{"id":20,"date":"2004-04-27T19:37:18","date_gmt":"2004-04-27T23:37:18","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/?p=20"},"modified":"2021-05-30T21:26:28","modified_gmt":"2021-05-31T01:26:28","slug":"the-vlad-taltos-novels","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/archives\/20","title":{"rendered":"The Vlad Taltos Novels"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Vlad Taltos Novels<\/b> by Steven Brust<\/a><\/p>\n

Longer reviews for individual books can be found on my Steven Brust<\/a> page.<\/h3>\n

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 a hard boiled mystery. And I love mysteries.<\/p>\n

The best part about this series, though, is that although it tells the continuing story of Vlad’s life, for the most part, each book is a self-contained story, so the books can be read in any order and you are not left hanging at the end of any book.<\/p>\n

If you haven’t read Steven Brust, this is an excellent place to start. If you’ve read The Phoenix Guards<\/i> then you should enjoy the Vlad books, as long as you realize that the writing style is completely different.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Jhereg<\/strong><\/i> (1983)<\/p>\n

The first Vlad Taltos book. <\/p>\n

Jhereg<\/em> introduces us to Vlad, Cawti, Morrolan, Aliera, as well as Sethra Lavode. It tells how Vlad gained the loyalty of the jhereg Loiosh. And how Vlad ‘takes work’, only to discover that things are far more complicated than he thought.<\/p>\n

I love this book. It’s the first in the series, and although it is not first chronologically, I would suggest starting here.
<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Yendi<\/strong><\/i> (1984)<\/p>\n

Vlad meets Cawti, and falls in love with her, despite the fact that she attempted to kill him. <\/p>\n

My only problem with this book is the cover, which depicts Vlad as clean-shaven, despite the fact that he is always described as wearing a mustache, and has him wearing white, purple, and red, despite the fact that he always dresses in Jhereg colors of black and grey. <\/p>\n

Just as Yendi are known for their deviousness and intricate plots, prepare for deviousness and intrigue in the story.
<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Teckla<\/strong><\/i> (1987)<\/p>\n

There’s a Teckla and Easterner uprising planned, and Cawti is involved. This is my least favorite book in the series, but necessary to read if you want to understand what happens later, and I always re-read it with the rest of the series.<\/p>\n

Additionally, the ending is not quite as clean as other books in the series. Although the story resolves, we are left hanging as to Vlad’s future, which I found frustrating, as I hate waiting.
<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Taltos<\/strong><\/i> (1988) <\/p>\n

Back-story time: Vlad meets Morrolan, Sethra, and Aliera, and travels where no Easterner should: the Paths of the Dead. <\/p>\n

This is very good book, and a relief after the unpleasant and depressing story in Teckla<\/i>.<\/p>\n

However, I have no idea who that guy on the cover it, but it is definitely NOT Vlad.
<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Phoenix<\/strong><\/i> (1990) <\/p>\n

Back to the continuing time-line. Vlad takes work from the Demon Goddess, and needs to be bailed out by Morrolan, Aliera, and Sethra. Things are still troubled with Cawti. <\/p>\n

Another book that I found depressing, although very necessary to the continuing story. And again, although the story is resolved, we are left unresolved as to Vlad’s future.
<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Athyra<\/strong><\/i> (1993) <\/p>\n

Vlad is in exile. This book seems almost as much about developing Dragera as it is Vlad. You learn about those who live outside Adrilankha and are not members of the Jhereg. <\/p>\n

This was, for me, another low point in the series, primarily because the story focuses solely upon Vlad and a Teckla boy. There are none of the rest of the characters we’ve come to know and love.
<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Orca<\/strong><\/i> (1996) <\/p>\n

Vlad is still in exile, but works with Kiera to uncover a plot in the House of Orca, solely to keep an old woman from losing her home. Except it’s not really that sappy. <\/p>\n

Very good book, and very interesting, with some surprising turns.
<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Dragon<\/strong><\/i> (1998)<\/p>\n

Back-story time: Vlad joins the army to get revenge. We learn how Vlad ends up doing security for Morrolan, and how he works for and with Morrolan, Aliera, and Sethra. I enjoyed this book, although when I re-read the books, I read it after Issola<\/i>, because I wanted to read more about the current time line than the past. <\/p>\n

This is a very good book, as it develops the past between Vlad and Morrolan and Aliera.
<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Issola<\/strong><\/i> (2001)<\/p>\n

Back to the continuing time line. <\/p>\n

This is possibly one of my favorite books, although I\u00c3\u00a2\u00e2\u201a\u00ac\u00e2\u201e\u00a2d be hard pressed to tell you precisely why. Vlad comes back to help Aliera and Morrolan after he wakes to find Lady Teldra at his campsite. <\/p>\n

It could be that I am an Issola at heart, which is why I like this book so much, or it could just be that I get all my favorite characters back together.
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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 a hard boiled mystery. And […]<\/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":true,"_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":[2,291,41,39],"tags":[129,245],"class_list":["post-20","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-fantasy","category-paper","category-reread","category-sword-sorcery","tag-steven-brust","tag-vlad-taltos"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/piQkW-k","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":1260,"url":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/archives\/1260","url_meta":{"origin":20,"position":0},"title":"Jhegaala","author":"Michelle","date":"July 31, 2009","format":false,"excerpt":"Jhegaala (2008) Steven Brust First things first, I love Steven Brust, and I love the Vlad Taltos books. That said, this is not anywhere close to being one of my favorite books in the series. Jhegalla is set between the events of Phoenix and Athyra. We learn some of what\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\/2009\/07\/Jhegaala.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":185,"url":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/archives\/185","url_meta":{"origin":20,"position":1},"title":"Jhereg","author":"Michelle","date":"February 4, 2006","format":false,"excerpt":"Jhereg (1983) Steven Brust Comfort reading. Those books that you reach for when you're feeling low, because you know they're guaranteed to take you away from whatever is bothering you. That's the place that Steven Brust holds in my library. Jhereg is the first Vlad Taltos book, and also the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "10\/10"","block_context":{"text":"10\/10","link":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/archives\/category\/10-10"},"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":4,"url":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/archives\/4","url_meta":{"origin":20,"position":2},"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":188,"url":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/archives\/188","url_meta":{"origin":20,"position":3},"title":"Taltos","author":"Michelle","date":"February 5, 2006","format":false,"excerpt":"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\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\/Taltos.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":191,"url":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/archives\/191","url_meta":{"origin":20,"position":4},"title":"Orca","author":"Michelle","date":"February 8, 2006","format":false,"excerpt":"Orca (1996) Steven Brust Set about a year after the events of Athyra, Vlad has wandered into Northport in search of a sorcerer who might be able to cure Sven, the Teckla boy who lost his mind during the events of Athyra. He finds one, however, her price is keeping\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\/2006\/02\/Orca.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":187,"url":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/archives\/187","url_meta":{"origin":20,"position":5},"title":"Teckla","author":"Michelle","date":"February 5, 2006","format":false,"excerpt":"Teckla (1987) Steven Brust In case you were thinking that I love absolutely everything that Steven Brust has written, this book is the proof that I don't. Back to the continuing time-line, the book follows immediately after the events of Jhereg. Unlike previous books, this story involves on the Jhereg,\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\/Teckla.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\/20","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=20"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=20"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=20"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=20"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}