Red Seas Under Red Skies v Zia

Beer: Zia
Brewery: London Beer Factory
Style: Tiramisu Pastry Stout
Strength: 9.2%

Bought this one at (wishful drinking) a while ago but have been saving it for a special occasion. What better than to drink it while watching pastry week on Bake Off.

F*ck me that’s a sweet beer. Sugary syrup texture with a hint of coffee. Tastes more like a liqueur than a beer though. I like it, but if I were to have it again if be more discerning in what I drank it with. It’s essentially a liquidised dessert.

Also worth pointing out that because it’s so sweet I couldn’t take big mouthfuls, which also had the effect of disguising the bastard of an abv.

Book: Red Seas Under Red Skies
Author: Scott Lynch
Publisher: Gollancz
Published: 2006

The awesome sequel to the spectacular Lies of Locke Lamora. Red Seas is half Oceans 11 and half Pirates of the Carribbean.

After the events of the first book, Locke and Jean have travelled to the city of Tal Verrar and set about scheming how to rob the owner of the city’s premier gambling establishment, the Sinspire. In typical Gentleman Bastard style there are cons and double-crosses galore.

But it isn’t just Requin – the Sinspires ruthless owner- or his partner Selendri who the Bastards need be on the guard around. There are other actors in Tal Verrar with their eyes on the duo.

I love a series in which subsequent books are able to feel so fresh but also so connected to the preceding entry. Abercrombie’s standalones do this superbly but Lynch is perhaps the master.

Then there is the character work – in particular the continuing building and exploration of Jean and Locke’s friendship – which comfortably puts Lynch in the god tier of modern Fantasy writers.