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House Jhereg, Dragaera's organized crime syndicate, is still hunting Vlad Taltos. There's a big price on his head in Draegara City. Then he hears disturbing news. Aliera--longtime friend, sometime ally--has been arrested by the Empire on a charge of practicing elder sorcery, a capital crime, and there appears to be no one that can help her except Vlad.Tags
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Steven Brust has got his groove back. After the novella structure of Jhegaala, he returns to Vlad, our favorite ex-crimelord who appears to have become a hero over the years, although Vlad would be the first to disagree. Despite being on the run from assassins, he returns to the city of his birth to investigate why the Empire would be pressing sorcery charges against his friend Aliera, especially as Aliera is close friends with the next heiress to the crown. Aliera doesn't want him there, and refuses to speak to him. The syndicate he betrayed doesn't want him there, and wants his blood. His lizard familiar thinks he's courting death by being there, and yet Vlad insists on lurking around the palace, asking questions, and roughing up a show more witness or two. He even hires an advocate (gasp!)
Iorich is a little faster than early Vlad novels, a lot less detailed, but at the core, this is the writing and storytelling that sends shivers of anticipation down my spine when I see a Brust book. His world is inventive, a delicious mix of mafia-style crime, race relations (human and Dragaeran), three different magical styles, gods versus... um, non-gods, and wonderfully developed characters. Plot continues to be twisty, and Vlad and the lizard are full of smart-ass remarks. Some meals are devoured, although not prepared nor described with the loving detail seen in earlier Vlad novels. There's violence--a given, knowing Vlad--and a tentative re-connection with Cawti, Vlad's estranged ex-wife.
It's a solid three and a half stars, but I'm rounding up because I feel the series deserves more recognition than it gets, and Brust is a writer I respect. I even have a new writing geek fantasy--to attend the writers convention he helps organize in Minneapolis this year.
If you like smart fantasy worlds and want a leap up from the usual sword and sorcery, it's worth giving this series a try. Start with [b:Jhereg|1281575|Jhereg (Vlad Taltos, #1)|Steven Brust|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1223629090s/1281575.jpg|1521838], one of my favorites. show less
Iorich is a little faster than early Vlad novels, a lot less detailed, but at the core, this is the writing and storytelling that sends shivers of anticipation down my spine when I see a Brust book. His world is inventive, a delicious mix of mafia-style crime, race relations (human and Dragaeran), three different magical styles, gods versus... um, non-gods, and wonderfully developed characters. Plot continues to be twisty, and Vlad and the lizard are full of smart-ass remarks. Some meals are devoured, although not prepared nor described with the loving detail seen in earlier Vlad novels. There's violence--a given, knowing Vlad--and a tentative re-connection with Cawti, Vlad's estranged ex-wife.
It's a solid three and a half stars, but I'm rounding up because I feel the series deserves more recognition than it gets, and Brust is a writer I respect. I even have a new writing geek fantasy--to attend the writers convention he helps organize in Minneapolis this year.
If you like smart fantasy worlds and want a leap up from the usual sword and sorcery, it's worth giving this series a try. Start with [b:Jhereg|1281575|Jhereg (Vlad Taltos, #1)|Steven Brust|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1223629090s/1281575.jpg|1521838], one of my favorites. show less
I'm always so pleased with these novels! I love them, but let me be entirely clear. I love them more now that Vlad is back in town. He's a city boy at heart and I feel so much more comfortable when he's getting into trouble with the Jhreg on his home turf.
It's so fun to see him get interested in the laws at long last, too, but not more than I like seeing him get to know his little son. Things might not be getting all that much better with him and his ex-wife, but at least with a weapon of power and a whole society of long-lived nobles after him 24/7, he doesn't have all that much time to worry about what she thinks of him.
Or what his other friends think of him. Or why they're being set up by different factions of the empire or the show more Justice of it. Even the Empress is caught in a really hard spot.
The novel takes place in the latest time slot, thank goodness. :) I like a lot of the out-of time novels, but I'm very, very curious about everything that happened after his Weapon of Power was awoken.
But last, but not least, I do need to mention that Brust's deleted scenes at the end of this novel nearly stole the freaking show and had me giggling furiously the entire time. This man knows his shit. Of course, I already knew that. Still, it's nice to pit Vlad up against all those other tired fantasy tropes and skewer the living shit out of them directly rather than indirectly. :) So Delicious. :) show less
It's so fun to see him get interested in the laws at long last, too, but not more than I like seeing him get to know his little son. Things might not be getting all that much better with him and his ex-wife, but at least with a weapon of power and a whole society of long-lived nobles after him 24/7, he doesn't have all that much time to worry about what she thinks of him.
