Rating: 
Summary: A book that stole my time!
Review: Have you ever read a book that seemed to steal your time from other things? I have, it was "The Thief" by: Megan Whalen Turner. "The Thief" is a Historical Fiction and Adventure book combined. "The Thief" has won 3 awards; it was a '97 Newbery Honor Book, an ALA notable book, and an ALA best book for young adults. I rate "The Thief" 9 out of 10, because it was a great book with good description, characters, and setting. Eugenides (Gen) named after the Eddisian god of thieves is the main character in this story. Gen is shorter than the average man. He has long black hair that he keeps tied in a leather thong or a piece of twine in the back of his head. He has brown eyes and black eyebrows as well. Gen is fairly cocky and proud. "I can steal anything" Gen boasted He also isn't very patient. Gens importance in the story is that he is chosen by the king's magus to go on a quest to steal Hamiathes's Gift. The gift is said to make its holder immortal. Also, the bearer of it is king/queen of Eddis. In this book the setting is completely fantasy, except that it is similar to ancient Greece. Mainly the setting in this book is in the area around Sounis, Eddis, and Attolia, three countries. The time in which the book takes place is 1400-1500. The importance of the setting is that Sounis is trying to get Hamiathes's gift so that it and Eddis will become one large and powerful empire. In the book a plague swept through Sounis and Attolia killing thousands around 20 years before Gen and the Magus traveled through the countries. In actuality the Bubonic plague spread through Greece in 1342. Also, just as they were leaving Sounis the pocket watch had begun production. In actuality the pocket watch was invented in 1500. I think that Megan Whalen Turner did a good job on the setting because she created a fantasy area specifically for this book. In this story the moods change quite frequently. "I rolled my hand over and opened the fist so that he [the magus] could see the gift, resting on my palm His knees seemed to weaken, and he squatted beside me with his mouth open. I smiled in wonder and my own delight." In this instance the mood is joy because Gen had succeeded in stealing Hamiathes's Gift. Mostly the joy is in the Magus in this excerpt because he would be able to make the countries of Eddis and Sounis one. "I opened my mouth to point out that I had no sword to defend myself with, nor that I wouldn't have climbed the tree anyway, but instead I pointed to his shirt. He lifted one hand instinctively to check for a wound, before he realized. Hamiathes's Gift was gone. He looked down at the neatly sliced leather thong lying over his shoulder. He ran his hands over it in disbelief, the felt franticly through the folds of his clothes. He checked the folds of his clothes. He checked the ridges of his saddle and saddle bags before he jumped off of his horse and walked into the stream cursing." Panic was the mood in this instance because they had lost what they came so far for and worked so hard for had been lost. Again in this excerpt the panic is mostly in the magus because he had lost his chance to be famous. " "Gen," he said under his breath "you viper" " The magus is mad in this instance because Gen had betrayed him and stolen Hamiathes's Gift from him. Then he gave it to his queen. Overall, the mood in this book changed just about twice each chapter giving the book constant twists. In the end I recommend this book because it is a very descriptive and unique book. I think it is a great book for teenagers and adults. Also, it is a great book for a person that enjoys LOTS of twists in a book. Finally I recommend this book for anyone that likes Adventure books in the present or future because this one is in the past unlike most other adventure books. Definitely, a great read.
Rating:
Summary: an impressive imaginary world
Review: It is hard to understand why anyone would object to an imaginary world on the ground that it does not follow the chronological development of our own and includes geography that is clearly inventive and fictional. On this principle, we would have to dismiss almost all literaure except that small category called "historical fiction" whose purpose is to teach history. Even historical fiction makes useful adjustments to history, but THE THIEF cannot be mistaken by a competent reader for historical fiction. The imaginary world it offers is exceptionally impressive, and teaches us much about our own, but is obviously not a textbook on classical antiquity.
Rating: 
Summary: Literature of the Xena, Warrior Princess Variety
Review: I don't understand what this author was trying to do. I listened to this story on tape. The description referred to it as happening in "ancient Greece." When I went to the hardcover edition to check a few things, I saw that the reference to "ancient Greece" was removed. I also saw that there was an author's note--which had not been read on the tape. The author's note acknowledged that THE THIEF was set in a made-up land modeled on Greece then it said something like, Yeah, yeah, I know that the printing press and gunpowder hadn't been invented then. Sorry, but that doesn't make me like this book any better. The implication, by author and publisher and quite a few reviewers, is that giving a character from another time current speech patterns and sensibilities is fun. Whether it's fun or laziness is debatable when we're talking about books for adults. When we're talking about books for young people, how can it be anything besides confusing? Megan Whalen Turner appears to have worked very hard to make the reader believe that her imaginary land of Sounis is just another of the Greek city-states. Then she throws in references to encyclopedias, guns, garlic-hating vampires, and units of time such as minutes and a quarter of an hour (timed by Gen's Rolex, one can only presume). I believe this is a terrible disservice to young readers. I read fantasies; I have no problem with the gods being characters in this story. I'm not asking for THAT kind of historical accuracy. I'm just wondering what the author was thinking when she so cleverly wove together ancient Greece and her fantastical land in a manner that would cause many readers to find it difficult to say where one ends and the other begins--and then threw in things like guns when they had absolutely no significance in the story. I wonder if her own editor was confused--and that was why the original description called it a story of ancient Greece. And a Newbery Honor Book? What's next: a Pulitzer for the syndicated series, HERCULES?
