"The Lies of Locke Lamora" by Scott Lynch

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The Lies of Locke Lamora
by Scott Lynch
512 pp. Bantam Spectra. $23.00

Reviewed by Paul Stotts

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Expectations to me are often the harbinger of disappointment. Hype, that flimsy, distorted bubble promising a transcendent experience, lures me inside, often only to pop, and leave me with the wet, soggy truth. Hype and reality may occasionally be bed mates, but mostly they gaze wistfully at each other from across the room.

This time around, the grand Marshall of the hype parade is Scott Lynch’s “The Lies of Locke Lamora”. Extremely positive early reviews of Lynch’s debut novel had quickened my enthusiasm. How can one ignore a book that is receiving proclamations of awesomeness from the fantasy literati? Would it live up to its own hype? Could it live up to its own hype, or would my expectations doom it?

So tempering my enthusiasm with a healthy does of scepticism, I was greatly pleased that “The Lies of Locke Lamora” was even better than I had anticipated. Oh yes, there is joy in Lockeville. Much joy!

In fact, the novel’s greatest strength is the joie de vivre that continuously bubbles through to the reader. Try to not smile, have fun and root for Locke Lamora, Lynch dares you. It is at these moments that the story becomes charming and magical. And when the latter half of the novel turns suddenly dark, the sharp contrast gives the conclusion even more gravitas.

Set exclusively in the Venetian-inspired city-state of Camorr, where a grid work of canals differentiates the city’s diverse districts, “The Lies of Locke Lamora” follows, not surprisingly, Locke Lamora, orphan, con-artist, rapscallion, and the reputed ‘Thorn of Camorr’. And with a moniker comes expectations. Only characters who are legendary and ooze with flair and style, may earn them. And Locke does not disappoint. Locke is the leader of a young band of grifters called the Gentlemen Bastards, who through elaborate schemes and deceptions target the Camorr upper class. The Gentlemen Bastards criminal misdeeds have earned them a place among the vast Camorrian criminal underworld headed by Capa Barvasi. Before you can say ‘Mafioso’, Locke and the Gentlemen Bastards find themselves embroiled in a gang war between Capa Barvasi and a mysterious newcomer, the Grey King. All the while, the Camorrian authorities, no longer willing to tolerate Locke’s deceptions, are spinning a tight web around Locke. Embattled from within and without, Locke must struggle to save himself and the Gentlemen Bastards. And he must do it with style. Pesky moniker!

Lynch’s strengths revolve around his vivid characterizations, particularly of the main characters, Locke and his best friend Jean, and his storytelling tendencies. The banter between the characters, which is heavily infused with a male-posturing and sarcasm similar in style to that found in movies like Ocean’s Eleven or Reservoir Dogs, serves as Lynch’s primary means of in-depth characterization. It is dialogue clearly written with an eye cast toward the coolness factor. If this strikes you as too testosterone intensive or you are allergic to anything snarky, you may wish to look for greener pastures, elsewhere.

The main storytelling is straightforward, for the most part, following a three act narrative structure. Interludes, which fill in background information on the characters, come between the chapters dedicated to the overall plot. These interludes are slightly jarring and seem more appropriate to film, where the narrative is more linearly constrained, than in a novel, where mental asides convey thought in a character. This is a minor quibble, though, and does no real harm to the novel. In the light of awesomeness, flaws become transparent.

Last Word:
The Lies of Locke Lamora is an auspicious debut by Scott Lynch and a very promising start to a new fantasy series. Infused with an infectious joie de vivre, the novel transcends into the magical, charming you to the very end. And leaving you to eagerly anticipate the next volume. Let the hype begin!

Final Grade: 92 out of 100