Gentlemen Bastards Series

Thargor

Just started reading The Lies of Locke Lamora and Im flying through it, I only started it though because I saw everyone on here happy that the third book was released and assumed the trilogy was finished but tonight I just realised its only book 3 of 7

So should I stop seeing as I hate being strung along like George RR Martin and all the rest or can I get away with reading these 3 now, are they self contained books or does the 3rd book end on a cliffhanger and Ill be waiting years for a resolution?

mcgovern

They are fairly self contained, each book is a different story, rather that a small piece of a larger one.

Thargor

Thats what I was hoping for thanks, I really have nothing else to read at the minute, bit of a drought of good fantasy or sci-fi at the minute.

TwoShedsJackson

Most people were happy just that the 3rd book was being released at all - it was four/five years late due to Scott Lynch's emotional issues.

Republic of Thieves doesn't end on a cliffhanger as such, and apparently book 4 is going to be set before the events of the first 3 (or so we're hearing), so should be no problem to read the three of them now and then settle in for a potentially long wait before the fourth comes out.

Thargor

Perfect thanks.

Trojan

Assume books 4-7 will never happen. If you work off that assumption, you've a decent chance of being correct, and you won't stress about the inevitable delays.

ixoy

Trojan wrote: »

Assume books 4-7 will never happen. If you work off that assumption, you've a decent chance of being correct, and you won't stress about the inevitable delays.

More cautiously optimistic about Book 4 though. He's doing a reading of it, apparently, in a couple of days at WorldCon so it's obviously under way. Just hope he doesn't relapse.

Sir Ophiuchus

Also, they are incredibly good books.

Son0vagun

I loved Lies of Locke Lamora. And I'm loving Red Seas Under Red Skies. Such good enjoyable books, yet really dark.

keane2097

Got bored half way through the second one and haven't gone back to it. Thought the first one was great alright.

Thargor

keane2097 wrote: »

Got bored half way through the second one and haven't gone back to it. Thought the first one was great alright.

Im finding it a bit slow going myself now to be honest, but I have nothing else to read so Ill plough on, probably wont be going straight to republic of thieves though.

kirk buttercup

New to Boards, so was happy to read peoples thoughts on this. Have just started the Lies of Locke Lamora and so far I'm really enjoying it.

ixoy

keane2097 wrote: »

Got bored half way through the second one and haven't gone back to it. Thought the first one was great alright.

Second one is the weakest of the three published so far I think. A lot to do with the fact there's too much focus on the nautical end of things which there's none of in the third.

OwaynOTT

TwoShedsJackson wrote: »

Most people were happy just that the 3rd book was being released at all - it was four/five years late due to Scott Lynch's emotional issues.

Republic of Thieves doesn't end on a cliffhanger as such, and apparently book 4 is going to be set before the events of the first 3 (or so we're hearing), so should be no problem to read the three of them now and then settle in for a potentially long wait before the fourth comes out.

I thought that book 4 was originally meant to be the first book and books 1 to 3 that have been released were Lynch wanting to expand on Locke Lamora's backgriubd before started events that were intended to be start originally.

Son0vagun

I haven't found it too boring. But once the get on the ship it's great fun

keane2097

ixoy wrote: »

Second one is the weakest of the three published so far I think. A lot to do with the fact there's too much focus on the nautical end of things which there's none of in the third.

I was bored well before they even got to the ships tbh, read a bit into the seafaring part before I canned it. IIRC it was Jean and Locke's bickering that eventually gave me the hump - if two of my friends were carrying on like that I'd go home, never mind two made up guys in a book!

Thanx 4 The Fish

Think I will pick these up and see if they are any good. Have hut come out of a bad relationship with another series of books and between that and there not being a lot on the market that I am interested in these look like a decent punt.

Nody

Well I finished the third book last night and in my oppinion it was the slowest and least complex of the three and did not properly pick up until half way through. Based on what was shared it would make sense if book 4 will be about his childhood for obvious reasons but the scams to be run can be hard to pull off.

There was missing a proper big game and plot; in book 1 and 2 there was constantly running two / three major scams at multiple levels but this was clearly lacking in the book. Yes we had the dead aristocrat and the bribing of a counsellor but those felt more like standard scams rather then a major one.

There's obviously building up the magi story arc further with the Falcon who'll they need to battle again but why was he left with the metal in the first place? If they all pulled out to leave no trace why leave him with the metal in the basin? Once again this part felt very much rushed and would have been better to have been brewing through out the book as he slowly regained his mind and woke up rather then as a one chapter addendum in the end.

Thargor

Dragged myself to the end of the second book and wont be bothering with the third, very tedious.

Daith

Loved the first one. I always like books that do great world building. Or probably more "city" building. Plus I could nearly squint and imagine it as part of the Thief game series.

The second book I disliked which was a pity. Started reading this one now and am enjoying it more I think.

stesaurus

Definitely 1>>>>>3>>2 for me. The series is better than the usual fare but 2 was a bit of a letdown. Definitely picked up in the 3rd and looks good for future books, if they ever get released.

Son0vagun

Finished Red Seas under Red Skies today. I can understand and why people disliked it, it is complexed and drawn out and in the end predictable! But dispite it's flaws I enjoyed it. Mainly down to its two central characters! I'll be returning to book three when I can.

