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Vlad Taltos #17
Lyorn
All The World's A Happy Stage. Until the knives come out... Lyorn is the newest adventure in Steven Brust’s bestselling Vlad Taltos series
Another Opening…Another Cataclysm?
Vlad Taltos is on the run. Again. This time from one of the most powerful forces in his world, the Left Hand, who are intent on ending his very lucrative career. Permanently.
He finds a hidey-hole in a theatre where the players are putting on a show that was banned centuries ago…and is trying to be shut down by the House that once literally killed to keep it from being played.
Vlad will take on a number of roles to save his own skin. And the skins of those he loves.
And along the way, he’s might find a part that was tailor-made for him.
One that he might not want…but was always his destiny.
Another Opening…Another Cataclysm?
Vlad Taltos is on the run. Again. This time from one of the most powerful forces in his world, the Left Hand, who are intent on ending his very lucrative career. Permanently.
He finds a hidey-hole in a theatre where the players are putting on a show that was banned centuries ago…and is trying to be shut down by the House that once literally killed to keep it from being played.
Vlad will take on a number of roles to save his own skin. And the skins of those he loves.
And along the way, he’s might find a part that was tailor-made for him.
One that he might not want…but was always his destiny.
288 pages, Hardcover
First published April 9, 2024
About the author
Steven Brust
94 books2,244 followersSteven Karl Zoltán Brust (born November 23, 1955) is an American fantasy and science fiction author of Hungarian descent. He was a member of the writers' group The Scribblies, which included Emma Bull, Pamela Dean, Will Shetterly, Nate Bucklin, Kara Dalkey, and Patricia Wrede, and also belongs to the Pre-Joycean Fellowship.
http://us.macmillan.com/author/steven...
(Photo by David Dyer-Bennet)
http://us.macmillan.com/author/steven...
(Photo by David Dyer-Bennet)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 80 reviews
May 17, 2024
“The play's the thing
Wherein I'll catch the conscience of the king.”
--Musical.
What?
--It's a musical.
Well, we all must have our little jokes to amuse ourselves, mustn't we? Vlad is back in fine form, as is Brust, and it looks to be like the series is wrapping up with only two more books expected. This book finds Vlad hiding out at a theater due to their psijic protections, direct fallout from his actions in Hawk. It is one of the ironies that Vlad can't help but notice.
"Oh, and to catch you up, because I care about you more than I cared abut Jenka, what was funny was that I knew very well why they needed money: me. I'd just pulled off an operation that had the potential to make a lot of money for a lot of criminals, so anyone who wanted in on the action was going to have to gather funds in a hurry. In other words, yeah, the thing I'd done to get me out of trouble was now in danger of getting me in trouble.
I refuse to draw any conclusions about life, but you can if you want."
In fact, Brust take self-referential to a new art form with the subject of the play being the production of another play. Pushing the reader to ever more dizzying heights, he provides Vlad the historical book upon which the play is based, so that we too can appreciate the artistic commentary of the play's writer, by whom I must clearly mean Brust.
"The musicians I'd noticed earlier started playing, and I became frightened. A guy entered from the same place as we had, turned to show himself to all six sides, and said, 'I am their own dramaturge!' Then, as I was afraid would happen, he started singing."
Brust, as all fans should know by now, is a musician, whose specialties include filking, a kind of music parody where the words are related to sci-fi or fantasy. He leans heavily on his filk music background, and opens each chapter with a musical number from the play--I mean musical. (Oh yes, Brust is also in fine form with the call-back joke). I slowly realized that each song was done in a different style so there must be some underlying joke here, but it wasn't until I followed one reviewer's hints and checked Brust's site, dreamcafe,that I realized they were re-writes of (mostly) familiar musical tunes (the Buffy musical escaped me). The songs actually do a nice job of foreshadowing some of the events and conflict of each chapter.
Point of view is largely first person Vlad, but as always, we don't know his intricate plans until the grand opening (literally, in this case). There are a couple of third-person scenes from Sethra, Kragar and a couple others that could have been left out. Sethra's scenes continue to hint at larger, Cycle-wide intrigues.
The Jhereg play a significant role here, necessitating appearances by Kragar, Kiera the Thief, The Demon, and even Cawti. And Vlad's usual convoluted plans would go amiss without the inclusion of Daymar and his special skills, as well as the normal consult with Sethra.
Can you start here? I suppose, but would never recommend it. Brust is of the immersion school and does not believe in too much of the "as you know," although you'll note that Vlad occasionally has handy little asides as quoted above. Brust began this series in 1983, creating the Dragaeran calendar and the 17 creatures that stand for each time period in the cycle. Each book has been named after one of these creatures, with the the exception of Taltos. Lyorn is book 17 in the series, with two more planned, Chreotha and The Last Contract. I can hardly wait.
For those who want a creative fantasy setting and a long-running series whose author is not afraid to shake up the formula, the is one of the best.
Wherein I'll catch the conscience of the king.”
--Musical.
What?
--It's a musical.
Well, we all must have our little jokes to amuse ourselves, mustn't we? Vlad is back in fine form, as is Brust, and it looks to be like the series is wrapping up with only two more books expected. This book finds Vlad hiding out at a theater due to their psijic protections, direct fallout from his actions in Hawk. It is one of the ironies that Vlad can't help but notice.
"Oh, and to catch you up, because I care about you more than I cared abut Jenka, what was funny was that I knew very well why they needed money: me. I'd just pulled off an operation that had the potential to make a lot of money for a lot of criminals, so anyone who wanted in on the action was going to have to gather funds in a hurry. In other words, yeah, the thing I'd done to get me out of trouble was now in danger of getting me in trouble.
I refuse to draw any conclusions about life, but you can if you want."
In fact, Brust take self-referential to a new art form with the subject of the play being the production of another play. Pushing the reader to ever more dizzying heights, he provides Vlad the historical book upon which the play is based, so that we too can appreciate the artistic commentary of the play's writer, by whom I must clearly mean Brust.
"The musicians I'd noticed earlier started playing, and I became frightened. A guy entered from the same place as we had, turned to show himself to all six sides, and said, 'I am their own dramaturge!' Then, as I was afraid would happen, he started singing."
Brust, as all fans should know by now, is a musician, whose specialties include filking, a kind of music parody where the words are related to sci-fi or fantasy. He leans heavily on his filk music background, and opens each chapter with a musical number from the play--I mean musical. (Oh yes, Brust is also in fine form with the call-back joke). I slowly realized that each song was done in a different style so there must be some underlying joke here, but it wasn't until I followed one reviewer's hints and checked Brust's site, dreamcafe,that I realized they were re-writes of (mostly) familiar musical tunes (the Buffy musical escaped me). The songs actually do a nice job of foreshadowing some of the events and conflict of each chapter.
Point of view is largely first person Vlad, but as always, we don't know his intricate plans until the grand opening (literally, in this case). There are a couple of third-person scenes from Sethra, Kragar and a couple others that could have been left out. Sethra's scenes continue to hint at larger, Cycle-wide intrigues.
The Jhereg play a significant role here, necessitating appearances by Kragar, Kiera the Thief, The Demon, and even Cawti. And Vlad's usual convoluted plans would go amiss without the inclusion of Daymar and his special skills, as well as the normal consult with Sethra.
Can you start here? I suppose, but would never recommend it. Brust is of the immersion school and does not believe in too much of the "as you know," although you'll note that Vlad occasionally has handy little asides as quoted above. Brust began this series in 1983, creating the Dragaeran calendar and the 17 creatures that stand for each time period in the cycle. Each book has been named after one of these creatures, with the the exception of Taltos. Lyorn is book 17 in the series, with two more planned, Chreotha and The Last Contract. I can hardly wait.
For those who want a creative fantasy setting and a long-running series whose author is not afraid to shake up the formula, the is one of the best.
March 2, 2024
The blurb of this book makes it seem so dramatic and important. The actual novel feels much smaller, with low stakes and calm feelings. The big conflict of this book is trying to perform a musical in the face of financial and legal challenges. There's also some subplots about some kidnappings and hostage situations, but those take a backseat to the musical.
The novel has many excerpt from two in-world documents: the lyrics of the musical, and the history book that the musical is based on. This takes up a lot of the page time, and I don't think it improved the book. It interrupted the story, and was boring.
However, this book was easy to read, and kept me engaged. I was excited to see how the musical would go on opening night, and the steps leading up to that. It had some cool moments, and made me laugh. But, in the end, not much happens in this book. It's setting up things for the next book, but not actually having those pieces do important things now. It touches on a lot of interesting themes, but doesn't explore them.
Thanks to Netgalley and Tor Books for a copy of this book for review. All opinions are my own.
The novel has many excerpt from two in-world documents: the lyrics of the musical, and the history book that the musical is based on. This takes up a lot of the page time, and I don't think it improved the book. It interrupted the story, and was boring.
However, this book was easy to read, and kept me engaged. I was excited to see how the musical would go on opening night, and the steps leading up to that. It had some cool moments, and made me laugh. But, in the end, not much happens in this book. It's setting up things for the next book, but not actually having those pieces do important things now. It touches on a lot of interesting themes, but doesn't explore them.
