Wednesday, July 31, 2013

Book Review: Red Seas Under Red Skies

Red Seas Under Red Skies, by Scott Lynch


Any regular reader of mine knows I've been off my game this year and I decided I better throw something into the July spot before its gone and why not the best fiction I've read this year???

Indeed Lynch delivers an excellent sequel, I may have actually enjoyed Red Seas more than Lies of Locke Lamora, which was awesome. I read the book in about 5 sittings - almost all in the air jet setting to see my Lady in LA. A good book does make the flight go quick, so WIN, WIN, WIN.

We pick up right in the middle of tense action with Locke and his partner in crime Jean, in the coastal city of Tal Verrar and sevreal intrigues are in motion. They are planning a heist and as we meet interesting characters and witness some great world building, do our pair of heroes get the grief shoveled on them. Lynch is a master at keeping you turning pages and I think he outdoes himself with this sophomore effort.

I just don't have it in me to give more detail at the moment, other than to give this my heartiest recommendation for anyone who enjoys fascinating characters and gritty fantasy (not quite Abercrombie/GRRM gritty but still) all with great suspense and action and being a trilogy I don't think its too long for those who are reluctant to bite off on those massive fantasy series. I am gonna have to grab the third Republic of Thieves very soon.

5 comments:

Adventuresfantastic said...

Good to see a post from you. And thanks for not giving too many details. I haven't read this one yet, but I loved the first one and am looking forward to reading this one. The Lies of Locke Lamora and Karl Schroeder's Queen of Candesce helped me through a major (involuntary) career shift the summer of '09. Those are two of the best examples of world building I've ever seen. Is the third book out yet?

Charles Gramlich said...

These are on my wish list.

nephite blood spartan heart said...

I'm not sure Keith, but I sure hope so, its been awhile since Red Seas was released.

They're the best possible kind of epic fantasy Charles - they retain that S&S thrill and close characterization without getting overwhelming and having a cast of hundreds.

Paul R. McNamee said...

Sounds good and it is good to read a post from you :)

nephite blood spartan heart said...

Thanks Paul, I'm gonna try and get back into the groove.