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Vlad Taltos #4-5
The Book of Taltos
In a world where other races live centuries, human Easterner Vlad narrates. Loiosh, fatally venomous jhereg dragonet, distracts and attacks from assassin's shoulder.
4 Taltos - Thief Kiera teaches, gives him vial of goddess blood. Philanderer wastes assassin wages on girls. Morrolan and vampire Sethra trick him to fetch their ancestor Aliera from gods in the Halls of the Dead. Goddess Verra helps.
5 Phoenix - By order of patron Demon goddess Verra, Vlad assassinates King of Greenaere island, where sorcery does not work, provokes war. Drummer Aibynn may be a spy, but Morrolan and Aliera rescue all. Wife Cawti supports rebels and rejects lovelorn Vlad. Kragar keeps business going. Dragonet Loiosh has mate Rocza.
4 Taltos - Thief Kiera teaches, gives him vial of goddess blood. Philanderer wastes assassin wages on girls. Morrolan and vampire Sethra trick him to fetch their ancestor Aliera from gods in the Halls of the Dead. Goddess Verra helps.
5 Phoenix - By order of patron Demon goddess Verra, Vlad assassinates King of Greenaere island, where sorcery does not work, provokes war. Drummer Aibynn may be a spy, but Morrolan and Aliera rescue all. Wife Cawti supports rebels and rejects lovelorn Vlad. Kragar keeps business going. Dragonet Loiosh has mate Rocza.
389 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2002
About the author
Steven Brust
94 books2,241 followersSteven Karl Zoltán Brust (born November 23, 1955) is an American fantasy and science fiction author of Hungarian descent. He was a member of the writers' group The Scribblies, which included Emma Bull, Pamela Dean, Will Shetterly, Nate Bucklin, Kara Dalkey, and Patricia Wrede, and also belongs to the Pre-Joycean Fellowship.
http://us.macmillan.com/author/steven...
(Photo by David Dyer-Bennet)
http://us.macmillan.com/author/steven...
(Photo by David Dyer-Bennet)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 65 reviews
May 27, 2018
For whatever reason, I had a difficult time getting through this. I was initially planning to read the whole series, but I think I’ve seen enough.
February 15, 2014
"I sometimes wonder if my entire adult life has been spent in an effort to avoid dirty dishes. One could, I suppose, have worse goals" p 7. Smiles are reasons to read, not really criminal not-hero. "Ummm" p 21 blunders, "I never have understood" why grandad insists no blood sacrifice to gods p 41 bring him down to earth, more believable. On both quests he is unwilling, forced.
Confusing on many levels. Vlad is "human", Easterner, Jhereg, therefore shunned. If Dragaerans are from House of Dragon, one of 17, all long-lived, otherwise different physically, culturally, geographically, why is "Dragaeran -- an Orca and probably a seaman .. pretty old .. at least a couple of thousand years" p 49? Dragaerans beat up Vlad since he was a kid, so he hates them all. Except two.
Morrolan and Sethra have Great Weapons. #4 they apologize for trick to meet, repeatedly save lives. By #5, fast friends. So he transfers hate to Empire, he says. Yet he tries to save Empress and negotiates peace with enemy. Orb, source of sorcery magic, rotates above head of Empress, protects her, shows by color Vlad "telling truth" p 306, but Empress knows he prevaricates. Vlad is philanderer in #4, but in #5, he bemoans rejection of wife Cawti.
Italics are also for conversations with Loiosh, fatally venomous jhereg on shoulder. Why not just say dragonet? Imagine my rant. 2002 Pronunciation Guide 1-pg is mostly proper names. Level of wit "Shut up" p 6. Loiosh comforts, helps - diversion, weapon.
Is foretelling intended to encourage buying sequels? Rather annoys. #4 Aliera "less than a thousand years old" p 146 and Vlad both "seemed to recognize" p 147 Kieron "old as the Empire" p 146. #5 Devera toddler with gran Verra hides from Aliera "Mama see me .. might upset things" p 378.
Sudden changes from #4 to #5. Vlad from philanderer to lovelorn rejected husband. Dragonet Loiosh has mate Rocza. No wonder doesn't matter whether read in order of chronology or publication.
4 Taltos Jumps around present, past, drags out single spell to escape Halls of Death. Girls are either a continual stream of names, diversion where narrator Vladimir Taltos wasted high assassin wages, or the one to save the world, Aliera. Weak, but stubborn, she will not leave without Morrolan despite his willingness to stay, sacrifice life forever. Neither will Vlad, after they save each others' lives repeatedly.
Italicized paragraphs about spell preparation and following sleep precede main text, which diverts into biography of narrator. Maybe intended to compress tension. Rather sucks oomph like balloon deflating.
