And so we come to the end of our readalong and what an amazing experience this has been.  Brought to us by some really amazing hosts and involving so many brilliant bloggers.  It’s been great:

Even though this is the final week – you’re never too late to join in (well, you’re a bit late but you can still go back to the readalong and check out the questions) and pick up the threads of discussion.  More to the point, you’re never to late to pick up this book and be lost in the world of Camorr and the lives of the Gentlemen Bastards.  So don’t wait any longer.  The following will however contain spoilers so if you haven’t read the book you might want to stop reading now!  This week’s instalment brought us constant tension and laugh out loud moments.  Personally I loved the whole scene with Locke in the Tower – firstly coming face to face with Merragio whilst wearing the clothes he’s stolen from him and then bumping into the Grey King as well.  Without further ado the questions and discussions follow.  The hosts for this blog are below:

1.       The Thorn of Camorr is renowned – he can beat anyone in a fight and he steals from the rich to give to the poor.  Except of course that clearly most of the myths surrounding him are based on fantasy and not fact.  Now that the book is finished how do you feel the man himself compares to his legend.  Did you feel that he changed as the story progressed and, if so, how did this make you feel about him by the time the conclusion was reached?

I think to an extent the legend that surrounds the Thorn is one of those typical snowball type of theories which gathers size and momentum as it goes downhill.  You could argue that Locke is useless in a fight and also that he doesn’t give his money away to the poor – all of which is true.  But, you could also say that he’s never shed blood in any of his jobs, he’s a really big softie (as the Spider herself acknowledged after he returned to the Tower to save the nobility), that he managed to defend himself quite well against the Grey King and also that he paid rather a huge death offering by having the plague ship with all his stolen talons on board (which he could have kept).  So, really his reputation is not that far from the mark.  I did think he changed as the story progressed.  I think at the start of the story you didn’t get too much of an understanding for the feelings he had for his fellow GBs but by the end you could certainly feel the strength of feeling and the regard he held them in.  He called them his brothers – which I thought was really rather touching!  By the end of the story I definitely liked him, a lot.  He proved that as well as being able to plot elaborate cons he was able to think on his feet, act under pressure and show that he cared not only for his own little select gang of bandits but also for many more people as well.  Funnily enough I think by the end of the story he fitted the description attributed to the Thorn much more than at the start.

2.       Scott Lynch certainly likes to give his leading ladies some entertaining and strong roles to play.  We have the Berangia sisters – and I definitely wouldn’t like to get on the wrong side of them or their blades plus Dona Vorchenza who is the Spider and played a very cool character – even play acting to catch the Thorn.  How did you feel about the treatment the sisters and Dona received at the hands of Jean and Locke – were you surprised, did it seem out of character at all or justified?

I really liked both of the above characters to an extent.  They’re certainly not soft and fluffy and I don’t think we’d ever be friends.  But, I had a certain type of respect for the Berangia sisters and the way they were so kickass.  And, the Spider, playing at Locke’s game really and allowing people’s own misconceptions to hide her secret identity for this length of time.  All that being said, I felt no sympathy for the Berangias.  They knew what they were doing.  They plotted to catch and kill Jean and they were completely confident in their own abilities.  The fact that they lost is just really too bad!  I know who I preferred to win!  I did have a certain sympathy for Dona Vorchenza when Locke socked her in the jaw, but he had the decency himself to feel bad for his own course of action and really I can’t see how he could have done any differently.  She shouldn’t have  under-estimated him but she made the mistake of thinking of them both as intellectuals.  But, if Locke had remained trapped – she would undoubtedly have made him suffer and would not have shown sympathy.  Plus, if you trap something in a corner it’s going to lunge at you eventually.

 3.       Towards the end we saw a little more of the magic and the history of the Bondsmagi.  The magic, particularly with the use of true names, reminds me a little of old fashioned witchcraft or even voodoo.  But, more than that I was fascinated after reading the interlude headed ‘The Throne in Ashes’ about the Elderglass and the Elders and why their structures were able to survive even against the full might of the Bondsmagi – do you have any theories about this do you think it’s based on one of our ancient civilisations or maybe similar to a myth??

Well, the most obvious comparison that I could come to with this would be the Roman Empire.  The Roman’s went all over conquering and ruling – but they didn’t always stay and yet they left a legacy behind wherever they went.  But, the thing I was thinking about most when reading about the Elderglass was the City of Atlantis – and don’t ask me why – I can’t explain myself but I’ve always pictured Atlantis as being contained in a huge, glass bubble!

4.       We have previously discussed Scott Lynch’s use of description and whether it’s too much or just spot on.  Having got into the last quarter of the book where the level of tension was seriously cranked up – did you still find, the breaks for interludes and the descriptions useful or, under the circumstances did it feel more like a distraction?

I actually still enjoyed the interludes and the description.  I did have a moment towards the end where I was almost cursing and thinking ‘not bloody now for godssake’ but then as usual with these little mini stories I got sucked in.  To some extent I do think it lessens the tension but on the plus side it felt as though it made me slow down and think a bit more than I otherwise might of and so I accredit this with stopping me from just simply racing ahead and finishing as quickly as possible.

5.       Now that the book has finished how did you feel about the conclusion and the eventual reveal about the Grey King and more to the point the motivations he declared for such revenge – does it seem credible, were you expecting much worse or something completely different altogether?

I really enjoyed the conclusion – particularly the whole Grey King and Locke fighting to the death scenario (which does make me sound a bit bloodthirsty!).  Just, they both had their own individual reasons and at that particular juncture they both pretty much hated each other – Locke because of the GBs and all that he and Jean had also been put through and the Grey King because of his sisters, his plans being thwarted and the sinking of his means of escape together with all the money which he thought he’s gained!  It’s difficult to remember how I originally felt about the motives of the Grey King, I think what he and his family suffered was terrible but I kind of lost all sympathy for him because he didn’t care who he affected in his plans for revenge.   He just went hell for leather and swept everyone up in is plot.  The GBs had never done anything to hurt or offend him and look how badly they fared in his scheming.  I suppose it would be childish to say he was unfair – but he was!

6.       Were you surprised that Locke, being given two possible choices (one of which could possibly mean he would miss his chance for revenge on the Grey King) chose to go back to the Tower  – especially given that (1) he would have difficulty in getting into the building (2) he would have difficulty in convincing them about the situation and (3) he would have difficulty in remaining free afterwards? Did anyone else nearly pee their pants when Locke and the rest were carrying the sculptures up to the roof garden?

I actually was surprised that Locke returned to the Tower to rescue the nobility but I think it’s one of the finer turning points of the story which helps to emphasise the true nature of the man.  And, I was so tense when they were all carrying the sculptures up to the top – even though I knew the ending.  That whole wraithstone thing was so nasty!

7.       Finally, the other question I would chuck in here is that, following the end of the book I was intrigued to check out some of the reviews of LOLL and noticed that the negative reviews mentioned the use of profanity.  How did you feel about this – was it excessive? Just enough? Not enough?

I really didn’t find the swearing a problem at all, in fact, on rereading I was surprised because I thought it seemed that there was less of it than I remembered!  I probably wouldn’t mind a bit more – it makes me laugh when they’re all cussing at each other and the air turns blue!

8.       Okay one further, and probably most important but very quick question – having finished, will you pick up the sequel, Red Seas Under Red Skies?

Hell yes!