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I enjoyed it enough to overlook any deficiencies, apparently. Rebekah Send a noteboard - 21/08/2013 08:09:54 PM

It was exciting and fun and made the interludes worthwhile. And it was a fairly satisfying end for the Grey King.


View original postTo be sure there are many good moments in them, but on the whole I found these climactic chapters a let-down, at least this time around (can't remember what I thought last time). The Spider, who has never really gotten much of a chance to display her acumen to the reader, comes across as utterly incompetent and helpless in both the Grey King's and Locke's hands. And Locke playing it straight about the sculptures and somehow convincing anyone just in the nick of time... meh. The sculptures were a boring enough plot device by themselves, but the resolution of that plotline was even more so.

I do agree about the sculptures, though. Thought they were a little off.

I didn't find the Spider all that helpless or inept, personally. She was stifled by the Bondsmage so it worked, I thought.


View original postBesides that, I had been expecting something much more exciting to explain the link between the Grey King and the Falconer, a much more intriguing explanation than "oh yeah, the Grey King is an awfully wealthy buccaneer, and also he plotted to steal your fortune to pay me my boring wages in gold with". The final showdown with the Falconer isn't that great, either, honestly - doesn't anybody know the good old rules of the evil overlord anymore? Yes, I called the Falconer the evil overlord - the Grey King's claim was never that impressive, nor is his own showdown, although I do appreciate Lynch's attempt at depicting a Locke who is finally out of ideas and just tries to settle things the simple way which he's eminently not cut out for, although I get the feeling he should have stood much less of a chance and never even gotten so close as to end it as he did.

The Grey King did what Chains had been encouraging others to do with the Gentleman Bastards all along: he underestimated Locke. (Not Jean, though.) And I think he also let his emotions get in the way too much. So Locke surviving as long as he did makes sense to me.
View original postI think part of my problem with these chapters and the climax as a whole is that they're too serious and too straight for the most part, while the strength of the first half of the novel is precisely the humour, the penchant for the exaggeratedly flamboyant and the inclination not to take itself too seriously. But some things that aren't really necessary if you're going for that style do become necessary when you try to take things more seriously.

Fair comment.
View original postI figure I should continue on to Red Seas over Red Skies now - Nate's comment about how in hindsight it might be the better novel after all is promising. I can see how it easily could be.