Thanks to Netgalley and Tor Books for a copy of this book for review. All opinions are my own.
February 8, 2024
*copy from Netgalley in exchange for a review*
You'll always get me with a new work by Steven Brust. He has a sharp eye for the human condition, a real talent for snark, a penchant for saying interesting things, and a tendency to play around with the format of his stories to see what works. From the period-stylings of The Khaavren Romances to the thriller beats of The Good Guys, there's an impressive range there. But the heart of it, for me, is Vlad Taltos, and the saga of the Jhereg. Taltos has been a lot of things. Thug. Killer. Father. Fugitive. And we've seen him weave in and out of his story, switching point sin his personal timeline with him, picking up the pieces that fall off the stories he tells, trying to work out what's been happening, and what's coming next. We've seen the younger man planning murders, the older one standing in the ruins of his marriage, and the, ahem, even older one, rebuilding his life in a world that still isn't built for him, in an Empire that hates him for who he is, with gods playing the long game, friends with their own problems (like being an immortal vampire sorceress) and, well, you know, all those people trying to kill him.
Which is where Lyorn comes in. Vlad is back, baby. Back in Adrilankha, city by the sea, where he used to run a medium-sized criminal operation, and occasionally kill people. Back in the Empire of Dragaera, run by seven foot tall elves with access to sorcery, who regard him as a short-lived inconvenience. Back in close proximity to old friends, old loves, and old enemies. And, it turns out, in a theatre. The theatre is where he's hiding out, due to the aforementioned old enemies, while a few deals go down which, hopefully, keep him alive. And, in traditional Vlad style, he can't resist poking into other people's problems - or they can't resist involving him. The theatre itself is beautifully built. Every line adds some texture, some history, tells you about stories, about drama, about why the players company exists, who they are, what they need - and why being able to tell their stories, to live their needs, is important. Not just for them, but for everyone. For individuals, and Empires. Because stories have power, especially the ones we tell ourselves. Look at Vlad, who has reinvented himself more times than I have hats, who now just wants to build a life. Look at him as he walks through a theatre, sword at his hip, Jhereg on his shoulders, righting wrongs almost by reflex, and doing it because it's not just the right thing to do, but the necessary thing.
And that's before those old enemies come into play, getting rather aggressive in their efforts to drag him out of hiding.
At this point in the Jhereg series, you're either starting fresh here, or asking if this one is worth the investment you put into the previous books in the series. If you're coming in new. Hmm. Vlad is smart and funny and oblique, and has a lot of old friends you may not be familiar with. Sit with him as he figures out, from inside a theatre-shaped bottle, how to save his friends and himself without dying first. You're going to see some high quality schemes, some delightful banter, and occasional bouts of knife-edge action. If you're coming in as a fan though...you're probably starting to see different pieces of Vlad's past falling into place. You can see a larger game that's been playing out across the entire series and is starting to come to fruition. But you'll also see a familiar, late-period Vlad, still struggling to figure out who he is, but absolutely determined not to let anyone else tell him either. A man accustomed ot action, now having to acclimatise himself to thinking, planning, and patience. Being the person holding the blade, and not the tip of the blade itself. Lyorn is a story about the law, and about honour, and about what society is willing to accept and what it isn't - and it's a story about saving lives and yourself.
In short, it's a Taltos story, and a really good one, at that. If you're unfamiliar, give it a try (or go read Jhereg!). If you're a fan - yes, you're going to want this one.
You'll always get me with a new work by Steven Brust. He has a sharp eye for the human condition, a real talent for snark, a penchant for saying interesting things, and a tendency to play around with the format of his stories to see what works. From the period-stylings of The Khaavren Romances to the thriller beats of The Good Guys, there's an impressive range there. But the heart of it, for me, is Vlad Taltos, and the saga of the Jhereg. Taltos has been a lot of things. Thug. Killer. Father. Fugitive. And we've seen him weave in and out of his story, switching point sin his personal timeline with him, picking up the pieces that fall off the stories he tells, trying to work out what's been happening, and what's coming next. We've seen the younger man planning murders, the older one standing in the ruins of his marriage, and the, ahem, even older one, rebuilding his life in a world that still isn't built for him, in an Empire that hates him for who he is, with gods playing the long game, friends with their own problems (like being an immortal vampire sorceress) and, well, you know, all those people trying to kill him.
Which is where Lyorn comes in. Vlad is back, baby. Back in Adrilankha, city by the sea, where he used to run a medium-sized criminal operation, and occasionally kill people. Back in the Empire of Dragaera, run by seven foot tall elves with access to sorcery, who regard him as a short-lived inconvenience. Back in close proximity to old friends, old loves, and old enemies. And, it turns out, in a theatre. The theatre is where he's hiding out, due to the aforementioned old enemies, while a few deals go down which, hopefully, keep him alive. And, in traditional Vlad style, he can't resist poking into other people's problems - or they can't resist involving him. The theatre itself is beautifully built. Every line adds some texture, some history, tells you about stories, about drama, about why the players company exists, who they are, what they need - and why being able to tell their stories, to live their needs, is important. Not just for them, but for everyone. For individuals, and Empires. Because stories have power, especially the ones we tell ourselves. Look at Vlad, who has reinvented himself more times than I have hats, who now just wants to build a life. Look at him as he walks through a theatre, sword at his hip, Jhereg on his shoulders, righting wrongs almost by reflex, and doing it because it's not just the right thing to do, but the necessary thing.
And that's before those old enemies come into play, getting rather aggressive in their efforts to drag him out of hiding.
At this point in the Jhereg series, you're either starting fresh here, or asking if this one is worth the investment you put into the previous books in the series. If you're coming in new. Hmm. Vlad is smart and funny and oblique, and has a lot of old friends you may not be familiar with. Sit with him as he figures out, from inside a theatre-shaped bottle, how to save his friends and himself without dying first. You're going to see some high quality schemes, some delightful banter, and occasional bouts of knife-edge action. If you're coming in as a fan though...you're probably starting to see different pieces of Vlad's past falling into place. You can see a larger game that's been playing out across the entire series and is starting to come to fruition. But you'll also see a familiar, late-period Vlad, still struggling to figure out who he is, but absolutely determined not to let anyone else tell him either. A man accustomed ot action, now having to acclimatise himself to thinking, planning, and patience. Being the person holding the blade, and not the tip of the blade itself. Lyorn is a story about the law, and about honour, and about what society is willing to accept and what it isn't - and it's a story about saving lives and yourself.
In short, it's a Taltos story, and a really good one, at that. If you're unfamiliar, give it a try (or go read Jhereg!). If you're a fan - yes, you're going to want this one.
June 1, 2024
Fair warning to anyone unfamiliar with my ongoing #WhatWouldVladDo reviews of the Vlad Taltos series: I’d been looking forward to Lyorn for quite some time.
And I was not disappointed.
Steven Brust does one thing better than any other fantasy author ever (yes, maybe even than Zelazny) and that thing is that he takes high/epic fantasy and makes it less grandiose, anything but verbose, and it’s always funny and fun and dangerous. Brust does big stakes on small scales and small stakes on big scales like no master before him, and he’s done it with flair here in Lyorn.
What’s it about?: Vlad just went from running from the Jhereg’s most visible criminal component to running as fast as possible from the Jhereg’s most clandestine and dangerous faction. So where does he run to? A theater, not-of-course! A theater where they are definitely not putting on a play. (It’s a musical. Get it.) Now, being up shit’s creek without a plan but lots of water (heh, read the book and you’ll get this), Vlad has to figure out just how to take down an evil sorceress hellbent on murdering him for a murder he inadvertently committed back when he used to deliberately commit them. And it may take a kidnapping, a lawsuit, a theater full of actors and stage hands, the Empress herself, and an honest chat with his patron goddess to get this demon to speak to another Demon about how to get the hell through all of this! Don’t worry: it’s a musical, so there’s lots of singing throughout which means this won’t be a hard read.
Which brings me to my review: I had a lot of laughs and a heart racing good time with this one. It’s definitely more succinct than the previous entry, Tsalmoth, but where it most shines is in thrillingly managing to capture the feel and excitement of the early Vlad novels while having obviously matured and delivered on old promises to move the overarching story. Brust, and by extension Vlad, are both obviously willing to die on the stage here. And the novel is that much better for leaning in to its narrative conceit as well as trusting the reader to have come to know and/or love the supporting characters that would be main characters in any other epic fantasy series! At no point do you lose how big this story is by how narrowly it exclusively focusing on what is happening to Vlad. And that ending is everything an ethos and epic should be.
While not a good entry point in the series (there’s only 2 more left, presumably?), Lyorn scores big points for being a pleasure to read and I wouldn’t be surprised if a newcomer wanted to read more after reading this one. I have to remind those of you who have been following my 20+ year journey reading these books that, after the first 3, I read these all out of order before my latest reread in the year building up to Tsalmoth!
Highly recommending this to Vlad Taltos fans is self-serving and that’s not why we would go to Valabar’s… oh, heck, it would be, wouldn’t it? Cheers to everyone else who has gotten this far on this journey! Cheers to Steven Brust!
