Take a photo of a barcode or cover
coleforbes22 's review for:
The Republic of Thieves
by Scott Lynch
Overall, enjoyed this series. 1000% needs a 4th book. Review in parts:
Prologue
Locke recounts his first meeting and time with Beth (Sabetha). She was rumored to have drowned in a river during a heist that went south.
Part l
Six weeks after the events of Book 2, Locke and Jean are in The City of Lashain to meet with an alchemist named Erkemar Zodesti. Jean kidnaps him to try to help, but he isn’t of help, and they are soon visited by Whispers Cortessa who prompts them to leave the city. They are visited by a Bondsmagi named Archedama Patience (one of the higher powered sorceresses) who reveals herself to be the Falconer’s mother. [Interlude: Locke recounts his first few weeks joining the Gentleman Bastards. Chains recruited Beth and they orchestrated her fake death. Chains sets up an elaborate test in which Locke thinks Sabetha was kidnapped, so he gives her a poison so that she can kill herself and not reveal any secrets about the Gentleman Bastards. After he finds out it was a test, Locke is mad, but Chains is glad he passed.] Patience says she’ll heal Locke if him and Jean help her rig an election. Every five years the citizens of Karthain elect an assembly, the Konseil. There are 19 representatives that run the city and Patience wants the majority of seats to go to the faction of her preference. Patience, Jean, and Locke set sail to Karthain. Patience and a younger Bondsmage named Coldmarrow preform a ritual to expel the poison from Locke. [Interlude: Locke’s 13th birthday. Chains takes him and Sabetha to the Orphan Moon ritual where they pledge allegiance to the Nameless 13th God of thriving/crime]. Patience shares a memory with Jean and Locke of when her and the other Bondsmagi debated The Falconer’s contract to go to Camorr. Patience prepares Jean and Locke for arrival and tells them they’ll have a contact in the Black Iris (one of the political factions). She tells Locke that Sabetha was hired by her rivals.
Whispers cortessa?? Okay drag name.
Honestly surprised Locke passed that test in the interlude— good for him but also Chains is a dick for that but also really good mentor.
I always enjoyed the Interludes but now we also have the Intersections woven in? The first one obviously between two Bondsmagi… interesting… what is special about Locke??
Regal the cat is back omg
Ah shit, I knew it was only a matter of time before we got to meet Sabetha… time to see what’s in store!
Part ll
They arrive in Karthain and meet a man named Nikoros. He is working for Patience and with Jean & Locke, but he’s a part of the rival party: the Deep Roots. Their allies are referred to as the “Committee” and the Deep Roots are the “Trust”. That evening, they attend a dinner. They meet Epitalus and Dexa (head of the Deep Roots committee). A man named Vidalos comes to arrest one of the men (Josten) for unpaid taxes, but Locke can tell it was all set up by Sabetha. [Interlude: The Gentleman Bastards are working on a job. Locke is going under the alias Lucaza de Barra. He meets two men named Sylvanus, Alondo Razi, and a woman named Jenora. Their boss named Moncraine was arrested for assaulting someone of noble blood.]
Locke and Jean are summoned by Verena Gallante (Sabetha’s alias). They reunite and catch up, but Sabetha tricks them and has them put on a prison ship leaving Karthain. [Interlude: Sabetha and Locke rescue Moncraine from his cell. Jasmer Moncraine has a theater and a show called “The Republic of Thieves”. Locke and Sabetha convince Lord Boulidazis (whom Moncraine punched) not yo press charges. In exchange, Boulidazi wants Locke to help him convince Sabetha to marry him].
Jean and Locke escape during a rough storm and sail back to Karthain. [Interlude: Moncraine is free and his debts are paid, so he goes back to directing The Republic of Thieves play. The gentleman bastards, in disguise, agree to act in the play. He recruits a friend named Chantal Couza to play a part. Her husband, Bertrand, used to act but now writes his own plays. Later that evening, Locke confesses his love to Sabetha, but accidentally comments on her true hair color being read, and she thinks he’s just trying to sleep with her and she gets upset. Boulidazi overheard their conversation and confronts Locks after realizing they’re lying to him about their identities.]
Love the interlude and getting more of the Sanza twins again
I’m glad Sabetha still cares for Locke and Jean.. I mean, yes she tricked them and had them sent away from Karthain on the boat, but that was in place of killing them or worse. So, I’m glad they got to reunite for sure.
