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The Lies of Locke Lamora

(Gentleman Bastard #1)

Scott Lynch (Goodreads Author)

4.30 · Rating details · 189,396 ratings · 12,799 reviews

An orphan’s life is harsh—and often short—in the mysterious island city of Camorr. But young Locke Lamora dodges death and slavery, becoming a thief under the tutelage of a gifted con artist. As leader of the band of light-fingered brothers known as the Gentleman Bastards, Locke is soon infamous, fooling even the underworld’s most feared ruler. But in the shadows lurks som ...more

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Kindle Edition, 752 pages

Published June 27th 2006 by Spectra

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Start your review of The Lies of Locke Lamora (Gentleman Bastard, #1)

Apr 22, 2010 Patrick rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: books-i-would-blurb

Back when I was first published, people made a lot of comparisons between me and Scott Lynch.

The sentiment was mostly along the lines of "Pat Rothfuss is the next Scott Lynch!"

Here's the thing, Lies of Lock Lamora had come out almost exactly a year before my first book, The Name of the Wind. It was Scott's first book, the first in a fantasy series. The world was gritty and real, and it had knocked everyone over with how good it was.

So I knew it was a flattering comparison, but at the time, I ...more

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May 23, 2017 Chaima ✨ شيماء rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites, fantasy, read-in-2018, fiction

My legs are so toned from climbing the stairs back to a higher moral ground after reading this book but I would still throw the version of myself who hasn’t picked it up sooner down a set of stairs because this was the most fun I had in a while why did I deprive myself of it? No really. Is anything as pure as a heist book? Is anything as good and exciting and forthright as a heist book, I ask you?

So, what's this book about?

The Lies of Locke Lamora, not-so-delicately traces the path back to th ...more

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Jan 13, 2014 Mark Lawrence added it · review of another edition

So, I was surprised to discover we owned this book, since it's a very well known book but nobody in my house had ever mentioned it to me.

Turns out my wife bought it, tried it, found it too slow, and gave up. I've convinced her to give it another go.

I enjoyed Locke Lamora and his lies quite a bit. Immediately I liked the writing, which combines wit with solid prose. Like my wife I hit a bit of a soft patch early on, though for me it was that I was finding the point of view ...more

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Nov 05, 2013 Regan rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

DNF.

I dunno maybe I'll try again at a later date. This is strange because it wasn't because I didn't like this book but more that I didn't have any drive to finish it. I had no connection with any of the characters and I found myself not caring about the story either.

5 Years later...

Past Regan was so wrong this book was SO GOOD

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Jan 18, 2010 Michael rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: 2000s, most-popular-reviews, fiction-that-speculates, goodest-reads-2010

Ocean's Eleven was great and everything, but know what would've made it cooler? If the setting had been during the late middle ages, possibly the Renaissance. Better yet, a fantasy world version of the Renaissance with an intricate system of magic and a complex set of political conspiracies to add some flair. And what if the city was built upon the ruins of an earlier city, and the earlier city was built by some enigmatic science fiction creatures that have since disappeared?

And if instead of Ocean's Eleven was great and everything, but know what would've made it cooler? If the setting had been during the late middle ages, possibly the Renaissance. Better yet, a fantasy world version of the Renaissance with an intricate system of magic and a complex set of political conspiracies to add some flair. And what if the city was built upon the ruins of an earlier city, and the earlier city was built by some enigmatic science fiction creatures that have since disappeared?

And if instead of a handsome, tepid and understated George Clooney in the lead, we had a short guy who can't swordfight a whit, and has a bit of an anger management issue? And he drops unexpected one-liners that make you literally laugh out loud while you're in the breakroom at work and suddenly everyone is looking at you like you're psycho? What if the character went to the Mel Gibson school of Masochism, requiring he gets beat to a bloody pulp and stabbed and drowned in horse urine...oh, I don't know....several times per story arc? How about this character (we'll call him Locke) is absolutely fallible and occasionally screws up on a cosmic level? The kind of screw-up that would get someone less clever killed in mere seconds? And what if, improbably, this protagonist somehow escapes and still--in a manner of speaking--wins?

