Some of the best writers today can be found in the Young Adult (YA) section of the library or bookstore. Be they horror, humor, or fantasy stories, the books these YA writers create tend to grab the reader’s interest before the end of the first page and maintain a pace that keeps them engaged. The YA readers include “tweens” with advanced reading skills and teens with hundreds of competing interests. They are the hardest reading audience to target because reading competes with sports, hormones, and the endless social dramas of daily life. It’s a tough audience, and it requires bold authors.
One of the finest examples of such an author is Megan Whalen Turner.
Whalen’s debut novel, The Thief, published 1996, promptly earned a well-deserved Newbery Honor award. The Thief is a fantasy novel: the setting is similar-to but not our own, with new mythologies, new landscapes, and an interesting blend of ancient Greece and Medieval Europe technologies. Told in first-person narrative, it is the story of a braggart thief sprung from prison to steal an item that has not been seen in 500 years. He has limited options: travel with the Magus on this dubious mission or rot in prison. No run-of-the-mill heroic quest, story is populated with characters of the finest portrayal, both honorable and despicable, and all capable of transformation over the course of events. I read the book in a single sitting, savoring every word, and desperately hunting for more by this author. Alas, there was nothing else back then but her short fiction collection. I had to cultivate patience.
Four years elapsed — four years! But those were four years of amazing maturation for Turner’s writing. The Queen of Attolia hit the shelves in 2000, and proved to be no mere sequel. No longer told in the first person, the story explores the world of The Thief, introducing new characters alongside those we remember from the first book, all older, wiser, and perhaps more tragic. We learned the countries of Turner’s world in her first novel, but now we travel more widely, and interact more with the citizens. Queen is significantly more intense and thought-provoking, and I deeply cared about the outcome of events.
Six years later — 2006 — Turner did it again: The King of Attolia arrived, with stunning cover art and something fresh and new in store! In King, Turner does not simply bring back familiar characters from the first two books, she fleshes them out and explores the interrelationships with dramatic results. This is no stale trilogy; there is no “formula” to this storyline. Turner allows her characters to undergo changes many authors would never consider — never dare — and in doing so she leaves them free to portray a kaleidoscope of human behaviors and the full spectrum of emotions.
All three books are excellent reading: I purchased all three of them, twice, in hardcover. Paperbacks would wear out too easily, as these stories are glorious adventures, even on repeat readings, and they will never gather dust on my shelves.
Book Reviews said,
January 29, 2008 at 1:25 am
[...] unknown wrote an interesting post today onHere’s a quick excerptI read the book in a single sitting, savoring every word, and desperately hunting for more by this author. Alas, there was nothing else back then but her short fiction collection. I had to cultivate patience. … [...]
indian matrimonials said,
February 2, 2008 at 1:32 pm
really nice one and keep it up!
thirdculturemom said,
February 10, 2008 at 10:31 am
Thanks for the recommendation. It sounds like K. would love this.
cameron watkins said,
March 20, 2008 at 11:02 pm
i whole heartedly agree to every thing writen here. The Theif started slow but built to a wonderful pinnicle that made the whole book worth while with an ending that shocked and excited me as a reader and by this point in the book a fan. The Queen of Attolia was an astounding read in which anyone who had read the first book would feel like a on looking brother or sister of our hero. cheering with pride at the thief of attolia and mouring the heart break through out. The King of Attolia was a non-stop cant put he book down to sleep ride that left you beggin to see the end just to know how it all tuned out. All in all this is one of the best series i have ever read and i can only pray that the open ending of the third installment can mean there is more to be heard from eugenides.
shadodottir said,
March 21, 2008 at 1:32 am
Cameron, thank you! And, I am right with you on that last sentence: Turner seems to have promised us more. There just *has* to be more — Eugenides isn’t gazing out the window idly, and I’d love to spend a little time in Sounis, too.
Michael C said,
August 6, 2008 at 1:54 pm
I completely agree! There has to be a new book! Nahuseresh was literally just kicked out, and yet he’s already bold enough to try his hand again at owning Attolia, so we know it’s impossible he’s done, and with the Mede empire on Attolia’s doorstep, not to mention how furious at Attolia he is for how non-chalantly she brushed him off like a spider. We know he’s gathering an army and he’s going to deny it’s purpose until the Greater Powers can’t do much to stop him. Also, we’ve had to suffer the heart-break of Eugenides losing his hand for two books, and just now is it revealed exactly how capable he really is, and we can’t be left with just that little bit of non-plussed kick-asserey! The way he handled the sparring match while tired and hung-over, I really want to see him in a real to-the-death fight fully rested with a clear head! If three hidden assassins were no match for his hook, how would one man be for his hook and sword when Eugenides clearly sees him and the open challenge? Also, what happened to Sophos? If he’s returned, takes over Sounis, and marries Eddis, all three countries will unite. Sophos and Eddis marrying will unite Sounis and Eddis, Eddis and Eugenides will unite Eddis and Attolia, and Eugenides and Sophos will unite Sounis and Attolia.
Megan S said,
October 27, 2008 at 5:12 pm
I wrote an e-mail to Megan Whalen Turner and she said she was working on another book. That was in May. I can’t wait. My friend and I read the books in May and have been in love with it. It started with me, reading The Queen of Attolia, then I read The Theif and then The King of Attolia. We were in class one day and I had just finished The Queen of Attolia, and she had forgot her book. Since I had finished it and was on The Theif, I let her borrow it. We couldn’t put them down. They are written so well, and I stayed up until 1:30 am with school the next day because I couldn’t put it down.
shadodottir said,
November 1, 2008 at 12:05 am
Megan — what excellent news! It’s hard to wait so long for another book, and yet the reason the books are so good is because she does not rush them to press. Turner crafts a well-told and carefully plotted tale (which is why we love the books so much!) so we just have to wait until the next story is finished.
(You can’t see me stomping my feet from there, can you? Augh! Give us the book!)
shadodottir said,
November 1, 2008 at 12:08 am
And Megan — I wondered how the books would hold up if someone found them out of order. I read them in order because I worked at a library, so I got them as they came from the publisher.
At one point, I went back and re-read The Thief, and still enjoyed it immensely.