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

Sophos is the heir of Sounis and has known that his entire life. He has never wanted to be king, in fact he always believed he’d be happier as a poet or scholar. Sophos has been a disappointment to both his uncle the current King of Sounis and father most of his life. He has done all he can not to be heirlike for as long as he has been alive with small personal rebellions. But that was before, before the current king died and before the rebels stole him from his home intending to make him a puppet king.

”A lamb, they said. No more trouble than snatching up a little lamb.”

But Sophos has spent time with the King of Attolia, the former Thief of Eddis and he is not so easy to puppet and will channel all the monarchs he has known to be able to thwart the plans they have in store for him.

Even though this story focuses on Sophos I was so glad to see how Gen contributed to the story and how much he has taught and is teaching Sophos, even when Sophos isn’t aware that is what he is doing. Gen is still sneaky that way, you never really know what game he is playing. Even when Gen pretends to be weak he is still strong and plotting something extraordinary. I love the relationship between Gen and Sophos even though they are both Kings of different countries they care for each other greatly.

Eddis did not say what she was thinking: that Sophos held Gen’s heart in his hand, that he was one of very few people who could destroy the king of Attolia, and that Attolia knew it.

But beyond watching Sophos come into his own as a man and a king who is fighting to regain the reigns of his country I really liked the budding love story between Eddis and Sophos. How they had to figure out how to be the monarchs they are and still find a way to create a happy union between their two kingdoms. The romance is very subdued because of the Middle Gradeness of the story but it was still tender and sweet in spots.

Overall The King Of Attolia was my favorite book of this series so far but I did enjoy this one nearly as much and look forward to what the next book in the story could be about.

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

God, I love this series.

I think this is the weakest (so far, I still haven't read book 5), but that might also be because it's contrasted with what is, in my opinion, the strongest book in the series (A Conspiracy of Kings.

This is told as from a new perspective, which once again reinvigorates the series. Whalen Turner is such a master at expanding her world without losing control of it, as is often the case with fantasy books.

Honestly, I don't know what can be said about this series that hasn't already been said. It's just so good. GET TO IT ALREADY!!!!

[Mayim de Vries · Rating 3 out of 5]

“We are not philosophers, we are sovereigns.”

Kings! More than one! How very refreshing, I thought, because Gen’s invincibility starts to get a bit boring. And this series is anything but.

Also, I have always been a great fan of Useless the Younger aka Sophos, and this book allows us to see the world through his eyes. While he is no longer the young and naive youth on the verge of manhood, he is still a young idealist, and these types are prone to getting into troubles, which in turn promises great fun.

And indeed, from previous instalments, we have already known that Sophos did get himself into trouble of first order by being swept by the wave of political turmoil in his kingdom of Sounis, where he played a role of an inadvertent heir. Right here you have the main premise for the book: “played” as in conformed to the expected role but without embracing it. The time has come when Sophos needs to decide whether and how to “play”.

So, was it refreshing? Yes and no.

Yes, it was nice to change the political lens and look at the royal mess from a different vantage point. The Kingdom of Sounis is at the precipice (thanks, Gen), and while it was rewarding to see them losing when I was cheering for Attolia or Eddis in the previous books, now, as the perspective shifts, we are faced with a situation that is nearly hopeless. Internal strife and external enemies are never a good mix, and this is only the beginning.

No, it wasn’t as scintillating to follow yet another “growing to be a king” story. As a main protagonist, Sophos lacks the effortless potential Gen had. He is earnest, he is uncomplicated, and, to be frank, he is also quite weak. Not suited to be a king, not imaginative enough to steal the expectations of others the way Gen did it. Even his victories felt more like compromises than conspiracies.

However, I understand that in the end, it wasn’t really a “Sophos’ story”. It was just a stepping stone in a longer tale of the Thief, who stole yet another kingdom by robbing himself of friendship. Seeing how high the stakes are, I am curious to see where we go next.

