Red Seas under Red Skies - Gentlemen Bastards #2

Well, this is something almost unheard of - the sequel to a book a lot of us love and adore, and none of us have reviewed it yet!! In my defence, I was unaware it existed thus far - turns out my usual sources screwed up and were giving me publication notes on the 3rd title, not the second. On to the review!

Locke Lamora returns, and this time, hes a fricking PIRATE! Cue awesomeness for those of us not following the ninja way. *Spoiler Alert* This leads off near exactly from the end of Lies, so Jean and Locke are off travelling to Tel Verrar (the place Camorr fought against a few times) in order to screw over a casino, in effect. As we now expect, nothing goes right - and after very sundry and amusing side aventures, they end up in piracy and political espionage.

I'll be honest - I didn't find this as good as Lies. It's a good read and all, fun, with plenty of humour and more explanation of backstory that is sorely needed (like just wtf Locke does as a Priest of the Thirteenth) and some great character development. It sadly does not bring up or really explain the as-yet missing female Bastard, who is clearly the topic of the third book (or else Lynch doesn't know how to run a narrative), theres a frankly awful cliffhanger ending, and one of the biggest plots in the book has no resolution whatsoever. That aside, we learn about Locke's great skill in cardsharking, his surprisingly moral and ethical side, the importance of kittens on board a ship, and why you never piss off a female pirate.

Overall, this took me as many of the middle books in trilogies often do...good, but just maintaining and setting up the finale. I mean, it is good, do read (and if you can't find or borrow, let me know) but yes, be prepared for it to not wow you as The Lies of Locke Lamora did. (And in case anyone doesn't already suspect this, I have number 3 on preorder.)

Enjoy!