By: Scott Lynch Publisher: Spectra Average Rating: Binding: Mass Market Paperback Label: Spectra Number of Items: 1 Number of Pages: 784 Publication Date: July 29, 2008 Release Date: July 29, 2008
Product Description: In his highly acclaimed debut, The Lies of Locke Lamora, Scott Lynch took us on an adrenaline-fueled adventure with a band of daring thieves led by con artist extraordinaire Locke Lamora. Now Lynch brings back his outrageous hero for a caper so death-defying, nothing short of a miracle will pull it off. After a brutal battle with the underworld that nearly destroyed him, Locke and his trusted sidekick, Jean, fled the island city of their birth and landed on the exotic shores of Tal Verrar to nurse their wounds. But even at this westernmost edge of civilization, they can’t rest for long—and are soon back to what they do best: stealing from the undeserving rich and pocketing the proceeds for themselves.
This time, however, they have targeted the grandest prize of all: the Sinspire, the most exclusive and heavily guarded gambling house in the world. Its nine floors attract the wealthiest clientele—and to rise to the top, one must impress with good credit, amusing behavior…and excruciatingly impeccable play. For there is one cardinal rule, enforced by Requin, the house’s cold-blooded master: it is death to cheat at any game at the Sinspire.
Brazenly undeterred, Locke and Jean have orchestrated an elaborate plan to lie, trick, and swindle their way up the nine floors…straight to Requin’s teeming vault. Under the cloak of false identities, they meticulously make their climb—until they are closer to the spoils than ever.
But someone in Tal Verrar has uncovered the duo’s secret. Someone from their past who has every intention of making the impudent criminals pay for their sins. Now it will take every ounce of cunning to save their mercenary souls. And even that may not be enough.…
Very disappointing sequel. Author spends a long time setting the scene. Plot becomes very convoluted. And everything unravels with amazing ease within the last 50 pages or so.
The pirate adventure is a miserable disgression which does not add anything to the plot. Long and uselessly descriptive. If I want to learn sailing, I will buy another type of book.
Pleasantly surprised! I just happened to stumble across this book in the library, and I am glad that I did. I have not read the first book in the series, but it didn't seem to matter.
I agree that it bogged down a bit in the middle (arrrr!), but there was enough tension to keep me interested. Overall, a fun read!
Great book! This was a stay-up-until-dawn read, just like the first one. I hope he carries these characters forward into many books. The fact that they can sort of stand-alone is nice too - no long wait for resolution of the main plotline.
Gentlemen meet Pirates, Ocean's 12 and lots of blood Great sequel, Mr. Lynch passed the test after writing one of the most fun and complicated plots ever in "The Lies of Locke Lamora". "Red Seas under Red Skies" bring us more of the same with a twist. I just loved the fact that the adventures of Locke and Jean were developed both in a urban enviorement and now in the open seas. Full blown sea battles among pirates, robbing a casino, decieving the beholder of the whole navy of Tal-Verrar, facing the murder plays of the bondsmagi (the scene on the night market was extremely well written and will bring a chill to your bones), falling in love and then mercy killing the girl of your dreams, etc, etc, etc.
YOU WONT BE DISSAPOINTED. This is a great book. YES it's different from the now classic "Lies of Locke Lamora", this one in particular will bring you tons of action in top of the well constructed and complicated plots that Mr. Lynch is known for.
Enjoy!!!!!!!
For Locke fans, this won't disappoint... Was Red Seas as good as Lies? No...but that only makes it about the second-best book I've read this year.
Red Seas finds Locke and Jean licking their wounds after their battle with the Grey King. They have sailed to Tal Varrar, the Monte Carlo/Las Vegas of Lynch's created world, to escape the mess they left behind in Camorr. After a few months of regrouping (and Jean pulling Locke out of a major funk) the two are back to their old games--this time with their sights set on The Sinspire, a grand tower casino ruled by a ruthless Mafioso-type who kills anyone who he finds cheating in his establishment.
As you would expect, Jean and Locke soon find their neat little plan to cheat the Sinspire goes awry--so awry, in fact, that they find themselves forced to learn how to sail and lead a pirate war.
A large chunk of the book takes place at sea, and the nautical terminology is plentiful. Coming from someone who has absolutely no knowledge of sailing, I found the generous use of terminology to be a little head-clogging, but in all honesty, you could skim over the technicalities and still understand what was happening. I do have to question the benefit of this--after I'm skimming through three or four pages of "Turn that line to the larboard over to the oar mast, and make sure the front sail isn't upsideover from the side-sail..." etc., but it does lend an air of authenticity, so I'll give it that (of course, not knowing anything about sailing, I'm not one to ay how authentic any of it really is!)
The things I loved about Lies were still in this book for me--the masterful, witty dialogue, the many plot twists and turns that were blessedly impossible for me to predict. It doesn't tie up as neatly as Lies; the ending is a definite cliffhanger on multiple fronts. Of course, all that means is I'm chomping at the bit for February!
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