Red Seas Under Red Skies Part 2 - Scott Lynch - High Fantasy Book - Heist Book

In this episode of the Side Quest Book Club Podcast, we dive into chapters 4–7 of Red Seas Under Red Skies and wrap up part one of the book. We break down Locke and Jean’s meeting with a poisoner, the brutal wasp spectacle, and their pirate training under the manipulative Drakos. Along the way, we recap key plot points and explore the role of the gods in the story and speculate on what’s ahead, including a possible clash with the Bonds Magi.

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(00:00) Intro & Setup
(00:10) Sailing Terms & Banter
(01:20) Talking with the Poisoner
(02:47) Cage Spectacle & Worldbuilding
(04:04) Character Motives
(09:16) Meeting Requin
(15:44) Assassination Attempt
(22:36) Locke’s Outrage
(26:11) Back to Dragos Fortress
(27:26) The Alchemist’s Plan
(28:22) Mechanical Marvels
(30:36) Reflections & Memories
(39:51) Nautical Training
(44:23) Prison Break
(46:41) Leadership at Sea
(48:00) Closing Thoughts

Creators and Guests

Host

Jonathan

Host

Slava

What is The Side Quest Book Club Podcast?

If you’re a reader looking for something deeper or an indie author working on your book, The Side Quest Book Club is for you. We skip the usual book reviews and ratings. Each episode turns fun side quests into real lessons, so you’ll leave not just entertained, but with a better understanding of why storytelling matters.

Jonathan: Welcome back to Side Quest. We are reading Red Seas Under Red Skies, chapters four through seven today. Finishing up part one. Let's get into it. Slava, take us away.

Slava: Okay, let me get to the point.

Jonathan: Slava always showing up prepared. It's like you've never sailed at sea before.

Slava: I have sailed at sea twice

in

My life.

Jonathan: I don't believe you

Did you know all the sailing terms?

Slava: I know. Uh, the one

Jonathan: Clear? Uh, clearly, as we can all see

Slava: No, what is it? Uh, port and not the hell is the back called. Now,

Of course, now I stern the port and

Jonathan: the bow, the bow, and the

Slava: the bow and the stern. What's the port? A port is a place where ships are moored.

the ships,

Jonathan: What's Lar Bird?

Slava: Uh, the right side.

If you're, if you're looking at port, I mean, if you're looking at

Bao.

Jonathan: No. Labert is left. Starbird is right.

Slava: That's what I meant.

Jonathan: Slava is clearly going to get us killed on this adventure.

Maybe you really are Locke.

Not knowing your Gibbs from your razors.

Slava: That and that no one apparently bows from Starbird or Bert from Stern.

Jonathan: That's true.

Very true.

Slava: By chapter four, Locke and John consult a poisoner who warns. She can't help without knowing the exact poison. Random odes could kill them faster. Their only real chance is contacting the Bonds Magi, who might have a cure. Obviously, John and Locke refuse. She tells them

Jonathan: I thought they were going to say yes.

Slava: Well, obviously, because they have such a good relationship.

They made friends with that guy. Yeah.

They made good friends with that guy from, you know, the first.
Book where the Yeah, yeah. He had a bird and everything. They, they were, they had fun together.

Jonathan: Nice bird.

Slava: Nice bird, asshole. So she tells them, since they're reticent for reasons unknown, to reach out of the bonds, ma. She tells them that their best hope is to stay useful to their poisoner and pray for a lucky break. Something you

Always want to hear when you're consulting a doctor.

Jonathan: The best. Yeah, I can't actually do anything for you, but, uh, don't piss off the person who poisoned you.

Slava: As they leave, Locke and John are very aware that they're being watched and followed, although they don't think it is by either the Bond's Magi or the agents of the Aon. They wait about three nights before returning to this spire. When they get there, Locke and John hear a commotion and learn. There's a cage spectacle. Push it to the crowd. They see a sparrow-sized stiletto wasp hovering in a cage, and a gauntlet-wearing man is about to fight it, and multiple wasps are connected to the cages around the room. This was a fun scene. There's more world-building done by Lynch here,

Jonathan: Mm-hmm.

Slava: And you learn of these wasps that are bird-sized that you could fight

Jonathan: Which is terrifying, by the way. If a pigeon sized, because pigeons are kind of, I'd call them medium-small, right? A pigeon-sized bird. That's a hornet or a bee. Get the hell out of here. No way. I'm not. And it was like 120 of them or something.

Slava: A hundred.

Of them. Yeah, so yeah, I think about a hundred.

Jonathan: And they get pissed off, which makes them more aggressive.

Slava: Oh no. 1 21. 121.

Jonathan: I was, I was, yeah, I was right. It was like one 20, uh,

Slava: When you said 200, you were totally right? When? Because it's one 20.

Jonathan: I did not say 200.

