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glimnore's review
5.0
Review of Book One: Jhereg.
Disclaimer: I am not a man for spoilers, but if certain things MUST be said and by MUST, I do not mean Snape kills Dumbledore MUST, I mean a brief overview of what is going on in a world created by the author that completely and utterly immerses it's readers.
This series possesses one such a world. There is a rather steep learning curve starting off at the first book of this omnibus volume: Jhereg. (Omnibus: a volume of reprinted works of a single author or of works related in interest or theme-> Just in case someone doesn't know what that means.)
Introduction: Welcome to the lands of Dragaera, a world ruled primarily by a total of seventeen (Yes 17) ruling houses that each are represented by an animal and a main theme. In this land there are biologically immortal elf-like beings known as Dragaerans, magical humans known as Serioli, and simple real-world like humans known as Easterners.
Furthermore, there are three main forms of magic that exist within conjunction to these races. There is Sorcery, instant-cast magic drawn from an item known as the 'imperial orb' that is often in possession of the ruler of the Dragaeran kingdom and ALMOST exclusively available to Dragaerans, Witch-craft-> Ritualistic magic that is very much psionic in nature and used primarily by Easterners, and finally Morganti -> Magic created by the Serioli that possesses the powers to eat and destroy souls.
As you can see, its a pretty complex world. It gets even more convoluted than that, and the fact that it is such a vast realm might just deter many readers away from such a collection of works. But to people who crave a fantasy so deep and profound that it would practically rock the vicissitudes of their souls, well then the Vlad Taltos Series IS FOR YOU!
Now let us get to the review shall we?
"The books were created to be read in any order, but that didn't work as well as I planned. Chronologically they are written as such.....however this omnibus volume is what many of the readers and fans have suggested to be the best way to proceed into the realm...."
This review is primarily for the first book of this volume: JHEREG.
Characters: (3/5)
I am personal stickler for characters, I feel as if no matter how droll and vicious the prose of some writing is, if they have memorable persona, identities, and characters, then I will definitely stick with it. (To some degree). The only problem with this first book of the Vlad Taltos Series is that the only character I like is Vlad Taltos himself. (SHOCKER!) In second comes his small dragon-like companion Loiosh the Jhereg. And third comes his accomplice Kragar. And in that specific order is also my intrigue of those characters and my personal favor of them. In my opinion, these characters have depth that push them far into the 3-dimensional character description whilst the other characters you will meet stay in the realm of 2D.
Furthermore as vastly researched as the main antagonist of the story is, he remains a complete stranger to the reader in terms of ideology and personality. Perhaps this was done on purpose by the author, Steven Brust, who wanted to mimic the impersonality of the life of an Assassin. Or perhaps I'm just reading too much into it...
Plot: (5/5)
The Plot is a thing of beauty, possessing both esoteric and exoteric interpretations and understandings that strike both the curiosity of superficial and deep readers. I see some re-read value here, but I am well known not to give many books a second read over. Unless they command me to do such. Whilst the main plot wont strike the reader's ego as much as it should, the side plots and stories of the other characters will hold your interest almost immediately.
Prose: (5/5)
Now the prose is a thing of interest. Steven Brust approaches his writing from the first-person point of view of the novels main character: Vlad, a wise-cracking and slightly cynical but talented assassin whose narrative of the world around him and the inner workings of his mind are conveyed to the readers both efficiently as well as effectively. It's an easy read, in terms of language that can simultaneously chalk up vivid imagery within the reader's mind that moves and sounds like a film!
Pacing: (4/5)
The novel starts out just at the right pace for an assassin story; not overly fast but at the same time not slow like a snail. And Brust keeps this nice and easy pace for quite some time until the VERY end of the novel, where I can't help but feel that some things were....rushed. Nonetheless, I did enjoy the run.
World: (5/5)
The world is.....damn....like...Tolkien...maybe better...still kinda shocked how vast it is.
Totals! 3+5+5+4+5 = 22! 22/5 = 4.4 which I must rate to 4 stars because of rounding. But hey! this is just the first book in the volume!
In my opinion atm; This series is a treasure. Maybe it will get better, maybe it will get worse. Till I finish the volume, we'll all find out.
