Wait, why did I think this was a trilogy?

Spoiler alert: it’s not. There are more and they’re not out yet.

I think I have finally figured out one of the things that really bothers me about this series. I mean, I figured it out last book, but forgot to include it in my review, so I’m telling you now. It’s the swearing. It just doesn’t work. George R. R. Martin can drop a few f-bombs and the see you next Tuesday and it flows with the rhythm of his dialogue. Scott Lynch lacks that touch and it’s jarring. It pulls me out of his world and it happens with enough regularity to to create a mildly uncomfortable reading experience. I firmly believe that a moderately censored edition of these books would be much more pleasant. And I swear like a fucking sailor.

I did like the back-and-forth storytelling he employed in this one, though. We finally meet the love interest/Only Girl Allowed (which he does address … kind of) and we get to meet her in parallel stories – how she and Locke met and grew up together, and how their lives cross back together after the events of the first two books. It’s a trick that more or less worked. The past story is definitely the more interesting of the two. Although what is it with male writers and super elaborate rape-based traditions? I mean, Christ …

Anyway, I find myself grateful for the natural separation I can get from this series now that I’ve read all the ones that have been published. I’ll put the next on my “recommendation” list for the library, though, because I do like to complete things. I was very ready for this to be over.

But man, I do really like that cover illustration.