The Lies of Locke Lamora - read along Part 1

Before I get into this I need to explain a couple of things. I've never done a read along before, so I have absolutely no idea what I'm doing. I'm not actually sure that I'm even really officially involved in this, I seem to be ignored by most other bloggers, so I could be talking to myself, but no matter. The questions are provided by Little Red Reviewer and she is hosting this first part of the read along. It covers from the beginning to the interlude Locke Stays for Dinner.

Here are the questions and my responses:

1. If this is your first time reading The Lies of Locke Lamora, what do you think of it so far? If this is a re-read for you, how does the book stand up to rereading?

It's a reread for me. I actually think this may be the seventh time I've read it. I can remember reading the opening on the way back to work on the tram, I bought the book on my lunch break and started reading it straight away. I was enraptured right from the beginning and until the last page. That first time I couldn't wait for work to finish so I could keep reading. It's been the same every time since, and even in the early stages I find things that are new to me or alter on a reread.

2. At last count, I found three time lines: Locke as as a 20-something adult, Locke meeting Father Chains for the first time, and Locke as a younger child in Shades Hill. How are you doing with the Flashback within a flashback style of introducing characters and the world?

I love the flashback idea. It doesn't alway work, but with The Lies of Locke Lamora it does. The opening is a flashback of sorts and then you cut to Locke and the rest of the Gentleman Bastards pulling off their latest game, the interludes are important as they link to current situations in the older Lock's life and in fact that of some of the other Gentleman Bastards as well.

3. Speaking of the world, what do you think of Camorr and Lynch’s world building?

I've said it before, so I'll repeat it here. Camorr is like this extra character in the book, the city and it's history are that well developed that it takes on a life and personality of it's own. I've seen some say that Scott Lynch doesn't build worlds that well, because he only deals with one city in The Lies of Locke Lamora. That's true, but it's such a wonderfully realised city, it feels real, it's got a history, so for me Scott Lynch gets a 10 out of 10 for world building with The Lies of Locke Lamora.

4. Father Chains and the death offering. . . quite the code of honor for thieves, isn’t it? What kind of person do you think Chains is going to mold Locke into?

I get the impression that Father Chains and Locke aren't that dissimilar. Locke is the one in a million kid Chains has spent most of his career looking for. Locke is the archetypal Gentleman Bastard and that's what Chains is going to turn Locke into.

5. It’s been a while since I read this, and I’d forgotten how much of the beginning of the book is pure set up, for the characters, the plot, and the world. Generally speaking, do you prefer set up and world building done this way, or do you prefer to be thrown into the deep end with what’s happening?

It kind of depends on the book really. I can't imagine The Lies of Locke Lamora be anything other than what it is. When you think about it, it kind of does both. The opening introduces readers to Locke, Chains, Camorr and the concept, but then readers get dropped right into the middle of the Don Salvara game in chapter one, entitled The Don Salvara Game, and have to connect that to the opening and have all these new ideas and characters thrown at them.

6. If you’ve already started attempting to pick the pockets of your family members (or even thought about it!) raise your hand.

I have to say no. I love stories about capers and thieves, but as I have absolutely no manual dexterity I could never entertain the thought of doing it to someone else.

Hopefully next week I'll have a less busy weekend and be able to get to this closer to the correct day.

Flashman at the Charge - Chapter 4

I have a confession to make. I don't really like chapter 4 of Flashman at the Charge. It's very battle and tactic heavy. This is how Flashman got into the Charge of the Light Brigade. While George MacDonald Fraser's descriptions of hand to hand fighting describe the chaos and terror that this type of combat is I find my attention lagging and my eyes glazing over when he goes into troop positions and tactics. It's not just Fraser, it's any historical writer that does it, it just doesn't float my boat.