PS: I’m still miffed I didn’t earn an ARC for this one. Kind of insulted, but whatever. I won’t be a repercussionist about it.
And I was not disappointed.
Steven Brust does one thing better than any other fantasy author ever (yes, maybe even than Zelazny) and that thing is that he takes high/epic fantasy and makes it less grandiose, anything but verbose, and it’s always funny and fun and dangerous. Brust does big stakes on small scales and small stakes on big scales like no master before him, and he’s done it with flair here in Lyorn.
What’s it about?: Vlad just went from running from the Jhereg’s most visible criminal component to running as fast as possible from the Jhereg’s most clandestine and dangerous faction. So where does he run to? A theater, not-of-course! A theater where they are definitely not putting on a play. (It’s a musical. Get it.) Now, being up shit’s creek without a plan but lots of water (heh, read the book and you’ll get this), Vlad has to figure out just how to take down an evil sorceress hellbent on murdering him for a murder he inadvertently committed back when he used to deliberately commit them. And it may take a kidnapping, a lawsuit, a theater full of actors and stage hands, the Empress herself, and an honest chat with his patron goddess to get this demon to speak to another Demon about how to get the hell through all of this! Don’t worry: it’s a musical, so there’s lots of singing throughout which means this won’t be a hard read.
Which brings me to my review: I had a lot of laughs and a heart racing good time with this one. It’s definitely more succinct than the previous entry, Tsalmoth, but where it most shines is in thrillingly managing to capture the feel and excitement of the early Vlad novels while having obviously matured and delivered on old promises to move the overarching story. Brust, and by extension Vlad, are both obviously willing to die on the stage here. And the novel is that much better for leaning in to its narrative conceit as well as trusting the reader to have come to know and/or love the supporting characters that would be main characters in any other epic fantasy series! At no point do you lose how big this story is by how narrowly it exclusively focusing on what is happening to Vlad. And that ending is everything an ethos and epic should be.
While not a good entry point in the series (there’s only 2 more left, presumably?), Lyorn scores big points for being a pleasure to read and I wouldn’t be surprised if a newcomer wanted to read more after reading this one. I have to remind those of you who have been following my 20+ year journey reading these books that, after the first 3, I read these all out of order before my latest reread in the year building up to Tsalmoth!
Highly recommending this to Vlad Taltos fans is self-serving and that’s not why we would go to Valabar’s… oh, heck, it would be, wouldn’t it? Cheers to everyone else who has gotten this far on this journey! Cheers to Steven Brust!
PS: I’m still miffed I didn’t earn an ARC for this one. Kind of insulted, but whatever. I won’t be a repercussionist about it.
May 2, 2024
This book takes place days after the events of Hawk. The thing about this series is the timeline isn't necessarily linear. From one book to the next it could jump anywhere in Vlad's life.
So with the Right Hand of the Jhereg canceling the open contract on Vlad's life you'd think he'd have an easier go of it. But a member of the Left Hand has a grudge and wants to end him.
All the typical hijinks that make up this series are there, but take place mostly in a theatre.
So with the Right Hand of the Jhereg canceling the open contract on Vlad's life you'd think he'd have an easier go of it. But a member of the Left Hand has a grudge and wants to end him.
All the typical hijinks that make up this series are there, but take place mostly in a theatre.
April 19, 2024
Another fun Vlad Taltos novel full of snarkiness. I am a bit disappointed in myself that I didn’t recognize more of the musical numbers…
April 19, 2024
I have really enjoyed this series. I've enjoyed the adventures with Vlad Taltos; even the bad ones. After seventeen books, the cycle is almost at an end with one more of the great houses left. Lyorn sees Vlat still on the run, but this time from the Left hand, and he seeks refuge with a theatre troupe that are staging a musical about staging a play.
As one would expect, the regular hijinks ensue and Vlad has to enact one of his overly complex plots and call in a few favours from his friends. I enjoyed this novel, especially the popular musical numbers at the start of every chapter. One of them was so unexpected, and another- I just got a kick out of it. I love how Brust keeps playing with form and format for his novels - it is always an interesting experience opening one of his novels and finding out what genre or form he is invoking.
Though there isn't much movement on the main plot - we did get little tidbits, but that is about all. I hope this is all a set-up for the next novel, if the final chapter is anything to go by.
Two more books to go for the conclusion, and I am eagerly awaiting it.
As one would expect, the regular hijinks ensue and Vlad has to enact one of his overly complex plots and call in a few favours from his friends. I enjoyed this novel, especially the popular musical numbers at the start of every chapter. One of them was so unexpected, and another- I just got a kick out of it. I love how Brust keeps playing with form and format for his novels - it is always an interesting experience opening one of his novels and finding out what genre or form he is invoking.
Though there isn't much movement on the main plot - we did get little tidbits, but that is about all. I hope this is all a set-up for the next novel, if the final chapter is anything to go by.
Two more books to go for the conclusion, and I am eagerly awaiting it.
April 19, 2024
Once More, With Feeling
Brust does it again.
Amazing. Just a little step closer to the fate we have known Vlad was tending towards, in time, with song cues and dance numbers.
As someone who loves fantasy and musicals, this is simply brilliant.
For others, Dreamcafe has links to the original songs so you can appreciate what is being referenced.
One of the most enjoyable installments- though they're all good, great or excellent.
Brust does it again.
Amazing. Just a little step closer to the fate we have known Vlad was tending towards, in time, with song cues and dance numbers.
As someone who loves fantasy and musicals, this is simply brilliant.
For others, Dreamcafe has links to the original songs so you can appreciate what is being referenced.
One of the most enjoyable installments- though they're all good, great or excellent.
April 7, 2024
Vlad’s in trouble—again!
A return to the Vlad shenanigans is always a welcome experience. This time Vlad’s hiding out in a theater from quite a few factions. He sorted the problem with the Jhereg but now The Left Hand is after him, and he no longer has sorcery protections. Oh, and also, being turned into a demon was unplanned and particularly unhelpful. Yet Vlad needs to stay in the City. Big Problem!!
A friend advises him to hide out in a theater because apparently , “Every theater in the City has spells to prevent sorcery, and powerful spells to prevent clairvoyance and any other sort of detection until the show opens, and most of them don’t bother to take the spells down after that.”
Perfect! Sort of! A musical farce is being performed based on the challenge of theatre productions and the empire. I recognised some Gilbert and Sullivan repartee. Vlad by the way dislikes musicals.
He has a bed to sleep in but the food is abysmal so Vlad communicates with the outside to have it delivered. Of course! He’s a foodie! (Personally, I think that’s a bad idea, but I’m only a reader)
It seems the producer is having trouble with Jhereg investors. The latest a Lyorn. Of course Vlad lends a hand. After all he’s in hiding and bored and is doing nothing to bring attention to himself. Ha!
He also has Sethra Lavode, Warlord, working on his problem.
Along the way we’re given a potted history of the Empire and the Stage.
As usual I enjoyed the misadventures of the likeable rogue Vlad (officially Lord Vladimir Taltos, First Count of Szurke by the grace of Her Majesty) and his two small, long suffering, quite vocal, put upon companions, Loiosh and Rocza.
A long time reader of Vlad novels, I love the tone, the irony, the sarcasm and the wit of it all. Well played Brust!
A Tor ARC via NetGalley.
Many thanks to the author and publisher.
Please note: Quotes taken from an advanced reading copy maybe subject to change
(Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.)
A return to the Vlad shenanigans is always a welcome experience. This time Vlad’s hiding out in a theater from quite a few factions. He sorted the problem with the Jhereg but now The Left Hand is after him, and he no longer has sorcery protections. Oh, and also, being turned into a demon was unplanned and particularly unhelpful. Yet Vlad needs to stay in the City. Big Problem!!
A friend advises him to hide out in a theater because apparently , “Every theater in the City has spells to prevent sorcery, and powerful spells to prevent clairvoyance and any other sort of detection until the show opens, and most of them don’t bother to take the spells down after that.”
Perfect! Sort of! A musical farce is being performed based on the challenge of theatre productions and the empire. I recognised some Gilbert and Sullivan repartee. Vlad by the way dislikes musicals.
He has a bed to sleep in but the food is abysmal so Vlad communicates with the outside to have it delivered. Of course! He’s a foodie! (Personally, I think that’s a bad idea, but I’m only a reader)
It seems the producer is having trouble with Jhereg investors. The latest a Lyorn. Of course Vlad lends a hand. After all he’s in hiding and bored and is doing nothing to bring attention to himself. Ha!
He also has Sethra Lavode, Warlord, working on his problem.
Along the way we’re given a potted history of the Empire and the Stage.
As usual I enjoyed the misadventures of the likeable rogue Vlad (officially Lord Vladimir Taltos, First Count of Szurke by the grace of Her Majesty) and his two small, long suffering, quite vocal, put upon companions, Loiosh and Rocza.
A long time reader of Vlad novels, I love the tone, the irony, the sarcasm and the wit of it all. Well played Brust!
A Tor ARC via NetGalley.
Many thanks to the author and publisher.
Please note: Quotes taken from an advanced reading copy maybe subject to change
(Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.)
