Thick as Thieves (Queen's Thief # 5)

by Megan Whalen Turner (Author)

Reading Level: 6th − 7th Grade
Series: Queen's Thief
Thick as Thieves is the eagerly anticipated new stand-alone novel set in the world of the Queen's Thief. 

Kamet, a secretary and slave to his Mede master, has the ambition and the means to become one of the most powerful people in the Empire. But with a whispered warning the future he envisioned is wrenched away, and he is forced onto a very different path. Set in the world of the Queen's Thief, this epic adventure sees an ordinary hero take on an extraordinary mission.

The Queen's Thief novels have been praised by writers, critics, reviewers, and fans, and have been honored with glowing reviews, "best of" citations, and numerous awards. Thick as Thieves includes two maps, a map of the world of the Queen's Thief, and a map of Kamet's journey.
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ALA/Booklist

Starred Review
This world, its people, and its gods remain as fiercely alive as they were when The Thief first stole hearts as a 1997 Newbery Honor Book. For newcomers, this is a worthy introduction; for loyal readers, it will be like coming home.

Kirkus

 A series stand-alone that won’t disappoint Turner aficionados.

Publishers Weekly

Starred Review

Even minor characters in Turner's Queen's Thief saga have fascinating stories to tell, as she proves in this fifth installment, seven years in the making. This volume centers on Kamet, head slave and secretary to the Emperor of Medes's out-of-favor nephew, who left Attolia when his scheme to seize power failed. Kamet is relieved to be home until he gets word that his master has been poisoned. Before he can process what that means for him (probably death), he is kidnapped by a beefy Attolian guard. (The author's stock-in-trade includes the suspenseful reveal, so the guard's name is withheld until the end.) The journey back to Attolia poses challenges, including bounty hunters, slave catchers, bandits, near starvation, rugged terrain, and miserable weather. Kidnapper and victim come to know each other, overturning many of Kamet's assumptions. As with the previous books, Turner writes with complete authority about her richly imagined landscape. Although this immersive treat is billed as a standalone, those who have read the previous books in the series will get the most from it, as Turner fills out and enriches the expansive canvas on which she stitches her epic tale.

Copyright 2017 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.

School Library Journal

Starred Review

Kamet is a slave poised to become one of the most powerful men in the Mede Empire thanks to his master's close relationship with the Emperor. While he knows the limitations of his life as a secretary and slave, Kamet is ambitious and eager for the chance to help shape the Empire and wield his influence until one whispered conversation changes everything. No longer safe, Kamet embarks on a journey that will take him farther than he once thought possible. Traveling away from the seat of the Mede Empire, Kamet finds an unlikely ally in an Attolian soldier far from home and realizes that sometimes choice and freedom can be much more important than power or influence. Turner returns to the -Queen's Thief- series in this fifth installment, which moves beyond the familiar borders of the countries of Eddis, Attolia, and Sounis. This novel is filled with characters readers will learn to love, including several from earlier volumes. Kamet's transformation from a circumspect and scholarly secretary to a man in control of his own fate is immensely satisfying, as is the way his story intertwines with other threads from the series. His pragmatic first-person narration brings a fresh perspective to familiar places and people while expanding the world. This clever book is both a stand-alone introduction for those just discovering Turner's characters and a way to move the series forward to what promises to be a stirring conclusion for longtime fans. VERDICT Now is a great time to purchase the entire series for your library. A must for fantasy readers seeking titles rich with intrigue and politics.—Emma Carbone, Brooklyn Public Library.

Copyright 2017 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Review quotes

"Megan Whalen Turner has constructed a clever world filled with suspense and intrigue and characters that will never be forgotten. Once you dive into the world of the Queen's Thief [books], prepare to have your life stolen from you until you finish them all."—Joelle Charbonneau, New York Times-bestselling author of the Testing trilogy
Classification
Fiction
ISBN-13
9780062568243
Lexile Measure
940
Guided Reading Level
V
Publisher
Greenwillow Books
Publication date
May 16, 2017
Series
Queen's Thief
BISAC categories
YAF001000 - Young Adult Fiction | Action & Adventure
YAF052000 - Young Adult Fiction | Romance | General
YAF019000 - Young Adult Fiction | Fantasy | General
Library of Congress categories
Adventure and adventurers
Adventure stories
Slavery
Fantasy
Fantasy fiction
Kings, queens, rulers, etc
Kings and rulers
Secretaries

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