A bit of a slower section of the book? All of this backstory/interlude about the Republic of Thieves play with Moncraine is a bit boring but I’m interested to see where it goes… also, low key, Sabetha is annoying for being upset with Locke about him commenting on her hair. Like it’s just so obvious he’s such a simp for her and is truly in love and when he finally truly communicates that and makes that comment about her real hair being red and she gets all upset? I get it was a trigger for her but still like girl be so fr he obviously genuinely cares about you!!
Interested to see what happens with Locke and Jean return to Karthain…
Part lll
Jean and Locke return to Karthaine. They learn the Canton of Emberlain and the rest of the Seven Marrows is seceding. Locke and Sabetha agree to a truce and go to dinner. Locke has Nikoros and the others look for dirt on the opposing parties members. Patience decides to tell Locke and Sabetha where Locke comes from and what he is. [Interlude: Sabetha and Locke play off their conversation as acting practice. The crew prepares to open the play, the find Boulidazi stabbed with shears]. Patience tells Locke and Sabetha about her powerful mentor who went mad trying to bring his wife back from the dead. He fled to Camorr and would practice sorcery on the poor and ill. His name was Lamora Acanthus and he was responsible for creating the Black Whisper plague in Camorr. He was presumed dead until recently, when they realized Locke is Lamora Acanthus’ spirit in a new body. Meanwhile, we learn Coldmarrow (Patience’s mentee) is actually working against her with Archedama Forsight. [Interlude: They learn Jenora killed Boulidazi in self defense. They all agree to open the play, keep the money, and make it look like he disappeared. The play is a success, but Moncraine steals the money]. The Black Iris party narrowly wins majority, but then one of Locke’s associates confesses he’s actually independent, so he’ll be the deciding vote for the next five years. Meanwhile, Coldmarrow and a few others blow up themselves and seventy other magi. Patience visits Locke and Jean. After the election, Sabetha fled on her own accord. Patience says the Bondsmagi are over and secluding themselves away from Karthain. Patience reveals the plan all along was for the Bondsmagi to kill themselves off when they got too powerful, and Patience was one of the few interested with seeing this out (Coldmarrow too— he wasn’t betraying her as we were led to believe).
So, part lll was okay?
The way Locke and Sabetha were .02 seconds away from getting to hook up and Patience decides to walk on. Smh.
Sabetha sharing that men will literally r*pe a woman with red hair to death in this world makes me sick to my stomach fr… like definitely understand why that was so much more of a trigger now.
We simply got way too much of this Republic of Thieves play..kinda meh but also I suppose it serves for a deepening connection between Sabetha and Locke.
Chapter 9 was definitely the most gag chapter in this series thus far. You mean to tell me Locke Lamora is essentially the reincarnate of a powerful Bondsmagi who also happened to be Patience’s mentor??? Literally what??
———
So, overall, this was a decent third book. This series 100% needs a fourth book. I know Scott lynch is meant to be writing one apparently but idk. The epilogue in this book just was too open for there not to be more. Like The Falconer is able to use sorcery still and escapes prison and kills his mom (Patience)??? Imma need to see more of him.
Locke Lamora and Jean are genuinely funny and I enjoyed their humor and “we’ll figure it the fuck out as we go” attitude. They were very enjoyable as main characters and I am glad Jean didn’t die.
I appreciate the map of Karthain Scott Lynch out in this book but I simply need a world map too.
Definitely enjoyed the romance between Sabetha and Locke in this. We didn’t get any romance outside of some in book 2 so that was a refreshing change of pace.
I will say a major critique / complain is that this series felt more of an anthology than a consistent and continuous story. I felt like I read the same general plot 3x. That is, having 2 opposing forces and Locke & Jean being in between… like we saw that in book 1 (Barsavi vs Grey King) and in book 2 (Archon/Stragos vs. Requin/Priori). Definitely makes me feel like this is more of an anthology than a true series even though they do all connect… and to that point, this book did kinda circle everything back in and we did see a lot of references to the stuff that happened in Tel Verrar and Camorr (I.e., Sabetha and the Bondsmagi were keeping track the whole time).
Lastly, Patience telling Locke: “Three things must you take up and three things must you lose before you die: a key, a crown, a child. You will die when a silver rain falls.” I NEED to know more about this.
So, in total, I think this was a fun series. Characters were likeable and it was consistently funny. World building was fun and not complex by any means. To me it definitely reads more of a “the adventure of Locke Lamora” anthology series but it still met the mark of being cohesive enough for me to be entertained.
