The Lies of Locke Lamora (Gentleman Bastards, #1)

by Scott Lynch

book data

1,532 ratings, 4.23 average rating, 370 reviews (more data...)

rating	frequency	%
5		45%
4		38%
3		11%
2		2%
1		1%

edit

published

February 1st 2007 (first published 2006) by Gollancz

binding

Paperback, 537 pages

literary awards

World Fantasy Best Novel nominee (2007); British Fantasy Society Best Novel nominee (2007)

isbn

0575079754 (isbn13: 9780575079755)

description

They say that the Thorn of Camorr can beat anyone in a fight. They say he steals from the rich and gives to the poor. They say he's part man, part myt...more

find at: Amazon | Half.com | Barnes & Noble | compare prices ($4.42)…

new topic
discuss this book

topics	posts	views	last activity
The Next Best Boo...: OFFICIAL SUMMER CHALLENGE 2009	3772	4370	4 hours, 28 min ago
Fantasy Book Club: * Introductions - tell us a little about yourself	540	904	17 hours, 0 min ago
The Next Best Boo...: Steph's 2009 goal	25	184	1 day ago, 10:23PM
50 Books A Year: nearly half way through 2009 how many you read so far	113	594	1 day ago, 08:40PM

friend reviews

To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up.

lists with this book

2009 Summer Reading List

1387 books | 2530 voters

More lists...

other reviews (showing 1-20 of 2,446)

sort: default (?) | date
filters: all | text-only

07/01/08

Kelly rated it:

(review of other edition)

bookshelves: fantasy, fiction, worth-rereading

Read in February, 2009

From the first threat to use someone's balls as fish bait to the last attempt to drown someone in horse piss, I absolutely adored this book. It is absolutely everything it should be, and then some. Emphasis on the and then some because it completely defied my expectations on many levels, both genre-wise and quality wise.

Set in a freaky, mystical alternate Renaissance Venice, the story takes place amongst the underworld thieves and gangs of the city. Our protagonist (I definitely won'...more From the first threat to use someone's balls as fish bait to the last attempt to drown someone in horse piss, I absolutely adored this book. It is absolutely everything it should be, and then some. Emphasis on the and then some because it completely defied my expectations on many levels, both genre-wise and quality wise.

Set in a freaky, mystical alternate Renaissance Venice, the story takes place amongst the underworld thieves and gangs of the city. Our protagonist (I definitely won't call him a hero), Locke Lamora, and his title implied lies, guide us through a twisted, involved, and incredibly fucking fun (as they would say themselves) plotline that bounces all over the place back and forth and winds to its improbable and yet not unbelievable conclusion. There's thieving, impersonating identities, lots and lots of lies (some well done, others less so), very creative swearing that often made me laugh out loud, gang fights, plenty of gore, and all the intrigue, politics and sweet sweet revenge you could possibly want. And even amongst all this filth and twisted dirtiness, it still manages to be about love and revenge and wonderful, awesome friendship.

I really loved how this book went right through and around genre expectations. Our protagonist Locke Lamora is not good looking, he isn't at all good in a fight, and we get to watch him be impotent in bed, an arrogant little snit who gets slapped down several times, and taking very very petty, not noble revenge on a bunch of people. He's just really smart. But realistically so. Sometimes even his spectacular ability to lie fails, and he has to go to Plan B. Sometimes Plan C. Sometimes Plan Z, until he's at the end of his tether, before he finally catches a break- and by that point he might be black and blue and humiliated and mutilated in a lot of nasty ways that don't usually get to happen to a hero. They also make no bones about the fact that he is a thief, and not in any Robin Hood sense at all, and no, there is no secret noble quest underneath that. Just deal with it. Love it.

