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Quick answer: If you loved The Lies of Locke Lamora, try Red Seas Under Red Skies, The Republic of Thieves, Six of Crows, Mistborn: The Final Empire, The Blade Itself and Kings of the Wyld. Each one features clever thieves, elaborate schemes and witty banter in a richly built world.
Scott Lynch's debut follows Locke Lamora and his gang, the Gentleman Bastards, master thieves in the Venice-like city of Camorr who con the nobility out of fortunes. When a mysterious figure called the Gray King begins killing the city's crime bosses, Locke's schemes turn deadly. Readers love its banter, its heists and its found family. These books share the same mix of cons, adventure and humor.
Table of Contents
Quick Picks at a Glance
| Book | Author | Genre | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Red Seas Under Red Skies | Scott Lynch | Fantasy | readers who want more Locke and Jean |
| The Republic of Thieves | Scott Lynch | Fantasy | readers continuing the series |
| Six of Crows | Leigh Bardugo | YA fantasy | readers who like heist crews |
| Mistborn: The Final Empire | Brandon Sanderson | Fantasy | readers who like heists against tyrants |
| The Blade Itself | Joe Abercrombie | Grimdark fantasy | readers who like witty dialogue |
| Kings of the Wyld | Nicholas Eames | Fantasy | readers who like humor and adventure |
| The Name of the Wind | Patrick Rothfuss | Fantasy | readers who like charismatic heroes |
| Foundryside | Robert Jackson Bennett | Fantasy | readers who like thieves and magic |
| The Thief | Megan Whalen Turner | YA fantasy | readers who like clever narrators |
| The Gilded Wolves | Roshani Chokshi | YA fantasy | readers who like heist crews |
| Vicious | V. E. Schwab | Fantasy | readers who like anti-heroes |
| The Grace of Kings | Ken Liu | Epic fantasy | readers who like unlikely friendships |
| The Count of Monte Cristo | Alexandre Dumas | Classic adventure | readers who love elaborate revenge schemes |
| The Rook | Daniel O'Malley | Urban fantasy | readers who like humor and spies |
| Stardust | Neil Gaiman | Fantasy | readers who like fairy-tale adventure |
1. Red Seas Under Red Skies by Scott Lynch
Locke and Jean plan a casino heist and end up as pirates.
Best for: readers who want more Locke and Jean.
2. The Republic of Thieves by Scott Lynch
Locke faces his old love, Sabetha, in a rigged election.
Best for: readers continuing the series.
3. Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo
Six outcasts plan an impossible heist.
Best for: readers who like heist crews.
4. Mistborn: The Final Empire by Brandon Sanderson
A crew of thieves plans to overthrow a dark lord.
Best for: readers who like heists against tyrants.
5. The Blade Itself by Joe Abercrombie
A barbarian, a torturer and a vain noble are drawn together.
Best for: readers who like witty dialogue.
6. Kings of the Wyld by Nicholas Eames
A legendary band of mercenaries reunites.
Best for: readers who like humor and adventure.
7. The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss
Kvothe tells his life story.
Best for: readers who like charismatic heroes.
8. Foundryside by Robert Jackson Bennett
A thief steals a strange key and is drawn into a conspiracy.
Best for: readers who like thieves and magic.
9. The Thief by Megan Whalen Turner
A thief is freed from prison to steal a legendary treasure.
Best for: readers who like clever narrators.
10. The Gilded Wolves by Roshani Chokshi
Treasure hunters plan a heist in Paris.
Best for: readers who like heist crews.
11. Vicious by V. E. Schwab
Two former friends with powers become enemies.
Best for: readers who like anti-heroes.
12. The Grace of Kings by Ken Liu
A bandit and a noble rise during a rebellion.
Best for: readers who like unlikely friendships.
13. The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas
A wrongly imprisoned sailor escapes and returns as a mysterious count to take revenge.
Best for: readers who love elaborate revenge schemes.
14. The Rook by Daniel O'Malley
A woman wakes with no memory surrounded by bodies and finds letters from her past self.
Best for: readers who like humor and spies.
15. Stardust by Neil Gaiman
A young man sets out to catch a fallen star.
Best for: readers who like fairy-tale adventure.
How We Chose These Books
Every pick is a real, widely available book that shares something specific with The Lies of Locke Lamora: its tone, its themes, its pace or the kind of characters it puts at the center. We mixed well-known favorites with a few less obvious titles, and we noted who each book suits best so you can match it to the reader. Where a book belongs to a series, we list the first volume so you can start at the beginning.
How to Choose
Continue with Red Seas Under Red Skies and The Republic of Thieves. For heist crews, choose Six of Crows, Mistborn or The Gilded Wolves. If you love witty, morally gray characters, try The Blade Itself or Vicious. Readers who want humor and adventure should pick Kings of the Wyld or The Rook. For a classic clever thief, read The Thief.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is The Lies of Locke Lamora a series?
Yes. It is the first book in the Gentleman Bastard series.
Is the series finished?
No. Three books have been published, and fans are still waiting for the fourth.
Is it violent?
Yes. It includes violence and strong language.
Is it a heist story?
Yes. It is built around elaborate cons and schemes.
Is it good for fans of Six of Crows?
Yes. It is often recommended to Six of Crows fans.
Is there romance?
Very little in the first book.