The Republic of Thieves - Scott Lynch

The Blurb: Having pulled off the greatest heist of their career, Locke and his trusted partner in thievery, Jean, have escaped with a tidy fortune. But Locke's body is paying the price. Poisoned by an enemy from his past, he is slowly dying. And no physiker or alchemist can help him. Yet just as the end is near, a mysterious Bondsmagi offers Locke an opportunity that will either save him - or finish him off once and for all. 

Magi political elections are imminent, and the factions are in need of a pawn. If Locke agrees to play the role, sorcery will be used to purge the venom from his body - though the process will be so excruciating he may well wish for death. Locke is opposed, but two factors cause his will to crumble: Jean's imploring - and the Bondsmagi's mention of a woman from Locke's past . . . Sabetha. The love of his life. His equal in skill and wit. And now his greatest rival. 

Locke was smitten with Sabetha from his first glimpse of her as a young fellow-orphan and thief-in-training. But after a tumultuous courtship, Sabetha broke away. Now they will reunite in yet another clash of wills. For faced with his one and only match in both love and trickery, Locke must choose whether to fight Sabetha - or to woo her. It is a decision on which both their lives may depend.

Some slight spoilers will be present in this review, but mostly of book two of the series, Red Seas Under Red Skies. I tried to avoid it as much as possible.

This is the long awaited third installment in the Gentleman Bastard series by Scott Lynch. The cover is stunning, really a stand out and a nice spin on the hooded men that does not seem to want to go away. It looks like a painting and I'd gladly hang a print in my house, and you can't say that about too many covers.

I love Lynch. His prose, style, pacing and worldbuilding. The first book in the series, The Lies of Locke Lamora, sits in my top three favourite book I've read in my life. I'll try to keep my inner fanboy out of the way as much as possible.

When we left Locke and Jean at the end of Red Seas Under Red Skies, Locke just drank some nasty poison to save his friend from doing the exact same thing. We meet up with them where Locke is suffering the effects of his selfless act and Jean is busy buying, pleading, threatening and kidnapping anybody who has the slightest chance of helping Locke. The feeling is pretty grim, with Locke dying by inches. Then Patience - a bondmagi - show up and makes them an offer that's impossible to refuse.

As all Gentleman Bastard fans know, the magic users in Mr. Lynch's world formed their own city, Karthain, and they are quite apart from the world in general. If someone has enough money they can hire a bondsmagi for certain tasks and they are mistrusted and feared by most of the common people. And hated by Locke and Jean. Hey, they have some solid reasons.

Patience convinces them that she can help Locke, but for a price of course. The elections of Karthain are imminent and the factions inside the magi choose outsiders to run the election campaigns, for fun of course. If you were close to all powerful you'd also do weird crap to keep yourself amused wouldn't you? The big drawcard for Locke is that Sabetha, his Gentleman Bastard accomplice and the love of his life, has been contracted by the other magi-faction.

Throughout the previous two books we've read of the impact that Sabetha had on Locke in his youth, and I've been interested in her since the first few hints was dropped. Of course Locke accepts the offer for help and the price he has to pay.

What follows is a romp throughout Karthain. There are some rules that the elections has to follow, but not as many as you would think. Sabotage, bribery and all round hilarity ensues and makes the story a hoot to read.

Mr. Lynch uses flashbacks quite well and a lot in this book, fleshing out the back story between Locke and Sabetha in the process. We also get to read quite a bit about the Sansa twins which is bittersweet, seeing as they were murdered in Lies, and their interactions with each other is damn well done. We discover quite a lot about Locke and his origins which I really appreciated and did not really expect.

The pacing in the flashbacks is quite different and slower than the main storyline, so it almost feels like it's there to take a breath between all the action. I did not mind this, as it helped separate the two timelines well.

The interaction between Locke and Sabetha is brilliant. When they are matching wits it's magical, seeing as she is just as smart as Locke and makes him stumble quite a few times. When they are alone and Locke's insecurity and love for her comes to the fore it made for some touching reading.

