The Thief by Megan Whalen Turner

The Thief by Megan Whalen Turner, 280 pages, YA Fantasy
A young braggart, going by the name of Gen, released from the dungeons of the King of Sounis is forced to join an expedition to steal the Hamiathie's Gift. This is a stone, reputedly given by one of the gods that when given, confers the right to rule the neighboring kingdom of Eddis. It seems that the King of Sounis has designs on both the kingdom of Eddis and on its queen. A well-written story with plenty of duplicity on the part of the characters, and clever plot twists on the part of the author. Set in a fictional late-medieval Mediterranean area, this is the first book in an award winning YA series.- Patrick