Gentlemen Bastards
The Lies of Locke Lamora is focused on a central protagonist (the eponymous Locke Lamora, AKA the Thorn of Camorr), there’s an occasional chapter here and there which follows some of the other major characters where required for the purposes of the story. The narrative is divided between the present as depicted in the book and Locke’s misspent youth via flashback.
The story is set in the port city of Camorr (think Venice on steroids), a sprawling warren of canals and alleys, populated with a motley crew of cut throats, cut purses and other assorted mischief makers, all of whom pay tribute to Capa Barsavi, ruler of the Camorri underworld. Locke Lamora has risen up from humble beginnings to become the head of a The Gentlemen Bastards, on the face of it a small, relatively insignificant gang of thieves. The Gentlemen Bastards though are con artists and not just of the nobility on whom they prey. Locke and his fellow thieves are all relatively content with the status quo, going about their nefarious activities and paying tribute to Capa Barsavi. When the mysterious Grey King appears on the scene as a challenger to the Capa the delicate balance is upset.
I didn’t find this book to be as immediately enjoyable as some others, it wasn’t as easy to read and it certainly took slightly longer to finish, however on reflection this novel offers a more complex, challenging and ultimately rewarding read. The Lies of Locke Lamora is byzantine, there are plots within plots, the motives and morals of the lead character are ambiguous at best but all the more believable for that. In fact the author has done an incredible job of creating a living, breathing world, every facet of Camorr is rooted to an imperfect reality, from the city itself to the people who populate it, there are no miracle cures, no sudden uncovering of mystical abilities, nothing occurs which feels farfetched, out of character or previously unthinkable. While this is the first book in The Gentlemen Bastards sequence, I think that it also works as a standalone novel, so don’t let the interminable wait between episodes put you off, read it now and then in twenty years’ time, buy the rest of the series and re-enjoy this one.
- The Lies of Locke Lamora (2006) – Amazon – Book Depository
- Red Seas Under Red Skies (2007) – Amazon – Book Depository
- Republic of Thieves (2013) – Amazon – Book Depository
- The Thorn of Emberlain (2021) – Amazon – Book Depository