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An orphan's life is harsh—and often short—in the island city of Camorr, built on the ruins of a mysterious alien race. But born with a quick wit and a gift for thieving, Locke Lamora has dodged both death and slavery, only to fall into the hands of an eyeless priest known as Chains—a man who is neither blind nor a priest. A con artist of extraordinary talent, Chains passes his skills on to his carefully selected "family" of orphans—a group known as the Gentlemen Bastards. Under his show more tutelage, Locke grows to lead the Bastards, delightedly pulling off one outrageous confidence game after another. Soon he is infamous as the Thorn of Camorr, and no wealthy noble is safe from his sting. Passing themselves off as petty thieves, the brilliant Locke and his tightly knit band of light-fingered brothers have fooled even the criminal underworld's most feared ruler, Capa Barsavi. But there is someone in the shadows more powerful—and more ambitious—than Locke has yet imagined. Known as the Gray King, he is slowly killing Capa Barsavi's most trusted men—and using Locke as a pawn in his plot to take control of Camorr's underworld. With a bloody coup under way threatening to destroy everyone and everything that holds meaning in his mercenary life, Locke vows to beat the Gray King at his own brutal game—or die trying. show lessTags
Recommendations
Member Recommendations
souloftherose Although the authors have different writing styles, both are epic fantasy books with a caper/heist/team of thieves at their centre
Also recommended by fyrefly98
160
Rouge2507 I'm convinced that "Fafhrd and Grey Mouser" books from Fritz Leiber are one of Lynch's sources of inspiration for Locke Lamora.
100
Carnophile Who'd win in a fight between the Locke Lamora gang and the Kaz Brekker gang? I NEED to see this. No, it's not a contest, but boy would that be a fun read.
Also recommended by ajwseven
71
majkia Although completely different settings, still the same lighthearted thievery going on.
31
lottpoet I thought the worlds/societies had a similar feel
Melfice Each of these books delve into a world of thieves
buut A similar gritty, pseudo-historical, low-magic fantasy setting, both with large casts of characters and plots that explore the meaning of brotherhood and loyalty in different ways.
JessiAdams Both are stories of thieves turned adventurers with a group of friends
lottpoet also features an underworld where a larger force disrupts business as usual
Member Reviews
This book was such a breath of fresh air! the voice was sarcastic and snarky; Locke was a total pissant and I loved it!
It's nice to see a layered criminal for a change. Someone who clearly knows right from wrong. How it differs from what is and isn't legal. The world building was fantastic. the only spot I had any trouble with was figuring out the years and dates. Once I got the hang of it, reading this was so smooth.
Will definitely be hunting after the rest of the books in this series.
It's nice to see a layered criminal for a change. Someone who clearly knows right from wrong. How it differs from what is and isn't legal. The world building was fantastic. the only spot I had any trouble with was figuring out the years and dates. Once I got the hang of it, reading this was so smooth.
Will definitely be hunting after the rest of the books in this series.
Fantasy is a particularly trope-riddled genre. A Dark Lord, a Chosen One made invincible through plot armour and has ridiculously strong powers, a lengthy journey to an evil stronghold, etc. etc. Re-watching Harry Potter and reading the first 6 books of the Wheel of Time consecutively left me, as many other fantasy die-hards often are, rather bored.
The Lies of Locke Lamora - book 1 of Gentleman Bastards - is the perfect antidote. Although it is high fantasy, none of the traditional clichés are present at all. In fact, although there is a magic system, this is very much a secondary detail, and none of the main characters have any ability in it.
Scott Lynch has written a wonderful Robin Hood-esque story of friendship and crime, which show more happens to take place in a fantastical world, with blends of heists, mafias, swashbuckling adventure, and a touch of grimdark.
While the plot is constantly gripping, it is Lynch's character work which truly held me in the story. Developing friendships, witty conversations, and clear personality flaws all make up an exceptional character-driven tale.
