Dzur (Vlad)

Book Description

Vlad Taltos, short-statured, short-lived human in an Empire of tall, long-lived Dragaerans, has always had to keep his wits about him. Long ago, he made a place for himself as a captain of the Jhereg, the noble house that runs the rackets in the great imperial city of Adrilankha. But love, revolution, betrayal, and revenge ensued, and for years now Vlad has been a man on the run, struggling to stay a step ahead of the Jhereg who would kill him without hesitation. Now Vlads back in Adrilankha. The rackets he used to run are now under the control of the mysterious Left Hand of the Jhereg a secretive cabal of women who report to no man. His ex-wife needs his help. His old enemies arent sure whether they want to kill him, or talk to him and then kill him. A goddess may be playing tricks with his memory. And the Great Weapon hes carrying seems to have plans of its own. Picking up directly where Issola left off, Dzur is Vlad Taltos at his bestcrackling, swashbuckling adventure fantasy with edge.

Customer Reviews:

Not Free SF Reader.......2007-09-03

Dzur takes place literally hours after Issola. Vlad has not had much time to adjust to his new great weapon, when Marion drops in for dinner. A little bit of a surprise to go with Sethra sending him a Lavode Dzurlord bodyguard to help him out.

His feelings for his ex-wife again get him into trouble as he feels his must help her out against both branches of the Jhereg.

Lurking in the background is the demon goddess Verra and her plans for Vlad.

At the start of every chapter of this book is a discourse on food and emotion, told by way of a description of the meals Vlad has been indulging in at Valabar's.

Brust does it again!.......2007-09-01

It is hard to believe that a series of books has kept my attention through 10 books. Yet that is exactly what Brust has done. Every time a new book comes out I go back and reread the entire series up to that point. I read the first ones back in the 80's in high school as they came out, and I thought that the Character of Vlad Taltos was the coolest. He is a member of House Jehreg and a sometime assassin. Vlad once read quickly becomes an immensely popular protagonist. I have introduced these books to numerous friends and all have loved him and the books.

Issola, in the book before Dzur Vlad, is wandering around the countryside with a price on his head, and lamenting about how his life got so turned upside down. Vlad in Dzur, gets to do what he likes best- he starts stirring things up and seeing where the pieces fall.

One of my favorite elements of this series is that you never know how Brust will start chapters off. Each book has had chapter headings in a new and unique way. In the one book it was quick wit "No matter how subtle the wizard a knife between the shoulder blades will seriously cramp his style." In another it is a list of cleaning and repairs to an outfit. In this one it is a recollection of a meal at Valabar's - a restaurant that makes appearances throughout the series. If Brust is able to create the meal described in these snippets he is not only a master wordsmith but must be close to a master chef.

Brust had Vlad come back to the capitol city because his estranged wife is in trouble. He rushes in where angels would fear to tread. He steps into the middle of a power struggle with organized crimes' two sides of the family. He fears getting friends killed or injured, but is more than willing to risk his own neck. However, as Vlad is getting older, he is also mellowing some and maturing.

Vlad realizes that he cannot do it himself. He challenges his patron Goddess to help as much as she can. He also enlists the help of some of those who have offered, but warns them not to take too many risks. Vlad is a little more subdued and subtle in this book compared to some of the earlier ones. However he is just as enjoyable as a character and the journey with him through the adventure in Dzur is as exciting and thrilling as the previous books.

Like the meal described at the beginning of the chapters, Brust's books need to be savored and enjoyed at the pace they come at us. Just as Vlad describes the meal step by step and makes comparisons between preparing a meal and preparing a hit, Brust leads us to discover more and more about Vlad as we go through the courses in this book.

Like each of the previous 9 books in this series, Jhereg (1983), Yendi (1984), Teckla (1987), Taltos (1988), Phoenix (1990), Athyra (1993), Orca (1996), Dragon (1998), Issola (2001), and I'm sure, the forthcoming Jhegaala (2008) this book is a great read. The series is planned to be a total of 19 books, making this one the middle point as far as volumes. It leaves a lot of questions unanswered and the readers salivating for the next volume.

(First Published in Imprint 2007-08-31 as "Series still captivates after 10 books.")

Great Series continues.......2007-06-29

I'm addicted. I admit it and I was absolutely delighted that Vlad returned. To really appreciate it first go back and reread the series, I'd be surprised if you didn't pick up on loads of things you'd missed the first time.
It makes it even better.
I've just reread it for the third time and enjoyed it very much.
Brust is a weaver, he has threads in this that go way back and he somehow knows how all those threads come together in the future.
He is working on another Vlad too, perhaps next we will discover who is the goddess that is Vlad's Mom? Hmmmm?
Or who exactly is Kragar?
Will Vlad end up running the Organization after all?

A great series and highly recommended.

"Boss, you aren't as stupid as everyone says you are".......2007-06-05

I'm not sure how long it was been since there was a new story of Vlad Taltos's antics in the city of Adrilanka, but Dzur was a welcome sight when I first saw it on the stands. Brust has created an alternate fantasy world that combines a dash of Cetlic with a large spoonful of northern European to create tales of a human making his not so legal way through life in a city where the Dragaeran (think Fay Folk if you will). It is a society ruled by clans and Vlad has succeeded by allying himself Jhereg (think Thief's Guild). Unfortunately nothing lasts, and previous to this book Vlad made several deadly mistakes that caused his hasty exit from Adrilankha. But not it's time to turn the tables, and Vlad is back, and just as sarcastic as ever.

This is a story of tidbits. It's as if Brust had a lot of catching up to do and needed to write an entire novel to reset the scenes. Things have changed in the city of Adrilankha since Vlad left. His businesses have been swept up by other members of the Jhereg, in particular, the Left Hand, a group of women who are quite capable of administering deadly force when they feel it necessary. Vlad's presence is likely to make them feels it's necessary. And Cawti, Vlad's `ex' is in a bit of trouble and Vlad's need to be a hero overcomes his good sense. Old friends and even more old enemies. And maybe even a goddess.

