*Thick as Thieves by Megan Whalen Turner

Kamet and Costis, two characters from earlier in the Queen’s Thief series, take center stage in Thick as Thieves.

*Thick as Thieves (Queen’s Thief, #5) by Megan Whalen Turner. Greenwillow Books, 2018. 384 pages.

• Reading Level: Teen, ages 12-15

• Recommended For: Ages 14 and up

Kamet prides himself on his slave status: as Nahuseresh’s right-hand man, Kamet wields more influence in the Mede kingdom than many freedmen. (Readers of the series will remember Nahuseresh as the Mede ambassador who tried to woo the Queen of Attolia in The Queen of Attolia; Kamet was with him in Attolia in that volume, but both are back in the Mede lands by Thick as Thieves.)

When an Attolian secretly tells Kamet he can be a free man in Attolia, Kamet scorns the message. Why would he give up such power and security? He takes pride in his careful work, his knowledge of the empire, and the trust his master has in him. All that abruptly shifts when Kamet finds out Nahuseresh has been poisoned. Slaves are often put to death when a master is buried; he must run if he wants to save his life. Suddenly, the Attolian appears again, and Kamet begrudgingly follows. He’s not going to actually go through with the entire plan to go to Attolia. No, Kamet will slip away on their journey and make a new life for himself. After all, the Attolians are backward people. Barbarians. Can they even read?

For much of the book, readers are in the dark about the Attolian’s identity (no, it’s not Gen). When Kamet finally utters his name, it’s a sign that he is viewing this man as a friend, a person with a unique identity, not merely as a foreigner. Along the way, the two have become fast friends as they must trust one another with their lives on countless occasions. Kamet learns that the Attolian is more resourceful and clever than he first appeared. He also learns that freedom comes with a price, but it’s not unbearable.

What is Gen stealing in this volume? A slave. A slave that can offer him invaluable intel on the plans of the Mede emperor. He sent one of his most trusted men to pull off the theft of a slave from under the Mede emperor’s nose and to work out the escape from a country bent on finding that slave.

Because this volume takes place in the Mede empire, the culture in the book is different. Turner manufactures an ancient literary text from which Kamet tells stories, much like we tell stories from Homer’s Odyssey in our culture today. Immakuk and Ennikar are the two friends of the ancient epic; they become symbols for Kamet and the Attolian’s friendship as it grows and matures. It’s refreshing to read a book that is so clearly the story of two friends; although I know book 6 (The Return of the Thief) leaves a bit of ambiguity surrounding these two, this volume seems to make their friendship (not a homosexual relationship) quite clear.

Considerations:

• Religion: This book continues the pseudo ancient world and its various pagan religions. It’s not as prominent as the other books in the series.
• Language: (profanity; several instances of “damn” and “by the gods” and one “bitch”)

Bottom Line: Thick as Thieves is a very different read from the rest in the series, but it is no less satisfying.

*indicates starred review. A best of the best in its field.

Related Reading at Redeemed Reader:

• More Queen’s Thief Reviews: We like books 1-3 best of the series (read our review of book 1 here); we recommend reading our thoughts on the final volume, The Return of the Thief, for insight into how the series ends up.
• A Review: The Collectors is another title you may be interested in.
• A Resource: Is your curiosity piqued for ancient literature? You might be interested in our post about reading ancient literature with high school students.

We are participants in the Amazon LLC affiliate program; purchases you make through affiliate links like the one below may earn us a commission. Read more here.

You may purchase Thick as Thieves on Amazon.