I could not recommend this series enough, regardless of the reader. I will be continuing on in the series with great anticipation and excitement for the future of Gentleman Bastards, andScott Lynch's writing as a whole. show less
The Lies of Locke Lamora - book 1 of Gentleman Bastards - is the perfect antidote. Although it is high fantasy, none of the traditional clichés are present at all. In fact, although there is a magic system, this is very much a secondary detail, and none of the main characters have any ability in it.
Scott Lynch has written a wonderful Robin Hood-esque story of friendship and crime, which show more happens to take place in a fantastical world, with blends of heists, mafias, swashbuckling adventure, and a touch of grimdark.
While the plot is constantly gripping, it is Lynch's character work which truly held me in the story. Developing friendships, witty conversations, and clear personality flaws all make up an exceptional character-driven tale.
I could not recommend this series enough, regardless of the reader. I will be continuing on in the series with great anticipation and excitement for the future of Gentleman Bastards, andScott Lynch's writing as a whole. show less
This is a well-crafted fantasy novel that I’d recommend to many people, but that I myself could not like despite its many virtues. Set in a city-state crowded with humanity and peppered with the mysterious creations of an ancient race, the story goes back and forth between the past training of master thief Locke Lamora and his crew and the present, when they’re at the top of their game and about to pull off a huge score against the nobility. The worldbuilding is intriguing and doesn’t delay the story; the events (including Lamora’s relations with the master of the city’s illegal activities, who doesn’t allow ripping off the nobility; the score, which involves an elaborate scam as well as an investigation thereof; and a show more troublesome newcomer known as the Gray King who keeps killing other criminals) move fast and with an accelerating pace that ends with an almost unbearable tension. Lynch persuasively raises the stakes—lots of people end up dead who most fantasy authors would’ve been afraid to kill, but this isn’t GRRM grimdark territory either—and sets up obstacles that are satisfyingly all but insurmountable. I wasn’t thrilled about the lack of major female characters, but the real reason that I could not enjoy this book as much as it should be enjoyed was that Lamora is a scam artist, and I am too lawfully-oriented and anti-false advertising to like that. I can’t root for a guy whose raison d’etre is to take money from people under false pretenses, even if they only offer the money because they have some larceny in their own hearts. Though Lynch does his best to show Lamora protecting the small people he barrels over in his complicated schemes against the wealthy, that protection at best means that they’re alive and exiled rather than tortured to death for their failure to protect their employers. Lynch is honest enough to show some of the collateral damage, but I can’t help but think of all the other victims. However, as those victims are fictional, and as not everyone has my visceral reaction to con artists, this may well be a fantasy worth checking out. show less
The Lies of Locke Lamora, Scott Lynch's World Fantasy Award-nominated debut novel, defies easy classification – it is a fantasy, a suspense, a thriller sure to be loved by readers of crime, mystery and fantasy alike.
This book reminded me why I love fantasy novels. Not because they're strongholds of comfort, or repositories of nostalgia (although they are); or because they allow us to "escape" the real world, or even because they give the reader permission to confront the essential clichés of theme—love, grief, evil, goodness—without flinching (although they do). But because when they're well done, really well done, they're vivid and glittering works of the imagination's art: they blow the walls off buildings, take the lid off show more the sky and remake the world. And The Lies of Locke Lamora is very well done indeed.
Lynch uses a compelling narrative structure to tell his story that helps the pacing of the novel tremendously. He breaks each chapter into two parts, one concerning the present and one regarding the past history of the characters. In this way, we have a gripping main storyline which keeps us turning the pages with a tight, thrilling plot and a interesting deviation into the history and character of Locke Lamora, his companions, and how they came together to form The Gentlemen Bastards.
