Return of the Thief (The Queen’s Thief, Book 6)
By: Megan Whalen Turner
My Rating: FIVE OUT OF STARS.
Best for: Advanced 12 and up

Ah, the end of an era.  25 years in the making.

The Queen’s Thief is finished.

Return of the Thief, book 6, was as grand a finale as I could have hoped for.  A wonderfully fitting end to one of the great literary treasures of our day.

If you’ve already found the series and love it as I do, that’s all you need to know.  Go read Return of the Thief without fear.  No disappointment to be found.  You’re going to love it.

If you’re new to The Queen’s Thief, here’s a bit more.

Megan Whalen Turner has created an amazing world. Picture Kings and Queen’s of medieval times but with colonial era technology, in an ancient Greece inspired setting with a complex polytheistic culture–complete with Gods who occasionally take an interest in what happens. It’s a story of duling Kingdoms, separated by tradition, united by common threats, and bonded by friendship and love.

The characters in The Queen’s Thief are tremendous. I don’t know if they compare to anything I’ve read. Every character is a favorite, but Eugenides–The Queen’s Thief himself–is the star. He can steal anything…just ask him!  Eugenides might honestly be the greatest literary character ever written. Top 5 maybe?  Seriously, he’s that good.

The Queen’s Thief is simply one of the most well-written and clever series of books I’ve read. Ever. It’s fantastic fantasy at its finest. It’s a story that is both heart touching and heart stopping.  There are heroic heroes, vile villains, lessons to learn, kingdoms to save, and twists to try (and fail) to anticipate.

Oh, the twists!

The twists are my favorite! Just when you think you have it, you realize you’ve been long-conned since before you even knew you needed to watch out for the trick.

And the love story?

It very possibly could be the most unique, unexpected, and beautiful love story ever. Ever!

Am I going too far?  Maybe.  But not that far.  It really is that good.

Now, book 1–The Thief–was a Newbury Honor recipient back in 1996 when it was first published.  It’s an amazing, wonderful story. BUT…I worry after my raving review, some may pick it up and be disappointed because–it’s a journey story. The bulk of the book is actually about the characters taking a journey.  A long journey, in fact. It’s 250 pages of world and character building where the only thing that happens is some walking and talking and set up, followed by 30 pages of BIG (HUGE) reveal.

Only saying it so you’ll be aware…I love it, so don’t be daunted if you read book 1 and find yourself scratching your head, thinking “What was Dan talking about with that obnoxiously hyperbolic review?”  Trust me. I know what comes next, and it’s amazing.

All that awesome is packaged in six not-too-long books with zero content concerns. There are some complexities in the story; the names, language, and the plots are advanced, so I wouldn’t call The Queen’s Thief a story for children.  It’s a story meant to be appreciated by all ages.  Advanced readers 12 and up could certainly enjoy it without concern. 

Get your copy here!

Happy Reading!