Introducing the Red Seas Under Red Skies Read-Along

red seasHey Gollancz Geeks & Fantasy Factioners,

I hope you enjoyed The Lies of Locke Lamora Read-Along and share the same burning desire as me to continue on with the series by way of Red Seas Under Red Skies.

I found the Read-Along dynamic very rewarding. It was awesome to be able to discuss certain, more complex, events or passages with different readers and come to a mostly agreeable conclusion and it was equally interesting to have multiple perspectives on things such as why Scott Lynch put the various interludes where he did towards the end of the book too.

It’s hard to guess what book two will offer us upon finishing the first. Will it be much the same or something completely different? We’ve lost over half the cast, Locke and Jean can no longer spend their days conning the rich in Camorr and the two were left completely broke.

I guess I’ll spoil things by posting the blurb on the back of the book for you 😉

After a brutal battle with the underworld that nearly destroyed him, Locke and his trusted sidekick, Jean, fled the island city of their birth and landed on the exotic shores of Tal Verrar to nurse their wounds. But even at this westernmost edge of civilization, they can’t rest for long—and are soon back to what they do best: stealing from the undeserving rich and pocketing the proceeds for themselves.

This time, however, they have targeted the grandest prize of all: the Sinspire, the most exclusive and heavily guarded gambling house in the world. Its nine floors attract the wealthiest clientele—and to rise to the top, one must impress with good credit, amusing behavior… and excruciatingly impeccable play. For there is one cardinal rule, enforced by Requin, the house’s cold-blooded master: it is death to cheat at any game at the Sinspire.

Brazenly undeterred, Locke and Jean have orchestrated an elaborate plan to lie, trick, and swindle their way up the nine floors… straight to Requin’s teeming vault. Under the cloak of false identities, they meticulously make their climb—until they are closer to the spoils than ever.

But someone in Tal Verrar has uncovered the duo’s secret. Someone from their past who has every intention of making the impudent criminals pay for their sins. Now it will take every ounce of cunning to save their mercenary souls. And even that may not be enough…

So, I was intending to start the Read-Along this week, but I’ve been asked over Twitter and on the forums to hold things up a week whilst people catch up with Lies of Locke Lamora (I understand a few people were delayed in getting their copies) and wait for their postie to deliver Red Seas Under Red Skies (head over to Amazon or your local store and buy it ASAP, guys. Amazon have a special price on it right now on both Ebook and Paperback.

 

The schedule will be as follows:

Chapters 1-4 & Interludes – Posted up: 16th September

Chapters 5-8 & Interludes – Posted up: 23rd September

Chapters 9-12 & Interludes – Posted up: 30th September

Chapters 13-16 & Interludes – Posted up: 7th October

 

Oh, and not being able to wait to get started I’ve just finished reading the prologue and if you think the above blurb sounded intriguing, wait until you’ve finished the first three pages!!!

See you here next week, fellow Geeks!