Red Seas Under Red Skies

From City Con Artists to High-Seas Raiders

Red Seas Under Red Skies is the second novel in Scott Lynch's highly popular Gentleman Bastard sequence. Published in 2007, the book moves the series' focus from the dark, Venetian-inspired city of Camorr to the glittering, precarious pirate hub of Tal Verrar and the open ocean. The novel maintains the series' characteristic blend of witty dialogue, intricate con games (heists), thrilling action, and underlying emotional depth.

The Impossible Game in Tal Verrar

The novel opens with Locke Lamora and his steadfast partner, Jean Tannen, in the city of Tal Verrar, two years after the traumatic events of the first book. They are engaged in their usual trade, attempting to execute an elaborate heist that targets the Sultana, the city’s powerful and ruthless leader. Their ultimate goal is to amass enough wealth to rebuild their broken lives and move on from the tragedy they suffered.

However, before they can complete their intricate con, their plan is violently derailed. They are captured by the Oruse, the Sultana's chief enforcer, and are given an impossible ultimatum: cease their work in Tal Verrar and instead use their considerable skills to become pirates and hijack a ship called the Sinspard—a vessel belonging to the dreaded pirate queen, The Blood of the Galandros.

The Pirate Con and the Sea Voyage

The forced quest plunges Locke and Jean into the unfamiliar world of the high seas. The narrative is structured around the tension between their land-based con artistry and the brutal realities of seafaring, introducing new settings and challenges:

• Unfamiliar Territory: Locke, who suffers from severe seasickness, and Jean must rapidly adapt to the harsh hierarchy and specialized skills required of pirate life, all while maintaining their deception.

• The Blood of the Galandros: The pirate queen they are tasked with conquering is a formidable and legendarily brutal foe, forcing Locke and Jean to rely on their wits and their unique fighting skills.

• Political Intrigue: As always, the heist is complicated by layers of political maneuvering and betrayal, forcing the duo to question who their true enemies and allies are.

The novel is a journey of self-reinvention and resilience, exploring how Locke and Jean manage their personal grief and trauma by constantly throwing themselves into life-threatening, high-stakes games.