The Lies of Locke Lamora, Red Seas Under Red Skies, The Republic of Thieves
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Stats
Started: 2025/12/05
Last Updated: 2025/12/26
Completion Status: Finished Red Seas Under Red Skies
Current Objective: Read The Republic of Thieves
Started Red Seas Under Red Skies: 2025/12/06
Finished Red Seas Under Red Skies: 2025/12/26 - 20.4h
Started The Republic of Thieves: 2025/00/00
Finished The Republic of Thieves: 2025/00/00 - 0h
Thoughts
Read The Lies of Locke Lamora a couple of years ago and really liked it. I re-listened to it recently, and remembered why I liked it. Its just fun! And funny. I couldn't listen to it at work because I would chuckle. Oops!
Its been about 3 months since then, but I think we left off with Locke and Jean having dealt with the Falconer/Mage (by removing his fingers and tongue), and then leaving with their.... no gold. No money. But they have finished the tutorial starting town, so thats a good start!
I'm gonna read the two short stories before Red Seas Under Red Skies (because I have them sorted in that order in my Kobo), so.... yeah
The Bottle Serpent was good. See thoughts in RLOG 2025/12/06 (its the first one, its literally right there). Locke is one understanding little thief now.
Writing the word thief makes me think of the FF thief class, and how it is my favorite, I just love stealing even if I never use the crappy potions it gives me. And I love the thief stories: Six of Crows, Gentleman Bastards, The Great Train Robbery, Oceans movies. Love me some thiefs! Gotta make that my next MTG deck for FF!
Red Seas Under Red Skies
Lets start this out by saying what should be said, its not as good as LLL. Like the actual book was written well and all that and it was funny and we still love locke and jean (and now Ezri), but while LLL was con-men thieves doing con-men theivery, RSRS was con-men theives doing piracy. Which yes, does include stealing and stuff, but is much more contained to, ironically, the open sea. I wanna see them robbing people and setting up to rob people!!!!! It also felt like, from locke and jean's perspective, that while there were a bunch of cons going on, they werent really connected with any plan until the end. Like locke was just along for the ride until he finally realized what to do. But i want them to be master little sneakers!!!!!!
But, the book was very fun. Loved the piracy. Loved Zamira, and really loved Ezri and then Ezri + Jean. Unfortunately, Ezri's death was kinda telegraphed. In that it was fated to happen. I said it in the RLOG, but when you combine a duo who is the book's namesake, and a literal pirate ship of disposable bodies, unfortunately one of them is gonna be dying first. It was a great dramatic and hero moment though, and it also really serves to move the plot and not have Jean stagnate. Unfortunately. Sorry Jean. Really. He'd probably kill me if he could see these comments. Right after Locke stole all my passwords from my own lips.
Also, Locke and Jean just stay an awesome duo.
The twist at the end with the paintings was really fun. I just thought it was funny when Requin revealed they were fakes. Like kinda serves locke right... sorry !!!! haha. You have enough money !!!!!
And then the poison. Obviously, the third book is already out and will explain the poison, but I read some book 2 thoughts and I can definitely see it all having been a bluff. For 2 reasons. 1. that poison, even in fantasy land, is waaaaaaay to specific to be able to make it and make antidotes and know that they work with the exact effect of waiting like 2 months, and 2. that poison is super risky for Stragos.
Also, in a more meta way. While Locke doesnt know hes the main character of a book, I do. And I know that Locke dying would not be a fun way to continue the story. :)
Well, that book was long though. I need to take a break for a bit with a shorty or two. Murder mysteries !!!!!
Also, RSRS marks book 20 (about, maybe 20.5) of 2025!! Nice! Right before the bell!!
Reading Log
2025/12/06
Finished up The Bottled Serpent. Very charming little short story about Locke learning about being.... normal. simple premises are also nice for quickly enjoying the company of a character, especially enough to make you, the reader, feel that, yes, we should help this man in his last moments. I love Chains expressing his love for Locke, and also that we should both do the right thing, and know that the right thing has consequences. Great!
Now onto Red Seas Under Red Skies! Lets neuter some Bondsmagi or something idk!
2025/12/19
Red Seas Under Red Skies, 7-10
Uh... its been a while.... oops..... I'm trying to finish the book before the new year, and also its just an entertainer. theres not much like pondering and theorizing like with Harry August or like an agatha christie novel. Its just entertaining.
I do have a hard time with all the descriptions though, since im like bad enough at reading all the city descriptions, but then its like descriptions of geography based on laws of a fantasy universe. like this has no reference in my brain and im just rereading and trying to understand what im supposed to be seeing. maybe. but yeah thats jsut me being slow at reading not a bad thing
But got to the part where the gentlemen have just acquired their crew and are casting off to find the past-deserted pirates, and then merrain comes up and essentially betrays them by killing the guards.
A couple things. First, dang merrain kinda like a hero but still not like a good guy but in her story she probably good. trying to stop the unpresedented bloodshed that is probably gonna happen in the future by the gentlemens actions. and just trying to stop Requin from having skilled members of the suicide squad.
also, though, i feel like requin is not gonna be stupid enough to think that the gentlemen killed them. maybe he will be. but requin is a fart smella. or smart fella. thats what i meant. and seeing as the gentlemen had a poisoned knife, i feel like requin would notice multiple knife wounds if he were able to see the bodies or whatever. just yeah thinking .
time to continue time!!
7-14
It feels like there is a mounting of Chekov's guns, maybe Chekov's bullets, aboard this ship....
No women, no cats, creepy sea stories, Merrain doing things she shouldnt be, the ship being ahead of schedule.... all this is not gonna be good by the end of this chappy I am feeling..........
2025/12/21
Chapter 11-4
Im a big fan of the pirate arc. Like really. From the start of the expedition to now getting christened as new Orchid members with romances developing, i just really like it. I keep reading even though i should go to bed (and then i stop myself a couple parts later because i do have restraint)
It feels like FFXIII-3. Maybe not the greatest book Ive read, and maybe i even think the Lies of Locke Lamora is better since its more filled with growing as a team and the big con with many mini cons, but man, the journey of this pirate arc is just..... so...... fun!! Like wow! Its so fun and also kinda intense in a small scale way reading of the ship. Everything feels like it could be a misstep, from relationsgips to boat management and weather, since a misstep on this boat cluld mean the end! And since the crew is all new people, no one is safe! Sure locke and jean may survive, but who else?????? Wooeoww
2025/12/26
Finished Red Seas Under Red Skies
Ill write my thoughts in the Thoughts !!! Yeah!
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