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After a brutal battle with the underworld that nearly destroyed him, Locke Lamora and his trusted sidekick, Jean, fled the island city of their birth and landed on the exotic shores of Tal Verrar to nurse their wounds. But even at this westernmost edge of civilization, they can't rest for long---and they are soon back doing what they do best: stealing from the undeserving rich and pocketing the proceeds for themselves.This time, however, they have targeted the grandest prize of all: the show more Sinspire, the most exclusive and heavily guarded gambling house in the world. Its nine floors attract the wealthiest clientele---and to rise to the top, one must impress with good credit, amusing behavior…and excruciatingly impeccable play. For there is one cardinal rule, enforced by Requin, the house’s cold-blooded master: it is death to cheat at any game at the Sinspire.
Brazenly undeterred, Locke and Jean have orchestrated an elaborate plan to lie, trick, and swindle their way up the nine floors…straight to Requin's teeming vault. Under the cloak of false identities, they meticulously make their climb---until they are closer to the spoils than ever.
But someone in Tal Verrar has uncovered the duo's secret. Someone from their past who has every intention of making the impudent criminals pay for their sins. Now it will take every ounce of cunning to save their mercenary souls. And even that may not be enough.
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The second in the Gentlemen Bastards series. I’m enjoying these so much! Locke and Jean are in Tel Varrar, working on getting their lives back together after the events of the previous book. Because they are the Gentlemen Bastards, they are doing this by staging a long con to cheat their way through the most exclusive and tightly secure casino in the world before robbing its owner blind. Before this plan can come to fruition, however, they are seized by one of the most powerful men in the city and forced to become pirates (so he can be a hero who defeats pirates). Then things start to get complicated.
Even though the main characters are both guys, one of the best things about this book is the women in it. They’re everywhere! show more There’s the badass pirate captain Zamira Drakasha and her first mate Ezri, who are absolutely amazing. But it’s not just them. The seasoned gamblers Locke and Jean have a rivalry with, the boss of casino security, their bodyguard / person who will kill them if they don’t obey orders, several more pirate captains, the alchemist they consult, the innocent bystander who drinks a poisoned tankard of beer meant for someone else and the grizzled ship’s doctor who came to her aid … Women. And there’s no reason they shouldn’t be! And yet, in so many other series, these roles would go to men by default.
Also, the pirates believe cats are lucky and they love the cats so much and it’s freaking adorable! And you know that great scene in The Princess Bride where Inigo and Westley have a chat as Westley tries to climb up the cliff? This book has a ‘banter while hanging off a cliff’ scene that is even more hilarious, if such a thing is possible, show less
Even though the main characters are both guys, one of the best things about this book is the women in it. They’re everywhere! show more There’s the badass pirate captain Zamira Drakasha and her first mate Ezri, who are absolutely amazing. But it’s not just them. The seasoned gamblers Locke and Jean have a rivalry with, the boss of casino security, their bodyguard / person who will kill them if they don’t obey orders, several more pirate captains, the alchemist they consult, the innocent bystander who drinks a poisoned tankard of beer meant for someone else and the grizzled ship’s doctor who came to her aid … Women. And there’s no reason they shouldn’t be! And yet, in so many other series, these roles would go to men by default.
Also, the pirates believe cats are lucky and they love the cats so much and it’s freaking adorable! And you know that great scene in The Princess Bride where Inigo and Westley have a chat as Westley tries to climb up the cliff? This book has a ‘banter while hanging off a cliff’ scene that is even more hilarious, if such a thing is possible, show less
A bit Robin Hood. A bit Treasure Island. And with a touch of Oliver Twist and just a hint of James Bond. This thoroughly enjoyable fantasy adventure has all the right stuff for my taste in fantasy fiction. The world building is excellent--realistic enough to make sense, detailed enough to explain the situation and character motivations without ever descending into pages of backstory and fictional history. The magic system hangs in the background where it belongs and doesn't dominate the story. The plot is twisty and full of surprises. The characters are believable. The protagonists are likable rogues, even admirable given the fantasy world they are in. And even the minor excursion into romance makes sense. The people involved don't just show more have the hormonal hots for one another, their mutual attraction is completely understandable. It's a good story.
One thing that may put some people off is that the story deviates from a strictly linear temporal progression of events--something happens in the 'current' timeline, and then the next scene or chapter will skip back in time to shed light on it. It may take a bit of getting used to, but it's all well done.