That sounds like fun. But, it COULD end up a little predictable. So, the author should be a recent graduate of the George R R Martin School of Bumping Off Prominent Characters (Yes, these schools do exist). And the con game Locke is building should hit tons of snags that continue raising the stakes and drawing in new, more dangerous characters, increasing the risk until you just can't stop reading even to put out house fires for the last couple hundred pages. And then, when somehow the Gentlemen Bastards emerge on the other side, coated in their own blood and the blood of others, triumphant, you put the book down and say "Wow."

Furthermore! How about, even though the book is the first book in a ridiculously long series, this hypothetical book is a complete story! (For those of you who read a lot of Very Long Fantasy Serieses, this may be a foreign concept. It may help to wiki the words "climax" and "resolution.") When you finish this one, you aren't forced to keep reading in order to find out how the conflict is resolved. You actually know. That sounds pretty cool.

Well, it is cool. It is witty, profane, violent, over the top, and frequently hilarious. I can't believe this is Scott Lynch's first novel, and I can't wait to read more. This is an incredibly fun adventure novel. Find yourself a copy and read it.
...more

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Oct 27, 2011 Nataliya rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Recommends it for: Fans of fantasy full of humor, adventures, and blood.

Shelves: location-is-the-true-protagonist, favorites, first-in-a-series, 2012-reads

The Lies of Locke Lamora is a love child of Ocean's Eleven and The Godfather. With blood, deaths, betrayals, money, and drowning in horse urine. With a sh*tload of non-PG humor. All for the price of one. And it's SO. GOOD.

“Some day, Locke Lamora,” he said, “some day, you’re going to fuck up so magnificently, so ambitiously, so overwhelmingly that the sky will light up and the moons will spin and the godclass="gr-hostedUserImg">

...more

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Jan 11, 2015 Anne rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, recommended-by-a-not-stupid-friend, kindle, read-in-2015, heist, humor

2.5 stars...maybe a full 3?

I'm having such a hard time with how I feel about this book!
I was looking for another fantasy/heist book like The Palace Job, and The Lies of Locke Lamora has so many great reviews that I thought it would be an easy win for me.
Ehhh. Yes and no. But mostly no.

description

Let me be the first to admit that the problems I had with this one?
Well, they might be exactly why every other reader loved it.

description

It took me foreverme.
Ehhh. ...more

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Dec 10, 2013 Pierce Brown rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

It's not often I read a book that makes me forget I'm a writer too. This one succeeded, madly. It stole hours of sleep. It wrapped me in cozy myth. It gave me the blessing of feeling like a kid again, snuggled up with a book, wondering how the hell 10pm became 4am.

Find. Buy. Consume.

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Sep 11, 2016 Petrik rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Recommends it for: Fantasy fans

Shelves: favorites, owned-physical-books

4.5/5 Stars

Double Fuckdamn…
1. For postponing reading this book for a really long time.
2. For underestimating Scott Lynch’s capability to create such a strong debut novel.

“There’s no freedom quite like the freedom of being constantly underestimated.”

Together with The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss and Malice by John Gwynne, The Lies of Locke Lamora, the first book in The Gentleman Bastard Sequence series is one of the best DEBUT novels I ever read. Don’t get me wrong, the series I mentioned are completely different with each other but in termsnovel.
Stars
Double ...more

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Mar 03, 2019 Virginia Ronan ♥ Herondale ♥ rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy-series

”Some day, Locke Lamora,” he said, “some day, you’re going to fuck up so magnificently, so ambitiously, so overwhelmingly that the sky will light up and the moons will spin and the gods themselves will shit comets with glee. And I just hope I’m still around to see it.”
“Oh please,” said Locke. “It’ll never happen.”

Haha! You gotta love Father Chains for his vivid imagination and if you actually read the entire book you might find yourself at a place where you have to agree with him. XD
But I’m ...more

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Jun 06, 2018 Dana Ilie rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy

I'll be blunt up front and share that The Lies of Locke Lamora is one of my favorite books this year.
I loved it. Ever freaking word of every line.
While the main plot of the book features heist, treachery and more mutinies than you could shake a stick at – the heart of the novel lies in the epic bromance that is the Gentlemen Bastards. I am a huge fan of the ‘family that you choose yourself’ trope, so Locke and his gang of misfits tickled at my heartstrings. Make no mistake, they’re neithe ...more

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Jun 08, 2016 James Tivendale rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: hiest, fantasy, grim, complex

