The Thief (1996)
After the queen of Eddis turns down the marriage proposal by the king of Sounis, the king's magus (scholar) comes up with an alternate plan, which requires an expert thief. The magus believes that if he can steal Hamiathes's Gift (an ancient stone that conferred power on its owner to reign as rightful ruler of Eddis), the magus can thus gain the kingdom of Eddis for Sounis. He frees a thief (Gen), imprisoned for attempting to steal the king's royal seal, to aid him on his quest. Gen travels with the magus and his two apprentices, Ambiades and Sophos (whom Gen nicknames "Useless the Elder" and "Useless the Younger"), as well as Pol, the captain of Sophos's father's guard. Turner takes readers into the Hephestial Mountains that divide Sounis and Attolia, where Eddis provides a narrow mountain pass between them. Readers also meet the king of Sounis, the queen of Attolia and the queen of Eddis. The brilliance of the book (and its famous twist) comes to light through charming and cunning Gen's first-person narrative.
The Queen of Attolia (2000)
Having escaped the queen of Attolia in the past (as related in The Thief), Gen is not so lucky in this episode. The queen is determined not to let him get away again, and when she does catch him, she metes out a devastating punishment and sends him back to Eddis. (And that's by chapter three.) In retaliation, the queen of Eddis, for whom Gen serves as thief, parcels out her own series of punishments to Attolia, resulting in war between the two countries. Eddis also plays Sounis and Attolia against each other, drawing Sounis into the conflict--along with the magus first met in The Thief. When Gen proclaims his love for the queen of Attolia, readers are left to wonder if his love is true (recall that devastating punishment) or just a means of peacemaking.
The King of Attolia (2006)
The Attolians believe the Thief of Eddis has stolen their queen--and the throne. Gen wants the queen but not the crown, yet he sets out to earn the respect of the Attolians. While the previous books dealt with movement among the countries (and all of the conflicts that are in play in A Conspiracy of Kings are set simmering in this book--including reports of the disappearance of Sophos, heir to the king of Sounis), this one takes place primarily within the palace walls, and court intrigue includes a plot to kill the king of Attolia.