Review: The Lies of Locke Lamora
The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I settled into Camorr's winding canals without much effort, picking up on the city's ancient glass structures rising through the fog from the start, and Scott Lynch's The Lies of Locke Lamora kept that pull going strong through the orphanage parts and beyond. This debut follows Locke, a quick-minded orphan who breaks out of a harsh beginning to learn thievery from a crafty guide, before running the Gentleman Bastards, a small team skilled at big scams.
Camorr feels real under Lynch's writing, with its briny breeze and secret trades coming through clearly enough to draw me in. He adds layers of odd alchemical bits and old ruins, linking them right to the thieves' plans without overloading on facts. The place mixes danger and appeal, similar to the grimy innovations in Mistborn: The Final Empire, where Brandon Sanderson ties world details to the action. Lynch gives it his own touch, though, mixing in humour and hurt with a flow that comes across as natural, even as melodic in spots.
These characters stick around in my head, I think, because Locke goes beyond being a mere crook; he's smart but broken, shaped by relationships that test and endure. His group swaps lines that show true commitment, a lot like the intertwined bonds in The Shadow of What Was Lost from the The Licanius Trilogy, but edged with ethical uncertainties that give decisions real weight. Pace-wise, it builds steadily at first, setting up the cons with careful buildup, then picks up speed for chases and turns. The surprises fit in well, each one a thoughtful shift that changes earlier views, without seeming tacked on.
All the same, those backward looks at Locke's younger years broke the momentum for me occasionally, even as they build out his background nicely. It's a small hitch in something that holds together so well. The key thing here, perhaps, is Lynch's way of mixing heist elements into grimdark fantasy while adding real warmth; it avoids the constant grimness of some stories, creating room for clever thieves to hunt for some kind of payoff amid the wrecks, and that pushes against typical genre habits with thoughtful charm.
I'd suggest this to readers who like worlds that come across solid and active, suspense that builds steadily, and characters with real depth. If you're into accounts of misfits teetering near collapse but holding onto strong connections, Locke's adventure will fit right in.
Interested in this book? Get it here.
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