Or what his other friends think of him. Or why they're being set up by different factions of the empire or the show more Justice of it. Even the Empress is caught in a really hard spot.
The novel takes place in the latest time slot, thank goodness. :) I like a lot of the out-of time novels, but I'm very, very curious about everything that happened after his Weapon of Power was awoken.
But last, but not least, I do need to mention that Brust's deleted scenes at the end of this novel nearly stole the freaking show and had me giggling furiously the entire time. This man knows his shit. Of course, I already knew that. Still, it's nice to pit Vlad up against all those other tired fantasy tropes and skewer the living shit out of them directly rather than indirectly. :) So Delicious. :) show less
9/10
One of my favorite Vlad books--he's in the city (where he belongs) and all his friends are involved. He gets to use skills from when he was an assassin, although he is still shielded from magic & sorcery. Loved seeing Cawti and Kragar again, and watching "Vlad Jr." as he progresses. Interesting parallels between Empress Zerika and Vlad at the end of the book, and the "out-take" chapter bits were very clever!
One of my favorite Vlad books--he's in the city (where he belongs) and all his friends are involved. He gets to use skills from when he was an assassin, although he is still shielded from magic & sorcery. Loved seeing Cawti and Kragar again, and watching "Vlad Jr." as he progresses. Interesting parallels between Empress Zerika and Vlad at the end of the book, and the "out-take" chapter bits were very clever!
Vlad returns to Adrlankha to find out why Aliera has been arrested. That's a risk for him, as the Jhereg are still hunting him. This is a good mix of Vlad snark, politics and Vlad's usual creative ways of solving problems - not all of which involve him making someone dead. I thought this was one of the better installments in the series, though it is a bit convoluted, which is normal for the author. Fast paced, witty and full of great characters and dialogue. Highly recommended.
Book number 12 (by publication order) in Steven Brust's fantasy series centering on Vlad Taltos, former a crime boss and assassin and current wanted man. This time, Vlad returns to his home city, even though people are trying to kill him there, in order to help out a friend who's been arrested on trumped-up charges for political reasons.
As usual, it's all very light and readable, with flashes of humor and a protagonist who balances competence with appealing fallibility. But the plot of this one just didn't do much for me. It's interesting enough in theory, I guess, and I did enjoy getting a glimpse of how the legal process works in this world -- I've often thought the world-building is possibly the best aspect of these books, and this show more is a decent example of that -- but in execution, the story kind of left me cold. Most of it just consists of conversations in which people are deliberately not saying things to each other, followed by Vlad making hard-to-follow leaps of logic about what they're not saying. Maybe none of that's actually unusual in this series, but I think it's taken a bit too far here, in ways that made it harder than it should have been for me to understand and care about what was going on.
Rating: 3/5, although I did consider giving it another half star just due to the worldbuilding stuff and my general feelings of good-will towards the series. show less
As usual, it's all very light and readable, with flashes of humor and a protagonist who balances competence with appealing fallibility. But the plot of this one just didn't do much for me. It's interesting enough in theory, I guess, and I did enjoy getting a glimpse of how the legal process works in this world -- I've often thought the world-building is possibly the best aspect of these books, and this show more is a decent example of that -- but in execution, the story kind of left me cold. Most of it just consists of conversations in which people are deliberately not saying things to each other, followed by Vlad making hard-to-follow leaps of logic about what they're not saying. Maybe none of that's actually unusual in this series, but I think it's taken a bit too far here, in ways that made it harder than it should have been for me to understand and care about what was going on.
Rating: 3/5, although I did consider giving it another half star just due to the worldbuilding stuff and my general feelings of good-will towards the series. show less
Four years after the events of Dzur, Vlad Taltos is still on the run from the Jhereg. When he learns that Aliera e'Kieron has been arrested by the Empire for practicing the forbidden elder sorcery, Vlad feels compelled to return to Adrilankha to help her...even if she doesn't want his help. Even if he is risking his life by returning, and the lives of those dear to him. But this is Vlad we're talking about, and so of course, he's going to jump right in regardless of the danger.