The main story is set around a particularly complex heist being organized by The Gentlemen Bastards that quickly goes awry. It isn’t the heist itself (as exciting and hairbrained as that may be), that holds the novel together, however, but the characters themselves and their reactions to the events surrounding them. And it’s those characters and their history together that really makes the novel shine. Not since Raymond Feist’s Jimmy the Hand has there been such a dashing and likeable fantasy protagonist as Locke Lamora. Jean Tannen (his partner in crime) is utterly fascinating and acts as a brilliant foil to Locke. Where one is slight, clever and is happy to use words instead of weapons, the other is large, powerful and not afraid to whip out his twin hatchets when things get dirty. But he is also quotes poetry and is devoted to his friends. Together Locke Lamora and Jean Tannen form one of the most interesting and memorable duos I’ve come across in many years.
I understand that film rights for this have been snapped up – and it is easy to see why. In my mind, Locke Lamora is very much in the mould of Johnny Depp’s depiction of Jack Sparrow in ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’.
Lynch not only breathes life into his intriguing and well-formed cast of characters, but also into the background and the cities. The Lies of Locke Lamora establishes itself firmly and immediately in the tradition of Renaissance fantasy. His Camorr is strongly rooted in 16th century Europe - a cross between Venice (built on islands and canals) and Rome (littered with archaeological remnants of the Eldren, a lost ancient civilisation). Lynch has the same flair for world-building that his protagonist has for stealing, and Camorr is alive with colours, forms, sounds, textures; with intense politicking and mercantile rivalries; not to mention the five Elderglass towers, the striking homes of the city's greatest families, and the Shifting Revel, Camorr's equivalent of the coliseum.
This is not the perfect fantasy – at times, the balance between light and superficial humour and dark deeds is tenuous; and the absence of any information about Locke’s lost love makes it hard to understand his responses to some situations. However, it has and does everything an outstanding fantasy should: it creates an elaborate world, intricate with intrigue, introduces a rake of a hero, with requisite companions, and sets in motion a series of events set to carry its narrative momentum into a sequel and, happily, beyond. It doesn't hurt that it is also incorrigibly funny, and desperately dark-hearted.
Lynch has set the bar high for himself and other debut fantasy authors by writing one of the strongest, most unique and downright delicious books in a long time. show less
This book reminded me why I love fantasy novels. Not because they're strongholds of comfort, or repositories of nostalgia (although they are); or because they allow us to "escape" the real world, or even because they give the reader permission to confront the essential clichés of theme—love, grief, evil, goodness—without flinching (although they do). But because when they're well done, really well done, they're vivid and glittering works of the imagination's art: they blow the walls off buildings, take the lid off show more the sky and remake the world. And The Lies of Locke Lamora is very well done indeed.
Lynch uses a compelling narrative structure to tell his story that helps the pacing of the novel tremendously. He breaks each chapter into two parts, one concerning the present and one regarding the past history of the characters. In this way, we have a gripping main storyline which keeps us turning the pages with a tight, thrilling plot and a interesting deviation into the history and character of Locke Lamora, his companions, and how they came together to form The Gentlemen Bastards.
The main story is set around a particularly complex heist being organized by The Gentlemen Bastards that quickly goes awry. It isn’t the heist itself (as exciting and hairbrained as that may be), that holds the novel together, however, but the characters themselves and their reactions to the events surrounding them. And it’s those characters and their history together that really makes the novel shine. Not since Raymond Feist’s Jimmy the Hand has there been such a dashing and likeable fantasy protagonist as Locke Lamora. Jean Tannen (his partner in crime) is utterly fascinating and acts as a brilliant foil to Locke. Where one is slight, clever and is happy to use words instead of weapons, the other is large, powerful and not afraid to whip out his twin hatchets when things get dirty. But he is also quotes poetry and is devoted to his friends. Together Locke Lamora and Jean Tannen form one of the most interesting and memorable duos I’ve come across in many years.
I understand that film rights for this have been snapped up – and it is easy to see why. In my mind, Locke Lamora is very much in the mould of Johnny Depp’s depiction of Jack Sparrow in ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’.
