Rating: 
Summary: Brust is a master storyteller
Review: Steven Brust has done wonders for the Fantasy genre. He has revived my interest by writing shady characters with flaws. His blistering first-person writing style is one of the best! He knows how to keep a story nice and (relatively) short.
Rating:
Summary: A phenomenal first read of Brust
Review: Steven Brust manages to write an immensely entertaining book that is not only beautifully written, with a complex plot, and engaging characters, but even slips in some serious issues, such as racism, without overtly preaching. The subtle interweaving of fantasy, philosophy, and Hungarian myth make for one of the best reads on the market.
Rating: 
Summary: The Empire's sanctity threatened, Vlad's origins revealed
Review: This book begins what could be considered the second phase of Vlad's professional life, and a second trilogy in the series(the first being Taltos, Dragon, and Yendi). Its plot is very complicated and clever, involving a Jhereg crimeboss with a deathwish for himself and Her Majesty's Government, and a certain assassin who may be destined for more than he had ever dreamed or wanted. The book's few flaws lie in its age; it is Brust's first novel and just once in a while that fact makes itself clear. The dialogue is occasionally stilted and one or two minor plot points seem inconsequential or forced, but on the whole they don't detract too much from the work. While not exemplary for the author, it is still worlds above the imitation Tolkien being peddled as "epic fantasy" these days; Brust can say more in 200 pages than Robert Jordan can in 1000.
Rating:
Summary: Great book, author, and character
Review: This book is one of my favorites; it deals with serious issues such as racial intolerance, but Brust is such a good writer that he can make it entertaining instead of sanctimonious.
Part of the fun of the Taltos books is the intriguing plots that the characters develop, and watching Vlad unravel those. The characterization is rock solid throughout the series, and Brust's sense of humor is strong enough that you ignore the fact that the main character is an assassin, albeit an extremely paranoid one.
All the other books in the series get an eight; this one gets a nine for the gift of simply introducing us to these characters.
Rating:
Summary: Couldn't put it down
Review: This book is the start of a fantastic series...check it out. The part that I like about it the most was the fact that Vlad is a guy that does things that a character would do (i.e. Sex, taking a pee, going for pints, etc.) He isnt one of these guys that would make an ideal English Gentelmen character that things nothing of the opposite sex throughout 3 novels. The story is great, and the characted development goes along with it.
Rating:
Summary: This book is nice and refreshing
Review: This book is the start of a fantastic series...check it out. The part that I like about it the most was the fact that Vlad is a guy that does things that a character would do (i.e. Sex, taking a pee, going for pints, etc.) He isnt one of these guys that would make an ideal English Gentelmen character that things nothing of the opposite sex throughout 3 novels. The story is great, and the characted development goes along with it.
Rating:
Summary: WOW! Absolutely detailed and magical!
Review: This is definitely one of my all-time favorites. I own most of the books in Vlad's series, but this one is definitely the best, equaled only by Phoenix. The plot was so intricately complicated, yet made such perfect sense that it was breathtaking. Steven Brust is definitely a master storyweaver, and his entire Dragaera series, including "The Phoenix Guards" and its sequel(s) is a must!
Rating:
Summary: The 1st and maybe the best
Review: This is the first novel in the taltos series. All 7 of these books are
incredible and worth buying. They revolve around an assassin/sorceror and his life. Each book has its own seperate plot, but true understanding
only comes when you read them in order. The order is _Jhereg_, _Yendi_, _Teckla_,
_Taltos_, _Pheonix_, _Athyra_, and _Orca_. The humor is great, alon with the plots and characters.
Highly Reccomended.
Rating:
Summary: An Excellent Combination of Sci-fi and Fantasy
Review: To me, Jhereg was an excellent and refreshing twist on a genre which tends to repeat the same themes over and over again. I am an avid reader of Forgotten Realms books, and when someone recommended this book to me, I felt it was a very fresh and enjoyable pause from that particular fantasy style.
Though some people may criticize the book for borrowing themes present in so many other fantasy books, which Brust tends to do - you must keep in mind that this is a common occurance with most novels. However, I think that focusing on this takes away from the enjoyablility of this novel.
The book contains a good mix of enoyable anti-heroes and very cunning villans, without having to bog down the novel with incredibly long and intricate fight scenes that many readers idly skip over. Instead, Brusts scenes are clear, and to the point, leaving more time for the more enjoyable storyline and character developement. Unlike many novels, his characters aren't clear cut and static, but rather can be identified with and have their own personalities.
Perhaps the most interesting thing about this novel was its style. The novel is written as a first person account from the main character's viewpoint. This was really the first novel I have read in a long time that was written in first person and was any good. In short, I would recommend to any fan of fantasy to pick up this book.
Rating:
Summary: Stephen Brust makes a dark fantasy series...YES!
Review: While reading "Jhereg" one can imagine that there aren't many novels that have something called darkness within excitement (unless you've read Ann Rice), but with this novel, you get suspense, magic, and the thing called intensity all rolled into a fantasy-bun. Brust's novel is the best interpretation of the novel that began with sinister characters that had good motives. With an assassin that plays the main character, Vlad Taltos, it is even foreshadowing this dark fantasy. What is meant by that is that the story just grips your spine and makes you keep reading with the excitement of who and what and where...all the w's needed to make someone interested in any novel are all here. For all those that love novels dealing with the occult or such would seriously consider going to "Jhereg" first.
|
