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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 1326 Views
The Prologue Rebekah - 03/06/2013 10:08:39 AM 967 Views
Re: The Prologue Nate - 04/06/2013 09:09:56 PM 1031 Views
Re: The Prologue Rebekah - 10/06/2013 03:34:28 PM 979 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 852 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 813 Views
I'd forgotten most of this. Rebekah - 10/06/2013 03:32:26 PM 811 Views
Chapters One and Two. Rebekah - 10/06/2013 03:36:57 PM 799 Views
I was waiting for someone else to go first. Nate - 13/06/2013 03:39:31 PM 899 Views
What do you mean by "lampshading"? Rebekah - 18/06/2013 02:52:46 PM 855 Views
I will explain! It requires Chapter Three information. Nate - 18/06/2013 03:55:55 PM 785 Views
Thanks; I'd never seen the term before. *NM* Rebekah - 25/06/2013 04:57:47 PM 371 Views
Falling somewhat behind, but I'm still participating in this... Legolas - 02/07/2013 10:50:27 PM 1333 Views
Re: Falling somewhat behind, but I'm still participating in this... Nate - 03/07/2013 05:21:34 AM 811 Views
Not as entranced as I thought I would be. Rebekah - 18/06/2013 02:47:24 PM 799 Views
Re: Descriptions Nate - 24/06/2013 05:00:34 PM 894 Views
Re: Descriptions Rebekah - 25/06/2013 04:59:28 PM 829 Views
I'm inclined to agree with that assessment. Legolas - 02/07/2013 10:54:32 PM 983 Views
Chapters 3 and 4. Rebekah - 18/06/2013 02:53:34 PM 803 Views
Initial thought: Rebekah - 18/06/2013 02:55:52 PM 794 Views
This is another one with messed up timelines. Nate - 24/06/2013 04:47:16 PM 3004 Views
Re: This is another one with messed up timelines. Rebekah - 25/06/2013 05:01:35 PM 2641 Views
It's funny - your comment above had spoiled me so... Legolas - 08/08/2013 05:25:31 PM 901 Views
Re: Sabetha Nate - 08/08/2013 05:42:18 PM 835 Views
The first part of the book is a little slow, I've decided. Rebekah - 25/06/2013 05:05:45 PM 793 Views
It does really pick up, doesn't it? Legolas - 13/08/2013 10:37:26 PM 707 Views
Chapters 5 and 6. *NM* Rebekah - 25/06/2013 05:06:10 PM 351 Views
Things really pick up now. Rebekah - 28/06/2013 04:04:27 PM 846 Views
Re: Women (spoilers) Nate - 01/07/2013 04:56:07 PM 832 Views
Re: Things really pick up now. Legolas - 13/08/2013 10:56:37 PM 868 Views
Chapters 7 and 8. Rebekah - 10/07/2013 06:22:02 PM 890 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 872 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 369 Views
I think this is where I became quite impressed with Lynch's plotting. Rebekah - 30/07/2013 02:20:31 PM 1362 Views
Chapters 9 and 10. *NM* Rebekah - 10/07/2013 06:22:22 PM 408 Views
Lynch can be such a tease. Nate - 16/07/2013 04:35:51 PM 898 Views
I love Doña Vorchenza Rebekah - 30/07/2013 02:28:30 PM 913 Views
Chapters 11 and 12. *NM* Rebekah - 24/07/2013 06:34:25 PM 368 Views
Lynch is ruthless in these chapters. Rebekah - 30/07/2013 02:40:19 PM 927 Views
Poor everyone. Nate - 02/08/2013 11:04:34 PM 847 Views
Chapters 13 and 14. *NM* Rebekah - 24/07/2013 06:34:41 PM 383 Views
These are very satisfying chapters, on the whole. Rebekah - 30/07/2013 03:11:28 PM 869 Views
Locke's scheme is probably one of my two favourite sequences in the book. Nate - 02/08/2013 11:13:40 PM 851 Views
Those interludes suddenly started to remind me very strongly of Lost. Legolas - 14/08/2013 09:01:04 PM 1455 Views
Chapters 15 and 16 and the epilogue. *NM* Rebekah - 30/07/2013 02:09:39 PM 366 Views
Disappointing, on the whole, I felt. Legolas - 14/08/2013 09:25:31 PM 890 Views
I liked parts of it, but you make good points. Nate - 15/08/2013 05:45:14 PM 977 Views
Yeah, I liked parts too - but still. Legolas - 15/08/2013 06:54:19 PM 813 Views
I enjoyed it enough to overlook any deficiencies, apparently. Rebekah - 21/08/2013 08:09:54 PM 975 Views
Re: Disappointing, on the whole, I felt. Aviendha - 22/09/2013 11:22:19 PM 911 Views
Oh my. Legolas - 23/09/2013 06:00:44 PM 796 Views
Re: Oh my. Aviendha - 09/10/2013 10:12:55 PM 854 Views
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