July 24, 2024
Apart from the inherent silliness of Vlad Taltos hiding amongst a theater troop, so as to avoid assailants for whom his death represents personal business, not just policy, Brust sharpens his attack trajectory in regards to his grand climax for this long-running epic. I found myself rather liking this installment (some of the later books have only been a notch above pot-boiler quality), as Vlad is also forced to come to grips with the reality that he is an agent of destiny, whether he likes it or not.
April 30, 2024
I think we're in the last stages of this series, as the plot is firmly moving us to a dramatic ending, and there are no flashbacks to a previous time in Vlad's life. The framing structure is that Vlad's stuck hiding in a Theatre due to some nefarious people trying to end his life (if I had an Orb for every time that happens to Vlad). As a result, Vlad learns about the theatre, and sadly, I had no moment of concern that any of the main characters (or the newly introduced ones) were in any danger, at any time. The book was also short - so that I finished it in an evening. Normally I applaud brevity in fantasy, but the story felt like it resolved too easily for my liking.
I guess this was all about aligning matters towards a conclusion.
I guess this was all about aligning matters towards a conclusion.
April 15, 2024
Really enjoyed this in the parts that kind of pushed the overarching plot through. Being set at a theater was interesting though since I'm not a theater person I probably didn't find it as funny as some might. Anyway I'm excited that he only has two more books to go in this series!
April 14, 2024
Oh Vlad, you never fail to surprise and amaze me. 40+ years into the series, Vlad remains the most in-depth character arc in the genre. Can’t wait for the next one.
July 21, 2024
I feel very mixed about this one. In some ways it was pretty funny, as usual, though not as funny as I remember the earlier books - and even later books like "Tiassa" - being. It's creative in a lot of ways, and the climax is ingenious. Unfortunately, one major issue I had with it was that it was boring.
One opening criticism I have is the cover. I believe he's been using the same cover artist for a while, and my criticism isn't precisely the artist's work, it's that it looks really stupid. Maybe there's something about lyorn being like loyal dogs ready to stab with something sharp at a moment's notice. It's more sensible than some of the other fantasy animals we've had, in a way. It just looks very dumb, and I've thought it was dumb since the cover was first previewed. This series isn't exactly known for good covers, though, and this is no exception.
Every book in this series - at least that I can recall - has a particular conceit for the opening of each chapter, unique to each book. For one book, it was Vlad talking about food. Last book, it was the lead up to Vlad and Cawti's marriage. This book has the creative idea of Brust taking popular real-world songs (not all from musicals, but mostly from musicals) and writing new lyrics that fit the performance in the story. If I were more familiar with all of them, I might find that more endearing. As it was, I even struggled with ones I recognized. If you'd like a full list of the songs, Brust posted them here.
.
A lot of this book felt like Brust didn't want to be writing it. I know there are two more planned books in the series, and I believe he's already made progress on the next one, and I wish him the best. But so much of the book was jumping to random things even more than usual. There were at least five narrators this book, including asides for when Vlad was reading and the song sections. Vlad specifically stops communicating to other characters for chunks of the story and spends a lot of it pacing impatiently. I'm also not sure if Brust has some bone to pick with lawyers, and it wouldn't surprise me if he did just because a lot of people do, but the lawyer section in this was kind of ridiculous. A part of me wonders if this is hearkening back to his divorce, which made the whole Cawti/Vlad break-up such a noxious read. If some divorce attorney made him really pissed off, I wouldn't be surprised. It's not as unpleasant as the Cawti/Vlad break-up was, but it's not exactly pleasant, either.
I appreciated the inclusion of some development for .
Overall, though, it felt like Brust was checked out of the story for his characters, hence why he kept skipping between them, two different story asides, and the main plot. I dropped this multiple times while reading, and struggled to come back to it. There are good moments, and fun Vlad + random people moments. People care about Vlad and Vlad is struggling to understand that. The bigger plot is poking in. He has a very interesting conversation with . There's a lot of promise for the last two books. But it's a struggle. The sad thing is, I went back to early books in the series, hoping to see them with fresher eyes, since I haven't reread some of them since 2008 or so. Although I still adore parts of "Orca" and "Issola", these books really are messy. That hasn't really changed. It's just getting less tolerable these days.
One opening criticism I have is the cover. I believe he's been using the same cover artist for a while, and my criticism isn't precisely the artist's work, it's that it looks really stupid. Maybe there's something about lyorn being like loyal dogs ready to stab with something sharp at a moment's notice. It's more sensible than some of the other fantasy animals we've had, in a way. It just looks very dumb, and I've thought it was dumb since the cover was first previewed. This series isn't exactly known for good covers, though, and this is no exception.
Every book in this series - at least that I can recall - has a particular conceit for the opening of each chapter, unique to each book. For one book, it was Vlad talking about food. Last book, it was the lead up to Vlad and Cawti's marriage. This book has the creative idea of Brust taking popular real-world songs (not all from musicals, but mostly from musicals) and writing new lyrics that fit the performance in the story. If I were more familiar with all of them, I might find that more endearing. As it was, I even struggled with ones I recognized. If you'd like a full list of the songs, Brust posted them here.
.
A lot of this book felt like Brust didn't want to be writing it. I know there are two more planned books in the series, and I believe he's already made progress on the next one, and I wish him the best. But so much of the book was jumping to random things even more than usual. There were at least five narrators this book, including asides for when Vlad was reading and the song sections. Vlad specifically stops communicating to other characters for chunks of the story and spends a lot of it pacing impatiently. I'm also not sure if Brust has some bone to pick with lawyers, and it wouldn't surprise me if he did just because a lot of people do, but the lawyer section in this was kind of ridiculous. A part of me wonders if this is hearkening back to his divorce, which made the whole Cawti/Vlad break-up such a noxious read. If some divorce attorney made him really pissed off, I wouldn't be surprised. It's not as unpleasant as the Cawti/Vlad break-up was, but it's not exactly pleasant, either.
I appreciated the inclusion of some development for .
Overall, though, it felt like Brust was checked out of the story for his characters, hence why he kept skipping between them, two different story asides, and the main plot. I dropped this multiple times while reading, and struggled to come back to it. There are good moments, and fun Vlad + random people moments. People care about Vlad and Vlad is struggling to understand that. The bigger plot is poking in. He has a very interesting conversation with . There's a lot of promise for the last two books. But it's a struggle. The sad thing is, I went back to early books in the series, hoping to see them with fresher eyes, since I haven't reread some of them since 2008 or so. Although I still adore parts of "Orca" and "Issola", these books really are messy. That hasn't really changed. It's just getting less tolerable these days.
May 18, 2024
Brust is one of the few authors I read in high school, who is still publishing new books, and that I eagerly anticipate each new volume. In fact I shared with my son, that Brust is the only author I read in high school other than Shakespeare that I still read frequently. That speaks to his staying power as a storyteller, and the charm and wit of Vlad. I have been reading the Vlad Taltos books by Steven Brust since they first started appearing. I started keeping track of what I read in the fall of 1995, since that time I have read or reread a book by Brust 39 times. With each new work I appreciate the series, the author and especially Vlad more. Whenever a Vlad Taltos book appears it is like a visit with an old friend. I gave up on Xanth by Piers Anthony by the 6th book and Wild Cards by George R.R. Martin by the 10th book. The only series I started reading in the mid 80’s that I finished was The Stainless Steel Rat by Harry Harrison and it ended a while ago.
This story is different than many in the series. In part Vlad for the most part stuck in a theatre. He needs the protection of the spells on the theatre to prevent people finding him who want to put holes in him, and make his demise permanent. In our last adventure Vlad figured out a way to come out from under a heavy price on his head and a few years of wandering. And almost instantly he is in a new pickle, and at first he does not even know why. Shure their might be a lot of old grudges but we was not sure what triggered this level of vitriol.
The description of this volume is:
“All The World's A Happy Stage. Until the knives come out... Lyorn is the next adventure in Steven Brust’s bestselling Vlad Taltos series
Another Opening…Another Cataclysm?
Vlad Taltos is on the run. Again. This time from one of the most powerful forces in his world, the Left Hand, who are intent on ending his very lucrative career. Permanently.
He finds a hidey-hole in a theatre where the players are putting on a show that was banned centuries ago…and is trying to be shut down by the House that once literally killed to keep it from being played.
Vlad will take on a number of roles to save his own skin. And the skins of those he loves.
And along the way, he might find a part that was tailor-made for him.
One that he might not want…but was always his destiny.”
