| The Lies of Locke Lamora | Contributor: Amfo | Posted: 08/02/07 | 12:48 |
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page 3 of 4 But all the conceptual stuff is gilt, something to give the novel a bit of extra spin. This is primarily a character-driven work, and that's where its strength lies. The interaction of Locke Lamora and his small but very exclusive gang is very believable, and despite the iron grip that crime boss Capa Vencarlo Barsavi has on Camorr's underworld, it's easy to accept that Locke's Gentlemen Bastards are skilful enough to operate not only outside the law, but outside organised crime as well. Lynch can't manage the structural gymnastics needed to write a really sophisticated heist novel, which perhaps explains why this is a fantasy story rather than one set in historical 14th or 15th Century Venice. The plot would have worked quite well in a real-world setting, although Lynch would have faced a daunting research phase and would have been unable to rely on the sorcery elements to explain the super-villain prowess of chief antagonist The Grey King. We're glad this is a fantasy novel, though. It's not a masterwork - Lynch's inexperience shows in the simplistic structure, the awkward use of flashbacks, and the blockbuster plot. But it is a good read. The world is internally consistent, detailed, and filled with just enough original concepts to make it one that you enjoy spending time with. The publisher makes a bit of a song and dance of how the novel is the first in "the Gentlemen Bastard sequence", which naturally leads the reader to fear a cliffhanger ending. Well, despite an only moderate length, Locke Lamora does manage to tie up its plot threads by page 500 (in the trade paperback edition) while leaving room for its characters to embark on entirely new adventures in the next volume. It's not epic though. The story is small - it focuses tightly on Locke Lamora, and the tribulations he faces feel very episodic. This is the pilot; we hope a more elaborate and expansive plot will follow in the next volume. There are a couple more quibbles, for which we mostly blame Gollancz. First, the blurb on the back of the book manages to give the reader completely the wrong impression of the story with which they're about to engage: Slightly built and barely competent with a sword, Locke Lamora is, much to his annoyance, the fabled Thorn [of Camorr]. He certainly didn't invite the rumours that swirl around his exploits, which are actually confidence games of the most intricate sort. And while Locke does indeed steal from the rich, the poor never see a penny...
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