From Publishers WeeklyStarred . Lynch's long-awaited third Gentleman Bastards high-fantasy caper novel (after 2007's The Lies of Locke Lamora and 2008's Red Seas Under Red Skies) abundantly delivers on the promise of the earlier volumes. Quick-witted protagonist Locke is slowly succumbing to poison as his loyal companion, Jean, tries to find someone who can save him. The price of rescue gets the duo involved in running an election campaign in the city-state of Karthain, where the parties are fronts for two factions of terrifyingly powerful mages. The opposition campaign leader is none other than Locke's long-lost love, Sabetha, who knows all of his moves and has a few of her own. A set of flashbacks explores Locke, Jean, and Sabetha's shared past as a theatrical scam goes horribly wrong. Locke and company remain among the most engaging protagonists in fantasy, and Lynch sneaks in some incisive political parody while never overdoing the comedy. The result is fast paced, fun, and impossible to put down. (Oct.)From Booklist*Starred * Announced as early as 2008, the long, long, long-awaited sequel to The Lies of Locke Lamora (2006) and Red Seas under Red Skies (2007) finally arrives. The story picks up almost immediately after the end of Red Seas. Locke Lamora, professional thief and con artist, has been poisoned (He was being unknit from the inside; his veins and sinews were coming apart). He has only a handful of days left, but rescue from certain death comes from a most unexpected source: the Bondsmagi, the powerful sorcerers who havent exactly been Lockes best friends until now. After ridding his body of the poison, they, of all things, offer him a job. They want him to help rig a local election, which doesnt sound all that tricky, except that someone else is working the other side of the street, and shes at least as clever and ruthless as Locke: Sabetha Belacoros, Lockes long-lost love. This rousing adventure expands on themes introduced in the first two books and tells the full history of Locke and Sabetha, whose relationship was tantalizingly sketchy in the first installment. The Bondsmagi, too, are shown here in more detail than ever before, and Lynch has some serious surprises in store for fans of the first two books. It might have taken Lynch a lot longer to publish the book than fans wanted, but it was definitely worth the wait. A landmark publishing event in the sf world. --David Pitt PRAISE FOR SCOTT LYNCH A bright new voice in the fantasy genre.George R. R. MartinThe Republic of Thieves Fast paced, fun, and impossible to put down . . . Locke and company remain among the most engaging protagonists in fantasy.Publishers Weekly (starred review) The Republic of Thieves has all the colorful action, witty repartee, and devious scheming that fans of the series have come to expect.Wired A fantasy world unique among its peers . . . If youre looking for a great new fantasy series this is one you wont want to miss. . . . In a word: AWESOME!SF RevuRed Seas Under Red SkiesLynch hasnt merely imagined a far-off world, hes created it, put it all down on paperthe smells, the sounds, the people, the feel of the place. The novel is a virtuoso performance, and sf/fantasy fans will gobble it up.Booklist(starred review)Red Seas Under Red Skiesfirmly proves that Scott Lynch isnt a one-hit wonder. . . . Itll only be a matter of time before Scott Lynch is mentioned in the same breath as George R. R. Martin and Steven Erikson.Fantasy Book CriticGrand, grandiose, grandiloquent . . . No critic is likely to fault Lynch in his overflowing qualities of inventiveness, audacious draftsmanship, and sympathetic characterization.LocusThe kind of witty romp that reminds you exactly how much fun heroic fantasy is supposed to be.SFXThe Lies of Locke Lamora Right now, in the full flush of a second reading, I think The Lies of Locke Lamora is probably in my top ten favorite books ever. Maybe my top five. If you havent read it, you should. If you have read it, you should probably read it again.Patrick Rothfuss, New York Times bestselling author of The Name of the WindFrom the Hardcover edition. is there an app that reads books to you The Republic of Thieves (Gentleman Bastards)
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. InevitableBy WintermaskI loved The Lies of Locke Lamora Red Seas, but I was just slightly disappointed in Republic. I wouldn't say it was predictable but it did feel slightly inevitable, which is, coincidentally, a reference in the book. I still think Lynch's writing is on par with Jim Butcher's, which I think most would say is a high compliment. His world-building continues to be interesting, as is his character-building. I enjoy how he structures and paces his books. I'd recommend this to anyone who enjoyed the first two, as well as anyone who likes the Riyria Chronicles or similar swashbuckling fare.1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. Not as good as the first two stories but still entertaining...By Dave H"The Republic of Thieves (The Gentleman Bastards Sequence: Book III)" by Scott Lynch is my least favorite of the three stories. Having said that I must also add I loved this trilogy overall. Book III is a bit tedious because of the repetitive "play rehearsal scripting" which put me off. It seemed like it was added as a storyline filler. But the wonderful characterizations', exquisite settings, and incredible cast of characters makes this a must read for fans of the fantasy/adventure genre so I highly recommend it. 3.5 stars!!!!1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. A bit muddled compared to the prior booksBy Randall McCarleyToo many characters playing too many roles makes this story a bit hard to track at times (this was better handled in the first book). Also, the build-up for Loche's red-haired lost love doesn't really pay off. Sabetha unnecessarily complicates issues and just came off as selfish. There's no real evidence of her love. She's just in the story to be chased no matter how childish or terrible she acts, which seems contrary to how clever she is in other regards. And Jean is two-dimensional in this installment, which is somewhat understandable given he has a less prominent role, but still disappointing. And, I think the real problem is that this reads less like a complete story by itself versus the first two books. This story sets up the next one and is ultimately unsatisfying.All that aside, Lynch's world is well thought and feels solid even with the fantastic elements. The characters are all unique with their own motivations, personalities, quirks, skills, and weaknesses. There's enough detail to make things real without bogging down the story. And the story itself is a good one, even if it's not on par with the prior books. I still look forward to the next one!