The Lies of Locke Lamora - Scott Lynch

From the opening paragraph of Scott Lynch's 'The Lies of Locke Lamora', first in an eventual seven book series, readers are immersed into an elegantly crafted setting. Unlike so many fantasy books, where authors oftentimes cram as much backstory about their worlds as possible for the sake of it, Lynch's wold-building flows so flawlessly in to the narrative to the point exposition is as entertaining as the core plot. Set in the fictitious Renaissance-Italianesque city of Camorr, the first book follows the misadventures of leader Locke Lamora and his small gang of petty window-thieves. Or, that's what the Gentlemen Bastards want the rest of their criminal syndicate, known as the 'Right People' to think. The reality being, the Gentlemen Bastards are far more akin to the Oceans 11 crew then mere pickpockets. But don't tell Capa Barsavi that!

There's always a job within a job, within a job, and when the countless webs begin to unravel Locke and the rest of the Bastards are caught in the crossfires between Camorr's Right People and a new foe that threatens not only the established, comfortable order of the criminal underground, but could topple the city itself. 

The plot itself flickers between current events and interludes to the past, shedding light on our protagonists' pasts and their unusual upbringing as acolytes of the blind priest Father Chains. But like I said, these bits of exposition were often times my favorite chapters of the book, and rather than dragging the main plot down, or there just to add to the author's overall word-count, these flashback chapters are not only enjoyable, but purposeful. Continuing on in books 2 and 3, and predictably in the rest of the series to come,  you feel as if these interludes are building to their final crescendo, like a final gut-punch.

-Meg

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Black Hotel - Renee Wakefield

Welcome To Moonlight Harbor - Sheila Roberts

The Witch of Halloween House - Jeff DeGordick