Heists are usually about the money. Or the adrenaline. But when you pick up a Thick as Thieves book, specifically the fifth installment in Megan Whalen Turner’s sprawling Queen’s Thief series, you quickly realize it’s actually about how much one person is willing to suffer for a friend. It’s a gut-punch of a novel. Honestly, most people coming into this series expect more Eugenides—the titular Thief himself—and while he’s the sun that the entire solar system orbits, this book belongs to Kamet.
Kamet is a slave. He’s also the most powerful secretary in the Mede Empire, a man who prides himself on his precision, his literacy, and his proximity to power. He doesn't want to be rescued. Why would he? He has wine, fine clothes, and influence. Then a one-armed Costis shows up and ruins his entire life.
The Chaos of a Reluctant Escape
The brilliance of Turner’s writing here is how she flips the "escape" trope on its head. Usually, the slave wants to run. Kamet? He’s terrified. He knows that in the Mede Empire, a runaway slave is a dead man. Or worse. When Costis—a character fans first met in The King of Attolia—arrives to drag him away, it isn't a heroic moment of liberation. It’s a messy, terrifying, and deeply resented kidnapping.
They run. They hide in swamps. They deal with lions.
What makes the Thick as Thieves book stand out in a crowded YA or "crossover" fantasy market is the sheer grit of the physical journey. Turner doesn't gloss over the blisters. She doesn't ignore the fact that Kamet is physically weaker than the soldier Costis. The power dynamic is constantly shifting. Kamet has the brains; Costis has the brawn and a strange, irritating sense of honor that Kamet just can't wrap his head around at first.
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Why the Mede Empire Feels Too Real
World-building in fantasy often feels like a cardboard backdrop. Not here. Turner builds the Mede Empire through Kamet’s eyes, showing a society built on the backs of "human tools" who are nonetheless proud of their own status within that hierarchy. It’s a biting commentary on how people internalize their own oppression. Kamet looks down on others even while he belongs to a master. It’s uncomfortable. It’s supposed to be.
The Costis and Kamet Dynamic
You’ve got to love a good "odd couple" pairing. But this isn't Lethal Weapon. It’s a slow-burn realization of mutual humanity. Costis is a man defined by his loyalty to his King (Eugenides), and he’s doing a job he hates because his King asked him to. Kamet is a man who has never had a friend in his life.
There is a specific scene—no spoilers—involving a river and a choice. It’s the moment the title of the book finally clicks. To be "thick as thieves" isn't just about being close; it’s about a shared secret, a shared crime, and a shared burden.
Turner’s prose is deceptive. It’s sparse. She doesn't waste words on flowery descriptions of sunsets unless those sunsets are actually going to kill the characters because they’re out in the open.
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Where Thick as Thieves Fits in the Series
If you’re a newcomer, can you read this as a standalone? Kinda. You’ll get a great adventure story. But you’ll miss the seismic weight of the ending. This book takes place concurrently with some of the events in A Conspiracy of Kings, but from a completely different geographical perspective. It expands the world of the Little Peninsula into the vast, looming threat of the Empire to the east.
- The Thief: The setup.
- The Queen of Attolia: The political thriller.
- The King of Attolia: The character study.
- A Conspiracy of Kings: The coming-of-age war story.
- Thick as Thieves: The odyssey.
The shift in perspective is jarring for some. After spending three books largely in the heads of the royals or their immediate circle, being cast out into the dirt with Kamet feels like a demotion. Until you realize Kamet is arguably the most observant narrator Turner has ever used.
The Problem with "YA" Labels
Labels are basically useless here. While the Queen’s Thief books are often shelved in the Young Adult section, the political maneuvering and the psychological depth of the Thick as Thieves book are more sophisticated than most "adult" high fantasy. There’s no hand-holding. Turner expects you to keep up. She expects you to remember a name mentioned three chapters ago. She expects you to notice when a character is lying to themselves.
The Unexpected Humor
Despite the stakes, the book is funny. Not "Marvel quip" funny, but human funny. The bickering between Kamet and Costis is top-tier. Kamet’s internal monologue about how incompetent he thinks Costis is—only to be proven wrong by the soldier's sheer doggedness—provides a necessary levity to a story that involves a lot of near-starvation.
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"I was a secretary. I was not a traveler. I was not a hero. I was a man who knew how to keep accounts and ensure the wine was chilled."
This self-awareness makes Kamet one of the most relatable characters in the series. He isn't a warrior. He’s just a guy trying not to get eaten by a lion or crucified by his former masters.
Tactical Insights for Readers
If you're diving into this one, pay attention to the stories within the story. Turner uses mythology and folk tales to telegraph the themes of the book. The stories Kamet tells aren't just filler; they are a bridge between his culture and the one he is being forced to join.
- Watch the jewelry: In Turner's world, what a person wears (or doesn't wear) is a massive indicator of status and intent.
- Trust the silence: If a character isn't talking, they're planning.
- Re-read the prologue: Once you finish, go back. The beginning looks entirely different once you know the end.
The Thick as Thieves book is a masterclass in perspective. It reminds us that the "hero" of one story is just a terrifying intruder in another. It’s a story about the baggage we carry—literal and emotional—and how we decide which parts of it are worth keeping.
When you finish the final page, the next logical step is to immediately go back to The Thief and see where the threads began. The way Megan Whalen Turner weaves the Mede influence into the earlier books, only to blow it wide open here, is why this series remains a staple for anyone who values tight, intelligent plotting. Pick up the book, ignore the "YA" sticker, and prepare for a long night of "just one more chapter." You won't regret it.