I like Brust for his narrative and the bantering style he uses in his dialog. Plot serves less purpose in a Brust story on the general theory that everything is OK as long as something is happening. Unfortunately, very little actually happens in Dzur, and the reader will leave the story with even more questions than there were coming into it. Yes, this is a serious weakness, but for an addict like me the book was still good entertainment. Since Brust has left more room for sequels than there are clans left to go I expect that future volumes will quickly settle down to having better continuity. In the meantime, welcome back to Adrilankha.

very worth-while, entertaining.......2007-05-26

Interesting flow through the book. I still think Jhereg is his best. This one is definitely worth the time.

Average customer rating:

Not Free SF Reader
Fun adventuring
Excellent Fantasy Series
great characters and fast paced writing style
Two good entries in the series

The Book of Taltos
Steven Brust
Manufacturer: Ace Trade
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Epic | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books

General | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 0441008941

Book Description

This is the compendium featuring Taltos and Phoenix-two more novels in Steven Brust's classic series featuring intrepid assassin Vlad Taltos and his dragon companion.

"This whole series is entertaining and worth reading." (Locus)

"Steven Brust isn't afraid to stretch the boundaries of contemporary commercial fantasy." (Newsday )

"Lightning-paced...enjoyable." (OtherRealms)

"Involving, captivating...highly recommended." (The Midwest Book Review)

"Engaging...written with a light touch...good stuff." (Publishers Weekly)

Customer Reviews:

Not Free SF Reader.......2007-09-03

This is an omnibus containing Taltos and Phoenix

A novel in three parts, or streams. Vlad is involved in some heavy duty witchcraft, is looking back at his earlier life in some greater detail than in earlier books, and is also showing us how he met Morrolan.

As far as the latter goes, a complicated sorcerous plot leads Vlad and Morrolan on a decidedly dangerous mission to Deathsgate Falls and the Paths of the Dead.

A couple of the important magical artificats appear : Spellbreaker, for Vlad, and Aliera's Great Weapon.

4.5 out of 5

Vlad gets himself into quite a lot of poo owing to his desire to keep his estranged wife Cawti from being executed as a revolutionary.

Before that, though, he makes a deal with his patron goddess of witchcraft, and the two end up being related via the kingdom of Greenaere, some 'work' and possible war.

Vlad ends up on the lam from the Jhereg because he testifies about their goings on to the Empress.

4 out of 5

Fun adventuring.......2006-07-29

This book contains two of the Vlad books in one. This wouldn't be a good starting point for anyone new to the series. Look for The Book of Jhereg.

This picks up with Vlad doing his usual mischief. It gives him more of an edge when his wife starts debating the ethics of the empire. I thought that part started to get old toward the end but it picked up.

Excellent Fantasy Series.......2005-02-10

Mr. Brust is a very fine storyteller. His plot construction techniques and style are sharp, witty, intelligent and engaging. His characters are believable not only because they are flawed, but also because their lives are not composed of epic quests, but of real lives. Whether or not Mr. Brust is aware of it or not, he has also done something very unique in the fantasy field. He has utilized American influence as much as European taking elements of organized crime drama and detective stories in a world of very strange creatures and even stranger people. I've read seven of the Vlad Taltos books and have not read a single one that I did not enjoy.

great characters and fast paced writing style.......2005-01-28

Brust has a fast paced writing style, and there is a catch to each of the novels in the series. The characters are a little one dimensional, but are nevertheless pretty entertaining.

The plots are clever, and all focus on the main character and narrator, Vlad Taltos, an assassin and mob boss, who also works as a witch and a security specialist. The narrative in the first book, Taltos, jumps back and forth between a couple different time periods, which keeps the story fresh, not always easy in a first person narrative.

If you liked the first installment, this one is definitely worth picking up as well.

Two good entries in the series.......2003-11-12

This volume contains the first and fifth books (chronological order in the series, not publishing date) in the continuing series of Vladimir Taltos adventures by Steven Brust. Taltos is all of the following: a sometime assassin, mobster, witch, philosopher, swordsman, noble, and detective who lives a stranger-in-a-strange-land scenario as what we would consider a normal human in a nation of 6.5 or 7-foot tall humanoids (Draegerans) who often have numerous magical abilities. The books, other than "Taltos" are named for the houses of the 16 noble classes and one peasant class in the society Taltos lives in. Here are the books in chronological order, not publishing order, with the books in the "Taltos" compendium in CAPS:

TALTOS 4.5* -- Brust's funniest of the series, loaded with deadpan humor. This is a simple tale that establishes the beginnings of Taltos' relationships with many of the recurring characters of the other books. In regular paperback form it's 180 pages and you can read it in a few hours. Well-paced, good resolution of the three plotlines

Yendi 4* -- complex and satisfying for a short book, humorous

Jhereg 5* -- the first-published and best of the bunch, gives useful background and is the real starting point of the series

Teckla 2* -- maudlin and introspective without much context or reason for the tone

PHOENIX 4* -- picks up the pace after Teckla and re-establishes some of Taltos' business arrangements (he's an assassin and a small-time mob capo), has a complex and twisting plotline and has more of the humor of the first three books. Nonetheless, it still has some of the pall from the Teckla woven throughout the story.

Dragon 4* -- published 8th, returns to form of witty banter, smart introspection and twisty plotting of earlier books

Athyra 1* -- meandering and depressing; only book not told from Vlad Taltos' first-person point of view, actionless and largely themeless

Orca 4* -- better plotting and pacing for this Athyra follow-up, plus intricate mob-financing issues explored by Taltos in unmasking Orca-house mob syndicate

Issola 4* -- Newest entry is a philosophical stemwinder about the history of Vlad-world and the purposes of the g*ds. Therefore, Issola is not the place to start but it is a solid addition to the series if you've read some of the others.

