'One of my top ten books ever. Maybe top five. If you haven't read it, you should' Patrick Rothfuss, New York Times bestselling author of The Name of the Wind
'Fresh, original and engrossing' George R.R. Martin, the phenomenon behind A Game of Thrones
They say that the Thorn of Camorr can beat anyone in a fight. They say he steals from the rich and gives to the poor. They say he's part man, part myth, and mostly street-corner rumor. And they are wrong on every count.
Only averagely tall, slender, and god-awful with a sword, Locke Lamora is the fabled Thorn, and the greatest weapons at his disposal are his wit and cunning. He steals from the rich - they're the only ones worth stealing from - but the poor can go steal for themselves. What Locke cons, wheedles and tricks into his possession is strictly for him and his band of fellow con-artists and thieves: the Gentleman Bastards.
Together their domain is the city of Camorr. Built of Elderglass by a race no-one remembers, it's a city of shifting revels, filthy canals, baroque palaces and crowded cemeteries. Home to Dons, merchants, soldiers, beggars, cripples, and feral children. And to Capa Barsavi, the criminal mastermind who runs the city.
But there are whispers of a challenge to the Capa's power. A challenge from a man no one has ever seen, a man no blade can touch. The Grey King is coming.
A man would be well advised not to be caught between Capa Barsavi and The Grey King. Even such a master of the sword as the Thorn of Camorr. As for Locke Lamora ...
Readers can't get enough of Locke Lamora:
'Original, engrossing, emotional, and devastatingly impactful; this extremely well-written tale of avarice and brotherhood is a treasure of gold, and you will want your share of it' Novel Notions
'A rewarding read, well written, and entertaining. I'd recommend any fantasy fan to give it a try' Mark Lawrence, Sunday Times bestselling author
'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' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
'You guys, this story is unreal. It's so morally wrong that you don't even want it to be right. It's that luring, that gritty, that bold . . . its masterfully chaotic - so many subplots, so many characters, so much world-building. theres never a dull moment . . . its intricately woven - no movement, no scene, no word is insignificant. Everything is so interconnected on so many levels. I straight up got chills in some parts' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
'A love child of Ocean's Eleven and The Godfather. With blood, deaths, betrayals, money, and drowning in horse urine . . . and it's SO. GOOD' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
'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' Pierce Brown, bestselling author of the Red Rising series
'I mean seriously, I loved all those characters and their cunning and deceiving ways. XD Throughout the entire book I never knew what to expect and there were about a ton of "Oh, sh*t!" moments that were shortly followed by "Jeez! NO!" and "What happened now?" exclamations' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
***FOR REASONS THAT HAVE RECENTLY COME TO LIGHT, I CANNOT CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THIS AUTHOR***
There’s no freedom quite like the freedom of being constantly underestimated.
Are you in the market for characters more real than yourself, with lives more interesting than yours and quips way funnier than yours against a backdrop of coastal city with descriptions of food that make you salivate ten minutes after your last meal?
Then, my friend, The Lies of Locke Lamora, is exactly what you're looking for. This is the tale of a gang of thieves who dare to be bastards, but do it with style. (It's not enough to merely be a thief in Camorr, one must stay cutting edge, so to speak). Here, you will find a ruthless underworld and blasé peerage, neither of which couldn't give two shits for anything but their wealth and their hierarchy.
You will find characters with congruent and incongruent goals. Characters who are not afraid to take what they want and few who are afraid of the consequences. You will find a world of enjoyment and blessed escapism, so much so that you will forget that the Gentlemen Bastards would probably rob you blind if they saw you walking down the Mara Camorrazza.
My one problem with this book: The first 30% was a DNF danger zone. Riddled with far too much exploration of the world (which I normally enjoy) but little exploration of the characters' voices/desires/goals/fears etc, I almost said goodbye to this much beloved piece of fantasy. (Seriously, I can't tell you how much it gets brought up). Anyway, the balance of those two factors was resolved soon after and I am very happy to have enjoyed this.
We thank Callo Androno, The Eyes on the Crossroad, god of travel, languages and lore. We shall feast in your honour this night and two more hence.
