The Thief (1996 novel)
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 Cover to the 1996 first edition, with Newbery Honor |
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| Author | Megan Whalen Turner |
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| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Genre(s) | Juvenile Fiction |
| Publisher | HarperCollins (UK/USA) |
| Released | October 1, 1996 |
| Media type | Print (Hardback & Paperback) & Audio book |
| ISBN | ISBN 0-688-14627-9 (USA 1st hardback edition) |
| Followed by | The Queen of Attolia, The King of Attolia |
The Thief is a novel by Megan Whalen Turner, first published by HarperCollins on October 1, 1996.
It is the first in a series of books, followed by The Queen of Attolia and The King of Attolia.
The Thief was a Newbery Honor Book in 1997.
Contents |
[edit] Exposition
Although the time period is somewhat similar to ancient Greece, this fantasy story takes place in a Byzantine-like civilization that includes more modern inventions such as guns, glass window panes, pocketwatches, telescopes and printed books.
The story takes place in the countries of Sounis, Eddis, and Attolia and is told in the first person from the point of view of Gen, a young thief who, despite his considerable talent for thievery (his own tag line is "I can steal anything"), is languishing in the King of Sounis's prison for the outrageous crime of having stolen the King’s Seal and bragged about it in a wineshop.
[edit] Synopsis
Gen is released from prison by the king’s scholar--his magus. The magus finds Gen filthy, uncouth, and insolent, but he needs Gen’s skills as a thief. Without telling Gen where they are going, he takes him out of the city. They are joined by the magus’s two apprentices, Sophos (the younger and kinder of the two) and Ambiades, and by Pol, a soldier.
On the way, the five exchange stories of the "Old Gods", a pantheon worshiped only in Eddis but remembered in all three countries. Gen, who was named after Eugenides, the God of Thieves, is told that they are heading to retrieve the legendary Hamiathes's Gift, a stone said to give to its bearer the right to rule over the neighboring country of Eddis.
When they reach their destination, Gen finds that the stone is in a submerged temple in the middle of a river. Four nights each year the river's flow ceases and the temple can be entered. Having arrived a day later than planned, they are left with three nights to retrieve the stone. This is where Gen is useful to the Magus.
Equipped with lock picks, a lamp, a crowbar, and other tools of his trade, Gen explores during his first night in the temple, finding that a foot or so of water left on the floors causes heavy stone doors to close behind him, nearly trapping him. He exits at dawn, as water again fills the temple, frustrated at his failure to find the stone.
The second night Gen brings a rope in order to measure the temple's rooms and draw a rough map. Once again he is unsuccessful in finding any place in the temple where the stone might be hidden. Only one night remains before the temple is again submerged and all chance of retrieving the stone is gone.
On his last night Gen notices that the obsidian slabs in the walls could mean more than he thought. He smashes an opening in the wall, revealing a hidden staircase. At the top of the staircase is a room filled with perfectly lifelike statues of the gods and goddesses, accurate down to their godlike soft clothing. Gen reaches Hamiathes's Gift, which rests on a tray held by a statue of Hephestia, the Great Goddess. He is about to grab the stone and leave when out of the corner of his eye he notices a blur. Realizing he is not alone in the temple, he turns around to see that the statues are the actual gods before him. He is paralyzed with fear until his namesake Eugenides urges him to take the stone and run, for the River-God Aracthus is filling the temple with water again, struggling to protect the stone. Gen escapes from the temple just as the water comes rushing back in. The Magus is delighted when Gen turns Hamiathes's Gift over to him.
When racing to get home, the party is ambushed by the Queen of Attolia's Guard near a stream. Although they manage to kill their attackers, the stone, which had been hanging around the Magus' neck, has disappeared. Crestfallen, the party continues back to Sounis, only to be ambushed again by Attolian soldiers. Gen shows a surprising knowledge of swordplay when he manages to kill a soldier before he is stabbed and falls unconscious.
In the Queen of Attolia's prison, Gen awakes to find only two of his companions left. Apparently, one of the Magus's apprentices had betrayed the party and their goal, to everyone's cost. Injured and weary, Gen must use all his skills and ingenuity to help his companions escape the Attolian stronghold and evade the Attolian pursuit once more, as they make for the neighboring neutral country of Eddis. As Gen recounts this last part of his journey, all is not what it seems: comments made and secrets kept, as well as the tales of the old gods told during the journey, come together as the thief and his companions make for the safety of Eddis.
After a chase lasting several days, they make it safely to Eddis and are taken to the palace. When they reach it it is revealed that the queen of Eddis is Gen's cousin, and that Gen had hid Hamiathes's Gift in his hair. It is also revealed Sophos is the nephew and heir to the king of Sounis.
[edit] Editions
The first edition was released in hardcover, seen at top of page A. The second edition was released on paperback featuring a new cover and an extended author's word.
[edit] Languages
All featuring different covers, the book has been released in a UK version, Danish, and Japanese.