Scott Lynch is also not afraid to kill people. Yup, George RR Martin, you have evil pupils. HAPPY NOW? Nobody is safe in this book, and you geniunely believe that anyone left alive could die on the next page by a random unlucky strike to the back of the head from a penny dropped from a height. He also is not close minded in his plots. He has created an incredible world, and he involves that world in the plot. Sometimes things go awry just... 'cause. Not everyone in the city is part of their plot. Shit happens. I love that as well. His world creation is absolutely incredible, by the way. No, not by the way. That's a main point. It's vibrant and pulsing and real, and you will absolutely be drawn into its fold. He's meticulous in detail, and yet not boring with it. He spent five pages describing an alien glass garden of roses and I was riveted- I thought it was some of the best pages of the book. He's a very very skilled storyteller, and his descriptions are just a part of that. He's able to keep things at a very brisk pace and indulge us all the while building his plot and enriching the background.

I read this in four days, you guys. There were many many reasons for that. I give this book four stars just 'cause I'm stingy with the five stars, but it is really a five star book for the fantasy genre, it absolutely is.

(Also: Yes indeed, people who have read this, Jean Tannen is awesome. The last two hundred pages made me a convert.)(less)

Like this review? yes (5 people liked it)

12 comments

03/02/08

Christopher rated it:

(review of isbn 0553804677)

Has a copy to sell/swap — Read in May, 2008

This was a beautiful book with a fuckin' ugly ass cover (which I should sy right away is NOT the cover that they show here). I'm in a few online groups for people who like the sort of things that Neil Gaiman, China Mieville, George R.R. Martin, Peter Straub, Elizabeth Hand and their ilk are writing. I still haven't see a good label for that group.

The New Wave Fabulists. I hate that one. But they brought it on themselves.

The New Weirdist. I might hate that on even m...more

Like this review? yes (4 people liked it)

2 comments

02/17/08

Josh rated it:

(review of isbn 055358894X)

bookshelves: fantasy, favorite-books

Read in February, 2008

This is one of the best books I have read, in the fantasy genre or otherwise. Reading this, it's hard to imagine that this is Scott Lynch's debut novel, as it reads like a book from someone who has had plenty of time to master their craft.

I hate always bringing a comparison to George R.R. Martin, but here it's inevitable, for me anyways. First, I bought the book because of Martin's blurb of praise on the cover. Martin has great recommendations and he's never let me down. But not onl...more This is one of the best books I have read, in the fantasy genre or otherwise. Reading this, it's hard to imagine that this is Scott Lynch's debut novel, as it reads like a book from someone who has had plenty of time to master their craft.

I hate always bringing a comparison to George R.R. Martin, but here it's inevitable, for me anyways. First, I bought the book because of Martin's blurb of praise on the cover. Martin has great recommendations and he's never let me down. But not only is it a great book, Lynch's style draws comparison to Martin in many ways. It has the simple yet easy flowing prose, the sarcasm, the grittiness, the unpredictability. Yet it has a depth of character that I find more reminiscent of Robin Hobb, (just much less sadistic, as any fan of Fitz might know) as it follows mainly one character as he grows and learns his trade. If Martin and Hobb were to collaborate on a book about thieves, The Lies of Locke Lamora might be the outcome.

Not to say that Lynch pulls heavily from other authors. This book is a breath of fresh air and very different from fantasy that's out there today. Honestly, I normally wouldn't be entirely interested in a book about thieving, but I found this entertaining as hell. It's loaded with action, numerous plot twists, flawed characters, sharp (and often times filthy) dialogue and plenty of moments where I laughed out loud and got strange looks from my wife.

Yet even with all of that, I think Lynch's greatest strength may be his world building. Throughout the book there are interludes that flash back to Locke's past, as well as the past of other key characters -namely Jean- that provide a rich back story. These interludes aren't intrusive at all, and work really well to propel the story as a whole. It shows how the characters change and grew so much from the past to the present. This is done wonderfully. And then there's the world itself. I can tell that the author put a lot of time into the environment. I had no problem at all imagining the setting with the strange Elderglass buildings and Venice-like layout of islands and canals.

