Tidings from the Crew – rogues of the republic trilogy (Patrick Weekes)

Ahoy there mateys!  Though the first mate and I have very different reading tastes, occasionally we do recommend books to each other.  Books the first mate introduced to me included xom-b, holes, and the perks of being a wallflower.  He and I both read the following:

rogues of the republic trilogy (Patrick Weekes)

We were talking about the books and I enjoyed his viewpoint so I ordered asked him to write a review.  So you get one from me and a bonus additional review from me crew.  Please note that I write like I talk and the first mate writes like he thinks.  Hope you enjoy!

From the Captain:

So the First Mate and I were plotting potential heists to do when we came across this instruction manual.  It has an awesome cover:

So we decided to give it a whirl.  And it was wonderful.  The first book starts with a situation wherein Loch (a Captain, Arrrr!!!!!) and her right-hand man,  Kail, are locked in a prison under a floating city by it’s leader who has stolen a priceless artifact from her.  So the two plot both a prison break and a heist to get back the artifact.  Of course, nothing goes quite as planned and it’s delightful.

The highlight of the series are the characters themselves.  In addition to Loch and Kail, there are seven members of her team and it is their banter and personalities that stole the show.  Besides the Captain and her second, ye meet:

• Tern – a lockpick specialist with a penchant for pockets and fruity drinks
• Icy Fist – a martial artist monk with a non-violence policy and a pretzel twisting body
• Hessler – an illusionist who was barred from university and whose greatest illusion is his belief is in his own abilities
• Ululenia – a talking unicorn who is on the prowl for the nearest virgin
• Dairy – the nearest virgin about whom absolutely nothing else seems special
• Desidora – a love priestess who has developed a split personality with death
• Ghylspwr – a talking warhammer “Kun-kabynalti osu fiur’is”
  

After reading the first book, the First Mate and I quickly gobbled the rest.  All three involve fun heists, plot twists, witty banter, implausible crazy fun, fighting, true love, and revenge.  Arrrr!  The plots were good, if silly, but seriously I would love to meet the whole crew in person.  They are all fantastic.  The minor quibble of the series for me was how it ended but the journey was so engaging, funny, and silly that it hardly mattered.  Pick book one up, ye might fall in love . . .

From the First Mate:

Just a super crazy fun silly series.  It’s basically an “Ocean’s 11” type of tale set in a high fantasy world, but really the fun of the series is in the characters.  Almost every character is an absolute delight. From out protagonist, Loch, and her even shifting plans, to the absolutely coolest monk ever, Icy Fist, to a second in command who never fails to insult someone’s mother.  Witty banter abounds, and the characterization is always on point.  Some of the best scenes in the novels really are the characters sitting around just talking and jibbing.

In addition to the awesome characterizations, we also get at least one quality heist in every book.  And, like in the best heist films, there is a duality in the fun of watching the heists play out.  The villains have plans as intricate as Loch’s, and watching those plans work against each other is delightful.

The only minor negative of the series is that the overarching storyline is not terribly interesting.  During the first two books, I was mostly bored whenever that storyline was dealt with.  I really just wanted the books to be about the characters and the heists.  By the last book, though, that storyline is the only storyline and Weekes does a good job of making it more interesting than it had been in previous books.  That third book also does a good job of further advancing the characters, having lots of fun callbacks to the two previous books, and wraps everything up fairly well.

If you’re looking for silly high fantasy fun, these books simply cannot be beat.

Goodreads has this to say about book one:

The most powerful man in the republic framed her, threw her in prison, and stole a priceless elven manuscript from her family.

With the help of a crack team that includes an illusionist, a unicorn, a death priestess, a talking warhammer, and a lad with a prophetic birthmark, Loch must find a way into the floating fortress of Heaven’s Spire–and get past the magic-hunting golems and infernal sorcerers standing between her and the vault that holds her family’s treasure.

It’d be tricky enough without the military coup and unfolding of an ancient evil prophecy–but now the determined and honourable Justicar Pyvic has been assigned to take her in.

But hey, every plan has a few hitches.

To visit the author’s twitter go to:

Patrick Weekes – Author

To buy the first novel visit:

the palace job – Book

To add to Goodreads go to:

Yer Ports for Plunder List

Previous Tidings from the Crew:

son of the black sword – Larry Correia (Fantasy)

wolf in white van – John Darnielle (Literary)

the girl from everywhere – Heidi Heilig (Young Adult Fantasy)

the wool trilogy – Hugh Howey (Sci-Fi)

the dispatcher – John Scalzi (Sci-Fi)