The Phoenix Guards (Khaavren Romances, Book 1)
by Steven Brustpublished
June 15th 1992
(first published 1991)
by Tor Books
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binding
Mass Market Paperback, 512 pages
isbn
0812506898
(isbn13: 9780812506891)
description
A thousand years before the birth of Vlad Taltos, the Dragaeran Empire is a hotbed of intrigue, sorcery, intrigue, swashbuckling adventure, and intrig...more
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Well, that was good stuff.
Steven Brust's extremely specific ode to The Three Musketeers dances very close to the line of taking its gimmick too far many times, but never quite crosses it. What we get, therefore, is an extremely fun, in which the characters are familiar and likable, but not straight-up derivative, and in which the flowery language and verbose descriptions help to set the scene at the beginning of many chapters, but thankfully peter off soon after, letting the reader enjoy the...more
Steven Brust's extremely specific ode to The Three Musketeers dances very close to the line of taking its gimmick too far many times, but never quite crosses it. What we get, therefore, is an extremely fun, in which the characters are familiar and likable, but not straight-up derivative, and in which the flowery language and verbose descriptions help to set the scene at the beginning of many chapters, but thankfully peter off soon after, letting the reader enjoy the...more
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3 comments
Read in August, 2008
recommended to Bart by:
Lioness Elise
You could call this book The Three Musketeers with magic, with a narrator who manages to be simultaneously more overblown than Dumas or Dickens and more to the point. You should know within the first chapter whether the narrative voice makes you laugh or cringe. (I laughed.) If you like the narrator, the historian Paarfi of Roundwood, and you like duels, clever escapes, witty repartee, and a novel that is willing to let characters be larger than life, you'll like the book.
It's wort...more
It's wort...more
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Read in May, 2007
recommends it for:
Fantasy Lovers with Patience
Both Phoenix Guards and Five Hundred Years After were written as a form of literary jokes. Brust never thought they would be taken seriously, much less become beloved books to those who adored the Dragarean world. The author of the two historic romances, Paarfi of Roundwood, does not believe in a simple turn of phrase. This is easily recognizable in the Chapter titles, such as "Chapter the First: In which the reader is introduced to several characters, whom, in the hopes of th...more
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Read in May, 2004
recommends it for:
people who appreciate a pastiche
When I first read this book, I was braced for something of an unpleasant slog, as that is what I had been given to expect from certain reviews that I read. What I got, instead, was a highly enjoyable read that pokes fun at the writing style that it purportedly emulates. I have heard many people complain about the repetitiveness of certain turns of phrase, but, for me, it was all part and parcel of the book's "mission" as it were.
I enjoyed both The Phoenix Guards and its seque...more
I enjoyed both The Phoenix Guards and its seque...more
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Read in January, 2006
This book is the first of five books in the The Khaavren Romances by Steven Brust. Brust's writing style is VERY interesting - humor through long-winded dialogues, reminiscent of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are
Dead except a lot more funny and light-hearted - also not a romance series, despite the title! Very adventure-based 3 musketeers like - I LOVED IT!! The individual titles are:
- The Pheonix Guards
- Five Hundred Years After
- The Paths of the Dead
- The Lord of Castle Black
- ...more
Dead except a lot more funny and light-hearted - also not a romance series, despite the title! Very adventure-based 3 musketeers like - I LOVED IT!! The individual titles are:
- The Pheonix Guards
- Five Hundred Years After
- The Paths of the Dead
- The Lord of Castle Black
- ...more
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Read in January, 1993
recommends it for:
People who love fantasy and intrigue
I read this book in high school after picking it up at a book fair. This book is what brought me to Steven Brust. He paints a vivid picture of a world that is not our own, but appears to have been based on the Three Musketeers. Adventure and intrigue abound, and even the narrator is a amusing, if pompous, although this is intentional and definately gives the world color. This was my introduction to my world and I think I like these a little better than Vlad Taltos books
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Brust is my favorite "Brain Candy" author. This book is the begining of a two cycle set of books. The style is a homage to Alexander Dumas and the storyline borrows in some pleasing ways from Dumas works.
