Rating: 
Summary: Jhereg = great, Yendi = good, Teckla = glum
Review: This volume contains the second, third and fourth 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 "Jhereg" 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. Well-paced, good resolution of the three plotlines YENDI 4* -- complex and satisfying for a short book with a lot of strange twists. This is a rare book in any field because the lead character in a first person book dies and lives to tell about it. Fairly humorous but less so than Taltos and Jhereg. JHEREG 5* -- the first-published and best of the bunch, gives useful background, especially of how Vlad found his first Dragaeran friend and performed the witchcraft spell that netted him a familiar. This is the real starting point of the series. By this point, Vlad has become more established in his little mob-capo niche but that position is threatened by the Jhereg House bosses and he has to work his way out of being a target for the hit squads. TECKLA 2* -- maudlin and introspective without much context or reason for the tone. In this installment, Vlad's wife becomes part of a peasant rebellion and marital strife ensues. The ending isn't happy, nor satisfying (and those can be mutually exclusive). Dragon 4* -- published 8th, returns to form of witty banter, smart introspection and twisty plotting of earlier books. Takes place between Teckla and Phoenix, I think, but timeline is unclear. 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. 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. Overall the Jhereg 3-in-1 is a good place to start, but you should think about getting it with the Taltos 2-in-1 compendium (Taltos & Phoenix) because the five stories together have a continuous narrative arc.
Rating: 
Summary: Outstanding pace, engaging storytelling
Review: What I like most about Brust at his best is his ability to draw you into the story. Vlad has a tough-guy attitude, but you still feel for him as a person. The setting is unique, which is hard to find in modern fantasy. The characters have real depth, and as you read the series, you find out Vlad is a truly significant part of the world. Also, each of these books stand on their own. It's not like the endless (e.g. Jordan) series that never seem to provide closure. A great read.
Rating:
Summary: Breaking New Ground in Dark Fantasy
Review: When I first saw this book, I knew it would be either very good or very bad. I am very pleased that I made the decision to purchase. This book is very much in the genre of "Reimaging Eleves". The Elves, in this noval called Draegreans, are not immortal, but extremely long-lived. Humans, as we know them, are treated as second class citizens in the Draegrean Empire. The anti-hero, Vlad is an assassin who is purchasing his way into empire society through organized crime. The short novels detail his adventures as an assasin and his evolution into a class conscious being. The plots are laid out in a labrinyth of political intregue. Sorcery, witchcraft, and sword duals abound. The world is layered and intricate, complete with a pronunciation guide. This is a must read.
Rating:
Summary: Breaking New Ground in Dark Fantasy
Review: When I first saw this book, I knew it would be either very good or very bad. I am very pleased that I made the decision to purchase. This book is very much in the genre of "Reimaging Eleves". The Elves, in this noval called Draegreans, are not immortal, but extremely long-lived. Humans, as we know them, are treated as second class citizens in the Draegrean Empire. The anti-hero, Vlad is an assassin who is purchasing his way into empire society through organized crime. The short novels detail his adventures as an assasin and his evolution into a class conscious being. The plots are laid out in a labrinyth of political intregue. Sorcery, witchcraft, and sword duals abound. The world is layered and intricate, complete with a pronunciation guide. This is a must read.
Rating:
Summary: Breaking New Ground in Dark Fantasy
Review: When I first saw this book, I knew it would be either very good or very bad. I am very pleased that I made the decision to purchase. This book is very much in the genre of "Reimaging Eleves". The Elves, in this noval called Draegreans, are not immortal, but extremely long-lived. Humans, as we know them, are treated as second class citizens in the Draegrean Empire. The anti-hero, Vlad is an assassin who is purchasing his way into empire society through organized crime. The short novels detail his adventures as an assasin and his evolution into a class conscious being. The plots are laid out in a labrinyth of political intregue. Sorcery, witchcraft, and sword duals abound. The world is layered and intricate, complete with a pronunciation guide. This is a must read.