Past is important for friend Kiera to train in thief skills and ask him to keep small vial of goddess blood on neck cord. Grandpa Noishe-pa teaches him witchcraft, chants, tools, unlike sorcery, wave of hand teleport. Nausea is boring every time, till finally stone suppresses #5.
"Cousins" Lord Morrolan and vampire Sethra Lavode, last alive "fifteen thousand years ago" p 8 have Great Weapons; named black Morganti swords suck souls. She can't leave Black Castle, so they fool Vlad into coming, but apologize after. As "human" Easterner, he can pass wards that protect staff where her soul has been trapped for centuries, and leave Halls of Dead when restored to life by gods Lords of Judgement - probably. Verra is on their side, opposes her lover Barlan "Tough cookies .. You damn betcha, feather-breath" p 136, but still escape depends on Vlad.
5 Phoenix Demon goddess Verra orders Vlad to assassinate King of Greenaere island, where sorcery does not work. Except it does, a bit, just in time. Vlad suspects drummer Aibynn is a spy, but frees him as well. Morrolan and Aliera "preferred a good battle to a good meal .. young .. less than five hundred years old" p 233 rescue them.
From #4 philanderer, Vlad now has wife Cawti, in same house, estranged. Her need to support rebels is stronger than their "love". Whine: I still love you BUT. Not believable. Both help rescue other, but rift is permanent, for now. Meet again? Don't care.
Confusing on many levels. Vlad is "human", Easterner, Jhereg, therefore shunned. If Dragaerans are from House of Dragon, one of 17, all long-lived, otherwise different physically, culturally, geographically, why is "Dragaeran -- an Orca and probably a seaman .. pretty old .. at least a couple of thousand years" p 49? Dragaerans beat up Vlad since he was a kid, so he hates them all. Except two.
Morrolan and Sethra have Great Weapons. #4 they apologize for trick to meet, repeatedly save lives. By #5, fast friends. So he transfers hate to Empire, he says. Yet he tries to save Empress and negotiates peace with enemy. Orb, source of sorcery magic, rotates above head of Empress, protects her, shows by color Vlad "telling truth" p 306, but Empress knows he prevaricates. Vlad is philanderer in #4, but in #5, he bemoans rejection of wife Cawti.
Italics are also for conversations with Loiosh, fatally venomous jhereg on shoulder. Why not just say dragonet? Imagine my rant. 2002 Pronunciation Guide 1-pg is mostly proper names. Level of wit "Shut up" p 6. Loiosh comforts, helps - diversion, weapon.
Is foretelling intended to encourage buying sequels? Rather annoys. #4 Aliera "less than a thousand years old" p 146 and Vlad both "seemed to recognize" p 147 Kieron "old as the Empire" p 146. #5 Devera toddler with gran Verra hides from Aliera "Mama see me .. might upset things" p 378.
Sudden changes from #4 to #5. Vlad from philanderer to lovelorn rejected husband. Dragonet Loiosh has mate Rocza. No wonder doesn't matter whether read in order of chronology or publication.
4 Taltos Jumps around present, past, drags out single spell to escape Halls of Death. Girls are either a continual stream of names, diversion where narrator Vladimir Taltos wasted high assassin wages, or the one to save the world, Aliera. Weak, but stubborn, she will not leave without Morrolan despite his willingness to stay, sacrifice life forever. Neither will Vlad, after they save each others' lives repeatedly.
Italicized paragraphs about spell preparation and following sleep precede main text, which diverts into biography of narrator. Maybe intended to compress tension. Rather sucks oomph like balloon deflating.
Past is important for friend Kiera to train in thief skills and ask him to keep small vial of goddess blood on neck cord. Grandpa Noishe-pa teaches him witchcraft, chants, tools, unlike sorcery, wave of hand teleport. Nausea is boring every time, till finally stone suppresses #5.
"Cousins" Lord Morrolan and vampire Sethra Lavode, last alive "fifteen thousand years ago" p 8 have Great Weapons; named black Morganti swords suck souls. She can't leave Black Castle, so they fool Vlad into coming, but apologize after. As "human" Easterner, he can pass wards that protect staff where her soul has been trapped for centuries, and leave Halls of Dead when restored to life by gods Lords of Judgement - probably. Verra is on their side, opposes her lover Barlan "Tough cookies .. You damn betcha, feather-breath" p 136, but still escape depends on Vlad.
5 Phoenix Demon goddess Verra orders Vlad to assassinate King of Greenaere island, where sorcery does not work. Except it does, a bit, just in time. Vlad suspects drummer Aibynn is a spy, but frees him as well. Morrolan and Aliera "preferred a good battle to a good meal .. young .. less than five hundred years old" p 233 rescue them.
From #4 philanderer, Vlad now has wife Cawti, in same house, estranged. Her need to support rebels is stronger than their "love". Whine: I still love you BUT. Not believable. Both help rescue other, but rift is permanent, for now. Meet again? Don't care.
