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I think this is where I became quite impressed with Lynch's plotting. Rebekah Send a noteboard - 30/07/2013 02:20:31 PM

View original postBut when I first read it, I thought that they would wriggle their way through it somehow. I thought that the Falconer really did intend to protect Locke. But the whole thing was an elaborate charade to get Locke killed and to put Barsavi at ease. Of course, the Grey King could have killed Locke and his gang at any time, and he could have killed Barsavi at any time too. But he needed to kill Barsavi in front of all his people, so binding that up with his plan to kill the gang was fairly efficient. But as we'll see soon, he was a little too efficient.

I remember thinking that too, at least the protection bit at this point.

And that's one thing I find really impressive about this scene. You get the confirmation of the "Grey King's" invulnerability with the arrows, and then that's immediately turned on its head by one guy just walking up to him and touching him. The moment of relief before the horror.

View original postSo it caught me by surprise, the first time, and it was pretty shocking when the Falconer straight up abandons him and Locke gets sealed into a cask of horse urine. How do you even gather that much horse urine? I don't want to be the henchman who gets that assignment.

Right? I guess it's amazing what fear will help a guy do.

In retrospect, I feel like it should have been more obvious what was going to happen, but that's probably just me thinking I'm smarter than I am. (And I really have forgotten almost everything about this book, which surprises me given how much I enjoyed it the first time around.)

View original postThe gang really isn't used to this. Normally they have months to prepare for their games, working out every detail and making every preparation. But this time, it's the other way around. Their enemies have been studying them instead, learning their secrets and preparing for how to beat them and take their money, while the gang has to react to situations without proper planning. So it's no wonder they're getting beaten. But the Grey King and the Falconer underestimate what they can do with just a little bit of time.

I liked that a lot, the gang getting a good taste of their own medicine, even though it ended up with Calo, Galdo and Bug dying. (Honestly, I didn't much care for Bug anyway - he was too much of a cipher, imo - but Calo & Galdo were lovely characters.)

View original postIf Locke had disposed of his pride and his eagerness to outwit everyone and everything, and if the gang had fled the city with their money, do you think they would have gotten away? That implication is present in the text, but if the Falconer was keeping an eye on them, it's possible that he would have simply killed them and taken the money if they tried. After all, there surely would have been some other way to get Barsavi to open his doors, and the gang's white iron was one of the Grey King's primary goals so that he could pay off his bondsmage.

I don't think they would have. At least, the way I read the Grey King's character (and that of the Falconer) means that he'd have had them killed if they tried to get away. It wouldn't have been difficult for the Falconer to keep an eye on all exits from the city, I assume, especially with the freaky bird watching them.

View original postThe Bondsmagi are pretty cool, by the way. Theirs is a soft magic, with ill-defined rules, but that's all right. They're mysterious, powerful, and intimidating. A guild that's completely destroyed all uses of magic that aren't their own, and who think themselves invincible because of how well it's known that they will destroy anyone who kills one of their members. They're a highly effective and troubling foe. I can't wait to see Locke and Jean have to deal with them later in the series (though I suspect that they aren't the final enemy, so to speak).

I'd definitely like to know more about them, so I'm looking forward to that with the new book.

*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 1223 Views

The Prologue Rebekah - 03/06/2013 10:08:39 AM 857 Views

Re: The Prologue Nate - 04/06/2013 09:09:56 PM 918 Views

Re: The Prologue Rebekah - 10/06/2013 03:34:28 PM 870 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 743 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 701 Views

I'd forgotten most of this. Rebekah - 10/06/2013 03:32:26 PM 703 Views

Chapters One and Two. Rebekah - 10/06/2013 03:36:57 PM 691 Views

I was waiting for someone else to go first. Nate - 13/06/2013 03:39:31 PM 781 Views

What do you mean by "lampshading"? Rebekah - 18/06/2013 02:52:46 PM 745 Views

I will explain! It requires Chapter Three information. Nate - 18/06/2013 03:55:55 PM 709 Views

Thanks; I'd never seen the term before. *NM* Rebekah - 25/06/2013 04:57:47 PM 332 Views

Falling somewhat behind, but I'm still participating in this... Legolas - 02/07/2013 10:50:27 PM 1224 Views

Re: Falling somewhat behind, but I'm still participating in this... Nate - 03/07/2013 05:21:34 AM 700 Views

Not as entranced as I thought I would be. Rebekah - 18/06/2013 02:47:24 PM 682 Views

Re: Descriptions Nate - 24/06/2013 05:00:34 PM 781 Views

Re: Descriptions Rebekah - 25/06/2013 04:59:28 PM 720 Views

I'm inclined to agree with that assessment. Legolas - 02/07/2013 10:54:32 PM 822 Views

Chapters 3 and 4. Rebekah - 18/06/2013 02:53:34 PM 701 Views

Initial thought: Rebekah - 18/06/2013 02:55:52 PM 680 Views

This is another one with messed up timelines. Nate - 24/06/2013 04:47:16 PM 2894 Views

Re: This is another one with messed up timelines. Rebekah - 25/06/2013 05:01:35 PM 2536 Views

It's funny - your comment above had spoiled me so... Legolas - 08/08/2013 05:25:31 PM 803 Views

Re: Sabetha Nate - 08/08/2013 05:42:18 PM 759 Views

The first part of the book is a little slow, I've decided. Rebekah - 25/06/2013 05:05:45 PM 705 Views

