Rating: 
Summary: Struggled to get thru this!!
Review: "I would like to review this book." "How, you would like to review this book?" "Yes, I would." "Then, I await for your review." "I will do so." "I am eager to hear it." "As I am eager to tell." AAAAGGGHHH.....GET ON WITH IT ALREADY! I could have read this book in half the time by taking out the unimportant dialog and unneccesary descriptions...especially when told they weren't important! This will be this first book that I have ever returned!
Rating: 
Summary: Brust, who I want to be when I grow up
Review: Every now and then you read a book on pure faith based solely and completely on the name of the author. Such was my experience with The Phoenix Guards. I'm a huge fan of the Vlad Taltos series, and the fresh approach and folksy manner of the storytelling drew me in completely. That does not appear in this book at all. What we have here is a prime example of a truly talented artist stretching his wings a bit to see what he can do. And my oh my, can he do a lot. Brust stated that he became intruiged with the idea of writing in the Dumasian style where a simple conversation might be stretched out to PAGES in length simply to extend the word count. Dumas did it because he got paid by the word. Brust did it to see what he could do with the format, and rarely in the history of the English language in print has it been used so richly. I would seriously compare the depth and tone of conversation to Milton's use of language in "Paradise Lost". Seriously. Each conversation between our principle characters has a tangible feel to it. It has weight, gravity and texture. It's rich and subtle and full of life. It's language at a sensous and almost indecent level that caresses the reader and seduces the mind with turns of phrase and delightful witticism. I read Brust for pleasure, plain and simple, but I usually tear through his books at a breakneck pace, finishing them only a few hours after purchase. But not the Khaavren series. Those I cherish and pour over slowly to catch each nuance, each turn of phrase. Savoring it and the talent of the man who crafted it. If you want to read one of the great overlooked masterpieces of modern literature, pick up Brust's Khaavren Romances.
Rating:
Summary: Annoying, but great fun nonetheless
Review: For anyone who is a fan of the Vlad Taltos series, there is no need to read this or any other review. The Khaavren Romance, which opens with The Phoenix Guards, present a history of the Dragaeran empire prior to and including Adron's Disaster (which is the subject of the sequel to the Phoenix Guards, Five Hundred Years After), and leads up to the Empire that Vlad inhabits.Those who have not read Vlad Taltos (beginning with "Jhereg") ought to start there, to stoke your interest in the Dragaera universe. Of course, starting here is not a bad idea either, as this is an excellent read. It is at first, however, tedious and annoying, because the narrator is intrusive, verbose, and overly descriptive. The character of the narrator, however, is part of the fun, as the reader will realize after getting through most of the book - and that adds a new dimension of interest to the novel. The storyline is fresh, and while not fast-paced, contains enough intrigue, suspense, and action to keep the reader hooked through all of the narrator's ridiculous verbosities. The dialogue is witty, in its own way, and very enjoyable. You will also build a large and impressive vocabulary, which is always a plus.
Rating:
Summary: Annoying, but great fun nonetheless
Review: For anyone who is a fan of the Vlad Taltos series, there is no need to read this or any other review. The Khaavren Romance, which opens with The Phoenix Guards, present a history of the Dragaeran empire prior to and including Adron's Disaster (which is the subject of the sequel to the Phoenix Guards, Five Hundred Years After), and leads up to the Empire that Vlad inhabits. Those who have not read Vlad Taltos (beginning with "Jhereg") ought to start there, to stoke your interest in the Dragaera universe. Of course, starting here is not a bad idea either, as this is an excellent read. It is at first, however, tedious and annoying, because the narrator is intrusive, verbose, and overly descriptive. The character of the narrator, however, is part of the fun, as the reader will realize after getting through most of the book - and that adds a new dimension of interest to the novel. The storyline is fresh, and while not fast-paced, contains enough intrigue, suspense, and action to keep the reader hooked through all of the narrator's ridiculous verbosities. The dialogue is witty, in its own way, and very enjoyable. You will also build a large and impressive vocabulary, which is always a plus.
