Book Review: The Lies of Locke Lamora

The Lies of Locke Lamora is a fantasy book written by Scott Lynch, an author known largely because of this book and Red Seas Under Red Skies, which together form the beginning of a projected seven book series entitled The Gentlemen Bastards.

Lock Lamora is the protagonist of both the book and the overall series. He is a con artist and burglar, and leads a team of similar folk called, as per the name of the series, The Gentlemen Bastards.

The Lies of Locke Lamora is a book composed of two parts, with the two parts alternating chapters. The first part describes the history of Locke Lamora, other members of The Gentlemen Bastards (especially Jean, Locke's closest friend), and the city of Camorr, heavily based on the real city of Venice.

Locke's past describes him as an orphan, taken in by a blind thief and taught to secretly break the one code that all thieves in Camorr hold to - the Secret Peace, an arrangement by which thieves are tolerated only so long as they leave the noble class of Camorr alone. Locke is a natural talent when it comes to deception and burglary, and quickly finds a home in the man's group.

The second part of the book focuses on the present, and is the portion in which the main plot of the book takes part. In this portion of the book, The Gentlemen Bastards are planning and executing something that will make them all rich - a confidence scam involving Don Lorenzo Salvara, a rich noble.

While the scam moves forward, a man known only as the Gray King begins systematically eliminating many major figures in Camorr's underworld.

So, why is this book great? Well, the writing is solid, and the plot is excellent and properly focused. Scott Lynch makes great use of jumping around between the past and the present, as well as pacing himself when it comes to the two major story threads in the present.

Most importantly, however, is that the characters in the story are excellent. Locke, true to his nature as an excellent confidence man, is funny, likable, and behaves in a believable manner for the entire book. This, really, encapsulates each of The Gentlemen Bastards in some way, albeit to a lesser degree.

It doesn't just end with the main characters, though. Even minor characters who exist seemingly only to move the plot forward do so in a believable manner, while going about their own lives and having their own goals.

In short, The Lies of Locke Lamora is like a collision of Ocean's Eleven, medieval Venice, and a well-developed fantasy setting, with excellent writing that will frequently amuse you. If you like any of those things, you'll probably like this book. It's just that good.