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4.13 AVERAGE
4.13 AVERAGE
Spoilers below--- BE WARNED.
I'm so sorry. I wanted to rate this book a 5 and almost rated it a 4 but then thought about my reading experience and decided that 3 was correct. I am one of the legion of fans who has waited for years for the continuation of the Locke Lamora series, in love with the rich, detailed world and the devil-may-care thieves with a gift for just barely surviving. I thought a lot about this book after I was finished with it, and I have a theory as to what's up with me and my issues with this book.
If you're a fan, you're familiar with the author's long battle with anxiety, which kept him from finishing this book for years. I had a really nasty bout with anxiety myself within the past year, so I have sympathy and admiration for Mr. Lynch's courage in putting out a book with ridiculously unreal high expectations upon it, delayed to boot so that some fans might have been ready for blood. I think that the author has undergone a sort of sea change in his perspective and style and is trying to guide this series into a newer, more thoughtful writing style, more character-driven, less bloody-minded, and more introspective. This is like trying to haul a careening wagon out of the ruts that it's in by hauling on the reins of runaway horses. I haven't re-read LOLL for quite a while, but I suspect that if I did I'd see a drastic change in style. Unfortunately, I think this book suffers a bit for the attempt.
The book is split in half, one half flashback of Locke and Sabetha as children and teens, and one half current story. The parts are long enough that the split kills some of the tension each time you're taken into a different storyline.
Flashback: it's kind of weird to see Locke and Sabetha interacting, since none of the previous books had a whisper of them together, but they apparently spent years learning the trade with Chains. I wonder if it might have been better to avoid that part altogether. We're working toward an epic love story here, but the bones may not have needed to be seen.
About Sabetha: don't listen to anyone who says she's a bitch. She's brilliant, conflicted, trying to break into a leadership role when a more natural leader has come along to usurp her. She's afraid of being vulnerable. She's also a con. She may sometimes act like a good girl, but she's not. Locke's not a nice guy either- he is not a helpless victim here! I think playing up Sabetha's grittiness might have been helpful, because we spend most of the book looking at her through Locke's love-blinded eyes. He definitely set her up as a paragon, as someone he wouldn't dare to insult or push. He almost emasculates himself for her. But I don't think she asks him to. He's just so obsessed that he loses his normal personality around her.
Sabetha, however, does not seem to be a person as much as a collection of traits. We don't see her joking with her friends. In fact, I'm not sure she actually has any friends. Sure, Jean and the Sanzas are there, but they don't seem to interact with her on her own as a person. Sabetha seems utterly lonely. No one can take her for herself and just be her friend. And, unfortunately, I don't see the chemistry between her and Locke. They don't seem to be a good fit. Locke can't be his best (or worst) self with her, and she can't be her best self with him.
The current storyline is about fixing an election. It didn't seem like the heart of the author was behind this storyline, though. We see tactics often at a remove, are never really sure where we are in the political race, and it generally felt distant. The heart of the current day storyline was Locke and Sabetha deciding if they can trust each other again.
Again, this book is making the transition to being character-driven as opposed to plot driven, and the complicated nature of politics and intrigue demanded a more plot-driven book.
I think the series might gain something if it went back to Camorr. That city was so richly realized- I loved the setting. Now, with each subsequent book we're in an entirely different city, and each has grown progressively less interesting. There's so much left to mine in Camorr, it's a shame to change settings so thoroughly.
The best part of the book- the bond-mages are back. They are pitting Locke and Sabetha against each other, and they definitely have their own agenda. I'm all about seeing what happens next with this storyline. The bondmages may have become slightly more morally grey, but it's a very dark grey and they are great adversaries for Locke. There's a revelation in this book that makes any further show-downs between Locke and the bond-mages even more intriguing!
This may be a series that the author needs to finish, and then start something else which is more conducive to exploring his new style. Or, heck, write a different book simultaneously! I don't care, and I'm certainly not going to object to being able to read more by Scott Lynch. Locke's a devil-may-care character with a knife-sharp survival instinct, but a romantic hero he is not. Let's see him and Sabetha team up against the bad guys.