“The attempt to combine wisdom and power has only rarely been successful and then only for a short while” -Einstein-
-Lyf-
UPDATE
Review of Book 2 - Yhendi
Disclaimer: I got to streamline this book review so I can get onto the third! Lol. Please forgive me!
Now Yhendi of the Vlad Taltos series actually occurs a few years before book One in this omnibus collection. Take note of that because it will legitimately affect one's outlook towards the series.
Characters: (3/5)-> Same as the first book. Vlad and Loish were very 3D, Kragar became 2D, and everyone else stayed the same. Though I did start to like Cawti much more!
Plot: (4/5) Alright this was very much like a James Bond meets American Gangster kind of novel set in a fantasy setting. Sort of intense and very convoluted but after rereading certain explanations several times over I thought it did quite well.
Prose: (5/5) Right on the mark. Nuff said.
Pacing: (4.5/5) Yeah I have to give this one a half star extra. The only thin that got me was the last 10 pages. but not a substantial amount of the book. This happens here and this happens here and it sorta hits you a little that your favorite characters die so fast lol. SPOILER!
World: (5/5) Something scares me. That this world might just be too big for me to completely handle!
Totals: 3+4+4.5+5+5=22.5! Which: 22.5/5 Equals: a 4.5.
I'll round it to 5.
UPDATE! AGAIN! - Book 3 Review - TECKLA
Let's streamline this a little bit shall we? I wish to rant afterwards.
Characters: (3/5) - Vlad remained the most changed as usual.
Prose: (5/5) - It got better, wait, is that even possible? Yes it is.
Pacing: (5/5) - Spot on.
Plot: (5/5) - It hit me pretty hard.
World: (5/5) - SO FREAKING EPIC.
Total!
3+5+5+5+5 = 23/5 = 4.6 Rounded to 5!
*PERSONAL RANT TIME:
Alright, this book, well this omnibus volume which apparently is the first three adventures of the legendary character known as Vlad Taltos hit me pretty hard. I mean, when I started the first novel, a serious personal matter popped up in my life and I guess I either had trouble reading the novel or I completely immersed myself in the fantasy.
Ironically enough, the first book in the story got me immersed, the second made me angry and jealous at the relationship between Vlad and his wife Cawti, and the third novel bit into me emotionally and reminded me that life isn't perfect at all.
The ultimate moral of the story: Life is happy, life isn't grand, it's up and it's down, its a terrifying rollercoaster ride and it sucks to have to deal with it when you're alone. But it has to be dealt with, whether or not you are with someone or you're single. And even when you are together with someone, sometimes the rollercoaster only gets scarrier, the twists and turns appear to be a lot worse than what they really are and every now and then you wonder how it would be if you were alone.
And when you are alone, you wish you weren't.
Life's like that sometimes, and this volume definitely reminded me about that. No, after finishing this book, my life didn't end up all magically perfect again, but I don't think I'd want it that way to begin with. Fairy-tale endings are for fairy-tales. Without them, we wouldn't have anything to strive for.
The novel just reminded me to continue on.
*END OF RANT*
Ultimate total: (Rounded star ratings for each of the novel!)
Jhereg: 4
Yhendi: 5
Teckla: 5
Total: 14/3 = 4.67
I'll have to round that to 5.
The series is definitely something I'd like to read more into. Thank god there's like 10 other books out and it is expected to span 19 books total.
Thanks for reading along, and have a great day!
-Lyf-
Disclaimer: I am not a man for spoilers, but if certain things MUST be said and by MUST, I do not mean Snape kills Dumbledore MUST, I mean a brief overview of what is going on in a world created by the author that completely and utterly immerses it's readers.
This series possesses one such a world. There is a rather steep learning curve starting off at the first book of this omnibus volume: Jhereg. (Omnibus: a volume of reprinted works of a single author or of works related in interest or theme-> Just in case someone doesn't know what that means.)
Introduction: Welcome to the lands of Dragaera, a world ruled primarily by a total of seventeen (Yes 17) ruling houses that each are represented by an animal and a main theme. In this land there are biologically immortal elf-like beings known as Dragaerans, magical humans known as Serioli, and simple real-world like humans known as Easterners.