Slava: Roll back the tape. What did you

Jonathan: Roll back the tape. Roll it. All right. So, yeah, one 20, and they get aggressive after that. Oh yeah. No, but also to your point, brilliant world-building. That's one of the things that I've been thinking about in terms of the book here. World-building that Lynch does. And I've been trying to put my finger on why it feels so real. And the things that I've come up with, and you add to this list if you have anything that I missed, are that the characters feel dynamic.

They're forced to grow; they are forced to engage in circumstances they did not plan for. Lynch purposefully puts in stuff that throws things out of left field. His storytelling style is so seamless that it feels like a cohesive piece. As we've mentioned, Worlde, world-building is what you're talking about right now, where it's like, here's a unique thing that feels real because people aren't batting an eye at it. It lines up with the context of book two here, where they're in the sense buyer, where it's all gambling, and this is just like a cruel way to gamble.

Like, this man might die, and he's under the thumb of a criminal, like all of it works together to feel like a real world.

Slava: Exactly. Scott could have taken us from the poisoner to Rein's office. Instead, between those two events, Locke meets up with Madam Dena. Add this, inspire. We see this guy about to fight 121 wasps. There is a bit of back and forth between them. We have a slight lock.

Later, when he returns to this scene, he feels sorry for the man. We have him talking to Ry, and then he tries to endear himself to Ry, but she tells him to stop and not try. He apologizes for any offense. Ri coldly replies that there's nothing to undo. She doesn't trust anyone because trust invites betrayal, and she won't allow that. So we have a little bit of a build-out of her character because we know what happened to her. So we understand why she is distrustful, and we know why she's so committed to requi. This builds out the character. We see more of Locke here as they arrive at the office; he tells her that she's the bravest woman he's ever met.

And internally, he's like, okay, how do I win her over? What can I say to get her on my side? And she pushes him out. Again, he wonders if the words might have planted a seed. And I don't think Locke is being altruistic in this instance. He's being Locke. But the point here is from the wasps to his little chat with Ary, more of the world, and more of the characters are being built out. And it's an easy read as you're going through this. It's like watching a movie.

Jonathan: And we start to see that from each of the characters, like Ry, who wants to serve Requi. That's her desire. And he intends to get information from Jean and Locke, keeping them under his thumb and helping Locke, you know, kill Jean and become a card shark, basically.

And then Drago wants to send them out to sea so that he can solidify his seat of power. Each character wants their own thing, and I've complained about this in other books, by us knowing what they want. Humanizes them because you and I don't like the same thing. My other friends and I, including Spencer, who will be a guest on the final episode.

He did, and I don't want that thing. We're both human, and we both have to think about Andut, but that makes us human.

Right? Humanizing the characters makes the book feel more relatable.

Slava: And out of a lot of books that I read and the many that we read together, we already fanboyed out about Sanderson enough. He does this well, too, but here. It's a lot faster-paced than the Sanderson book, minus the Sander launches. Even though it's so fast-paced and there are plot lines, subplots, and other stories coming in, it's done well.

You're not lost. I'm not confused in Chapter 10. I've been guided by Lynch so well that everything that happens from the epilogue to that particular chapter is connected. And yes, there are betrayals, twists, turns. But everything makes sense. Everything is realistic. The world that Lynch has built, along with the growth of the characters, is realistic in comparison to the characters we meet in Lies of the Lambs. So, you meet him now, two or three years later, and Locke is who he is. You recognize him, but you start seeing growth, and we'll talk about that as the chapters go on. You start seeing growth, but you are also with a familiar person who is well-developed, both in a literal and literary sense.

Jonathan: A hundred percent.

Slava: So now we are at Rein's office. Rein greets and locks, noting how busy he has been over the past few years. He brings up John's visit to Mistress Gallad Green over a year ago. Locke admits it, claiming he told John about her after overhearing someone in a bar mention her connection to Rein's vault. Rein presses further, mentioning Locke's conversations with Rein's. Locke confirms he inquired about shipping, but says he and John ultimately decided to use someone from outside the city. Rein also notes Locke's dealings with alchemists.
Locke doesn't try to deny it. He says he was experimenting with explosives and secondhand mechanisms, just exploring ideas. Everything seems routine until Requi knows. He tells him he knows about Locke's Secret. Meeting with Ilian Dragos three nights ago. Ri, I being Ri, I approach ready to kill Locke, stay calm, and spin a story. And then I love this. This was really Quick thinking on Locke's part. Strass is the one who hired him to rob Requin's vault. He finally revealed himself, thinking Locke and John wouldn't survive, having done so at his bidding. When Lanre asked why they'd stay loyal, Locke explained they were poisoned and needed regular antidote doses. Requithoughskeptical, admits the story fits. And then we have a bit of explaining to do. How the priori control Han Ragus holds power through his army, and we gain more world-building, this dynamic that unfolds, which helps Locke play both sides.