January 3, 2013
Reviewing PHOENIX first, then the compilation.
This is my least favorite in the series thus far, although I can't quite put my finger on why. Part of it is that so much time was spent away from the Empire, I think. Another part is that, unfortunately, a character whom I liked in earlier books became one I really can't stand. Also, a couple of minor characters whom I liked bought the farm, apparently permanently. That depressed me.
I will say that Vlad showed a lot of growth in his character. The last third or so of the book really picked up and caught my attention, in a good way. The ending has a lot of promise and makes me wonder what will happen with Vlad next. Overall, four stars. (And I love what Noish-pa did for Vlad. Yes!!)
The compilation: I'd say 4.25 stars since TALTOS is one of the best, if not *the* best, of the series yet. It made PHOENIX seem that much weaker, alas. Oh, and the cover is all wrong, although cool.
This is my least favorite in the series thus far, although I can't quite put my finger on why. Part of it is that so much time was spent away from the Empire, I think. Another part is that, unfortunately, a character whom I liked in earlier books became one I really can't stand. Also, a couple of minor characters whom I liked bought the farm, apparently permanently. That depressed me.
I will say that Vlad showed a lot of growth in his character. The last third or so of the book really picked up and caught my attention, in a good way. The ending has a lot of promise and makes me wonder what will happen with Vlad next. Overall, four stars. (And I love what Noish-pa did for Vlad. Yes!!)
The compilation: I'd say 4.25 stars since TALTOS is one of the best, if not *the* best, of the series yet. It made PHOENIX seem that much weaker, alas. Oh, and the cover is all wrong, although cool.
November 18, 2012
9.5*
What a wonderful and complex character Vlad Taltos is!
In this collection are the books Taltos and Phoenix and in their pages are the stories of Vlad's trip through the Paths of the Dead,mthe origins of his friendships with Morrolan, Aliera, and Sethra and the events leading to a great change in his life. The wry humor, the slightly sardonic tone--both fit the narrator's voice perfectly, yet we still feel his confusion and anguish, even his fear at times.
Burst weaves tales that are compelling and many-layered. Can't wait to read more!
What a wonderful and complex character Vlad Taltos is!
In this collection are the books Taltos and Phoenix and in their pages are the stories of Vlad's trip through the Paths of the Dead,mthe origins of his friendships with Morrolan, Aliera, and Sethra and the events leading to a great change in his life. The wry humor, the slightly sardonic tone--both fit the narrator's voice perfectly, yet we still feel his confusion and anguish, even his fear at times.
Burst weaves tales that are compelling and many-layered. Can't wait to read more!
October 24, 2018
This was very close to a 5 star review. Taltos is an enjoyable prequel exploring Vlad and Morrelan and how they became companions, as well as Liara. It also explores a little bit of the gods of the world. It's enjoyable, but a little light. But Phoenix was amazing - picking up from where book 3 (Teckla) left off, Vlad is sent on an assassination by Verra, and the ramifications of his actions play out through the rest of the book, leading to war, rebellion, and the imprisonment of Cawti on multiple occasions. But even with all that happens (and a lot happens), it's the relationships and the characters that are at the heart of it - seeing Vlad interact with Cawti, and Noish-Pa, and Morrelan and Kragar, and even fascinating new character Aibynn, is wonderful no matter what else is going on. Vlad isn't an omnipotent warrior or assassin - he makes mistakes, ends up depending on friends, and survives more by the skin of his teeth (and the occasional divine intercession), but he makes plans and improvises, and those skills are what help him survive. There are multiple twists and turns, and some of the funniest moments of the series so far in book five, even as it deals with serious subjects and complex characters. I finished the book and immediately wanted more, which is the best I can say for any series.
February 12, 2024
The series remains enjoyable. Continuing to revisit the series in the collected format, though no real need to do so. Since Brust brings up the question of the proper reading order in his intros to these, I feel it worth noting that there may be a continuity error: Taltos is the earliest story in Vlad's chronology (obviously there are other Dragaeran novels even earlier) and in it he talks about Ferenk's, a tavern that features Easterner brandy and reminisces about meeting another friend there before; but I'm pretty sure that meeting happened in a book that may have been published earlier, but described events that happened later in his life. Oh, well, minor point.
Phoenix was more remarkable to me: when I first started reading it I had almost no memory of it, but near the end it was full of some of the most memorable scenes from the first time I read the series. Not that I could anticipate what was going to happen in the story, but everything echoed with familiarity as I read it. And it gets Vlad to the point in his life where I last remember him being; I am pretty sure I read the next three books, but have only an inkling of what else may happen (though one is set earlier in the chronology so doesn't really count).