Furthermore, there are three main forms of magic that exist within conjunction to these races. There is Sorcery, instant-cast magic drawn from an item known as the 'imperial orb' that is often in possession of the ruler of the Dragaeran kingdom and ALMOST exclusively available to Dragaerans, Witch-craft-> Ritualistic magic that is very much psionic in nature and used primarily by Easterners, and finally Morganti -> Magic created by the Serioli that possesses the powers to eat and destroy souls.
As you can see, its a pretty complex world. It gets even more convoluted than that, and the fact that it is such a vast realm might just deter many readers away from such a collection of works. But to people who crave a fantasy so deep and profound that it would practically rock the vicissitudes of their souls, well then the Vlad Taltos Series IS FOR YOU!
Now let us get to the review shall we?
"The books were created to be read in any order, but that didn't work as well as I planned. Chronologically they are written as such.....however this omnibus volume is what many of the readers and fans have suggested to be the best way to proceed into the realm...."
This review is primarily for the first book of this volume: JHEREG.
Characters: (3/5)
I am personal stickler for characters, I feel as if no matter how droll and vicious the prose of some writing is, if they have memorable persona, identities, and characters, then I will definitely stick with it. (To some degree). The only problem with this first book of the Vlad Taltos Series is that the only character I like is Vlad Taltos himself. (SHOCKER!) In second comes his small dragon-like companion Loiosh the Jhereg. And third comes his accomplice Kragar. And in that specific order is also my intrigue of those characters and my personal favor of them. In my opinion, these characters have depth that push them far into the 3-dimensional character description whilst the other characters you will meet stay in the realm of 2D.
Furthermore as vastly researched as the main antagonist of the story is, he remains a complete stranger to the reader in terms of ideology and personality. Perhaps this was done on purpose by the author, Steven Brust, who wanted to mimic the impersonality of the life of an Assassin. Or perhaps I'm just reading too much into it...
Plot: (5/5)
The Plot is a thing of beauty, possessing both esoteric and exoteric interpretations and understandings that strike both the curiosity of superficial and deep readers. I see some re-read value here, but I am well known not to give many books a second read over. Unless they command me to do such. Whilst the main plot wont strike the reader's ego as much as it should, the side plots and stories of the other characters will hold your interest almost immediately.
Prose: (5/5)
Now the prose is a thing of interest. Steven Brust approaches his writing from the first-person point of view of the novels main character: Vlad, a wise-cracking and slightly cynical but talented assassin whose narrative of the world around him and the inner workings of his mind are conveyed to the readers both efficiently as well as effectively. It's an easy read, in terms of language that can simultaneously chalk up vivid imagery within the reader's mind that moves and sounds like a film!
Pacing: (4/5)
The novel starts out just at the right pace for an assassin story; not overly fast but at the same time not slow like a snail. And Brust keeps this nice and easy pace for quite some time until the VERY end of the novel, where I can't help but feel that some things were....rushed. Nonetheless, I did enjoy the run.
World: (5/5)
The world is.....damn....like...Tolkien...maybe better...still kinda shocked how vast it is.
Totals! 3+5+5+4+5 = 22! 22/5 = 4.4 which I must rate to 4 stars because of rounding. But hey! this is just the first book in the volume!
In my opinion atm; This series is a treasure. Maybe it will get better, maybe it will get worse. Till I finish the volume, we'll all find out.
“The attempt to combine wisdom and power has only rarely been successful and then only for a short while” -Einstein-
-Lyf-
UPDATE
Review of Book 2 - Yhendi
Disclaimer: I got to streamline this book review so I can get onto the third! Lol. Please forgive me!
Now Yhendi of the Vlad Taltos series actually occurs a few years before book One in this omnibus collection. Take note of that because it will legitimately affect one's outlook towards the series.
Characters: (3/5)-> Same as the first book. Vlad and Loish were very 3D, Kragar became 2D, and everyone else stayed the same. Though I did start to like Cawti much more!
Plot: (4/5) Alright this was very much like a James Bond meets American Gangster kind of novel set in a fantasy setting. Sort of intense and very convoluted but after rereading certain explanations several times over I thought it did quite well.
Prose: (5/5) Right on the mark. Nuff said.
