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Gentlemen Bastards

MFreako

Troubadour
I've read Lies of Locke Lamora a while ago. Just finished reading Red Seas Under Red Skies. Really liked both of them, they're a lot fun to read. And even though both books have their darker moments, I found them refreshingly lighthearted.

If you're looking for something to read, I highly recommend this sequence. It's a great time to start, as the next one, Republic of Thieves, comes out this October.
 

gowph3ar

Troubadour
The First one Lies of Locke Lamora was beyond fantastic the Second fell short of the first I can only imagine the third falling shorter however that being said falling short of the first is very easy to do when the first was beyond amazing that still makes the second one amazing.
 

ACSmyth

Minstrel
At World Fantasy Con, Scott Lynch said his intention originally was to start with book 4, The Thorn of Emberlain. When he started writing, however, he found he needed Locke and Jean's backstory (and presumably Sabetha's, too) to be a big part of it, so he started with Lies instead. I'm glad he did; Lies is a fabulous book! He described Republic of Thieves as "transitional", so I'm hoping (expecting) The Thorn of Emberlain to pick the pace up a notch again.
 

Smith

Minstrel
I'm glad there's a thread for this, I just started reading Lies the other day and I'm enjoying it so far. Even if I have ten other books I should be finishing first, it was calling to me from the bookstore and I had a gift card, so I treated myself.
 
Another Scott Lynch fan here. :)

I do find his approach refreshing, not least that Elderglass remains mysterious, and having a couple of rogue thieves as main characters is definitely a breath of fresh air to reading about farm boys with secret royal lineage who are destined to fight dark gods.

Probably the literary equivalent of Tarantino. :)

@ACSmyth - I was at WFC as well! Scott Lynch was a pleasure to speak with. Most authors are, thankfully.
 

Ronald T.

Troubadour
I really enjoyed LIES OF LOCKE LAMORA and have started RED SEAS UNDER RED SKIES. Scott lynch has created a wonderful story with great characters in dangerous situations. It leaves me with a combined sense OCEAN'S ELEVEN and MISSION IMPOSSIBLE with just a soupcon of Rymond Feist's street urchin...Pug, and Gary Gygax's...Gord the Rouge. Very entertaining.
 

teacup

Auror
I've only read book 1 and I'm not sure if I'll carry on or not. I can't really put my finger on why but it just didn't grab me at all. I'm not saying it's bad at all, it just didn't do it for me, for some reason :| Which is strange because I thought I would love this. Same thing with the Fable games (only played 1 and 2) - I should love Fable, but it just didn't do it for me, no idea why :|

I did enjoy the book enough, but I'm not hooked at all to make me want to carry on, but I'm also not against reading the sequels. I've heard most people say that the sequels are good but book 1 is definitely the best, so if I wasn't too into book 1 then I'd probably be less into the sequels. So I don't know, I might read more, might not.

I don't think this was due to anything wrong with the book itself - just me. I did like the end a lot, though.
 

T.Allen.Smith

Staff
Moderator
I've only read book 1 and I'm not sure if I'll carry on or not. I can't really put my finger on why but it just didn't grab me at all. I'm not saying it's bad at all, it just didn't do it for me, for some reason.
Same here. Wasn't bad, but it didn't wow me, not enough to read a second.
 
Which is fair enough. There is SO much popular fantasy out there at the moment that is just Not My Thing.

But I love Scott Lynch's work. It's so vicious and gleeful, imaginative and realistic in a combination I find simply delicious. Plus the pacing of the first book is, to my mind, impeccable. (The latter books aren't quite so perfect, but that first one could be used as a teaching aide for pacing a plot, imho.)
 
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