|
|
|
|
This web site is: |
 |
|
|
|
Amazon Sales Rank: 4732
Publication Date: 2007-06-26
Release Date: 2007-06-26
Publisher: Spectra
ISBN: 055358894X
Type: Mass Market Paperback
Number Of Pages: 752
|
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.…
From the Hardcover edition.
Average Rating: 
Review: 2008-11-19
Potential Galore And Hype To Match
The Lies of Locke Lamora is surprisingly interesting, if not overly hyped, fantasy entry by a debut author who shows flashes of brilliance in his prose. Perhaps the book's greatest strength is the way in which Lynch interweaves both the current exploits of the characters with the history of the land he's describing through well-placed interludes.
Surprisingly, I wasn't hooked on the tale until around the 185 page mark where the scheming, lying, and just general conniving of the lead cast becomes more than just a novelty and instead an integral part of the plot. I particularly enjoyed Lynch's ability of painting Locke and company into corners that even the most thorough reader cannot conceivably overcome.
Also noteworthy is the author's commitment to realism in the form of lead character deaths. Not to give any spoilers, let's just say that not everyone you'll come to know makes it to the end. Additionally, his references to alien technology are certainly interesting and play a consistent role in the environment itself.
It appears Lynch's use of modern slang/ profanity in Locke's dialog has been met with mixed reaction. On the one hand he does an admirable job of creating a character with a nice dose of attitude in a world where only the strong survive. On the other, there's little in terms of character maturity save for physical growth.
The overall pacing is impressive thanks in no small part to the historical interludes mentioned above fitting neatly between chapters, which, themselves, are broken into multiple parts. It's always easy to put off sleep, work, or other responsibilities with the logic "just one more section."
All in all, a fun read that does a commendable job steering clear of the more common fantasy genre clichés with enough intrigue and personality to warrant some attention. Based on what I've heard about the sequel, it's yet to be determined whether Lynch represents the next big thing in fantasy or happened to get lucky with The Lies of LL.
Review: 2008-11-01
Fritz Lieber meets Glen Cook
Imagine Fritz Lieber working with Glen Cook, and Harry Turtledove as a contributing consultant... I'm very impressed. This has massive amounts of imagination in a world-system that often surprises, as fantasy with SF overtones. Certainly this follows Clarke's Law, stuff in here presented as 'magic' sure feels like 'sufficiently advanced technology' from a prior civilization :-) Sure, as a first novel there is probably room for improvement, but I ripped through this in one reading, something I have not been able to do with lesser works of this length.
Tomorrow I'll start on the sequel. And another reviewer mentioned this has been optioned for a movie, this has real potential in that direction as a very visual book with lots of dialog.
 |
Amazon List Price: $6.99
Choose an Amazon Store
 Buy from Amazon |
|
 Go back to previous page |
|
|
Product reviews, information, best prices and cheap buys for a range of popular products. Ranging from books, video games, DVD's, toys and music. Products include the fabulous Harry Potter, Gordon Ramsay, A Thousand Splendid Suns, The God Delusion, A History of Modern Britain, The Children of Hurin, The Secret, I Can Make You Thin, (Paul McKenna), The Kite Runner , Tricks of the Mind, Derren Brown, Suite Francaise , Catherine Tate Comic, Pirates Of The Caribbean, Shrek 3 the Third, Rocky Balboa , James Bond - Casino Royale , Dad's Army - Series 9, Doctor Who, Prison Break Season 2 , Scrubs - Series 5, Blood Diamond , Doctor Who - Series 3, Dreamgirls, It Won't Be Soon Before Long, Maroon 5, Back To Black, Winehouse, Black Rain, Ozzy Osbourne, Send Away the Tigers, Manic Street Preachers, The Best Club Anthems, Icky Thump, White Stripes, Sweet Warrior, Richard Thompson, 50 cent , abba , akon , amy winehouse , arcade fire , arctic monkeys , avril lavigne , beatles , biffy clyro , beverley knight , beyonce , black sabbath , bob dylan , bob marley , bjork , bon jovi , bruce springsteen , bryan adams , cascada , cat stevens , cliff richard , coldplay , css , dance , david bowie , deep purple , depeche mode , diana ross , dolly parton , elliot smith , elton john , elvis presley , eric clapton , eurovision , fall out boy , fleetwood mac , frank sinatra , funeral for a friend , genesis , groove armada , hawkwind , hed kandi , iron maiden , james , jeff buckley , jimi hendrix , johnny cash , joni mitchell , justin timberlake , kaiser chiefs , kings of leon , led zeppelin , linkin park , love songs , madonna , manic street preachers , mark ronson , maroon 5 , megadeth , mcfly , metallica , michael buble and many more. The Lies of Locke Lamora
|
|
|