# Scott Lynch, author of Gentlemen Bastards series **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 16, 2019, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scott-lynch-author-of-gentlemen-bastards-series/837186 "2019-07-16T23:13:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2019, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scott-lynch-author-of-gentlemen-bastards-series/837186/1 "2019-07-16T23:13:23Z")
He has written three novels: The Lies of Locke Lamore (2006) Red Seas Under Red Skies (2007) The Republic of Thieves (2013) It is rumored that he has completed the 4th book in the series: The Thorn of Emberlain, but it is still being edited. His Wikipedia page claims that there are three more books forthcoming. Is he just trying to become the new George RR Martin? Or does he not really like to write? I have enjoyed the series to date. I find the characters amusing and his world building pretty interesting. ---
**Author:** ![Andy\_L](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c67d28/32.png) [@Andy\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy_L)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2019, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scott-lynch-author-of-gentlemen-bastards-series/837186/2 "2019-07-16T23:26:00Z")
> [@Omar\_Little](#): > > He has written three novels: > > The Lies of Locke Lamore (2006) > Red Seas Under Red Skies (2007) > The Republic of Thieves (2013) > > It is rumored that he has completed the 4th book in the series: The Thorn of Emberlain, but it is still being edited. > > His Wikipedia page claims that there are three more books forthcoming. > > Is he just trying to become the new George RR Martin? Or does he not really like to write? > > I have enjoyed the series to date. I find the characters amusing and his world building pretty interesting. With a thread title like that, I thought you were going to say he was dead. ---
**Author:** ![Go\_Arachnid\_Laser\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b2d939/32.png) [@Go\_Arachnid\_Laser\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Go_Arachnid_Laser_1)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2019, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scott-lynch-author-of-gentlemen-bastards-series/837186/3 "2019-07-16T23:30:38Z")
Oh, please- Wah, wah, wah. _“George R R Martin takes too long with his books” “Scott Lynch is a few years overdue”_. Sure. What a bunch of whiny babies. **You don’t know what waiting means until you’ve been a Patrick Rothfuss fan!** ---
**Author:** ![DPRK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4491bb/32.png) [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2019, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scott-lynch-author-of-gentlemen-bastards-series/837186/4 "2019-07-16T23:33:41Z")
In this very forum, someone claimed he was “struggling with depression”. ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2019, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scott-lynch-author-of-gentlemen-bastards-series/837186/5 "2019-07-16T23:43:03Z")
> [@Go\_Arachnid\_Laser](#): > > Oh, please- Wah, wah, wah. _“George R R Martin takes too long with his books” “Scott Lynch is a few years overdue”_. Sure. What a bunch of whiny babies. > **You don’t know what waiting means until you’ve been a Patrick Rothfuss fan!** Of course the real genius of Patrick Rothfuss is that if you complain he hasn’t finished the third book, he points to the fact that he’s spending all his time on his Worldbuilders charity. Never has procrastination been sublimated for such a greater good. ---
**Author:** ![Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/malleus_incus_stapes/32/3293_2.png) [@Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malleus_Incus_Stapes)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2019, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scott-lynch-author-of-gentlemen-bastards-series/837186/6 "2019-07-17T00:16:09Z")
_feels absolutely [spoiled rotten](https://brandonsanderson.com/), fandomwise_ ---
**Author:** ![Lightray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lightray/32/391_2.png) [@Lightray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lightray)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2019, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scott-lynch-author-of-gentlemen-bastards-series/837186/7 "2019-07-17T00:20:54Z")
> [@DPRK](#): > > In this very forum, someone claimed he was “struggling with depression”. Years ago before he was published, he used to post on [RPG.net](http://RPG.net) and also a few times sporadically since being published. As I recall, there was not only “struggling with depression” but also a later bad breakup that maybe influenced how he wrote Sabetha later. Although I see that wiki mentions he’s subsequently married, so hopefully that’s all good. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2019, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scott-lynch-author-of-gentlemen-bastards-series/837186/8 "2019-07-17T03:20:13Z")
I adored the first book, and really liked the second. The third book felt like he was working out some unresolved feelings toward his ex. I know authors use the emotions they know to lend power to their writing, but in this case it really didn’t work for me. I hope he’s happier now and is able to write an awesome fourth book, because the first two were great. Rothfuss? Sigh. Fun writing completely ruined by the worst Mary Sue protagonist ever written. Like, when you write about how many times your protagonist can make a Goddess of Lust come, maybe you’ve gone a bit overboard. ---
**Author:** ![Busy\_Scissors](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/d78d45/32.png) [@Busy\_Scissors](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Busy_Scissors)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2019, 8:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scott-lynch-author-of-gentlemen-bastards-series/837186/9 "2019-07-17T08:49:00Z")
The good news is that he’s writing a fairly non-structured series, he’s not shooting for some grand narrative arc a la GRRM that causes all sorts of problems. I was impressed with his second one in terms of how he was prepared to change tack with it, it’s not a special book like the Lies but showed a lot of substance as a writer IMHO. Third one went off a cliff so I hope the fourth will be a return to form - could easily be, it’s not like Winds of Winter where there’s just no possible way it can be good. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2019, 8:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scott-lynch-author-of-gentlemen-bastards-series/837186/10 "2019-07-17T08:53:40Z")