The language and tone are unique amoung fantasy authors. This book is engaging without taking itself too seriously, and warmly humorus with charicters who begin somewhat two dimentional, take on depth and begin to feel like old friends.
The language and tone are unique amoung fantasy authors. This book is engaging without taking itself too seriously, and warmly humorus with charicters who begin somewhat two dimentional, take on depth and begin to feel like old friends.
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Read in January, 1996
The first time I picked up this book, I was expecting something similar to Brust's Taltos series, so I couldn't get into it. The second time, through sheer serendipity, I checked it out along with The Three Musketeers which I re-read first. That time, I got it: The Phoenix Guards brilliantly, lovingly parodies The Three Musketeers, right down to the long-winded and slightly pretentious narrator.
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Read in September, 2008
Takes some time to get used to the writing style, but I absolutely loved this book by the time I finished it. The (extremely) dry humor had me smirking all the way through, and Brust's signature clever plot twists kept me wondering what was coming next. Brilliant homage to Dumas and great character development. Can't wait to read the remaining five volumes of this trilogy.
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Read in January, 2006
I think this was the first of Steven's "other" (non-Vlad) books that I read, that he did in the style of.. was it Dumas?
I found it very hard to read. That style is definitely not for me. However, I was hungry for details of what happened in that world.. so I read it. Thus, only 3 instead of the normal 4 that I would normally give to that universe.
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Fabulous, fabulous sendup of "The Three Musketeers" set in Brust's quirky, yet ultimately traditional, fantasy world of Dragaera. The best part is that he spoofs Dumas' writing style, which is decidedly wordier than his own. Delightful characters plus healthy doses of swashbuckling and intrique make the nearly 500-page paperback read like a much slimmer volume.
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This book is just great. The setting is in the pre-history of Steven's Taltos series, but the book is best described as a fantasy Dumas novel. It envokes the musketeers, but adds magic and sorcery. The book has incredibly flowery language and is a wordsmith's dream. If all of the flowery-ness were taken out the 500+ page book would probably be about 200 pages.
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A joyous Three Musketeers pastiche that packs nearly as much swashbuckling panache as the original.
Familiarity with the authors Vlad Taltos series is welcome but not essential, and I actually prefer the Khaavren books to the Taltos series. The historical setting seems to take the edge off the author's impulse toward contemporary cleverness.
Familiarity with the authors Vlad Taltos series is welcome but not essential, and I actually prefer the Khaavren books to the Taltos series. The historical setting seems to take the edge off the author's impulse toward contemporary cleverness.
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Read in January, 2006
I hated this book, or at least the first half. The story is fine, but the style made me want to throw the book against the wall several times. I understand that the author was going for the old pay-by-the-word style, but the way he did so was like fingernails on a chalkboard. But friends love the author, so someday I'll read a sequel.
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This is the first in another great series by Steven Brust. Fair warning though, the writing style takes some getting used to, but once you have adjusted to it these are great books. This is his story of what the Three Musketeers would have been like if it were set in his universe.
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Read in January, 2000
Hey it makes me laugh. And really if everybody you knew lived for a very long time and was heavily armed and extremely touchy, then maybe you'd start using a highly elaborate language of excessive politeness too.
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recommends it for:
anyone
Good, engrossing, funny action-fantasy. The dialogue scenes are just as good as the combat, and, due to the faux-archaic language used, usually funnier. One of my favourite books by Brust.
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I did not enjoy the Three Musketeers writing style at all. It feels like nothing ever happens, even when it is. Not indicative of his other works, besides the other books.
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A prelude to Vlad's modern world, this series is more flowery and poetic in its writing, it takes more effort to read than Vlad's adventures.
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Brust's arch and sinuous take on medievalism in a setting, and amongst people, that make it delightfully exotiv and interesting.
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