Review Detail

Gen is a thief whos down on his luck- he has been captured by the Sounisians and imprisoned in a dark cell, where he stays until the Magus liberates him. The Magus, a stern and scholarly man whose heart may or may not be in the right place, has an ulterior motive in doing so- he needs Gen's help to steal Hamiathes' Gift, which would cement the power of the scheming King of Sounis. Gen has no desire to help the King of Sounis, who he dislikes on sight, but he will do anything to get out of his cell.

I read this series years ago, and I loved it then as much as I do now. Each book is a gem in its own way, but The Thief is easily the best for its whip smart characters. There are times when Megan Whalen Turner makes the reader laugh out loud, but never at the expense of characterization.

I have recommended this book to basically every reader I know, and almost all of them, regardless of age and gender, love it as much as I do.