Really. Requin, really, if Locke had come to him, if Dragos had revealed himself earlier. Locke admits he might not have.

He insists he dislikes Dragos and wants out, which is like 90% true. Requin offers Locke a position where he can join him and eventually kills John, but only after Dragus is dead. Locke asks how he's supposed to manage that. Requin says he won't just need to follow orders; he'll earn his job as the floor boss. Oh, and the money in Locke's account is gone. Requin says he's not a charity. And because he's cheated, not only the spire, but cheated death, which is a consequence of cheating the spire, all the money he's won illicitly is now required, which is fair because screw you, luck, you want to live. Here's what we have.

Jonathan: Oh man.

Slava: After some more talk, Locke returns to the second floor, just in time to see the boy in the cage, overwhelmed and killed by the pigeon-sized wasps. Madam Dena was pleased with her bet. Ask when they'll play. Ousel Hazard Next. Locke says Soon, but right now, politics come first. He approaches the cage where the boy's body lies and pours out his drink and silent tribute. I thought that was an interesting scene. Locke seems to be more compassionate in this book. I believe the death of his friends struck a chord or awakened something in luck, 'cause he's upset about the duel, he's upset about this guy being killed. He is almost taken on his priestly role here. Think he even says a prayer. He was upset at the death of the young man in the duel a few chapters ago. He's upset at the death of this young man here. He takes on his priestly role in some fashion here, and then in full fashion when he is burying the people on the poisoned orchid. So we see more compassion from Locke.

Jonathan: To interrupt you real quick, one of the things that I. Another thing I love about the world-building that I should have mentioned earlier, and which I even texted you about this week, is the fact that Lynch includes in his books a Pantheon that is accepted and well-known in the world. Locke is a priest of the 13th, which is a God that people don't believe in.

The priest itself or the priesthood itself has two codes to follow.

There's a word for it that they use in the book that I can't remember. It's the thieves, prosper, and the. Remember, member, it's straightforward, but very open, which allows Lynch to play in what he guides Locke and Jean to do in their scheming activities.

No culture exists that I'm aware of that has no religion. So, like adding that in and having them be a part of it. It's again, another like-world building that he didn't have to explain to us. In Book One, we know that there's a pantheon. They are using the Pantheon as a ruse, and they're, they're, that's part of like their shtick now in this book.

He's revealing a little bit more in the world-building, and so he's pulling it back layer by layer without having to give us info dumps, which is what younger, immature authors often do. Anyway, back to you regarding Locke and his priestly activities with the pigeon-sized birds. But I just wanted to interject quickly because I really love it when they add thoughtfulness and levels of complexity to their worlds. I.

Slava: It makes for a more enjoyable read. You're more

immersed in the story

Jonathan: It feels real.

Slava: For me, whether it's a short story. It's a one-page short story, a 10-page short story, or a 500-page book like this. If an author can craft an immersive experience where you're like, Oh, wow, you're on a train and there's a monster, and you hear noises, I'm just making something up real quick, and you listen to noises, and you're creeped out by the ambience of the story. That's cool. Where you are and the world is being unfolded, right? Your eyes and ears are exposed to the world, and there are these religions, each with its own code. That all makes for an immersive experience. But as we move on, they leave this inspired. As they're walking, a beggar asks Locke for a coin. He gives her three, but quickly grows suspicious as she has ignored other people on the dock. As she reaches out, Jean yanks the Lock back just as a crossbow. Bolt flies past them.

The woman drops her act, revealing herself as a foot boxer. John engages her while Locke fights off a second attacker disguised as a beggar, killing him with a blade. Locke joins John in battling the woman, and together they take her down. John threatens her for answers, but a crossbow suddenly kills her. The shooter is Marian, an agent of Arkont. She shows them the dead woman's poison blade and says she likely saved one of their lives, introducing herself. She tells them to leave quickly and meet her employer on a boat that evening. He has a task for them—a question for you, Jonathan. Who do you think is the lesser of two Evils, Requin or Dragos?

Jonathan: It depends on where you're standing. Uh,

Slava: in

World, I know, I know. Yeah. Yeah.Whose the lesser of two evils?

However, you want to dissect that.

Jonathan: That's a good question. So having kind of autonomy of your own section of the city, like the spire and everything, and the golden steps. That's a unique power in and of itself. Many people know that he is currently the chancellor, if you want to put it that way, as an opportunity to capture a hierarchical seat with the sins buyer falling somewhat under control.

Suppose e, based on those two facts, I'd say that Straus is more of a big, bad, evil Tel, Ra, who's been reigning for so long. That would be my, that'd be my take.