Harry lays the blame for the disaster that was this engagement squarely at the feet of Raglan, although Cardigan was the guy hauled over the coals back in England afterwards. Lew Nolan seems to have a lot to do with it, too. Nolan was, like Flashman, a galloper, meant to carry messages from the commanders on the hills to those on the front line. Nolan was also a fire eater and had complained bitterly about the lack of action from the generals. It's mentioned in the notes that it is still a matter of debate as to whether the message Raglan sent to the front line called for a defensive and an offensive action. Harry says that he caused the charge because he was arguing with Nolan and the raging case of flatulence he had obscured a lot of talk. Harry's bowel movements were actually rather amusing. There's also an excellent description of the very cool George Paget, who rode into battle casually with a cheroot in his mouth and at one stage when hit by a shell splinter told his orderly to collect it as souvenir.

The long and the short of it is that a reluctant Harry Flashman was caught up in the cavalry charge, lost his bearings and rode straight into the Russian lines, instead of away from them. The chapter ends with a thrown Flashman, cowering under lance points howling: "Kamerad! Ami! Sarte! Amigo! Oh God, what's the Russian for 'friend'?" how very typically Flashman. It reminded me of how in the cartoon Fonz and the Happy Days Gang (the gang, including Fonzie's anthropomorphic kid friendly dog; Mr Cool, wound up in a faulty time machine piloted by a future girl called Cupcake, travelling through time and space trying to get back to Milwaukee in their time) viewers found out that the group's cowardly comic Ralph Malph knew how to shout for help in every language on the face of the earth.

Flashman at the Charge - Chapter 3

Chapter 3 of Flashman at the Charge sees Harry and Willy arrive in the Crimea itself. Most of the chapter concerns itself with the old soldier's observations on the campaign itself, the conduct and general incompetence of the commanders and while most of this is common knowledge it still stuns me that it was true of many of the British commanders of the day, yet they were still successful so often.

There's a mention of a correspondent by the name of Billy Russell. Flashman confesses to liking the man, he's not the only journalist mentioned in the papers and they generally come off fairly favourably. Maybe George MacDonald Fraser's bias, being an old journalist himself, was showing here.

Willy is eager to get into the action and it's all Harry can do to hold him back. The young prince sees war as a great adventure and keeps comparing what they're doing to the knights of old. Harry of course knows better, having experienced at least two fairly bloody campaigns already (Flashman and Flashman and the Mountain of Light) and his natural cowardice kicks in. Flashman doesn't have to go anywhere near the action, his reputation is enough to keep him away from the front lines.

Sure enough Willy does something rash and while Raglan screams at Harry to get after him, Harry pretends not to hear and when he does finally have to go it's too late. Poor Willy is killed. Flashman's reaction, which is mostly fear that his reputation and career will be shot (after all he was partially responsible for the death of Queen Victoria's nephew), is mistaken for grief at what happened to his young companion.

A moment of high hilarity is sobered by a very poignant reflection. Raglan carpets Flashman, blaming him for the tragedy, which is true enough, then hands him Willy's effects, one of which is a locket containing a picture of a girl Raglan describes as: 'the face of a boy's sweetheart, chaste, trusting and innocent.' Harry nearly laughs, because the last time he had seen the poor sweet creature she had been wearing a pair of black satin boots and nothing else. Yes, Willy had worn the image of St John's Woods whore into battle! If Flashman had his way Willy would be back in London pleasuring himself with the girl, but he then wonders if Raglan and any of the boy's pious relatives would have called him back to life on those terms. The chapter ends with three heartbreaking words: Poor little Willy.

Flashman at the Charge - Chapter 2

The second chapter of Flashman at the Charge may very well be one of my favourite chapters in the entire series thus far. It doesn't really have any historical impact or even a lot on the story, although one element of it does become important later on. One part is very funny and the other gives Harry himself some significant character development and highlights something that I like most about the series itself.

Once Flashman has been attached to young Willy they go about preparing for their campaign in the Crimea and Harry starts squiring his charge around London and introducing him to all the well connected society matrons, his own lovely wife included. He notes that he and Willy have something in common, they're both charmers when they need to be. He's about to find out that's not all they have in common.