Pacing: (4.5/5) Yeah I have to give this one a half star extra. The only thin that got me was the last 10 pages. but not a substantial amount of the book. This happens here and this happens here and it sorta hits you a little that your favorite characters die so fast lol. SPOILER!
World: (5/5) Something scares me. That this world might just be too big for me to completely handle!
Totals: 3+4+4.5+5+5=22.5! Which: 22.5/5 Equals: a 4.5.
I'll round it to 5.
UPDATE! AGAIN! - Book 3 Review - TECKLA
Let's streamline this a little bit shall we? I wish to rant afterwards.
Characters: (3/5) - Vlad remained the most changed as usual.
Prose: (5/5) - It got better, wait, is that even possible? Yes it is.
Pacing: (5/5) - Spot on.
Plot: (5/5) - It hit me pretty hard.
World: (5/5) - SO FREAKING EPIC.
Total!
3+5+5+5+5 = 23/5 = 4.6 Rounded to 5!
*PERSONAL RANT TIME:
Alright, this book, well this omnibus volume which apparently is the first three adventures of the legendary character known as Vlad Taltos hit me pretty hard. I mean, when I started the first novel, a serious personal matter popped up in my life and I guess I either had trouble reading the novel or I completely immersed myself in the fantasy.
Ironically enough, the first book in the story got me immersed, the second made me angry and jealous at the relationship between Vlad and his wife Cawti, and the third novel bit into me emotionally and reminded me that life isn't perfect at all.
The ultimate moral of the story: Life is happy, life isn't grand, it's up and it's down, its a terrifying rollercoaster ride and it sucks to have to deal with it when you're alone. But it has to be dealt with, whether or not you are with someone or you're single. And even when you are together with someone, sometimes the rollercoaster only gets scarrier, the twists and turns appear to be a lot worse than what they really are and every now and then you wonder how it would be if you were alone.
And when you are alone, you wish you weren't.
Life's like that sometimes, and this volume definitely reminded me about that. No, after finishing this book, my life didn't end up all magically perfect again, but I don't think I'd want it that way to begin with. Fairy-tale endings are for fairy-tales. Without them, we wouldn't have anything to strive for.
The novel just reminded me to continue on.
*END OF RANT*
Ultimate total: (Rounded star ratings for each of the novel!)
Jhereg: 4
Yhendi: 5
Teckla: 5
Total: 14/3 = 4.67
I'll have to round that to 5.
The series is definitely something I'd like to read more into. Thank god there's like 10 other books out and it is expected to span 19 books total.
Thanks for reading along, and have a great day!
-Lyf-
tmarthal's review
2.0
Can't seem to recommend it. It had promise, but left the reader out of sorts. Never got to the epic moments it promised. Mundane assassin fantasy.
dionis's review
4.0
I found this book to be really intriguing. I particularly liked the main character's narration, which made me feel as if I "knew" him quite early on in the book and so I found myself invested in the action. I listened to the audible version and the presentation was very good.
macnchz's review
4.0
This is actually a collection of three books by [author: Stephen Brust], all of which are in the Vlad Taltos series. These are the first three. Jeff had been trying to get me to read this for quite a while, and I had been somewhat hesitant, because a lot of fantasy is pretty bad, I've gotta say. However, he persisted to the point of bringing the books from home so I could look at them, and I was swayed by his insistence that these were different fantasy novels. So, I dove into [book: Jhereg], the first book. I was pretty much immediately hooked. The real draw is that the world is really well imagined, and it's not written in the typical fantasy style. Brust is not trying to say 'look at this awesome world I've created, at the expense of plot and character development.' In fact, these are very character-driven, contemporary stories that are simply located in a very fascinating world, which is only revealed little by little as things become important to the story. These three novels ([book: Jhereg], [book: Yendi], and [book: Teckla]) are about the assassin Vlad Taltos. They each have quite a different tone to them. I was initially interested in only reading one at a time and reading other things between, but I was so into it that I read the whole collection in sequence - granted, each book is only 17 chapters.
ithildin's review
Seinfeldian fantasy: the first person past tense narrative revealed the main protagonist as strangely neurotics. Also, he seems to be the weakest of any of the major characters even though we’re supposedly riding along with the hero.
whisper88's review
Zero story or world building. Brust just jumped right into the middle without context, which isn't ne essarily bad- if well done 😝
There's nothing to compell the reader on since we don't know enough to care about anything/one.