It does really pick up, doesn't it? Legolas - 13/08/2013 10:37:26 PM 608 Views

Chapters 5 and 6. *NM* Rebekah - 25/06/2013 05:06:10 PM 309 Views

Things really pick up now. Rebekah - 28/06/2013 04:04:27 PM 736 Views

Re: Women (spoilers) Nate - 01/07/2013 04:56:07 PM 723 Views

Re: Things really pick up now. Legolas - 13/08/2013 10:56:37 PM 762 Views

Chapters 7 and 8. Rebekah - 10/07/2013 06:22:02 PM 777 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 763 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 331 Views

I think this is where I became quite impressed with Lynch's plotting. Rebekah - 30/07/2013 02:20:31 PM 1250 Views

Chapters 9 and 10. *NM* Rebekah - 10/07/2013 06:22:22 PM 367 Views

Lynch can be such a tease. Nate - 16/07/2013 04:35:51 PM 787 Views

I love Doña Vorchenza Rebekah - 30/07/2013 02:28:30 PM 819 Views

Chapters 11 and 12. *NM* Rebekah - 24/07/2013 06:34:25 PM 332 Views

Lynch is ruthless in these chapters. Rebekah - 30/07/2013 02:40:19 PM 823 Views

Poor everyone. Nate - 02/08/2013 11:04:34 PM 744 Views

Chapters 13 and 14. *NM* Rebekah - 24/07/2013 06:34:41 PM 345 Views

These are very satisfying chapters, on the whole. Rebekah - 30/07/2013 03:11:28 PM 760 Views

Locke's scheme is probably one of my two favourite sequences in the book. Nate - 02/08/2013 11:13:40 PM 746 Views

Those interludes suddenly started to remind me very strongly of Lost. Legolas - 14/08/2013 09:01:04 PM 1342 Views

Chapters 15 and 16 and the epilogue. *NM* Rebekah - 30/07/2013 02:09:39 PM 326 Views

Disappointing, on the whole, I felt. Legolas - 14/08/2013 09:25:31 PM 780 Views

I liked parts of it, but you make good points. Nate - 15/08/2013 05:45:14 PM 872 Views

Yeah, I liked parts too - but still. Legolas - 15/08/2013 06:54:19 PM 705 Views

I enjoyed it enough to overlook any deficiencies, apparently. Rebekah - 21/08/2013 08:09:54 PM 864 Views

Re: Disappointing, on the whole, I felt. Aviendha - 22/09/2013 11:22:19 PM 808 Views

Oh my. Legolas - 23/09/2013 06:00:44 PM 689 Views

Re: Oh my. Aviendha - 09/10/2013 10:12:55 PM 745 Views

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<quote id="278468">
<quote id="277946">But when I first read it, I thought that they would wriggle their way through it somehow. I thought that the Falconer really did intend to protect Locke. But the whole thing was an elaborate charade to get Locke killed and to put Barsavi at ease. Of course, the Grey King could have killed Locke and his gang at any time, and he could have killed Barsavi at any time too. But he needed to kill Barsavi in front of all his people, so binding that up with his plan to kill the gang was fairly efficient. But as we'll see soon, he was a little <i>too</i> efficient.</quote>
I remember thinking that too, at least the protection bit at this point.

<quote id="277946">So it caught me by surprise, the first time, and it was pretty shocking when the Falconer straight up abandons him and Locke gets sealed into a cask of horse urine. How do you even gather that much horse urine? I don't want to be the henchman who gets <i>that</i> assignment.</quote>
Right? I guess it's amazing what fear will help a guy do. ;)

In retrospect, I feel like it should have been more obvious what was going to happen, but that's probably just me thinking I'm smarter than I am. :P (And I really have forgotten almost everything about this book, which surprises me given how much I enjoyed it the first time around.)

<quote id="277946">The gang really isn't used to this. Normally they have months to prepare for their games, working out every detail and making every preparation. But this time, it's the other way around. Their enemies have been studying them instead, learning their secrets and preparing for how to beat them and take their money, while the gang has to react to situations without proper planning. So it's no wonder they're getting beaten. But the Grey King and the Falconer underestimate what they can do with just a little bit of time.</quote>
I liked that a lot, the gang getting a good taste of their own medicine, even though it ended up with Calo, Galdo and Bug dying. (Honestly, I didn't much care for Bug anyway - he was too much of a cipher, imo - but Calo & Galdo were lovely characters.)

<quote id="277946">If Locke had disposed of his pride and his eagerness to outwit everyone and everything, and if the gang had fled the city with their money, do you think they would have gotten away? That implication is present in the text, but if the Falconer was keeping an eye on them, it's possible that he would have simply killed them and taken the money if they tried. After all, there surely would have been some other way to get Barsavi to open his doors, and the gang's white iron was one of the Grey King's primary goals so that he could pay off his bondsmage.</quote>
I don't think they would have. At least, the way I read the Grey King's character (and that of the Falconer) means that he'd have had them killed if they tried to get away. It wouldn't have been difficult for the Falconer to keep an eye on all exits from the city, I assume, especially with the freaky bird watching them.

<quote id="277946">The Bondsmagi are pretty cool, by the way. Theirs is a soft magic, with ill-defined rules, but that's all right. They're mysterious, powerful, and intimidating. A guild that's completely destroyed all uses of magic that aren't their own, and who think themselves invincible because of how well it's known that they will destroy anyone who kills one of their members. They're a highly effective and troubling foe. I can't wait to see Locke and Jean have to deal with them later in the series (though I suspect that they aren't the final enemy, so to speak).</quote>
I'd definitely like to know more about them, so I'm looking forward to that with the new book.
</quote>

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