After Jhegaala, this is a welcome return to the more familiar environs and characters of most of the Vlad books. Pretty much everyone makes an appearance, and the witty repartee is as funny as ever. The plot was maybe a little too quickly resolved, and I'd have show more liked to see a little more action and a little less dialogue (much as I like Brust's dialogue), but I'd call this a good, solid entry in the series. I especially liked the long, detailed look at the Imperial Palace (if only we'd gotten to see Khaavren!) and the lovely scenes with Cawti and Vlad Norathar. show less
After Jhegaala, this is a welcome return to the more familiar environs and characters of most of the Vlad books. Pretty much everyone makes an appearance, and the witty repartee is as funny as ever. The plot was maybe a little too quickly resolved, and I'd have show more liked to see a little more action and a little less dialogue (much as I like Brust's dialogue), but I'd call this a good, solid entry in the series. I especially liked the long, detailed look at the Imperial Palace (if only we'd gotten to see Khaavren!) and the lovely scenes with Cawti and Vlad Norathar. show less
Iorich (In which Vlad must seek justice - but not too much of it) is set about eight years after Jhegaala and four years after Dzur. Vlad is back in Adrilankha because a friend has been arrested. Vlad is faced with a tangled web of mysteries (and also the idiosyncrasies of the Empire's legal system). What does the Empress hope to gain by bringing those charges against Aliera, and why are none of Aliera's friends doing anything to help? And how can Vlad solve all of this while avoiding the people in Adrilankha who are determined to kill him?
There’s less of Loiosh’s commentary, but all of my favourite characters make an appearance, so that was very satisfactory. From my perspective, that is; Vlad finds some of these interactions less show more than satisfactory.
I think this might be favourite of the Vlad books so far. The more of these books I read, the more I like them.
"What sort of bird is that?"
[Loiosh, to Vlad telepathically] "Okay, now I'm insulted."
"It's not a bird, it's a jhereg. A sort of flying reptile that eats dead things and makes sarcastic comments." show less
There’s less of Loiosh’s commentary, but all of my favourite characters make an appearance, so that was very satisfactory. From my perspective, that is; Vlad finds some of these interactions less show more than satisfactory.
I think this might be favourite of the Vlad books so far. The more of these books I read, the more I like them.
"What sort of bird is that?"
[Loiosh, to Vlad telepathically] "Okay, now I'm insulted."
"It's not a bird, it's a jhereg. A sort of flying reptile that eats dead things and makes sarcastic comments." show less
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ThingScore 100
Brust is able to skilfully blend a remarkable treatise on politics, law, justice, due process and even military ethics into a novel in which there is enough sword and sorcery to fill a dozen Vallejo paintings.
added by lampbane
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Author Information
72+ Works 35,537 Members
Steven Karl Zoltan Brust is a writer and musician. He was born on November 23, 1955. Brust has worked as a systems programmer for a computer company and played guitar, drums, and banjo in such bands as Cats Laughing, Morrigan, and Boiled in Lead. Brust writes science fiction, including the Vlad Taltos series, The Pheonix Guards, 500 Years After, show more and Brokedown Palace. He has written "choose-your-own-adventure" books for Tor and published several short stories in a series. Brust also released a solo album, A Rose for Iconoclastes, on the SteelDragon label. (Bowker Author Biography) show less
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Series
Work Relationships
Common Knowledge
- Canonical title
- Iorich
- Original publication date
- 2010-01-05
- People/Characters
- Vlad Taltos; Morrolan e'Drien; Aliera e'Kieron; Cawti; Loiosh (jhereg); Vlad Norathar (show all 10); Zerika the Fourth; Kiera; Daymar; Kragar
- Dedication
- For Meridel Bianca
- First words
- Even if things don't work the way you'd planned, it's good when you can take something useful away from the experience.
(prologue)
For a state to investigate the actions of its own military is, as no less than Lanya pointed out as far back as the Third Cycle, to either begin with a set of assumptions that will ultimately control the investigation, or ... (show all)to tangle one's self hopelessly in contradiction before beginning. - Quotations
- "As stupid moves go, Boss, this one isn't bad. I mean, comparatively."
"You expected me to launch a rebellion against the Empire?"
I considered that. "Yes," I said.
"I chose not to."
"Boss, you lie like an Issola."
"That's the nicest thing you've ever said to me." - Last words
- (Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)If there were justice, I'd be dead.
(epilogue)
(Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)"No."
(deleted scenes)
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- Reviews
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- Rating
- (3.87)
- Languages
- English
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- Paper, Audiobook, Ebook
- ISBNs
- 5
- ASINs
- 8