We also discover why the Bondsmagi exist as they do, and the explanation is damn brilliant and I never saw it coming. In a few lines Mr Lynch manages to give reasons that makes sense and it fleshes the world out nicely for the following books. 

There were quite a few twists in this book that was done well enough to catch me off guard, and that made this book damn good. Whatever you think will happen, doesn't. I got the feeling during the book that this is Mr. Lynch enjoying himself, a master storyteller delivering his tale with flourish and style. It was a real fun book.

Will it stick in my head as the first one in the series managed to? I don't think so. There are passages that stand out and really touched me, especially between Locke and Jean, but as a whole it was good, not memorable. If you like Locke and the Gentleman Bastards, read this book. You'll love it.

7/10

Republic of Thieves publication date announced

After five long years, we finally have a publication date. Just announced on Gollianz's blog here: 

"The Orion Publishing Group (UK & Commonwealth) and the Random House Publishing Group (US) are thrilled to announce the publication of the third instalment in Scott Lynch’s popular fantasy series that began with The Lies of Locke Lamora. THE REPUBLIC OF THIEVES will release on October 10, 2013 in the UK and Commonwealth and October 8, 2013 in the US."

This is the best new's I've heard all year. The Gentleman Bastard series is one of the most original and well written out there. I love these books. Lynch's struggles with depression and anxiety is well documented, which explains the long wait for the third instalment of the series. I'm glad that a date has been set and that Mr. Lynch finished the final draft of what will be a damn good book. Well done and holy hell I can't wait for this!

The Lies of Locke Lamora - Scott Lynch

The Burb: 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 rumour. 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...


Now I know that the book has been out for quite some time. 2007 if I remember correctly. And I have read it quite a while ago. At the end of last year, Mr. Lynch sold some of his personal copies of his work on his blog and I was lucky enough to pick pne up. He was even nice enough to sell it to me for $1. The shipping was $17, so it worked out brilliantly since I only had $18 in my Paypal account. He's a good guy. 
When it arrived, I had to read it again. You cannot not read a book when you have it. That's just wrong.


Boy am I glad that I think like that.


Locke and his band of Gentleman Bastards - that's their gang name, and a cool damn name at that - are very, very good thieves. Amazingly good. They are so good that even the Capa does not know about their thefts. They rob the nobility blind with schemes in stead of robberies, and the schemes are always so elaborate and brilliant that the poor nobles take quite a while to realize what the hell has happened to their money.


There is magic in the world, but the bondsmages are the only practitioners, they are jealous, arrogant and insanely expensive to hire. They say it's safer to kill yourself than kill a bondsmage, since the whole order hunts you down as well as all those you care for and all you've made when you do. I find this a nice change of magic use than the normal wizards ruling over people or not being respected. They are basically mercenaries who can burn the world. 


The world itself seems to have been inhabited by an ancient race who has since disappeared out of memory. They left behind Elderglass structures which cannot be broken or melted. That is the extent of the influence of the ancient race in this book. No artefacts, no prophecy. Just awesome glowing buildings that make Camorr a little bit more interesting.


So, the magic is there but quite untouchable. No freaky prophecy to complete. No artefact to hunt. Just dishonest thieves trying to rob the nobility blind and try to survive. It sounds strange if you put it like that, but it's brilliant.


Most of the book is spent with Locke as the POV, but he's one interesting bastard, that's for sure. There is quite a few curse words present in the book, but it fits in well with the world they move in and the culture thats present. If dragons eating Knights and wizards boiling soldiers in their armour is acceptable, a few f-bombs should really not put anyone off. 


The story has many a twist and turn. Not all of them done perfectly. One big scene in the book could have been done better. Some interesting characters  crying out for some extra development or back story does not get it, but since this was his first novel, it will be forgiven. The rest of the book is awesome.

The gods are interesting and out of the way, the character interaction and development is slick, the world seems well thought out enough for 10 more books.


The whole thief thing has been done before this book and since, but this one is on the top of the pile for  me.  


9/10.