but that just makes me suspicious for the next book

I feel like he's almost run out of characters to kill... unless he's willing to kill Jean, at which point, I quit. (I guess we could go back to Camorr and kill the characters I cared about there, the Salvaras and Dona Vorchenza and so on, or maybe back to book 2 characters and kill Zamira...) It has reached the point where I'm very reluctant to be won over by any new character because I expect them to be killed off at some point during the book -- bitter lesson learned with Ezri, and then reinforced with Patience. (I actually didn't care much for Sabetha, but I think she's actually safe, after all that set-up.)

I think I was expecting something similar, yeah, with a "related to someone important" reveal, since Locke's parentage is a mystery, as is his name. I'm glad we didn't go there, but can't say that I was too pleased with the actual reveal, either, because I find the Bondsmages probably the least interesting part of the Gentleman Bastards worldbuilding. (I was not thrilled by the Falconer's reappearance, either.)