The chapters and sections in this volume are:
Prologue
1. Day 1 Act 1 Scene 1
2. Day 1 Act 1 Scene 4
3. Day 1 Act 2 Scene 2
4. Day 1 Act 3 Scene 4
5. Day 1 Act 4 Scene 3
Intermission: The Crying Clown
6. Day 2 Act 1 Scene 2
7. Day 2 Act 1 Scene 6
8. Day 2 Act 3 Scene 3
9. Day 2 Act 4 Scene 1
10. Day 2 Act 4 Scene 6
11. Day 2 Act 6 Scene 6
Intermission: The Ravenwing Players
12. Day 3 Act 1 Scene 2
13. Day 3 Act 2 Scene 2
14. Day 3 Act 3 Scene 1
15. Day 3 Act 3 Scene 4
16. Day 3 Act 3 Scene 4
17. Day 3 Act 4 Scene 5
Encore
Vlad is in a theatre, they are putting on a historical play. For numerous reasons It might be ended; including 2 Jhereg wanting to back out of backing the play, a Lyorn that does not want the play done because it shines a bad light on the house. And the kidnapping of a friends child. But Vlad is not a typical guy hiding out. And Vlad absolutely does not have the run of the mill friends. He is personal friends with Sethra Lavode, a number of powerful Dragon Lords, The Demon one of the 5 who form the ruling council of the criminal organization you formerly worked for, (As much as anyone high up in the organization can be friends) and of course the empress. Oh not to mention his Goddess Verra.
Each chapters begins part of the play. Vlad is also reading an actual history of the events covered in the play. And part of his finding a way to get out of this mess is figuring out the play, the history, and what makes a Lyorn a Lyorn. It’s not like Vlad has not pulled off miracles before …
Towards the end of the volume Vlad reflects:
“I had friends who helped me. I always had friends. I wasn’t the toughest, or the strongest, or the fastest, or the best sorcerer, or even the best witch (damn you Morrolan and Warlock). But I had friends. I had friends who overshadowed me, but that I could always count on.”
Vlad has friends, friends who will always stand in his corner. And reading anew Vlad novel is much like a visit with an old friend. This story was a lot less action than some of the Vlad stories, but it does give us some great information. Vlad starts to piece together some things both about what is happening and something much bigger that is happening. Some key pieces are revealed to the reader that are going to be important in future volumes. Which it leaves you desperate for.
This is another great read from one of my all-time favourite authors. An excellent novel in an incredible series! Well done Mr. Brust, well done.
This story is different than many in the series. In part Vlad for the most part stuck in a theatre. He needs the protection of the spells on the theatre to prevent people finding him who want to put holes in him, and make his demise permanent. In our last adventure Vlad figured out a way to come out from under a heavy price on his head and a few years of wandering. And almost instantly he is in a new pickle, and at first he does not even know why. Shure their might be a lot of old grudges but we was not sure what triggered this level of vitriol.
The description of this volume is:
“All The World's A Happy Stage. Until the knives come out... Lyorn is the next adventure in Steven Brust’s bestselling Vlad Taltos series
Another Opening…Another Cataclysm?
Vlad Taltos is on the run. Again. This time from one of the most powerful forces in his world, the Left Hand, who are intent on ending his very lucrative career. Permanently.
He finds a hidey-hole in a theatre where the players are putting on a show that was banned centuries ago…and is trying to be shut down by the House that once literally killed to keep it from being played.
Vlad will take on a number of roles to save his own skin. And the skins of those he loves.
And along the way, he might find a part that was tailor-made for him.
One that he might not want…but was always his destiny.”
The chapters and sections in this volume are:
Prologue
1. Day 1 Act 1 Scene 1
2. Day 1 Act 1 Scene 4
3. Day 1 Act 2 Scene 2
4. Day 1 Act 3 Scene 4
5. Day 1 Act 4 Scene 3
Intermission: The Crying Clown
6. Day 2 Act 1 Scene 2
7. Day 2 Act 1 Scene 6
8. Day 2 Act 3 Scene 3
9. Day 2 Act 4 Scene 1
10. Day 2 Act 4 Scene 6
11. Day 2 Act 6 Scene 6
Intermission: The Ravenwing Players
12. Day 3 Act 1 Scene 2
13. Day 3 Act 2 Scene 2
14. Day 3 Act 3 Scene 1
15. Day 3 Act 3 Scene 4
16. Day 3 Act 3 Scene 4
17. Day 3 Act 4 Scene 5
Encore
Vlad is in a theatre, they are putting on a historical play. For numerous reasons It might be ended; including 2 Jhereg wanting to back out of backing the play, a Lyorn that does not want the play done because it shines a bad light on the house. And the kidnapping of a friends child. But Vlad is not a typical guy hiding out. And Vlad absolutely does not have the run of the mill friends. He is personal friends with Sethra Lavode, a number of powerful Dragon Lords, The Demon one of the 5 who form the ruling council of the criminal organization you formerly worked for, (As much as anyone high up in the organization can be friends) and of course the empress. Oh not to mention his Goddess Verra.
Each chapters begins part of the play. Vlad is also reading an actual history of the events covered in the play. And part of his finding a way to get out of this mess is figuring out the play, the history, and what makes a Lyorn a Lyorn. It’s not like Vlad has not pulled off miracles before …
Towards the end of the volume Vlad reflects:
“I had friends who helped me. I always had friends. I wasn’t the toughest, or the strongest, or the fastest, or the best sorcerer, or even the best witch (damn you Morrolan and Warlock). But I had friends. I had friends who overshadowed me, but that I could always count on.”
Vlad has friends, friends who will always stand in his corner. And reading anew Vlad novel is much like a visit with an old friend. This story was a lot less action than some of the Vlad stories, but it does give us some great information. Vlad starts to piece together some things both about what is happening and something much bigger that is happening. Some key pieces are revealed to the reader that are going to be important in future volumes. Which it leaves you desperate for.
This is another great read from one of my all-time favourite authors. An excellent novel in an incredible series! Well done Mr. Brust, well done.
December 19, 2023
To be perfectly frank, there is only so long that any author, no matter how good, can stretch out a mystery; thankfully, the mystery at the heart of the Dragaeran Empire is beginning to be unravelled. This is the seventeenth Vlad Taltos novel, though only the eleventh that I've read; I found my appetite for additional novels set earlier in Vlad's life that didn't seem like they were going to advance the main plot waning, and I'm glad that this finally did.
It's been very clear for a very long time (to me at least since Issola) that Vlad is going to be involved in big, world-scale events, and I've found myself chafing against the dramatic irony as Vlad himself has refused to notice or grapple with that and Brust has continued to write stories with much lower stakes; it wouldn't be fair to say that Vlad has been unchanging in that time, but to maintain the same level of snark in his narration he has ended up pretty much resistant to anything significant, and that's been fairly frustrating as a reader. It is interesting to note that apart from some fuzziness at the odd reference, I have not really suffered consequences from not having read a third of the series, and I don't know that that is an endorsement of each of the books being essential reading.
This book itself is fairly low-stakes as the plots go; Vlad is on the run, this time from the Left Hand of the Jhereg, and so must execute yet another plot to get away from the people who want to kill him. This has happened enough times (as Vlad has been on the run from enough different groups) as to be a smidge de trop, but this time we have the set dressing of the theatre to liven it up. There's less cool sorcery or witchcraft this time, there's much less fighting, and there's just the sense that none of it matters overmuch. Vlad comes up with a plan, doesn't tell the reader what it is, and then executes it, as per usual, but because it's lacking the more entertaining magic or fighting or changes of scenery, this time the process feels less propulsive. The rest of the word count is padded out with songs from the musical being put on in the theatre while Vlad is hiding there (which can, if you can figure the reference out, be set to music from musicals in our world), brief interludes in the third person (which may be visions, but Vlad never gives any suggestion that he's seeing them so probably not) and excerpts from a volume of history (which is thematically linked to Vlad and the musical but not super plot relevant).
I guess, in summary, that this book is kinda just fine. It provided just enough new information to not be actively frustrating, but stopped short of being genuinely novel. It is probably a good entry point if you've not read the series for a few books and are looking to get back into it before the final two books, which I have to assume will be pretty plot heavy.
It's been very clear for a very long time (to me at least since Issola) that Vlad is going to be involved in big, world-scale events, and I've found myself chafing against the dramatic irony as Vlad himself has refused to notice or grapple with that and Brust has continued to write stories with much lower stakes; it wouldn't be fair to say that Vlad has been unchanging in that time, but to maintain the same level of snark in his narration he has ended up pretty much resistant to anything significant, and that's been fairly frustrating as a reader. It is interesting to note that apart from some fuzziness at the odd reference, I have not really suffered consequences from not having read a third of the series, and I don't know that that is an endorsement of each of the books being essential reading.
This book itself is fairly low-stakes as the plots go; Vlad is on the run, this time from the Left Hand of the Jhereg, and so must execute yet another plot to get away from the people who want to kill him. This has happened enough times (as Vlad has been on the run from enough different groups) as to be a smidge de trop, but this time we have the set dressing of the theatre to liven it up. There's less cool sorcery or witchcraft this time, there's much less fighting, and there's just the sense that none of it matters overmuch. Vlad comes up with a plan, doesn't tell the reader what it is, and then executes it, as per usual, but because it's lacking the more entertaining magic or fighting or changes of scenery, this time the process feels less propulsive. The rest of the word count is padded out with songs from the musical being put on in the theatre while Vlad is hiding there (which can, if you can figure the reference out, be set to music from musicals in our world), brief interludes in the third person (which may be visions, but Vlad never gives any suggestion that he's seeing them so probably not) and excerpts from a volume of history (which is thematically linked to Vlad and the musical but not super plot relevant).
