{"id":208,"date":"2006-03-18T16:31:55","date_gmt":"2006-03-18T23:31:55","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/?p=208"},"modified":"2021-05-30T21:32:42","modified_gmt":"2021-05-31T01:32:42","slug":"brokedown-palace","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/archives\/208","title":{"rendered":"Brokedown Palace"},"content":{"rendered":"

Brokedown Palace<\/a><\/em> (1986) Steven Brust<\/a><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

I don’t know how long it’s been since I read Brokedown Palace<\/em>, but it was long enough ago that I didn’t remember any of the story, and I don’t think I’d yet read many of his books other than the first couple Vlad Taltos books. Which meant that there were plenty of pleasant surprise in store for me as I reread this book.<\/p>\n

Although set in the same world as the Vlad Taltos books and the Khaavren romances, Brokedown Palace<\/em> is set not in Dragaera, but in Fenario (the land that Vlad’s grandfather came from). Although the only familiar characters I caught were Devera, the Demon Goddess, and Miska the coachman, there are references to other books (or, considering when it was written, books yet to come.) Anyone familiar with The Phoenix Guards<\/em> should recognize the prologue, although it comes at the tale from a different direction.<\/p>\n

I’m not quite certain where this book fits into the time frame. Near as I can tell, it’s about a thousand years after The Phoenix Guards<\/em>, but I’m not sure where that places it precisely in the time line, although my guess is just before Vlad is born. (This is only a guess)<\/p>\n

Brokedown Palace<\/em> reads like a folktale, which is one of the things I really like about it. I particularly love the interludes, which are small stories within the story. (I know that these stories and the title of the book relate to Grateful Dead songs, but I’ve never liked the Grateful Dead, so all those references are lost on me.)<\/p>\n

The story is of four brothers, although told primarily from the point of view of the youngest of the four, Miklos. Although I like Miklos, I find Vilmos the most interesting of the four brothers. Mostly because the other three seem to want to use Vilmos for their own ends, while his wants and needs are simply to care for his norska. (And I have to say, I still can’t figure out precisely what norska look like. Are they rabbit like? Yet omnivores requiring meat?)<\/p>\n

The oldest and youngest brothers are at odds, while the middle two brothers are to some degree, caught between their feuds, the point of contention is the palace–the brokedown palace that is falling apart around them.<\/p>\n

The downside of this book? Good luck finding a copy. I found mine used years ago, but haven’t ever seen it again since. <\/p>\n

If you have not read any Steven Brust, Brokedown Palace<\/em> would make an excellent introduction. If you have read the Vlad and Khaavren novels, then you’ll enjoy this book for the vague references to things Dragaeran, and the way Dragaera is called Faerie, the way Vlad’s grandfather refers to it.
\nRating: 9\/10<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Brokedown Palace (1986) Steven Brust I don’t know how long it’s been since I read Brokedown Palace, but it was long enough ago that I didn’t remember any of the story, and I don’t think I’d yet read many of his books other than the first couple Vlad Taltos books. Which meant that there were […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_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},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[13,2,291,41],"tags":[129],"class_list":["post-208","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-9-10","category-fantasy","category-paper","category-reread","tag-steven-brust"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/piQkW-3m","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":20,"url":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/archives\/20","url_meta":{"origin":208,"position":0},"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":1260,"url":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/archives\/1260","url_meta":{"origin":208,"position":1},"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":208,"position":2},"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":188,"url":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/archives\/188","url_meta":{"origin":208,"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":187,"url":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/archives\/187","url_meta":{"origin":208,"position":4},"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":[]},{"id":191,"url":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/archives\/191","url_meta":{"origin":208,"position":5},"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":[]}],"jetpack_likes_enabled":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/208","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=208"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/208\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=208"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=208"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=208"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}