Lynch not only breathes life into his intriguing and well-formed cast of characters, but also into the background and the cities. The Lies of Locke Lamora establishes itself firmly and immediately in the tradition of Renaissance fantasy. His Camorr is strongly rooted in 16th century Europe - a cross between Venice (built on islands and canals) and Rome (littered with archaeological remnants of the Eldren, a lost ancient civilisation). Lynch has the same flair for world-building that his protagonist has for stealing, and Camorr is alive with colours, forms, sounds, textures; with intense politicking and mercantile rivalries; not to mention the five Elderglass towers, the striking homes of the city's greatest families, and the Shifting Revel, Camorr's equivalent of the coliseum.
This is not the perfect fantasy – at times, the balance between light and superficial humour and dark deeds is tenuous; and the absence of any information about Locke’s lost love makes it hard to understand his responses to some situations. However, it has and does everything an outstanding fantasy should: it creates an elaborate world, intricate with intrigue, introduces a rake of a hero, with requisite companions, and sets in motion a series of events set to carry its narrative momentum into a sequel and, happily, beyond. It doesn't hurt that it is also incorrigibly funny, and desperately dark-hearted.
Lynch has set the bar high for himself and other debut fantasy authors by writing one of the strongest, most unique and downright delicious books in a long time. show less
As soon as I finished The Lies of Locke Lamora, I wanted to dig out my old Steven Brust and Roger Zelazny novels, because those were the books that originally gave me a taste for humorous fantasy antiheroes. However, both Vlad Taltos and Merlin were much more self-mocking than Locke Lamora. Locke is self-confident to an extreme - it is his only acknowledged character flaw. This confidence man is clever, bold, courageous in the face of physical danger, quick witted, and even self-sacrificing when the mood strikes. He's perilously close to too perfect.
But you know what? It works for him.
Locke Lamora's world is very intriguing - and intrigue-ridden. I thoroughly enjoyed what has been shown of it so far: a Renaissance (Faire)-style society show more living among the ruins of a futuristic, perhaps alien, race. There's definitely room to explore in future novels -- but for those readers who dislike incomplete series, this book does work as a stand-alone story, even where ground is laid for a sequel (particularly in the area of the off-page, unseen-by-readers love interest).
The abrupt switches between present time and backstory did not work for me, but I suppose they began to grow on me towards the end. It's not that the character's history was unnecessary or that it failed to inform the current action, because it did add quite a bit. Without the backstory, I'm not sure Locke would have been a sympathetic character at all. Entertaining, yes, but not sympathetic. No, the problem was that the inter-cut chapters of past and present tended to end on cliff-hangers, on the moment before the big revelation, and that quickly became annoying. I would much rather have read straight through Locke's formative years all of a piece.
The Lies of Locke Lamora is devious, swashbuckling, and entertaining. And a bit fluffy, despite the inventively crude language and occasional gory death. The readers are in on Locke's cons, which leaves the intrigues easy to see through, and the bad guys are downright bad and totally unsympathetic.
In other words, it's a perfect summer read. show less
But you know what? It works for him.
Locke Lamora's world is very intriguing - and intrigue-ridden. I thoroughly enjoyed what has been shown of it so far: a Renaissance (Faire)-style society show more living among the ruins of a futuristic, perhaps alien, race. There's definitely room to explore in future novels -- but for those readers who dislike incomplete series, this book does work as a stand-alone story, even where ground is laid for a sequel (particularly in the area of the off-page, unseen-by-readers love interest).
The abrupt switches between present time and backstory did not work for me, but I suppose they began to grow on me towards the end. It's not that the character's history was unnecessary or that it failed to inform the current action, because it did add quite a bit. Without the backstory, I'm not sure Locke would have been a sympathetic character at all. Entertaining, yes, but not sympathetic. No, the problem was that the inter-cut chapters of past and present tended to end on cliff-hangers, on the moment before the big revelation, and that quickly became annoying. I would much rather have read straight through Locke's formative years all of a piece.