I can highly recommend this series to readers who enjoy the works of Partick Rothfuss or Brandon Sanderson. show less
One thing that may put some people off is that the story deviates from a strictly linear temporal progression of events--something happens in the 'current' timeline, and then the next scene or chapter will skip back in time to shed light on it. It may take a bit of getting used to, but it's all well done.
I can highly recommend this series to readers who enjoy the works of Partick Rothfuss or Brandon Sanderson. show less
I think that i might've enjoyed this one even more than it's predecessor. I'll admit that it dragged in a few places near the beginning, and honestly, seemed to resolve rather quickly and tidily (well... except for the latent poison ). But it was great to see the characters actually growing and maturing and not just completely pulled into Yet Another Adventure. These guys are fully three dimensional people and life has left it's mark on them for better or worse (usually worse).
I wanted to wait a bit before I started the next book to give myself some some sci-fi or time travel indulgences. But I jumped right into the next one immediately after. I've got to see what these Bastards are up to now!
Audiobook notes: Michael Page is quickly show more becoming one of my favorite narrators just on the strength of these 2 books so far. Nice, distinct voices, including women. Pacing, pronunciations and emphasis are all spot-on! show less
I wanted to wait a bit before I started the next book to give myself some some sci-fi or time travel indulgences. But I jumped right into the next one immediately after. I've got to see what these Bastards are up to now!
Audiobook notes: Michael Page is quickly show more becoming one of my favorite narrators just on the strength of these 2 books so far. Nice, distinct voices, including women. Pacing, pronunciations and emphasis are all spot-on! show less
I don't know who this Scott Lynch dude is, or where he came from, but he is one hell of an author.
I love the world building in this series. I love his descriptions. I love it all, and I buy into it wholeheartedly. When I'm reading a Gentleman Bastard novel, I'm there.
Locke and Jean are two of the best characters in the current landscape of fiction. They love each other, but they hate each other sometimes. They are the best of partners, the best of friends, brothers. But they are distinct and each is wonderfully drawn.
But if anything keeps me coming back to these books, it's two things. Lynch's complex plotting. It's schemes within schemes within schemes, but it's always very clear what's going on, and the reader is never lost.
And along show more with that is the laugh-out-loud humour infused throughout the novel, usually in the dialogue between Locke and Jean. You can't help but get through certain scenes without an idiot grin on your face.
I'm not a big fan of fantasy anymore, but I'll read anything Lynch puts out. The author—and his novels—are just that good. show less
I love the world building in this series. I love his descriptions. I love it all, and I buy into it wholeheartedly. When I'm reading a Gentleman Bastard novel, I'm there.
Locke and Jean are two of the best characters in the current landscape of fiction. They love each other, but they hate each other sometimes. They are the best of partners, the best of friends, brothers. But they are distinct and each is wonderfully drawn.
But if anything keeps me coming back to these books, it's two things. Lynch's complex plotting. It's schemes within schemes within schemes, but it's always very clear what's going on, and the reader is never lost.
And along show more with that is the laugh-out-loud humour infused throughout the novel, usually in the dialogue between Locke and Jean. You can't help but get through certain scenes without an idiot grin on your face.
I'm not a big fan of fantasy anymore, but I'll read anything Lynch puts out. The author—and his novels—are just that good. show less
Despite how much I loved this book, I'm glad to be done with it. Now, I'll finally be able to sleep again :P
Scott Lynch has done it again. Locke and Jean have been tricked into serving the archon of Tal Verrar, Maxilan Stragos, and are on a new adventure. This time, while attempting to pull of an extremely large heist on the most famous gambling house in Tal Verrar, they must also figure out a way to start a war. Stragos, head of the city's navy, has been losing his power with no one to fight. He's nearing the end of his life and decides to go out with a bang. He wants the people of Tal Verrar to remember that they need him and so employs an unwilling Locke and Jean to go to sea and bring a fleet of pirates ready to attack Tal Verrar. show more Stragos will then slaughter the pirates and be remembered as a hero. Locke and Jean, of course, decide to make things difficult and deceive everyone, all the while attempting to rob everyone blind.
