The Lies of Locke Lamora

Nebuchadnezzar · 06-27-2007, 09:52 AM

So, its out in paperback now, you have no excuse for not reading one of the better new fantasy authors out there (also a very young one). Scott Lynch isn't the deepest writer, but he does some really great stuff with plot and structure, and its pretty much one adventure after another in the style of POTC meets Ocean's Eleven.

Tabris · 06-27-2007, 10:57 AM

I believe this is planned to be a 7 book sequence and he has just released the 2nd book, correct?

Brand · 06-27-2007, 12:21 PM

Its a great first book. I enjoyed it.

DoctorSpooge · 06-27-2007, 08:01 PM

I know of this series, but as someone already mentioned, it's part of a series spanning a million books. I'm sick of waiting 1 year (usually more) to see what happens.

Kez · 06-28-2007, 05:30 PM

Doctorspooge, I sent you a PM with what I recalled seeing from Scott Lynch about the series being somewhat standalone or not. I did a bit of searching later, to see where I had found that information, and I did come across it. It was from an interview he did here, at http://www.fantasybookspot.com.

I'll post the relevant section here for convenience sake.

Jay Tomio - The Lies of Locke Lamora stands-alone very well, was this a conscious decision, and if so, something we can expect with the other installments in the sequence?

Scott Lynch - It was an extremely deliberate decision, and thank you for the compliment. I wanted the first book in the sequence to leave no obvious dangling plot-threads other than a) some characters are still alive, and b) somewhere out in the world are quite a few people who might be pretty upset with them on account of what they've done.

I honestly wish I could say that the other books in the series will be equally, immediately stand-alone and accessible, but realistically...I can't. I'm doing my damnedest not to make them too completely immersive; for the most part, each book is separated by a period of time from the last, be it a few years or a few weeks, so intricate memories of the plot of each previous volume won't be utterly essential. But they are definitely best read in sequence; they build upon and resonate with one another. At least that's the theory.

DoctorSpooge · 06-28-2007, 08:20 PM

Hmm, interesting. Thanks for the PM, and I'll at least pick up the first one.

Nebuchadnezzar · 08-17-2007, 08:27 AM

Well, anyone else read book 2? I thought it was a bit too pissed off for my tastes. There were parts of it that were very good, and others that just seemed to get pushed out of the way. The resolution didn't have quite the ummph of the first novel, nor was their a true antagonist you could truly hate. Mostly, I think Locke and Jean need to get themselves some more members to interact with.

Brand · 08-20-2007, 09:18 AM

I loved the first...

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

painbringer · 08-29-2007, 07:21 AM

I really didnt like the first one, it's almost written in c00lsp3ak

Ilex · 05-23-2009, 01:57 PM

...and from deep in the graveyard.

I finished this book and I have to say it's one of the better fantasy novels I've read in a while. While the spoken language was anachronistic as fuck, I really dug the dark(er) fantasy "Venice with ancient, alien buildings" setting and all of the back story. Character development was a little spotty, excellent for some, others seem to have been introduced only to be killed shortly thereafter. If you want a decent read that goes quickly and are tired of waiting for the next GRRM book to hit, you could do much worse than this book.

Oh, and can anyone tell if the second book is worth reading? I liked the ending of the first, but I don't know how the characters would work as sailors.

Simas · 05-23-2009, 02:24 PM

If you liked the first you'll like the second.

Bruckhiemer optioned the rights to this a while ago. I doubt anything will come of it, it was prob just a buy it so no one else does sorta thing, but I really hope it does get made. I think its the most filmable out of the new fantasy.

Kez · 05-23-2009, 03:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ilex

...and from deep in the graveyard.

I finished this book and I have to say it's one of the better fantasy novels I've read in a while. While the spoken language was anachronistic as fuck, I really dug the dark(er) fantasy "Venice with ancient, alien buildings" setting and all of the back story. Character development was a little spotty, excellent for some, others seem to have been introduced only to be killed shortly thereafter. If you want a decent read that goes quickly and are tired of waiting for the next GRRM book to hit, you could do much worse than this book.

Oh, and can anyone tell if the second book is worth reading? I liked the ending of the first, but I don't know how the characters would work as sailors.

The second book explains the sailor part so I wouldn't worry about that at all. If you liked the first, get the second book. Hopefully the April '10 release date for Republic of Thieves will not be pushed back again. The only bad thing is its the UK release date and not the US date.

Ilex · 05-23-2009, 09:30 PM

Nice, thanks.

Antarius · 05-27-2009, 12:26 AM

I actually had to "force" myself to read through the first couple chapters...

But by the end I was really hooked. I read the entire last third in a single sitting.

Right around the time that young Locke is being introduced to the gentlemen bastards and the 13th is where the back-story starts to get interesting. And the present-day storyline got interesting for me right about the time bug was jumping off the roof to distract the guards.

Tred · 05-27-2009, 01:25 PM

I loved the two books in the series so far. Very very nice change of pace from the Malazan books. I 'rewound' the scene where Bug jumps off the roof a few times because it had me rolling. It was a really couple of books for me.

Does anyone know of any other series in the same vein?