The Lies of Locke Lamora is devious, swashbuckling, and entertaining. And a bit fluffy, despite the inventively crude language and occasional gory death. The readers are in on Locke's cons, which leaves the intrigues easy to see through, and the bad guys are downright bad and totally unsympathetic.
In other words, it's a perfect summer read. show less
This book feels, for lack of a better word, classic. Not classic as in Frankenstein or Beowulf or To Kill a Mockingbird, but classic as in timeless. Now, don't get me wrong, I like innovative literary devices as much as the next girl. I've read short stories from the perspective of feet. Hell, I read The Road (in which there is barely a plot to speak of) and loved it.
But every once in a while I feel the need to shake off all those new bells and whistles and just get back to basics. I want to lie back and have the author tell me a story, one where I can fall headfirst into the world it describes and be completely under the spell of its colourful characters. I want to feel like a child, sitting at the knee of a loved one, listening to show more wild fancies and wondrous tales. I want my stories vast and I want them sprawling- I want journeys, fights, backstories, villains, heroes, daring escapes, vows of revenge. The Shadow of the Wind, The Hobbit, The Princess Bride- books like these are my comfort food. Books that are classic and familiar but still feel special; books that are heartfelt but thrilling; books that have the Holy Trinity of plot, characters, and style, and that marry them all together to create a world, a time, or a moment that I'll never want to leave.
The Lies of Locke Lamora delivers all of these things splendidly: a provocative, edgy setting; well thought-out cultural and religious customs that weren't a bore to read; a hero to root for; a villain that's bad but oh so good, evil of the proper, moustache-twirling sort. Usually, I revel in the grey areas- antiheroes, punch clock villains, semi-antagonists, man vs. self- I love the interplay of elements of light and dark. But every now and again I want clean cut, I want good and evil battling it out on a grand, dramatic stage, but I still want it nuanced and unpredictable, which Scott Lynch covers beautifully.
The writing, too, was gorgeous, the kind you can slip into and pass hours reading, totally and utterly immersed. The Duchy of Camorr is a deliciously dangerous and delightfully corrupt city of olde- with shades of Riften, Renaissance Venice, Red London, and Florin City*. I felt like I was being guided through the winding alleys, taverns, holes-in-the-wall, and mansions of Camorr by a funny, knowledgeable guide who showed me all the facets (good and bad, seedy and sumptuous) of the city. I watched women battling gigantic sharks, I saw bloodbaths, I experienced massive floating markets, lavish skyscraping terraces, dank dens of villainy. Corridors of razor-sharp roses, thieving cellars below temples, shifting docks- all described so clearly that you'd swear you've actually been there.
And, in a way, you have.
Because, in reading The Lies of Locke Lamora, you become a citizen of the crazy city of Camorr- you're party to all sorts of schemes, swindles, and plots, standing in the corner and watching the lives of a vast array of characters unfold and tangle in the most spectacular of ways.
I smiled so many times while reading this book, and I broke down into tears too, but they never felt like the cheap heartstring-pulls so many contemporary novels use today in lieu of genuine emotion. This book kept me guessing, laughing, wondering, and- above all- craving more. I won't say much about the plot or characters specifically (it's so much more magical when you read it yourself) but it involved theft, revenge, fighting, comradery, tricks, secrets- all the good stuff- and doctors, alchemists, nobles, priests, assassins, gangs, and, of course, bands of thieves.
Gentlemen Bastards!
If I may point out a few details I loved, I thought the "fantasy" elements were woven in artfully. There's alchemy, but I really liked how it was talked about in more scientific terms rather than magic. There are people called Bondsmages who are basically the Siths of wizards- they cause pain, control animals, do mind tricks, all that sort of thing, but they never seemed gimmicky or too much "ye olde magicka." The format of the story was lovely- a main storyline with several well-placed interludes about Locke's childhood, certain colourful events in Camorr's history, the working of the city's underworld, or even spending a little time inside the head of a secondary character. Also, let it be known that this has the greatest ending to anything I have ever read, ever, so don't worry about being disappointed by a lackluster finish- I thought it was brilliant.
