Tash Reviewing Books

p55 / 586

Just another reminder of why I love these guys so much...

“That's a sweet piece," said Jean, briefly forgetting to be aggravated. "You didn't snatch that off a street."

"No," said Locke, before taking another deep draught of the warm water in the decanter. "I got it from the neck of the governor's mistress."

"You can't be serious."

"In the governor's manor."

"Of all the -" 

"In the governor's bed."

"Damned lunatic!"

"With the governor sleeping next to her."

The night quiet was broken by the high, distant trill of a whistle, the traditional swarming noise of city watches everywhere. Several other whistles joined in a few moments later.

"It is possible," said Locke with a sheepish grin, "that I have been slightly too bold."

Maggie Stiefvater is a truly talented writer. Each one of her books reads like poetry, they're all so hauntingly beautiful it hurts my soul. If I was still at school studying this sort of thing I might go on about the prose and imagery that makes these stories stay with me long after finishing. But I'm not.

What's this I found..... expected publication July 2014!!!

Must. Stop. Laughing.

Fuck. You.

The Lies of Locke Lamora is full of thieving, swearing and double crossing. Throw in a bit of gangsta thug life and you know before you even start that your going to love this book. Locke and his gang, the Gentlemen Bastards are in the middle of one of their biggest heists yet when things start turning awry. I could of read a book entirely composed of the witty banter between these guys as they ran about robbing nobles and deceiving the mafia like boss of the underworld, the Capa. However, as a new power emerges to threaten the Capa, things quickly take a turn for the worse and this is definitely where the story quickens it's pace. The barrels of horse piss roll out and the death count rises as Locke and his gang find themselves embroiled in an underground war where deception, torture and murder is only the tip of the iceburg.


Some minor SPOILERS ahead...


I personally, love a good story about revenge and as this theme came to the forefront I found myself awake at 3am in the morning still flipping pages. I loved seeing Locke's change from smartass thief to badass motherfucker. The final moments are edge of your seat stuff, I was hit in the face with emotion and I don't think I have ever wanted a character to succeed as much as I wanted Locke too.

The twists in this book are expertly crafted and the world Lynch has created is as rich and diverse as you could hope for in a fantasy novel without being overwhelming. There are a large number of flashbacks interwoven throughout the story to give some further depth to the relationships formed between the Gentlemen Bastards and there previous mentor Chains (view spoiler). As well as the action, the one liners are non-stop with moments you cant help but laugh out loud at. There are definitely some graphic scenes that I wouldn't be reading out loud to any young children anytime soon (or anyone who is particularly squeemish for that matter) and the "fucks" and "shits" are thrown around rather casually, although if anything I found this refreshingly brilliant and somewhat badass at times.

I could go on for forever but I'll just sum things up by saying this.
The Lies of Locke Lamora has one of the most satisfying endings I have ever read. Although this is a series, this could definitely be read as a standalone. I however, cannot wait to get my hands on Red Seas Under Red Skies as soon as exams are over.

Recommended For: Fans of fantasy with a bit more blood, adventure and humour EVERYONE