The Republic of Thieves

There's a lot to love about Scott Lynch's series, and I'm particularly excited that the direction this is taking is exploring the mysteries of the world which have served as backdrop to Locke and Jean's adventures. This book delves just a touch deeper into the world of the Bondsmagi and the nature of the Eldren, hinting at books to come. Those books, I was disappointed to find, do not exist yet. Boo.

Locke and Jean remain great if severely flawed characters and the fun of watching them plot, fail, improvise, re-plot remains throughout this novel. There's a bit more melodrama on Locke's end (I could use a lot less romantic whining, but the teenage flashbacks made that impossible), but they are still solid. Sabetha is nice new edition although I do occasionally want to shake both her and Locke and tell them to just talk. So many stories would be so much shorter if the two romantic leads would have a lousy conversation instead of leaping to conclusions at every bend in the road.

So yes, the series still holds. My favorite part of Lynch's writing however has nothing to do with his characters, plot, or dialogue, but with his background. I've probably said this before but Lynch builds the most diverse and believable background for his novels. Women are everywhere in both menial and powerful position. Lady cops and henchman alike abound to thwart and be thwarted. This book makes the first mention, I believe, of racism with Jerena's ill-treatment, and uses the nation of Syresti to supply some much needed color to the fantasy world. While Sabetha and Jerena could both be seen as SFP archetypes who don't really do bad things, there are a number of complicated if not goodly characters of all types. Even homosexuality is treated with normalcy with couples making out in the bushes just as likely to be members of the same sex as different ones. While the main cast remains pretty much white and male, it's really nice to see the fantasy world expand to include diversity as a natural element.

If you liked Lies and Seas, you'll have no problem devouring Republic and being just as impatient as I am for Thorn of Emberlain's release.