Review -- The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch

I don't care that this book is over three years old, and I don't care this is a review I wrote a couple of years ago. The Lies of Locke Lamora is just that good. Now onto the review!


I read the back cover of Scott Lynch's The Lies of Locke Lamora in the bookstore. One line in particular jumped out at me. It said, "One part 'Robin Hood,' one part Ocean's Eleven, and entirely enthralling..." Even though I don't really like descriptions that say "it's x meets y," Ocean's Eleven mixed with "Robin Hood" is almost exactly how I would describe this novel. I would also add "meets Renaissance-era Italy" to the end of the description. I think that sentence more accurately sums up The Lies of Locke Lamora.


The novel is set in the city-state of Camorra, and the setting has both familiar and fantastic components. Camorra is modeled after Venica, and it's a city of canals and islands, home to wealthy nobles and fierce criminal gangs. Decadence and squalor coexists side by side, but the elderglass and alchemy make this city different from others you might have read about.


Elderglass is a substance left behind by a long forgotten race. It looks beautiful and delicate but is stronger than anything made by man. The Duke of Camorra lives in a tower made entirely of elderglass. In The Lies of Locke Lamora, alchemy is the mixture of magic and science. In this novel it's responsible for things like oranges that produce an orange liqueur instead of normal juice.


That's enough about the setting, although Camorra is almost as lively as the the human characters. The plot of the novel centers around a group of thieves called the Gentlemen Bastards. Locke Lamora is the leader of the bunch, a charismatic thief with a gift for acting. That's how the Bastards earn their keep; they don't concern themselves with petty activities like strong-arming local businesses. Instead they use their brains and con the city's nobles out of their fortunes. The plot starts off with the Bastards trying to pull off their biggest score yet, but their scheme soon spirals out of control as forces bigger than the Bastards envelop them. This was a book where I definitely couldn't predict what was going to happen next.


As a main character, Locke Lamora is fascinating. While he's the "orphan that becomes a master thief" type character, he also has quite a bit of depth to him. There are hints that Locke has a long lost love, but he refuses to talk about it. Also Locke is not the best fighter, which is a wonderful bit of detail because it keeps him from becoming the male version of a Mary Sue.


Locke's best friend and second in command, Jean Tannen, is also very well developed. Like the rest of the Bastards, he is also an orphan. He's an expert fighter, wielding twin hatches named the Wicked Sisters, but he also loves to read romance novels. It's little details like these that help bring the characters to life.


Sadly, the other Gentlemen Bastards are not as well developed as Locke and Jean. There's Calo and Galdo, a pair of twins who exist mostly as stock characters. Lastly, there's Bug, the youngest member of the crew who's trying to become a full fledged member.


But Lynch makes up for minor character missteps with a tightly crafted plot. There are multiple plot lines that run through this novel, with Locke having to juggle each one unless he wants to lose his life. As the stakes get higher, Locke's schemes get even more elaborate. He and his crew have to balance: running a con against Don Salvara and his wife, working for the mysterious Gray King who is killing off high ranking members of the criminal underworld, and trying to figure out how to keep a Bondsmage named the Falconer from killing them out of pure maliciousness.


The plot can get a tiny bit confusing at times because of how many twists and turns it takes, but it leads to a satisfying conclusion. Also, until you get used to the layout of Camorra (thankfully a map is included in the front of the book) it can be difficult to keep track of all the different districts in the city.


I highly recommend this book because of its wonderful setting, memorable and humorous characters, and the high-octane action sequences. The Lies of Locke Lamora quickly became one of my favorite books, and I picked up completely on a whim! Of course the blurb on the front cover from George R.R. Martin didn't hurt.