Phoenix was more remarkable to me: when I first started reading it I had almost no memory of it, but near the end it was full of some of the most memorable scenes from the first time I read the series. Not that I could anticipate what was going to happen in the story, but everything echoed with familiarity as I read it. And it gets Vlad to the point in his life where I last remember him being; I am pretty sure I read the next three books, but have only an inkling of what else may happen (though one is set earlier in the chronology so doesn't really count).
October 8, 2018
Well, Brust convinced me. This is an awesome series and I order everyone to buy and read it.
Fully deserving five out of five.
A few things about the character are unnerving, but well, that's the character. Brust has proven that he can handle varying settings, plotlines and characters. I was a little upset with the general topic in this book, but all the more positively I'm surprised how it played all out in the end! He's done a brilliant job with a most challenging topic.
I'm now officially a full blooded Taltos Fan, and hereby announce I shall buy the whole series in print (currently e-book reading) once it's done, and then I'll read it again in chronologically correct order, story-wise.
However, once I'm done with Hugh Miller, I'll be reading some other fiction as well, so maybe then I can come up with more points of pro and con for the next review. Right now I'm fully absorbed with Brusts style, it all just seems natural and fitting - and that, I should say, is a big plus.
Fully deserving five out of five.
A few things about the character are unnerving, but well, that's the character. Brust has proven that he can handle varying settings, plotlines and characters. I was a little upset with the general topic in this book, but all the more positively I'm surprised how it played all out in the end! He's done a brilliant job with a most challenging topic.
I'm now officially a full blooded Taltos Fan, and hereby announce I shall buy the whole series in print (currently e-book reading) once it's done, and then I'll read it again in chronologically correct order, story-wise.
However, once I'm done with Hugh Miller, I'll be reading some other fiction as well, so maybe then I can come up with more points of pro and con for the next review. Right now I'm fully absorbed with Brusts style, it all just seems natural and fitting - and that, I should say, is a big plus.
January 9, 2024
Neste duplo maravilhoso volume temos em Taltos Vlad a conhecer Morrolan e Sethra, para vir mais tarde a salvar Aliera do Paths of the dead. Aqui a presença e importância dos deuses é enfatizada.
E em Phoenix, que é verdadeiramente brilhante temos o momento decisivo da relação com a mulher Cawti e o seu envolvimento numa revolução contra o império e todas as consequências que isso vem trazer para Vlad e a sua vida futura .
Este autor não para de surpreender e faz com que Vlad seja o assassino por quem eu quero torcer, bem como Loiosh e Rocza os Jheregs amigos psiónicos que estão sempre presentes para salvar Vlad nos momentos mais difíceis
E em Phoenix, que é verdadeiramente brilhante temos o momento decisivo da relação com a mulher Cawti e o seu envolvimento numa revolução contra o império e todas as consequências que isso vem trazer para Vlad e a sua vida futura .
Este autor não para de surpreender e faz com que Vlad seja o assassino por quem eu quero torcer, bem como Loiosh e Rocza os Jheregs amigos psiónicos que estão sempre presentes para salvar Vlad nos momentos mais difíceis
May 26, 2017
Not my favorite Vlad novel, but pivotal
This is probably the pivotal novel in the series thus far.
All the characters you've come to know and love are here, but Vlad's life gets completely jumbled and this marks the beginning of his downward spiral. It's all just a little painful to watch.
This is probably the pivotal novel in the series thus far.
All the characters you've come to know and love are here, but Vlad's life gets completely jumbled and this marks the beginning of his downward spiral. It's all just a little painful to watch.
October 5, 2017
I purchased this on as I closed a month end with work. Headphones in, having my phone read it back to me. Steven Brust has this knack of developing his characters to be full of sarcasm & wit. I was chuckling like a creep in my office, as Vlad's sarcasm spoke directly to my personality. It only took me two days to power through this book.
April 16, 2019
I still love the world and the main character. I’m getting a feel for Brusts style now as well. Not as much fun as the first three books where I feel I’ve discovered something new but I will definitely stay with this series for a while. The second part of this book (the 5th actual “book”) was a little disjointed for my liking and rushed at the end. Still. Great characters and world.
January 9, 2024
Some good stories
The wild adventure and clever solutions we expect from Vlad, and a lot of changes to his life. We get the backstory on Aliera, and the forward story on the Easterner uprising, in one book. Looking forward to the next one!
The wild adventure and clever solutions we expect from Vlad, and a lot of changes to his life. We get the backstory on Aliera, and the forward story on the Easterner uprising, in one book. Looking forward to the next one!
May 22, 2017
Two of the best Vlad novels. Both involving the gods and impossible missions.
January 17, 2018
It is a good book
November 14, 2018
Loved the way each story is told with a different writing style. Vlad is such a great character.
June 1, 2020
Awesome 😎
November 29, 2020
Written in the same compelling voice as books 1-3, these two lacked depth. 3.5 stars
June 22, 2021
The trama it´s fantastic.
