{"id":19,"date":"2004-04-27T18:35:36","date_gmt":"2004-04-28T01:35:36","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/?p=19"},"modified":"2021-05-30T21:26:28","modified_gmt":"2021-05-31T01:26:28","slug":"sethra-lavode","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/archives\/19","title":{"rendered":"Sethra Lavode"},"content":{"rendered":"

Sethra Lavode: Book Three of the Viscount of Adrilankha<\/i> by Steven Brust<\/a>
\nTor (2004)<\/i><\/p>\n

The conclusion to the Viscount of Adrilankha series finishes the story of Empress Zerika\u00c3\u00a2\u00e2\u201a\u00ac\u00e2\u201e\u00a2s restoration of the Empire and the final end of the Interregnum. It also continues the story of Piro (the actual Viscount for whom these tales are named), the son of Khaavren (the hero of The Phoenix Guards <\/i>and Five Hundred Years After<\/i>), and continues the story of Morrolan, the Lord of Castle Black and enigmatic Dragonlord. And it tells a small portion of the life of Sethra Lavode, the Enchantress of Dzur Mountain.<\/p>\n

First things first, if you have not already read Paths of the Dead<\/i> and Lord of Castle Black<\/i>, run, don\u00c3\u00a2\u00e2\u201a\u00ac\u00e2\u201e\u00a2t walk, to your nearest bookstore and get them. In fact, if you have not read those books, then you probably have not read The Phoenix Guards<\/i> and Five Hundred Years After<\/i>, so you should pick up copies of those books as well. Then when you\u00c3\u00a2\u00e2\u201a\u00ac\u00e2\u201e\u00a2re done reading all those, you can head back out and pick up the Vlad Taltos books. Once you\u00c3\u00a2\u00e2\u201a\u00ac\u00e2\u201e\u00a2ve done that, you\u00c3\u00a2\u00e2\u201a\u00ac\u00e2\u201e\u00a2re in for a fantastic couple of weeks as you get to discover the Dragaeran Empire.<\/p>\n

And don\u00c3\u00a2\u00e2\u201a\u00ac\u00e2\u201e\u00a2t forget to read both the Preface and the Afterward for all the books. <\/p>\n

In this book we learn how Zerika finally solidifies her claim to the throne, we learn whether Khaavren and Piro reconcile, and we learn more about Morrolan\u00c3\u00a2\u00e2\u201a\u00ac\u00e2\u201e\u00a2s destructive tendencies. If you\u00c3\u00a2\u00e2\u201a\u00ac\u00e2\u201e\u00a2ve read the Vlad Taltos books, you already know that Zerika is going to rule the empire, and you know that Morrolan is going to be destructive, so what happens isn\u00c3\u00a2\u00e2\u201a\u00ac\u00e2\u201e\u00a2t nearly as important as how it happens, and the how the story is told.<\/p>\n

Brust continues to use Paarfi as the storyteller, which allows him to wander down all sorts of paths. Like the following:<\/p>\n

On this occasion, it being Farmday, the village seemed to Piro to be all but deserted\u00c3\u00a2\u00e2\u201a\u00ac\u00e2\u20ac\u009din fact, it might be observed that the arrival of the small company…caused the population of Six Horses to effectively double. Indeed, their arrival would have created something of a sensation had there been a sufficient populace for a sensation to have anything to work with. (I didn\u00c3\u00a2\u00e2\u201a\u00ac\u00e2\u201e\u00a2t give the names, as it might give things away.)<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

I had to stop and read that to Michael, just so I\u00c3\u00a2\u00e2\u201a\u00ac\u00e2\u201e\u00a2d have an excuse to read it a second time. Actually, I did that rather frequently, though as I read the book before Michael did, I had to be careful to read him the bits that were not going to give anything away. Although, as I said, having read the Vlad Taltos books, we already have a general idea of what happened, we just don\u00c3\u00a2\u00e2\u201a\u00ac\u00e2\u201e\u00a2t know how. There are, however, a few surprises, some of which were unpleasant. Just so you know.<\/p>\n

My only complaint is the cover. That is not how Sethra Lavode looks to me. She should be ageless, not young. And she should definitely<\/i> be dressed all in black. In fact, I argued for quite awhile that it couldn’t possible be Sethra Lavode, and put forth several ther (ridiculous) possibilities. All wrong of course. But then I realized that if they made Morrolan look like John Travolta, then what could I expect?<\/p>\n

