I have to admit this up front: I was burned out when I read this book. Burned out on fantasy, burned out on reading so much in a row, burned out from lack of sleep (and activity). So, that may have affected what I thought of it.

Because I thought it was dull, boring, poorly written, with uninteresting characters and plot. It didn’t get truly interesting until the last 100 pages, and even then, I was dissatisfied with the ending.

Set 60 years after Swordspoint, The Fall of Kings deals with a noble and a scholar who are lovers, but also a scholar who comes to think he’s a wizard from the ancient ages and his lover is the new King of the Land. It has shadows of Arthurian legend, but done somewhat clumsily. I was bored with the history, I was bored with the myth (told you I tended to skip those parts…), I was bored with the machinations of the main characters.

I think what I really missed was the sword fighting. And the chess game of the first novel. I was dissatisfied with the ending, but at least I enjoyed the journey. That’s much better than loathing the journey and being mildly interested in the ending.

M and I were talking about the Attolia series (or whatever the name of this trilogy is) to Hubby over lunch today, and it occurred to me that not only are they kind of difficult to explain, they actually end up sounding a lot lamer than they really are.

So, I got to thinking (after I finished the third book) why did I love these so much? It’s the writing: Turner is a superb storyteller, creating worlds and characters with as good a talent as Robin McKinley or Shannon Hale. But, I realized (especially after finishing the third book), that it was also because of Gen. He’s a wonderful hero — the true anti-hero, someone who is but doesn’t want to be — but he’s also the bad boy, the thief, the one who can’t be tamed. Which makes him infinitely alluring.

After being moody for all of the second book, Gen is back in almost as good of form as he was in The Thief. The only reason it’s not as good is because Gen’s, um, king and is required (for the most part) to act the role. Except the people of Attolia don’t want him there, and to be honest he doesn’t really want to be there either. Yet, he manages to rise to the occasion, with (of course) various intrigues and adventures along the way. And a myth story thrown in.

Reading these three books in quick succession made me aware of all the faults — that they’re essentially the same story three times, that Turner has some tried-and-true tricks to use. But I didn’t care. I was in love with Gen, with the world, with the story Turner was weaving.

Which is why I now want to go out and buy these three books. And it’s why — in spite of the fact that I think any reasonable person would say that this is a perfect trilogy and please leave it at that — I’m hoping that Turner doesn’t leave this world behind and will write a fourth book so she can wrap up some of the loose ends that she left hanging. Because I want to know what happens to them all.

And that’s a hallmark of a really good series. (Either that, or I’m just really tired. 🙂

I’ll try to do this without giving anything away from The Thief. Though it may be hard.

As befits the middle book in a trilogy, The Queen of Attolia is a long, dark book. It begins oh, so pleasantly with Gen getting a hand cut off in punishment. While the plot doesn’t exactly go down the proverbial hill from there, that one event sets the rest of the book in motion. You can surmise the mood for yourself.

While it’s a war book, a political book — and couldn’t be otherwise, since Attolia’s queen isn’t exactly the nicest person around — it’s also a growing story, a learning story, and even a love story.

It’s not as captivating as The Thief was (I would say I was just tired, but M — who’s read all these already… sigh — agrees with me), it has it’s delightful moments, lots of thrilling adventure, as well as expert manipulation (which I saw coming, but didn’t mind). And I really loved the love story. Thought that, while it wasn’t a beautiful, soaring one, it was honest and sweet.

Just like the characters I’ve come to love.

I have a problem with this book. More specifically, I have a problem with reviewing this book. The problem is that the ending of the book is so good, so perfect, so right, and so marvelous, and yet it’s so crucial that I not tell you what it is that I really have no idea what to write.

Gen is a thief. One that landed in the king’s prison, with no way out. Until the king’s magus — his highest advisor — decides that Gen is the person he needs, for only Gen can steal the item the magus wants. They’re off on an adventure of the highest proportions, full of daring deeds, grand myths, and wonderful wit.

I loved it, almost from page one (though it was probably more like page 7). Well-written, engaging — I even loved the stories of the gods, something I have a tendency to skip over — and winning. And, as I already said, one of the best endings I’ve read in a long time.

I can’t wait to see what happens to Gen next.