Amazon.com

In a swirling universe filled with death and life, corruption and innocence, this mesmerizing novel takes us on a wondrous journey back through the centuries to a civilization half-human, of wholly mysterious origin, at odds with mortality and immortality, justice and guilt. It is an enchanted, hypnotic world that could only come from the imagination of Anne Rice...

Book Description

"ANNE RICE WILL LIVE ON THROUGH THE AGES OF LITERATURE."
--San Francisco Chronicle
"TALTOS IS THE THIRD BOOK IN A SERIES KNOWN AS THE LIVES OF THE MAYFAIR WITCHES . . . Their haunted heritage has brought the family great wealth, which is exercised from a New Orleans manse with Southern gentility; but of course such power cannot escape notice . . . or challenge. . . Rice is a formidable talent. . .
[Taltos] is a curious amalgam of gothic, glamour fiction, alternate history, and high soap opera."
--The Washington Post Book World
"AN INTRICATE, STUNNING IMAGINATION."
--Los Angeles Times Book Review
"SPELLBINDING . . . MYTHICAL . . . Anne Rice is a pure storyteller."
--Cosmopolitan
"BEAUTIFULLY WRITTEN."
--Kirkus Reviews (starred)
"Her power of invention seems boundless. . . . She has made a masterpiece of the morbid, worthy of Poe's daughter. . . . It is hard to praise sufficiently the originality of Miss Rice."
--The Wall Street Journal

Customer Reviews:

Not Free SF Reader.......2007-09-03

The end of this story of spirits and incest, and some back story on the whole Taltos development. It turns out that there are a few of these, and one of them becomes and important character in the book.

Mona finds out she is carrying Rowan's husband's child, and they decide to have it.

Supernatural types end up running away togethre.

Beautifull written.......2007-08-22

I've read this only once but I do remember loving it. Along with The Witching Hour and Lasher this trio is a truly one-of-a-kind read. If you are into dark fiction with a hauntingly beautiful twist, you simply must read this and the other 2 books.

Not one of Rice's best.......2007-06-07

I love Anne Rice. She writes in great detail and creates rich, beautiful characters with the Mayfair Witches as well as the Vampire Chronicles. This book is not one of her best to say the least. I'm not that sure it's even an ending the Witches series because the ending leaves you in the air. There was less excitement with this book. I suppose that is due to the fact that the treachery in the Talamasca is resolved very early in the book, leaving little to become excited about in the remaining chapters in the book. I feel that she tried to do too much in this book, resolving past issues from the Witches series and going into more detail on the Taltos species. All in all, it wasn't a bad book because Anne Rice is such a superb writer and it is entertaining to read but in comparison to The Witching Hour and Lasher, this book falls short.

Exciting. .......2007-05-10

This book puts into place questions that you might of had about the Mayfair witches. An exciting and great book!

"Not Evil, Just Another Form of Natural...".......2007-01-07

The problem with this final installment in "The Lives of the Mayfair Witches", is that the main plot (and most of its subplots) were begun in "The Witching Hour" and wrapped up neatly in its sequel "Lasher". In these two previous books, Doctor Rowan Mayfair has returned to her family, discovered her witch heritage, married Michael Curry, come into contact with an organisation called the Talamasca (best described as a supernatural detective agency) unleashed the spirit Lasher on the world and - together with her husband - stopped him from achieving his goal of populating the world with his own species: the Taltos. What more was there to tell?

Well, there were a couple of loose threads, but nothing that could have been cleared up in "Lasher", and nothing that takes a whole book to complete. There is a conspiracy within the Talamasca that is uncovered and dealt with (unfortunately after the death of a beloved character who is killed needlessly within the first few chapters of the book) and there are unexpected repercussions to Michael's one-night stand with Mona Mayfair, the thirteen year old designee of the family fortune.

But as these issues need no more than a few chapters to be dealt with, Rice introduces another character: Ashlar Templeton. It turns out that the birth of Lasher back into the world wasn't that big a deal after all, as Ashlar is also a Taltos: a rich, handsome, powerful manufacturer of dolls that is the individual responsible for the conversion of his species to Christianity in the 13th century and the schism between his people that followed. Contacting Rowan and Michael after hearing of the dubious behaviour of the Talamasca, he recounts the entire history of the Taltos race. Whereas "The Witching Hour" recounted the fascinating history of the Mayfair family, and "Lasher" explored the spirit's own dark history, Ashlar's story takes us further back still, to the earliest memories of the Taltos people and their dealings with humanity. It is interesting stuff, but not nearly as fascinating as the Mayfairs and Lasher, both of which are largely ignored in this text.

Ashlar's story takes up a large bulk of the book; in fact, its astonishing how little is done in this book; it is mainly made up of characters talking and thinking. The rest is just not as interesting, mainly because characters and their motivations are strangely changed from what we have been previously led to believe. Mona Mayfair - supposedly headstrong and wild, but here strangely muted - deals with her Taltos pregnancy by running away with her newfound cousin Mary Beth Mayfair (odd how she runs away whilst pregnant, but then returns to First Street once the baby is born. Why bother leaving at all?), whilst Rowan and Michael are present simply to give Ashlar someone to tell his story to. Even the organisations and institutes are unrecognisable! The Mayfair clan is barely present, whilst the Talamasca (a benevolent and wise council in the previous books) here reaps nasty vengeance on two renegade members.

And then of course there's the ending, if you can describe it as that. After building towards a particular moment for what seems like the entire novel...the book ends. And considering this is the end of the trilogy, there is no chance of getting any further information on the proceedings (unless the characters pop up in the Vampire Chronicles, I guess).