Rating:
Summary: For a certain type of reader...
Review: For me, this book and the sequel, 500 Years After, were a blast. I've long been fond of the Vlad Taltos series for a light evening read, and these did not disappoint as another angle on that world. That said, the appeal will be for a certain type of reader, one who reads fast enough to make the long-winded passages breeze by quickly - quickly enough to enjoy their wit. If you read slowly, and expect to squeeze meat from every juxtaposition of words, these books will drive you nuts. An example: a long passage about the origin of a place name (Bengloarafurd Ford) that, when the layers of different languages are peeled back, translates to something like "ford ford ford ford ford". Read quickly, and the wit comes fast. Read slowly, and it will be like somebody explaining away a joke. Great fun, but not to everyone's taste. Very much to mine.
Rating:
Summary: For a certain type of reader...
Review: For me, this book and the sequel, 500 Years After, were a blast. I've long been fond of the Vlad Taltos series for a light evening read, and these did not disappoint as another angle on that world. That said, the appeal will be for a certain type of reader, one who reads fast enough to make the long-winded passages breeze by quickly - quickly enough to enjoy their wit. If you read slowly, and expect to squeeze meat from every juxtaposition of words, these books will drive you nuts. An example: a long passage about the origin of a place name (Bengloarafurd Ford) that, when the layers of different languages are peeled back, translates to something like "ford ford ford ford ford". Read quickly, and the wit comes fast. Read slowly, and it will be like somebody explaining away a joke. Great fun, but not to everyone's taste. Very much to mine.
Rating: 
Summary: Brust hooked Me with the enchanting writing Style
Review: I am not usually a fantasy reader outside the one's that everyone reads.. like the Lord of the Rings or John Norman's Gorean books (I've only managed to find the first ten of them). So when I began to read this one.. which was a gift, I must admit I was reticent. I soon found Myself totally embroiled with the the hero's of the story. I also found myself speaking to my friends in the manner that Brust handled his dialog. I had already done so before noticing their expressions. I like a book that I cannot guess the outcome and Brust surely did have me fooled right up to the end. I shall now set about finding the rest of the books that led to this one.. and then the ones after them. I loved this book!
Rating:
Summary: Brust hooked Me with the enchanting writing Style
Review: I am not usually a fantasy reader outside the one's that everyone reads.. like the Lord of the Rings or John Norman's Gorean books (I've only managed to find the first ten of them). So when I began to read this one.. which was a gift, I must admit I was reticent. I soon found Myself totally embroiled with the the hero's of the story. I also found myself speaking to my friends in the manner that Brust handled his dialog. I had already done so before noticing their expressions. I like a book that I cannot guess the outcome and Brust surely did have me fooled right up to the end. I shall now set about finding the rest of the books that led to this one.. and then the ones after them. I loved this book!
Rating:
Summary: Wry and witty
Review: I enjoyed this book so much that I read The Three Musketeers. The characters are shown to be complex individuals and the background for the story an important one in the history of the Dragaeran empire. Don't start the series from here or you'll get lost. A great read from a master storyteller.
Rating:
Summary: Flashing swords and genteel words make for a great story
Review: I have just finished The Phoenix Guards and I must say it has held me in thrall. I find my own speech patterns have been affected by the lovely turns of phrase and linguistic curiosities with which Mr. Brust has peppered his novel. Mr. Brust uses the third-person (Nearly-omniscient) point of view to craft a tale that is witty, cunning, and entertaining. The story is told as a written history collected by all-seeing, all-knowing Dragaeran historians. There are no dry spots. My only complaint is that, despite voliminous explanation to the contrary, I have no idea when in the Jhereg-series timeline all of this takes place (except for the vague timeframe of "Prior to Adron's disaster"). BTW: you get to meet Adron E'Kieron on stage towards the end, which is a treat.
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