This tale of courage, belief and mystery will steal your heart
One of my first posts here was a list of recommendations for engaging books to begin or continue your speculative fiction journey. While I plan to offer an updated list eventually, today I want to begin diving a little deeper into these recommendations with a new periodic series, 'Starting Points'. I'll first offer spoiler-free praise, then briefly examine the overall themes I love, with some spoilers at the end.
The Thief is a 1996 young adult fantasy novel by Megan Whalen Turner and the first part of a six-book series that concluded in 2020. I first read this novel three years ago, and ever since, I've been shocked by its lack of widespread recognition.
If you've been following for some time, you might know of my frequent gripes with young adult sci-fi and fantasy – over-explanation, overreliance on romance and so on. The Thief suffers from none of these issues, simply offering a lovely tale accessible to kids and teens as well as adults.
Gen by calliclassic (beware of spoilers in full art)
We explore the world of The Thief through the eyes of Gen, an imprisoned young thief called to adventure in exchange for his eventual freedom. I love Gen; his overconfidence and brash remarks only outshone by his remarkable skill and closely held faith. Surrounded by men, it's also easy to see the many ways Gen defies expectations of his gender.
His companions are colourful, too. Pol is a gruff and competent soldier, the Magus a cunning old scholar and politician, Sophos and Ambiades their young and noble students. They are a captivating knot of social dynamics to unravel, with plenty of tangible and allegorical lessons to impart.
While it is fascinating to see Gen, Sophos and Ambiades each reacting in their own ways to the contrasting paternal figures of Pol and the Magus, I'll be the first to say that female presences are conspicuously lacking for most of the novel. Yet I don't think it's a fault; women's impact can be felt throughout the story, especially looking back from the ending.
Pol and Gen by Emily B. Martin
I've always thought of the novel as a cross between The Hobbit / The Lord of the Rings and Greek Myth. Gen's tale is intercut with legends told by himself and the Magus, filled with magic and trickery apparently lacking in their current world. Their quest is to retrieve an object out of the very myths they spend nights debating.
The potential wonder of magic's existence is such a powerful feeling in this book, where so many other works feel comparatively cheapened by removing any mystery around it. Yet another reason to read this book before moving on to something more overtly supernatural.
The Queen of Attolia by Klexos
Sadly, the two most impressive parts of this book require me to go into some brief and vague spoilers. If I've already convinced you to read or gift The Thief, consider skipping the next bit! If not...
[Vague Spoilers] Sorry to Tolkien and everyone who's ever run a D&D game, but this book has the best dungeon exploration and heist ever written. I love every strange detail that Turner offers the reader, both of the structure itself and of Gen's process in overcoming it. Then, when things start getting weird, it transcends to another level entirely. As for the other thing, I simply can't imagine a better introduction than this book to the idea of unreliable narrators and clever, well-foreshadowed twists. The Thief is far cleverer than should be possible in a book this short and age-accessible. [End of Spoilers]
There are few books I could recommend more highly than The Thief, and none of them are anywhere near as concise and broadly appealing. The sequels are excellent too, maintaining a mysterious atmosphere even though they immediately take a sharp turn toward political intrigue.
Enjoy The Thief! Thanks for reading <3
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