I love "The Witching Hour" and "Lasher", and so I suppose I should be glad that their story didn't extend into this sluggish read. Ultimately "Taltos" feels like a mere coda to the previous two books. A four hundred and sixty-seven page coda.

The Anne Rice Value Collection: Lasher, The Witching Hour, Taltos (Anne Rice)

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The Anne Rice Value Collection: Lasher, The Witching Hour, Taltos (Anne Rice)
Anne Rice
Manufacturer: RH Audio
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio CD

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

General | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books

Historical | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books

General | Science Fiction | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books

Horror | Books on CD | Audiobooks | Formats | Books

General | Books on CD | Audiobooks | Formats | Books
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ASIN: 0739321307
Release Date: 2005-11-01

Book Description

Together for the first time on CD are three powerful and alluring stories of New Orleans’ Dynasty of witches, The Mayfair Witches.

Lasher, read by Joe Morton
At the heart of this extraordinary saga is Rowan Mayfair’s attempt to escape the evil spell and vision of the darkly compelling demon, Lasher, and his pursuit of her and their terrifying and exquisite child. It is a novel that moves around the globe, backward and forward through time, and between the human and demonic worlds.

The Witching Hour, read by Lindsay Crouse
The epic of the Mayfair witches begins when Rowan Mayfair pulls the drowned body of Michael Curry from the sea and brings him back to life. She is aware that she possesses special powers, but unaware that she comes from a great dynasty of withces. He, in his brief interlude with death, has acquired sendsory abilities that mystify and frighten him. Fiercely drawn to each other, the two fall in love and set out to solve the mystery of her past and his unwelcome gift.

Taltos, read by Tim Curry
Meet Mr. Ash, quiet spoken, tall, unfailingly kind–sole survivor of an ancient species, the Taltos–thriving among humankind as he has always done, head of a great corporate empire. As the novel opens, he is stunned to learn from and old and mysterious friend that another Taltos has been seen. At once he is propelled into the world of Rowan Mayfair, into the mysteries of the Mayfair family–a family initimately involved with the heritage of the Taltos.

The Mayfair Witches Chronicles : The Witching Hour - Lasher - Taltos (Lives of the Mayfair Witches, Complete Set Volumes 1-3)

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The Mayfair Witches Chronicles : The Witching Hour - Lasher - Taltos (Lives of the Mayfair Witches, Complete Set Volumes 1-3)
Anne Rice
Manufacturer: Ballentine Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

General | Drama | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
ASIN: B000OMHJRQ

Product Description

Ann Rice makes real for us a great dynasty of witches. Hypnotic novels of witch craft and occult through four centuries. This complete 3 novel set chronicles the Lives of Anne Rice's Mayfair Witches: The Witching Hour - Lasher - Taltos.

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Not Free SF Reader
Timeframe bouncing
Back on Track
In which Vlad Taltos joins the army
Vlad, you cad...

Dragon
Steven Brust
Manufacturer: Tor Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0312866925

Amazon.com

Vlad Taltos is not your average sword-and-sorcery hero. He runs a territory for the criminal House Jhereg. He's a witch with a flying reptilian familiar as smart and sarcastic as any sidekick in literature. He's also a master assassin in Adrilankha, the capital of the Dragaeran Empire. (Dragaerans are tall, very long-lived elves; Vlad is an Easterner, or human.)

Steven Brust is not your average fantasy writer. Like his mentor, Roger Zelazny, he enjoys playing with time. Although Dragon is the eighth book about Vlad to be published, most of it takes place between Taltos, the first book chronologically, and Yendi; interludes and an epilogue occur after Yendi, but before Jhereg. Dragon tells the story of the oft-mentioned Battle of Barritt's Tomb, and how Vlad enlisted in a Dragon army (Dragons are the warrior Dragaerans) and learned that war is nothing like assassination.

Vlad is quick to let readers know the score. "I'll let you stay confused a little longer, and if you don't trust me to clear everything up, then you can go hang. I've been paid." Trust him. Dragon stands alone, but don't miss the others (after Jhereg come Teckla, Phoenix, Athyra, and Orca). It's a fast-moving, satisfying series. --Nona Vero

Book Description

Vlad knows his trade: he kills people for a living. That skill got him his foothold in House Jhereg, running the rackets for a chunk of Adrilankha. You'd think that killing people would be excellent preparation for full-scale war, and Vlad thinks so, too. But on the spot, when he finds himself in the real trenches of a real war between rival Dragonlords, Vlad learns just how wrong he is.

Customer Reviews:

Not Free SF Reader.......2007-09-03

A conflict is at hand in the house of the Dragon. It appears that it is all to do with a group of magical weapons that Morrolan has in his possession. He hires Vlad to help with his security.

Vlad agrees, but one of them ends up going missing anyway. This leaves Morrolan at war with another dragon, and Sethra Lavode becomes involved.

She talks Vlad into joining the infantry, which he does, fighting as a grunt, and also using his 'work' skills to do a bit of special forces type work in the dark.

A conversation with a Serioli, Morrolan, and Vlad tells us more about the Great Weapons and Spellbreaker, and Aliera and Sethra the Younger become involved, both wanting a weapon, at the end.

Timeframe bouncing.......2007-03-31

There's quite a lot different about this book from the others in the series that I've read so far. It starts with the way the pages are formatted - not that it's a big deal, just a bit of a change. This story was good, and as always Vlad's perspective on things is great. It is a bit frustrating that Brust essentially was running at least two timeframes of the story simultaneously. I mean just when you were starting to get in to what was happening in the present, suddenly you were shifted back in time to the lead up evens. Obviously, they came together toward the end, but sometimes it was a bit difficult to know where I time you were at. As always seems to be the case, Brust gives you a twist at the end, one you really had no way of anticipating.

