An orphan’s life is harsh — and often short — in the island city of Camorr, built on the ruins of a mysterious alien race. But born with a quick wit and a gift for thieving, Locke Lamora has dodged both death and slavery, only to fall into the hands of an eyeless priest known as Chains — a man who is neither blind nor a priest.

Passing themselves off as petty thieves, the brilliant Locke and his tightly knit band of light-fingered brothers have fooled even the criminal underworld’s most feared ruler, Capa Barsavi. But there is someone in the shadows more powerful — and more ambitious — than Locke has yet imagined.

THE SNARK OF THESE CHARACTER GUYS. I adored this book and these smartass little bastard orphans causing all the trouble. Seriously I just can’t with Lockes and the crews dialog it had me grinning the whole way through.

“I only steal because my dear old family needs the money to live!”
Locke Lamora made this proclamation with his wine glass held high; he and the other Gentleman Bastards were seated at the old witchwood table. . . . The others began to jeer.
“Liar!” they chorused
“I only steal because this wicked world won’t let me work an honest trade!” Calo cried, hoisting his own glass.
“LIAR!”
“I only steal,” said Jean, “because I’ve temporarily fallen in with bad company.”
“LIAR!”
At last the ritual came to Bug; the boy raised his glass a bit shakily and yelled, “I only steal because it’s heaps of fucking fun!”
“BASTARD!” 

Locke Lamora is an Orphan taken to shades hill as a child, he’s taught to pickpocket and gets himself into a ridiculous amount of trouble, once he’s pissed off his master enough Locke is sold to the Blind Priest known as chains. Only Chains isn’t as feeble as he portrays. A con that’s there to train him how to control his recklessness and carve it into cunning.

Chains teaches his orphans to become Gentlemen’s Bastards, to be able to eat with high society and steal from under their nose. As far as the other gangs know The Gentlemen s Bastards are street thieves doing quick tricks and not a threat to the underworld hierarchy.  

The snark of Locke Lamora, the fucking spirit in him, I LOVED HIM. I loved that Locke wasn’t strong, he wasn’t a master ninja or the muscle. Easily out boxed but still name calling the person beating his ass. Locke isn’t the all-powerful chosen one orphan I though he would be, sometimes he is out smarted but the kid is ruthless, has heart, and a plan.

“What kind of knife is this?” Locke held a rounded buttering utensil up for Chains’ inspection. “It’s all wrong. You couldn’t kill anyone with this.”

The dialogue was exactly what I love, I love a book that won’t shy away from swearing when it’s called for, when the characters are exactly the criminals they act like. Who in their right minds are scared of street crims saying frick? I AM ALL THE HAPPINESS THIS DID NOT HAPPEN and really this is Adult High Fantasy so no censoring = happy Casey.

The fights, the interludes with pieces of the boys childhood that sewed itself seamlessly into the current plot, dirty gritty fights won by sheer determination and revenge, these characters dug their way into my heart and stuck there.  

I have to say the whole books pacing is quite slow but so worth it for the build up. You ever read an ending and just want to punch the air and scream YES because the main character just surprises you again and again in all the right ways? Well that what this book did to me. 

5/5 Stars 

Have you read Lies Of Locke Lamora? Is it on your TBR? If you like Orphan Bastards and High Fantasy I strongly recommend this book! 

The only problems I had was a sever lack of females but hopefully we’ll see an addition in the following stories.