Prologue
Locke recounts his first meeting and time with Beth (Sabetha). She was rumored to have drowned in a river during a heist that went south.
Part l
Six weeks after the events of Book 2, Locke and Jean are in The City of Lashain to meet with an alchemist named Erkemar Zodesti. Jean kidnaps him to try to help, but he isn’t of help, and they are soon visited by Whispers Cortessa who prompts them to leave the city. They are visited by a Bondsmagi named Archedama Patience (one of the higher powered sorceresses) who reveals herself to be the Falconer’s mother. [Interlude: Locke recounts his first few weeks joining the Gentleman Bastards. Chains recruited Beth and they orchestrated her fake death. Chains sets up an elaborate test in which Locke thinks Sabetha was kidnapped, so he gives her a poison so that she can kill herself and not reveal any secrets about the Gentleman Bastards. After he finds out it was a test, Locke is mad, but Chains is glad he passed.] Patience says she’ll heal Locke if him and Jean help her rig an election. Every five years the citizens of Karthain elect an assembly, the Konseil. There are 19 representatives that run the city and Patience wants the majority of seats to go to the faction of her preference. Patience, Jean, and Locke set sail to Karthain. Patience and a younger Bondsmage named Coldmarrow preform a ritual to expel the poison from Locke. [Interlude: Locke’s 13th birthday. Chains takes him and Sabetha to the Orphan Moon ritual where they pledge allegiance to the Nameless 13th God of thriving/crime]. Patience shares a memory with Jean and Locke of when her and the other Bondsmagi debated The Falconer’s contract to go to Camorr. Patience prepares Jean and Locke for arrival and tells them they’ll have a contact in the Black Iris (one of the political factions). She tells Locke that Sabetha was hired by her rivals.
Whispers cortessa?? Okay drag name.
Honestly surprised Locke passed that test in the interlude— good for him but also Chains is a dick for that but also really good mentor.
I always enjoyed the Interludes but now we also have the Intersections woven in? The first one obviously between two Bondsmagi… interesting… what is special about Locke??
Regal the cat is back omg
Ah shit, I knew it was only a matter of time before we got to meet Sabetha… time to see what’s in store!
Part ll
They arrive in Karthain and meet a man named Nikoros. He is working for Patience and with Jean & Locke, but he’s a part of the rival party: the Deep Roots. Their allies are referred to as the “Committee” and the Deep Roots are the “Trust”. That evening, they attend a dinner. They meet Epitalus and Dexa (head of the Deep Roots committee). A man named Vidalos comes to arrest one of the men (Josten) for unpaid taxes, but Locke can tell it was all set up by Sabetha. [Interlude: The Gentleman Bastards are working on a job. Locke is going under the alias Lucaza de Barra. He meets two men named Sylvanus, Alondo Razi, and a woman named Jenora. Their boss named Moncraine was arrested for assaulting someone of noble blood.]
Locke and Jean are summoned by Verena Gallante (Sabetha’s alias). They reunite and catch up, but Sabetha tricks them and has them put on a prison ship leaving Karthain. [Interlude: Sabetha and Locke rescue Moncraine from his cell. Jasmer Moncraine has a theater and a show called “The Republic of Thieves”. Locke and Sabetha convince Lord Boulidazis (whom Moncraine punched) not yo press charges. In exchange, Boulidazi wants Locke to help him convince Sabetha to marry him].
Jean and Locke escape during a rough storm and sail back to Karthain. [Interlude: Moncraine is free and his debts are paid, so he goes back to directing The Republic of Thieves play. The gentleman bastards, in disguise, agree to act in the play. He recruits a friend named Chantal Couza to play a part. Her husband, Bertrand, used to act but now writes his own plays. Later that evening, Locke confesses his love to Sabetha, but accidentally comments on her true hair color being read, and she thinks he’s just trying to sleep with her and she gets upset. Boulidazi overheard their conversation and confronts Locks after realizing they’re lying to him about their identities.]
Love the interlude and getting more of the Sanza twins again
I’m glad Sabetha still cares for Locke and Jean.. I mean, yes she tricked them and had them sent away from Karthain on the boat, but that was in place of killing them or worse. So, I’m glad they got to reunite for sure.