Lynch introduces us to a gang of intelligent, flamboyant and charismatic thieves called the Gentleman Bastards around whom this book (and I assume the entire series) revolves. Locke - the infamous Thorn of Camorr, Jean and Bug were my personal favourites within the group but the camaraderie presented surrounding the gang was amazing - almost making us as the reader feel part of the ensemble - as we were privy to the cons, the secrets and also the stories revolving the characters youths.
...more

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Mar 28, 2019 Chelsea (chelseadolling reads) rated it really liked it

Recommended to Chelsea by: Milliebot

EXCUSE ME I JUST FINISHED READING A 700 PAGE ADULT FANTASY BOOK WHERE IS MY MEDAL???????? For real though, this was really fun! I might be leaning more towards a 3.5 because things reeeaaally started to drag for me right before the big hurrah at the end, but I still enjoyed it a heckin' ton overall. I may even consider carrying on with the series someday! Who am I?!

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Jun 15, 2019 jessica rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: favourites

locke lamora could rob me of all im worth and i would literally get down on my knees and thank him for the honour. he is the most deceptively clever, enticingly cunning, and gentlemanly bastard i have ever read and i cant get enough of him or his crew.

you guys, this story is unreal. its so morally wrong that you dont even want it to be right. its that luring, that gritty, that bold.

its masterfully chaotic - so many subplots, so many characters, so much world-building. theres never a dull momen ...more

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Nov 04, 2014 Dorreh rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Hello my dears, is it a mentally decapitating book you wish to read? (Pun intended)
Come, come right this way.............

This book is exactly what you're looking for, IF you're looking for a fantasy riddled, ruthless, enigmatic piece of art. This book was that, and so much more.

This book is around 700 pages with apt descriptions and precise detailing. It revolves around an orphan thief (because that's the best kind), whose world is changed when a plague riddled village is left Hello my dears, is it a mentally decapitating book you wish to read? (Pun intended)
Come, come right this way.............

This book is exactly what you're looking for, IF you're looking for a fantasy riddled, ruthless, enigmatic piece of art. This book was that, and so much more.

This book is around 700 pages with apt descriptions and precise detailing. It revolves around an orphan thief (because that's the best kind), whose world is changed when a plague riddled village is left with its only unaffected survivors. Based on the synopsis and the limited knowledge I had of this book before I picked it up, I assumed locke's thieving life will begin after he is taken into the custody of the thief lord, but boy was I mistaken. Locke is the story of a boy who has long before the story begins, been selected or better yet said; chosen for a life as a thief. Ironically a decent thief.

You see the reason this book deserves praise isn't the fastidious writing or plotting, it's the way the author has taken a heinous act such as stealing and transformed it into an art, and better yet made us absolutely love the so called artist. Its a mixture of tragic circumstances and incredible wit, with a touch of unbidden morality that makes his protagonist who he is. I guess it's always the way one person stands out as extraordinary that makes heads turn their way, and emotions ebb and flow. But perhaps my favorite thing was the fact that he wasn't invincible, he was smart, but not impossibly so. I guess I just fell in love with Locke from the beginning, he was just so imperfectly perfect. There is a renown sense of honesty to him, making him lovable.

The book moves back and forth, between different events in different settings and time spans. Keeping up with the flow proved to be a little difficult at first, because of all the names and places and people, and this jumping from here to there didn't help much either. But truly once you get into the flow of the book, which takes about 50 or so pages, you just sink, and keep going deeper and deeper. I personally adored the touches from locke's childhood and his learning, but it wasn't just about him. The book has a way of keeping you guessing, not just about what happens next, but also about who plays what role, and who truly matters. Although I give fair warning, this books is no happily ever after, and definitely not romance riddled. There are characters mentioned all through out, but have yet to be introduced, I personally want to meet locke's lost love sooner rather than later, but that has yet to happen.

Like I said before, the book doesn't revolve solely around one person, regardless of the fact that he is the main protagonist. Some parts shocked me to the core, and way too many characters were lost is a short span. Nascza was my first stab to the gut, then came bug, the twin priests, and all the others that just kept adding to the pile. I particularly mourned Bug. That was so not okay Mr.lynch, so not okay!

But regardless of the gut stabbing pain, the book was a thrill, and excellently written. It was my first time reading anything of lynchs work, and I dare say I was impressed. Although his vividly descriptive writing takes some getting used to. Can wait to read the second book!!! ...more

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Dec 19, 2016 ☽Luna☾ rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: badassery, great-books, favorites

5 Holy shit what did I just read Stars.★★★★★

❝I only steal because it’s heaps of fucking fun!❞

"You can’t be serious. This crap is as welcome as a pile of severed dog cocks.”