Slava: I'd agree with that. Requin desires to make money, to have fun, and to do what he does best: run this inspire. To the extent that that's made possible lie certain privileges that he has built up himself and has defended well. And because he provides a particular service that the poor and the rich alike love, and people in power alike, that affords him certain privileges and freedoms to do whatever he wants. And he won't go farther than whatever the line is for him. And there is a world in which he won't go past that, because when he does. No matter how much power he has, it'll start waning; the world will begin falling apart. Strass, on the other hand, is a political Machiavelli.

Jonathan: Oh yeah.

Slava: So he is definitely the bigger, bad guy because he has more at his disposal. despiing being cruel to cheaters and cruel to the guy who tried to assassinate him, which is understandable, and tried to poison me. He tried to poison my girl; I will make you die slowly for three weeks. And the fact that rec when is like, all right, you cheated, you die. Oh, you are helpful. Okay, you're helpful, let's go. But there are still rules in place for Locke here. Locke doesn't do anything to strike us. The bond manager, I give Strass pretty much free Rein to do whatever he likes with Locke. He's okay with doing their bidding because now he can set and place this bigger plan, which is to start a war, to do a false flag to take back, like what a couple of ounces of strength Reinolitical.

uh,

Jonathan: Well, it's not a couple of ounces. He, he's, he's standing on a house of cards at the moment where the rich have forgotten. If I can summarize the opposite of what Lynch teaches us about the crooked warden, it is that they no longer think they need him. They're not listening as much,

Slava: That's more ego than anything. He still has his army, navy, position, power, and money. They're just not. Begging at his feet to save them.

Jonathan: Which is where the Machiavellian part comes in. And I just wanted to interject real quick for anyone unfamiliar. Machiavellian means someone strategic in calculating and manipulative, using whatever they need to achieve power or advantage. And this is based on Niccolò Machiavelli from the 16th century, in his book The Prince. He was an Italian political philosopher, and you may have heard of him in the world, perhaps not.

But to keep you on the same page, the end justifies the means in Machiavelli's book.

Slava: If I'm being honest, maybe this betrays my mindset, I don't really consider Requi that bad of a bad guy.

Jonathan: He's just a, he's just like a, a step above, what father chain's was. Instead of having his own temple, he had a section of the city. Right. That's it. That's, he's certainly a step up because he has his own gambling den, but in the scope of things, it's not really that wild. However, I will give props, and I think I did this last episode, so I'll keep doing it.

Lynch keeps us in a localized geographical place so that we don't get confused, which is extremely helpful as the reader. Even though we're traveling a bit, we stay at the Golden Steps in the spire for a while, then we go out to sea and stay there. And so it's very distinct things, as opposed to, for example, they went to the Red Inn and then they went to.

Rollies mountains and you're like, everything is named the same, or like, the letters are the same, like I've talked about in previous shows, where you get confused. For the most part, he helps the naming construction to be unique enough so that you don't struggle with confusion, which I appreciate.

I have a question to ask you: do you like what we're doing? The simplest way to support the show is to hit subscribe in return. We'll keep leveling up. We'll listen to your feedback and read authors that you suggest, and of course, we'll take side quests along the way. This brings us to Chapter Four's reminiscence. We are a year into their arrival, Locke and John's, to tell Avar Locke, Locke posing as aan Aman American merchantxuthat they need custom chairs for their spire heist in Sal Cove, a luxury coastal city under Mount Fazarite its beauty and wealth, Locke notices a steady flow of people with low incomes arriving alongside the elite; he hires Master Bao, a mundane. That's how you say it, to craft four ornate chairs from delicate wood, and he, they go bantering back and forth, and bartering how fast he can make it. While there, though, Locke learns about the city's disturbing centerpiece, the amusement war. In this brutal game, poor people serve as live chess pieces in a Colosseum, where they suffer humiliations or violence sold as defaults to the spectators. Locke is horrified, especially when he hears stories like gentle kittens being gifted to board noble boys for killing practice while he's waiting for the chairs. Locke visits the arena. Again, revolted, but unable to look away. A baron mocks his discomfort, defending the spectacle as voluntary and almost a charity. Locke masks his anger but fantasizes about ruining the man. Then he leaves, and a few days later, the chairs are finished. Locke praises the craftsmanship. And he's eager to go. He can't stand to remain in the city much longer, having seen the rich dehumanize the poor for sport.

Did you think that Locke was this compassionate?

Slava: No. I'm telling you, there is something that's awakened in luck 'cause he talks about retirement. All of a sudden, in his book, he disparages the dual that I mentioned. He is moved by the death of the young boy with the wasps.
And he, he is torn by what he sees. I think he would've seen this in Locke in the previous book, but I don't think he would've been moved to such a degree. He might've been revolted by it and said, Look, the rich are pieces of garbage. Look what they do. But he wouldn't have had this moral outrage that he has in this book.

Jonathan: Yeah. I think that you're onto something with the death of his friends stirring up and, uh, almost loosening the numbness that I think he probably created in all of the stuff that he got into with Kaur.

