I was sitting at my computer, minding my own fandoms (that is, Elementary and Lizzie Bennet Diaries) when lo! I saw someone from both fandoms had liked something angsty and romantic. What? Said I.

Now, thanks to the magic of Kindle apps and libraries with ebook lending, I have read three of the four books in Megan Whalen Turner’s Queen’s Thief series (2, 3, and 4, because reasons).

Now, this is the series I was hoping Game of Thrones would be - flawed, violent characters dealing with the stresses of ruling a fantasy historical type kingdom. But without the rather crummy writing and meandering. Also manages to be so much more interesting relationally, despite having no people getting naked.

I have so many thoughts and love for this series now (which is hilarious, given that it’s been…two days). But for now, I just want to sit and wallow in the beauty of the writing and pain and nobility of her characters, particularly Attolia Irene and Eugenides.

I mean, how amazing is a series and character arc that starts the second book with the scenario: “Once upon a time, there was a thief. And then a beautiful queen cut off his right hand.” Awesome! Almost as good as my last series that I fell in love with, where the premise is: “Once upon a time, there was a girl who was half fairy. And then she was turned into a fish.”

Thieves Among Men: Observations on the Thief of Eddis and the Thorn of Camorr

Back in 2008 or 2009, I began reading Megan Whalen Turner’s The Thief which is the first book of The Queen’s Thief series. Now, even before I got a hold of my copy, I had already had a kind of fondness for thieves, particularly because of a certain one in Final Fantasy VI named Locke Cole who was, predictably, my favorite character of the game. Suffice it to say, this had drawn me in part to the character of Eugenides who eventually exceeded my expectations and proved to be the BAMF that my friend who recced me the books promised him to be. I then went on to read the second and third book although slowed down by my first job and the angst that it entailed and finished the fourth book in three days when it came out here in paperback.

Shortly after, or as I was waiting for ACoK’s paperback, I bought The Lies of Locke Lamora after I had been eying it for some time, already. Of no wonder is the fact that I had been drawn by the fact, again, that this certain Locke Lamora is also a thief, much like Eugenides is and another thief of the same first name, Locke Cole. I bought the second book a few months after but it took me a little into a year to actually decide that I want to read TLOLL. And by the gods, it was all well worth it.

I began TLOLL with remnants of Locke Cole still swimming in my memories as well as that of Eugenides who was the last thief that I had read. I won’t lie and admit that I had been thinking about him as I went through the first few pages of the book but eventually, Locke took on a character of his own and I was able to distinguish the Thief of Eddis from the Thorn of Camorr. Still, as I flipped the book close and looked forward to reading its installment, I couldn’t help but find myself comparing the two thieves in all their larcenous splendor.

That was when I decided I wanted to write this essay. Now, just to be clear, this essay is in no way set out to prove that Gen is better than Locke or otherwise; this is no Suvudu cage match between the two thieves. In fact, you can’t make me choose over them; I do find myself more and more drawn to Locke but Gen will forever be my first love and will forever be the master BAMF in my eyes. More to the point, I wanted to set their characters straight before me and see what both have and what makes Gen Gen and Locke Locke.

And fair warning, spoilers may be abound.

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ANU's anti-virus software is called Sophos. I literally almost screamed "HE IS SOUNIS" when I read the poster. These books are eating my life.

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More on Queen's Thief to come, but for now...

Thieves Among Men: Observations on the Thief of Eddis and the Thorn of Camorr