Finished The Thief by Megan Whalen Turner. This is the first book in Turner’s young adult The Queen’s Thief series.

This book focuses on Gen, a young thief who claims that he can steal anything. Gen’s boasts and his stealing of the king’s seal have landed him in prison, where he gets an offer that he can’t refuse. Help the king’s Magus (think wizard/advisor) recover an amulet said to be created by the gods and be set free. Since he really doesn’t have a choice, Gen agrees and sets off on a journey with the Magus and a few others. What follows is an adventure that Gen will never forget — and one that just might cost him his life.

I had seen a lot of positive reviews for this book/series, so I decided to check it out. Whalen has an engaging writing style, and Gen is a likable character with a smart mouth that just won’t quit — one that gets him into trouble on more than one occasion. There’s also a really great twist at the end of the book that you will kick yourself for not figuring out beforehand.

However, I thought that the book seriously dragged in the middle, especially for a young adult book. There are a lot of scenes of Gen, the Magus, and the other members of the group traveling, camping, and swapping stories late at night. I thought a little less time could have been spent on that and more time on what happens once Gen tries to steal the amulet — and the consequences of his actions. And, once again, a map of the various fantasy kingdoms would have been very helpful. Alas, there is not one in the book.

Overall, though, this is an enjoyable young adult epic fantasy with a charming hero. Thumbs up.

Up next: Something from the TBR pile.

Books in my TBR pile: About 15.