All in all, a richly told, wonderfully executed, positively delightful tale. It was just... charming. It just made me happy in so many ways, and it felt new despite the fact that it really is a return to the tried-and-true aspects of sprawling fantasy, done marvellously well. Like I said above, classic but fresh, drawing from its predecessors but still special in its own right, which I think is an especially difficult thing to master.
Because nowadays I believe we value writing far more than storytelling, and every now and then I need a charming thief (Locke), an unwittingly brave hobbit (Bilbo), or a suave bookseller (Fermín) to comfort me. Sometimes (but certainly not all the time) I want a clear hero and a clear villain- because in a world where so much is mired in the grey, a little bit of black and white can go a long way. These books, for me, are the equivalent of a favourite armchair. They may not be of the very highest quality, but they are warm, cosy, incredibly enjoyable and with the perfect, comfortable mixture of firmness and fluff. Everybody needs books like these, the ones we can fall back on time and time again and never get tired of, books that feel very much like the emotional equivalent of peeling your socks (or pants) off after a long day of work. Many people find that fluffy, cute romances do the job for them, and that's just fine. But me?
Well, I'll take a rakish thief any day of the week.
*I might have made a status update saying this (I have a feeling I did), and I loathe being redundant, but as of right now I can't see my status updates. It happens sometimes, especially as of late, but eventually it resolves somehow. Ah, Goodreads- the site with more bugs than an overzealous entomologist.
Read for the 2016 Popsugar Reading Challenge: "A book that's more than 600 pages." show less
But every once in a while I feel the need to shake off all those new bells and whistles and just get back to basics. I want to lie back and have the author tell me a story, one where I can fall headfirst into the world it describes and be completely under the spell of its colourful characters. I want to feel like a child, sitting at the knee of a loved one, listening to show more wild fancies and wondrous tales. I want my stories vast and I want them sprawling- I want journeys, fights, backstories, villains, heroes, daring escapes, vows of revenge. The Shadow of the Wind, The Hobbit, The Princess Bride- books like these are my comfort food. Books that are classic and familiar but still feel special; books that are heartfelt but thrilling; books that have the Holy Trinity of plot, characters, and style, and that marry them all together to create a world, a time, or a moment that I'll never want to leave.
The Lies of Locke Lamora delivers all of these things splendidly: a provocative, edgy setting; well thought-out cultural and religious customs that weren't a bore to read; a hero to root for; a villain that's bad but oh so good, evil of the proper, moustache-twirling sort. Usually, I revel in the grey areas- antiheroes, punch clock villains, semi-antagonists, man vs. self- I love the interplay of elements of light and dark. But every now and again I want clean cut, I want good and evil battling it out on a grand, dramatic stage, but I still want it nuanced and unpredictable, which Scott Lynch covers beautifully.
The writing, too, was gorgeous, the kind you can slip into and pass hours reading, totally and utterly immersed. The Duchy of Camorr is a deliciously dangerous and delightfully corrupt city of olde- with shades of Riften, Renaissance Venice, Red London, and Florin City*. I felt like I was being guided through the winding alleys, taverns, holes-in-the-wall, and mansions of Camorr by a funny, knowledgeable guide who showed me all the facets (good and bad, seedy and sumptuous) of the city. I watched women battling gigantic sharks, I saw bloodbaths, I experienced massive floating markets, lavish skyscraping terraces, dank dens of villainy. Corridors of razor-sharp roses, thieving cellars below temples, shifting docks- all described so clearly that you'd swear you've actually been there.
And, in a way, you have.