Also in the series:

1. The Thief ★★★★☆
2. The Queen of Attolia ★★★★★
3. The King of Attolia ★★★★☆
5. Thick as Thieves ★★★☆☆
6. Return of the Thief ★★★☆☆

[Kaethe · Rating 5 out of 5]

June 28, 2012

You know what Lewis left out of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe? Ruling. He draws four human children in to rule his magical world of talking animals and mythical human/creature hybrids, makes them kings and queens and then elides over a decade or so before throwing them back into childish bodies in a war zone. Certainly when I was nine I didn't get hung up on what it would entail, being a queen, nor did I worry about humans being in charge of a society of non-humans, nor did I worry about having to grow up once and then go back and do it again. Now that horrifies me: growing up and ruling a country and then having to go back to being seven in elementary school again? Like I didn't have enough smart-assery the first time through? I fought a war and saved a nation and now I have to sit quietly in a classroom doing multiplication work sheets? I was queen and now I have to hold my hand up and hope the teacher grants me permission to pee?

Sorry, I got sidetracked by the horror. Anyway, that is what makes The Queen's Thief series so awesome: the consideration of what it is that a king or queen does. How, as a young ruler, do you convince people to listen to you? How do you bring contentious and patronizing older people around to your side? That her characters just happen to have the minds of chess masters when it comes to politics makes the solution amusingly clever.

Great stuff, utterly engrossing, full of derring-do, but with a realistic-seeming portrayal of what court life would really be like. I suggest that everyone keep a set of these books packed and ready to go at the back of every wardrobe, just in case.

Library copy.

[Lightreads · Rating 3 out of 5]

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 taking responsibility for your actions and getting hurt and getting better. And being clever and awesome and causing trouble.

This book is not as awesome as the last two. Nothing really wrong with it, though the romance is a bit, “and they entered the arc two-by-two,” if you know what I mean. I think my problem is that this is a transitional book, moving several key pieces across the board. Fine, but I realized why I have been mentally categorizing this series as I have: like Francis Crawford of Lymond, Miles Vorkosigan, and Peter Wimsey, the intense personal charisma of the series protagonist overwhelms everything else, so even when other characters are awesome, they only really exist to me in their relationship to him. And this book was only a little bit about that.

Next book, please and thank you. And the one after that, since you’re up.

[Kacie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've been building card towers all day. What does that have to do with A Conspiracy of Kings, you may ask? Because I probably would have died of boredom while building card towers without my audiobook because apparently I'm too stubborn and wouldn't give up until I made a good tower, which, i might add, is extremely difficult (thanks a lot, covid, for making me bored enough to waste a whole day making towers out of cards). So thank goodness for this amazing audiobook with a perfect narrator written by a phenomenal author about a breathtaking world, plot, and set of characters. I will forever love the Queen's Thief Series and I fear I cannot wait any longer for the 6th book coming out this October (supposedly)!! I wish I could time travel to this October.

[Sherwood Smith]

Initial reaction: I continue to wonder how many actual teens read these books; I tend to think that structure and emotional as well as political subtext are most enjoyable for older readers. That's just an observation, it's in no way a criticism.

Okay, I finished--and as always, admire the vivid writing, the wry humor, and how superlative Turner's storytelling abilities are.

At one crucial point I had to stop and reread the first three. As always I admired the graceful, witty writing, the vivid imagery, the fine characterization.

A general observation first, which is a kind of caveat: Queen had seemed a transitional novel to me, in a way; when King came out, I thought, ah, there is the second half.

A Conspiracy of Kings perhaps might be a transitional novel, setting up questions and not answering them, though it might seem we've been given answers.

The structure is unusual: the first third or so, Sophos in captivity, is terrifically told and paced. The next third shifts into a great deal of expositional mode as complicated off-stage politics are sifted in. I thought Turner did a fine job with Sophos' emotional frustration as pretty much all the action is out of his view. The last third is action again, with a surprise that perhaps isn't that surprising if the reader knows Gen.

So here comes my spoiler discussion.

I had to stop in this segment and reread because there was a subtext that disturbed me increasingly. Perhaps the reader is being set up for bigger stakes, and bigger costs (it was easy to imagine an enemy being lured up to a volcano just before it explodes, for example) and the characters for bigger falls, but this book repeatedly had our young kings and queens reminded, or reminding themselves, that loss of subjects' lives is to be expected. Part of kingship--you gotta man up if you're to rule. You can't worry about those who died in carrying out your will.

