The Book of Jhereg

One of my favorite series. Great story telling too. Though if you're big into dragons this book doesn't really center around dragons even though they are alive in this world, it's more about Vlad and his moral compass in being an assassin.

These books share the most likely heritage with the myth-adventures of Robert Aspirin--which had a delicious blend of caper humor that Brust shares--combined with the Conan adventures of Robert E. Howard: kingdoms rising and falling on the merits of one man's sword and will. They are serial, endless, and create fan bases. We pejoratively announce that Robert Jordan has become the comic book of the fantasy genre but really that label doesn't have to be pejorative and Brust has made a kind of fantasy comic book that is really a credit to the name. He's not afraid to try things and still maintain the genre. That these first books were uneven and wanting in certain regard has not held back his future publications or sales. We think it's highly likely that these books will be picked up as a mini-series or movie, which should go to lengthen the series' lifetimes. Still, we adhere to the notion that these sorts of serializations cannot stand a long test of time (though perhaps the cantos of Don Juan belie that statement). At least with these first offerings, we don't see Taltos becoming a household name. But the name of James Bond wasn't made in a single book either so we will see what later books hold.

WHO SHOULD READ:

Certainly adherents of caper novels will love these books and not give one tinker's damn about what we have to say about longevity and philosophy. As we mentioned, Robert Aspirin fans, Robert Howard fans, Harry Harrison fans, and Tim Powers fans will all find the welcome mat laid out for them here. Buy these books--in any order--read them, and enjoy them. They're certainly better written than quite a lot of stuff out there. You just can't shelve them with the Shakespeare.

WHO SHOULD PASS:

Don't dive into this series expecting a very even and consistent narrative. It jumps in temper, in time frame, and in subject matter. One has to be somewhat of a fan of Mafioso to get into the mood of the work and not be irritated by some of the speech patterns and concerns of the protagonists. Obviously, with a 19 book cycle, you're not really looking for a concise story but at least they're not the giant fat novels that are so ubiquitous in the publishing world. Finally, don't expect gigantic world-building efforts on the order of Tolkien, Martin, Bakker, or Donaldson... there's a world here replete with some puzzles and subtle story arcs but not the kind of detailed history that fans of that sort of work will desire.

READ THE ENTIRE REVIEW AT INCHOATUS.COM

There are not enough descriptive words or terms to fully encompass Steven Brust's work with the Taltos Cycle. Not only is it a brilliant work of high fantasy, it is also a treatise on socio-political maneuvering in a world with a fixed class system that (strangely enough, seeing as how these are beings that live for 3K years on average) seems extremely similar to our own. On top of those two aspects, the fantasy and the intrige, Brust's main character/alter ego Vlad is a brilliant roving narrator through whose eyes we see the world in an utterly realistic light. Vlad, while an assassin and a crimelord and an all around badass, is at his core a nearly perfect example of the human experience: non sequiter thoughts, inane ramblings to oneself and ones pet, and utter insolence in the face of higher authorities. We all feel these things, Vlad lives them. His is a voice you CANNOT afford to miss, and once heard it is a voice you will not forget.

A few things kept me from truly enjoying this compendium, which comprises the first three books in Seven Brust's series featuring the assassin Vladimir Taltos. The 3 books included in this compilation are "Jhereg", "Yendi", and "Teckla". Vlad is not your typical assassin. He's more like a modern-day mafia boss, but gets his hands dirty more often than his comtemporary counterparts. Throw in a bit of private investigator work, and you have a nice summation of Taltos the character. The problem with him is he's a bit of a wuss at times and relies too much on the help of the seemingly godlike abilities of the Dragonlords in the first two books. The third book thankfully digresses from this reliance on deus ex machina to pull Vlad from the fire. Also, the reasons the Dragonlords are helping him at all are not very well expressed.
The second thing I didn't like about the book was Vlad's familiar, Loiosh. He appears to be included in the book soley for comic relief, although he does keep an eye out for Vlad and occasionally mixes it up in some of the fight scenes. Unfortunately, Loiosh's constant smart-aleck remarks reminded me of how I felt about Jar Jar Binks in Episode 1.
The third thing that bothered me is the supoporting cast. All the Dragonlords and hired thugs are completely one dimensional. Vlad's wife is more complex, but what the heck is an assassin doing with a wife? His assistant, Kragar, is completely subservient for some unspecified reason.
My last complaint deals with the stories themselves. These are more mystery novels than Fantasy. The plots are sometimes overly complicated - to the point where some of the connections and discoveries made seem contrived. This is especially true in the second book.
So what did I like about the book? Mainly the world Brust has built. It's an intermingling of races where humans are not the dominant force. There's a cyclical caste system at work that, while not very well explained, is at least original and interesting. One gets a sense of a vast history that will hopefully be explored in greater depth in the other books.
Overall, it's an entertaining read, but lacks the depth necessary to acheive the status of greatness.

Brust has a fast paced writing style, and there is a catch to each of the novels in the series. The characters are a little one dimensional, but are nevertheless pretty entertaining.

The plots are clever, and all focus on the main character and narrator, Vlad Taltos, an assassin and mob boss, who also works as a witch and a security specialist. The narrative in the first book, Taltos, jumps back and forth between a couple different time periods, which keeps the story fresh, not always easy in a first person narrative.

Loaded with sarcastic wit and action! Vlad is an assassin in this universe's version of the Mafia, the House of Jhereg. He is likeable rogue who always lands on his feet. One of the best developed characters I've seen. Read this book; you will not regret it!! (And if you like the characterization, give Laurell K. Hamilton's Anita Blake series a try)

The Vlad Taltos series (the first books of which are in this collection) is one of the best fantasy series you can read.

I tend to re-read the series on a regular basis. It's well-written and very entertaining. The characters are developed, have outstanding dialog, interactions, and, in most cases, a wit that I can only envy.

Of note, if you are starting the series, the books aren't all written in cronologic order. While it sounds odd, it's still best to read them in the order released instead of trying to figure out which one goes where. Trust me. You'll enjoy it.

A friend loaned me this book after expressing shock and surprise that I had never read any "Taltos" novels. I was pleasently surprised to enjoy these tales of a largely amoral character who survives more by luck and craft than by birthright or innate power. Surprisingly easy and fast to read, this seemed stylistically closer to Terry Pratchett than Terry Brooks, to the point that this feels more like a collection of short stories than a series of novels.

An interesting concept lies behind this book. A detective like assassin figures out whodunit type mysteries and then kills people. But all of this is done in a world with enough magic to make Robert Jordan blush. I enjoyed reading these novels, but just could not get into the long chain of thought that the lead character would get into to solve the crime. In addition, the ridiculously large availability of magic was at times too much for me.
In conclusion, a good read, but don't analyze it too much. Also, the socio-political uprisings were a little too preachy and overt for this particular reviewer.

I though that this series of books was excellent. The Book of Jhereg is a collection of the first 3 books with Vlad Taltos. The plot line is great, and is carried out very well thoughout all of the Taltos books. A very fun read, the world of sorcery and war will drag you in, and not let you put the book down. BUY NOW.

Steven Brust is one of the few writers today really writing interesting work. His creations remind me of Michael Moorcock and his characters and humor remind me of Fritz Lieber. It is very refreshing to see someone working in a different direction than the Tolkien rip-offs.

steven brust. pay attention to this guy he's quick....witted. I think this series is the best out there in terms of fansay. takes a little bit to get used to his odd names, but you get the hand of it with this 3 in 1 book. what more is their to say, if your a fanasy fan this book is a must buy.