Slava: Because he's now removed from Kimo, everything he knew and everything that he used to build a wall around himself and numb himself is gone.

And he's facing the world with just him and John. And he's able to see all this with fresh eyes. And so I think some of the normal human tendencies to show compassion, even if lockdowns are starting to, uh, come out,

They're starting to become more evident.

Jonathan: very

Much so. And it's really a horrible fucking sport.

Slava: It is

Horrific.

Jonathan: It's not great.

Slava: But we are now brought into Chapter five, Locke, John, and Marian. Return to Dragos Fortress and explain how Marian saved them from the Assassins. Strass dismisses Requi as the source. If it were him, they'd be dead already, and he'd be suspected of another vendetta. He orders Marian to inspect the bodies for tattoos, and in her presence, refers to Locke as Costa, suggesting he doesn't trust her fully. Here's another thing about. Ragus is the baddie of the bad guys. Requin has a loyal number two; it seems that whatever is happening between Ry and Requin, or whatever has happened, they have been bonded right here. Strass also has a number two, but he's not entirely trustful of him, 'cause she's probably bought, she's not there because they have

Jonathan: Oh, totally.

Slava: a history together. She's there for a paycheck. So anyway, that point aside, Strass introduces his Alchemist, the one who created the poison keeping Locke and John in line. The Alchemist confirms that he has all 44 people ready for relocation once he is gone. Raaga suggests the assassins may be tied to Kaur. He insists on tighter restrictions, angering Locke and John, but reminds them that killing him would mean their own deaths. Finally, he reveals his plan. He wants them to ignite a pirate uprising, giving him the excuse to rebuild his navy and reclaim political power. He'll supply antidote doses every two months when they return to port and address the question about how they will convince the pirates to rebel. And Drago says they'll do it by becoming pirates themselves and causing enough chaos to scare the merchants, forcing the pirates' hand. And then he takes them to a mechanical river garden showcasing a storm controlled by hidden machinery.

That was cool. This is ASRA showing off.

Jonathan: A hundred percent, but still cool.

Slava: And he says he wants Var to rise above the bonds, magi using artifice and engineering. Not magic, Locke and John remain skeptical, but listen as he frames the plan as part of a larger battle against Ian's influence. Dragos ends by saying they'll begin training soon and must delay their requeen heist. Strass wants to rise above what the bonds of Magi are using or have, whatever magic that may be; he wants to use engineering, not magic specifically. Does that mean there is less to the bonds and magic powers than? People might think that, because a guy like Dragos would know the extent of the bonds, magi powers, and capabilities beyond what Locke and John might know. Does he know something we don't, as readers?

Jonathan: I think it's just what he told us, and I can't remember if I told you onscreen or offscreen last episode about this, but I think that this is a tip of Lynch's hand. That could be where we get to in book seven—just a reminder for the audience. We only have three books. This is book two. Lynch has book four written.

He also has two novellas written, but Straus says that the only way to overcome the Magi is through Artis, which involves mechanics and technology. By Lynch, I would not be surprised if, in Book Seven or Six, John and Locke have to take out the Bonds of Magi. The only way to do that is actually through Artis, because Strass says you can't fight bonds.

Magi with bonds, magi, it doesn't work. This is such a grandiose scene, I wouldn't even be surprised if Strass. Came back in a different book, resurfaced in some way, maybe not a full character, but something

Slava: I

Think you mentioned that both on and off air to some degree, I wanted to bring that out again,

Jonathan: Hundred percent.

Slava: Now we are at the final reminiscence of the book. Six months after Solan, Cordo, Locke, and John store their custom chairs and head north to Tel Avar to test a rope system off a hundred-foot cliff while descending. They reflect on Saha Locke, recalling how he used to admire her climbing.

Dude, this guy is hard.d

Jonathan: Uh-huhh, I've discussed this in other books. This is not my most significant moment, but you and I were there for some of it. I lived that,

that mi that mi that mindset, right? Like the girl who's the white whale, lost forever, but never forgotten. Can't move on with your life.

Slava: Totally. I saw it. I lived it. I was with you on the subway. We were in a subway, I think, and you were pouring out your heart. And you are Lock, and I'm genre in that moment of our lives.

Jonathan: Look, it's not my proudest moment, but like, people go through this stuff and, and they have friends like Jean who are like, can you stop? And we see this a couple of times. He, he, he has it here and then a little later in the book where Jean jeals with it here, but later in the book Sean's like, Hey, the rest of us didn't stop living our lives because you're some sort of prude who can't get over himself.

He says it much more eloquently than Lynch does. But,

You need those friends who are going to stop, and in the opening of the book, there is a great example. I love the line. The one, the one line where he is like, you're grieving like the man who believes that he invented grief, and you're not that God damn special.

Slava: Yeah. Yep.