I don't think I need to point out the obvious political parallels, but they hit me hard enough that I had to go back and reread the books. In The Thief, when Gen kills, he is hit hard by remorse, he gives a thought to the dead, he is aware of the cost of his temper and his skills when employed in violence. With each succeeding book, he reacts less; in this one, we do see Gen get dumped on his backside once or twice, but other than that he'd become a distant manipulator--wry, witty, and human to those few he lets close. Otherwise he's become a basileus--which I find a bit less interesting. In a lesser writer, he might have dwindled to a Marty Stu. Turner is far too good for that--he's still Gen--but I didn't find him nearly as compelling a character, but that caused another disturbing thought: Gen has always been most heroic when he's physically suffering the most.

Sophos wants to be Gen; when he decides he has to kill, there is no moment of reaction, and when he chooses the most bloody course . . . well, that's what tough kings and queens do.

So at the end of the fourth book, being an adult reader, I have this question in mind: The Medes have become an evil "them" . . . but is the cost of building the three lands in order to resist being conquered turning our heroes into their likenesses?

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

There is nothing quite like a Megan Whalen Turner book. Her writing is so clear and lovely, and yet so different . . . they aren't historical fiction or fantasy . . . they just ARE. And this was no exception. Beautifully written, tense, funny, romantic, all good things. If you haven't discovered this series yet, you MUST read THE THIEF, and go on from there. Such a treat!

Reread 2021: Rereading these in one go has really helped me follow the court intrigues much more closely, and I am loving it!

[Angie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I figured we should start the new year out right. And what better way to do that than with a review of what is quite possibly my most anticipated title of 2010? Thanks to my lovely book fairy and the benevolent folks at Greenwillow, I was the giddy recipient of a coveted ARC of Megan Whalen Turner's upcoming A CONSPIRACY OF KINGS. For those not in the know, this is the fourth novel in the spectacular Queen's Thief series. The series that effectively robbed me of the ability to form coherent thoughts and/or sentences last February. The series that cast a complete spell over me and whose praises I have felt compelled to sing ever since. The series Ana and I had more than one spontaneous Twitter lovefest over. The series that was, hands down, my best discovery of 2009. So. Here we go.

Sophos has had it rough since parting ways with his old friend Gen after the adventures of The Thief and their narrow escape from the Queen of Attolia's dungeon. In fact, things have gone rather downhill from there for the reluctant heir to the throne of Sounis. Having once again disappointed his father by preferring poetry and philosophy to politics and strategy, Sophos finds himself tutorless and packed off home in disgrace. But when an unidentified armed force storms his family's estate, his mother and sisters disappear and Sophos himself is abducted and sold into slavery. And suddenly the choice of whether or not to take up the mantle of his responsibilities is taken out of his hands and he is able to exist in blissful anonymity, doing manual labor building walls during the day and entertaining his fellow laborers with epic poems and tales around the fire at night. But life will not hold still for Sophos and even he can't fool himself into believing he can watch his country tear itself apart and not want to fight to save it. And so he chooses to fight and to step into the role he's been dreading his whole life. And when it comes to intrigue and subterfuge and playing a part, Sophos knows just the person he can call on.

There is nothing like reading a Megan Whalen Turner book. I mean nothing. You open the book to that first page and you just feel so at peace. Don't get me wrong, you're filled with an almost unbearable paroxysm of anticipation, joy, and anxiety on behalf of these characters you've come to care about so much it's almost a surprise to remember they're not real and you've never met. But you feel at peace, secure in the knowledge that everything is going to play out so beautifully, so perfectly, so achingly subtle, that there's no fear on your part. It's an unmatched reading experience and one to be treasured and taken out on cold nights and experienced all over again. I knew I was going to fall in love with Sophos in this volume. He was clearly so full of potential in book one, a few tantalizing hints here and there, and then he disappeared so utterly that I knew when he did come back, he would come back with a vengeance. And so he does. And so does Gen. And they're all four there in their Sounisian, Eddisian, and Attolian individuality and awesomeness and I quite honestly found it difficult not to stand up and applaud after reading each scene where they're talking or plotting or just sending each other meaningful glances and thinly veiled threats. Which, of course, is kind of every five pages or so. And I tried, I tried to stay on top of things, marking who was scheming what and which hidden motivations belonged to whom. And still, still they all surprised me! Which, of course, is exactly the way I hoped it would be. And the ending? The ending is perfect. The kind of perfect that makes me smile and clasp the book to my chest.