Because, in reading The Lies of Locke Lamora, you become a citizen of the crazy city of Camorr- you're party to all sorts of schemes, swindles, and plots, standing in the corner and watching the lives of a vast array of characters unfold and tangle in the most spectacular of ways.
I smiled so many times while reading this book, and I broke down into tears too, but they never felt like the cheap heartstring-pulls so many contemporary novels use today in lieu of genuine emotion. This book kept me guessing, laughing, wondering, and- above all- craving more. I won't say much about the plot or characters specifically (it's so much more magical when you read it yourself) but it involved theft, revenge, fighting, comradery, tricks, secrets- all the good stuff- and doctors, alchemists, nobles, priests, assassins, gangs, and, of course, bands of thieves.
Gentlemen Bastards!
If I may point out a few details I loved, I thought the "fantasy" elements were woven in artfully. There's alchemy, but I really liked how it was talked about in more scientific terms rather than magic. There are people called Bondsmages who are basically the Siths of wizards- they cause pain, control animals, do mind tricks, all that sort of thing, but they never seemed gimmicky or too much "ye olde magicka." The format of the story was lovely- a main storyline with several well-placed interludes about Locke's childhood, certain colourful events in Camorr's history, the working of the city's underworld, or even spending a little time inside the head of a secondary character. Also, let it be known that this has the greatest ending to anything I have ever read, ever, so don't worry about being disappointed by a lackluster finish- I thought it was brilliant.
All in all, a richly told, wonderfully executed, positively delightful tale. It was just... charming. It just made me happy in so many ways, and it felt new despite the fact that it really is a return to the tried-and-true aspects of sprawling fantasy, done marvellously well. Like I said above, classic but fresh, drawing from its predecessors but still special in its own right, which I think is an especially difficult thing to master.
Because nowadays I believe we value writing far more than storytelling, and every now and then I need a charming thief (Locke), an unwittingly brave hobbit (Bilbo), or a suave bookseller (Fermín) to comfort me. Sometimes (but certainly not all the time) I want a clear hero and a clear villain- because in a world where so much is mired in the grey, a little bit of black and white can go a long way. These books, for me, are the equivalent of a favourite armchair. They may not be of the very highest quality, but they are warm, cosy, incredibly enjoyable and with the perfect, comfortable mixture of firmness and fluff. Everybody needs books like these, the ones we can fall back on time and time again and never get tired of, books that feel very much like the emotional equivalent of peeling your socks (or pants) off after a long day of work. Many people find that fluffy, cute romances do the job for them, and that's just fine. But me?
Well, I'll take a rakish thief any day of the week.
*I might have made a status update saying this (I have a feeling I did), and I loathe being redundant, but as of right now I can't see my status updates. It happens sometimes, especially as of late, but eventually it resolves somehow. Ah, Goodreads- the site with more bugs than an overzealous entomologist.
Read for the 2016 Popsugar Reading Challenge: "A book that's more than 600 pages." show less
"Gentlemen Bastards." hissed Locke, "do not abandon one another, and we do not run when we owe vengeance.”