Jonathan: Right. Two friends who've lived through hell, both in upbringing and losing their own friends, are willing to be deeply honest with each other. And I would say that's another piece of the attraction to these books: that we want honesty, but then when someone's honest with us, it doesn't feel good.
But when we see it happen with two characters, we're drawn to that vulnerability.

Anyway,

That's my little side quest there.

Slava: Quest accepted.

Jonathan: Wow. I didn't know that we had a policy for that. Did I complete the correct forms?

Slava: You did. You did.

We, we worshiped the 14th God on this podcast, which is the God of quests,

Jonathan: Yes. Okay. The, uh, not the unnamed God, the forgotten God.

It's
Different.

Slava: God of quests. Yep.

Jonathan: Yes.

Slava: So, as Locke is reminiscing and admiring the climbing attributes or whims of Sabbath, whatever the right word for it is, a bandit appears at the top of the cliff. This is such a funny scene. I was
Laughing. It's such a movie cartoon scene, right?

He knocks out their driver, searches their coats, and now plans to cut their ropes to steal their purses from their bodies. John tricks him into looking over the edge. Again, cartoonish, but in the best way possible. I know that's not a word that throws a weapon at him, thinking he was going to kill him, but to add to the humor of the scene, the hilt.

Jonathan: Yes.

Slava: hits him.

Jonathan: Yep.

Slava: And so he doesn't knock come out, but he gives them a chance to climb back up, and they're about to kill him, and he's begging for his life. And the bandit, uh, hears Locke explain that. As a priest of the crook warden, he believes that thieves prosper. So he is not going to kill a fellow thief. And then John climbs up and hauls them both to safety, or that probably happened in reverse, but whatever.

This guy is the luckiest guy in the world who has crossed Lock and John and didn't get stabbed in the throat. Before leaving, though, Locke tosses the man his purse and tells him to
Remember this mercy. He might return one day to call in a favor. Okay, godfather

Vito Cor Here. Vito Locke Lamo or Vito Lamo.

Uh, there, I got the joke out. Look at us.

Jonathan: You got the joke out. That's great. The,

Slava: Is gracious.

Jonathan: Not.

Slava: Nobody laughs at my jokes except me, and maybe like two of the audience. You don't even laugh at my jokes.

Jonathan: Sorry. Were you making a joke?

Slava: No, no.

Maybe.

Jonathan: No.

Slava: Uh, so that's it, man. That is it for all the reminiscence, and now we come into the world, we come into the rest of the story, because we're going back and forth and linking through these reminiscences, setting up how Locke and John got to where they are. And now the real fun starts.

Jonathan: That's true. This is another one of those moments that I forgot to mention earlier: the planning. Like Locke, he is brilliant; he just planned the flashbacks to say, 'Hey, we're going to plant these seeds and then we're going to reveal that we were doing these things.' So, though when it's looked into, it's like, oh yeah, someone did come here, you know, X amount of time ago,

Slava: Mm-hmm.

Jonathan: even to the point where Jean is like trying to coerce the safe
Builder. The Artificer Guild. Right. Okay. Even to the point where Jean goes to the Artificer who buiRein'sn's vault.

Slava: Yeah. The Madam Vault Smith,

Jonathan: Yes. She has a name, as we all do, except for Locke, which is just a reminder that we don't know Locke's real name.

Slava: Slava

Jonathan: That is not it,

But, okay.

Slava: Corleone.

Jonathan: Nope, you're just speaking of your delusions of grandeur.

Slava: My me Kellian of,

Jonathan: Should we read the prints on here? Is that what you wanna do?

Slava: No, we should have that as the bylaws for the podcast.

Jonathan: Oh my gosh. Okay. All right. So be it. That's not what we should do.

But we see again that Locke is showing some mercy towards thieves, prosper. Now, let me ask you this. Do you think in the book that Lynch is actually giving, uh, he, he's like, as the God, you know, creating this story Lynch, um, that he is giving them favor through the crooked warden as, uh, Locke is doing these things.

Similarly, when Locke does something, he later gives him a nudge in the right direction, which is attributed to the crooked warden. Does that question make sense?

Slava: I need you to repeat it.

Jonathan: Yeah, yeah, that's fair. Is Locke receiving divine favor from the crooked warden through Lynch because of his responses to taking care of thieves and reminding the rich?

Slava: I wouldn't be surprised or opposed to that kind of in-world revelation. I think that'd be cool. I think even if we strip some of the Ethereal supernatural things from that, uh, where it's a literary world, a God is showing favor to a worshiper. Maybe because Locke is now, I don't want to say living his true self, because that is vomit-inducing, but being more obedient, following the code that has been set in place, and therefore, because he's doing the right things, quote unquote, things fall into place. I can buy that. Either way, it's a book I'm not going to, you know, make a big deal about it. Whether it's a supernatural phenomenon or Lcke is following the codes, there's really a God at work. Helps him succeed because he's no longer bouncing around like a lost little puppy, not knowing what he's doing; instead, he's coming into his zone.