The humor is described as snarky and sarcastic, which I generally love, but really it was just crude.
There's nothing to compell the reader on since we don't know enough to care about anything/one.
The humor is described as snarky and sarcastic, which I generally love, but really it was just crude.
chris_fiebelkorn's review
adventurous
funny
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
mferrante83's review
4.0
The first of the Vlad Taltos novels, Jhereg, by Steven Brust has been on my “to-read” list for the better part of a decade and a half. Back in August, Audible.com released Jhereg (and just about all the other Vlad Taltos novels, via their increasingly impressive Audible Frontiers label. Jhereg introduces the readers to the assassin Vlad Taltos. Living in amongst a race of tall long-lived sorcerers called Dragaerans, Vlad has risen to a station of respect and power (if of a limited variety) despite his human heritage. Aiding Vlad in his endeavors is his Jhereg familiar Loiosh, earned after Vlad embraced the witchcraft of his human ancestors. The novel sees Vlad hired by a legendary figure called The Demon to track down a kill a thief (Mellar) who robbed the Jhereg Council (the clan that Vlad himself belongs to) of a great sum of money; so great a sum that if Mellar gets away the council will essentially be crippled.
It should be noted for prospective readers that Jhereg, while the first novel to feature Vlad, is not the first within the series’ own internal chronology. Published in 1983 Jhereg was followed in 1984 by a prequel (Yendi, which itself received a sequel in 1998) and didn’t get a sequel until 1987 (Teckla). Jhereg, Yendi, and Teckla are all available in print as The Book of Jhereg or individually in audio from Audible.com. I’m the type of idiot reader that always wants to know what will happen next so discovering this after having listened to Jhereg is kind of annoying since I’m also a bit of a completionist. There are further chronological oddities in the series’ publication and I’m not sure there is any right way to read the series. Brust himself tossed a monkey wrench in such discussions when he released both Dragon and Tiassa both of which have sections taking place in different times. My gut says go with publishing order.
Jhereg stems from the sword and sorcery tradition particularly in its approach to character. This isn’t a novel about epic quests but about the struggle of an individual character to achieve a specific goal with the primary narrative driving the how of those actions. Brust shows an adept hand at world building without ever becoming too distracted by the particulars of the setting. Most of the historical and cultural details gleaned about the world have direct implications to the current plot with only minor deviations with the seeming intent to set up further plot points in later novels. When it comes to world building Brust’s attention is focused in a subtle examination of the society of the Dragaerans, the inter-relationships between the various clans (aided by the chapter headings), and the place of humans in the struggles of those clans. While this definitely gives readers a good handle on the history of Jhereg’s world it also plays an essential role in how the plot unfolds and marks a rather clever means to get readers interested in the history of the Dragaeran Empire.
Vlad’s role as both an assassin and crime boss (he is in charge of a section of the city) gives Jhereg a subtle noir bent that adds a nice twist on the proceedings. When I was younger I doubt I would have been so quick to point out the delicate and subtle elements of other genres that seem to make it into fantasy and science fiction. As I’ve grown older I’ve realized the some of the most glorious and entertaining novels I’ve read are the result of author who decided to combine seemingly contrary elements from multiple genres. While there will always be a soft spot in my heart for “traditional fantasy” there is an indefinable special something about a fantasy of science fiction novel that doesn’t adhere to the strict and limited tropes of a single genre. Brust ably proves in Jhereg that one can combine a crime thriller and fantasy novel (with a touch of politics) into an engaging and entertaining read.
Brust’s willingness to play with chronology is apparent in the series’ publication history and you get a touch of that same willingness right at the start of Jhereg. While the novel does give a bit of a backstory to Vlad it only focuses on the those elements that are most integral to the plot of novel (this only becomes obvious towards Jhereg’s conclusion). It is a clever means to introduce us to Vlad’s past while at the same time not encumbering us with too much unnecessary information. While I ended up with a basic understanding of the society in which Vlad lives and works within I ended up with an excellent understanding of Vlad’s character; as the primary lens through which the reader views the world (the novel is primarily in first person) have a crystal clear understanding of who Vlad is leads to a greater connection to his surroundings as well.
