Literally Geeky discussion

If you have any views, fling them now.

Will save most of my views for the hangout, but this book is great fun and you should all definitely read along for this one. Join us!

I've lots to talk about regarding this one, but here's a taster...

I read The Palace Job directly after the Lies of Locke Lamora - a book, by the way, that I've been sorely tempted to pick for Literally Geeky more than once. Both stories are about Thieves and cons. Both books feature a main character called Locke/Loch (one is a guy, one's a girl), both take place in fantasy worlds with a considerable about of world building. Both books made me want to high five the characters at certain points. Yet, there the similarities end.

The Palace Job crew are almost self aware; their swashes are buckled and they're running a caper with lighthearted style. Locke Lamora is something else. It includes a massacre, and a bridge periodically lined with the small, twisting bodies of child thieves. Lamora lives in magic Venice with some added ancient alien bits. Captain Loch's world has, well, there's airships and futurism amidst more the traditional elves, fey and thieves guilds.

I initially found it hard to reconcile myself with The Palace Job's jovial nature: the characters were endearing and it had kind of a recruitment montage - and man, I love a good recruitment scene, but Weeke's novel has the same weightless quality as a CGI rendering. Brilliant and beautiful, but not quite ... believable. The villains also love to indulge in a bit of needless moustache twirling, but, look, I'm a Sharpe fan: I love a villain who fully commits to their perceived self-superiority. I can watch Sean Bean (or any Sean Bean substitute you care to name) beat evil's arse with a pointy stick all day long. It's a class warrior thing.

Ultimately the frivolity of The Palace Job is like the silk glove concealing a fist that's going to burst through your rib cage, go for the heart, and then do some squishy heart juggling to a merry tune! It's also a book with serious social justice credentials. The diversity stands out because you seldom see so much of it elsewhere. Yes, it's a light read, but they're a good crew, and if you stick with them they start to feel like buddies.