Back on Track.......2007-02-20

Depending on how you look at it, this is either the second, or the third, or the eighth book on Brust's Vlad Taltos Adventures. (I like to go by publishing order, which means this is the Eighth book.)
The first few books in the series were fascinating little facets of a complex world, told through Vlad's eyes and with his smarmy wit and sharp humor apparent in every tale. The tales told in 'Phoenix', 'Athyra', and 'Orca', however, took on a dark, brooding, introspective bent, and much of the protagonist's charm is missing as he wrestles with personal demons.
Dragon, however, brings back the fun-loving style that fans of earlier books will like, as the hero, Vlad Taltos, recounts a tale of what it's like to be a soldier, which, in his words, is 'the last place a self respecting assasin should be.' The story details many of the early aspects of Vlad's life, filling in details of how he developed many of the relationships with the recurring characters that readers have come to know.
I really liked this one, and could fill up pages discussing it, but you will enjoy it more if I shut up and let you read it for yourself. Definitely worth it.

In which Vlad Taltos joins the army .......2006-12-27

This highly entertaining comic fantasy novel is the eighth by publication order in the story of Vladimir Taltos. It describes his experiences in an army of Dragonlords, under the command of Morrolan and Sethra Lavode, during the war of the Wall of Barritt's Tomb. It is set much earlier than most of the recent books in the series.

Steven Brust loves juggling multiple timelines, and I had difficulty deciding whether to describe "Dragon" as the second or third in chronological sequence. Based on the timing of the main action of this book, it is the second in the series, beginning almost immediately after the chronologically first book, "Taltos." However, Vlad is narrating the story a few years later, a few weeks after the second published book, "Yendi", and before the main story of the first published book, "Jhereg." The final dénouement comes at this later stage.

When the reader first meets Lord Morrolan of Castle Black in the book "Jhereg," the hero explains that he is on retainer to Morrolan as a security consultant, and adds that Morrolan had killed a thousand people in battle during a military campaign called "The wall of Barritt's Tomb." This book, "Dragon" goes back to tell the story both of how Vlad was recruited by Morrolan and how Vlad came to join Morrolan's army for that campaign.

If you have not previously read any of Steven Brust's "Vlad Taltos" novels or "Khaavren" romances, they are all set in a world of magic, where there are several intelligent species, including two types of men and women. Humans like ourselves are usually referred to as "Easterners," the other type of men and women call themselves humans but are usually referred to in the books as "Dragaerans" or occasionally as Elves.

Dragaerans are much taller than humans, live for two or three thousand years, and then after death are taken to walk "The Paths of the Dead" from whence they may be eligible for reincarnation provided they have not annoyed a God too much or had their soul destroyed by a "Morganti" weapon or a "Great Weapon."

Morganti weapons are used between mortals when they are really angry with someone because they don't just kill you, but destroy your soul. "Great Weapons," are especially powerful Morganti weapons which can even kill Gods. Legend has it that there were exactly seventeen Great Weapons, (this is a special number to Dragaerans) and they are all extremely important - it turns out that the whole point of the action of "Dragon" is about one particular Great Weapon.

All Dragaerans belong to one of seventeen "Great Houses" named after animals of the fantasy world in which the novels are set. Nine of the ten novels to date featuring Vlad Taltos, including "Dragon," are named after one of these great houses, usually also featuring members of that house in a prominent role: if Steven Brust is planning to write a novel for each house we are about half way through the series.

Most of the great houses also have a preferred occupation. For examples: "Dragons" and "Dzurlords" are soldiers, "Tecla" are peasants, "Chreotha" are merchants, "Orcas" are sailors, pirates or bankers, and "Jhereg" are gangsters or assassins.

Most members of House Jhereg are also involved in "the organisation" which controls organised crime. The hero, Baronet Vladimir Taltos, is an assassin and minor sorcerer, who at the time of this book is still a prominent member of House Jhereg. (In books which are earlier in the series Vlad goes on the run from the Jhereg after developing an unfortunate case of principles, but this entire book is a flashback to a time before that happened.) Vlad has a companion and familiar, Loiosh, who is an actual Jhereg - that is to say, he is a small intelligent flying reptile. (In some of the books Loiosh has a mate, Rocza, but again, this book is a flashback to before Rocza comes along.)

Taltos narrates these stories with a wonderful dry wit which is one of the best aspects of the novels.

As mentioned, the books are not written in a regular chronological sequence. The fourth novel, "Taltos" is a prequel set before the main action of any of the others: during that book Vlad and Morrolan meet and walk the paths visit the paths of the dead together while still alive. While there they meet the shade of Morrolan's fellow Dragon, Barritt, who has only just died. On his return, Morrolan starts to organise Barritt's funeral and tidy up his affairs, and hires Vlad to help deal with some plots which he expects to follow. Morrolan's expectations are more than fulfilled.

Many of the Vlad Taltos novels contain either flashbacks to much earlier events, references to much later events, multiple timelines, or all three. "Dragon" actually has three timelines. Most of the chapters start with Vlad narrating scenes from a "grunt's eye" account of his experiences as a private soldier in Cropper Company during the final phases of the war of the Wall of Barritt's Tomb. Then the rest of each chapter tells the story of how Vlad came to be there.

Towards the end of the book there are also "interlude" scenes set approximately three years later, beginning when Sethra the Younger comes back from the parallel dimension where Sethra Lavode exiled her at the end of "Yendi." Having finished writing out the 83,521 lines which Sethra Lavode set her, like a naughty schoolgirl, as a punishment for plotting, what does Sethra the Younger do on her return? You guessed it ! It is on this later timeline when Vlad and Morrolan finally establish what the entire war was really about.

For the nit-pickers; Stephen Burst is incredibly good at putting these immensely complex books together so that all the fiddly little details are consistent between volumes. "Dragon" offers you a very rare chance to catch him out changing his mind about something, specifically the composition of the armies which fight it out at the wall of Barritt's Tomb.

