A Conspiracy of Kings

by Megan Whalen Turner Narrated by Steve West

Overview

Discover and rediscover the world of the Queen's Thief, from the acclaimed novel*The Thief*to the thrilling, twenty-years-in-the-making conclusion,*The Return of the Thief. The epic novels set in the world of the Queen's Thief can be read in any order.

New York Times-bestselling author Megan Whalen Turner's entrancing and award-winning Queen's Thief novels bring to life the world of the epics and feature one of the most charismatic and incorrigible characters of fiction, Eugenides the thief. Megan Whalen Turner's Queen's Thief novels are rich with political machinations and intrigue, battles lost and won, dangerous journeys, divine intervention, power, passion, revenge, and deception.*The*New York Times*bestseller*A Conspiracy of Kings*won the*Los Angeles Times*Book Award*and is perfect for fans of Leigh Bardugo, Marie Lu, Patrick Rothfuss, and George R. R. Martin.

After an attempted assassination and kidnapping, Sophos, heir to the throne of Sounis, disappears. Those who care for him-including the thief Eugenides and the Queen of Eddis-are left to wonder if he is alive and if they will ever see him again. The Queen's Thief novels have been praised by writers, critics, reviewers, and fans and have been honored with glowing reviews, “best of” citations, and numerous awards, including the Los Angeles Times Book Prize, a Newbery Honor, the Andre Norton Award shortlist, and the Mythopoeic Fantasy Award.*

Winner of the LA Times Book Award

A*New York Times*Bestseller

A Boston Globe-Horn Book Honor Book

A*School Library Journal*Best Book

“The Queen's Thief books awe and inspire me. They have the feel of a secret, discovered history of real but forgotten lands. The plot-craft is peerless, the revelations stunning, and the characters flawed, cunning, heartbreaking, exceptional. Megan Whalen Turner's books have a permanent spot on my favorites shelf, with space waiting for more books to come.”-Laini Taylor,*New York Times-bestselling author of the Daughter of Smoke and Bone novels and*Strange the Dreamer

""Unforgettable characters, plot twists that will make your head spin, a world rendered in elegant detail-you will fall in love with every page of these stories. Megan Whalen Turner writes vivid, immersive, heartbreaking fantasy that will leave you desperate to return to Attolia again and again.""-Leigh Bardugo, #1*New York Times-bestselling author of*Six of Crows*and*Crooked Kingdom

“Megan Whalen Turner is one of my all-time favorite writers . . .*impossible to put down.”-Holly Black, award-winning and*New York Times-bestselling author of the Modern Faerie Tale series and*The Darkest Part of the Forest

“Romance, intrigue, mystery, surprises, and sheer beautiful writing.”-Cassandra Clare, award-winning and*New York Times-bestselling author of The Mortal Instruments and*Lady Midnight

“The world Turner creates is so tangible that not only do I believe in its characters, I almost believe in its gods.”-Kristin Cashore, award-winning and*New York Times-bestselling author of the Graceling Realm series

“A Conspiracy of Kings*brings the sweetest, sharpest kind of reading pleasure. Megan Whalen Turner's books are pure joy.”-Rebecca Stead, Newbery Medalist and*New York Times-bestselling author of*When You Reach Me*and*Goodbye Stranger

Editorial Reviews

Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

Elegant and sure-footed.

Publishers Weekly

The fourth installment in Turner's saga is another absorbing political drama, this time focusing on Sophos, reluctant heir to the Sounis throne. Readers will remember him as Useless the Younger in The Thief, when he was more interested in poetry than power. As the king's only heir, however, he had no choice but to prepare for the monarchy until, in the opening pages of this volume, he is kidnapped and sold into slavery. He narrates the story of his abduction to an undisclosed “you,” whose identity close readers of the series may guess. Given the complexity of Turner's plot, readers should reread the first three books before beginning this one, which derives its power from the intricate construction of Turner's imagined world, a realm in which her founding mythology is as impressive as her descriptions of the land itself. Sophos's choice—live anonymously in servitude or accept a role he doesn't want—drives the story as his allies approach a showdown with the enemy Medes. Strong evidence emerges that the story doesn't end here, and fans will savor this while they wait for more. Ages 10–up. (Apr.)

Kirkus Reviews

With each volume of this stellar series, the question arises anew: How will the text deceive its readers now that we're able to recognize Eugenides's lies? This time, it's through the first-person narration of Sophos, the excruciatingly honest (but underinformed) heir to the kingdom of Sounis. As civil war brews, the young man is plucked from his bookish rustication by kidnappers desiring a puppet king. Sophos escapes only by finagling himself into slavery. It's an oddly pleasant interlude for him; after a lifetime of training for an unwanted royalty, Sophos treasures the choicelessness of his relatively benevolent servitude. Alas, he knows his responsibilities. When the opportunity comes, Sophos escapes and turns to his old friend Eugenides for help. Sophos, with aid from Eugenides and the queens of Attolia and Eddis, plots the recovery of Sounis. In a heartbreaking chain of machinations, they negotiate the responsibilities of kingship when they'd rather be operating as friends. Sophos's straightforward stubbornness is a refreshing antidote to his world's lies and a fascinating lens on Eugenides. For series fans, unmissable. (Fiction. 12-15)

Booklist (starred review)

Turner’s plotting remains deft, and the subtlety with which she balances her characters’ inner and outer worlds will delight both newcomers and fans, who will be waiting to grab this stand-out, stand-alone adventure, filled with all the expected intrigue and political machinations, from the shelves.

Joelle Charbonneau

Megan Whalen Turner has constructed a clever world filled with suspense and intrigue and characters that will never be forgotten. Once you dive into the world of the Queen’s Thief [books], prepare to have your life stolen from you until you finish them all.

Cassandra Clare

Romance, intrigue, mystery, surprises, and sheer beautiful writing make this a worthy successor to the previous volumes.

Rebecca Stead

A Conspiracy of Kings brings the sweetest, sharpest kind of reading pleasure. Megan Whalen Turner’s books are pure joy.

Kristin Cashore

The world Turner creates is so tangible that not only do I believe in its characters, I almost believe in its gods.

Holly Black

Megan Whalen Turner is one of my all-time favorite writers. A Conspiracy of Kings is impossible to put down.

Horn Book (starred review)

Masterful.

Product Details

BN ID:	2940169786484
Publisher:	HarperCollins Publishers
Publication date:	05/16/2017
Series:	Queen's Thief Series , #4
Edition description:	Unabridged
Age Range:	10 - 13 Years

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