It's been years since I read this the first time - so many years the only thing I could remember is thieves, twists in plot and much profanity! And I still loved this one the second time around - still full of profanity and funny quotes as these boys grow up and get to know the thieving life. It's interesting trying to keep the storylines straight as they tell one back story with another back story and flip flop between those 2 and the present. But once they story catches up and it starts the twists, the long cons are surprising and, again, things I didn't remember and ones I was completely surprised by. I love the writing and the show more characters - I love the humor and the plot. Such a fun book. show less
It's been years since I read this the first time - so many years the only thing I could remember is thieves, twists in plot and much profanity! And I still loved this one the second time around - still full of profanity and funny quotes as these boys grow up and get to know the thieving life. It's interesting trying to keep the storylines straight as they tell one back story with another back story and flip flop between those 2 and the present. But once they story catches up and it starts the twists, the long cons are surprising and, again, things I didn't remember and ones I was completely surprised by. I love the writing and the show more characters - I love the humor and the plot. Such a fun book. show less
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Talk Discussions
Past Discussions
The Gentlemen B*stards Sequence in FantasyFans (September 2020)
January Fantasy Read - SPOILERS - The Lies of Locke Lamora in The Green Dragon (October 2012)
January Fantasy Read - NO SPOILERS - The Lies of Locke Lamora in The Green Dragon (January 2012)
Author Information
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 and Honors
Awards
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Belongs to Publisher Series
Narrativa [Nord] (293)
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Common Knowledge
- Canonical title
- The Lies of Locke Lamora
- Original title
- The Lies of Locke Lamora
- Original publication date
- 2006-06-27
- People/Characters
- Locke Lamora; Jean Tannen; Calo Sanza; Galdo Sanza; Bug; Capa Barsavi (show all 50); The Grey King; Sofia Salvara; Lorenzo Salvara; Angiavesta Vorchenza; Cheryn Berangias; Raiza Berangias; The Falconer; Nazca Barsavi; Anjais Barsavi; Pachero Barsavi; Vencarlo Barsavi; Sabetha Belacoros; Father Chains; Conté; Lukas Fehrwight; Paleri Jacobo; Nicovante; Tomsa Maranzalla; Giancana Meraggio; Vestris; Veslin; Ambrosine Strollo; Lucrezia Strollo; Vidrik; Jessaline d'Aubart; Janellaine d'Aubart; Harza; Vitale Vento; Aganesse; Marius Cordo; Cicilia de Ricura; Evante Eccari; Gregor Foss; Don Leviana; Isabella Manechezzo; Felice; Ferenze; Gathis; Ibelius; Benjavier; Laval; Stephen Reynart; Gisella; Trevor Vargas
- Important places
- Camorr; Angevine; Ashmere; Austershalin mountains; Emberlain; Five Towers (show all 18); The Floating Grave; Iron Sea; Palace of Patience; Sea of Brass; Shades' Hill; Shifting Market; Tal Verrar; Temple of Perelandro; Tumblehome; Viscount's Gate; Meraggio's Countinghouse; House of Glass Roses
- Related movies
- The Lies of Locke Lamora (in development | IMDb)
- Epigraph*
- Een fris, origineel en fascinerend verhaal van een opwindend nieuw geluid in het fantasygenre.
- Dedication
- For Jenny, this little world that was blessed
to have you peeking over my shoulder
while it took shape--
Love Always. - First words
- At the height of the long wet summer of the Seventy-Seventh Year of Sendovani, the Thiefmaker of Camorr paid a sudden and unannounced visit to the Eyeless Priest at the Temple of Perelandro, desperately hoping to sell him the... (show all) Lamora boy.
- Quotations
- We don't believe in hard work when a false face and a good line of bullshit can do so much more.
Locke is our brother and our love for him knows no bounds. But the four most fatal words in the Therin language are 'Locke would appreciate it.'
Rivaled only by 'Locke taught me a new trick'.
Catbridges were another legacy of the Eldren who’d ruled before the coming of men: narrow glass arches no wider than an ordinary man’s hips, arranged in pairs over most of Camorr’s canals and at several places along the... (show all) Angevine River. Although they looked smooth, their glimmering surfaces were as rough as shark’s-hide leather; for those with a reasonable measure of agility and confidence, they provided the only convenient means of crossing water at many points. Traffic was always one-directional over each catbridge; ducal decree clearly stated that anyone going the wrong direction could be shoved off by those with the right-of-way. - Last words
- (Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)The lights drew down into the darkness, and then they were gone for good, and the rain swept in like a wall above the sea.
- Publisher's editor
- Groell, Anne
- Blurbers
- Martin, George R.R.; Stover, Matthew Woodring; Elliott, Kate; Morgan, Richard; Ash, Sarah; Bear, Elizabeth (show all 9); Duncan, Hal; Pratt, Tim; Kerr, Peg
- 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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