Reviews and Comments

This simply is a masterpiece. I took a few days with this one because I was savouring it. Unusually for these books, this follows straight on from the events in the previous. After all that cosmic powers guff and having been stuck in the wilderness for years, Vlad decides to go for a good meal. That, is the framing device for this novel and it is absolute genius. You are as interested in Brust's descriptions of the food and the tastes as of that meal you are about the fantasy mafia shenanigans that Vlad's ex-wife draws him in to. The beats of the meal become the beats of the story. Under all that is a disquisition about heroism and it's ramifications. I swear on this re-read (and I have read this book a few times) I still didn't know how it was all going to come together. Not through forgetting but just the sheer craft of how this tale is put together. This, is one of my favourite books ever and has made as positive an impression on me reading it now as it did when I first read it. An easy and obvious recommend.

We are now in a run on these books where the quality just does not dip until Vallista. This, like the book before, is another strong 4.5. Ostensibly this should be the most straightforward 'big fantasy' book of the series. Vlad is still running around in the wilderness avoiding the fantasy mafia, two of his powerful friends go missing and the most unlikely minor character comes to get him to help. Cosmic powers type shenanigans ensue. Gods and monsters battle for the fate of the world. Except, Brust skips by that lot as if to say, boring (because with Fantasy as a whole, it has largely become boring). I mean there's also a locked room thing going on with various Zelazny/Dumas type theatrics there but that's still just a side issue. That minor character that comes to the fore? She is all about courtesy, and courtesy is the meat of this. Brust does a good line in pointing out that courtesy is combat by any other means and when facing inscrutable ancient alien cosmic powers, courtesy might just be your best weapon. It's also a sad book at the end given the twist that gives Vlad the power up that has been hinted at since he just flat out stole an artifact from the undead wizard we have met twice before. Just excellent stuff even with all this going on. Recommended.

One thing I have always liked about these books is, while there is a place the author wants to get to, he's not afraid to just let a whole novel happen out of a minor side plot point. This is a strong zinger of a novel that has some shenanigans around a stolen magical artifact that end up with our assassin on the front lines. There is a nice bit about how sorcery (technology) has become so arcane and advanced that warfare has resorted back to gangs of people hitting each other with things. Brust does well here exploring what it would be like to be a soldier in what is effectively a pre-firearms setting and the value that a well, special operative, can bring to such a situation. This is 4.5 material and I went through this re-read in near enough one sitting, One of the better Taltos novels (although, spoilers, none dip below 4 stars for me) and as such, a recommend from me.

I find it interesting that the aggregated review scores I see for this book are somewhat lower than for the first two. I suspect this is because this is where Brust pulls the rug out from under you to a degree. In this book, Brust makes his protagonist look at his life as a mafioso boss and assassin and find he doesn't like what he sees. It's masterful in that way and why I have given it 5 stars. The lower score from others is going to be because he did that, they just wanted more of the same. There's also going to be a degree of pushback on the politics but as I, myself, am an unrepentant old lefty the political angle here is a positive for me. My previous recollection of this one is as a 'difficult' book, I realise on this re-read that's because it challenges your assumptions about the character and worldbuilding and as such is a strength, not a weakness. This book is quite mordant and sad in that it explores the fissures at the edge of his society as his protagonist's marriage comes under pressure. There are no easy answers given but there is enough dark humour to lighten the tone from time to time. As I said in my review of Yendi, 17 books of mafioso boss/assassin shenanigans would be boring to write and read. This book changes thing in a masterful way and opens out his setting and protagonist to become so much more. A definite recommend.

The second in the series in publishing order. I should be clear about this, like the works of CJ Cherry (for example) Brust kind of jumps all over his timeline and publishing order is not chronological order for the characters. This is actually quite deliberate given some of the reveals in later books. For this re-read I have chosen to go with publishing order (unlike last year's Cherryh re-read) as there is actually no real consensus on chronological order. Brust himself cheerily admits he has no clue (or particularly cares, I think). This one is set approximately one year before the debut, chronlogically. This one is, twisty. Each novel is named after a 'house' in Brust's fantasy society. Each house has certain characteristics for which they are known. Yendi are known to like elaborate plots. Thus, Brust establishes one of the central pillars of his storytelling. A fondness for baroque and labytrinthe scheming as the engine to drive his plots. However, as he does not indulge in fantasy doorstop type page lengths this never becomes over bearing. This is just a fun caper to blast through. You are definitely kept guessing a bit (even on a re-read!) and I just inhaled this in one sitting. Brust also starts to develop the sensibilities of his characters. For example, he is not going to let his protagonist remain an uncaring mafioso for 17 books. That would just be dull to read (and write). It's a lens, to make some points about society as whole. The first inklings of that are seen in this book. Highly enjoyable, 4.5 star stuff. Recommended.

1983! Brust has been working on the Taltos books for 40 years. I decided after reading the latest installment to go for a re-read of the whole series because it appears I haven't reviewed them much on here. This is a very strong debut, definitely in the 4.5 range. The main players are introduced well, the basic premise of Dumas/Zelazny (which reminds me to schedule in a re-read of Amber) type shenanigans is established with flair and the outlines of the world building sketched in. All this in a short (300 pages-ish) novel. This is not your typical fantasy doorstop which makes you sigh just at the thought of starting it. Brust goes off on many tangents in these books, its definitely a life's work, but in the debut he wisely keeps the plot tight and to the point. You fair zip through these books as they are delivered with a sense of gusto and sheer enjoyment. I reckon most anyone will find something to enjoy in these books and this is a fine debut. Recommended.

Ahh, a new Vlad Taltos. This series has been a 'must read' since I first discovered it oh so many years ago. Even with the last installment (Vallista) being a bit weak, in my opinion. This one is pretty much a back to basics Vlad. 'Criminal' shenanigans in a fantasy world with magic and elves etc. However, these are not the elves you expect and the world building is skewed as a dark mirror to our own world. Brust is also an avowed socialist so this dark mirror shows the cracks and failings in our own world from that perspective. Brust cheerfully admits that one of his primary influences is Dumas and the Dumas is to the fore in this one. This is not (and I stress, not) your typical teenage boy fantasy fare. This is adult stuff that isn't afraid to be light, humorous and buckle the odd swash when it has to. A definite recommend and while this doesn't hit the heights of say, Dzur, this is a very worthy addition to his planned 17 novels in this world. One more to go!