The Lies of Locke Lamora

Locke Lamora is a thief and con artist plying his trade in the ancient city of Camorr. Tricking the nobles of Camorr out of their fortunes is little more than a game for him and his gang, the Gentleman Bastards. But then a mysterious figure known as the Grey King decides to use Locke as a pawn in his bid to take over Camorr's organized crime syndicate. And to make matters worse, the Duke's secret police, the Midnighters, are on Locke's trail for his crimes against the nobles.

I've been burnt out on fantasy novels lately. Instead of fully fledged stories with character development; subtext; and actual, satisfying conclusions, too many fantasy authors are content to stretch one or two good ideas into an entire series, each book ending in a cliffhanger designed to make you buy the next book.

Because of that, I was hesitant when a friend recommended Scott Lynch's The Lies of Locke Lamora. In fact, he recommended it several times before finally shoving the book in my hands and making me read it.

Once I finally did open it, though, I was thrilled to find a dark fantasy story with the tight, twisting plot of a two-fisted crime novel. Lynch is great at making his characters fun and a little shady at the same time, and everything leads up to a final, brutal confrontation between Locke and the Grey King.

Lynch has written a second novel in the Gentleman Bastard series, Red Seas Under Red Skies, and has a third, The Republic of Thieves coming out later this year. I hope he can keep up the intensity of Lies thought a whole series.