The brief summary may sound a bit confusing (and it doesn't do the book justice at all), but with almost 800 pages to the book, there are lots of twists and turns that make it too intricate to properly summarize but rest assured, it's nearly impossible to put this book down once it's started. The writing is phenomenal and the imagery - well, it's damn cinematic at times. The final battle took my breath away.
And of course, Lynch had again created fantastic characters that are so vivid you can almost see them moving on the page. Lynch doesn't shy away from creating strong female characters either. The captain and first mate of the pirate ship, Poison Orchid, seem to make it their hobby of getting the best of our protagonists.
This is an amazing book. It's exciting, visually stimulating, and touches all your emotions. I was left laughing in many places (including the surprise twist in the epilogue) and a couple scenes almost left me in tears. I will say I thought the ending felt a tad rushed, but I enjoyed this book regardless. It ends on one hell of a cliffhanger though! I will definitely be awaiting the next in the series, to be released in a few months! show less
Scott Lynch has done it again. Locke and Jean have been tricked into serving the archon of Tal Verrar, Maxilan Stragos, and are on a new adventure. This time, while attempting to pull of an extremely large heist on the most famous gambling house in Tal Verrar, they must also figure out a way to start a war. Stragos, head of the city's navy, has been losing his power with no one to fight. He's nearing the end of his life and decides to go out with a bang. He wants the people of Tal Verrar to remember that they need him and so employs an unwilling Locke and Jean to go to sea and bring a fleet of pirates ready to attack Tal Verrar. show more Stragos will then slaughter the pirates and be remembered as a hero. Locke and Jean, of course, decide to make things difficult and deceive everyone, all the while attempting to rob everyone blind.
The brief summary may sound a bit confusing (and it doesn't do the book justice at all), but with almost 800 pages to the book, there are lots of twists and turns that make it too intricate to properly summarize but rest assured, it's nearly impossible to put this book down once it's started. The writing is phenomenal and the imagery - well, it's damn cinematic at times. The final battle took my breath away.
And of course, Lynch had again created fantastic characters that are so vivid you can almost see them moving on the page. Lynch doesn't shy away from creating strong female characters either. The captain and first mate of the pirate ship, Poison Orchid, seem to make it their hobby of getting the best of our protagonists.
This is an amazing book. It's exciting, visually stimulating, and touches all your emotions. I was left laughing in many places (including the surprise twist in the epilogue) and a couple scenes almost left me in tears. I will say I thought the ending felt a tad rushed, but I enjoyed this book regardless. It ends on one hell of a cliffhanger though! I will definitely be awaiting the next in the series, to be released in a few months! show less
Summary: After the events of The Lies of Locke Lamora, Locke and Jean wash up in the island city of Tal Verrar. They've been there for two years, planning a long job at the Sinspire, the city's most glamorous and wealthy casino, with a purportedly impenetrable vault and a standing death sentence for anyone caught cheating at cards. However, their schemes are interrupted when they come face-to-face with the archon, the head of Tal Verrar's military, and its dictator in all but name. The archon knows exactly who Locke and Jean really are, and how best to get them on a leash... and how to use them as tools to provide him with exactly what he wants. Soon the duo find themselves over their heads: they're landsmen, but now they have to sail show more the Brass Sea and deal with pirates. They're also caught in a web of false identities, questionable loyalties, double-crosses, elaborate cover stories, and even more elaborate plots, and they'll have to keep all of their lies straight if they hope to get out of things not only with the money, but also with their lives.
Review: If it weren't for the fact that I didn't seriously start writing book reviews until about the time that this book was published, I'd swear that Scott Lynch read my blog (or my mind) and wrote Red Seas Under Red Skies specifically for me. (And if I'm wrong, and Scott Lynch *is* reading my blog (or my mind): Hi Scott! Thank you for writing me such an awesome book!) Because seriously, this book is jam-packed full of so many of the things that I love that it can't be just a coincidence.
To start with: this book is hilarious. Its snarky, sarcastic sense of humor almost exactly matches my own, and while I was considering copying some of the bits that I found funny into my review, there was so much funny stuff that I would have wound up copying about half the book. The best part, unsurprisingly, was the banter between Jean and Locke; if you like witty, snarky banter, this is the best you'll ever find. (I would even go so far as to say that it is equal to if not better than Buffy at its peak.) It's also some of the most colorful and creative invective I've ever read, although it's pretty coarse in places, so if your delicate ears are likely to be blistered by swearing, you may want to steer clear.
