The Lies of Locke Lamora

[Sir Taffsalot]

Has anyone read The Lies of Locke Lamora? It's the first in the Gentleman Bastard series by Scott Lynch. It's about a gang of thieves and con artists in a fantasy setting. My friend recomended it to me on account of my love for the thief games. I'm finding it a very fun read so far.

[Ladro]

Nice to share this one.

 

Very interesting, i'll buy the book tomorrow :-)

[RPGista]

Well, if you guys like the Fighting Fantasy book series (was huge for me in my teens), you'll definetly love the "Midnight Rogue" one, I remember it as being a perfect Thief adventure - it was a classic story for the fantasy rogue character, complete with special abilities like lockpicking and hiding in shadows, being a part of a thieves guild, having to look for info on your target, and the whole heist, all in a pretty cool city that got quite well expolored in several of the books, Port Blacksand. I'm not comparing it with the possible scope of the book you mentioned, they were all basic storytelling, but since you mentioned Thief-related books, this might be fun to check out (I'll actually re-read it, it's been a millions years since I bought it, I was what, 13?).

[Sir Taffsalot]

I loved the Fighting Fantasy books when I was a kid. Midnight Rogue was definately one of my favourites.

[Ladro]

Has anyone read The Lies of Locke Lamora? It's the first in the Gentleman Bastard series by Scott Lynch. It's about a gang of thieves and con artists in a fantasy setting. My friend recomended it to me on account of my love for the thief games. I'm finding it a very fun read so far.

 

I just finished the first book of the series that you suggested (by Scott Lynch) some time ago: it's AMAZING. I really liked :-D

Lynch it's an incredbile storyteller and so young. I'll buy the second volume :-D

 

Thank you (and to your friend!) for your suggestion and sharing.

Edited May 9, 2012 by Ladro

[i30817]

first book is better than the sequel ;_;

 

And the guy delayed the finisher. Probably his editor stamped the foot and he's now dealing with his chronic alcoholism problem (joke!)

Edited May 17, 2012 by i30817

[Ladro]

first book is better than the sequel ;_;

And the guy delayed the finisher. Probably his editor stamped the foot and he's now dealing with his chronic alcoholism problem (joke!)

 

I've read that he got a deep depression because is wife left him...

 

Anyway: i like the universe he created. I'ts some kind of Garret/Thief, but tiny and without any muscle, only a super smart guy, and there is a lot of ironic soul. I liked especially how he used the magic in the first book, quite unusual. It's not easy to write some original fantasy novel, but his first effort is really good, IMHO.

[Sir Taffsalot]

I'm just coming to the end of Red Seas Under Red Skies. I'd definately recomend it if you liked TLOLL. There were a few issues I had with it though. It took a very long time for anything to happen. It felt like there wasn't any story progression until I had read 300 pages. Also I really miss the City of Cammorr. Although I'm near the end now it really is getting exciting.

 

WRT The City of Cammorr I read that he's writing a collection of short stories about the early days of The Gentlemen Bastards in Cammorr with the Sanza twins and Bug. I think that could could be a very fun read.

[Sir Taffsalot]

From Wikipedia:

 

[edit] The Gentleman Bastard Sequence

1. The Lies of Locke Lamora (June 2006)
   
2. Red Seas Under Red Skies (July 2007)
   
3. The Republic of Thieves (expected publication autumn 2012) ^[1]
   
4. The Thorn of Emberlain (forthcoming)
   
5. The Ministry of Necessity (forthcoming)
   
6. The Mage and the Master Spy (forthcoming)
   
7. Inherit the Night (forthcoming)
   

This is a sequence of seven planned novels set in the world of the shattered Therin Throne Empire and its descendant states. It follows the life of the young professional thief and con artist Locke Lamora, over a period of some 15–20 years. Lynch has stated that there will be a sequel series set some twenty years on with new characters, which will also be seven books long.

In August 2006, Subterranean Press confirmed that they would be publishing three novellas by Scott Lynch set in the same world as The Lies of Locke Lamora. The first two are entitled The Mad Baron's Mechanical Attic and The Choir of Knives. Gollancz will be releasing them in an omnibus edition entitled The Bastards and the Knives (release date unknown). In May 2012, Gollancz revealed that The Bastards and the Knives will be released after The Republic of Thieves and that the release date is currently still unknown. ^[2]

In his LiveJournal Scott Lynch gave some hints what these novellas might be about: "So beginning next year around the time Red Seas Under Red Skies sets sail, the first of three Subterranean Press novellas (target length: 35,000-40,000 words) by yours truly will also be released. These three novellas will be set in Locke's world, but will almost certainly feature the further (or earlier) stories of major secondary characters like Dona Vorchenza from Lies and Captain Zamira Drakasha from Red Seas. The truth is, I'm still toying with the subjects of the novellas, and will not begin serious work on them until next month (by which point I'll also be researching and outlining the third main sequence novel, The Republic of Thieves). I honestly doubt that Locke will feature in any of them, but if inspiration hits like a brick to the head I certainly won't ignore it. These novellas will definitely enhance understanding of the main sequence novels and offer a few choice in-jokes and revelations, but they will in no way be mandatory for understanding of the main sequence novels, because I am not the Wachowski brothers." - Scott Lynch's complete announcement in his LiveJournal on August 17th, 2006.

Lynch later announced that, due to an email he received from an Australian fan, at least the first novella would concern Locke and Jean's acquisition of a cask of expensive brandy, set before The Lies of Locke Lamora.

 

 

Wow! The gentleman Bastard series is going to be 7 books long. I assume that thier going to be around the 600 pages mark as well. That's some commitment. I hope he can pull it off.

[i30817]

If you like this series you'll probably like the Eli Monpress books. Slightly cornier and not quite as good but the same archetype of a scammer-thief.

[Sir Taffsalot]

If you like this series you'll probably like the Eli Monpress books. Slightly cornier and not quite as good but the same archetype of a scammer-thief.

 

It looks really interesting. TBH I'm more a Sci-Fi reader than fantasy but I like anything to do with medieval thieves and assassins. I see that there's quite a budding scene for this sort of thing in the fantasy genre now with Patrick Rothfuss, Brent Weeks, Douglas Hulick and probably more I'm not aware of but will be hopefully with time. It looks like I won't be running out of reading material anytime soon.

[Sir Taffsalot]

Well, if you guys like the Fighting Fantasy book series (was huge for me in my teens), you'll definetly love the "Midnight Rogue" one,

 

I downloaded this and re read it on my lunch breaks this week. Absolutely awesome! I have to admit I could never be bothered with the whole dice thing with FF books. Every time I was in a battle I automatically turned to the "if you win" page. There was no change here. I did stick to the special skills bit though. It really had a TDP feel to it. I can't explain why but as TDP is my favourite of the Thief games this is no bad thing.

 

 

I remember the ending when I was a kid was like a slap in the face. That's it?!?! Then once the shock had settled in I thought the ending was actually quite brilliant.

 

[i30817]

Try this lone wolf game book reader:

it's free and awesome. Go to the options and turn off the dice animations to get shorter combat too.

(and fullscreen)

 

http://www.projectaon.org/staff/david/

[_Atti_]

Just wanted to drop a thanks for recommending:) Recently i've won a coupon on a contest i could spend on books. So this thread jammed in mind. Went into the store, and lifted the one copy they had of it.

Didnt regret it, very memorable, nice balance of heavy themes and lighthearted fun:)

 

I expected it to be closer to thief but its really a dark mod of it