From the seedy underbelly to the rich towers of the nobility, Camorr is a city worth visiting; where the villains steal and murder and the heroes... well they steal and murder too. I really have nothing negative to say about this book. Although it's the first in a series, it is a complete story within itself. The author simply uses his skill and devilishly addictive writing to ensure that you'll come back again anyways. I recommend The Lies of Locke Lamora, and its author, whole heartedly. (less)

Like this review? yes (3 people liked it)

add a comment

07/13/08

Lori rated it:

(review of isbn 0553804677)

Read in February, 2009

I am so excited to finally read this.

Well I've finished, and at the risk of ire from all my great friends here at GR who loved this book, I'm giving it a 3. The characters were well developed and I liked all the ones I'm supposed to like; the world was beautifully realized and very interesting; the author can clearly write BUT it just didn't grab me. In fact I skimmed the end.

Once again, I think alot had to do with timing - all I want to do is get back to this intense se...more

Like this review? yes (3 people liked it)

6 comments

04/27/08

Sandi rated it:

(review of isbn 055358894X)

bookshelves: 2008, fantasy

Read in August, 2008

recommended to Sandi by: Beyond Reality September Fantasy BOM

I am completely ambivalent about "The Lies of Locke Lamora" by Scott Lynch. On the one hand, I liked the characters and really got caught up in their adventure. On the other hand, I hated how Lynch told us several times about a character who never once makes an appearance. I hated how he just dropped the storyline of Locke and the Gentleman Bastard's youth without completing it. I like how he wrapped up the main storyline and gave it a sense of finality, but left it open for more a...more

Like this review? yes (3 people liked it)

add a comment

06/26/09

Chris rated it:

(review of isbn 055358894X)

bookshelves: 2009, sf-fantasy

For me this book is between 3 and 4 stars. Lynch does a wonderful job of creating a world and characters. The characters, overall, breath. The world is believable and enjoyable. This book is almost a fantasy version of The Godfather. Locke Lamora is an engaging character as his friend Jean. It's pace is well done, and the twists are enjoyable. Some of the scenes in you can see staged in your mind.

That said there are some problems with the book. Of the two strong, good female ...more

Like this review? yes (3 people liked it)

add a comment

07/30/08

Felicia rated it:

(review of isbn 055358894X)

bookshelves: fantasy

Sorry, I did not LOVE this book. I LIKED it. I know I'm in the minority, and I think it might be more Guy leaning, so if you like swashbuckley adventure sorts, with a Oceans-13 bent, this might be for you.

Like this review? yes (3 people liked it)

1 comment

10/13/08

Doreen rated it:

(review of isbn 0553804677)

bookshelves: sci-fi--fantasy--horror, shu-wpf

The best part was the profanity.

OK, so I'm shallow that way.

The world building and descriptions were vivid and lush, but also tedious and long-winded. The flashbacks to the past rapidly became trite. I never would have made it past page 150 if it wasn't a required read for school. The characters were kept at a distance by the strange "sorta omniscient, sorta third person" point of view. I never cared about any of them because their motivations were a mystery. ...more

Like this review? yes (2 people liked it)

add a comment

09/16/08

Elijah rated it:

(review of isbn 0553804677)

Read in December, 2008

I love a lot of books, and I don't hesitate to give a five-star rating if I come out of one feeling that it deserves such. But at times like this I wish that I was more stingy with those ratings, because then this five would mean more.

The Lies of Locke Lamora won't be for everybody. It's largely freewheeling escapism: schemes, hideouts, magic, etc. It's also not very tame, containing much violence and a fuck-ton of cursing. But it does everything that it does so very well, makes ever...more I love a lot of books, and I don't hesitate to give a five-star rating if I come out of one feeling that it deserves such. But at times like this I wish that I was more stingy with those ratings, because then this five would mean more.

The Lies of Locke Lamora won't be for everybody. It's largely freewheeling escapism: schemes, hideouts, magic, etc. It's also not very tame, containing much violence and a fuck-ton of cursing. But it does everything that it does so very well, makes every character so interesting, and rounds every twist and turn (and there are a lot of them) so damn perfectly that it immediately leaps up to being one of my absolute favorites.

