So, now that you've read it ...

[DBASKLS]

What a brilliant book! I absolutely loved it! Loved the characters, loved the twists and turns!

Who else has finished?

[ChristinaJL]

I finished it last month, but also enjoyed it.  It's totally not like the normal sort of fantasy books I read, but it kept me interested for sure and it was nice to have a change.   

[Noona]

I really liked it! I went out and bought Red Seas Under Red Skies after I finished but haven't gotten around to reading that one yet. I loved the city, with its glass and canals - I also loved the idea that any city so full of crime had at the same time never had con-men.

I almost never read past 9pm, but I stayed reading until nearly midnight with this book.

[Sanna]

What was his name? I must know.

I liked the book in general, some bits better than others. I wasn't expecting Calo and Galdo to be killed off quite so ... unceremoniously. The Falconer seemed a little too powerful to be realistic - Why would someone so capable need/allow themselves to be hired, even for an incredible amount?
I liked the idea that the city was built on something much older - the Elderglass being all that was left.
I was very much amused by the idea that Locke really was a priest.
Wraithstone is fantastically horrible - and more so the word Gentled. Such an innocent word for such horror.

There were an awful lot of characters in this book, and I liked that they were distinguishable and not too flat. The story was complex and I feel like it should have been terribly confusing, but it wasn't.

Also, I still want to know his real name...

[ChristinaJL]

I really liked it! I went out and bought Red Seas Under Red Skies after I finished but haven't gotten around to reading that one yet.

I was slightly disappointed with it, preferred LoLL tbh.  It was till ok though. 

[Noona]

I really liked it! I went out and bought Red Seas Under Red Skies after I finished but haven't gotten around to reading that one yet.

I was slightly disappointed with it, preferred LoLL tbh.  It was till ok though. 

You're not the first person I've heard say that RSURS was a bit disappointing compared to LoLL, I'll try not to expect too much!

[ChristinaJL]

You're not the first person I've heard say that RSURS was a bit disappointing compared to LoLL, I'll try not to expect too much!

It's still worth reading, just not as intriguing as the first.   

[pornokitsch]

The two books are very different styles. Plus, LoLL has the advantage of being COMPLETELY surprising. Especially in the way he killed off, you know... everyone!

[ibeeeg]

I finished it last month, but also enjoyed it.  It's totally not like the normal sort of fantasy books I read, but it kept me interested for sure and it was nice to have a change.   

I finished early this month, and I agree, it is not a normal fantasy book, at least not one that I would read. It held my interest, for sure. Geesh, the amount of violence was shocking for me because I am just not use to reading books with violence as written in this one.  This book is dark, and very gritty.  The storyline really did keep me on the edge of my seat, and with that said, I worried about Locke. I really did not think he would make it out of this story alive, but at the same time, was not surprised to see that he did.  The setting was a bit difficulty for me to grasp at times. I get it that the world has many structures made of glass so it seemed a bit futuristic in that sense. However, the way the characters operated made it seem like that they were living a very gritty life that does not blend well with glass. Do you sort of know what I mean?

I cannot make up my mind if I like Locke or not. Actually, I cannot make up my mind if I like any of the characters.  Although, Chains is one character that comes the closest for me to say that I like without much hesitation. When I say like, I mean that the qualities of the character have some good.  Otherwise, I do think the characters were well written. 

What was his name? I must know.

I liked the book in general, some bits better than others. I wasn't expecting Calo and Galdo to be killed off quite so ... unceremoniously. The Falconer seemed a little too powerful to be realistic - Why would someone so capable need/allow themselves to be hired, even for an incredible amount?
I liked the idea that the city was built on something much older - the Elderglass being all that was left.
I was very much amused by the idea that Locke really was a priest.
Wraithstone is fantastically horrible - and more so the word Gentled. Such an innocent word for such horror.

There were an awful lot of characters in this book, and I liked that they were distinguishable and not too flat. The story was complex and I feel like it should have been terribly confusing, but it wasn't.

Also, I still want to know his real name...

I am also curious as to what his first name is, and I am amazed that a young child (he was 5 when taken in my the Thiefmaker, right?) would have the forethought to use a name that is not his own.

I was surprised by the deaths of Calo and Galdo; the way it occurred.  I actually suspected that Jean at one point as maybe being a traitor to the Gentleman Bastards.

I too was also curious about why the Falconer, being as powerful as he is, would consent to be a hired hand.  Although, I do wonder if that has something to do with society rules that were put into place in regards to not being able to kill those like Falconer.

[Badfaith]

I enjoyedthe story and I felt you get involved enough with the characters to be taken in the ride and care about what happens to people. I also liked that it's different from normal fantasy in that Locke didn't become a wizard or a knight he was just who he was.
I disagree with the person who said the violence was shocking, I think it fitted with the story and how the characters would act.

I can see a good few sequels with the Falconers but I won't be rushing out to buy the next one.

[DBASKLS]

I didn't think the violence was that bad. Not compared to ASOIAF for example. But each to their own. I loved the way the characters were written such that you really cared for their outcome. I've recommended it to loads of people!

[ibeeeg]

I disagree with the person who said the violence was shocking, I think it fitted with the story and how the characters would act.

I did not mean the violence was shocking in that it did not fit the story because it certainly fit. I just have not read books with violence such as what written within these pages.

I didn't think the violence was that bad. Not compared to ASOIAF for example. But each to their own. I loved the way the characters were written such that you really cared for their outcome. I've recommended it to loads of people!

Interesting because I found the violence within this book to be far more than in ASOIAF.  There certainly is violence in ASOIAF, and horrific violence at that, but it just did not feel as brutal as it did in LoLL.
I am not exactly certain how I felt about the characters, in the end. I do agree though, they were written that I did care about their outcome especially with Locke.

[shaunesay]

I'm finally finished, and I loved it!  The elaborate plots, the sarcasm, I like both Locke and Jean, they're a good pair, complementing each other.  And even though Locke is arrogant in a way, he often gets reminders that he's not the end all be all, even though things do usually work out for him.  I'm definitely looking forward to reading the rest of these!

[Libertine]

In another classic 'Better late than never' stylee... I've just finished LOLL.

I loved it. I nearly didn't get past the Fagin bit at the beginning but stuck with it and boy am I glad I did.

It's not often that I read a book where I'm so engaged with the characters that I get genuinely upset when they die but with this one I did. So much so that when Calo, Galdo and Bug died and it was followed by an Interlude I felt out of sorts having been thrown out of the story.

That is the only quibble I had and it really was minor. I loved the world, the politics, the society, the characters were multi dimensional, even the minor ones...

Now I have high hopes for the sequel but wonder if it will deliver... only one way to find out!

[Nighteyes]

The sequel isnt as good, but its not bad either. I would still totally recommend reading it, just you will find yourself being quite critical of it having read such an amazing debut.