The King of Attolia Review

Megan Whalen Turner doesn’t disappoint as she once again immerses us in the thrilling world of the Queen’s Thief series. Discover what’s to love and hate in this The King of Attolia review.

Eugenides, the impertinent and brilliant former Thief of Eddis, has finally landed himself in a fix he can’t get out of. As the new King of Attolia, he’s surrounded by arrogant attendants, scheming barons, and snide courtiers. Afraid of stealing power from his wife, Gen deflects, dissembles, and becomes the laughingstock of the Attolian Court. But as usual, he has more than a few tricks up his sleeve. This time, one of them involves a hapless royal guard named Costis.

Let’s dive into why I loved this book and why you might too.

This post is a 7-minute read.

First, a confession. I said in the introduction that this review would talk about what there is to love and hate in The King of Attolia. But a better question might be: is there anything to hate? In my view, there isn’t. This is an excellent book.

It’s no secret that Eugenides is one of my favorite fictional characters. And while we’re slightly removed from him in this novel (primarily written from Costis’ third-person limited perspective), it’s part of the novel’s brilliance. The Attolians have no idea who they are dealing with. All they see is a power-grabbing childish incompetent. Costis’s transforming opinion mirrors that of the Attolian court (though he’s ahead of the game).

Just like in The Thief and The King of Attolia, we see Eugenides in an underdog position, dealing with adversity with his wits, cunning, and hair-brained schemes. Gen embodies the hopepunk ideal. As one of the characters has said of Eugenides, he never loses because he never gives up until he wins.

Two young men fight with swords. The one of the left is fierce, with a hook instead of one hand, and a sword slashing dangerously near the second man's throat. The second man looks startled and off balance. — “Don’t lower your point in third!” Image of Gen and Costis by Emily B. Martin.

This fantastic novel features a male main character, swordplay, wordplay, political intrigue, shifting alliances, dangerous betrayals, and a refreshing romance subplot.

Quick Overview of the Story (without spoilers)

Costis Ormentiedes is a loyal, upright member of the Queen’s Guard. But the upstart goat-footed King of Attolia rubs him all sorts of wrong—so much so that Costis punches his own king in the face. Shamed, horrified, and angry, Costis awaits what will surely be a death sentence. But instead of having him hanged, the king—who behaves more like a printer’s apprentice than a monarch—has other plans for him.

In the space of a morning, Costis’s world is upended. He’s launched out of the safety and routine of his post and becomes the king’s pet guard and scapegoat, and a witness to the political maneuverings of court. Pinned between wrangling between the king and his attendants, fights between the royal couple, and accusations against his honor—Costis discovers there’s more to the king than he imagined. The question is, can the former Thief of Eddis stop hiding in the shadows and take the reigns of government, stabilizing Attolia and protecting its queen? And can Costis help him do it?

The image shows three cartoon-like images. The first shows a dark-skinned man lying casually across a throne, with his feet slantwise across the armrest. The second shows the same man hunched over, being supported by a tall and muscular guard. The guard is looking at him slantwise while the man says, "Arf, arf, arf, bark, bark, bark," under his breath. The third drawing shows the young man standing uncomfortably next to a regal blue-clad queen

What I Love About The King of Attolia

There’s so much to love about this book. Here are only a few of the things I can’t get enough of about this book.

Excellent Writing

As I said in my review of the prior book in this series, Megan Whalen Turner’s writing is very powerful in the third-person limited point of view. The way she conveys subtleties of thought and emotion through body language, action, and subtext is admirable. I am impressed with the depths she reveals, the understated power of her writing, and the beautiful and concise prose.

Characters & Character-Driven Plot

Whalen Turner’s characters are full-bodied and spherical. She does an amazing job of conveying the layers and depths of her characters, with their paradoxes, fears, and motivations influencing their behavior, the way they interact with others, and the progress of the story.

Refreshingly Honest Romance

A man lies across a throne, legs on the armrests and head thrown back.

A beautiful dark-haried woman sits on a throne, holding her chin in her hand. Her expression is intent and thoughtful. — The Queen of Attolia

It’s refreshing to read about a married couple. While a lot of young adult fiction (and maybe fiction in general) focuses on lust, sexual attraction, and the more shallow aspects of relationships, there is none of that here.