When Brust wrote "Tecla" he inferred that one army was composed of human (Eastern) conscripts, the other of Tecla (Dragaeran peasant) conscripts, that the humans and peasants did all the dying, and that there were two dragonlords present "who were never in any real danger". In this book, which describes the campaign in much more detail, the human and Tecla conscripts are mentioned only in passing: most of the soldiers Vlad fights with or against are dragonlord or dzurlord volunteers, and they also do plenty of dying.

You will get most out of the Vlad Taltos books if you read them in something close to the "official" order. My recommendation would be to start with either the first book written, "Jhereg" or the chronologically first book, "Taltos."

Here is a list of the books in publication order, with the chronological place of the main action of each book in brackets after:

1) Jhereg (4th)
2) Yendi (3rd)
3) Tecla (5th)
4) Taltos (1st)
5) Phoenix (6th)
6) Athyra (7th)
7) Orca (8th)
8) Dragon (2nd)
9) Issola (9th)
10) Dzur (10th).

If you enjoy the Taltos novels, you might be interested in another sequence of books which Steven Brust has set in the same country, but quite a few centuries earlier. These are something between a parody and a homage to the novels of Alexandre Dumas. He's called them the "Khaavren Romances" after the central character of the first two novels, who corresponds very closely to D'Artagnan.

Obviously none of the human characters overlap, but some of the Dragaerans do: Khaavren himself meets Vlad Taltos briefly in the book "Tecla" and has a sort of offstage cameo in the Vlad Taltos book "Orca." Two of the major characters in the Taltos novels, Sethra Lavode and Lord Morrolan of Castle Black, are also important enough in the Khaavren novels to have books named after them.

The five Khaavren romances, in sequence, are

1) "The Phoenix Guards" (equivalent to "The Three Musketeers")
2)"Five Hundred Years After" (equivalent to "Twenty years after")

Then a trilogy "The Viscount of Adrilankha" (e.g. "The Count of Monte Cristo") which comprises

3) The Paths of the Dead
4) The Lord of Castle Black
5) Sethra Lavode

Overall I found both the "Taltos" novels and the "Khaavren Romances" very entertaining: I recommend both series and this book.

Vlad, you cad..........2005-10-01

One of my favorites among the Draganerian series, this meets all my ideas of good Brust writing. The style can be a bit awkward, but the story carries it through any issues there. And Brust does a masterful job of reminding us that his Draganarians are not humans, culturally of mentally, as we go through the tale.

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Not Free SF Reader
Vlad Taltos story number nine
Yet Another Excellent Read
It took nine to get it right
everything I love about Brust

Issola (Vlad)
Steven Brust
Manufacturer: Tor Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0312859279

Book Description

Okay, so maybe I've been living in the woods too long, where you can't even get a decent cup of klava first thing in the morning. So who should turn up but Lady Teldra, the courtly servant of my old friend the Dragonlord Morrolan?

Teldra wants my help, because Morrolan and Aliera have disappeared, and according to Sethra Lavode, it looks like they may be in the hands of the Jenoine. Do I want to mess with them? The guys who made this place? And I thought I had problems before...

Oh well, what's a little cosmic battle with beings who control time and space? It's better than hunkering down in the woods without even so much as a drinkable cup of klava.

Customer Reviews:

Not Free SF Reader.......2007-09-03

Vlad is still on the lam, when, to his surprise, the Lady Teldra turns up. Aliera and Morrolan have vanished, and the high and mighty of Dragaera again need Vlad's help. They go off to visit the mightiest, Sethra Lavode.

They trace Morrolan thanks to Spellbreaker, and find out the Jenoine have him. When Teldra tries to make a deal, they agree. They are happy to let them go, as long as Vlad kills the goddess Verra.

In this book, we learn the nature of reality and why Dragaera exists, and the forces that are at work around it.

The book ends in a serious battle, as the gods, Sethra, Vlad, Morrolan, Teldra and others have to face the Jenoine, and the battle doesn't go too well, in one respect.

Vlad does gain a Great Weapon.

Vlad Taltos story number nine.......2007-01-31

In which Vlad gets caught up in a battle between Gods ...

This highly entertaining comic fantasy novel is number nine in the story of Vladimir Taltos. It is set shortly after "Orca" and is immediately followed by "Dzur."

If you have not previously read any of Steven Brust's "Vlad Taltos" novels or "Khaavren" romances, they are all set in a world of magic, where there are several intelligent species, including two types of men and women. Humans like ourselves are usually referred to as "Easterners," the other type of men and women call themselves humans but are usually referred to in the books as "Dragaerans" or occasionally as Elves. Dragaerans are much taller than humans, live 2,000 to 3,000 years or so, and then after death are eligible for reincarnation provided they have not annoyed a God too much or had their soul destroyed by a "Morganti" weapon or a "Great Weapon."

Morganti weapons are used between mortals when they are really angry with someone because they don't just kill you, but destroy your soul. "Great Weapons," are particularly deadly Morganti weapons which can even kill Gods. Tradition said that there are exactly seventeen Great Weapons.

In one of the earlier books, a powerful magician makes an ambiguous remark to Vlad, suggesting that he both is and isn't carrying a Great Weapon. Baffled Vlad asks if a partular item is a Great Weapon and gets the reply "Not Yet." In "Issola" we find out what this cryptic remark meant.

All Dragaerans belong to one of seventeen "Great Houses" named after animals of the fantasy world in which the novels are set. Nine of the ten novels featuring Vlad Taltos, including "Issola" are named after one of these great houses, usually also featuring a member of that house in a prominent role: if Steven Brust is planning to write a novel for each house we are about half way through the series.

Most of the great houses also have a preferred occupation. For examples: "Dragons" and "Dzurlords" are soldiers, "Tecla" are peasants, "Chreotha" are merchants, "Orcas" are sailors, pirates or - wait for it - bankers, and "Jhereg" are gangsters or assassins. Issola seem to be butlers, stewards etc: the Issola who gives her house name to this book is Lady Teldra, who is Lord Morrolan's seneschal and who is one of the nicest people in any of the Dragaeran novels.