To add to the excellent dialogue, this book also involves ships! I'm repeatedly on record regarding my love for the Age of Sail, and it turns out that Lynch's fantasy sailors are just as good as the British Navy. Lynch writes ship-board action clearly and in a way that feels authentic, at least for this land-lubber. Plus, there are pirates! How can I resist?
But, apart from the snark and the pirates, this book was really all about the characters. In The Lies of Locke Lamora, there was a little bit of a feeling of Locke as the clever charmer and Jean as the muscle, but Jean really comes into his own as a full, complex, intelligent, and just plain wonderful character. The relationship between Jean and Locke is really the central story of the book, and it's developed slowly but elegantly throughout. The book starts off with this hint that one is going to betray the other, and you're all "no, that can't be right, they're buddies for life", but as the book progresses, there's always the niggling little question and you're never entirely sure one way or the other, and that's an impressive feat for an author to pull off.
The Lies of Locke Lamora starts out as a happy carefree heist tale, and then takes a turn into some seriously dark territory about halfway through. I didn't think Red Seas Under Red Skies was as dark as Locke Lamora as a whole, although there were certainly a few individual scenes that qualified. The heist plotline was also more evenly distributed throughout the book; there were a lot more twists, turns, double- and triple- and quadruple-crosses going on, and everyone has their own plans and their own master(s). I thought it was going to be hard to keep everything straight, but it all eventually made sense, and it all came together wonderfully at the end. 5 out of 5 stars.
Recommendation: Love love love. Read it. But read the equally excellent The Lies of Locke Lamora first, since the backstory is important for parts of the plot, and is never summarized in any detail. show less
Review: If it weren't for the fact that I didn't seriously start writing book reviews until about the time that this book was published, I'd swear that Scott Lynch read my blog (or my mind) and wrote Red Seas Under Red Skies specifically for me. (And if I'm wrong, and Scott Lynch *is* reading my blog (or my mind): Hi Scott! Thank you for writing me such an awesome book!) Because seriously, this book is jam-packed full of so many of the things that I love that it can't be just a coincidence.
To start with: this book is hilarious. Its snarky, sarcastic sense of humor almost exactly matches my own, and while I was considering copying some of the bits that I found funny into my review, there was so much funny stuff that I would have wound up copying about half the book. The best part, unsurprisingly, was the banter between Jean and Locke; if you like witty, snarky banter, this is the best you'll ever find. (I would even go so far as to say that it is equal to if not better than Buffy at its peak.) It's also some of the most colorful and creative invective I've ever read, although it's pretty coarse in places, so if your delicate ears are likely to be blistered by swearing, you may want to steer clear.
To add to the excellent dialogue, this book also involves ships! I'm repeatedly on record regarding my love for the Age of Sail, and it turns out that Lynch's fantasy sailors are just as good as the British Navy. Lynch writes ship-board action clearly and in a way that feels authentic, at least for this land-lubber. Plus, there are pirates! How can I resist?
But, apart from the snark and the pirates, this book was really all about the characters. In The Lies of Locke Lamora, there was a little bit of a feeling of Locke as the clever charmer and Jean as the muscle, but Jean really comes into his own as a full, complex, intelligent, and just plain wonderful character. The relationship between Jean and Locke is really the central story of the book, and it's developed slowly but elegantly throughout. The book starts off with this hint that one is going to betray the other, and you're all "no, that can't be right, they're buddies for life", but as the book progresses, there's always the niggling little question and you're never entirely sure one way or the other, and that's an impressive feat for an author to pull off.
The Lies of Locke Lamora starts out as a happy carefree heist tale, and then takes a turn into some seriously dark territory about halfway through. I didn't think Red Seas Under Red Skies was as dark as Locke Lamora as a whole, although there were certainly a few individual scenes that qualified. The heist plotline was also more evenly distributed throughout the book; there were a lot more twists, turns, double- and triple- and quadruple-crosses going on, and everyone has their own plans and their own master(s). I thought it was going to be hard to keep everything straight, but it all eventually made sense, and it all came together wonderfully at the end. 5 out of 5 stars.