I guess, in summary, that this book is kinda just fine. It provided just enough new information to not be actively frustrating, but stopped short of being genuinely novel. It is probably a good entry point if you've not read the series for a few books and are looking to get back into it before the final two books, which I have to assume will be pretty plot heavy.
April 13, 2024
Lyorn is a lot to wrap your mind around, and it does not at first seem like something you should need to wrap your mind around. I am guessing this is not long after the events of Tsalmoth. Vlad has his memories back and knows why he agreed to being mindwiped in the first place. Vlad is still being pursued by the Left Hand of the Jhereg, but has gotten the Right Hand of the Jhereg to back off.
Due to shenanigans involving the Left Hand of the Jhereg, Vlad ends up hiding at a theater. It turns out that Dragaeran theaters are extremely well protected from sorcery. This makes a theater the perfect place to hide, if you are a fan of musicals. (Vlad is not a fan of musicals.) Much to Vlad’s misfortune, the theater company is going to be performing a musical. A controversial musical that turns out to be about censorship, and is extremely unflattering of a Lyorn Emperor.
Vlad is approached to help with a “Jhereg problem,” by the director of the musical. Around the same time a representative from the House of the Lyorn turns up to try and get the musical canceled. This leads to the usual machinations and strategizing Vlad is typically really good at. However, things get increasingly complicated, not only with the Left Hand of the Jhereg, but also on a mysteriously cosmological level. There is some Greater Purpose out there that Vlad would really like to avoid, but might not be able to.
A few notes:
--Lyorn is dedicated to John M. Ford. This is fitting as Ford wrote How Much For Just the Planet, which was the “musical episode” of Star Trek Original Series tie-in novels!
--So, in previous Vlad Taltos books, when the POV shifted to a Dragaeran, the dialog would shift over to “Paarfi of Roundwood’s Histories” style of dialog. This time around, there was no shift. The mode of speech and narrative was pretty much identical to Vlad’s sections. This is somewhat interesting in the context of the Mysterious Cosmological Level.
-- Verra is being very weird and that’s saying something, because this is Verra.
--I am honestly very worried about what might happen to Vlad. There is a lot of background stuff going on.
Lyorn is definitely not one of the books you can more or less just jump into. (For that, I suggest Taltos or Jhereg.) In fact, before you start Lyorn you should probably reread Tsalmoth. I definitely enjoyed the book, and found it to be a fairly fast read with lots of quick twists and revelations.
This review is based on a galley received from NetGalley.
Due to shenanigans involving the Left Hand of the Jhereg, Vlad ends up hiding at a theater. It turns out that Dragaeran theaters are extremely well protected from sorcery. This makes a theater the perfect place to hide, if you are a fan of musicals. (Vlad is not a fan of musicals.) Much to Vlad’s misfortune, the theater company is going to be performing a musical. A controversial musical that turns out to be about censorship, and is extremely unflattering of a Lyorn Emperor.
Vlad is approached to help with a “Jhereg problem,” by the director of the musical. Around the same time a representative from the House of the Lyorn turns up to try and get the musical canceled. This leads to the usual machinations and strategizing Vlad is typically really good at. However, things get increasingly complicated, not only with the Left Hand of the Jhereg, but also on a mysteriously cosmological level. There is some Greater Purpose out there that Vlad would really like to avoid, but might not be able to.
A few notes:
--Lyorn is dedicated to John M. Ford. This is fitting as Ford wrote How Much For Just the Planet, which was the “musical episode” of Star Trek Original Series tie-in novels!
--So, in previous Vlad Taltos books, when the POV shifted to a Dragaeran, the dialog would shift over to “Paarfi of Roundwood’s Histories” style of dialog. This time around, there was no shift. The mode of speech and narrative was pretty much identical to Vlad’s sections. This is somewhat interesting in the context of the Mysterious Cosmological Level.
-- Verra is being very weird and that’s saying something, because this is Verra.
--I am honestly very worried about what might happen to Vlad. There is a lot of background stuff going on.
Lyorn is definitely not one of the books you can more or less just jump into. (For that, I suggest Taltos or Jhereg.) In fact, before you start Lyorn you should probably reread Tsalmoth. I definitely enjoyed the book, and found it to be a fairly fast read with lots of quick twists and revelations.
This review is based on a galley received from NetGalley.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 26, 2024
Steven Brust has been writing these books since the 80s, I've been reading them since the 90s, and now there's only two left to go (I think). I can't imagine someone would pick this up as their first book in the series (on purpose anyway), so I'm writing this assuming you already know at least something of Vlad's situation.
As we near the end of Vlad's 40+ year journey, things are starting to line up for a dramatic ending. And appropriately, this installment is all about drama, with Vlad hiding out in a theater. Lyorn takes place in, for lack of a better description, "the present" of Vlad's story, so it does advance the main plotline, though admittedly not by much. Personally, I didn't mind that at all, as the hijinks Vlad gets up to in the theater were fun to read about, and reminded me of some of the earlier "caper-style" stories. I tend to enjoy the lighter stories more, where there's cloak and dagger stuff and sarcastic quips as opposed to potentially world-ending crises. Plus, I'm fairly concerned about how all of this will eventually end for everyone's favorite assassin, so I don't mind delaying the inevitable with a less-serious romp.
Brust always experiments stylistically with these books. In this case, in between the first person "Vlad storyline" we get 3rd person scenes of various other characters, excerpts from a history book (it makes sense in the context of the story), and spoofed musical numbers from the play Vlad's theater is performing. I was actually pretty interested in the history book parts by the end, and we so rarely get into characters' heads aside from Vlad's, that I appreciated the intercut 3rd person scenes.
In the end, I'd put this somewhere in the middle of the Taltos books in terms of how much I liked it. I enjoy these the most when all of "team Vlad" is involved, and as this installment completely lacked Morrolon and Aliera, two of my favorites (though most everyone else pops up at least briefly), it wouldn't be in the top for me. However, I liked it far more than the grim, depressing episodes where Vlad is wandering around the East alone and generally getting himself and anyone he managed to ally with horribly injured, or tortured, or killed. It's fun, you get some good jokes, and you get to see a lot of the old crew. What more do you want in a Vlad book?
(I really dislike the cover on this one, though. That unicorn dog just looks so weird. I know that's what a Lyorn is in this world, but it doesn't translate well as an image. This is definitely a case of "don't judge a book by its cover.")
As we near the end of Vlad's 40+ year journey, things are starting to line up for a dramatic ending. And appropriately, this installment is all about drama, with Vlad hiding out in a theater. Lyorn takes place in, for lack of a better description, "the present" of Vlad's story, so it does advance the main plotline, though admittedly not by much. Personally, I didn't mind that at all, as the hijinks Vlad gets up to in the theater were fun to read about, and reminded me of some of the earlier "caper-style" stories. I tend to enjoy the lighter stories more, where there's cloak and dagger stuff and sarcastic quips as opposed to potentially world-ending crises. Plus, I'm fairly concerned about how all of this will eventually end for everyone's favorite assassin, so I don't mind delaying the inevitable with a less-serious romp.
Brust always experiments stylistically with these books. In this case, in between the first person "Vlad storyline" we get 3rd person scenes of various other characters, excerpts from a history book (it makes sense in the context of the story), and spoofed musical numbers from the play Vlad's theater is performing. I was actually pretty interested in the history book parts by the end, and we so rarely get into characters' heads aside from Vlad's, that I appreciated the intercut 3rd person scenes.
In the end, I'd put this somewhere in the middle of the Taltos books in terms of how much I liked it. I enjoy these the most when all of "team Vlad" is involved, and as this installment completely lacked Morrolon and Aliera, two of my favorites (though most everyone else pops up at least briefly), it wouldn't be in the top for me. However, I liked it far more than the grim, depressing episodes where Vlad is wandering around the East alone and generally getting himself and anyone he managed to ally with horribly injured, or tortured, or killed. It's fun, you get some good jokes, and you get to see a lot of the old crew. What more do you want in a Vlad book?
(I really dislike the cover on this one, though. That unicorn dog just looks so weird. I know that's what a Lyorn is in this world, but it doesn't translate well as an image. This is definitely a case of "don't judge a book by its cover.")
April 14, 2024
Vlad Taltos/Dragaera #17. 4.5 stars rounded up. This story takes place in an earlier timeframe, just after the events of Book #14, Hawk.
Steven Brust changes the narrative style in each book in seemingly random ways. It's always something to look forward to! The guy is really underappreciated as an author. In this one Vlad has gone into hiding from the ubiquitous Left Hand of the Jhereg, (the sorceress division of what equates to the mafia), and holes up in a place that seems like the last place they'd look: a theater. Since a theater is the setting, each chapter had an Act and Scene reference, followed by a musical number from the play. The trick with this series is always to find the clues to the forthcoming chapter within these chapter openings. Sometimes they're so subtle that the message eludes the reader until the chapter's done. That's when the "ah HA!" moment hits and the opening makes sense. Along with these openers, every chapter contains Vlad's perspective, a selection from an imperial history book, and a different character's point of view.
