Subsequent 12 months, the ultimate e-book in a YA sequence over 20 years within the making will probably be launched. The Thief by Megan Whalen Turner made its debut in 1996, was named a Newbery Honor e-book, and was a runner up for the Newbery Medal. Sequels had been launched years and years aside (together with a seven 12 months wait between books 2 and three), which was truthfully positive with followers of the sequence. We’re a affected person lot, and it gave us extra time to digest, take pleasure in, and reread the books once more.
However then, within the spring of 2018, Turner introduced a brand new e-book within the saga, and shocked us all that summer season by revealing a launch date a mere two years after the final e-book (the discharge date has since been pushed again to August 2020). What pleasure! Such happiness! After which we learn the announcement once more, and realized it was to be the ultimate e-book written for the sequence. Whereas I’d have fortunately spent the following 20 years patiently ready for the occasional new chapter within the fantasy world Turner crafted, I perceive that fictional tales have to finish.
Reader, I used to be bereft. I wasn’t upset that the sequence was ending; I used to be distraught once I realized I actually had one bookish good friend with whom I may discuss to concerning the books. How did this occur? It’s a beloved, effectively revered, critically acclaimed, award successful sequence, and but I used to be considered one of two folks in my Twitter feed who was Tweeting about The Return of the Thief.
WHELP everybody who I’ve been preaching this sequence too, now could be a GREAT TIME to lastly begin studying them so that you will be verklempt with me in March!
— Christine Hoxmeier (@aramblingfancy) July 17, 2018
I’ve been spreading the excellent news of Eugenides, Attolia, Sophos, and the Magus for a decade now, and have one convert to indicate for my efforts. That’s unacceptable. Who else goes to mourn the tip of those characters with me? Who will I ship headcanons to and swap fanfic with within the upcoming years? No fan is an island!
I’m going to plead my trigger to you, my fellow readers. In the event you haven’t learn The Thief, please, please, please do. And when you learn it eons in the past and didn’t understand there have been different books within the sequence, now is a superb time for a reread. “Okay, Christine. I’ll go learn the e-book descriptions and see if—” NO. PLEASE. DO NOT DO THAT. I’m sorry for yelling, however these are books which are stuffed with surprising turns and I believe one of the best ways to take pleasure in them is to only go in realizing nothing.
OKAY, FINE, I can let you know some issues. The essential pitch for e-book 1, The Thief: Gen, our titular character, lands himself within the King’s jail after some loud boasting about with the ability to steal something. He quickly finds himself on a quest with the King’s magus to steal an object regarded as a mere legend. I do know that may be a very naked bones description, so permit me to current six extra the explanation why you must begin studying these great books.
An ever increasing solid of complicated characters.
Whereas the sequence begins with Gen as the principle focus, he isn’t all the time the protagonist of the e-book. Aspect characters from books 1 and a pair of present up entrance and heart within the later books, though Gen isn’t too far-off. Turner has additionally created two of probably the most fascinating, complicated feminine leaders I’ve encountered in current fiction, with the wildly completely different Queens of Eddis and Attolia. Characters evolve all through the sequence, and your opinion of them will fluctuate drastically from e-book to e-book.
Right down to earth fantasy.
These are fantasy books that learn like historic fiction. Turner was impressed by the panorama of the Mediterranean coast, and there are world constructing components that’s harking back to historic and byzantine Greece, however it’s a world of fictional kingdoms and myths. I believe it is a nice sequence when you love fantasy books, and I believe it’s a beautiful selection for readers who sometimes don’t take pleasure in fantasy, because the fantastical components are extra delicate.
At all times stuffed with surprises.
As I discussed earlier than, it is a sequence stuffed with twists. However the books are so deftly and masterfully plotted that when you end up trying on the man behind the scenes, because it had been, you don’t really feel as if the rug has been pulled out from underneath you. It’s a sequence that holds as much as rereads, as you can be experiencing the story from a wholly new perspective the second time round. There are a couple of surprising, gasp out loud, recreation altering moments, and I’d not spoil these for the world, irrespective of how desperately I wish to speak about them proper now.
Politics!
“I assumed this was a narrative a couple of thief?!” It’s! Nevertheless it additionally evolves into one thing extra complicated. This can be a story about leaders, and making selections for the great of your folks, the price of these selections, and the toll and burden it carries.
Gen is the perfect.
I can’t overstate what a beautiful, humorous, charismatic, and good character Turner has written with Gen. You’ll at instances admire him, assume he’s gone loopy, discover him hilarious, make certain what he’s as much as, see him as intimidating, understand you each over and underestimated him, and marvel when you can ever belief something he says. In the event you get to the tip of The Thief and also you don’t love him, please don’t inform me—I don’t care! I like him a lot.
I would like extra buddies.
I’ve been very upfront about the entire purpose behind this submit: I would like extra individuals who will discuss to me about this sequence! Please, learn the books (you will get the audiobooks immediately on Hoopla and the narrator is great), come discover me on Twitter, and we will chat about them for days and days. Did you discover this submit within the 12 months 2025? Hey, if Twitter continues to be round, I’ll completely discuss to you!
Effectively, I attempted my greatest to persuade you to learn The Thief and the remainder of the books with out going into the spoilery the explanation why I believe they’re so nice. You now have over a 12 months to catch up and browse all the sequence earlier than the tip arrives, which is loads of time to fall in love with Gen and recruit extra readers into the fold.
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