Rating:
Summary: Thriller
Review: I really liked this book a lot. I read it for Battle of the Books. At the beggining I was a little apprehensive because it didn't sound very good, but after the first chapter or two I had a keen interest for the story that was unfolding. This theif is able to out whitt everyone, and although he seems to have the biggest disadvantage of everyone, he manages to pull it off with suprising turns at the end.
Rating:
Summary: Full of surprises.
Review: This book is great! Gen says he can steal anything, but can he steal the special stone that, after it was lost, no one knew the whereabouts of--until now? Gen is stubborn, witty and determined not only to fetch the stone from its hiding place, but to also be treated as more than just a tool used in the King's service. As he wends his way towards his treasure, not knowing what adventures would come and not even knowing for sure where he was going, Gen learns more about his companions (though he, at first he never thought them friends enough to call them companions) through the stories they all tell of the old gods. These, stories, I think are the best part of the book, for they are myths that could, in real life, have been myths. They also add some color to their travels. Piece by piece the story is put together, and all the missing pieces are put in place. Mysteries are solved, and surprises you might never have guessed sneak up on you.
Rating:
Summary: Mystery, adventure and very fun book
Review: This book , a Newberry honoree much like Nancy Farmer's A Girl Named Disaster, tells the story of Gen who after being locked up in the King's prison is given a chance to escape by the Magus who wants him to perform one task, to steal Hamiathes' stone, a stone that claims real and not so real powers, or die trying. I read the book in just a couple of hours. It has fast pacing and Gen is an amusing, smart and smart-aleck-y character who has more to him than the reader is led to believe.
Rating:
Summary: how old is Gen anyway?
Review: One very interesting point about this book, and I admire the author for pulling it off, is that Gen as a character can appeal to a wide variety of ages. Somehow, the author has written Gen in such a way that you can read whatever age onto him that you want. I know people who thought Gen was as young as twelve or thirteen, and others who thought that he was closer to twenty. It's a very interesting tactic, I don't know if it was deliberate on the part of the author, but it certainly increases the possible audience for the book. I know as a child and teen I preferred books with characters my own age, or slightly older, and I don't think this is uncommon. With this book, Gen can be the age of the reader, whether the reader is 12 or 20. Check it out.
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Summary: Believable and Well Written
Review: The Thief is not just what I would call an ordinarily good book: it is actually exceptional. Being a writer myself I greatly appreciate Megan's ability to make believable characters that you feel you really know by the end of the book. Her description phrases are fantastic and her writing quality is unbeaten. The Thief is captivating from the beginning and Megan is able to easily intertwine a mystery, which you have no clue about until nearly the end of the book, with an enchanting story of adventure. This is one of the few books I have found worthwhile to re-read, and The Thief is almost better the second time around. Adventure and surprise, characters that you can relate to and feel you know, this book will forever be one of my all time favorites.
Rating:
Summary: The Thief
Review: I am a student at a school and I don't like reading a lot but I liked the book The Thief. When I started reading it was because I was bord but then I noticed that I was reading it on my spare time when I would play video games or watch T.V. but I read instead. The book got me hooked when I started reading. When you read it seems like you are Gen on the adventure with the magus, Pol, and the other people. This book was so good that I am reading a lot more than I had before. So if you like advetnures you should read this book and be part of the adventure.
Rating:
Summary: The Thief - excellent reading for adults too
Review: Let me start by saying, I'm quite a bit beyond "young adult", and I found The Thief to be delightful. Turner describes the landscape where the adverturers pass with enough detail that you can taste the dust and feel the warmth of the sun. I gasped in awe as Gen describes his attempts to retrieve the stone in the underground hiding place. I pushed them on as they were being pursued. When Gen snarled at Useless the elder, I knew there wasn't something right on about him. Please don't pass up this delightful story, if you are over 21 and still enjoy a fantasy adventure.
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