One evening Willy asks Harry if the ladies they can see coming out for a night's work are prostitutes. Harry confirms this and tells young Willy that he doesn't want anything to do with them. The surprising reply comes from William of Celle that indeed he does, he has always wanted a 'whore', contact with young women has been something he's always been denied, and he has a very specific woman in mind, as he tells Flashman: "I want one, with long golden hair, and big, big round - " readers never got to discover what Willy wanted big and round on his dreamgirl as Harry cut him off, but he did finish: "And she will wear black satin boots buttoning up to her thighs."

Now if there is one thing Harry Flashman knows, it is how to procure a woman of the night for somebody. He takes his charge to a brothel where he has an understanding with the madam and produces a girl that matches Willy's specifications. After his first encounter with the girl Willy says to her: "You are a beautiful whore, I am quite delighted with you, and shall visit you frequently." According to Harry he did too.

During the preparation for the war Harry and Willy were kept busy at work and were regularly working well past midnight. One of these nights Harry doesn't want to go home to an empty house (Elspeth is staying the night at a friend's house who is throwing an 'off to war' ball), so gets himself rather drunk and then decides to surprise Elspeth by turning up at the ball. Drunk as he is he thinks it would be rather romantic to hide in the closet in Elspeth's room and jump out. He falls asleep in there and is woken by the sound of a voice, he peers out and there is his darling wife getting ready for bed and wearing only her bloomers. Harry jumps out and sees another figure in the room! Lord Cardigan, shirt held up, breeches around his knees. Elspeth is shocked by the appearance of both men and even Harry has to admit that Cardigan maintains his dignity, dropping his shirt, pulling up his pants, bidding them a good night and leaving.

For the past 14 years, ever since he returned from Afghanistan Harry has been convinced that Elspeth cheats on him. It doesn't much bother him, he cheats on her all the time, and she does hold the purse strings, but with Cardigan is almost more than he can bear. Elspeth tearily professes her innocence. Then she wonders what Harry was doing in the closet, did he have a woman in there? Harry says no, but Elspeth even makes him prove it. As they settle down to sleep Flashman reflects: I don't suppose I've cried myself to sleep since I was an infant, but it was touch and go then.
Only Elspeth could provoke that sort of emotional reaction from Harry Flashman.

Legend by David Gemmell

I did read Legend by David Gemmell some years ago. I hardly remembered it, what I did remember that I wasn't particularly impressed. I can't have read it properly, because this time I came away very impressed and having some understanding of why David Gemmell is regarded so highly in the field.

Legend isn't anything especially new, in fact it's a very well used trope in adventure fiction, war fiction and fantasy. The legendary old warrior comes out of retirement one last time to fight a final battle to the death.

The Drenai kingdom is under threat from the all conquering Nadir tribe under their feared leader Ulric. The Drenai plan to make their final defence at Dros Delnoch, a fortress city that has never fallen. This time it may be different. Ulric has a huge army that has never lost. Dros Delnoch is undermanned and poorly led. It's time for Druss the Legend to come out of retirement and defend his people once more, inspire them with his very presence.

Although Druss is the Legend of the title, the book is not just about him or even the defence of the Drenai. It's about all the people connected with it. The handsome carefree Rek, who becomes a baresark fighter when his blood is up. Virae, the feisty warrior woman who falls in love with Rek. Gan Orrin, the formerly unfit commander of Dros Delnoch. There are even little vignettes like that of Carin the miller, who lost his life defending his home and believed in Druss, not knowing that his wife had left in fear of her life with their infant son.

It's so well written and characterised that it is hard to believe Legend was in fact David Gemmell's first novel. Admittedly he had been working as a journalist for many years and worked a lot on the work that became Legend before it was published in 1984, but it is handled so very well.

Throughout most of the book I had the nagging thought that the Nadir were based on Genghis Khan's Mongols. The clinching proof for me was the mention of a character called Tsubodai, one of Ulric's better regarded men. Conn Iggulden's historical fiction series Conqueror, about the rise of Genghis Khan and his sons and grandsons, also featured a Tsubodai, he was one of Genghis' most successful and better known generals.

