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#5 Platform - The Lies of Locke Lamora
Mar. 10th, 2008 02:24 amConning, conniving and canals - lots of twists, lots of goodness.
Book #9: The Lies of Locke Lamora
Author: Scott Lynch
Provenance: Bought at Joseph Beth Bookstore in Pittsburgh (it came with a free tote bag, too)
Confidence game stories are really the flip side to mysteries; it's trying to figure out how everything gets pulled out in the end, rather than how it got done in the first place, and much of the rest is the same. So it's probably not a surprise that I like these, too; they even have the additional thrill of seeing how all the parts work together, and such.
This book, the first of a promised 7 book series, is a pretty masterful display of how it works. You've got the super-tricky and stylish lead, his smart and muscular sidekick, the tight gang, and the array of opposing forces and marks. There's a lot of backstory for the main character, and it helps a lot. The characters are really sharp, and easy to believe as part of their world.
This is a book that really does come across as well crafted; little bits of info and plot points crop up later in a well-planned way, and that makes the whole thing that much more enjoyable. The characters use other people, get used, and it's all very entertaining. It also stands by itself quite well; you could stop after his one and still feel satisfied if you don't want to read the next book in the series. If you're in the mood for some slick crime, this is a good way to go.
Next up: Red Seas under Red Skies. Book 2, right away, if that's an indication of how I liked it.
Book #9: The Lies of Locke Lamora
Author: Scott Lynch
Provenance: Bought at Joseph Beth Bookstore in Pittsburgh (it came with a free tote bag, too)
Confidence game stories are really the flip side to mysteries; it's trying to figure out how everything gets pulled out in the end, rather than how it got done in the first place, and much of the rest is the same. So it's probably not a surprise that I like these, too; they even have the additional thrill of seeing how all the parts work together, and such.
This book, the first of a promised 7 book series, is a pretty masterful display of how it works. You've got the super-tricky and stylish lead, his smart and muscular sidekick, the tight gang, and the array of opposing forces and marks. There's a lot of backstory for the main character, and it helps a lot. The characters are really sharp, and easy to believe as part of their world.
This is a book that really does come across as well crafted; little bits of info and plot points crop up later in a well-planned way, and that makes the whole thing that much more enjoyable. The characters use other people, get used, and it's all very entertaining. It also stands by itself quite well; you could stop after his one and still feel satisfied if you don't want to read the next book in the series. If you're in the mood for some slick crime, this is a good way to go.
Next up: Red Seas under Red Skies. Book 2, right away, if that's an indication of how I liked it.