Firstly this book was incredible, seriously i can't even think of words to describe how good it was. This was my first time reading anything by Scott Lynch and I'm really impressed, he is a fantastic author and extremely talented. I'm so glad I picked up this book. I enjoyed it from page one, although I must admit it took me over 100 pages toStars.★★★★★
...more

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Dec 13, 2016 C.G. Drews rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: best-of-2016, audio-books, 5-star, adult, read-2016, epic-fantasy

THERE ARE NOT ENOUGH STARS IN THE SKY TO ACCURATELY SUM UP MY LOVE FOR THIS BOOK. I'm actually DYING WITH ADORATION RIGHT NOW. Can I say this is the best book ever???? Like, seriously, if I could only pick like 5 top books, it would be in that 5. (And omg peoples I read hundreds of books per year and am a rabid fan of many.) This was just frikkin brilliant in every. single. possible. way. I HAVE EMOTIONS. And I laughed so much because it's absolutely hilarious and clever and witty and insanely clever and did I mention how clever ...more

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Apr 17, 2015 Sean Barrs the Bookdragon rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 4-star-reads, fantasy

Some books evoke a distinctive feeling, or atmosphere, that can only be associated with that said book. This is no less true for The Lies of Lock Lamora by Scott Lynch. From the very early on I knew what kind of stuff this would be about, and how gritty it was going to become. Indeed, this book turns into a violent mess.

That’s because the ancient city of Camorr is infested with thieves, pickpockets, schemers and violent gang leaders. But, the worse of the bunch is the priests. Father Chains is a prie Some books evoke a distinctive feeling, or atmosphere, that can only be associated with that said book. This is no less true for The Lies of Lock Lamora by Scott Lynch. From the very early on I knew what kind of stuff this would be about, and how gritty it was going to become. Indeed, this book turns into a violent mess.

That’s because the ancient city of Camorr is infested with thieves, pickpockets, schemers and violent gang leaders. But, the worse of the bunch is the priests. Father Chains is a priest and his money making scheme is as brilliant as it is conniving. He hides behind a false religion and has created a fake temple to its worship. He pretends to be a prophet; thus, he rakes in a considerable income in tithes. He keeps the money for himself, and lives in luxury. To add insult to injury he also pretends to be blind, which further increases sympathy for himself and weighs down his pockets more so. Chains becomes Locke’s mentor. Suffice to say, he has learnt from the best thief of the age.

He was raised to be a thief

description

Locke Lamora (sounds good to say doesn’t it) is a young prodigy out to steal the world; he is ambitious and clever, strong and resourceful, and he has set his mind to a heist that will topple all those that came before it. He is the leader of Chain’s Gentleman Bastards, which is a thief syndicate that uses every tool available. These include things from a simple cutpurse job to blending in with the nobility. They were all raised by Chains; they are all master thieves, and the heist they attempt is bigger than the dreams any common thief.

Well, you know what they say about those that fly too high: they end up in a sticky mess. The Gentleman Bastards certainly achieved that. During their scheming they crossed paths with someone rather ominous, someone who wishes to use them in his revenge field mission against the entire city of Camoor. He has discovered the plans of Locke and friends and is using it to manipulate them to help in his blood soaked quest. Woe to Locke Lamora for this man has hired the help of someone rather dangerous: a feared bondsmage.

Some great action

The result is one big bloody mess that the author has thoughtfully devised. He has written in very well too, for the most part, although there are a few moments when his prose goes overboard. Don’t get me wrong, he describes some things with real eloquent detail, but others are just in too much depth. I remember reading a paragraph long description of a barrel of ale at one point. This was completely unnecessary. However, when these in depth description are applied to a combat scene the result is fantastic. This is my only criticism for the novel, and if they were toned a little I would have enjoyed the book a little more.

Overall, this is a great fantasy novel that is unlike any others I’ve read. This is always good because the genre can be littered with books that simply follow the standard fantasy archetype, which results in repetitive story telling. This isn’t necessarily bad, but can become boring after a while. Therefore, the plot of this is fresh, exciting and completely new.

