After Gen marries the Queen of Attolia, he becomes King of Attolia. The people of her country mostly despise him. He drags a young guard into his troubles, and as the story goes on, the soldier Costis's contempt for Gen turns to respect. Gen has to struggle against the corrupt Attolian court if he is to survive as king. But soon the Attolians learn that its subtle and dangerous intrigue is no match for King Eugenides.
So far, I find the book quite interesting. I do not enjoy it as much as "The Thief," because this book is mostly politics and talking, but nevertheless Whalen's wonderful writing keeps me interested. I enjoy reading about Gen's growth from a teenager to a man through this series and I am excited to see how he fools the Attolian court.
