Scruffy Fiction

The Lies of Locke Lamora Read-along Week Three

On to week three of the read-along and were covering chapter five through to the interlude called “The Half Crown War”. Here are the questions and my thoughts:

1. This section is where we finally get to sneak a peek at the magic in The Gentleman Bastards books. From what we read, what are your initial impressions of the magic Lynch is using? Is there any way that Locke and Company would be able to get around the Bondsmage’s powers?

I like the way that magic has been used so far. It seems only a select few can use magic and as we see here there are some important and unexpected limitations to the magic used. I like this kind of magic, it’s impressive but not so powerful that it can’t be overcome by some imaginative thinking. Locke is one of the most imaginative thinkers around so I’m expecting him to find a way around the Bondsmage’s powers.

2. Not a question, but an area for rampant speculation: If you want to take a stab at who you think the Grey King might be, feel free to do it here.

I have no idea who the Grey King might be. If there have been any clues about his identity or history I’ve missed them. He’s a great character, having someone whose able to outmanoeuvre Locke definitely gives an added element of danger to the book.

  2.5 (since 2 wasn’t really a question) Anyone see the Nazca thing coming? Anyone? Do you think there are more crazy turns like this in store for the book? Would you like to speculate about them here? (yes, yes you would)

I didn’t see the Nazca thing coming at all, it really shocked me. Just when he’s set up a new potential plot line for Locke and Nazca Lynch turns everything on it’s head and sends us off in a new direction. It’s great, unpredictable story telling like this that make this such an absorbing read. I’ll take a guess and say that one of the Gentlemen Bastards will die at some point, maybe one of the twins.

3. When Locke says “Nice bird, arsehole,” I lose it. EVERY TIME. And not just because I have the UK version of the book and the word arsehole is funnier than asshole. Have there been any other places in the books so far where you found yourself laughing out loud, or giggling like a crazy person on the subway?

Yeah that was a great moment. Another moment like that for me was after Locke met with Capa Barsavi and found out he’d have have to marry Nazca. Just as it looks like Locke’s in over his head we find out just how confident he really is, just as Locke is realising what Chains was preparing them for all along:

“He was training us for a situation that was fucked up on all sides.Well, we’re in it, and I say we’re equal to it. I don’t need to  be reminded that we’re up to our heads in dark water. I just want you boys to remember that we’re the gods-damned sharks.”

That was a real feel good moment for me.

4. By the end of this reading section, have your opinions changed about how clever the Bastards are? Do you still feel like they’re “cleverer than all the rest?” Or have they been decidedly outplayed by the Grey King and his Bondsmage?

Well their definitely in a situation that they didn’t plan for but so far they have proved to be cleverer than all the rest, so I think they can get on top of things.

 5. I imagine that you’ve probably read ahead, since this was a huge cliffhanger of an ending for the “present” storyline, but I’ll ask this anyway: Where do you see the story going from here, now that the Grey King is thought to be dead?

I think that we’ll see the Grey King moving against Capa Barsavi in new ways. I don’t really have any insight into what those ways will be but i’m ready to be surprised. Although Locke has found himself in a very bad situation, I’m assuming he has a back up plan in place. Given Locke’s words at the end of the last interlude I’m assuming that Jean will play an important role in this plan.

6. What do you think of the characters Scott Lynch has given us so far? Are they believable? Real? Fleshed out? If not, what are they lacking?

I find the characters to be very believable. So far I think that Locke and Jean have been fleshed out very well. I’m not feeling quite so invested in Calo and Galdo. I don’t feel like they’re really lacking anything, I just don’t think we’ve really had an opportunity to get inside their heads yet.

7. Now that you’ve seen how clever Chains is about his “apprenticeships,” why do you think he’s doing all of this? Does he have an endgame in sight? Is there a goal he wants them to achieve, or is it something more emotional like revenge?

We already know that Chains want’s the Bastards to be “a fucking ballista bolt right through the heart of Vencarlo’s Secret Peace” so I think this must be a part of some larger plan. He’s dedicated such a large portion of his life to training up the Bastards, so for him to go to so much effort his motivations must be coming from an emotional place.