I fretted over which bit to quote for you here. I couldn't not select just one passage to give you a glimpse into what we're dealing with here with Sophos. And so I chose a small scene fairly early on that contains no spoilers except, perhaps, for The Thief. So if you haven't read the first book, definitely skip this bit, which is taken from the uncorrected ARC. Otherwise, enjoy.

When we were adventuring after Hamiathes's Gift, I had watched the magus beat Eugenides. We'd thought he was no more than a common thief named Gen from Sounis's gutters, and had listened to him whine and complain for days. When food was missing, it was easy to blame him. The magus used a riding crop on his back, and holy sacrificial lambs, Gen had come up off the ground like he'd been catapulted. It was as if he was a different person, some stranger who'd manifested in Gen's body. He'd dumped Pol flat onto his back--something I never thought I'd see--and gone for the magus. If Pol hadn't been up again so quickly, the magus was ready to run and dignity be damned. Even with Pol between him and Gen, the magus had been wary.

I thought later that this was the real Gen revealed, the person who'd been hiding behind a screen of complaints and needling humor. But I spent whole days with Eugenides after our adventures, and that Eugenides was exactly the Gen I had traveled with. Maybe I don't know which Gen is real. But I know there was nothing feigned about his emotions after he had been beaten.

Where, I wondered, was my wounded pride? Where was my outrage? My self-respect? Nowhere, it seemed. My back hurt. I lay there on my pallet, hoping it would improve soon and wondering, in a distant, unreproachful sort of way, if I was any kind of man at all and decided that I probably wasn't.

Oh, Sophos. You are so earnest and self-deprecating and you have a good heart. I loved making this journey with you.

A CONSPIRACY OF KINGS is due out March 23rd.

[Gavin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This 4th book in Megan Whalen Turner's Queen's Thief series was not quite as good as the excellent third instalment of the series but it was still an enjoyable and worthwhile read in its own right. Like the rest of the books in this series this was an intelligent YA fantasy with a heavy focus on characters and intrigue.

I liked the fact that this book told the story of Sophos, the heir of Sounis, who went missing in the third book in the series. I always liked the character so was delighted we finally got his story and ended up mostly happy with the way it played out. Turner always does an excellent job with the plots of these books and I love how even seemingly throwaway scenes always end up having some sort of significance!

If this book had a flaw it was in the set up. A lot of this was Sophos telling his own story, which was good because it gave us his tale from his POV, but it was also an issue as the set-up of it meant we had two phases of the story where Sophos was telling someone his story. That flashback set-up killed a bit of the tension since we knew where Sophos ended up by the end of both parts of the story! I'd have preferred just a straight chronological tale from the point of view of Sophos as I feel like that would have added more tension and uncertainty to the tale. I love first person POV but am not keen on flashbacks as a storytelling tool as it almost always kills the tension. This story was enjoyable despite the fact that the set up hindered it a bit.

As always some of the things the characters did annoyed me but by the time we reached the end of the tale I was left mostly satisfied as we eventually learned why the characters made the choices they did over the course of the story.

The one other thing that annoyed me was Turner using time Sophos spent as a slave as a way to show he was enjoying a break from the life of the pressures and responsibilities of being the King's heir. I've had moments like this happen in a few of my books in the last year or two and it always annoys me and leaves me feeling the author comes from a privileged background and is completely detached from the true realities of a life of poverty and hardship. There are better ways to show a character is enjoying a break from the pressure of their old lives than painting slavery or homelessness as a fun break!

I seems I've wrote a lot of negatives in this review but the weird thing is I was mostly happy with the story and did quite enjoy it. I look forward to reading the next book in the series.

Rating: 3.5 stars. I'm rounding up as it was close to getting 4 stars anyway.

Audio Note: As always Jeff Woodman did a great job with the audio. Pity he was not retained to read the rest of the books in the series as he always does an excellent job.

[Phee · Rating 3 out of 5]

My thoughts on this one haven’t really changed upon this reread.

These books are so easy to read, I always end up devouring them. This one definitely suffered from not having Gen as the main character, though even when he’s not the focus he still manages to manipulate everything to his his liking.