I also loved the following paragraph that sums up my feelings on books and reading:<\/p>\n

“I believe, madam, that you have read that book before,” observed Tukko.
\n“Not above a hundred times, I believe. But then, it is the mark of a good book that it rewards many readings, is it not?”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

And as with everything else I have read by Steven Brust, the three books of Viscount of Adrilankha will also be rewarding even after many readings.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Sethra Lavode: Book Three of the Viscount of Adrilankha by Steven Brust Tor (2004) The conclusion to the Viscount of Adrilankha series finishes the story of Empress Zerika\u00c3\u00a2\u00e2\u201a\u00ac\u00e2\u201e\u00a2s restoration of the Empire and the final end of the Interregnum. It also continues the story of Piro (the actual Viscount for whom these tales are named), […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[2,291],"tags":[129],"class_list":["post-19","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-fantasy","category-paper","tag-steven-brust"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/piQkW-j","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":198,"url":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/archives\/198","url_meta":{"origin":19,"position":0},"title":"Sethra Lavode","author":"Michelle","date":"February 19, 2006","format":false,"excerpt":"Sethra Lavode (2004) Steven Brust Sethra Lavode concludes The Viscount of Adrilankha trilogy. Morrolan is ensconced in Castle Black and learning Sorcery as well as more about Blackwand, Zerika is settled into Adrilankha and attempting to consolidate power and call a Meeting of Principalities to legitimize her reign, while Kana,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "9\/10"","block_context":{"text":"9\/10","link":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/archives\/category\/9-10"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/klishis.com\/reading\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/Sethra-Lavode.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":196,"url":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/archives\/196","url_meta":{"origin":19,"position":1},"title":"The Paths of the Dead","author":"Michelle","date":"February 17, 2006","format":false,"excerpt":"The Paths of the Dead (2002) Steven Brust For me, Steven Brust books are like potato chips; I can't read just one. And so, having recently finished all the Vlad Taltos book, The Phoenix Guards, and Five Hundred Years After, there was nothing to do but read The Viscount of\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "8\/10"","block_context":{"text":"8\/10","link":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/archives\/category\/8-10"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/klishis.com\/reading\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/Paths-Dead.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":197,"url":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/archives\/197","url_meta":{"origin":19,"position":2},"title":"The Lord of Castle Black","author":"Michelle","date":"February 18, 2006","format":false,"excerpt":"The Lord of Castle Black (2003) Steven Brust The second volume in the Viscount of Adrilankha series takes up where the first left off, even going back a bit to cover events that occurred towards the end of Paths of the Dead Zerika is now Empress in name, but has\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "8\/10"","block_context":{"text":"8\/10","link":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/archives\/category\/8-10"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/klishis.com\/reading\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/Lord-Castle-Black.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":4,"url":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/archives\/4","url_meta":{"origin":19,"position":3},"title":"Paths of the Dead","author":"Michelle","date":"January 14, 2004","format":false,"excerpt":"Paths of the Dead by Steven Brust Tor (2002) I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and am considering buying the next book in the series in hardback, just so I don't have to wait. (I hate waiting.) Still undecided on that, though, because as I have said once or twice before,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Fantasy"","block_context":{"text":"Fantasy","link":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/archives\/category\/fantasy"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":20,"url":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/archives\/20","url_meta":{"origin":19,"position":4},"title":"The Vlad Taltos Novels","author":"Michelle","date":"April 27, 2004","format":false,"excerpt":"The Vlad Taltos Novels by Steven Brust Longer reviews for individual books can be found on my Steven Brust page. When I recommend fantasy books, this series is at the top of my list. The books are relatively quick to read, and is written in the tone is that of\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Fantasy"","block_context":{"text":"Fantasy","link":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/archives\/category\/fantasy"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/klishis.com\/reading\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/02\/Jhereg.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":195,"url":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/archives\/195","url_meta":{"origin":19,"position":5},"title":"Five Hundred Years After","author":"Michelle","date":"February 14, 2006","format":false,"excerpt":"Five Hundred Years After (1994) Steven Brust If you have read the Vlad Taltos books, then you already know the outcome of Five Hundred Years After: Adron's disaster, which lead to the Interregnum. But what we don't know, is the story that leads up to Adron's disaster. Why did Adron\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "9\/10"","block_context":{"text":"9\/10","link":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/archives\/category\/9-10"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/klishis.com\/reading\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/02\/Five-Hundred-Years-After.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_likes_enabled":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=19"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=19"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=19"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=19"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}