The Queen's Thief

The Queen of Attolia
by Megan Whalen Turner
Hardcover: 288 pages
Publisher: HarperTeen (April 26, 2000)
Rated 4 Stars of 5 Possible

When Eugenides, the Thief of Eddis, discovers that his country is at war with Attolia, he must steal a man, he must steal a Queen, he must steal peace. Eugenides discovers that his greatest triumph - and his greatest loss - comes in capturing something the Queen of Attolia thought she had lost long ago... © 2000, Megan Whalen Turner

This second volume of The Queen's Thief  series inserts its hook in the reader within the first few pages and does not let go until you've reached the end of this amazingly well written tale about the Queen of Attolia and the talented thief who can steal anything he wishes.  The shades of romance entertwined with the non-stop action and page-turning adventure make Mrs. Turner's novel into an unforgettable fantasy for young and old alike.

While many series books become too dependent on the volumes which preceeded them, The Queen of Attolia is either a new adventure for someone who has not read the first volume of the series or a beloved addition to the longer saga. The Queen of Attolia entertwines nicely with the first volume and leaves one expecting more, which, natually, follows in volume 3 of The Queen's Thief  series; yet this stand-alone quality is invaluable for leading readers to an author they may never have tried before as well as allowing the reader to choose whether to read a single adventure or the entire series.

Recommended for readers ages 9 to 99 who don't mind a bit of violence in their fantasy.