This book follows the character of Sophos, who was one of the characters from the first book. It tells the story of what happened whilst Sophos was missing during the events of the previous book. It was great to revisit this character and it was a joy to see him grow. The first half of the book describes the where Sophos was and what happened to him after the villa was attacked. He really goes through a lot and I think the things that he endured really help to flesh him out and made him grow. And he really did grow in this book. We get to see a completely different side to him. He had some incredibly tough decisions to make and no experience on which to base his decisions. There were people guiding him of course, but who does he trust?

I do love Sophos and this is a good book. I just can’t help but feel like it misses out on being better just from the focus being him and not Gen. I did really like having more from the Magus. He is also a brilliant character. It made me miss the first book to be honest.

[Bethany (Beautifully Bookish Bethany) · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars rounded up

2024 Reread - Love this series and how it all fits together!! Even more on reread. Raising rating by .5 star
________________________

I've said it before but this is such a smart, well-written series with fantastic characters! For people who like political intrigue and strategy, strong female characters, and a bit of magic. Not my favorite book in the series, but still very good.

A Conspiracy of Kings follows the story of Sophos who we met in the first book but haven't heard from. I won't say much because it's the fourth in the series, but while his story is interesting I don't love him as a narrator as much as some of the other characters in the series. Stylistically, it's written as if Sophos is telling his story to someone, but the way that is done and the timeline gets confusing a few places in the book. Overall, I still enjoyed it and look forward to the next book in the series!

[Maria · Rating 5 out of 5]

**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.

[R.J. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am happy to say that A Conspiracy of Kings absolutely lives up to the promise of Megan Whalen Turner's earlier books. I felt confident that it would be a good story, but it even exceeded my wildest expectations of just how good it would be.

No worries, I am not going to spoil this book in my review. I would sooner cut off my hand than spoil it for anyone. I will say, however, that the summary in the HarperCollins catalog is slightly misleading. There's so much more to this story than just the question of What Has Sophos Been Up To, gloriously so. There's the usual rich background, diverse cast of characters, byzantine political machinations (but they never get boring, and from someone as infamously apolitical as myself, that's saying something), flashes of wry humor, and unexpected wrenches at the heart. It's subtle and clever and outrageous and surprising and touching and thought-provoking, and all the things I've come to expect from Ms. Turner's writing -- plus some.

And it made me love Sophos -- who never really made it onto my radar in The Thief, being so eclipsed in that book by the irrepressible Gen -- more than I ever imagined possible.

I can't wait until April when everybody else can read this book. I don't want to overhype it (oh yeah, like I haven't already) to people who haven't read the series, because I am sure there will be readers out there (as with any book however brilliant) who don't connect to the story and the characters the way that I do. But I do feel confident in saying that if you have read the earlier books and are already a fan, A Conspiracy of Kings will definitely not let you down.

[lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

First read: May 2014

Sophos my babyyyyyyyyyyyyyy

The whole book is a little confusing I need to go back and forth a few times to make sense of it. But pretty sure I'll understand more when I reread everything.

Also, Eugenides. I'm torn between wanting to kiss him because he's brilliant or strangle him to death because he's infuriating.

Reread: March 2015

me about Sophos:



also WHY DID I ONLY NOTICE THE LACK OF COSTIS IN THIS I MEAN

COSTIS???

Reread: June 2017

My reread thread on Twitter: HERE.

I'm never not amazed at Sophos' character development, and how resilient he is, and how he has a romantic heart. I enjoyed all the bits with him and Eddis, I lowkey hoped we get a wedding scene in TaT.

Also, the lack of Costis in here is not unnoticed, but I have theories ever since I finished King of Attolia... *steeples hands together*

NOW ON TO THICK AS THIEVES!

[TheBookSmugglers · Rating 5 out of 5]

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. The prologue alone, made me want to cry with happiness. I read it and I said to myself: YES, This. This is what I was waiting for.

Before I go any further though, rest assured that I shan’t be spoiling this book or any other book in the series – these need to be read without the reader being spoiled for their surprises – but there will be some minor spoilers for book 1, The Thief. Overall though, this review will be more of an overlook of the book and its themes than an in-depth look at the details of plot for example (because again, this needs to remain unspoiled) .