Jhereg is a fantastic fantasy novel and a classic of the genre. While it doesn’t operate on the same grand scale of the doorstopper fantasies we all know and love it Jhereg provides an introduction to multifaceted character living, and having adventures in, a world that feels complete and whole. Where Jhereg tells a satisfying and complete story the details of Vlad’s life and the greater mysteries of his and the world’s past definitely left me clamoring for more. I definitely returning for more of Vlad Taltos in the future. If you’re a fantasy fan and haven’t given these novels a shot there isn’t a better time than now.
It should be noted for prospective readers that Jhereg, while the first novel to feature Vlad, is not the first within the series’ own internal chronology. Published in 1983 Jhereg was followed in 1984 by a prequel (Yendi, which itself received a sequel in 1998) and didn’t get a sequel until 1987 (Teckla). Jhereg, Yendi, and Teckla are all available in print as The Book of Jhereg or individually in audio from Audible.com. I’m the type of idiot reader that always wants to know what will happen next so discovering this after having listened to Jhereg is kind of annoying since I’m also a bit of a completionist. There are further chronological oddities in the series’ publication and I’m not sure there is any right way to read the series. Brust himself tossed a monkey wrench in such discussions when he released both Dragon and Tiassa both of which have sections taking place in different times. My gut says go with publishing order.
Jhereg stems from the sword and sorcery tradition particularly in its approach to character. This isn’t a novel about epic quests but about the struggle of an individual character to achieve a specific goal with the primary narrative driving the how of those actions. Brust shows an adept hand at world building without ever becoming too distracted by the particulars of the setting. Most of the historical and cultural details gleaned about the world have direct implications to the current plot with only minor deviations with the seeming intent to set up further plot points in later novels. When it comes to world building Brust’s attention is focused in a subtle examination of the society of the Dragaerans, the inter-relationships between the various clans (aided by the chapter headings), and the place of humans in the struggles of those clans. While this definitely gives readers a good handle on the history of Jhereg’s world it also plays an essential role in how the plot unfolds and marks a rather clever means to get readers interested in the history of the Dragaeran Empire.
Vlad’s role as both an assassin and crime boss (he is in charge of a section of the city) gives Jhereg a subtle noir bent that adds a nice twist on the proceedings. When I was younger I doubt I would have been so quick to point out the delicate and subtle elements of other genres that seem to make it into fantasy and science fiction. As I’ve grown older I’ve realized the some of the most glorious and entertaining novels I’ve read are the result of author who decided to combine seemingly contrary elements from multiple genres. While there will always be a soft spot in my heart for “traditional fantasy” there is an indefinable special something about a fantasy of science fiction novel that doesn’t adhere to the strict and limited tropes of a single genre. Brust ably proves in Jhereg that one can combine a crime thriller and fantasy novel (with a touch of politics) into an engaging and entertaining read.
Brust’s willingness to play with chronology is apparent in the series’ publication history and you get a touch of that same willingness right at the start of Jhereg. While the novel does give a bit of a backstory to Vlad it only focuses on the those elements that are most integral to the plot of novel (this only becomes obvious towards Jhereg’s conclusion). It is a clever means to introduce us to Vlad’s past while at the same time not encumbering us with too much unnecessary information. While I ended up with a basic understanding of the society in which Vlad lives and works within I ended up with an excellent understanding of Vlad’s character; as the primary lens through which the reader views the world (the novel is primarily in first person) have a crystal clear understanding of who Vlad is leads to a greater connection to his surroundings as well.
Jhereg is a fantastic fantasy novel and a classic of the genre. While it doesn’t operate on the same grand scale of the doorstopper fantasies we all know and love it Jhereg provides an introduction to multifaceted character living, and having adventures in, a world that feels complete and whole. Where Jhereg tells a satisfying and complete story the details of Vlad’s life and the greater mysteries of his and the world’s past definitely left me clamoring for more. I definitely returning for more of Vlad Taltos in the future. If you’re a fantasy fan and haven’t given these novels a shot there isn’t a better time than now.
skylion's review
Could not complete. The first book just didn't groove with me for some reason. Good stuff, just non of the spark I look for.