There has been a wonderful rise in smart, alternative, fantasy fiction in the last ten years, a surge which has re-invigorated the genre. Readers of this blog will have picked up on my love-hate relationship with Tolkienism -- love the master, sickened by the copycat knockoffs --, and so it should surprise no one that I am declaring my fondness and admiration for Mr. Lynch's work which is as funny as it is inventive. Frankly, I'm stunned he isn't British, for, until now, this kind of tight, dark comedy has only been evident in works by Joe Abercrombie and Richard K. Morgan. But no, Mr. Lynch proves that Americans too can bring the funny, in a big way.
The Gentlemen Bastards, a series of seven planned novels, takes place in a fantasy realm modelled after the Italian city states of the European renaissance. Humming with vitality, buzzing with corruption, and populated by scientific and political opportunists, Camorr is one of the more prosperous states, sporting numerous glittering palaces. The wealth to build these nods to self-indulgence largely comes through both conquest and trade, the latter of which occurs primarily through Camorr's port. Though the city is economically vibrant, it is politically authoritarian, with short-shrift given to those who disobey and disappoint its nobility. What thrives when trade and injustice meet up and have a few drinks? Crime. Lots and lots of crime...
Our protagonist, Locke Lamora, is, in every sense, the product of that crime. Plucked from his hopeless life as a street urchin by a master thief who blasphemously masquerades as a priest, Locke is inducted into a tiny brotherhood of elite criminals who have literally made fine art out of their thieving. To a large extent, they steal for the challenge. At first, it's mere coins to feed themselves, but as their skills advance, he jobs grow exponentially more intricate and dangerous. And yet, throughout, a joyous sense of the caper infuses their schemes, making them as much pranksters as serious embezzlers. These schemes provide the book much of its humor, but it also leads to agony and despair when the enemies of the Gentlemen Bastards do not find their antics nearly so amusing.
The Lies Of Locke Lamora explores every rung of Camorr's society, from the poorest of the poor to the men who have the power to kill with a look. In doing so, Mr. Lynch exposes a rare talent for world-building which never slips into self-indulgence. What's more, though the story is often times humorous, there's an underlying sadness that lends it an appropriate gravitas. It's a sadness born of rank inequality and the cruelties it creates. This is not unlike The Psalms Of Isaak series by Ken Scholes, but more amusing and with a keener eye for social critique. (4/5 Stars)
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