A good solid 3.5 stars. ...more

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Sep 13, 2014 ✘✘ Sarah ✘✘ (former Nefarious Breeder of Murderous Crustaceans) rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: tbr-shelf-says-thank-you, 1st-in-series, 2016, dnf-graveyard, outrageously-overhyped-fishsauce, cure-for-insomnia, fantasy, br-2016, boredom-fest

► BR with the BBB gang starting January 11, 2016.

☠ DNF at 31% ☠

Warning: I pretty much have nothing to say about this book. Does it mean my review will be short? Now now, people, don't be so naïve.

Okay, let's do some quick maths here. I read the first 31% of this book. This book is 752 pages long (it feels like it's 2,500 pages long, but don't tell anyone I said that). Which means I read about 230 pages of this Delightful Piece of Fast-Paced Awesomeness (DPFPA™). W☠
Warning: ...more

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Feb 19, 2014 Rick Riordan rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Another great fantasy, this novel follows a talented rogue and conman, Locke Lamora, through his adventures in Camorr, a city loosely patterned after Venice, but set in a world where humans have built their society over the ruins of a much older race called the Eldren. Locke rises from an orphaned beggar to become one of the most wanted thieves in the city, and along the way makes some enemies in very high places – the Duke’s head of secret police, ‘the Spider,’ the capa of the city’s underworld ...more

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Oct 28, 2017 Merphy Napier rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, five-stars, adult

Upon Reread: 5 stars

The first time I read this book, I wasn't used to fantasy, or the kind of complexities that this story and plot tackles. I'm honestly just in awe of the execution of this story. It's a slow start, and it has some jarring moments as far as the pacing goes, but Scott Lynch did something really unique with the story telling of this book and it's just a brilliant story, with brilliant characters, and I can't wait to continue on in the series.

-------------- ...more

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Oct 26, 2014 Adina rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy-sf, favorites, big

10.07.18: Kindle offer for 1.99$.

I loved this book although it is not perfect and there were some things about it that annoyed me a tiny bit. But well.. love is not a logical thing so...

As other reviewers said it is combination of Ocean 11 (with a younger and more cheekier main character) and the Godfather. I would also add the bloodiness of Game of Thrones ((view spoiler) ...more

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Apr 21, 2018 Melissa ♥ Dog/Wolf Lover ♥ Martin rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy-all, own

I thought it was freaking awesome and there was some sadness damn it!

Mel 🖤🐾🐺

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Jul 01, 2008 Kelly rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy-and-scifi, wits-and-fools, fiction, owned

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' 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 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.

Scott Lynch is also not afraid to kill people. 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. Stuff 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. 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 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. 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. ...more

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Jun 07, 2018 Charlotte May rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: tear-jerker, epic-fantasy, favourites, 500-page-plus

“We don’t believe in hard work when a false face and a good line of bullshit can do so much more.”

This was great! I don’t really know what I was expecting when I went into The Lies of Locke Lamora But I got an in depth, intricate fantasy world full of morally grey characters and so much backstabbing and double crossing it leaves your head spinning!

Locke Lamora is a member of the Gentlemen’s Bastards, a team of thieves who work up detailed plans in order to swindle the rich nobles out of the ...more

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Mar 14, 2012 Gavin rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy

Fantastic book. I loved reading this every bit as much this time as I did the first time. It's fair to say it retains it's place as one of my all time favorite books.

This is the story of Locke Lamorra, master thief extraordinaire, and his band of thieves, The Gentlemen Bastards. The Gentlemen Bastards are content with their lot in life and happy to fly under the radar in the city of Camorr. Unfortunately they soon find themselves embroiled in the heart of a power struggle for control of Camorr ...more

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Sep 14, 2016 Kainat 《HUFFLEPUFF & PROUD》 marked it as to-read · review of another edition

Locke: “I only steal because my dear
old family needs the money to live!"
"LIAR!"

Calo: "I only steal because this wicked world
won't let me work an honest trade!"
"LIAR!"

Galdo: "I only steal because i have to
support my poor lazy brother."
"LIAR!"

Jean: "I only steal because I've temporarily
fallen in with bad company."
"LIAR!"

Bug: "I only steal because
it's heaps of fucking fun!"
"BASTARD!”