I'm so sorry. I wanted to rate this book a 5 and almost rated it a 4 but then thought about my reading experience and decided that 3 was correct. I am one of the legion of fans who has waited for years for the continuation of the Locke Lamora series, in love with the rich, detailed world and the devil-may-care thieves with a gift for just barely surviving. I thought a lot about this book after I was finished with it, and I have a theory as to what's up with me and my issues with this book.
If you're a fan, you're familiar with the author's long battle with anxiety, which kept him from finishing this book for years. I had a really nasty bout with anxiety myself within the past year, so I have sympathy and admiration for Mr. Lynch's courage in putting out a book with ridiculously unreal high expectations upon it, delayed to boot so that some fans might have been ready for blood. I think that the author has undergone a sort of sea change in his perspective and style and is trying to guide this series into a newer, more thoughtful writing style, more character-driven, less bloody-minded, and more introspective. This is like trying to haul a careening wagon out of the ruts that it's in by hauling on the reins of runaway horses. I haven't re-read LOLL for quite a while, but I suspect that if I did I'd see a drastic change in style. Unfortunately, I think this book suffers a bit for the attempt.
The book is split in half, one half flashback of Locke and Sabetha as children and teens, and one half current story. The parts are long enough that the split kills some of the tension each time you're taken into a different storyline.
Flashback: it's kind of weird to see Locke and Sabetha interacting, since none of the previous books had a whisper of them together, but they apparently spent years learning the trade with Chains. I wonder if it might have been better to avoid that part altogether. We're working toward an epic love story here, but the bones may not have needed to be seen.
About Sabetha: don't listen to anyone who says she's a bitch. She's brilliant, conflicted, trying to break into a leadership role when a more natural leader has come along to usurp her. She's afraid of being vulnerable. She's also a con. She may sometimes act like a good girl, but she's not. Locke's not a nice guy either- he is not a helpless victim here! I think playing up Sabetha's grittiness might have been helpful, because we spend most of the book looking at her through Locke's love-blinded eyes. He definitely set her up as a paragon, as someone he wouldn't dare to insult or push. He almost emasculates himself for her. But I don't think she asks him to. He's just so obsessed that he loses his normal personality around her.
Sabetha, however, does not seem to be a person as much as a collection of traits. We don't see her joking with her friends. In fact, I'm not sure she actually has any friends. Sure, Jean and the Sanzas are there, but they don't seem to interact with her on her own as a person. Sabetha seems utterly lonely. No one can take her for herself and just be her friend. And, unfortunately, I don't see the chemistry between her and Locke. They don't seem to be a good fit. Locke can't be his best (or worst) self with her, and she can't be her best self with him.
The current storyline is about fixing an election. It didn't seem like the heart of the author was behind this storyline, though. We see tactics often at a remove, are never really sure where we are in the political race, and it generally felt distant. The heart of the current day storyline was Locke and Sabetha deciding if they can trust each other again.
Again, this book is making the transition to being character-driven as opposed to plot driven, and the complicated nature of politics and intrigue demanded a more plot-driven book.
I think the series might gain something if it went back to Camorr. That city was so richly realized- I loved the setting. Now, with each subsequent book we're in an entirely different city, and each has grown progressively less interesting. There's so much left to mine in Camorr, it's a shame to change settings so thoroughly.
The best part of the book- the bond-mages are back. They are pitting Locke and Sabetha against each other, and they definitely have their own agenda. I'm all about seeing what happens next with this storyline. The bondmages may have become slightly more morally grey, but it's a very dark grey and they are great adversaries for Locke. There's a revelation in this book that makes any further show-downs between Locke and the bond-mages even more intriguing!
This may be a series that the author needs to finish, and then start something else which is more conducive to exploring his new style. Or, heck, write a different book simultaneously! I don't care, and I'm certainly not going to object to being able to read more by Scott Lynch. Locke's a devil-may-care character with a knife-sharp survival instinct, but a romantic hero he is not. Let's see him and Sabetha team up against the bad guys.
