Gen's skills as a thief are considerable, but so, too, is his penchant for bragging about his deeds. Undermined by his tongue, the young man finds himself in prison for stealing from the king. Then the king's scholar, the magus, orders Gen to accompany him on a secret journey, to work as a thief on behalf of the ruler, though he refuses to tell Gen what the king wants him to steal. Gen's nimble mind begins to suspect there is more than mere treasure at stake as he travels with the magus, the scholar's two young apprentices--one an eager boy, the other a prickly teenager--and a dedicated soldier. When the destination and purpose of their journey is revealed, he realizes that the fate of three nations may lie in his hands. Megan Whelan Turner incorporates original myths of gods and goddesses, treachery, and honor into this riveting fantasy adventure that takes more than a few unexpected turns before its wholly satisfying conclusion. (Ages 11-14)