The Republic of Thieves

"NEW YORK TIMES "BESTSELLER
"A bright new voice in the fantasy genre" (George R. R. Martin), acclaimed author Scott Lynch continues to astound and entertain with his thrillingly inventive, wickedly funny, suspense-filled adventures featuring con artist extraordinaire Locke Lamora. And "The Republic of Thieves" is his most captivating novel yet.
With what should have been the greatest heist of their career gone spectacularly sour, Locke and his trusted partner, Jean, have barely escaped with their lives. Or at least Jean has. But Locke is slowly succumbing to a deadly poison that no alchemist or physiker can cure. Yet just as the end is near, a mysterious Bondsmage offers Locke an opportunity that will either save him or finish him off once and for all.
Magi political elections are imminent, and the factions are in need of a pawn. If Locke agrees to play the role, sorcery will be used to purge the venom from his body--though the process will be so excruciating he may well wish for death. Locke is opposed, but two factors cause his will to crumble: Jean's imploring--and the Bondsmage's mention of a woman from Locke's past: Sabetha. She is the love of his life, his equal in skill and wit, and now, his greatest rival.
Locke was smitten with Sabetha from his first glimpse of her as a young fellow orphan and thief-in-training. But after a tumultuous courtship, Sabetha broke away. Now they will reunite in yet another clash of wills. For faced with his one and only match in both love and trickery, Locke must choose whether to fight Sabetha--or to woo her. It is a decision on which both their lives may depend.
PRAISE FOR SCOTT LYNCH
"The Republic of Thieves"
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"Fast paced, fun, and impossible to put down . . . Locke and company remain among the most engaging protagonists in fantasy."--"Publishers Weekly" (starred review)
""The Republic of Thieves" has all the colorful action, witty repartee, and devious scheming that fans of the series have come to expect."--"Wired"
"A fantasy world unique among its peers . . . If you're looking for a great new fantasy series this is one you won't want to miss. . . . In a word: AWESOME "--"SF Revu"
"Red Seas Under Red Skies"
"Lynch hasn't merely imagined a far-off world, he's created it, put it all down on paper--the smells, the sounds, the people, the feel of the place. The novel is a virtuoso performance, and sf/fantasy fans will gobble it up."--"Booklist" (starred review)"
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""Red Seas Under Red Skies" firmly proves that Scott Lynch isn't a one-hit wonder. . . . It'll only be a matter of time before Scott Lynch is mentioned in the same breath as George R. R. Martin and Steven Erikson."--"Fantasy Book Critic"
"Grand, grandiose, grandiloquent . . . No critic is likely to fault Lynch in his overflowing qualities of inventiveness, audacious draftsmanship, and sympathetic characterization."--"Locus"
"The Lies of Locke Lamora"
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"Right now, in the full flush of a second reading, I think "The Lies of Locke Lamora" is probably in my top ten favorite books ever. Maybe my top five. If you haven't read it, you should. If you have read it, you should probably read it again."--Patrick Rothfuss, "New York Times" bestselling author of "The Name of the Wind"

"From the Hardcover edition."