Everyone told me this is the best of Turner's Queen's Thief series, and because of that, I think I had my hopes set too high. Don't get me wrong, I really enjoyed this third installment. I just liked The Queen of Attolia better. Perhaps it was because King was set entirely within the castle (no jumping between settings like in Queen) and was light on action scenes (just a few scenes of sparring and one assassination attempt). Or maybe it was because I've come to put complete faith in Gen--he always has a plan, always knows what he's doing even if he doesn't look it--that the "twist" at the end didn't surprise me much. 
 Still, this is a compelling series, complete with dynamic characters and tantalizing political intrigue. I especially loved how this novel was told mainly through the POV of a new character: Costis, a young guard. His viewpoint shows us many sides of Gen, the Queen, and the court. And watching Costis's relationship with Gen slowly transition from hate to admiration was endearing. For fantasy fans, this series is not to be missed. 
 Originally reviewed here.