I absolutely loved this book. The story just grabs you in from the first moment. I especially loved the fresh approach the author took compared to tra..Show More »ditional fantasy writing. There is no dark lord rising, no coming apocalypse, no village boy who finds out he has magic powers and must save the world. It is just the story of Locke and his friends and their (mis)adventures and it is brilliant.

The narrator is excellent. I find his voice very easy to listen to and he makes the characters feel so real. I especially loved the way he handled the dialogue, it is full of dry wit and sarcastic one-liners and he delivered them perfectly.

My one minor criticism of the story is that there are patches where I feel the author gets bogged down in describing either the architecture of the city or the detailed dialogue involved in their cons. In particular the passages where Locke is dealing with the nobility go overboard in detailing all the social pleasantries and etiquette involved. But being an audiobook, it is easy enough to just sit through these parts until it gets back to the action.

Overall, highly recommended

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If you follow my reviews, you know that I occasionally spend my Audible credits on audiobooks that I would not normally acquire, ones that I would nor..Show More »mally NOT like nor want. Sometimes, it's a loss. Other times, I'm rewarded with a tremendous win - A fantastically rich and rewarding listening experience that I'll not forget for a long time, and will listen to again over the years.

And this audiobook?

A HUGE win. A seriously huge win.

It's hard to put in words the depth, strengths, story, pacing and more that Scott Lynch has woven into this literary work, but I can provide an overview.

Imagine an advanced alien race that mysteriously evacuates a planet, leaving behind vast crystal cities, with high-rising spires that light the night, with twisting alleyways and streets below, dark and forbidding, ripe for exploring mankind to occupy. Now, set the stage with a vast sprawling city that is an astounding blend of of Venice, Paris and Tuscany, with almost no technology, rife with machiavellian intrigue, and plans within plans. Finally, center the story around Locke Lamora, a young orphan sold into a thieve's caste, on his way to becoming the city's greatest and most notorious gentleman thief on an grand scale.

Also, kudos to the narrator on this work. Michael Page is definitely up to the task, with so many characters to whom he gives unique voicing, inflection and life, and keeps up with the author's pacing. VERY well done, Michael.

And this is only book ONE in the series. Yes, I've read the sequel, and it's just as good as this first book/audiobook, if not better. And YES, expect a review soon!

I have countless audiobooks from Audible and other vendors, and this is easily one of my very favorite listens, vastly entertaining, captivating, descriptive, intriguing and a page-turner, to say the very least. Note all five stars in my rating - I don't give that out very often. So, get this audiobook. You'll discover well-defined storylines that will intrigue you hour after hour in this rich and rewarding fantasy listen you should not miss.

And to think I almost did.

I LOVE rolling the dice here at Audible. LOVE it.

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In a refreshing departure from many fantasy novels, Scott Lynch's characters are not superhumans possessed of some extraordinary power, but survive on..Show More » the strength of their own wits. The stakes are high, but not ridiculously so. The world isn't about to be destroyed, or thrust into an endless dark age. Much as the first book in this series, The Lies of Locke Lamora, this is a heist/fantasy novel. The protagonists are not immune to failure, and the story seems driven more by it's characters, than by an ultimate goal, which makes it a pleasure to listen to. The characters are possessed of a strange morality, and are humanized by the situations in which they are conflicted by practical concerns, and their desire to adhere to their own code of ethics. Success is never guaranteed in this series so far, which leaves me sympathizing with the characters own frustration, and keeps the tension strong. Locke and Jean don't wander from one startling, incredible success to another, and so the journey is never boring.

The audio narrator is crisp and precise, speaking with a smooth cadence, and does an excellent job with voices and accents, further enriching this atmospheric book.

If your reading this Mr. Lynch, get back to writing (and thank you).


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