Let me put it this way, I read the first half in a matter of weeks, which is normal for me, and the second half in a matter of days. Two of them, actually.

While I'm still quite happy with the basic tenets of epic fantasy, this is an incredibly refreshing break from them. I could describe it (in the first half, at least) as Ocean's Eleven in a fantasy version of Renaissance Venice, but that would really sell it short. The world is wonderfully realized, with long passages of details that manage to stay light and interesting--that sort of thing can be poison to me sometimes. The characters seem a bit distant at first but grow on you awfully fast. In fact, I ended up so invested in them as people that I would often have to use a bit of hindsight to realize just how bad-ass or ingenious something that they would do was.

I could go on about the incredibly interesting religion at play in this world, and the fact that just about everyone is religious, albeit in strange and interesting ways. Or I could rant about how I ended up genuinely hating the villains, and not because they hit the regular "villain" signals in an adventure story, but because of what they actually did. I could mention that I laughed out loud and had my heart pounding ridiculously in my chest... but all of those things would (and do) sound awfully cliche. The fact is, I can recognize, logically, that this was the sort of story that pushes all the right buttons for me (a fantasy/mystery/swashbuckler/heist/hardboiled/crime/thingy) but that doesn't change the fact that it was all written extremely well. Not everyone will love it like I did, but I think a damn good number of people can get a lot out of it.(less)

Like this review? yes (1 person liked it)

15 comments

09/05/08

Kristin rated it:

(review of isbn 0553804677)

bookshelves: science-fiction

Read in September, 2008

I liked this book - but with reservations.

The premise of the story is we follow a young Locke Lamora from the time he is picked up by the Master of the Thieves, and sold to the Temple of Perendelo and his subsequent training as a very masterful thief. We see how he becomes the leader of his "Gentlemen Bastards" and follow them on their adventures as the rid the rich of their wealth.

First, Lies of Locke Lamora has a two track story line - the plot bounces betwe...more

Like this review? yes (2 people liked it)

add a comment

01/13/08

Thornsmoke rated it:

(review of isbn 0553804677)

bookshelves: epic-fantasy

So much fun!

I read this in one night. Then read it again. And again. It's been several months since I bought my copy, and I'm still reading it besottedly every other week.

It's charming and funny and doesn't make the mistake of sacrificing characterization or plot for a joke. The cons are twisty and unpredictable -- I especially like the moments when they have to make a few up on the spot just to get themselves out of scalding water -- the characters are all uniquely motiv...more

Like this review? yes (1 person liked it)

add a comment

01/09/08

Natlyn rated it:

(review of isbn 055358894X)

Read in January, 2008

Locke Lamora is a con artist who leads a small band of con artists who prey on only the aristocracy in a quasi-Italian Renaissance city. This is strictly forbidden, not only by the actual laws but also by the Capa (the city's crime lord to whom all criminals must swear loyalty and pay a percentage of their crime earnings), who has arranged a Secret Peace with the city's law enforcement. So, not only is Locke conning his prey, but also the Capa. But this is only the setup to the actual story that...more Locke Lamora is a con artist who leads a small band of con artists who prey on only the aristocracy in a quasi-Italian Renaissance city. This is strictly forbidden, not only by the actual laws but also by the Capa (the city's crime lord to whom all criminals must swear loyalty and pay a percentage of their crime earnings), who has arranged a Secret Peace with the city's law enforcement. So, not only is Locke conning his prey, but also the Capa. But this is only the setup to the actual story that involves a threat to the Capa's power, plots, counterplots, plots within plots, vengeance, prudence, recklessness, prudent recklessness, and surprising and unsurprising deaths.

This book is plot-driven, yet I quite enjoyed the characters. Locke is a brilliant schemer and an even more brilliant improviser. He and his group are masters of disguises, accents, and practical and arcane knowledge, yet are home and hearth types, who interestingly have little actual greed, but rather a love for the game. While some characters are not given as much detail as I'd like, there is quite a bit of characterization provided for minor characters. Lynch has the gift of making me want to see more of characters who only have one or two scenes. While all of the characters are ruthless and focused, many are likeable and most have understandable motivations.