The hero, Baronet Vladimir Taltos, is an assassin and minor sorcerer, who used to be a prominent crimelord within House Jhereg, but is now on the run from them after developing an unfortunate case of principles, which he tries very hard to hide. He has two companions, Loiosh and Rocza who are actual Jhereg - that is to say, they are small intelligent flying reptiles.

Taltos narrates these stories with a wonderful dry wit which is one of the best aspects of the novels.

Stven Brust makes some attempt to recognise that some readers might be new to this book and not have read the previous novels in the series. This does not IMHO make it a good idea to start with this book, but it is still sometimes useful in helping previous readers who don't have a memory like a computer to follow the complex plot. Those who have not read the previous books will still probably find "Issola" hard going.

Be warned, it is also quite a sad story - the ending is much more downbeat than any of the other Vlad Taltos books.

The books are not written in a regular chronological sequence: for example, the fourth novel, "Taltos" is a prequel set before the main action of any of the others, and Dragon, number eight by publication order is the second in chronological sequence, mostly set just after "Taltos." Indeed, Issola and the following book, Dzur, are currently the only ones which occupy the same place in publication and chronological order.

You will get most out of these books if you read them in something close to the "official" order.

If you are interested in these books, my recommendation would be to start with either the first book written, "Jhereg" or the chronologically first book, "Taltos." If you then decide to read the rest, I recommend that you follow something like the order the books were published. Here is a list of the books in publication order, with the chronological place of the main action of each book in brackets after:

1) Jhereg (4th)
2) Yendi (3rd)
3) Tecla (5th)
4) Taltos (1st)
5) Phoenix (6th)
6) Athyra (7th)
7) Orca (8th)
8) Dragon (2nd)
9) Issola (9th)
10) Dzur (10th).

If you enjoy the Taltos novels, you might be interested in another sequence of books which Steven Brust has set in the same country, but quite a few centuries earlier. These are something between a parody and a homage to the novels of Alexandre Dumas. He's called them the "Khaavren Romances" after the central character of the first two novels, who corresponds very closely to D'Artagnan. Obviously none of the human characters overlap, but some of the Dragaerans do: Khaavren himself meets Vlad briefly in "Tecla" and has a sort of offstage cameo in the Vlad Taltos book "Orca." Two of the major characters in the Taltos novels, Sethra Lavode and Lord Morrolan of Castle Black, are also important enough in the Khaavren novels to have books named after them.

The five Khaavren romances, in sequence, are

1) "The Phoenix Guards" (equivalent to "The Three Musketeers")
2)"Five Hundred Years After" (equivalent to "Twenty years after")

Then a trilogy "The Viscount of Adrilankha" (e.g. "The Count of Monte Cristo") which comprises

3) The Paths of the Dead
4) The Lord of Castle Black
5) Sethra Lavode

Overall I found both the "Taltos" novels and the "Khaavren Romances" very entertaining: I recommend both series and this book.

Yet Another Excellent Read.......2007-01-08

Mr. Brust is one of my favorite author's, and "Issola" does not disappoint.

It took nine to get it right.......2006-08-17

Don't get me wrong I love his work, but the story line jumps around so much it can be a bit frustrating. Now back to whats truly important, Issola. Book nine brings a closing to all your questions except for maybe one. This book is splendid I couldn't put it down. 24 hours well spent.

everything I love about Brust.......2006-06-01

While this book is a mild departure from his other books about vlad, the sensitive assasin, I find myself reading it over and over, but then again, I'ver read many of his books may times and still manage to appreciate and discover new witty humor and treats that go undiscoverd.

For some reason brust reminds me of quintin tarenteno movies where the dialog amd character interacton plays the leading role to the plot, which is still entertaining as it answeres questions as quickly as it opens others.

All in all a wonderfull addition to a wonderfull collection of novels written in my preference of the frst person, filled with both verbal and physical swordplay.

Average customer rating:

Taltos - Lives of the Mayfair Witches

Manufacturer: Alfred A. Knopf
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000HKEK1S

Average customer rating:

Not Free SF Reader
Very good background on Vlad
A Dragon A Day
A Light and Enjoyable Series So Far...
Fantastic prequel to _Jhereg_

Taltos (Vlad Taltos)
Steven Brust
Manufacturer: Ace Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 0441182003

Customer Reviews:

Not Free SF Reader.......2007-09-03

A novel in three parts, or streams. Vlad is involved in some heavy duty witchcraft, is looking back at his earlier life in some greater detail than in earlier books, and is also showing us how he met Morrolan.

As far as the latter goes, a complicated sorcerous plot leads Vlad and Morrolan on a decidedly dangerous mission to Deathsgate Falls and the Paths of the Dead.

A couple of the important magical artificats appear : Spellbreaker, for Vlad, and Aliera's Great Weapon.

Very good background on Vlad.......2007-03-31

For readers who have been through others of Brust's series revolving around the central character Vlad Taltos, this is a definte must read. It fills in a lot of the gaps in terms of his personal background and history, and also explains how he came to become closely involved with some of the series' other driving characters. Brust seems not to ever want to write a direct A to B narrative (at least in this series), and this book is no exception. Unlike in some others of the series, though, here the author provides fairly smooth flashback sequences punctuating the primary story without really breaking the flow.

A Dragon A Day.......2004-04-06

While Yendi examines Vlad's life shortly following the time when he had begun to establish himself as a serious player in the Jehreg mini-Empire, Taltos reaches even further back, weaving three separate plots - the beginning of his come to power, his expedition with Morrolan, and one mysterious spellweaving heading each chapter - into the fullest picture yet of his early life.

