Published: October 1, 2000

Recommended For Kids

THE QUEEN OF ATTOLIA , by Megan Whalen Turner . ( Greenwillow, $15.95; grades 6 and up. ) In this sequel to The Thief , a 1997 Newbery Honor Book, Turner has gone well beyond simply continuing the story of the rival kingdoms of Attolia, Eddis, and Sounis. In Queen of Attolia , she has given her world a soul, with its own gods, myths, and legends.

In the first book, Eugenides, while employed by the Magus of the King of Sounis, uses sleight of hand, deception, and trickery to steal a sacred stone from a secret temple. This time around, he's working for Eddis' queen, who is concerned about her counterpart in the palace of Attolia. There, a representative of the Medes, a foreign people who hope to add all three kingdoms to their lands, has undue influence. Eugenides sneaks into the palace to find out what's going on.

Despite his extraordinary skills, Eugenides is captured, with tragic consequences, and the delicate balance of power between Sounis, Eddis, and Attolia breaks down and leads to war. It's a war that the Medes, in the person of Nahuseresh, their brilliantly seductive ambassador to Attolia, hope will give their empire the excuse it needs to...