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I sort of slogged through this one, but think the fact that I read through all three books in the series back-to-back might be to blame. I found the capers and plots less charming, and the whole storyline of them as actors was often difficult to follow - we have the four Gentlemen Bastards using cover names, then being cast in a play where they have a third set of names. And every other actor also has a secondary name due to their part in the play. And the author occassionally switches between using characters' first and last names.
And frankly I did not care to read the parts where they act out the play within a book.
Theatrical greivances aside, it was fun to revisit a storyline in which Calo and Galdo are still alive. On the flip side, the whole political intrigue and manipulation also got a bit convoluted, and I felt like the development of the relationship between Sabetha and Locke also felt clunky. And the big reveal at the end was very... huh?! Confusing and not as impactful as I suspect it was meant to be. Whereas at the end of the first two books, I couldn't wait to pick up the next, this one didn't end with that level of suspense.
I'm going to sound like a jerk when I say this is the first fantasy series that I'm glad the author has taken forever to keep writing, because I need a break - forgive me if you are one of the people who has been waiting for book #4 for the last decade
And frankly I did not care to read the parts where they act out the play within a book.
Theatrical greivances aside, it was fun to revisit a storyline in which Calo and Galdo are still alive. On the flip side, the whole political intrigue and manipulation also got a bit convoluted, and I felt like the development of the relationship between Sabetha and Locke also felt clunky. And the big reveal at the end was very... huh?! Confusing and not as impactful as I suspect it was meant to be. Whereas at the end of the first two books, I couldn't wait to pick up the next, this one didn't end with that level of suspense.
I'm going to sound like a jerk when I say this is the first fantasy series that I'm glad the author has taken forever to keep writing, because I need a break - forgive me if you are one of the people who has been waiting for book #4 for the last decade
once again, you get dinged for being a creep, thanks for your participation in A Society
Hard to finish. Not as good as the first one. Sabetha was cool and complicated (esp when you got to read from her perspective), but I felt like she was mostly there to give Locke man-pain. Didn't like that Locke's orphan unknown past was kinda magically (literally) explained away. Some things should just stay unknown.
3.5? I love this series. The world, the characters, all of it. Was this the best book? No.
Books 1 & 2 are some of my new favourites of all time, I think unfortunately that put a lot of pressure on this one and sadly it fell flat.
While I was still invested in the story it just felt like it ran out of energy about halfway through. The twists toward the end were entirely underwhelming and I’m left waiting for book 4 in hopes it brings the storyline back to its former glory.
Books 1 & 2 are some of my new favourites of all time, I think unfortunately that put a lot of pressure on this one and sadly it fell flat.
While I was still invested in the story it just felt like it ran out of energy about halfway through. The twists toward the end were entirely underwhelming and I’m left waiting for book 4 in hopes it brings the storyline back to its former glory.
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
As far as the story goes, I would give this book a 3/5. It doesn’t really feel like anything happens. And then it just kind of ends. I wouldn’t say it was unsatisfying, but it just wasn’t memorable.
The characterizations, however, are an easy 5/5. The things that were teased through the first two books come to fruition here in near perfection. The psyche of Lock Lamora is explored in a fresh way that feels so natural. It was another entry of a book series that just feels like I’m hanging out with my friends. And that will always be what Lynch does best.
After Red Seas Under Red Skies, it was nice to have a return to quality flashbacks. I actually preferred them to the main story in this entry.
I’m not sure how I feel about the twist, but we’ll see how that all plays out in future installments (if they ever come).
The lackluster story mixed with the incredible characters evens this book out to a 4/5 for me. And you can bet I’ll have The Thorn of Emberlain preordered as soon as I can!
The characterizations, however, are an easy 5/5. The things that were teased through the first two books come to fruition here in near perfection. The psyche of Lock Lamora is explored in a fresh way that feels so natural. It was another entry of a book series that just feels like I’m hanging out with my friends. And that will always be what Lynch does best.
After Red Seas Under Red Skies, it was nice to have a return to quality flashbacks. I actually preferred them to the main story in this entry.
I’m not sure how I feel about the twist, but we’ll see how that all plays out in future installments (if they ever come).
The lackluster story mixed with the incredible characters evens this book out to a 4/5 for me. And you can bet I’ll have The Thorn of Emberlain preordered as soon as I can!