____________

I will just start by saying: A Conspiracy of Kings is Sophos’ book. And I mean it: it is his book, his coming of age story, his story to tell. This means that Eugenides, the awesome, incredible protagonist of the other three books, is not as present as I am sure, most readers hoped for. This does not mean that he doesn’t have a central, important role, because he does. But he is a co-pilot to Sophos’ journey.

Sophos, the reluctant heir to the kingdom of Sounis first appeared in The Thief and became Gen’s friend, only to disappear during the events of The Queen of Attolia . In this instalment we learn what has happened to Sophos, how he goes from a poetry-loving boy, to slave, to King and what does exactly his journey does to him, and what being the new Sounis means to the neighbouring countries of Attolia and Eddis.

This is above all, a story about identity. Sophos could not be more different from Eugenides. He is as self-deprecating and self-doubting as Eugenides is daring and reckless. His journey to becoming a worthy King is not without hardship and heartbreak. It is about roles one has to play, about finding out who is friend and who is foe, how much you can rely on people, if you can really rely on them. Sophos has to make many difficult choices and once they are done, there is no turning back.

Once he becomes Sounis, he is in an impossible situation – his country is nearly lost and to get it back is no easy task.

When I reviewed the first three books in the series, I said that Eugenides stole several things throughout the books: a gift; a man; a woman; peace; a kingdom. This time around, Eugenides does something he’s never done before – he helps two other people to steal what they need. One character needs his country back and another needs her people’s safety and by helping them achieving that, Gen also aids them stealing each other’s hearts and finally, he aids his own side. If that is not another masterful plan, I don’t know what is.

The fact that he does all that without even being in most pages, just proves to me what an amazing writer MWT is. She could have easily written another book with Eugenides as the protagonist, at the centre of the story, to appease and satisfy fans. But instead of being comfortable, she just takes a step further, distancing herself from her main, most beloved character to tell someone else’s story. That is a ballsy move and one that pays off. Nothing tells more of the growth of a writer than the attempt at doing something new and different. Even though I did miss Eugenides, I loved this mature, wonderful book for what it was and I cannot wish for something different when what I got was this heart-warming story.

The fact that the protagonist is so different does not mean that the same quality of writing, the same amazing storytelling skills that include twists and subterfuge and all the subtle yet passionate feelings one can have for friends and loved ones are not present. They are. There are amazing romantic scenes in this book to rival those in Queen’s. It is in the narrative itself, it is in the way one friend holds the hand of another for example. And a letter that is rushed to be delivered and yet is never displayed to the reader’s eyes because it is so intimate. If you read the other books in the series you know who is Sophos’ lady and you also know what to expect from MWT when it comes to romance.

Furthermore, in this book, MWT combines the two narrative modes that she so expertly mastered in the previous books as the story is half told in first person by Sophos and half in third person by an overseeing narrator. And the way the two narratives are woven together is amazing. Oh, and then there is this one moment when the reader realises what the author is doing, and whom to and why (oh, the why, it is so important) Sophos is narrating his story, that a-ha moment, it is awesome. As per usual.

Character wise, the book is about identity but plot-wise A conspiracy of Kings is a very political book, in the vein of Queen of Attolia .The story has reached a point where the three countries must make hard choices or succumb to invasion to the Mede. It is a hard reality to appreciate and to endure especially because who these kings and queens are. But the end game is this: what exactly these three countries must do to ensure they remain Sounis, Eddis and Attolia. One of them does come out as the apparent winner and sovereign, but because I know and love that person so much, I am also sure of the reasons behind the intricate game that is played. I also know much will it cost the other two rulers to live up to what they must do.

In the end, Sophos grows up and becomes a man. Granted, a man who is still capable of making an ass of himself (and the scene where he lays it all out, about what it means to know one can be stupid is so amazing and heart-warming) but still someone who is loyal and astute and can make decisions at the time of need.

He also grew on me and I found a place in my heart for this character – that same heart that has been stolen by the Thief and remains his. The last pages of the book are of a perfection that I hardly ever see and which made me hug the book and beg for more, please.

[Vinaya · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sophos, woo hoo! *pumps fist in air*. So I'm done with The Queen's Thief series, and the fact that I raced through all four books in roughly two and a half days should tell you how much I loved 'em. The last installment is a sort-off spinoff tale from the story of Gen, the Queen's Thief, and revolves around Sophos, whom we last saw in The Thief as the heir of Sounis. In A Conspiracy of Kings, Sophos' uncle has died and Sophos is now the king of Sounis, but his country is in the middle of a civil war, the Medes are interfering and his closest friend is turning into a stranger. How will this shy academic deal with pressures of being king?