The closest historical analogue I can find to the seemingly doomed defence of Dros Delnoch is the Alamo legend of the American West, which was something that interested Gemmell, although the author himself likened it to a personal situation at the time when he began work on it. He had been diagnosed with cancer, and while Druss was determined that the Nadir wouldn't defeat him, David Gemmell was equally determined to battle the disease to his very last breath. Fortunately the diagnosis was later proven to be incorrect.

One criticism I do have of Legend is that it maybe went 2 or 3 chapters longer than it really needed to. Personally I would have liked it to end with the death of Druss, but it went on a little longer to tell readers what happened to Rek, Virae, Bowman and the Drenai and Nadir empires following this historic battle.

David Gemmell continued on in the epic tradition of writers like Robert E. Howard and was a contemporary of Glen Cook, who wrote similar fantasy work of a military bent with his Black Company series. In recent times Joe Abercrombie has written in this vein, his 2011 work; Heroes, in particular recalls Legend and I can imagine Abercrombie's berserker hero Logen The Bloody Nine Ninefingers enjoying Druss' company, in fact most of Joe Abercrombie's Northmen would fit in very well with Druss and wouldn't have been out of place in the defence of Dros Delnoch.

Flashman at the Charge - Chapter 1

The first chapter of Flashman at the Charge informs readers where and when in the old soldier's career this particular packet is and how he came to be sent to the Crimea in the first place. Flashman is thinking back on the conflict and blames Lew Nolan for drawing him into the celebrated Charge of the Light Brigade.

It is 1854 and while the battle over in the disputed territory between Turkey and Russia is brewing Flashman wants no part of it and goes about getting himself a job that will keep him at home, but at the same time preserve his reputation. This dismays Elspeth a little as she liked his old Cherrypicker uniform. There is some mention of their son; Havvy, here. The rather cute nickname is because his full name is Harry Albert Victor and he had trouble correctly pronouncing his name of Harry. Readers are also told that Morrison purchased a minor baronetcy before he popped his clogs and that Elspeth actually has a valid title to her name now. Something she, being a social climber and dreadful snob, really likes.

At a loose end Harry is looking for some devilry in a billiard hall and lights on a green young man from the continent who is touring England and has managed to slip his chaperone. Harry uses the boy to take a petty revenge on a friend by using a shaved billiard ball, gets the boy drunk and along with Speedicut leaves him for the bobbies to find.

George MacDonald Fraser did a great job in this early chapter of setting the scene with the looming war and talking about London at the time. There was actually movement of young men, who liked to wear all sorts of outlandish clothes and facial hair known as the 'moustache movement', they are likened in appearance at least to the 'hippies' of the 60's. It's not mentioned as to whether they had the same sort of social conscience or not.

Harry has an encounter with Elspeth while she's out riding in the company of Lord Cardigan. Cardigan's speech impediment (in his appearance in Flashman he spoke like Elmer Fudd on a bad day) is worse than ever, and it's galling to Harry that the old roue takes such an interest in his wife. The woman he once drummed Flashman out of his regiment for marrying! The episode ends in the bedroom with the implication that Elspeth likes a bit of role play. God! I love Elspeth Flashman! Flashman actually blames Cardigan for his experiences in Afghanistan, reasoning that if he hadn't been thrown out of the Hussars he never would have gone there, but he also never would have won the honours and reputation that he still enjoys. He neglects to consider that last.

Not long after this Flashman is summoned by one of the Crimean War's other key figures in Lord Raglan (interesting the impact that conflict had on fashion, it gave the world the cardigan, raglan sleeves and the balaclava), and told that he is wanted at court to look after Prince Albert's nephew Prince William of Celle.

Harry thinks he's landed on his feet, but may also be called to accompany the inconvenient relative over to the Crimea after all the trouble he's gone to so he could stay out of it. Albert doesn't think that the rank of captain is sufficient for the officer who chaperones his nephew, so Harry is immediately brevetted to colonel, not something he's averse to. What happens after is a shock, William of Celle is the young man he and Speedicut tried to lead astray not so long ago! Harry you really know how to pick them.

