The Lies of Locke Lamora

Follow the the life and adventures of Locke Lamora, a master con artist in a world where con artistry, as we know it, is a new and rare style of crime. These seven novels will reveal his grand ambitions as well as his astounding failures. See his wits pitted against ever-increasing odds on behalf of the few things that truly matter to him, through the highs and lows of crime, courtly intrigue, politics, love, and war... The Lies of Locke Lamora Book I of the Gentleman Bastard Sequence June 2006 (Available now)
"Why, I can smile, and murder whiles I smile, And cry 'Content' to that which grieves my heart, And wet my cheeks with artificial tears, And frame my face to all occasions." --William Shakespeare, Richard II, iii, ii
The Thorn of Camorr is said to be an unbeatable swordsman, a master thief, a ghost that walks through walls. Half the city believes him to be a legendary champion of the poor. The other half believe him to be a foolish myth. Nobody has it quite right. Slightly built, unlucky in love, and barely competent with a sword, Locke Lamora is, much to his annoyance, the fabled Thorn. He certainly didn't invite the rumors that swirl around his exploits, which are actually confidence games of the most intricate sort. And while Locke does indeed steal from the rich (who else, pray tell, would be worth stealing from?), the poor never see a penny of it. All of Locke's gains are strictly for himself and his tight-knit band of thieves, the Gentlemen Bastards. Locke and company are con artists in an age where con artistry, as we understand it, is a new and unknown style of crime. The less attention anyone pays to them, the better! But a deadly mystery has begun to haunt the ancient city of Camorr, and a clandestine war is threatening to tear the city's underworld, the only home the Gentlemen Bastards have ever known, to bloody shreds. Caught up in a murderous game, Locke and his friends will find both their loyalty and their ingenuity tested to the breaking point as they struggle to stay alive... What others have to say about The Lies of Locke Lamora: Hal Duncan, author of Vellum "Scott Lynch is a con man, a conjuror, a wickedly entertaining juggler of words with knives up his sleeves and hatchets down his back. By the time you realize he's dangerous, you're already bleeding. The Lies of Locke Lamora is a ticket inside the astonishing city-state Camorr, and a free pass into the company of the entirely extraordinary Gentleman Bastards, and a match for any fantasy adventure I've ever read. The best news is: it's Book One. That means there'll be more."
"This is a fresh, original, and engrossing tale by a bright new voice in the fantasy genre. Locke Lamora makes for an engaging rogue, and Camorr a fascinating and gorgeously realized setting, a city to rival Lankhmar, Amber, and Viriconium. I look forward to returning there for many more visits." George R.R. Martin, author of the Song of Ice and Fire sequence
"Hugely enjoyable, a rollicking blast of solid fun; Locke Lamora cuts a roguish dash -- with all the swagger and the spark of Errol Flynn in his heyday -- and the twists and turns of the plot make for compulsive reading."