July 22, 2022
The second two Vlad Taltos books add a bit more depth and nuance to the ongoing series. Full review: https://fakegeekboy.wordpress.com/200...
February 10, 2023
Book 4 was awful. Book 5 almost made up for it.
May 25, 2023
Great volume to have in this series. Enjoyed both books within. Will for sure be going on towards the next ones.
October 10, 2023
Two of the novels together.
Not bad!
Not bad!
June 22, 2012
This omnibus collects the fourth and fifth volumes in Steven Brust's Dragaera series, Taltos and Phoenix. I read the first three books collected as The Book of Jhereg about five years ago, and while I remembered a bit about the world Brust presents, those stories had completely faded from my memory. I expect the same will happen with these two installments as well. The world of Dragaera is interesting and appealing, but other aspects of the books aren't quite as strong.
Although published fourth, Taltos is chronologically the first story in the series. It introduces Vlad Taltos, a human assassin operating in the Dragaeran Empire. In an interesting twist, the tall, magically-adept Dragaerans (nicknamed "elfs" by the humans) are the dominant species in Brust's world, with humans (called "Easterners" by the Dragaerans) generally relegated to the fringes of society. This book covers Taltos' youth, with a parallel plot-line involving a quest into the Dragaeran land of the dead. The story provides a good deal of insight into the character of Taltos, as well as describing how he gained some of the powerful allies that feature so heavily in the other stories.
The other book in the omnibus, Phoenix, was the more troubled of the pair. In this story, Taltos is called upon by a goddess to assassinate the king of a minor nation. Just why this is necessary is never satisfactorily revealed, although there's some hinting about portents, etc. There's another thread dealing with the human liberation group Taltos's wife belongs to and it's struggle with the Dragaeran Empire, but this plot seemed fairly muddled as well. The ending was much better than the rest of the book, however; Taltos and the final pages of Phoenix are good enough to earn three stars, rather than the two I would've awarded otherwise.
I'm starting to thing Brust may not be the author for me. I find the world of Dragaera interesting and I'm fond of fantasy crime stories (Lankhmar, etc.), but the plots in this volume were a little weak. The Vlad Taltos character is well realized, but the (unnecessarily numerous) supporting characters basically seem to have one shtick. There's Sneaky Guy, Thief Girl, Uptight Swordsman, etc. Whenever Sneaky Guy appears, he's being sneaky, that's it, there's no further development. Uptight Swordsman is Uptight, and Long Cat is Long.
Vlad Taltos's "voice" (the books are written in first person) also rubs me the wrong way. He relates the story in a very casual, modern tone. He talks like every Joss Whedon character, basically. (It didn't surprise me at all to find out that Brust has written a full-length Firefly fan-fic novel.) For some readers (who may also be Whedon fans), this is probably not a drawback. However, I can only take Whedon in small doses, and when Brust (speaking through the character of Vlad Taltos) is describing life and death struggles and the fate of nations in a Whedonesque flippant, detached manner, I find I can't muster up much emotional involvement in the story. If the narrator isn't taking things seriously, why should I?
I own one more Dragaera omnibus, collecting the next two volumes in the series. I'll read Athyra and Orca before deciding whether to keep going or to abandon the series entirely.
Although published fourth, Taltos is chronologically the first story in the series. It introduces Vlad Taltos, a human assassin operating in the Dragaeran Empire. In an interesting twist, the tall, magically-adept Dragaerans (nicknamed "elfs" by the humans) are the dominant species in Brust's world, with humans (called "Easterners" by the Dragaerans) generally relegated to the fringes of society. This book covers Taltos' youth, with a parallel plot-line involving a quest into the Dragaeran land of the dead. The story provides a good deal of insight into the character of Taltos, as well as describing how he gained some of the powerful allies that feature so heavily in the other stories.
The other book in the omnibus, Phoenix, was the more troubled of the pair. In this story, Taltos is called upon by a goddess to assassinate the king of a minor nation. Just why this is necessary is never satisfactorily revealed, although there's some hinting about portents, etc. There's another thread dealing with the human liberation group Taltos's wife belongs to and it's struggle with the Dragaeran Empire, but this plot seemed fairly muddled as well. The ending was much better than the rest of the book, however; Taltos and the final pages of Phoenix are good enough to earn three stars, rather than the two I would've awarded otherwise.
I'm starting to thing Brust may not be the author for me. I find the world of Dragaera interesting and I'm fond of fantasy crime stories (Lankhmar, etc.), but the plots in this volume were a little weak. The Vlad Taltos character is well realized, but the (unnecessarily numerous) supporting characters basically seem to have one shtick. There's Sneaky Guy, Thief Girl, Uptight Swordsman, etc. Whenever Sneaky Guy appears, he's being sneaky, that's it, there's no further development. Uptight Swordsman is Uptight, and Long Cat is Long.
