Book review: Thick as thieves
IN this fifth standalone instalment of The Queen's Thief series, author Turner has weaved an interesting tale.
Kamet is a slave held in high regard by his master, Nahuseresh, the emperor's nephew.
Although not a freeman, Kamet is educated and ambitious. He has authority over other slaves and servants, and is being groomed by his master to be presented as a gift to the future emperor.
He is content with his fate, as this will make him one of the richest and most powerful figures in the empire.
One day, Kamet meets an Attolian soldier who offers the slave a chance at freedom, which inadvertently leads him away from his perceived future.
The book follows the journey and the interactions of these two different individuals – one a literate slave, and the other a loyal soldier.
The two form an unlikely friendship, complementing each other's strengths and weaknesses on their travel to "backward" Attolia.
We later find out that Eugenides, the King of Attolia, wants to steal Kamet from Nahuseresh out of spite.
Turner weaves seemingly insignificant details throughout the book, that all cleverly fall into place as Kamet and the Attolian near the end of their journey.
She certainly does not disappoint with Thick as Thieves, leaving more breadcrumbs at the end to make you eager for the next instalment.