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Mar 04, 2019IndyPL_SteveB rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
A sequel to the excellent *The Thief* -- and this is even better. Here the focus shifts to the court of Attolia, where the young but tough-minded queen has a tenuous hold on power. Some of her barons are plotting against her and she also has to deal with representatives of the Medes, a high-powered outside military force, hoping to encourage the three small countries to weaken each other enough so the Mede forces can take over all three. An additional complication comes from Eugenides. Still a “thief” in some sense, he has been sent by the Queen of Eddis to spy on Attolia. In the process of spying, he develops an inconvenient crush on the Queen of Attolia – especially inconvenient when he is caught spying and subjected to torture at the order of the Queen. Just like the first book, the plotting is exciting, the characters are absorbing, and the tension is forehead-sweat-producing. In addition, Turner’s themes of political intrigue, the responsibilities of power, and the near-impossibility of love between rivals leave a lasting impression. Like many fantasy series, these were published as juvenile books but are equally exciting for teens and adults.