Taltos

Taltos (1988) Steven Brust

With great relief I picked up Taltos, which again tells some of Vald’s history, and returns to the tone of the first two books. Taltos is fun and amusing, especially as Vlad and Morrolan get to know each other and learn to work together. It is also interesting to see Vlad’s first impressions of Morrolan and Sethra.

I was beginning to get downright irritated, as well as frightened, by how close (Morrolan’s) guesses were. I mean, what a pompous, supercilious jongleur. But the thought came to me that he was a pompous, supercilious jongleur with a very powerful Morganti blade, and he was a sorcerer, and I was in his keep. I resolved to stay polite.

Taltos is set before Yendi, and tells of Vlad’s first meeting with Morrolan and Sethra Lavode. And during the telling of that tale, he reminiscences about his youth, the tutoring he received in fencing and witchcraft he received from his grandfather, how he started working for the Jhereg, and how he started taking “work.”

Although Vlad discusses in detail his work as an enforcer and then an assassin, the tone of the book is far lighter than than of Teckla. Perhaps because in fantasy you’re used to people getting killed (especially if you’re reading a book about an assassin). It may also have to do with the presence of Morrolan, Sethra, and Aliera. Although Vlad starts out hostile towards Morrolan and Sethra (with good reason), you can see him being to trust the two of them, and eventually Aliera, and how their eventual friendship will develop.

As always, the dialog and storytelling were excellent, and as an added bonus, I quite enjoyed this story. It is also interesting to continue to learn bits and pieces of Krager, who is amusing, as well as an enigma.

However, as much as I liked this book, I again hate the cover. Who is this guy? This clean-shaven brunette? It can’t be Vlad, who is extremely proud of his moustache, since the Drageran’s can’t grow facial hair. The colors aren’t quite as obviously bad, although he looks as if he’s wearing white and brown. (Black and gray. Jhereg colors are black and gray.)

If you have not read any of the Vlad Taltos series, this would be an acceptable place to start, as this is the earliest book in the time line.
Rating: 9/10

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