Vlad Taltos's "voice" (the books are written in first person) also rubs me the wrong way. He relates the story in a very casual, modern tone. He talks like every Joss Whedon character, basically. (It didn't surprise me at all to find out that Brust has written a full-length Firefly fan-fic novel.) For some readers (who may also be Whedon fans), this is probably not a drawback. However, I can only take Whedon in small doses, and when Brust (speaking through the character of Vlad Taltos) is describing life and death struggles and the fate of nations in a Whedonesque flippant, detached manner, I find I can't muster up much emotional involvement in the story. If the narrator isn't taking things seriously, why should I?
I own one more Dragaera omnibus, collecting the next two volumes in the series. I'll read Athyra and Orca before deciding whether to keep going or to abandon the series entirely.
December 24, 2012
Two books, two reviews.
Taltos: So I complained a little after reading the three parts of The Book of Jhereg that Brust was far too fond of jumping in without backstory. I stand corrected. This ENTIRE BOOK was backstory, which was kind of overkill, I think. There are two main storylines that Brust hops between, sometimes closely enough that it took me a minute to figure out that we were hopping. One is how Vlad became an assassin, and the other is his trip to the Paths of the Dead. I grew into liking the Paths of the Dead storyline because it's weird and fascinating and Morrolan and Aliera are my favorite characters. I never grew into liking the other because it felt rather forced, as if this was the Book of Backstory and this tale had to be told. Also, its end overlaps a bit with Yendi, so it felt kind of repetitive. I did really like the introduction of Aliera, though, and it was a good adventure.
Phoenix: We return to the timeline left by Teckla, which I wasn't particularly fond of. The thing is, Brust rides this very interesting line of writing class warfare into fantasy realms, but I never actually cared about anyone directly involved in the fight. Also, I have no idea what the point of the gods is; they were kind of interesting in "Taltos," but here they just seem like plot devices--angry, short-sighted plot devices. I imagine Brust is laying the tracks for things he'll come back to in later books, but I just didn't get attached to anything that was going on. Definitely not the best of the series so far--although the Empress is, indeed, fascinating, and Morrolan and Aliera are still my favorites.
Taltos: So I complained a little after reading the three parts of The Book of Jhereg that Brust was far too fond of jumping in without backstory. I stand corrected. This ENTIRE BOOK was backstory, which was kind of overkill, I think. There are two main storylines that Brust hops between, sometimes closely enough that it took me a minute to figure out that we were hopping. One is how Vlad became an assassin, and the other is his trip to the Paths of the Dead. I grew into liking the Paths of the Dead storyline because it's weird and fascinating and Morrolan and Aliera are my favorite characters. I never grew into liking the other because it felt rather forced, as if this was the Book of Backstory and this tale had to be told. Also, its end overlaps a bit with Yendi, so it felt kind of repetitive. I did really like the introduction of Aliera, though, and it was a good adventure.
Phoenix: We return to the timeline left by Teckla, which I wasn't particularly fond of. The thing is, Brust rides this very interesting line of writing class warfare into fantasy realms, but I never actually cared about anyone directly involved in the fight. Also, I have no idea what the point of the gods is; they were kind of interesting in "Taltos," but here they just seem like plot devices--angry, short-sighted plot devices. I imagine Brust is laying the tracks for things he'll come back to in later books, but I just didn't get attached to anything that was going on. Definitely not the best of the series so far--although the Empress is, indeed, fascinating, and Morrolan and Aliera are still my favorites.
December 6, 2014
It was an excellent choice to combine the earliest story by internal chronology with what was, when it was written, the latest. The earlier books, showing how Vlad's been forced to become hard, juxtaposed with the later ones, where he's forced to deal with what he does, really, really works. On a shallower note, flipping from fun-murder to no-wait-this-is-actually-murder makes for an enjoyable read. Fun and then catharsis.
Taltos is a romp. It touches on ethics a bit - Vlad's not a block of stone, he's a fully realized human who kills people without much regret. It describes the violence he has to navigate as a youngster, and how he survives it. It shows his introduction to "work". It's sad, but mostly becoming an assassin is a major improvement for Vlad, and things aren't examined more closely. It's fun. And the other story winding through this book, the Paths of the Dead bit, work to provide some... honour, maybe? Some good to a character who's not shown loads in this story. I didn't enjoy that bit as much, to be honest, because I am shallow and prefer to take advantage of the fun pre-conscience Vlad supplies.