A bit of a slower section of the book? All of this backstory/interlude about the Republic of Thieves play with Moncraine is a bit boring but I’m interested to see where it goes… also, low key, Sabetha is annoying for being upset with Locke about him commenting on her hair. Like it’s just so obvious he’s such a simp for her and is truly in love and when he finally truly communicates that and makes that comment about her real hair being red and she gets all upset? I get it was a trigger for her but still like girl be so fr he obviously genuinely cares about you!!
Interested to see what happens with Locke and Jean return to Karthain…
Part lll
Jean and Locke return to Karthaine. They learn the Canton of Emberlain and the rest of the Seven Marrows is seceding. Locke and Sabetha agree to a truce and go to dinner. Locke has Nikoros and the others look for dirt on the opposing parties members. Patience decides to tell Locke and Sabetha where Locke comes from and what he is. [Interlude: Sabetha and Locke play off their conversation as acting practice. The crew prepares to open the play, the find Boulidazi stabbed with shears]. Patience tells Locke and Sabetha about her powerful mentor who went mad trying to bring his wife back from the dead. He fled to Camorr and would practice sorcery on the poor and ill. His name was Lamora Acanthus and he was responsible for creating the Black Whisper plague in Camorr. He was presumed dead until recently, when they realized Locke is Lamora Acanthus’ spirit in a new body. Meanwhile, we learn Coldmarrow (Patience’s mentee) is actually working against her with Archedama Forsight. [Interlude: They learn Jenora killed Boulidazi in self defense. They all agree to open the play, keep the money, and make it look like he disappeared. The play is a success, but Moncraine steals the money]. The Black Iris party narrowly wins majority, but then one of Locke’s associates confesses he’s actually independent, so he’ll be the deciding vote for the next five years. Meanwhile, Coldmarrow and a few others blow up themselves and seventy other magi. Patience visits Locke and Jean. After the election, Sabetha fled on her own accord. Patience says the Bondsmagi are over and secluding themselves away from Karthain. Patience reveals the plan all along was for the Bondsmagi to kill themselves off when they got too powerful, and Patience was one of the few interested with seeing this out (Coldmarrow too— he wasn’t betraying her as we were led to believe).
So, part lll was okay?
The way Locke and Sabetha were .02 seconds away from getting to hook up and Patience decides to walk on. Smh.
Sabetha sharing that men will literally r*pe a woman with red hair to death in this world makes me sick to my stomach fr… like definitely understand why that was so much more of a trigger now.
We simply got way too much of this Republic of Thieves play..kinda meh but also I suppose it serves for a deepening connection between Sabetha and Locke.
Chapter 9 was definitely the most gag chapter in this series thus far. You mean to tell me Locke Lamora is essentially the reincarnate of a powerful Bondsmagi who also happened to be Patience’s mentor??? Literally what??
———
So, overall, this was a decent third book. This series 100% needs a fourth book. I know Scott lynch is meant to be writing one apparently but idk. The epilogue in this book just was too open for there not to be more. Like The Falconer is able to use sorcery still and escapes prison and kills his mom (Patience)??? Imma need to see more of him.
Locke Lamora and Jean are genuinely funny and I enjoyed their humor and “we’ll figure it the fuck out as we go” attitude. They were very enjoyable as main characters and I am glad Jean didn’t die.
I appreciate the map of Karthain Scott Lynch out in this book but I simply need a world map too.
Definitely enjoyed the romance between Sabetha and Locke in this. We didn’t get any romance outside of some in book 2 so that was a refreshing change of pace.
I will say a major critique / complain is that this series felt more of an anthology than a consistent and continuous story. I felt like I read the same general plot 3x. That is, having 2 opposing forces and Locke & Jean being in between… like we saw that in book 1 (Barsavi vs Grey King) and in book 2 (Archon/Stragos vs. Requin/Priori). Definitely makes me feel like this is more of an anthology than a true series even though they do all connect… and to that point, this book did kinda circle everything back in and we did see a lot of references to the stuff that happened in Tel Verrar and Camorr (I.e., Sabetha and the Bondsmagi were keeping track the whole time).
Lastly, Patience telling Locke: “Three things must you take up and three things must you lose before you die: a key, a crown, a child. You will die when a silver rain falls.” I NEED to know more about this.
So, in total, I think this was a fun series. Characters were likeable and it was consistently funny. World building was fun and not complex by any means. To me it definitely reads more of a “the adventure of Locke Lamora” anthology series but it still met the mark of being cohesive enough for me to be entertained.