Brilliantly, of course! I've had a soft spot for Sophos since the first book, with his idealistic, somewhat naive outlook on life, his friendliness and his kindness. Turner builds the character of Sophos brilliantly. He never veers from the person he was born to be. He is idealistic and hates violence, but he knows his duty and is willing to do it. Becoming king does not suddenly harden him, or make him fearless or motivate him to start treating people with less insight. I love the fact that Turner allows him to be weak, without ever making him cowardly or unlikeable. Even when he is displaying a sort of apathy, wishing to continue his existence as a slave instead of returning to the pressures of his life, it is because he feels that his country needed a better king. He spends a lot of time trying fruitlessly to avert bloodshed in his claim for the throne. And through it all, he remains likeable.

Turner seamlessly switches between first person and third person narratives. Usually the disruption tends to annoy me, but this time, after the initial jolt, I was too absorbed in the story to care about who was telling it! I actually got a better glimpse of the Queen of Attolia's character in this book than I did in the King of Attolia, strangely enough. The scenes between her and Gen, as recounted by Sophos, show a more tender side to her than the third-person narrative of Costis in the third book. All my favourite characters were present in this book, and I totally lapped it up. And Eddis was a total rockstar! There were several scenes in the book that made me smile, or even laugh out loud. Turner's gift for storytelling holds strong in this fourth installment of the series.

So why only four stars? This may be pure personal prejudice, but I felt like Sophos waffled just a little too much in the middle of the book. Sure, he is caught and imprisoned in the rebel baron's house during his return from Attolia, but it was too easy to be anything other than pre-planned. SO I felt like Turner made too much of an effort during Sophos' first person narrative to keep an air of mystery over what the grand finale was going to be. He just went on and on about how he was scared/angry/anxious, etc, but not one word about how he had a secret plan, and hell, everybody knew he had one, so it was unnatural for him not to think of it at all!

But minor gripes aside, this is still one hell of a book, although I reiterate my stand that the most mind-blowing book of the series thus far has been The Queen of Attolia, but since I love Sophos, I'm going to cheer this book loudly as well!

[Maja (The Nocturnal Library) · Rating 5 out of 5]

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

[Melissa McShane · Rating 4 out of 5]

On re-reading this, I'm not changing my star rating, because even though I liked it better this time, this book lacks the complexity of the earlier ones in the series. It's still very good. Sophos, who in The Thief was slightly gormless and in need of a spine, begins the story in much the same position: he loves to read, he's bad at sword fighting, and as his uncle's heir he knows he's pretty much just a placeholder until his uncle gets around to producing an heir of his body. But he's clever, and funny, and it's hard not to like him. When the action gets going, Sophos discovers there's more to him than just the poetry-loving placeholder he's been raised to be (despite his father's efforts to turn him into a martial man).

I'm fond of the narrative conceit here, in which two major sections are Sophos telling his story to someone else (is this a spoiler? We don't learn he's talking to Eddis until nearly the end of the first section) and the rest are a more traditional narrative. Sophos has an engaging voice, and despite my slight irritation at how long he spends sidelined in the beginning I realize his time as a slave made him grow, but it felt like it went on too long I liked his take on things, particularly when I compared it to Gen's narrative in The Thief. There's some switching of viewpoints in the other sections, and I'm so impressed with how well Megan Whalen Turner knows what scenes should be told from what viewpoints. The brief scenes from Eddis's POV are particularly effective.

The rest will go into spoiler territory: The fact that Eugenides is working toward becoming king over all three countries is both exciting and disturbing. It's been said all along that the Medes will eventually attack, and if Attolia, Sounis, and Eddis aren't unified to a degree, they will all be overwhelmed. But Sophos swearing allegiance to Eugenides as Attolis, even if he maintains sovereignty to a degree, still leaves me uncomfortable, and I'm not sure why. It might just be that I don't know that their friendship really could be maintained under those circumstances, despite the final scene. It might be that I'm still stuck on how very much Eugenides didn't want to be king, and this shows how well he's fallen into that role. And with Eddis having to swear to him as well in order for her to marry Sophos...it is interesting that Gen seems to have the same relationship to Attolia (the country) as he does to Sounis (the country), in that Irene does a lot of the ruling. Gen as annux has some interesting possibilities.

