A review by its_kievan
The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch

dark tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

There was a period in the early-to-mid 2000s where fantasy literature began moving away from Tolkein-esque epic fantasy to stuff that was more "gritty", or at least had fewer elves. The Lies of Locke Lamora is a perfect example of this era. It's a fantasy world with magic and gods and a weird precursor race that built some funky towers, but all of that mostly takes a back seat to the story of a group of thieves trying to get rich in the middle of a gang war in fantasy Italy. It's a side of fantasy that you didn't get to see in earlier works, and it definitely did a lot to bring the genre out of its 90s ghetto. The schemes are complex without being overwhelming, and Locke is a very well-written protagonist. At the same time, it's clearly Lynch's first novel, and he definitely needed to trim a couple chapters. Overall, Lies is a fun read, but it's more notable for what it inspired than for what it is.
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