The structure reminds me of the novels of Stephen King and Dune by Frank Herbert. Lynch skips around in his storytelling, sometimes to foreshadow, sometimes to provide a different perspective on events, sometimes to give a break in the action—usually all three, and it is always entertaining.

There is also quite a lot of world building. The story appears to take place on a planet where there was a sentient race that died out before the current people arrived (or evolved, it isn't spelled out). In any event, this race is long gone and the current inhabitants are well entrenched and have clearly been so for centuries. The extinct race is known mainly through its amazing architecture, which still survives and is what much of the population of the city has claimed for their own living quarters. Lynch spends a lot of time describing the scenery, which I could do without, but it does reinforce or contrast with the action nicely and it never goes on for long at a time. In addition to the physical world building, there are well-thoughtout religious, political and economic systems.

This 752-page doorstopper is fun and fresh. I was never sure what would happen next.

(less)

Like this review? yes (1 person liked it)

add a comment

06/26/07

Trin rated it:

bookshelves: american-lit, fantasy

Read in August, 2007

This book took me forever to read—through no fault of its own, I think. It's a fast-paced fantasy set in a world I am ACHING to read an entire history about; you can tell Lynch has really thought about this society and this city and this landscape he's created, and he doles out information about it in little bite-sized bits that leave you hungry for more rather than rolling your eyes at dialogue of the "Well, Locke, as you know it's been seventeen years that we've known each other; we of ...more

Like this review? yes (1 person liked it)

2 comments

03/25/07

Kristen rated it:

(review of isbn 0553804677)

Read in April, 2007

Full review here: http://fantasycafe.blogspot.com/2007/05/...

I finally got around to reading The Lies of Locke Lamora after hearing a lot of good things about this debut novel by Scott Lynch. At first, I was afraid it wasn't going to live up to all the good things I had heard about it since I found it a little hard to get into in the beginning, but I ended up absolutely loving this book.

This is definitely not a book to read if you are looking to read something thought-prov...more Full review here: http://fantasycafe.blogspot.com/2007/05/...

I finally got around to reading The Lies of Locke Lamora after hearing a lot of good things about this debut novel by Scott Lynch. At first, I was afraid it wasn't going to live up to all the good things I had heard about it since I found it a little hard to get into in the beginning, but I ended up absolutely loving this book.

This is definitely not a book to read if you are looking to read something thought-provoking and insightful. However, it is something to read if you are looking for something entertaining. It's a very dialogue heavy book, and a lot of the dialogue is clever and witty. Toward the beginning of the book, I thought it seemed like the dialogue was a bit forced and the author was trying too hard to make it seem clever, but it got better as the book went on.

One thing that some may find annoying is that the entire book switches back and forth between the past and the present. It isn't confusing since the past parts are referred to as interludes (with the exception of the prologue, which goes between the past and further past without as much warning as to when it's changed times). After the prologue, it smoothed out and I ended up enjoying the brief looks into the past.

The characters are wonderful. If you're tired of goody-two-shoes characters who can do no wrong, this might be the book for you. The main character Locke Lamora is a priest of the Benefactor, a god of thievery, and a master of disguise. He and his friends in the priesthood are con men who make schemes to take some money of the hands of the rich noblemen in the city of Camorr, which seems to be modeled after an Italian city. Locke isn't really an evil character, but he's certainly not good either. If you're familiar with D&D alignments, I'd call him some sort of neutral (but definitely not lawful neutral). Also, he's actually a fantasy book main character who is not good at fighting at all - he's much better at using his brain. (And, just to be clear, he's not a mage of any sort either - just a clever rogue.)

