The Lies of Locke Lamora: The deviously twisty fantasy adventure you will not want to put down

Scott Lynch

Sep 2008 · Hachette UK

About this ebook

'One of my top ten books ever. Maybe top five. If you haven't read it, you should' Patrick Rothfuss, New York Times bestselling author of The Name of the Wind

'Fresh, original and engrossing' George R.R. Martin, the phenomenon behind A Game of Thrones

They say that the Thorn of Camorr can beat anyone in a fight. They say he steals from the rich and gives to the poor. They say he's part man, part myth, and mostly street-corner rumor. And they are wrong on every count.

Only averagely tall, slender, and god-awful with a sword, Locke Lamora is the fabled Thorn, and the greatest weapons at his disposal are his wit and cunning. He steals from the rich - they're the only ones worth stealing from - but the poor can go steal for themselves. What Locke cons, wheedles and tricks into his possession is strictly for him and his band of fellow con-artists and thieves: the Gentleman Bastards.

Together their domain is the city of Camorr. Built of Elderglass by a race no-one remembers, it's a city of shifting revels, filthy canals, baroque palaces and crowded cemeteries. Home to Dons, merchants, soldiers, beggars, cripples, and feral children. And to Capa Barsavi, the criminal mastermind who runs the city.

But there are whispers of a challenge to the Capa's power. A challenge from a man no one has ever seen, a man no blade can touch. The Grey King is coming.

A man would be well advised not to be caught between Capa Barsavi and The Grey King. Even such a master of the sword as the Thorn of Camorr. As for Locke Lamora ...

Readers can't get enough of Locke Lamora:

'Original, engrossing, emotional, and devastatingly impactful; this extremely well-written tale of avarice and brotherhood is a treasure of gold, and you will want your share of it' Novel Notions

'A rewarding read, well written, and entertaining. I'd recommend any fantasy fan to give it a try' Mark Lawrence, Sunday Times bestselling author

'It is witty, profane, violent, over the top, and frequently hilarious. I can't believe this is Scott Lynch's first novel, and I can't wait to read more. This is an incredibly fun adventure novel. Find yourself a copy and read it' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

'You guys, this story is unreal. It's so morally wrong that you don't even want it to be right. It's that luring, that gritty, that bold . . . its masterfully chaotic - so many subplots, so many characters, so much world-building. theres never a dull moment . . . its intricately woven - no movement, no scene, no word is insignificant. Everything is so interconnected on so many levels. I straight up got chills in some parts' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

'A love child of Ocean's Eleven and The Godfather. With blood, deaths, betrayals, money, and drowning in horse urine . . . and it's SO. GOOD' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

'It stole hours of sleep. It wrapped me in cozy myth. It gave me the blessing of feeling like a kid again, snuggled up with a book, wondering how the hell 10pm became 4am. Find. Buy. Consume' Pierce Brown, bestselling author of the Red Rising series

'I mean seriously, I loved all those characters and their cunning and deceiving ways. XD Throughout the entire book I never knew what to expect and there were about a ton of "Oh, sh*t!" moments that were shortly followed by "Jeez! NO!" and "What happened now?" exclamations' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

Ratings and reviews

this was a great read. it's unique and the characters are all pretty competant, and the plot is interesting. I'd say it's a little too descriptive for how much actually happens and how much is relative, and it isn't the most mind blowing narrative out there- but it's a good solid read.

If you are a fan of early fantasy like Fafhrd & the Gray Mouser and Conan then this follows in that swords and sorcery tradition. A great romp through a fantasy landscape with some good twists and turns. A refreshingly adult tale with a proper dénouement.

Somewhere between opening the cover and getting forced to buy it by Waterstone's after reading so much of it in the shop, I fell in love. The characters are vibrant, full of life and bounce off each other so well, you feel like you've been part of the gang for years. Camorr is reminiscent of renaissance Venice, with a few not so subtle, violent differences and brought to life, not just through vivid descriptions, but also through the lives of those who live in it. In short, buy this book!

About the author

Scott Lynch was born in 1978 in St. Paul, Minnesota, and current lives in Wisconsin. In addition to being a freelance writer for various role playing game companies he has done all the usual jobs writers put in their bios: dishwasher, waiter, web designer, marketing writer, office manager and short-order cook. His first novel, The Lies of Locke Lamora, was an international success and he now writes full-time.