Throwback Thursday – The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch

Throwback Thursday is a weekly feature to highlight books from the past. It can honestly be anything as long as its not a book that is a current release. Maybe its a book that I read and reviewed and just want to highlight, maybe its a book I read before I started reviewing or maybe its a book that has a sequel coming out soon or maybe its a backlist book from my TBR that I just want to revisit and decide if I will make the time to read. Pretty much, anything goes. 

If you have a backlist book you want to feature in someway, please feel free to join in! (I’ll include a link-up for anyone who wants to participate)

This week’s choice is Lies of Locke Lamora by, the first book in the Gentleman Bastard series by Scott Lynch. Yes, I know this is a very popular and often recommended book, but it is one that I read before I started reviewing so I figured it was time to feature it.

Yes, this is a popular book, you see it recommended all over the place. But the thing is? It deserves it. This book quickly pulled me in, Locke is such an enjoyable and relatable protagonist. An orphan who, unlike many protagonists in fantasy, doesn’t have any magical ability or fighting skills. His strength is his personality and his skill at deception and pulling cons.

We meet Locke when he is young and alone in the streets. He is brought in to a small group of other orphans who are trained to be thieves, but not the sneak in the night type of thieves, but covert con-man type of thieving. The camaraderie and dynamics with this crew is just so much fun, and Jean Tannen, Locke’s best friend, is just awesome. The book is exciting and suspenseful and honestly, I wish I had the time to re-read. The series stays strong, and is hands down one of my favorites. If by some chance, you’ve not read this yet, I highly recommend making the time!

The Lies of Locke Lamora (Gentleman Bastard, #1) Series: Gentleman Bastard #1
by Scott Lynch
Also by this author: The Republic of Thieves
Published by Bantam Spectra on June 26, 2007
Pages: 722

   

Librarian note: an alternate cover for this edition can be found here.

In this stunning debut, Scott Lynch delivers the thrilling tale of an audacious criminal and his tightly knit band of 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 mysterious island city of Camorr. But young Locke Lamora dodges death and slavery, becoming a thief under the tutelage of a gifted con artist. As leader of the band of light-fingered brothers known as the Gentleman Bastards, Locke is soon infamous, fooling even the underworld’s most feared ruler. But in the shadows lurks someone still more ambitious and deadly.

Faced with a bloody coup that threatens to destroy everyone and everything that holds meaning in his mercenary life, Locke vows to beat the enemy at his own brutal game–or die trying….

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