AnCapaillMor

I'm about 3/4's of the way through republic of thieves. Here's what i think, i liked the first book, all of it, the next 2 books, love the dialogue, the wit etc, however with the last 2 it feels like the first 70% of the book is an introduction and the end plan\finish feels a bit rushed. Almost like gemmill in that you know you've got x amount of pages to go but can't believe it only takes that amount of pages to finish up.

pH

AnCapaillMor wrote: »

I'm about 3/4's of the way through republic of thieves. Here's what i think, i liked the first book, all of it, the next 2 books, love the dialogue, the wit etc, however with the last 2 it feels like the first 70% of the book is an introduction and the end plan\finish feels a bit rushed. Almost like gemmill in that you know you've got x amount of pages to go but can't believe it only takes that amount of pages to finish up.

Got to agree with you, I loved one and two, but book three is plain awful. The whole

Wizards want us to playfight an election

main plotline is just so damned contrived and unconvincing and lacking in any drama, that said its much much better than the trip back down memory lane to their

acting

days.

Hate it.

Reiver

Read the first two. As a fan of Renaissance era history, its refreshing to see a fantasy series based outside the traditional medieval setting! And even in the second book, you can already see the character progression.

That said, its fantasy alright, even if you can read past the analogues, different names for stuff like naptha, the casual drug-taking, even calling spectacles optics.

I like how he can make a world so different, yet familiar. And shows the the darker side of the glitz and glamour, hes very good at showing the juxtaposition between rich and poor.

Plus, I mean gladiators fighting sharks on platforms for the nobility? Its great!

Sephiroth_dude

I've mentioned numerous times in another thread that I'm finding the first book a chore and I still am,I can only read a few pages a day and have to put it down again lol

OwaynOTT

Sephiroth_dude wrote: »

I've mentioned numerous times in another thread that I'm finding the first book a chore and I still am,I can only read a few pages a day and have to put it down again lol

Give up, it's not for you.

Sephiroth_dude

OwaynOTT wrote: »

Give up, it's not for you.

I think I'll have too,hate quitting books though,only other book I had to quit was the passage.

Thargor

I read the Passage in 5 or 6 days, it had a couple of flaws but couldn't put it down, same for The Twelve.

Completely bored by the second GB book, I doubt Ill read the third one unless Im very stuck, first one was okay though.

GabbyJay

Sephiroth_dude wrote: »

I think I'll have too,hate quitting books though,only other book I had to quit was the passage.

It does improve. Have to say, I hated it in the beginning too. Couldn't believe how badly written it was. Auto-generated characters (none of whom are likeable in the lead), really irritating language (especially the dialogue). It does improve though, there are some good concepts (e.g., the bondsmage). Worth sticking it out till the end.

Paddy Samurai

pH wrote: »

Got to agree with you, I loved one and two, but book three is plain awful. The whole

Wizards want us to playfight an election

main plotline is just so damned contrived and unconvincing and lacking in any drama, that said its much much better than the trip back down memory lane to their

acting

days.

Agree 100%.About 400 pages in now,and having a change of heart.:(
Apart from of some their earlier adventures with chains I'm finding the whole election thing boring TBH.I keep hoping it will improve.

ixoy

GabbyJay wrote: »

really irritating language (especially the dialogue). .

Whatever about the other faults, that's the first time I've heard somebody knock it for its dialogue. The banter was for me (and others I believe) one of the big draws of the series.

Glebee

About half way The lies of loch Lamora at the moment and finding it easy enough going. I would not be the fastest reader but it's holding my attention so far.

keane2097

ixoy wrote: »

Whatever about the other faults, that's the first time I've heard somebody knock it for its dialogue. The banter was for me (and others I believe) one of the big draws of the series.

+1

Don't rate the books but genuinely laughed when I read the complaints about the dialogue.

GabbyJay

keane2097 wrote: »

+1

Don't rate the books but genuinely laughed when I read the complaints about the dialogue.

The dialogue made me cringe. Seemed really forced to me. Normally I don't have a problem with that kind of dialogue (e.g., in the Sparhawk books) but I found it very irritating in TGB.

Thargor

GabbyJay wrote: »

The dialogue made me cringe. Seemed really forced to me. Normally I don't have a problem with that kind of dialogue (e.g., in the Sparhawk books) but I found it very irritating in TGB.

Totally agree, very forced sounding banter between them, and the author repeats it over and over again, God knows how many times one of the main characters jokingly questions the others abilities before the other character does the same, felt like I was reading the same conversation over and over again every chapter.

Trojan

Finished book 3.

I agree with the thoughts of Nody, AnCapaillMor and pH: it felt very rushed and shallow to me, and I was very annoyed with the last chapter. Very deus ex machina there.

I thought book 2 was far superior, and book 1 even better again. If he manages to write book 4 I'll give it a look, but it'll need to raise the game to make books 5 and onward worth reading.

I'll generously give it a 5/10.

Nody

Trojan wrote: »

I thought book 2 was far superior, and book 1 even better again. If he manages to write book 4 I'll give it a look, but it'll need to raise the game to make books 5 and onward worth reading.

Pretty much this; I had book 3 on pre-order after finishing book 2. Book 4 is definitly not on pre-order and when I pick it up will depend on the reviews (i.e. a few weeks after release or once it goes bargain bin).

ronoc 1

finished reading the first book and have to say it was very good,good characters and a well thought out plot.took me a while to get into it its universe so to speak,one fault id have with the writer is that he tends to overdescribe his surroundings, if that makes sense.

read a sample of the second book on my kindle,not bad but disappointed its not set in camorr.there is another book im interested in called the name of the wind,does anyone know which one would be better to buy.

Nody

ronoc 1 wrote: »

read a sample of the second book on my kindle,not bad but disappointed its not set in camorr.there is another book im interested in called the name of the wind,does anyone know which one would be better to buy.

Neither series are finished and both series are good, so both? :pac:

ronoc 1

Yea just bought the second one,just put off a bit by the mixed reviews here

MiloYossarian

Tried to read the first one, didn't care for it.