The plot was convoluted in a good way. (Whenever Vlad has a plan, the reader and the rest of the cast are kept pretty much in the dark until his scheme comes together.) The dialogue is snappy, funny and just all around terrific. He writes some of the best dialogue that I've read! The characterization was great, and as a bonus Kragar, Kiera the Thief and Sethra Lavode had parts.
I really hope this series doesn't end anytime soon!
Steven Brust changes the narrative style in each book in seemingly random ways. It's always something to look forward to! The guy is really underappreciated as an author. In this one Vlad has gone into hiding from the ubiquitous Left Hand of the Jhereg, (the sorceress division of what equates to the mafia), and holes up in a place that seems like the last place they'd look: a theater. Since a theater is the setting, each chapter had an Act and Scene reference, followed by a musical number from the play. The trick with this series is always to find the clues to the forthcoming chapter within these chapter openings. Sometimes they're so subtle that the message eludes the reader until the chapter's done. That's when the "ah HA!" moment hits and the opening makes sense. Along with these openers, every chapter contains Vlad's perspective, a selection from an imperial history book, and a different character's point of view.
The plot was convoluted in a good way. (Whenever Vlad has a plan, the reader and the rest of the cast are kept pretty much in the dark until his scheme comes together.) The dialogue is snappy, funny and just all around terrific. He writes some of the best dialogue that I've read! The characterization was great, and as a bonus Kragar, Kiera the Thief and Sethra Lavode had parts.
I really hope this series doesn't end anytime soon!
June 29, 2024
"Low stakes" fantasy. This is an author (who is a master of his craft and at the top of his game) just having fun. It follows on for the events in 'Hawk' (book #14 in the series). The Left Hand want Vlad dead, so he's hiding out in a theater, where rehearsals are underway for a musical production about an infamous play from history. He relies upon help from his friends, to try to get him out of this mess and to solve multiple problems (some of which are large and others almost trivial). Clever use of Vlad reading a history book (during the slow parts of his hiding) to fill in all the back story.
The Prologue, all sixteen chapters and the epilogue all start with the lyrics to a song from the musical. You quickly realize that the words match up to songs from various musicals that you might be familiar with. If you don't get them all, then there are links on Brust's website to Youtube videos that will help you out. I'm embarrassed to admit there were several that I didn't work out.
Although this is a complete (and very satisfying story) in its own right, you are given several more pieces for the overall Big Picture. Unless things change, there should be two more books left in the series ('Chreotha' and 'The Last Contract') and we should be working towards a truly Epic finish (with Vlad up front and center). I started reading this series 32 years ago, so I'm really looking forward to seeing how it will all turn out.
(Reddit Fantasy 2024 Bingo squares that this would fit: Entitled Animals (HM); Prologues and Epilogues (HM); Multi-POV; Published in 2024; Survival (HM); Reference Materials).
The Prologue, all sixteen chapters and the epilogue all start with the lyrics to a song from the musical. You quickly realize that the words match up to songs from various musicals that you might be familiar with. If you don't get them all, then there are links on Brust's website to Youtube videos that will help you out. I'm embarrassed to admit there were several that I didn't work out.
Although this is a complete (and very satisfying story) in its own right, you are given several more pieces for the overall Big Picture. Unless things change, there should be two more books left in the series ('Chreotha' and 'The Last Contract') and we should be working towards a truly Epic finish (with Vlad up front and center). I started reading this series 32 years ago, so I'm really looking forward to seeing how it will all turn out.
(Reddit Fantasy 2024 Bingo squares that this would fit: Entitled Animals (HM); Prologues and Epilogues (HM); Multi-POV; Published in 2024; Survival (HM); Reference Materials).
June 15, 2024
Lyorn is proof of the mastery of the writing craft that Brust brings to the table. Why do I say this?
"In any case, there's one good thing you can say about a three-day musical."
"It isn't a four-day musical?"
Acknowledged on page 5, Brust goes ahead and builds a musical into the book. Not as a minor background thing, but fully into the warp and weave of the story.
Now, people who love musicals will *love* this book. Others of us will be tortured.
You know those quotes at the beginning of each chapter? Maybe pithy, or weird. or obscurely prophetic? Brust has the lyrics to musical pieces in their place. Rewritten for purpose, of course, but that doesn't prevent you from getting the friggin' song lodged in your head, does it? I very much tried not to turn them into songs, and succeeded half the time, but half I couldn't avoid (one had the music going in 4 words. sigh)
All this being said, the book is wonderfully well written. There are several parallel problems our (hero?) Vlad is working to solve, all while trapped in a theater while the company is planning for a soon-to-open show. I mentioned warp and weave, and that's exactly what's happening here, as everything is intertwined comes to a conclusion, and believe it or not, Vlad learns a few things and grows.
Lyorn is a must-read entry in what I think of as a must-read series. Highest recommendation.
"In any case, there's one good thing you can say about a three-day musical."
"It isn't a four-day musical?"
Acknowledged on page 5, Brust goes ahead and builds a musical into the book. Not as a minor background thing, but fully into the warp and weave of the story.
Now, people who love musicals will *love* this book. Others of us will be tortured.
You know those quotes at the beginning of each chapter? Maybe pithy, or weird. or obscurely prophetic? Brust has the lyrics to musical pieces in their place. Rewritten for purpose, of course, but that doesn't prevent you from getting the friggin' song lodged in your head, does it? I very much tried not to turn them into songs, and succeeded half the time, but half I couldn't avoid (one had the music going in 4 words. sigh)
All this being said, the book is wonderfully well written. There are several parallel problems our (hero?) Vlad is working to solve, all while trapped in a theater while the company is planning for a soon-to-open show. I mentioned warp and weave, and that's exactly what's happening here, as everything is intertwined comes to a conclusion, and believe it or not, Vlad learns a few things and grows.
Lyorn is a must-read entry in what I think of as a must-read series. Highest recommendation.
March 27, 2024
I’ve been putting off reviewing this ARC since about 2 hours after I downloaded it because I whipped right through it in a single sitting and it was really too early to post a review. He’s been taking his time about writing this series but the books remain strong and I wonder if they wouldn’t have been as good if he’d written them 1 a year and long since finished them. Much like the earlier volume where he went into detail at the start of each chapter about what Vlad was cooking at the start of the chapters in this book he writes out verses for a play. I like musicals, I am certain of recognizing half and some others I think I knew. So between liking this series since I was a kid and being fond of musicals I was definitely the target audience but it’s still a good book if you’ve been following the series. The stakes feel a little lower key this time and I feel like the series may be wrapped up in another book or two. I liked it well enough that even though I got to read the ARC I preordered myself a hardback copy. If you’re deciding if you want to read the series and haven’t read it yet I’ve got a yellowing copy of the paperback of book one and 15 more volumes sitting on my shelves. I don’t have unlimited space but this series has never been up for one of my weeding sessions in all these years.
April 29, 2024
This is the seventeenth entry in the Vlad Taltos fantasy series, named for its protagonist. The series is wonderful. I'm puzzled it's not more frequently cited as one of the best fantasy series out there.
All the books are both well-crafted and entertaining (though sometimes also bleak). There's humor and a series protagonist that I've grown very attached to, a protagonist, moreover, who evolves in well-thought-out ways. The series swoops back and forth in time with remarkable prowess. The books vary in tone and have their own individual conceits. This seventeenth volume opens each chapter with an extract from an (invented) musical that is central to the story.
"Lyorn" is a very good book, not one of my favorites in the series, but that is a high bar indeed. It's as expertly executed as the theater production it describes in its pages. I was amused and moved and fascinated.
Four out of five musical stars.
About my reviews: I try to review every book I read, including those that I don't end up enjoying. The reviews are not scholarly, but just indicate my reaction as a reader, reading being my addiction. I am miserly with 5-star reviews; 4 stars means I liked a book very much; 3 stars means I liked it; 2 stars means I didn't like it (though often the 2-star books are very popular with other readers and/or are by authors whose other work I've loved).
All the books are both well-crafted and entertaining (though sometimes also bleak). There's humor and a series protagonist that I've grown very attached to, a protagonist, moreover, who evolves in well-thought-out ways. The series swoops back and forth in time with remarkable prowess. The books vary in tone and have their own individual conceits. This seventeenth volume opens each chapter with an extract from an (invented) musical that is central to the story.
"Lyorn" is a very good book, not one of my favorites in the series, but that is a high bar indeed. It's as expertly executed as the theater production it describes in its pages. I was amused and moved and fascinated.
Four out of five musical stars.
About my reviews: I try to review every book I read, including those that I don't end up enjoying. The reviews are not scholarly, but just indicate my reaction as a reader, reading being my addiction. I am miserly with 5-star reviews; 4 stars means I liked a book very much; 3 stars means I liked it; 2 stars means I didn't like it (though often the 2-star books are very popular with other readers and/or are by authors whose other work I've loved).
February 16, 2024
Vlad Taltos is on the run. But now it is the Left Hand of the Jhereg rather than the Right Hand that wants to end his career. With the aid of a friend, he finds shelter in a theater that is putting on a musical Song of the Presses which is about playwright who wrote a play that offended a Lyorn Emperor several centuries ago. Vlad ends playing a role in the musical as part of his plan to out-wit the Left Hand, preserve his skin, do a really big favor for a friend, and keep the play from being cancelled! As a TV actor would say, "I love it when a plan comes together!" That is how Vlad feels, well that and drain, invigorated, and very ready to leave The Crying Clown and eat dinner with a very good friend!
