Red Seas Under Red Skies
by Scott Lynch
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Book Summary Information
Author: Scott LynchEdition: Mass Market Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2008-07-29
ISBN: 0553588958
Number of pages: 784
Publisher: Spectra
Book Reviews of Red Seas Under Red Skies
Book Review: As good as its predecessor? No. A worthy follow up? Yes!
Summary: 4 Stars
I LOVED The Lies of Locke Lamora. So reading some of the reader reviews of 'Red Seas...' concerned me, specifically on the issue of the overuse of nautical terminology.
Well... to each his/her own, I guess. I actually didn't mind the nautical/sailing sections of the book, and frankly, there aren't even that many of them. If i had to give an exact figure, I'd say there are only two chapters that actually focus completely on nautical terms and such...the rest of the portions of the novel concerning sailing/pirating don't even really use those terms and focus more on plot and character development.
With that out of the way, let's get into the review proper: Scott Lynch gave us a near perfect adult fantasy with 'Lies', and while 'Red Seas' is not as solid, it is still a worthy follow up.
Locke and Jean continue to be the stars of the show here, and both are developed very well throughout the course of the novel. The flashback (or 'reminiscence' as Lynch calls it) format is also still used, though he stops using it about a third of the way through the book, and that's a good thing. In the first book in the Gentleman Bastard sequence the flashbacks always seemed to serve a purpose; in this, they seem contrived, only used because Lynch believes his fans expects them, so when they stop so the storyline can flow properly, it's a much welcome relief.
Basic premise: recovering from the events of the first book, Locke and Jean relocate to the region of Tal Verrar, a city built on a series of islands that borders the Sea of Brass, a region known for pirating. Tal Verrar is home to an infamous casino, the Sinspire, and after certain developments, our heroes decide to initiate a lengthy plan to rob it in order to get back to their old tricks. They are soon introduced to two powerplayers in Tal Verrar, and one of them throws a monkey wrench into the plans, so to speak, forcing them to quickly learn the ways of pirating and sailing.
That's all I'll say on the plot, but while it is very interesting, especially the early parts, it loses it's pace quickly once this 'monkey wrench' I mention happens. The pirating parts ARE cool, as are the characters; the two power players I referred to are properly nefarious and complex, as are their respective female advisors equally cool and mysterious. The pirating storyline also introduces two very cool characters in the forms of Zamira and Ezri, who are brilliantly realized and a welcome addition to the story. I won't reveal who out of these half a dozen characters survives, since Lynch's unpredictability is one of his strongest skills, but needless to say, they're all great.
But, like I said, the plot loses it's cool once this pirating stuff is introduced, and actually only after Zamira and her crew come into the picture does it come back to life. Granted, this is only a chapter or two, but it does truly drag. I would have liked the Sinspire storyline to be resolved earlier.
But in the end, it reaches a climax just as exciting as the first book's and on a huge cliffhanger that will make the third book even more interesting. As other fans have stated in their reviews, there are many allusions to the first book that only readers of 'Lies' will pick up on, so only read this if you've read that.
Again--a good book, not as good as 'Lies'. Here's hoping Lynch delivers the same quality as his first book in "Republic of Thieves"
Summary of Red Seas Under Red Skies
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.?
From the Hardcover edition.
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