Jesus.
I read LIES the year it came out, or close enough to count. In the intervening years I’d pretty well forgotten everything about it except that it was tremendously cleverly written and that somebody died, which is to say, there was a specific death I remembered.
I did not, however, remember the rest of the appalling brutality that went along with that specific death. It was nearly like reading the book entirely fresh: it was still tremendously cleverly written, but sweet mother of mercy, I was taking unexpected emotional hits left and right. I stopped reading once for several days because I wasn’t up for dealing with more horrors.
It’s still a terrifically good book, but man, I don’t think I’ll be leaping into RED SEAS immediately, even if REPUBLIC is waiting to be read.
It’s a cracking good book, isn’t it! I’d not forgotten how tough Barsavi and some of the others were, but I had forgotten a lot of the smaller details, the little character moments and world building that make it so rich. Book 2 is actually a lot better than I remembered. And book 3, my my, I’ll just say, it’s a lot of fun. And also quite bloody and dark at times.
It’s a very good book, but man. I’m wiped. :)
I’ve been thinking of reading this book because I’m specifically interested in Republic of Thieves. But now I’m scared!
It’s good. Both the Gentlemen Bastard books I’ve read are really good. Just, wow. Sort of like GRRM but different. :)