The Lies of Locke Lamora

 Title: The Lies of Locke Lamora
Author: Scott Lynch
Date Read: January 12, 2014
Series: Gentleman Bastard #1

Summary: In this stunning debut, author Scott Lynch delivers the wonderfully thrilling tale of an audacious criminal and his band of confidence tricksters. Set in a fantastic city pulsing with the lives of decadent nobles and daring thieves, here is a story of adventure, loyalty, and survival that is one part "Robin Hood", one part Ocean's Eleven, and entirely enthralling...

An orphan's life is harsh — and often short — in the island city of Camorr, built on the ruins of a mysterious alien race. But born with a quick wit and a gift for thieving, Locke Lamora has dodged both death and slavery, only to fall into the hands of an eyeless priest known as Chains — a man who is neither blind nor a priest.

A con artist of extraordinary talent, Chains passes his skills on to his carefully selected "family" of orphans — a group known as the Gentlemen Bastards. Under his tutelage, Locke grows to lead the Bastards, delightedly pulling off one outrageous confidence game after another. Soon he is infamous as the Thorn of Camorr, and no wealthy noble is safe from his sting.

Passing themselves off as petty thieves, the brilliant Locke and his tightly knit band of light-fingered brothers have fooled even the criminal underworld's most feared ruler, Capa Barsavi. But there is someone in the shadows more powerful — and more ambitious — than Locke has yet imagined.

Known as the Gray King, he is slowly killing Capa Barsavi's most trusted men — and using Locke as a pawn in his plot to take control of Camorr's underworld. With a bloody coup under way threatening to destroy everyone and everything that holds meaning in his mercenary life, Locke vows to beat the Gray King at his own brutal game — or die trying... goodreads

Review: Honestly, I don't know how to do this book justice. I don't. It's going to turn into a love letter to Locke and Jean and the Gentlemen Bastards in general. If you've read the book, you'd understand that love letter, but if not I would just sound like a crazy person. Which I may be but in this case you should listen to this crazy person when she tells you to read this book.

The writing is phenomenal. The characters are witty and sarcastic and have a way with words that would make even the most illiterate of people swoon. I'm not even going to expand upon this because I simply am not worthy.

The world that Lynch creates is fantastical and magical and wonderful all on it's own but the fact that Locke and his Bastards inhabit it makes it that much more perfect.

The story follows Locke Lamora and his band of thieves through their various cons that they run on members (and royalty) of their community. Locke is very low on the totem pole of society but this does not speak of his intelligence and various abilities that he uses in order to get the best of the people that would not usually give him the time of day. The relationships which Locke forms are genuine and your heart breaks with him as he loses those closest to him. This book is a classic case of cheering for the bad guys because they are just so damn charming.

This was my first time re-reading this book and it was just as magical this time around as the first. I noticed things I missed the first time (Sabetha is mentioned on the very first page of the series people!!!) and reminded me of important moments that had, somehow, slipped my mind between reads. I'm so excited for a re-read of #2 and finally getting my hands on #3.

Ok. That's it. I can't form complete paragraphs or sentences in order to review this book so you'll have to take my word for it. If you don't, your loss. But I will leave you with some words from Locke:

"If reassurance could dull pain, nobody would ever go to the trouble of pressing grapes." --Locke