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Powell's Q&A | January 17, 2012

Ryan Boudinot: IMG Powell’s Q&A: Ryan Boudinot

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Describe your latest work. Blueprints of the Afterlife is a novel about the following things: giant heads that appear in the sky, a mystical... Continue »
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1 Hawthorne Children's Young Adult- Newbery Award Winners

eBook editions

The Thief

by Megan Whalen Turner

The Thief Cover

ISBN13: 9780060824976
ISBN10: 0060824972
Condition: Standard
All Product Details

Only 1 left in stock at $4.95!

 

Synopses & Reviews

Publisher Comments:

"I can steal anything."

After Gen's bragging lands him in the king's prison, the chances of escape look slim. Then the king's scholar, the magus, needs the thief's skill for a seemingly impossible task — to steal a hidden treasure from another land.

To the magus, Gen is just a tool. But Gen is a trickster and a survivor with a plan of his own.

Review:

"A king orders a young thief to carry out a near-impossible heist under threat of death. 'In addition to its charismatic hero, this story possesses one of the most valuable treasures of all — a twinkling jewel of a surprise ending,' said PW's starred review of this 1997 Newbery Honor book. Ages 10-up." Publishers Weekly (Copyright Reed Business Information, Inc.)

Review:

"Young readers will identify with the feisty, scornful Gen who pushes the boundaries of his captivity as much as he can (and is frequently punished for it). They'll also enjoy the sword fight scenes. However, this book isn't an easy reader; the writing is flowery and it's important to pay attention to explanations of intrigue and politics." Children's Literature

Review:

"This book will be popular with YAs who like adventure." VOYA

Review:

"This book is sure to be a hot item with adventure and fantasy lovers, and YAs who like snide, quick-tempered, softhearted heroes will love Gen." School Library Journal

Synopsis:

Because of his great skill at thievery, Gen lands in the King's prison. After months of isolation, kept sane only by his sharp intelligence, Gen is released by the King's Scholar, the Magus, who believes he knows the site of an ancient treasure. The Magus needs the best thief in the land to help him steal it, and that thief is Gen. But Gen is also a survivor and a trickster--and he has ideas of his own.

Synopsis:

< center> < i> < p> I can steal anything.< /p> < /i> < /center> < p> After Gen's bragging lands him in the king's prison, the chances of escape look slim. Then the king's scholar, the magus, needs the thief's skill for a seemingly impossible task — to steal a hidden treasure from another land.< /p> < p> To the magus, Gen is just a tool. But Gen is a trickster and a survivor with a plan of his own.< /p>
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About the Author

Megan Whalen Turner is married to a professor and often relocates when he needs to do research. They have three children. She is also the author of three novels for young people: Newbery Honor book The Thief, The Queen of Attolia and The King of Attolia.
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What Our Readers Are Saying

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Average customer rating based on 4 comments:
Sherri Castillo, January 28, 2012 (view all comments by Sherri Castillo)
I found this book at a second hand store and the cover alone intriged me. Once I actually got around to reading it, it was such an easy read drew me in right from the start and pulled me all the way through the king of attolia and now I will get the fourth. I was antious to get though it and so sad when I was through.
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Michele Gibney, January 1, 2012 (view all comments by Michele Gibney)
Megan Whalen Turner was recommended to me by a friend who was reading the 4 book Queen's Thief series. I got the first one--The Thief--from the library and devoured it. They're a quartet from the 1990s that are YA fantasy. They're fabulous. It took me a while to realize what I loved most about them (and it's very much a writer/reader thing). So, in most books the narrator is either omniscient or transparent. Generally, all information is presented to you--the reader--and surprises are rare (maybe I'm reading the wrong books, but I read a lot of them [274 in 2011] and I am seldom surprised by plots). These books surprised me because she wrote them withholding information. Her characters might know something but they didn't share it. They didn't even hint at it most of the time. The reader would find out the truth only when it was revealed to other characters. There wasn't internal monologuing or a lot of wishy-washy debate happening in these books. They were straightforward, action moving forward, and then surprise! You weren't expecting that! The main character in The Thief--Gen--was also fantastic. Super smart, tricky, secretive, snarky, Some of my favorite character traits in a fictional world. I highly recommend at least the first two (The Thief and The Queen of Attolia) in the quartet to anyone who likes great story-telling and interesting surprises. I didn't love the third (The King of Attolia) and fourth one (A Conspiracy of Kings) as much. The third one adds an additional perspective which I wasn't fond of. And the fourth one is mostly about a side character from the first one which I was less interested in. But the first two I really really loved.
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margaret dahm, January 1, 2011 (view all comments by margaret dahm)
Very densely plotted adventure set in a fictional medieval world. By not filling the story with extraneous details the plot directly pulls the story along. Very nice start to a rewarding trilogy. Reminds me a bit of Ursula LeGuin or Monica Furlong in style.
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Product Details

ISBN:
9780060824976
Author:
Turner, Megan Whalen
Publisher:
Eos
Author:
by Megan Whalen Turner
Subject:
Action & Adventure
Subject:
Science Fiction, Fantasy, & Magic
Subject:
Children's 9-12 - Fiction - Fantasy
Subject:
Legends, Myths, & Fables - General
Subject:
Adventure and adventurers
Subject:
Robbers and outlaws
Subject:
Action & Adventure - General
Subject:
Fantasy & Magic
Subject:
Brigands and robbers
Subject:
Adventure stories
Subject:
Children s-Adventure Stories
Copyright:
2006
Edition Description:
Paperback
Publication Date:
20051231
Binding:
TRADE PAPER
Grade Level:
from 5
Language:
English
Pages:
304
Dimensions:
7.64x5.16x.68 in. .44 lbs.
Age Level:
10-14
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Related Aisles

The Thief Used Trade Paper
0 stars - 0 reviews
$4.95 In Stock
Product details 304 pages Eos - English 9780060824976 Reviews:
"Publishers Weekly Review" by , "A king orders a young thief to carry out a near-impossible heist under threat of death. 'In addition to its charismatic hero, this story possesses one of the most valuable treasures of all — a twinkling jewel of a surprise ending,' said PW's starred review of this 1997 Newbery Honor book. Ages 10-up." Publishers Weekly (Copyright Reed Business Information, Inc.)
"Review" by , "Young readers will identify with the feisty, scornful Gen who pushes the boundaries of his captivity as much as he can (and is frequently punished for it). They'll also enjoy the sword fight scenes. However, this book isn't an easy reader; the writing is flowery and it's important to pay attention to explanations of intrigue and politics."
"Review" by , "This book will be popular with YAs who like adventure."
"Review" by , "This book is sure to be a hot item with adventure and fantasy lovers, and YAs who like snide, quick-tempered, softhearted heroes will love Gen."
"Synopsis" by , Because of his great skill at thievery, Gen lands in the King's prison. After months of isolation, kept sane only by his sharp intelligence, Gen is released by the King's Scholar, the Magus, who believes he knows the site of an ancient treasure. The Magus needs the best thief in the land to help him steal it, and that thief is Gen. But Gen is also a survivor and a trickster--and he has ideas of his own.

"Synopsis" by , < center> < i> < p> I can steal anything.< /p> < /i> < /center> < p> After Gen's bragging lands him in the king's prison, the chances of escape look slim. Then the king's scholar, the magus, needs the thief's skill for a seemingly impossible task — to steal a hidden treasure from another land.< /p> < p> To the magus, Gen is just a tool. But Gen is a trickster and a survivor with a plan of his own.< /p>
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