Shadow Ops: Control Point by Myke Cole

I was only dimly aware of what looks like being one of 2012's 'buzz' debuts; Shadow Ops: Control Point by Myke Cole until I saw a review by Jim Hines on his Livejournal. I had seen the cover various places, but it looked rather like some sort of military SF tie-in book, and that didn't really interest me. That's not a knock on tie-in fiction, it just isn't my thing. I know having said that, somewhere along the line I'll develop an interest in a tie-in fiction concept and make a liar out of myself.

Jim Hines' review made it sound like something I may enjoy and I started seeing a number of other positive reviews. It's a very strong debut. Control Point, the first of what looks like being the Shadow Ops series, is an interesting blend of military SF and urban fantasy.

The book is set in a near future earth where people have started to manifest magical talents. It's generally referred to as 'becoming latent'. Waking up with the ability to manipulate fire, magically heal people with a touch or open gates into other realities can be a rather disconcerting thing to happen, as a result a great many of these newly latent people panic and run. Once they run they're known as 'selfers' and are hunted down. The only other option is to turn yourself in and be trained in the use of your powers, more than likely for some military purpose. Of course that's if you are lucky. You could be really unlucky and get a 'prohibited' power, these people are referred as 'probes', and are regarded as almost too dangerous to be allowed to live.

Oscar Britton is a US army officer attached to the Supernatural Operations Corp (SOC) and sees firsthand how selfers are treated. When he himself manifests as a probe he understandably takes flight, and is pursued by the organisation he had hoped to give his life to.

The real story starts after Britton is taken into custody, forced to use his power of 'gating' for the military and taken to a base established in the 'Source', an magical world that magically talented humans are trying to take over. There are some parallels made here between the US military's presence in Iraq and Afghanistan made here. Myke Cole himself has done 3 tours of Iraq.

A lot of the book is taken up with Oscar's training, examining his thoughts about his situation and the moral battle he has about what he's been made to do. Readers also get introduced to the heroes and villains of the piece. I'd be willing to bet that more than a few of these peripheral characters will become regulars in the series as it unfolds.

Control Point is fast paced, although some of the training that Britton undergoes becomes a little repetitive, especially his regular beat downs at the hands of his sadistic warrant officer Fitzy. There are plenty of bangs and crashes, it's rather like a big budget, effects driven action movie in book form. It's a hard book not to like, it's just so much fun and even though characters like the love interest Therese and the bad guy of Fitzy are fairly two dimensional you can't help but be sucked in and love one, while hating the other and desperately hoping that if he isn't outright killed he does at least get his backside royally kicked.

Characterisation and dialogue are probably two areas that Cole needs to work on. Some of the characterisation is excellent, especially Oscar Britton, although he does have a tendency to become a bit whiny, and the book was wrapped up a little too quickly, with too much happening and some of Britton's actions in that section were curiously at odds with his behaviour throughout most of Control Point. Other characters weren't quite so lucky, and I've already mentioned Therese and Fitzy, as a result of this some of the dialogue doesn't quite flow the way it should.

There's been a lot of thought and research go into Control Point and Cole has obviously drawn heavily on his military background to provide the setting and the jargon for the book. Something that is particularly effective, and shows the care Myke Cole has taken into making his setting as believable as possible, are the quotes at the start of each chapter, which purport to come from newscasts, books or interviews from people on the ground in this brave new magical world.

Myke Cole seems to be a bit of a comic book fan if his comment in his acknowledgement about author Peter V. Brett being his Professor X are anything to go by. There's a rather comic book feel about the whole set up in Control Point, the magical manifestation recalls the discovery of the genetic X or mutant factor in Marvel's X-Men comic series, and the call signs that some of the magical soldiers are given are very super heroesque. Britton is Keystone, there's an aeromancer known as Swift and an aquamancer who goes by the name of Wavesign. It actually makes a lot of sense that people with abilities like this would end up being used by the military and it makes me wonder why I never thought of this when I used to read comics like the X-Men.

Control Point is a very encouraging debut and I look forward to seeing Myke Cole produce more Shadow Ops books in the near future.