Reviewed by Lynn Crow for TeensReadToo.com
Followers of Turner's Attolia series will have wondered what became of young Sophos, the heir to Sounis' throne, whose mysterious disappearance was mentioned in books but never resolved. A CONSPIRACY OF KINGS will answer all their questions, while offering even more.
Never interested in ruling or the skills of leadership, Sophos has grudgingly followed his tutors' lessons and then lost himself in the books he prefers. But when his family is attacked and he himself kidnapped and sold as a slave, he finds himself questioning exactly what sort of man he wants to be. Political schemes abound, from the quarreling barons of Sounis to the unscrupulous interest of the Medes, all of whom want to take control of Sophos in their own version of slavery.
But who can Sophos turn to for help, when he's unsure he can even trust his old friend, Gen, now King of Attolia?
A CONSPIRACY OF KINGS offers all the political intrigue and clever plotting of the previous Attolia books, and fans will easily devour it in one sitting. Turner's quick pacing and twisting storylines keep readers on their toes and make the book often impossible to put down.
While Sophos is perhaps not as intriguing a main character as Eugendies, he has more to him than even he initially suspects, and by the end proves himself worthy of having a book devoted to him. The transitions between his first-person narration and the more distant third-person portions of the book felt somewhat awkward, but as you get sucked into the story, that's easy to forgive.
Recommended to all who enjoy fantasy, though readers will get the most out of this book if they read the previous three titles in THE QUEEN'S THIEF series first.
Followers of Turner's Attolia series will have wondered what became of young Sophos, the heir to Sounis' throne, whose mysterious disappearance was mentioned in books but never resolved. A CONSPIRACY OF KINGS will answer all their questions, while offering even more.
Never interested in ruling or the skills of leadership, Sophos has grudgingly followed his tutors' lessons and then lost himself in the books he prefers. But when his family is attacked and he himself kidnapped and sold as a slave, he finds himself questioning exactly what sort of man he wants to be. Political schemes abound, from the quarreling barons of Sounis to the unscrupulous interest of the Medes, all of whom want to take control of Sophos in their own version of slavery.
But who can Sophos turn to for help, when he's unsure he can even trust his old friend, Gen, now King of Attolia?
A CONSPIRACY OF KINGS offers all the political intrigue and clever plotting of the previous Attolia books, and fans will easily devour it in one sitting. Turner's quick pacing and twisting storylines keep readers on their toes and make the book often impossible to put down.
While Sophos is perhaps not as intriguing a main character as Eugendies, he has more to him than even he initially suspects, and by the end proves himself worthy of having a book devoted to him. The transitions between his first-person narration and the more distant third-person portions of the book felt somewhat awkward, but as you get sucked into the story, that's easy to forgive.
Recommended to all who enjoy fantasy, though readers will get the most out of this book if they read the previous three titles in THE QUEEN'S THIEF series first.