I could not put this book down, and I thought it was a fairly unique fantasy book. It did have it's flaws early on and it's not what I'd call a masterpiece of literature, but I had so much fun with it and found it different enough from normal fantasy literature that I have to give it a pretty good score. It was the most entertaining book I'd read in quite a while.(less)

Like this review? yes (1 person liked it)

add a comment

03/09/09

Angela rated it:

(review of isbn 0553804677)

bookshelves: fantasy

Read in August, 2008

I may be in the minority here, but I wasn't able to finish the book. I found the writing competent, and the setting was quite interesting. It's a pity that the story couldn't do it justice. Instead of truly overcoming obstacles or dealing with things in a sensical fashion, Locke and Co. just... overcome the obstacle or deal with the situation. Not by any skill or guile. Just... because. After a while, it began to grate on me; I put the book down about two thirds of the way in and never picked it...more

Like this review? yes (2 people liked it)

add a comment

09/12/07

Wealhtheow rated it:

(review of isbn 0553804677)

bookshelves: battle-of-wits, fantasy, mannerpunk

Read in September, 2007

recommends it for: fans of the Artful Dodger, Robin Hood, Bean and Miles Vorkosigan

Locke Lamora and his fellow "Gentlemen Bastards" seek to steal, connive and otherwise inviegle wealth from the nobility in the most outrageous ways possible. All is going according to his wildly elaborate plan...until he gets the secret police and the serial killing, possibly otherworldly Gray King on his tail. Locke is a fabulous character--far from the strongest, quickest or prettiest of the thieves, he leads through sheer cleverness and verve.

The play of language and...more

Like this review? yes (1 person liked it)

add a comment

07/26/08

Michael rated it:

(review of isbn 055358894X)

Read in July, 2008

recommended to Michael by: George R. R. Martin

"Lies" introdues a vibrant and intriguing world named Camorr which is ruled from above by the Duke, and from below by the Capa, a mythical crime boss. There is an unspoken agreement between these two forces called the "Secret Peace", which produces a wonderfully vivid dysfunctional society - the perfect setting for a fantasy series.

Locke Lamora and his small band of colleagues are criminals happily stuck between both of these worlds. They're members of the "...more

Like this review? yes (1 person liked it)

add a comment

10/01/07

Dormouse rated it:

(review of isbn 0575078022)

bookshelves: sff

Read in July, 2007

recommends it for: fantasy readers who don't mind graphic violence

I knew I'd like it because someone was saying 'Shit' on page 12, and the small orphan was ingenious and bright and violent.

It then took me a while to read it - there were passages of description that felt long, setting the scene instead of getting on with the story. Yes, it all happens on an invented world, but sometimes it felt as though the story pauses to let the description happen. That said, it *is* an interesting setting, and there are some nice artifacts and

...more

Like this review? yes (1 person liked it)

2 comments

01/31/08

Jennifer Marie rated it:

(review of isbn 0553804677)

bookshelves: 2008-books, adult-2008-prior, fantasy

Read in February, 2008

**Review as I go Review**

I'm 50 pages into this 500 page book and I can't stay focus for the life of me. I don't like the protagonist one bit. I don't like the supporting characters one bit. And the plot does NOTHING for me. I don't care about boys stealing or how they manage it and the Fantasy world built by the author does absolutely NOTHING for me (as well as being complicated).

OKay, so I can understand why people love this book, but it's not my cup of tea and I w...more

Like this review? yes (1 person liked it)

add a comment

11/27/07

Deb rated it:

(review of isbn 0553804677)

bookshelves: fantasy-sf, favorites, humor

Read in November, 2007

recommends it for: fantasy geeks & fans of medieval thiefs

This is the fantasy book you've been waiting for, when you're sick to death of the atypical "danger to the world, must quest" plot but don't want to give up the genre forever. You'll find snarky writing, lying thieving bastards who think they're smarter than anyone else, and intricate scams that dissolve at the thieves feet like so much used toilet paper. I put a hold on the sequel before I was halfway through...

One of the things I really liked was the group's satiric tradi...more

Like this review? yes (1 person liked it)

add a comment