Rating:
Summary: Vivid, fast-paced, thoroughly entertaining
Review: _Jhereg_:
From the very first passage, I was completely enchanted; it quickly & skillfully drew me in, heart and soul. Brust writes with wit, humor and charm, colorfully describing characters, scenes, thoughts, simply everything about the world he's created. It's obvious that a great deal of thought went into this creation; he passes along casual details that hint of greater stories to come, including histories, myths, and rumors. The central figure is Vlad Taltos, one of the top assassins in the land. The other important figures are his assistants, his wife, a few antagonists, assorted friends and colleagues, but most importantly, his familiar, Loiosh. In addition to being a highly-skilled assassin, Vlad is also a very powerful witch. Loiosh is perhaps his strongest ally, being able to communicate with Vlad telepathically. Several characters are able to communicate this way, and it's a handy method to advance the story more quickly, without intrusive time delays and journeys back and forth. Part of what makes this story so easy to read is Brust's use of common language - he doesn't try to take us back into Olde Tyme, using overly-flowery, excessively eloquent language; he makes use of language as many of us do today, with only a few quirks thrown in to keep things interesting. It takes a lot to charm me this thoroughly, and I can't think of the words to describe how happy I am with this book, and everything about it - the characters, the dialogue, the quick pace, the story line, the plot twists, the detail, the simple elegance, the vivacity of it all. It is, in other words, amazing. I'll bet you won't be disappointed. _Yendi_:
I was enthralled with _Jhereg,_ and eagerly began _Yendi_ immediately upon finishing it, looking forward to once again being thoroughly immersed in the world Brust adeptly weaves around the reader. I was definitely not disappointed. I was a bit confused for the first few paragraphs, until I realized that _Yendi_ is actually a prequel to _Jhereg_. Vlad's voice flows easily, and the words just kind of glide through the reader's head - as the pages turned, pictures and scenes formed in my head without my really being aware of having read the sentences. This is the mark of a truly gifted yarn-spinner. Brust doesn't go to extreme lengths to try to justify everything and explain all of the rules, holding our hands through his thought processes; rather, he drops hints, and uses context to convey items of import. Sometimes, he flat out tells us "it's none of your business," or "that is a story for another time." He gives small nods to current culture icons such as Monty Python in places, and uses modern language instead of pained, stilted "Hie thee hence, lass!" "Evermore, milady" and other such stuffs, making it a much easier, more believable story and setting. A conflict within the House of Jhereg has Vlad being tossed hither and yon, caught right up in the heart of things - would you expect anything less? In the process, he meets two of the land's best assassins, is killed by one of them, falls wildly in love, and of course hatches a plot so clever you could put a tail on it and call it a weasel. A very entertaining next step in what will hopefully prove to be a great series. I'm tackling "Teckla" immediately! _Teckla_:
_Teckla_ is almost a complete 180-degree turn from the sort of books the first two in this series were; it is a dark, introspective, thoroughly angst-ridden journey through very personal areas of Vlad's soul. I was expecting a light-hearted romp much like the first two stories, and was thusly surprised and a bit disappointed by this book. My mind sometimes wandered as I plodded through the paragraphs, and I found myself thinking of other subjects; my attention just refused to be held by this story, until I came to terms with it being Different. Vlad and Cawti are completely at odds through most of the book, and Vlad is forced to confront his deepest fears, insecurities, and questions, right down to whether or not he can live with himself and with Cawti. He must face the huge question of being an assassin, or doing what might be The Right Thing...or not. There is quite a deep examination of social inequities, politics, and grass roots movement vs. The Way Things Have Always Been, which isn't my favorite sort of story, but if you like a political/social study, then you may love it. It's a very dark journey that's rather uncomfortable, and Brust puts us right there in the center of Vlad's soul, pressed up close to the discomfort itself - Vlad's inner turmoil is our constant companion, and it's not pleasant company. It's darned depressing, in fact, which is perhaps why I didn't enjoy it as much as the first two. There are, of course, the usual intra-organizational intrigues, multiple assassination attemps, and Vlad is naturally right smack in the middle. Still, there is very little spark to this story, no inner glow, no feel-good bits to keep us going; it almost felt to me like Brust had lost his enthusiasm for the series, or had run out of steam, or perhaps he was just trying something new that I wasn't as wild about. One thing, however, is developed more thoroughly here, and that is the relationship between Loiosh and Vlad, which had been fairly superficial in the first two. They gain depth and dimension, and we understand the bond between them more clearly after reading _Teckla._ Still, honestly? I didn't enjoy this book a great deal. It's not a bad book, and it's well-written, but it was an uncomfortable, fidgety read. I looked forward to it ending, whereas with the first two, I wanted them to go on and on. Hopefully with the next installment (which I'll pick up straightaway,) Brust will take us back to a happier time for Vlad.
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