As a warden or as a priest of the Crooking warden, excuse

Things are now starting to make more sense, and he's able to make the right decisions either way. I'm good, but I think you bring up an interesting point. Maybe that's revealed later on.

Jonathan: I think that he is, and I also believe that there's a very subtle undertone because of the bonds between Magi and the Spirit Rome. In this book, it's super subtle because in this book we focus on both the crooked warden, because we're following John Locke, and then also Jono, who is the God of the sea.,

Slava: Yeah.

Jonathan: The grasspickskwaters.

And we see them doing their rituals; I think that Lynch actually puts nudges in those directions. It may be consciously, but it feels that way to me, going through this as a reread. It's also possible that I have a bias that I think enhances the world-building if it's happening. like

I'm open to that being the case as well.

Slava: Well, we'll see when he writes books 4, 5, 6, and seven, maybe they'll come out at the same time as the third book, of what's that guy's name that we read? Wind of Truth or Name of the Wind, whatever the hell are we reading?

Jonathan: Those are both books from different authors, but I

Slava: There you go.

Jonathan: Patrick Rothfus

with Doors of Stone

Slava: Yes.

Jonathan: series. Name of the Wind King

In the series. Uh, um, King Killer Chronicles.

Slava: Yes.

Jonathan: Well, you made it this far.

Slava: Why not go a step further?

Jonathan: Rate the show.

Slava: It helps more than you think. I.

So, after that little adventure, we are back, as I've just said, in the real world, in real time, and we are Chapter Sixsix. So John and Locke are debating the assassination attempt, and they suspect a third party unrelated to Requi Dragus or the Mag Bondsi. They ponder who the possible suspects might be. Marian delivers them a note telling them to meet her at the place where they first met or were first kidnapped. But, you know, semantics

Jonathan: Same.

Slava: There, they are given matching dark clothes and taken via carriage and boat to the sword. Marina Kress, I love Kres, a veteran sailor forced by Dragus via poison. So Asus is not the most, uh, what's the word?

He has a one-track mind when it comes to getting people to do what he wants them to do, not very creative.

Jonathan: Machiavellian.

Slava: And so he's forced by Dragus via poison to train them, and so begins their brutal nautical education. Locke and John are introduced to basic seamanship and superstitious customs, like taking a cat on board a ship.

Jonathan: Deeply important

Slava: And I thought that was a funny, lighthearted part of the story building where a ship needs a cat and then Locke likes that cat and keeps telling him, I'm not liking you. Stop. You're not gonna be bonded to me.

I hate cats.

Jonathan: It is all fun and games until they're in the middle of a storm and Yono is upset.

Slava: Well, that too happens. Then, back in Var, Locke insists on seeing the requiem. Marian resists, but eventually agrees. Locke presents the ornate chairs as a gift, impressed, and tells a cover story that Locke is after a master log breaker. Ary says that, if Locke finds the so-called note log breaker, he must be brought to the spire first. Later, their training intensifies, with them sailing all day, studying at night, and learning naval customs in between. Cald notices their progress. Eventually, they're assigned a small ship. The red messenger, Mario, reveals that it was confiscated from a smuggler and will be their test vessel. Later at a bar, a young woman collapses after drinking Locke and John's wine, which was not clearly poisoned. A tense scene unfolds, and Locke and John Deduce. The priority might be behind the attempt to flee the scene. They're ambushed by a man claiming to be Marian's ally. They decide to lie low with the sword. Marina Cadres is impressed by how quickly they are learning. Locke admits their professional pretenders. Marian returns, saying Tomorrow they shall sail with her and Drag, and finally meet their crew.

Jonathan: Meeting the Meeting is a kind way to put what actually happens

Slava: Well, yes, they take a bunch of prisoners

Jonathan: If by meet your crew. You mean break them out of prison then? Yeah. Yeah.

Slava: Yeah, break them outta their prison and give 'em an option to not be in prison anymore

Jonathan: Yep.

Slava: and be sailors

And be part of a grand political scheme to overthrow a political, uh, imbalanced, if we're gonna use RA's word.d

For itwordeah, they meet their crew. I admitted some things. Admitted, admitted, admitted of

Jonathan: A couple of paragraphs. Yes, of course.
Slava: Who do you think, at this point, you're reading, this is your first time as a reader, who do you really think the assassins here are?

Jonathan: I mean, the priori seems as good a bad guy as any; there's not enough evidence. It could begin, putting pressure on them.

Slava: Could be.

Jonathan: where it's like, oh, if you stick with me, I'll keep you alive,

Slava: Do you think it could be, forgetting what you might know or do know if you're in here for the first time in these pages, do you think the bonds Magi playing a third hand

Jonathan: No,

The bonds Maggiise is not going to do this because they have control over everything; there's no way it's not happening.