I'm going to set up the thread now. Bad me.
*MySmiley*

Outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend. Inside of a dog it's too dark to read. - Groucho Marx
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Reread: The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch Rebekah - 03/06/2013 10:07:06 AM 1179 Views
The Prologue Rebekah - 03/06/2013 10:08:39 AM 804 Views
Re: The Prologue Nate - 04/06/2013 09:09:56 PM 869 Views
Re: The Prologue Rebekah - 10/06/2013 03:34:28 PM 819 Views
It had been years and years since I'd read this, so I don't remember most of the plot... Legolas - 05/06/2013 10:17:21 PM 689 Views
Re: It had been years and years since I'd read this, so I don't remember most of the plot... Rebekah - 10/06/2013 03:35:48 PM 652 Views
I'd forgotten most of this. Rebekah - 10/06/2013 03:32:26 PM 656 Views
Chapters One and Two. Rebekah - 10/06/2013 03:36:57 PM 649 Views
I was waiting for someone else to go first. Nate - 13/06/2013 03:39:31 PM 741 Views
What do you mean by "lampshading"? Rebekah - 18/06/2013 02:52:46 PM 697 Views
I will explain! It requires Chapter Three information. Nate - 18/06/2013 03:55:55 PM 670 Views
Thanks; I'd never seen the term before. *NM* Rebekah - 25/06/2013 04:57:47 PM 311 Views
Falling somewhat behind, but I'm still participating in this... Legolas - 02/07/2013 10:50:27 PM 1186 Views
Re: Falling somewhat behind, but I'm still participating in this... Nate - 03/07/2013 05:21:34 AM 658 Views
Not as entranced as I thought I would be. Rebekah - 18/06/2013 02:47:24 PM 637 Views
Re: Descriptions Nate - 24/06/2013 05:00:34 PM 739 Views
Re: Descriptions Rebekah - 25/06/2013 04:59:28 PM 678 Views
I'm inclined to agree with that assessment. Legolas - 02/07/2013 10:54:32 PM 776 Views
Chapters 3 and 4. Rebekah - 18/06/2013 02:53:34 PM 656 Views
Initial thought: Rebekah - 18/06/2013 02:55:52 PM 643 Views
This is another one with messed up timelines. Nate - 24/06/2013 04:47:16 PM 2854 Views
Re: This is another one with messed up timelines. Rebekah - 25/06/2013 05:01:35 PM 2492 Views
It's funny - your comment above had spoiled me so... Legolas - 08/08/2013 05:25:31 PM 759 Views
Re: Sabetha Nate - 08/08/2013 05:42:18 PM 721 Views
The first part of the book is a little slow, I've decided. Rebekah - 25/06/2013 05:05:45 PM 657 Views
It does really pick up, doesn't it? Legolas - 13/08/2013 10:37:26 PM 570 Views
Chapters 5 and 6. *NM* Rebekah - 25/06/2013 05:06:10 PM 290 Views
Things really pick up now. Rebekah - 28/06/2013 04:04:27 PM 696 Views
Re: Women (spoilers) Nate - 01/07/2013 04:56:07 PM 680 Views
Re: Things really pick up now. Legolas - 13/08/2013 10:56:37 PM 725 Views
Chapters 7 and 8. Rebekah - 10/07/2013 06:22:02 PM 726 Views
I finally grabbed my book off the shelf so I could see what these chapters were. Nate - 16/07/2013 03:45:50 PM 713 Views
I'll come back to actually reply, but I just wanted to let you know that I've read this. *NM* Rebekah - 24/07/2013 06:35:54 PM 317 Views
I think this is where I became quite impressed with Lynch's plotting. Rebekah - 30/07/2013 02:20:31 PM 1195 Views
Chapters 9 and 10. *NM* Rebekah - 10/07/2013 06:22:22 PM 346 Views
Lynch can be such a tease. Nate - 16/07/2013 04:35:51 PM 749 Views
I love Doña Vorchenza Rebekah - 30/07/2013 02:28:30 PM 773 Views
Chapters 11 and 12. *NM* Rebekah - 24/07/2013 06:34:25 PM 314 Views
Lynch is ruthless in these chapters. Rebekah - 30/07/2013 02:40:19 PM 780 Views
Poor everyone. Nate - 02/08/2013 11:04:34 PM 707 Views
Chapters 13 and 14. *NM* Rebekah - 24/07/2013 06:34:41 PM 324 Views
These are very satisfying chapters, on the whole. Rebekah - 30/07/2013 03:11:28 PM 719 Views
Locke's scheme is probably one of my two favourite sequences in the book. Nate - 02/08/2013 11:13:40 PM 707 Views
Those interludes suddenly started to remind me very strongly of Lost. Legolas - 14/08/2013 09:01:04 PM 1297 Views
Chapters 15 and 16 and the epilogue. *NM* Rebekah - 30/07/2013 02:09:39 PM 306 Views
Disappointing, on the whole, I felt. Legolas - 14/08/2013 09:25:31 PM 737 Views
I liked parts of it, but you make good points. Nate - 15/08/2013 05:45:14 PM 828 Views
Yeah, I liked parts too - but still. Legolas - 15/08/2013 06:54:19 PM 661 Views
I enjoyed it enough to overlook any deficiencies, apparently. Rebekah - 21/08/2013 08:09:54 PM 814 Views
Re: Disappointing, on the whole, I felt. Aviendha - 22/09/2013 11:22:19 PM 764 Views
Oh my. Legolas - 23/09/2013 06:00:44 PM 645 Views
Re: Oh my. Aviendha - 09/10/2013 10:12:55 PM 704 Views
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