Beginning innoculously with a delivery theft by one of Vlad's henchmen, the story quickly involves Dzur Mountain - and its infamous undead inhabitant Sethra Lavode - along with Morrolan in Castle Black. It shortly becomes apparent this was a setup to get him to Sethra's quarters, to ask him to steal a very important crystal from a high wizard. Insane as it sounds, he has little choice, and when things go wrong at the last second, only a serendipitous find and Morrolan's quick entrance save him. But the ordeal is far from over, when an even more important ordeal awaits Vlad: A perilous journey with Morrolan into the Paths of the Dead to wake the soul trapped in the staff he took.

This is undoubtedly Burst's most mature work in the series to this point, giving up some of the manic energy and cockiness of the first in exchange for a much deeper look into the lives and souls of his heroes. Vlad never loses his snide sarcasm, but he does start to tone it down and put more thought into his dealings with powerful Dragaerans. Most of all, he finally begins to grudginly respect a few. The transition is both bumpy and natural, never plainly stated but obvious again his otherwise cavalier attitudes.

The book is also his finest technically, for while Yendi was an editorial mess, this continues Teckla's themes of emotional confict and redevelopment, in a more subtle way, while simultaneously mixing in a complicated and potentially disastrous device of interleaving two distinct yet connected stories, and a third above them all. And the last is how he succeeds, by leaving them independant yet somehow with relevance to each other; many passages will serve to shed an otherwise unseen corner of light on the other story immediately behind or following, and sometimes farther back, leading the reader to page back or ponder some old assumptions, some deliberately encouraged by the author.

The layers are what make the book memorable after its pages have been turned, thoughtful and roundaboutly organic just as Vlad's witchcraft is. As each chapter opens, a few paragraphs are excepted from the meticulously chaotic preparation casting of one final spell, the final climax that pulls threads from throughout the book into a single whole. The portions of the backstory that handle ground already trod in another book are often skimmed to concentrate on exposing more relevant details.

The book is most certainly a worthwhile read as long as a character-driven story with smooth pacing and imaginative action appeals to you.

A Light and Enjoyable Series So Far..........2004-02-08

This is one of those series that are far from perfect, but are really fun and quick to read. Brust has become a favorite author of mine because of his entertaining plot style, and Vlad has become a favorite character because of his entertaining methods.

What really helped in drawing me into this series is the way that Brust jumps around in the timeline of Vlad's life... The second book takes place before the first book, and third book takes place after books one, two and four etc... Much in the style of Pulp Fiction, Brust jumps back and forth in time, fleshing out these interesting stories that were only hinted at previously, leaving us with plenty of mysteries, and no clue where we will be taken to next. If he had told the whole story in chronological order, it probably would have been much less interesting.

My one problem with Vlad's character is that he is too much like a human-Swiss-army-knife. He is an assassin. He is a detective. He is a thief. He is a mob captain. He knows witchcraft. He knows sorcery. He is a master knife-thrower. He is an ace with a rapier. Perhaps its just my nit-picking nature showing through, but its a bit much to swallow even for a fantasy novel. Still, you'll probably find that Brust holds all this mud together quite well!

Taltos, is book four in the Vlad Taltos Series, and it was thankfully much better than the third book, which was a bit of a dud. I recommend reading Jhereg, then Yendi, and then this book. Its a good ride!

Fantastic prequel to _Jhereg_.......2002-11-05

In _Taltos_, Brust takes us farther back into Vlad Taltos's history, before he met Morrolan, and before Aliera came back from the dead. We learn a great deal of Vlad's past, and witness how he came to be the person he is in the following books. Brust uses flashbacks interspersed with current action both to build suspense, and to keep the reader's attention, and it works; so often, authors use this method unskillfully, and it just sucks all of the life out of a plot. Here, though, it served its purpose brilliantly.

The book gets underway as Vlad is preparing for some unknown magical ritual, and each chapter begins with a short paragraph about that spell; however, we don't learn what the spell is or why he's performing it until the very end of the book. It does keep the reader's curiosity piqued, though, wondering in the backs of our minds what he is doing, and why he would have to attempt it.

The main plot moves quickly and easily; one of Vlad's buttonmen has stolen a large sum of money from him, and Vlad must get it back. Sounds simple enough, but the thief has retreated to Dzur Mountain, a place of much rumor and mystery, alleged home of Sethra Lavode - an undead woman thousands upon thousands of years old, and by all accounts, not terribly friendly. Still, Vlad is determined to find the man and get his money back. Thus, he appeals to Morrolan for assistance, and finds out that both Morrolan and Sethra knew more about the theft than he could have guessed.

He ends up accompanying Morrolan (who holds him in utter contempt at this point) to the Paths of the Dead - the place where Dragaerans' souls spend the afterlife, and where the gods reside. Brust does a wonderful job depicting the surreal, otherworldly Paths, as well as the ever-morphing Hall of Judgment. Inside its walls, our party meets several gods, the founder of the Empire,and manages to have Aliera brought back to life (who promptly relieves the founder of the Empire of his Great Weapon.) But at what cost has all of this come? No living Dragaeran may enter the Paths of the Dead and leave alive; therefore, Morrolan must stay behind eternally, never to return. Needless to say, Vlad and Aliera aren't terribly happy with this idea, and try to figure out how to save their companion.

This is a very quick, entertaining read, and brings back a lot of the cynicism and energy the books before _Teckla_ had. I had hoped this would be the case, as I found _Teckla_ somewhat tedious. This is a funny, interesting tale, though, and I'm looking forward to _Phoenix_.

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The Book of Taltos
The Book of Taltos

Manufacturer: Ace
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: 0739429698

Customer Reviews:

The Book of Taltos.......2005-09-27

Had to acquire the hardbound series, as I had read all the series in paperback.

Series (Vlad Taltos-Jhereg series)is excellent adult/mature teen entertainment.

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