Slava: Sounds good. Chapter seven, Lo ke, John, Marion, and Drago sail past Windward Rock—a prison. Drago explains the setup. Locke will assume the identity of Revelle. A false trader, R us, has planted rumors that inside44 mistreated prisoners will become Locke's crew, desperate men who will see Revelle as their savior at the prison. Locke and John bluffed their way in with forged papers. Once inside, they castrate; they do not decapitate.

Wow.

Decapitate all the guards.

Jonathan: Yes, of

Slava: They incapacitate the guards with poison and force, avoiding killing anyone as instructed. Locke wins over the prisoners by promising them freedom and a better life aboard the Red Messenger as they flee. Marian secretly murders several guards to make it look like Locke disobeyed orders, ensuring he stays under Strass Thumb.

Jonathan: That she does.

Slava: Back on the ship, Locke makes a show of stealing it from the Aons man in front of the crew, cementing his rogue captain persona. John Locke is starting to enjoy himself. Locke Bus morale, offering the men drinks and camaraderie that night. Lock, D. Joh, and Kres witness the Eerie Flit race. Gliding over the water. Kress warns of severe anger dangers. The ghost wind is es, especially the haunting tale of hope of silver, where 300 settlers vanished, and a crew was later found dead in the rigging of their own ship. The crew begins a king about the ship's cats. Locke Lies says that he brought kittens. When it's revealed that it's not the case, Cadres is livid. He learns Locke entirely. Forgot that without cats, the men might mutiny or think they're cursed. He advises that they steal cats from another. Later that night, a storm bruise while Locke and John drink below deck, and the cadre suddenly collapses dead from heart failure or so.

We think Locke and John are now truly alone, captain and first mate, but without the protection of their so-called teacher in cadres.

Jonathan: Mm-hmm. It's a perilous time for those who are in danger.

Slava: under red skies

Jonathan: And Red Seas.

Slava: A nice little cliffhanger to end on this episode.

Jonathan: Yes. Being out at sea, serving as ship captains, but not actually being captains at all, and not really knowing. They had a month nd a half of being trained, and now they have to command a ship, but they aren't really sure how to do it. And the guy that's supposed to be the person puppeteering behind them, yes, which is just, that was great.

I like the Lynch kilt there.

Slava: Yeah.

Jonathan: their go-to guy.

Slava: Kres.

Jonathan: Yep.

Slava: Poor Kress. I think he was murdered on purpose. It wasn't heart failure.

Jonathan: You think it was the poison?

Slava: The description of his death seems more than a heart attack.

Jonathan: Fair enough.

Slava: Yep.

Jonathan: I'd buy that for a dollar.

Slava: selling for two

Jonathan: I don't know about that.

Slava: But that's it, folks, for part two of Red Seas, under Red Skies. What will happen next time?

Jonathan: Uh, Lock and jaw take Locknitting.

Yep.

Slava: Take up knitting right after, uh, a little swim that they have

Jonathan: Uh, down, down. No britches, no b itches required.

Slava: Noo britches.

Jonathan: Another thing that stands out to me as we're going through this again is the emotions that the characters go through remind us that they're human. Like, not everyth ng that Locke does is premeditated. Sometimes he's lying, I don't know what to do. And then he says, 'Oh, I have an epiphany.' Right? Or he is like,

I'm scared and I don't know what to do.

I'm gonna try this crazy thing. And then the perception from other people is that he's a hero, or vice versa, which happens later. That makes the characters super relatable to us.

Slava: Yeah. Across the entire story, from the first chapters of Lies of La Lamo to chapter seven here, the characters are all relatable. Little luck, little Jean. Their father's pr sence marks the glimpses we have into their childhood, meant to teach them where they find themselves without a mentor, without their friends. Only two guys from what's down from like seven or something. Around there.

Joathan: Yeah.

Slava: Locke's growth, Jean's growth, and we'll see Jean's growth more in the following chapters. It all makes them relatable, like you said. I like it.

Jonat an: Mm-hmm.

Slava: Good, stuff by Lynch.

Jonathan: So, my question to the audience is, did you think the story would feature pirates when you first started reading it? Because I didn't, the first time

I read it, Nor did I think that Lynch would have Jean, and we'll get into this in the next episode or two. Go, 'Hey, I'm not actually going to do what Strongest wants because these are our people.'

Thieves prosper. And it's like, oh yeah, PIs are thieves. So

Slava: Yeah.
Jonathan: Just one more thing to think about. Did you feel that you were going to have pirates? Yes or no? And wh?

Slava: Alright, guys. We'll see you next time.

Jonathan: I have a question to ask you: Do you like what we're doing? The simplest way to support the show is to hit subscribe in return. We'll keep leveling up. We'll listen to y ur feedback and read authors that you suggest, and of course, we'll take side quests along the way. Thank you for joining us
We look forward to seeing you at the next one.