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Nov 17, 2016 Natalie Monroe rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Recommends it for: Fans of Six of Crows

Shelves: fearless-protagonists, he-s-so-bad-but-he-does-it-so-well, pants-are-snowmen-and-they-are-june, fabulous-five-stars, surf-n-turf, favorites

"Locke Lamora's rule of thumb was this: a good confidence game took three months to plan, three weeks to rehearse, and three seconds to win or lose the victim's trust forever."

Once upon a time, there was a girl who loved Six of Crows. She cried bitter tears when the duology wrapped up in September, then went on the prowl for something, anything to satisfy the void in her heart.

The girl stumbled across Peaky Blinders and for a while, she was happy.

"Locke Lamora's rule of thumb was this: a good confidence game took three months to plan, three weeks to rehearse, and three seconds to win or lose the victim's trust forever."

But it too began to lose its luster.

Scrolling through her to-read list, she found a book she'd previously earmarked as a possible aliment. So, desperate, she dove in. The beginning was confusing and dense, but she pushed on, fortified by her experiences with A Game of Thrones.

She was soon rewarded with the clever hijinks of a boy called Locke Lamora. The plot, so cleverly woven, with its layered world-building and interspaced timelines, captivated her. It was not, she realized, a volume one could read whilst occupied with forgetful blue fish.

She laughed a great deal reading it.

"Master Ibelius, with all due respect, now that I am conscious, if I have to crawl about the city on my hands and knees to do something useful against Capa Raza, I will. I start my war from here."

He heaved himself up off the sleeping pallet and tried to stand; once again, his head swam, his knees buckled and he toppled to the ground.

"From there?" said Jean. "Looks damned uncomfortable."

Like all great books, it tore a irreparable rift in her heart that could only be healed by the mighty hand of deux ex machina and she didn't want that. Locke and Jean's friendship niggled at her until she realized who the pair reminded her of: Albus and Scorpius's "platonic" friendship.

The ending was a little cliche, but it worked—The Lies of Locke Lamora had quenched her wailing soul. She breathed a sigh of happiness as she closed the book and immediately bought the rest of the series.

Her heart was full.

Until she finishes The Republic of Thieves.

My review of Red Seas Under Red Skies
My review of The Republic of Thieves ...more

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Sep 19, 2012 Julio Genao rated it it was ok · review of another edition

what to say that hasn't been said already?

nothing! so i'll say it all over again.

fun dialogue. great setting—but the author's way more in love with it than i ever got to be, so his endless digressions were frustrating. some of them had a satisfying impact on the story, but some were just random, and frequently set in the past, in a series of irritating interludes right when something exciting was about to happen.

some characters wander off, never to be seen again; some ar ...more

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Mar 22, 2012 Mpauli rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: genre_swords-sorcery, genre_fantasy, orga_read-in-2013

Hello, distinguished review reader. What a nice coincidence stumbling into you here on this expression of thought.
Odd chance, you say? Well, I have to be honest with you. I actually planned this for quite a while. I'm playing the long con game with this review.
I set up a profile on this site, joined some groups and build a network of friends. And all leads up to today's review.
So, I kind of tricked you to lay eyes on these lines of lies.

All that I learned from my da ...more

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About Scott Lynch

Scott Lynch

18,134 followers

I was born in St. Paul, Minnesota on April 2, 1978, the first of three brothers. I've lived in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area my entire life; currently, just across the border in Wisconsin, about half an hour east of the Twin Cities.

The Lies of Locke Lamora, my first novel, was bought by Simon Spanton at Orion Books in August, 2004. Prior to that I had just about every job you usually see in this s/>The ...more

Other books in the series

Gentleman Bastard (7 books)

Books by Scott Lynch

Red Seas Under Red Skies (Gentleman Bastard, #2)

The Republic of Thieves (Gentleman Bastard, #3)

The Thorn of Emberlain (Gentleman Bastard, #4)

The Lies of Locke Lamora / Red Seas Under Red Skies (Gentleman Bastard #1-2)

The Bastards and the Knives (Gentleman Bastard, #0)

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Quotes from The Lies of Locke...

“Someday, Locke Lamora,” he said, “someday, you’re going to fuck up so magnificently, so ambitiously, so overwhelmingly that the sky will light up and the moons will spin and the gods themselves will shit comets with glee. And I just hope I’m still around to see it.”
“Oh please,” said Locke. “It’ll never happen.” — 1044 likes

“There’s no freedom quite like the freedom of being constantly underestimated.” — 858 likes

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