The King of Attolia

Costis, a member of the Queen's Guard, expects to lose his life because he has punched the King in the face. Everyone knows he's just a swindler from Eddis who stole their queen, but obviously, even if you hate your sovereign hitting him is dangerous business. But Eugenides doesn't kill Costis; he promotes him. The new lieutenant instead sees the King at his finest - half asleep during the morning sessions, bored during lessons on history and languages, practicing sword drills in first position. This is the King of Attolia?

Because the story is told primarily from Costis' perspective, we are that much more distanced from Eugenides, though his personality still comes out, especially when he speaks with his cousins or Attolia. Though I show more like this book least of the three I have read, I appreciate it in rereading in ways I did not before. The King of Attolia is more about political maneuvering than the previous books in the series, and more about Eugenides becoming a true king than about the action. Though it can drag in parts, I did read it in a day and have read it multiple times, so I can hardly be too critical on that front. show less

In the Queen’s Thief series, I observed that Book 2, The Queen of Attolia contained a middle-third that was stodgy and plodding. Turns out to be a pattern. The third instalment, King of Attolia, took at least half the story to bring forward the clever character of The Thief (Eugenides) and his intriguing political acumen. I was bored silly with all the whiny, sand in food, ink-stained clothing, asinine attendants, and his behaviour as an uninterested, bored observer in the audience room, etc. Okay already. I got it in the first 10-pages of that part of the narrative and didn’t need an additional 100 pages of embellishment. So ~ lose 2 ★s.

Once the plot moved beyond the assassination attempt, the story was more amusing and my show more interest re-engaged (I added back ½ a ★). To my mind, that is an unnecessary lapse in writing. Turner forgot a basic writerly premise: does the narrative move the story forward? I’m happy to have persevered but the final chapter still felt rushed, as if the author was so entrenched in a detailed camouflaged style of denying any hint of her dénouement’, that the final reveal was pretty flat. I think MWT could have crafted a better storyline true to her theme. And yes, I will read the next instalment. show less

Irritating, punctuated by intervals of interesting.

Others have already expressed the gist of my dissatisfaction--if it weren't for the good bits being very good, this would be a one or two star book. As it is, I'm basically done with the series--I thought 2 was a huge let-down after 1, and 3 is much the same if not slightly worse.

The author has created some wonderful characters and then kept them away from us. She's created compelling relationships that we don't get to see. Eventually (not really a spoiler) you from-time-to-time find out that some interesting things were happening while she wasn't telling you about them, which is maddening.

My favourite kind of writing will let you in enough on the plan to lure you in, but withholds show more enough to keep its eventual unfolding surprising. Not here. I'm done.

(Note: 5 stars = amazing, wonderful, 4 = very good book, 3 = decent read, 2 = disappointing, 1 = awful, just awful. I'm fairly good at picking for myself so end up with a lot of 4s). show less

I anticipate re-reading this series, and especially this book, many times. They're full of sweet and funny moments, broad political power struggles somehow made fascinating, and clever tricks whose foreshadowing is often sprinkled across several books.

In The King of Attolia specifically, I love the way that the characters slowly unfold themselves to each other, becoming more vulnerable and more dangerous at the same time. Costis is charmingly blunt and is a great way to see Gen from a new perspective. In many ways he's the opposite of our perspective character from the first two books, the Magis, but it's still so fun to watch him get to know the queen's thief.

I don't want to spoil anything, so I should probably leave it there. I'll show more just add that Attolia, Phresine, the gods, and Gen's cousins have a cozy space in my heart and I wish all of the books featured them as much as this one does. show less

Caution: Spoilers for previous books in the series

Book Three, The King of Attolia, is told from an entirely different point of view from previous books, that of Costis Ormentiedes. Costis is in the Queen’s Guard, and like many others in service to the palace, thought of Eugenides as “a jumped-up barbarian goatfoot who abducted the Queen of Attolia and forced her to accept you as a husband and you have no right to be king…” As this third book begins, Costis has impulsively punched the new king in the jaw, and expects to be executed. Instead, the King comes to him and makes him a part of his own guard.

Costis is not the only guard member who has been acting out dislike for the new king. Eugenides has endured sand in his food, show more snakes in his bed, ink stains on his clothes, and other little acts of aggression from guard members. Once, hunting dogs were even released into the courtyard as he passed through. Repeatedly though, Gen pretended not to notice.

But Gen is no one’s fool, and there is always a reason behind what he does and does not do. In the course of this story, his motives become clear, as the Court finally figures out that he is a worthy King indeed.

Evaluation: This is a terrific series. For those who fear the steep learning curve of many fantasies, these books won’t put you off at all. Most of the complexity is in the characterization and relationships. The writing and pacing are excellent, and there are plenty of twists that aren’t “artificial” but rather reflect the ongoing political machinations of the actors. Female characters tend to be stronger than the males, but the males won’t disappoint you. The romances are some of the most nuanced and realistic you’ll find in YA books. Prepare to have your heart stolen! show less

I adored this - I loved the journey we went on and that we got to see the events from more of an outside perspective this time around. Things that we as a reader knew to be true were doubted to the point that we began questioning them ourselves, which was so much fun to experience. I was never able to guess where the plot was going, which is rare for me and so refreshing. I can't wait to dive into the next book immediately!

A gentler sort of cunning, especially after the exquisitely barbed previous book in the series. Not that we weren't constantly catching glimpses of the most painfully bare emotional extremes in our favourite main characters - and, what's more, catching them from the point of view of a new arrival to the drama, who knows not what he sees (but starts to figure it out). But for me, this didn't twist and turn so frantically, it wasn't as desperate or dire. No less intricate and delicious. No less marvellously well formed. But not razor-edged. (I prefer the razor edges, so this is closer to four and a half than my screaming five of Queen. But still so very, very good.)