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The Lies of Locke Lamora (Gentleman Bastards #1) (Mass Market)
Other Books in Series
This is book number 1 in the Gentleman Bastards series.
Staff Reviews
Combine Fagin’s crew of child thieves with the Italian Job and Al Swearengen-level elaborate obscenity and you will get something approximating Scott Lynch’s wonderful Gentleman Bastard series. We start in an alternate world that’s similar to ours in all the important ways but Lynch parcels out small but significant differences: not one but two moons; slightly askew human physiology; 19th century technology achieved through alchemy; and perhaps most unnervingly, we learn that our characters are living in the ruins of a world once inhabited by mysterious beings called the Eldren. All we know of them is that they’ve left behind eerie, indestructible structures, which have been coopted by humans.
But the focus of the three (so far) books is the coterie of thieves who call themselves the Gentleman Bastards who are devoted to their craft: not for riches but for the thrill of the endeavor, the five thieves spin convoluted schemes involving intricate disguises, acrobatic cat burglary, financial fraud, and cheerful violence to take joyous advantage of the wealthy nobles that govern their city-state (think of their part of the world as a pre-unification Italy—political instability is integral to the Bastards’ plans). When we meet them, they’re at the height of their careers, reveling in their own success (“Richer and cleverer than everyone else!”), but their triumphs attract the wrong kind of notice.
This series is such a pleasure to read but I feel obligated to mention that a fourth book has been in the works for six years. Once you read the first three, you will be desperate for what’s next and it will be a hard wait. But take it from someone who’s read all three about seven times now: it’ll be worth it. And if it’s any comfort, as of this writing, the fourth book, The Thorn of Emberlain, is slated for an August 2019 release, which gives you plenty of time to get through the first three brick-heavy volumes.
—Sarah, Longfewllow Books
— From Sarah Recommends!Description
“Remarkable . . . Scott Lynch’s first novel, The Lies of Locke Lamora, exports the suspense and wit of a cleverly constructed crime caper into an exotic realm of fantasy, and the result is engagingly entertaining.”—The Times (London)
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 someone still more ambitious and deadly. Faced with a bloody coup that threatens to destroy everyone and everything that holds meaning in his mercenary life, Locke vows to beat the enemy at his own brutal game—or die trying.
Praise for The Lies of Locke Lamora
“Fresh, original, and engrossing . . . gorgeously realized.”—George R. R. Martin
“Right now, in the full flush of a second reading, I think The Lies of Locke Lamora is probably in my top ten favorite books ever. Maybe my top five. If you haven’t read it, you should. If you have read it, you should probably read it again.”—Patrick Rothfuss, New York Times bestselling author of The Name of the Wind
“A unique fantasy milieu peopled by absorbing, colorful characters . . . Locke’s wit and audacity endear him to victims and bystanders alike.”—The Seattle Times
“A true genre bender, at home on almost any kind of fiction shelf . . . Lynch immediately establishes himself as a gifted and fearless storyteller, unafraid of comparisons to Silverberg and Jordan, not to mention David Liss and even Dickens.”—Booklist (starred review)
“High-octane fantasy . . . a great swashbuckling yarn of a novel.”—Richard Morgan
About the Author
Scott Lynch is the author of The Lies of Locke Lamora, Red Seas Under Red Skies, and The Republic of Thieves. He lives in Wisconsin and frequently visits Massachusetts, the home of his partner, science fiction writer Elizabeth Bear. He moonlights as a volunteer firefighter.
Praise For…
“Fresh, original, and engrossing . . . gorgeously realized.”—George R. R. Martin
“Right now, in the full flush of a second reading, I think The Lies of Locke Lamora is probably in my top ten favorite books ever. Maybe my top five. If you haven’t read it, you should. If you have read it, you should probably read it again.”—Patrick Rothfuss, New York Times bestselling author of The Name of the Wind
“Remarkable . . . Scott Lynch’s first novel, The Lies of Locke Lamora, exports the suspense and wit of a cleverly constructed crime caper into an exotic realm of fantasy, and the result is engagingly entertaining.”—The Times (London)
“A unique fantasy milieu peopled by absorbing, colorful characters . . . Locke’s wit and audacity endear him to victims and bystanders alike.”—The Seattle Times
“A true genre bender, at home on almost any kind of fiction shelf . . . Lynch immediately establishes himself as a gifted and fearless storyteller, unafraid of comparisons to Silverberg and Jordan, not to mention David Liss and even Dickens.”—Booklist (starred review)
“High-octane fantasy . . . a great swashbuckling yarn of a novel.”—Richard Morgan