Recommendation: Love love love. Read it. But read the equally excellent The Lies of Locke Lamora first, since the backstory is important for parts of the plot, and is never summarized in any detail. show less
Red Peas Under Red Pies
or
A Review of Red Seas Under Red Skies Being Written in a Manner Most Culinary
Ingredients
Instructions
1 Start in media res, and continue to show an utter lack of regard for linear narrative, just like the first book.
2 At first, appear to be another fantasy-meets-Oceans's-Eleven-esque mashup as our lovable rogues plan another enormous heist.
3 Bring a lot of readers' blood to the boil by deigning to not spend another six hundred pages rehashing the plot of the first book, but show more instead do something entirely new.
4 Reduce the heat, and continue to build up the marvellously intricate world the characters live in.
5 Sprinkle the merest dusting of foreboding into the mix, bearing in mind that this is going to be a seven part series and each layer must rest on the one beneath.
6 Don't soak the novel in blood, and yet for all that make a single death just as emotionally potent as the bloodbath in book one.
7 Season with salt and pepper and garnish with an ending that leaves the reader gagging for book three to come out already. show less
or
A Review of Red Seas Under Red Skies Being Written in a Manner Most Culinary
Ingredients
- • Two returning protagonists
- • Another fascinating city
- • Crafty crime capers
- • Language that would make a lady blush.
Except my sister. Actually it's the kind of language my sister would use. - • Pirates
- • A pinch of foreboding
Instructions
1 Start in media res, and continue to show an utter lack of regard for linear narrative, just like the first book.
2 At first, appear to be another fantasy-meets-Oceans's-Eleven-esque mashup as our lovable rogues plan another enormous heist.
3 Bring a lot of readers' blood to the boil by deigning to not spend another six hundred pages rehashing the plot of the first book, but show more instead do something entirely new.
4 Reduce the heat, and continue to build up the marvellously intricate world the characters live in.
5 Sprinkle the merest dusting of foreboding into the mix, bearing in mind that this is going to be a seven part series and each layer must rest on the one beneath.
6 Don't soak the novel in blood, and yet for all that make a single death just as emotionally potent as the bloodbath in book one.
7 Season with salt and pepper and garnish with an ending that leaves the reader gagging for book three to come out already. show less
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Author Information
33+ Works 23,152 Members
Scott Lynch is a fantasy author, best known for his Gentleman Bastard series of novels. His first novel, The Lies of Locke Lamora, was published in June 2006 under the Gollancz imprint in the United Kingdom and under the Bantam imprint in the United States. The Lies of Locke Lamora was a World Fantasy Award finalist in 2007. In both 2007 and 2008 show more Lynch was nominated for the John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer. Lynch received the Sydney J. Bounds Best Newcomer Award from the British Fantasy Society in 2008. (Bowker Author Biography) show less
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Awards
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Narrativa [Nord] (333)
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Common Knowledge
- Canonical title
- Red Seas Under Red Skies
- Original title
- Red Seas Under Red Skies
- Original publication date
- 2007-07-31
- People/Characters
- Locke Lamora; Jean Tannen; Ezri Delmastro; Zamira Drakasha; Requin; Maxilan Stragos (show all 14); Jabril; Selendri; Merrain; Paolo; Cosetta; Regal; Maracosa Durenna; Izmila Corvaleur
- Important places
- Camorr; Tal Verrar; Port Prodigal; The Sinspire; Ghostwind Islands; Sea of Brass (show all 9); Portable Quarter; Golden Steps; Vel Virazzo
- Dedication
- For Matthew Woodring Stover,
a friendly sail on the horizon.
Non destiti, nunquam desistam. - First words
- Locke Lamora stood on the pier in Tal Verrar with the hot wind of a burning ship at his back and the cold bite of a loaded crossbow’s bolt at his neck.
- Quotations
- When you can't cheat the game, you'd best find a means to cheat the players.
I can finger-dance a live cat into a standard deck of fifty-six, and slip it back out at leisure. Other players might complain about the noise, but they'd never spot the source.
"I think piracy's a bit like drinking," said Jean. "You want to stay out all night doing it, you pay the price the next day." - Last words
- (Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)"Somewhere new."
- Publisher's editor
- Groell, Anne
- Blurbers*
- Martin, George R.R.
- Original language*
- English
- Canonical DDC/MDS
- 813.6
- Canonical LCC
- PS3612.Y5427
*Some information comes from Common Knowledge in other languages. Click "Edit" for more information.
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