> [@Go\_Arachnid\_Laser](#): > > Oh, please- Wah, wah, wah. _“George R R Martin takes too long with his books” “Scott Lynch is a few years overdue”_. Sure. What a bunch of whiny babies. > **You don’t know what waiting means until you’ve been a Patrick Rothfuss fan!** See, that’s why I’ve become a Brandon Sanderson fan in recent years. I mean, I love the man’s writing, but I love his work ethic even more. ---
**Author:** ![Go\_Arachnid\_Laser\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b2d939/32.png) [@Go\_Arachnid\_Laser\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Go_Arachnid_Laser_1)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2019, 9:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scott-lynch-author-of-gentlemen-bastards-series/837186/11 "2019-07-17T09:55:31Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > See, that’s why I’ve become a Brandon Sanderson fan in recent years. I mean, I love the man’s writing, but I love his work ethic even more. Hell yeah. Let me give you another instance: Terry Pratchett. The best artists just work through creative slumps until they’re demolished. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2019, 8:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scott-lynch-author-of-gentlemen-bastards-series/837186/12 "2019-07-18T08:22:33Z")
I used to say the same about Jim Butcher, but he’s dropped the ball these last few years. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2019, 10:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scott-lynch-author-of-gentlemen-bastards-series/837186/13 "2019-07-18T10:02:29Z")
> [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > Rothfuss? Sigh. Fun writing completely ruined by the worst Mary Sue protagonist ever written. Like, when you write about how many times your protagonist can make a Goddess of Lust come, maybe you’ve gone a bit overboard. 😕 Wouldn’t a Goddess of Lust come pretty easily? Now if you were talking about seducing the Goddess of Chastity I’d be impressed, but making a Goddess of Lust come doesn’t exactly sound like much of an achievement. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2019, 10:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scott-lynch-author-of-gentlemen-bastards-series/837186/14 "2019-07-18T10:16:43Z")
The main problem with Rothfuss is that he’s written two books of a three-book trilogy, and I’m still waiting for the story to start. ---
**Author:** ![Cyros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a698b9/32.png) [@Cyros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cyros)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2019, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scott-lynch-author-of-gentlemen-bastards-series/837186/15 "2019-07-18T13:38:39Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > I used to say the same about Jim Butcher, but he’s dropped the ball these last few years. As of June 17th he is just working on the wrap up chapter for Peace Talks. The main novel is done. Being used to GRRM, Patrick Rothfuss, and Scott Lynch, I can give Jim Butcher some slack. ---
**Author:** ![kitap](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b9e5f3/32.png) [@kitap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kitap)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2019, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scott-lynch-author-of-gentlemen-bastards-series/837186/16 "2019-07-18T13:45:40Z")
> [@Go\_Arachnid\_Laser](#): > > Oh, please- Wah, wah, wah. _“George R R Martin takes too long with his books” “Scott Lynch is a few years overdue”_. Sure. What a bunch of whiny babies. > **You don’t know what waiting means until you’ve been a Patrick Rothfuss fan!** I’m still waiting for Melanie Rawn 's third book in the her Exiles trilogy. It’s only been what? 21 years? ---
**Author:** ![Andy\_L](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c67d28/32.png) [@Andy\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy_L)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2019, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scott-lynch-author-of-gentlemen-bastards-series/837186/17 "2019-07-18T13:49:25Z")
> [@kitap](#): > > I’m still waiting for Melanie Rawn 's third book in the her Exiles trilogy. It’s only been what? 21 years? Ladies and Gentlemen - I give you David Gerrold. The last book in the Chtorr series came out in the 1993. I’m all in favor of the author not publishing it until he thinks he’s got it right, but I must admit some slight impatience. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2019, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scott-lynch-author-of-gentlemen-bastards-series/837186/18 "2019-07-18T14:21:42Z")
> [@Nava](#): > > 😕 Wouldn’t a Goddess of Lust come pretty easily? Now if you were talking about seducing the Goddess of Chastity I’d be impressed, but making a Goddess of Lust come doesn’t exactly sound like much of an achievement. It’s been awhile since I read it, but IIRC, she kept going on about what an amazing lover he was and fell madly in love with him due to his mad sex skillz, despite his having very little/no bedroom experience previously. ---
**Author:** ![naita](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naita/32/5862_2.png) [@naita](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/naita)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2019, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scott-lynch-author-of-gentlemen-bastards-series/837186/19 "2019-07-18T15:39:29Z")
If you can’t deal with writers taking their time, wait until a series is complete or the author is safely dead. It’s not like “writes a book every year come hell or high water” is a perfect solution. I’ve given up on more than one series that just went off the rails because the author didn’t have to worry about the true fans stopping reading just because a super natural sex orgy took up one third of a book with no real overarching plot. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2019, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scott-lynch-author-of-gentlemen-bastards-series/837186/20 "2019-07-18T15:47:55Z")
> [@Andy\_L](#): > > Ladies and Gentlemen - I give you David Gerrold. The last book in the Chtorr series came out in the 1993. I’m all in favor of the author not publishing it until he thinks he’s got it right, but I must admit some slight impatience. That just beats out Clive Barker. I want my damn Third Book of The Art, damn it. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scott-lynch-author-of-gentlemen-bastards-series/837186.md?page=2)