Steven Brust does an exceptional job of ratcheting up the pressure on Vlad, complicating his life until the big reveal at the end. The musical parodies that Brust includes provides humor and keeps the reader guessing which musical will he skewer next. Now the reader needs to wait until at least the next volume to see what heroics Vlad will have to endure when D'nilla launches her masterpiece.
Thanks Netgalley and Tor for the opportunity to read and enjoy this volume!
Steven Brust does an exceptional job of ratcheting up the pressure on Vlad, complicating his life until the big reveal at the end. The musical parodies that Brust includes provides humor and keeps the reader guessing which musical will he skewer next. Now the reader needs to wait until at least the next volume to see what heroics Vlad will have to endure when D'nilla launches her masterpiece.
Thanks Netgalley and Tor for the opportunity to read and enjoy this volume!
August 19, 2024
Another fun Vlad adventure. I always enjoy the little flourishes Brust uses in each of these books to differentiate the chapters; in this one, each chapter opens with the lyrics to songs from the musical the story is built around, and each chapter also features an excerpt from the history book Vlad is reading. This book also features bits of third-person narration, justified as a strange and unreliable side-effect of Vlad's nature as a demon, newly revealed and reawakened in the previous book, Tsalmoth. It feels like a bit of a cheat somehow, though necessary to construct a satisfying story with Vlad stuck in one place, and I wonder if it will be a feature in the future books. Speaking of which, only two more to go. The last several books have definitely been working more towards an over-arching plot, though remaining as self-contained stories which I very much appreciate (I was worried for a bit around two-thirds through this book that the metaplot would take prominence and this book was about to end on "to be continued," but fortunately that wasn't the case).
May 27, 2024
I really struggled with this book. I want to like it, because I love the Vlad Taltos series, but even though this is a relatively short one, it still took me way too long to finish, mainly because I just didn't have much desire to continue.
The entire book takes place inside a theater house with Vlad hiding from the Left Hand of the Jhereg. There are a few sub plots thrown in, but nothing that affects the overarching story, and by the time everything is over, no real progress has been made. Even the titular Lyorn character isn't really a central figure here.
The only reason I'm giving this two stars instead of one is due to the characters. There's something about them that I've always loved, especially Vlad, Krager, Sethra, Cawti, Morrolan, Loiosh, and even the Necromancer. There aren't too many series out there that have so many of my favorite characters in it. I just wish they are used better here.
There are only 2 more Vlad Taltos books left, and then this 40+ year journey will be over. I just hope the next ones are more along the lines of Issola (my favorite of the series) instead of this one.
The entire book takes place inside a theater house with Vlad hiding from the Left Hand of the Jhereg. There are a few sub plots thrown in, but nothing that affects the overarching story, and by the time everything is over, no real progress has been made. Even the titular Lyorn character isn't really a central figure here.
The only reason I'm giving this two stars instead of one is due to the characters. There's something about them that I've always loved, especially Vlad, Krager, Sethra, Cawti, Morrolan, Loiosh, and even the Necromancer. There aren't too many series out there that have so many of my favorite characters in it. I just wish they are used better here.
There are only 2 more Vlad Taltos books left, and then this 40+ year journey will be over. I just hope the next ones are more along the lines of Issola (my favorite of the series) instead of this one.
August 1, 2024
You know, it's only really occurring to me now, having burned through this one, what a massive thing the previous book did to the whole series. I don't think it truly landed until I saw 'current-day' Vlad wrestling with what he knows (now/again) and until I looked up exactly when Tsalmoth was set. I don't know how common this is, but when I think of the chronology of this series I still think of Jhereg as the starting point and everything set before that as almost prologue or prequel. And all that happened before Jhereg!
This especially hit home because of the end of this book, which is what nudged it up the final star for me (and I say this as someone who does not particularly enjoy musicals and audibly groaned when I hit "going through the lotions" at the beginning of one chapter). In some ways this series has been about Vlad refusing and rejecting the reality/politics of the/his situation, about resisting the ties he actually has to the rest of the world and the people he knows (in the abstract, if often not at all in practice). And now, finally, he can't.
This especially hit home because of the end of this book, which is what nudged it up the final star for me (and I say this as someone who does not particularly enjoy musicals and audibly groaned when I hit "going through the lotions" at the beginning of one chapter). In some ways this series has been about Vlad refusing and rejecting the reality/politics of the/his situation, about resisting the ties he actually has to the rest of the world and the people he knows (in the abstract, if often not at all in practice). And now, finally, he can't.
May 26, 2024
Thanks to the publisher and netgalley for the ARC
I love this series and its main character - I've been reading Brust's books since the very first one.
Vlad spends this novel 'hiding' in a theatre, since it's the one place his enemies can't (magically) find him. Of course he gets involved in the production, which is a political musical, about freedom and censorship (as there's always an undercurrent of social commentary in all of Brust's work, which is one of the things that elevates it above 'ordinary' fantasy writing).
The protagonist spends a lot of time reflecting on his life and relationships, and is maybe a bit more mellow than we are accustomed to.
This isn't a standalone book, it's intricately connected to Brust's Dragaeran opus and feels like it must be a pause before the finale of the series within a book or two.
Like some other reviewers, I really feel that I need to go back to the beginning and read it all from the beginning.
Read this series for the world-building, the incredibly vivid characters, and wise-cracking fish-out-of-water lead who will always make you think.
I love this series and its main character - I've been reading Brust's books since the very first one.
Vlad spends this novel 'hiding' in a theatre, since it's the one place his enemies can't (magically) find him. Of course he gets involved in the production, which is a political musical, about freedom and censorship (as there's always an undercurrent of social commentary in all of Brust's work, which is one of the things that elevates it above 'ordinary' fantasy writing).
The protagonist spends a lot of time reflecting on his life and relationships, and is maybe a bit more mellow than we are accustomed to.
This isn't a standalone book, it's intricately connected to Brust's Dragaeran opus and feels like it must be a pause before the finale of the series within a book or two.
Like some other reviewers, I really feel that I need to go back to the beginning and read it all from the beginning.
Read this series for the world-building, the incredibly vivid characters, and wise-cracking fish-out-of-water lead who will always make you think.
September 29, 2024
As someone who spent more than a decade working backstage in theaters, this book felt like it was written expressly for me. Although even with that much experience, I only figured out about half of the musical references for the lyrics that open each chapter.
Taltos is hiding in a theater until he can resolve his issues with the Right Hand of the Jhereg. While him being trapped in a theater would seem limiting, Brust uses it as an excuse to explore the space and the character a lot, especially giving other limitations also introduced as ramifications from the last book. The story is one of the more fun volumes, although it definitely lacks the action of some of the others. It also hints at the end-game of the series. I thought this was supposed to be the last book, but it doesn't feel like it; I could definitely see it being the penultimate story, though.
Your mileage may vary if you're not a theater fan, but I'm giving it an extra star just because of how much of it spoke directly to me.
Taltos is hiding in a theater until he can resolve his issues with the Right Hand of the Jhereg. While him being trapped in a theater would seem limiting, Brust uses it as an excuse to explore the space and the character a lot, especially giving other limitations also introduced as ramifications from the last book. The story is one of the more fun volumes, although it definitely lacks the action of some of the others. It also hints at the end-game of the series. I thought this was supposed to be the last book, but it doesn't feel like it; I could definitely see it being the penultimate story, though.
Your mileage may vary if you're not a theater fan, but I'm giving it an extra star just because of how much of it spoke directly to me.
April 26, 2024
It's Vlad in a musical theater hating musical theatre! And if that doesn't make you want to read this book now now now, you're not me.
You're probably not me, but if you were, you would have devoured this book like fresh lemonade on a hot day and wondered why Steven Brust wrote a book Just For You. Except that he didn't, because he doesn't know me, so you too may enjoy Lyorn as much as I did, even if you are not me.
There are two kinds of people in the world: people who love musicals and people who don't. Both kinds of people will enjoy this book, albeit for different reasons.
Also, if you're reading the Dragaera series, you're already 17 books in (no, this is not the last one, Taltos throws the number off) so you may as well.
If you are not reading the Dragaera series and you like unique and excellent worldbuilding, snarky characters and layers of plots and schemes, start with Jhereg. Trust me, it's worth your time.
You're probably not me, but if you were, you would have devoured this book like fresh lemonade on a hot day and wondered why Steven Brust wrote a book Just For You. Except that he didn't, because he doesn't know me, so you too may enjoy Lyorn as much as I did, even if you are not me.
There are two kinds of people in the world: people who love musicals and people who don't. Both kinds of people will enjoy this book, albeit for different reasons.
Also, if you're reading the Dragaera series, you're already 17 books in (no, this is not the last one, Taltos throws the number off) so you may as well.
If you are not reading the Dragaera series and you like unique and excellent worldbuilding, snarky characters and layers of plots and schemes, start with Jhereg. Trust me, it's worth your time.
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