Phoenix is drastically different. Post-Teckla Vlad has to face his conscience. I loved aspects of it - it's funny, I love Cawti, it's dramatic, Vlad rises from the ashes in a satisfying manner - but overall, Vlad's conscience makes me like him less. It shines a light on the truth of what Vlad does, and he starts to draw lines that aren't where I would draw them, and it becomes real instead of silly and I end up hating Vlad. Maybe it's bad that I can enjoy murder romps but I loath those same characters when they force actual ethics into the picture, but oh well. Ending made me nervous/excited for the next books.
As individual books, Phoenix is my favourite Vlad-with-conscience story so far, and I liked it well enough. Taltos is not as strong as Jhereg. As a collection, though, five stars. The juxtaposition worked way better in this volume.
Taltos is a romp. It touches on ethics a bit - Vlad's not a block of stone, he's a fully realized human who kills people without much regret. It describes the violence he has to navigate as a youngster, and how he survives it. It shows his introduction to "work". It's sad, but mostly becoming an assassin is a major improvement for Vlad, and things aren't examined more closely. It's fun. And the other story winding through this book, the Paths of the Dead bit, work to provide some... honour, maybe? Some good to a character who's not shown loads in this story. I didn't enjoy that bit as much, to be honest, because I am shallow and prefer to take advantage of the fun pre-conscience Vlad supplies.
Phoenix is drastically different. Post-Teckla Vlad has to face his conscience. I loved aspects of it - it's funny, I love Cawti, it's dramatic, Vlad rises from the ashes in a satisfying manner - but overall, Vlad's conscience makes me like him less. It shines a light on the truth of what Vlad does, and he starts to draw lines that aren't where I would draw them, and it becomes real instead of silly and I end up hating Vlad. Maybe it's bad that I can enjoy murder romps but I loath those same characters when they force actual ethics into the picture, but oh well. Ending made me nervous/excited for the next books.
As individual books, Phoenix is my favourite Vlad-with-conscience story so far, and I liked it well enough. Taltos is not as strong as Jhereg. As a collection, though, five stars. The juxtaposition worked way better in this volume.
September 22, 2010
Thoroughly enjoyable fantasy/caper romp.
This volume includes the 4 and 5 novels in the series, which follow Vlad Taltos. The series reminds me of Harry Harrison’s Stainless Steel Rat series, in that it places a heist/caper story (usually with a bit of political intrigue) in a non-modern setting, Science Fiction for the Stainless Steel Rat and Fantasy for Vlad.
Though, unlike the Stainless Steel Rat books, Vlad is much more tied to a specific place, the City of Adrilankha, and has a more static set of supporting characters. Brust manages to make Vlad Taltos an enjoyable lead, which given that Vlad is a mid-level mob boss, remorseless assassin, human who hates his own people and detests the ruling Dragaerans (Not-Elf, Elves who run things) even though he is nominally a noble of the Dragaeran court. Much of the action in each book revolves around a self-contained caper, that being said, there are themes and subplots that continue to be visited through each of books making them very much a series and not just a bunch of books sharing characters and a setting. (Evidently, there are some people who attempt to read the series in chronological order as opposed to publication order, but the subplots and themes would be rendered incomprehensible by doing this.)
The first book in this volume, Taltos, tells the story of how Vlad Taltos and a number of the other major supporting characters came to know one another. This story takes place before any of the other novels, but details an event that is referenced throughout the first few books. The second, Phoenix, continues on from the end of the 3rd novel, which left off during a human initiated uprising and the possible disintegration of Vlad’s marriage.
This volume includes the 4 and 5 novels in the series, which follow Vlad Taltos. The series reminds me of Harry Harrison’s Stainless Steel Rat series, in that it places a heist/caper story (usually with a bit of political intrigue) in a non-modern setting, Science Fiction for the Stainless Steel Rat and Fantasy for Vlad.
Though, unlike the Stainless Steel Rat books, Vlad is much more tied to a specific place, the City of Adrilankha, and has a more static set of supporting characters. Brust manages to make Vlad Taltos an enjoyable lead, which given that Vlad is a mid-level mob boss, remorseless assassin, human who hates his own people and detests the ruling Dragaerans (Not-Elf, Elves who run things) even though he is nominally a noble of the Dragaeran court. Much of the action in each book revolves around a self-contained caper, that being said, there are themes and subplots that continue to be visited through each of books making them very much a series and not just a bunch of books sharing characters and a setting. (Evidently, there are some people who attempt to read the series in chronological order as opposed to publication order, but the subplots and themes would be rendered incomprehensible by doing this.)
The first book in this volume, Taltos, tells the story of how Vlad Taltos and a number of the other major supporting characters came to know one another. This story takes place before any of the other novels, but details an event that is referenced throughout the first few books. The second, Phoenix, continues on from the end of the 3rd novel, which left off during a human initiated uprising and the possible disintegration of Vlad’s marriage.
August 4, 2012
Disclaimer: I am going to be honest here, I had my doubts about this series. I simply didn't think it could have gotten better. I was so very wrong....