While their relationship was on foal’s legs in The Queen of Attolia, in The King of Attolia we see Irene and Gen in a deeper more settled place. Their relationship is built on friendship, respect, and mutual understanding. And while they have some violent fights, they press through their disagreements to reach new levels of intimacy, deep tenderness, amusing banter and love.

Court Settings and Political Intrigue

Another aspect I enjoy about The King of Attolia is the court setting. I enjoy the clever ripostes, political machinations, psychological drama, and subtle tactical maneuverings. It is entertaining while also revealing of human nature, with our tendencies to antagonize people we don’t understand and manipulate circumstances for our benefit.

But what I love here is that the main characters are fighting for the greater good of the country, are kind and morally upright (though not without flaws), and fight for love and connection.

What I Didn’t Like About The King of Attolia

At first, I was disappointed that we were again stepping further away from Eugenides, but this novel won me over. Megan Whalen Turner made the best possible choice. The story couldn’t have worked as well as it did written from Gen’s perspective.

The image is an ink drawing of a man in courtly dress, with a crown on his head, teetering from foot to foot along the peak of a roof.

The image is a drawing of Irene and Eugenides faces from The King of Attolia. They are facing away from each other. Irene is beautiful with pale skin and dark hair, while Gen has brown skin and short unruly locks.

Subgenres

The King of Attolia fits within the following subgenres:

Roguish Fantasy – stories about characters on the fringes of society, like assassins and thieves
Low Fantasy – set in a realistic world (sort of like ancient Greece) with the inclusion of magical elements
Young Adult – appropriate for young adult readers (Gen’s age is never specified, but he’s a young person)
Political Fantasy – stories that delve into the psychological drama and tactical intrigue of political powers
Romantic Fantasy – although subtle, the romance subplot is a binding thread through the story
Hopepunk Fantasy – fighting for positive change has worth, even in the mess, grit, and hardship of this world

Trigger Warnings

Some of the characters undergo torture off-page, but the effects are evident. The characters sustain physical injuries, including attempted assassination, and suffer from insomnia and screaming nightmares. One of the characters has a disability and is looked down on for it. This character occasionally turns to alcohol for numbing, but it is shown as a non-effective means of coping (which the character himself knows).

The romance is understated and contains no spice. There are references to mistresses and the queen’s wedding night, but without explicit content.

Other Books in The Queen’s Thief Series

The complete Queen’s Thief series is six books, listed here in order:

The Thief
The Queen of Attolia
The King of Attolia
A Conspiracy of Kings
Thick As Thieves
Return of the Thief

A man with one hand behind his back stands on top of a crenellation, while a beautiful landscape extends behind him: the golden lowlands cut through with a river that expands into the sea, with blue mountains and golden clouds in the distance.

Books Similar To The King of Attolia

If you enjoy the political aspects of The King of Attolia, you may enjoy The Goblin Emperor by Katherine Addison.

Court Duel, the second book in the Crown Duel duology by Sherwood Smith is another great political fantasy.

A Stranger to Command, the prequel to the Crown Duel duology, is also excellent and bears some similarities to The King of Attolia. Although the main character isn’t royal or conniving, he is sent to a foreign military academy. While there, he must win the respect of his peers and instructors while navigating hidden rules and cultural differences, and learning both to fight and command.

Conclusion: The King of Attolia Book Review

I love The King of Attolia. I discovered it in high school and have read it again and again in the intervening years. The writing is excellent, the characters compelling, and the romance is both understated and heartwarming.

If you liked this review, you may also enjoy my reviews of Beyond, by Mercedes Lackey and Sky in the Deep by Adrienne Young. Or, read some of my original fantasy stories by heading over to the Short Story Shelf.

I hope The King of Attolia review inspires you to read. If you like it (or hate it), I’d love to hear why. Consider hopping over to my YA Fantasy Enthusiasts Facebook page where we can discuss our favorite reads. You can also join my mailing list for fun wordy entertainment delivered straight to your inbox.