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PaperclipPerfector  1mo ago (text post)   2277 thread views

Small-Scale Question Sunday for May 10, 2026

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The Lies of Locke Lamora. The writing smacks of the fedora, if you catch my drift - but the plot is engaging enough to keep me interested.

Although I can't help but wonder why the Thiefmaster needed dispensation from Capa Barsavi to whack Locke, but apparently didn't need it for Viselin and just killed him and his buddy on the spot.

The first is the best of the series, sequels are just less coherent retreads.

Oh thanks for letting me know. I'd been vaguely meaning to read past the first one for like the last ten years so it's nice to be relieved of that.

As with nearly all heist novels, the books have a chronic lack of actual heisting. Why would you take an awesome premise like "Ocean's 11 set among the villas and back alleys of fantasy Renaissance Venice" and immediately throw it away to write a half-baked pirate adventure and a nonsensical political thriller?

The writing smacks of the fedora, if you catch my drift

Reddit certainly loves it, yes. Read it on recommendation from one of the SF subs, and hated it. Its main weakness is that Locke is such a Mary Sue. I find characters that simply excel at everything annoying. Other than that, it's decently written Fantasy James Bond with forgettable world building.

Would not recommend.

I really enjoyed it back when I read it ~15 years ago. I started the sequel but got bored and dropped it near the beginning. I don't especially remember why. I've always kind of wanted to go back and finish it, except the author went George R.R. Martin on us and it's been 13 years since book 3, and I don't want to get re-invested in a series that might never conclude properly.

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