Overall, though, I love the ending, I love the gifts Irene and Gen give Sophos, and I love how he resolves his difficulty with regard to being king in his own right. Moving on to the next book!

[Jaimie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This novel does not focus on Eugenides. This novel does not focus on Eugenides. This novel does not focus on Eugenides.

Just so we're clear.

I had to beat myself over the head with this going in, so as to set my expectations at a realistic level. For the most part I think I succeeded.

I had some trouble getting into A Conspiracy of Kings. The story, initially, is a simplistic and straightforward recounting of events as they happen to our main character, Sophos. Event A. Event B. Event C. Drama ensues. Just when I began to grow concerned, the story pops off. This is a Megan Whalen Turner novel, so there is intrigue, there are twists, we've been lied to, we have no clue what's going on.

It's fantastic.

I enjoyed getting to know Sophos in The Thief and was happy to pick back up with him and with his relationship with Sounis. Sophos is NOT Eugenides. I think it would be impossible for any character to fill Gen's shoes. Sophos is straightforward and genuinely good. But watching his growth over the course of this novel is fascinating.

I will say that when Eugenides does make an appearance, the entire novel is hit with a bolt of electricity and these parts were easily my favorite. Sorry, Sophos.

4 stars

[Anali · Rating 4 out of 5]

“How less?”
“A slave in the fields of Hanaktos, and now, not much better. I am a king with no country. Would you have that?”
Eddis seemed to consider. “Yes.”

[steph · Rating 4 out of 5]

January 2024: Upon this re-read I think this is the weakest of the series but its still so good. Turner's writing and worldbuilding is spot on. Four books in this is the book where things are either going to come together or they are going to fall apart. And the build up to that is a wonderful ride.

-

December 2024: Sophos.....

SOPHOS....

SOPHOS. LET ME COUNT THE WAYS I LOVE THEE.

Do I miss having a book from Gen's POV? Yes, immensely. I feel like book 1 has ruined all the other books for me because I just loved that one (and book 2) so darn much so when I don't get Gen's or Attolia's POV's I feel let down. But this one wasn't as bad because I really enjoy Sophos and was excited for his time in the spotlight. I have been eagerly waiting to get to his story from the moment it's revealed in book 1 that Sophos is the heir to the throne of Sounis and this book did not disappoint. I love seeing him grow and mature throughout this book and start to make the decisions that a king needs to make and became the man that Attolia and Eddis need him to be.

No spoilers for the end but wow, what a ride. I was on the edge of my seat and could hardly put the book down. I must say, I impressed with the extensive worldbuilding and callbacks to previous novels that MWT does and how it is pretty clear now that of these books are building on each other and climaxing to some battle or war or SOMETHING between the three nations and the Medes. I do find it interesting that with both Sophos and Eddis now pledging alliance to the kingdom of Attolia that Gen, the boy who didn't want to be King, is King of three countries along with his Queen. It reminds me of a quote I read ages ago that said the best leaders are the ones who didn't ask or choose to be leaders. I can see that with Gen and it is what makes me so excited and nervous for the book 6 because I don't know what Gen will do but I know it will a) take me by surprise and b) still be amazing..

Also, not for nothing because I really did love this book but I missed having time with the two Queens. I LOVE THEM and their friendship and neither of their POV's are in here that much which I get because this book is Sophos' story first and foremost but still. I missed them. That said, the small moment with the Queen of Attolia grabbing Eddis' hand and not letting go as Sophos said goodbye and left the castle nearly undid me. How does this author say so much in so few words!??!?

[Crowinator · Rating 5 out of 5]

October 2020: I'm re-reading this whole series before reading the final book, Return of the Thief.

Quick and dirty book review (from 2010):
Turner does something different with the narrative in every Queen's Thief book, and though I did miss Eugenidies in this fourth book, she made Sophos as interesting and complex a character, one who goes through similarly difficult trials on the road to kingdom. I've never written reviews of these books, because I don't think I can do them justice, but I don't think you can find anything better for subtle but brilliant political intrigue, fantasy world-building, and characters you absolutely fall in love with.