Review for Taltos
Characters 4/5-The only week point, I feel as if all the introductions weren't as fleshed out as I would have liked them to be. Vlad's development, however, out shined them all, which I find absolutely nothing wrong with :D
Plot 5/5 - This was interesting and enchanting. Not so much fighting, but hey, a novel can't always be about fighting all the time right?
Pace 5/5 - Did not know Brust had upped his ante when it came to a novel's pacing. Everything was spaced out perfectly and organized quite well.
Prose 5/5 - Oh dear, Brust's descriptions of the Paths of the Dead is something I would attribute to the one aspect of hell that I would actually consider hell. It was all brilliantly put together and flowed quite nicely!
World 5/5 - And here Brust shines again. The world he has created is so incredibly deep that I fear that I will soon get completely lost in it.
Total: 4+5+5+5+5 = 24/5 = 4.8 which obviously rounds to 5.
Review of Phoenix
^Here is where a shining review should be, but I was too lazy to write. Let it be known, however that this book was absolutely perfect^
Ultimate Total: 4.8 + 5 = 9.8/5 = 4.9 which rounds to 5.
Final words: Damn this was good.
Review for Taltos
Characters 4/5-The only week point, I feel as if all the introductions weren't as fleshed out as I would have liked them to be. Vlad's development, however, out shined them all, which I find absolutely nothing wrong with :D
Plot 5/5 - This was interesting and enchanting. Not so much fighting, but hey, a novel can't always be about fighting all the time right?
Pace 5/5 - Did not know Brust had upped his ante when it came to a novel's pacing. Everything was spaced out perfectly and organized quite well.
Prose 5/5 - Oh dear, Brust's descriptions of the Paths of the Dead is something I would attribute to the one aspect of hell that I would actually consider hell. It was all brilliantly put together and flowed quite nicely!
World 5/5 - And here Brust shines again. The world he has created is so incredibly deep that I fear that I will soon get completely lost in it.
Total: 4+5+5+5+5 = 24/5 = 4.8 which obviously rounds to 5.
Review of Phoenix
^Here is where a shining review should be, but I was too lazy to write. Let it be known, however that this book was absolutely perfect^
Ultimate Total: 4.8 + 5 = 9.8/5 = 4.9 which rounds to 5.
Final words: Damn this was good.
March 27, 2014
Taltos : Vlad is still new to being a boss when one of his men betrays him, or so he thinks. Suddenly he is with some of the most powerful Dragaerans in the Empire. They want his help and they aren't shy about it. The strange thing is they don't want someone killed, they want something stolen and Vlad is the man for the job because he is an Easterner. It doesn't stop there because this volume also includes Vlad's infamous journey into the Paths of the Dead. It was interesting to see his interactions with these characters before they became friends. This one also has background on Vlad's early life.
Phoenix : In Taltos Vlad met the gods and learned about the way they work a bit. So you would think he would know better than to pray to the goddess Verra for help. Actually she set him up so that she could offer him a job. He doesn't know why but he finds himself traveling to an island country to assassinate a king. The island is a strange and interesting place where the magics of this world do not function normally. Suddenly the Empire is on the brink of war and Cawti and her band of rebels are harassing it from the other side. This could end very badly.
Original Review on my Website
Phoenix : In Taltos Vlad met the gods and learned about the way they work a bit. So you would think he would know better than to pray to the goddess Verra for help. Actually she set him up so that she could offer him a job. He doesn't know why but he finds himself traveling to an island country to assassinate a king. The island is a strange and interesting place where the magics of this world do not function normally. Suddenly the Empire is on the brink of war and Cawti and her band of rebels are harassing it from the other side. This could end very badly.
Original Review on my Website
January 7, 2014
Taltos - It's been several months since I read the first three in this series. So it's possibly I'm just forgetting things. But this world is really complicated. I can't keep the race and the...house?...clear in my head. Also, are all these people humanoid? I just found myself really confused with it. It didn't help that there are three basic stories being told simultaneously. Never mind that this book takes place before most (if not all, I can't remember) of the previous 3. There's the ritual at the beginning of every chapter...most of which I could care less about. Then we alternated the book's present and Vlad's past. The past filled in a few details, but a lot of it didn't seem to matter to the present, so it was weird why it was included. Still, even with all this, I definitely enjoyed the book. I'll be reading the next one once I get through the current stack of library books I've got.
Phoenix - I have to say that I enjoyed this one better than Taltos. It didn't have nearly as much of the constant flashbacks. I do continually find myself confused since each of these books hops back and forth in time, but it doesn't bother me too very much.
Phoenix - I have to say that I enjoyed this one better than Taltos. It didn't have nearly as much of the constant flashbacks. I do continually find myself confused since each of these books hops back and forth in time, but it doesn't bother me too very much.
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