I've read both of the currently released books twice and contributed to the editing of the TV Tropes page quite a bit (as a quick look at the edits history will attest), so I think I'm pretty qualified to say that the Gentleman Bastard sequence is awesome.
The world is well-thought out and feels immensely lived-in and alive. There's a myriad of cultures and backgrounds to puzzle out. Everything is logical and fits together perfectly, and I'm still figuring out what every Fantasy Counterpart Culture is.
But you don't come for the world, you come for the wit. Scott Lynch is an intelligent man and it really shows. Every single character is genuinely funny and smart (and I mean genuinely, not some of the stuff that passes for Witty Banter in most fantasy books), and the same charm is even reflected in clever prose every once in a while. Everyone's favorite smartass Locke always has the best (or worst, depending on how advisable it is for him to shut his mouth at the moment) remark for the occasion, and Jean is always ready to return a volley of banter.
The plots are just as clever as the characters are, too. The first book had me laughing at the incredulity of some of the schemes, and the second was more of the same, plus so many intertwined layers and webs of lies that it was incredible Locke could even keep track of it all. Each time, the Gentleman Bastards bite off more than they can chew and end up saving the day for more than just themselves. (Although the series isn't without its Bittersweet Endings and Tear Jerkers.) There were some frustrations in the books (Sabetha's aggravating lack of appearance, for example, or the sense of disconnectedness in the second book because of the nature of the plot), but they were minor and easily overlooked since the remainder of the material was just so cool.
If you like fantasy literature of any kind, if you like loveable, clever characters and fantastic schemes, I recommend this book. I recommend this book even if you don't like those things. Hopefully my ramblings have convinced someone, because this series deserves more fans.
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I've read both of the currently released books twice and contributed to the editing of the TV Tropes page quite a bit (as a quick look at the edits history will attest), so I think I'm pretty qualified to say that the Gentleman Bastard sequence is awesome.
The world is well-thought out and feels immensely lived-in and alive. There's a myriad of cultures and backgrounds to puzzle out. Everything is logical and fits together perfectly, and I'm still figuring out what every Fantasy Counterpart Culture is.
But you don't come for the world, you come for the wit. Scott Lynch is an intelligent man and it really shows. Every single character is genuinely funny and smart (and I mean genuinely, not some of the stuff that passes for Witty Banter in most fantasy books), and the same charm is even reflected in clever prose every once in a while. Everyone's favorite smartass Locke always has the best (or worst, depending on how advisable it is for him to shut his mouth at the moment) remark for the occasion, and Jean is always ready to return a volley of banter.
The plots are just as clever as the characters are, too. The first book had me laughing at the incredulity of some of the schemes, and the second was more of the same, plus so many intertwined layers and webs of lies that it was incredible Locke could even keep track of it all. Each time, the Gentleman Bastards bite off more than they can chew and end up saving the day for more than just themselves. (Although the series isn't without its Bittersweet Endings and Tear Jerkers.) There were some frustrations in the books (Sabetha's aggravating lack of appearance, for example, or the sense of disconnectedness in the second book because of the nature of the plot), but they were minor and easily overlooked since the remainder of the material was just so cool.
If you like fantasy literature of any kind, if you like loveable, clever characters and fantastic schemes, I recommend this book. I recommend this book even if you don't like those things. Hopefully my ramblings have convinced someone, because this series deserves more fans.