06-27-2007, 09:52 AM	#1 (permalink)
Nebuchadnezzar Registered User Join Date: Nov 2002 Posts: 2,389 +3 Internets	The Lies of Locke Lamora So, its out in paperback now, you have no excuse for not reading one of the better new fantasy authors out there (also a very young one). Scott Lynch isn't the deepest writer, but he does some really great stuff with plot and structure, and its pretty much one adventure after another in the style of POTC meets Ocean's Eleven. __________________ I eat grass like an ox and shat like a fox.

08-17-2007, 08:27 AM	#7 (permalink)
Nebuchadnezzar Registered User Join Date: Nov 2002 Posts: 2,389 +3 Internets	Well, anyone else read book 2? I thought it was a bit too pissed off for my tastes. There were parts of it that were very good, and others that just seemed to get pushed out of the way. The resolution didn't have quite the ummph of the first novel, nor was their a true antagonist you could truly hate. Mostly, I think Locke and Jean need to get themselves some more members to interact with. __________________ I eat grass like an ox and shat like a fox.

08-20-2007, 09:18 AM	#8 (permalink)
Brand Prince of Nothing Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Chicago Posts: 281 -1 Internets	I loved the first... Spoiler Alert, click show to read: The second was similar, but different in some ways...A LOT less control and seemingly more randomness. Oh yes, I fucking hate Bondsmagi and want to see them all die in a fire.

05-23-2009, 02:24 PM	#11 (permalink)
Simas Say word Join Date: May 2005 Location: NoVa Posts: 1,767 -22 Internets	If you liked the first you'll like the second. Bruckhiemer optioned the rights to this a while ago. I doubt anything will come of it, it was prob just a buy it so no one else does sorta thing, but I really hope it does get made. I think its the most filmable out of the new fantasy. __________________ Destroyer

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06-27-2007, 10:57 AM	#2 (permalink)
Tabris Registered User Join Date: Jan 2003 Posts: 1,612 -21 Internets	I believe this is planned to be a 7 book sequence and he has just released the 2nd book, correct?

06-27-2007, 12:21 PM	#3 (permalink)
Brand Prince of Nothing Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Chicago Posts: 281 -1 Internets	Its a great first book. I enjoyed it.

06-27-2007, 08:01 PM	#4 (permalink)
DoctorSpooge Registered User Join Date: Sep 2003 Posts: 521	I know of this series, but as someone already mentioned, it's part of a series spanning a million books. I'm sick of waiting 1 year (usually more) to see what happens.

06-28-2007, 05:30 PM	#5 (permalink)
Kez MMO Slacker Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 748 +1 Internets	Doctorspooge, I sent you a PM with what I recalled seeing from Scott Lynch about the series being somewhat standalone or not. I did a bit of searching later, to see where I had found that information, and I did come across it. It was from an interview he did here, at http://www.fantasybookspot.com. I'll post the relevant section here for convenience sake. Jay Tomio - The Lies of Locke Lamora stands-alone very well, was this a conscious decision, and if so, something we can expect with the other installments in the sequence? Scott Lynch - It was an extremely deliberate decision, and thank you for the compliment. I wanted the first book in the sequence to leave no obvious dangling plot-threads other than a) some characters are still alive, and b) somewhere out in the world are quite a few people who might be pretty upset with them on account of what they've done. I honestly wish I could say that the other books in the series will be equally, immediately stand-alone and accessible, but realistically...I can't. I'm doing my damnedest not to make them too completely immersive; for the most part, each book is separated by a period of time from the last, be it a few years or a few weeks, so intricate memories of the plot of each previous volume won't be utterly essential. But they are definitely best read in sequence; they build upon and resonate with one another. At least that's the theory.

06-28-2007, 08:20 PM	#6 (permalink)
DoctorSpooge Registered User Join Date: Sep 2003 Posts: 521	Hmm, interesting. Thanks for the PM, and I'll at least pick up the first one.

08-29-2007, 07:21 AM	#9 (permalink)
painbringer Registered User Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Denmark Posts: 288	I really didnt like the first one, it's almost written in c00lsp3ak

05-23-2009, 01:57 PM	#10 (permalink)
Ilex Registered User Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Louisville, Ky Posts: 281 -8 Internets	...and from deep in the graveyard. I finished this book and I have to say it's one of the better fantasy novels I've read in a while. While the spoken language was anachronistic as fuck, I really dug the dark(er) fantasy "Venice with ancient, alien buildings" setting and all of the back story. Character development was a little spotty, excellent for some, others seem to have been introduced only to be killed shortly thereafter. If you want a decent read that goes quickly and are tired of waiting for the next GRRM book to hit, you could do much worse than this book. Oh, and can anyone tell if the second book is worth reading? I liked the ending of the first, but I don't know how the characters would work as sailors.

05-23-2009, 09:30 PM	#13 (permalink)
Ilex Registered User Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Louisville, Ky Posts: 281 -8 Internets	Nice, thanks.

05-27-2009, 01:25 PM	#15 (permalink)
Tred Registered User Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Houston Posts: 924 +20 Internets	I loved the two books in the series so far. Very very nice change of pace from the Malazan books. I 'rewound' the scene where Bug jumps off the roof a few times because it had me rolling. It was a really couple of books for me. Does anyone know of any other series in the same vein?