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The Khaavren Romances #3.2
The Lord of Castle Black
Continuing the swashbuckling epic begun in The Paths of the Dead
Journeys! Intrigues! Sword fights! Young persons having adventures! Beloved older characters having adventures, too! Quests! Battles! Romance! Snappy dialogue! Extravagant food! And the missing heir to the Imperial Throne!
In the swashbuckling, extravagant manner of The Phoenix Guards, Five Hundred Years After, and The Paths of the Dead, this is an old-fashioned adventure--moving at a twenty-first-century pace.
The Interregnum is over. To everyone's astonishment, Zerika, a very young Phoenix, has coolly emerged from the Paths of the Dead, carrying with her the Orb, which everyone had thought was lost in Adron's Disaster. The Orb is the heart of the Dragaeran Empire, the source of all its magic--and the infallible sign that Zerika is the new Empress.
But not everyone is happy to hear the news. It's been 250 years since Adron's Disaster, and power vacuums never stay that way for long. Kâna, a Dragonlord, has been expanding his holdings. He now controls almost half the area that was once the Empire -- in effect, the Empire re-created, with himself on the throne.
Among those opposing him is a young Dragonlord named Morrolan - the same Morrolan familiar to every reader of the Vlad Taltos adventures. Until recently, Morrolan was an orphan raised among Easterners, unaware of his lineage, but it has belatedly come to his attention that he's a high-ranking Dragonlord, and now he means to act like one. And from Sethra Lavode he has received a gift of immense significance and power: Blackwand, a magical artifact in the form of a sword.
He'll find plenty to do with it.
Journeys! Intrigues! Sword fights! Young persons having adventures! Beloved older characters having adventures, too! Quests! Battles! Romance! Snappy dialogue! Extravagant food! And the missing heir to the Imperial Throne!
In the swashbuckling, extravagant manner of The Phoenix Guards, Five Hundred Years After, and The Paths of the Dead, this is an old-fashioned adventure--moving at a twenty-first-century pace.
The Interregnum is over. To everyone's astonishment, Zerika, a very young Phoenix, has coolly emerged from the Paths of the Dead, carrying with her the Orb, which everyone had thought was lost in Adron's Disaster. The Orb is the heart of the Dragaeran Empire, the source of all its magic--and the infallible sign that Zerika is the new Empress.
But not everyone is happy to hear the news. It's been 250 years since Adron's Disaster, and power vacuums never stay that way for long. Kâna, a Dragonlord, has been expanding his holdings. He now controls almost half the area that was once the Empire -- in effect, the Empire re-created, with himself on the throne.
Among those opposing him is a young Dragonlord named Morrolan - the same Morrolan familiar to every reader of the Vlad Taltos adventures. Until recently, Morrolan was an orphan raised among Easterners, unaware of his lineage, but it has belatedly come to his attention that he's a high-ranking Dragonlord, and now he means to act like one. And from Sethra Lavode he has received a gift of immense significance and power: Blackwand, a magical artifact in the form of a sword.
He'll find plenty to do with it.
419 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 1, 2003
28 people are currently reading
861 people want to read
About the author
Steven Brust
101 books2,307 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 49 reviews
August 3, 2020
This volume of The Viscount of Adrilankha picks up almost right where the first book, The Paths of the Dead, leaves off, which makes sense because the three volumes are all one big story. Where the first book was maneuvering for position, the second book takes off when all that maneuvering results in war over the Empire. It's as thrilling as I expect from the series, plus there are so many character moments I adore: Morrolan learning he's an elf! Morrolan demanding tribute of Sethra Lavode! Khaavren's son Piro's doomed romance! Even the moment at the very beginning, where the sorceress Orlaan is looking for a disembodied soul and later sells that soul to the Athyra wizard Loraan...readers of the Vlad Taltos novels know exactly what all that means. There are so many nods to other books of Dragaera they're thrilling all by themselves.
Again, it's hard to review this book on its own because so much of what happens is setup for the third book, but there is, as I said, a war, and that's a satisfying part of the plot. There is also a lot of traveling. I hate writing travel sequences, and I think it's in this book (I could be wrong, it might be in book one) that Brust in the guise of Paarfi of Roundwood, pretended author of the Khaavren Romances, goes off on a whole section about the difficulties of writing travel scenes that I absolutely loved.
The point of re-reading these books, starting with The Phoenix Guards, was to mentally gear up for the new book, The Baron of Magister Valley, even though I don't think it has much to do with the rest of the "Paarfi" books. But what it did was whet my appetite for a re-read of all the Vlad Taltos books, in internal chronological order. Brust is an astonishingly good writer, and he has managed to keep details straight despite writing the books of that series out of order, and the little things that came up in this book made me want to confirm that. But that will have to wait, also I know from Twitter that Brust is in the middle of writing Tsalmoth and who knows where that will fit into the chronology...
Again, it's hard to review this book on its own because so much of what happens is setup for the third book, but there is, as I said, a war, and that's a satisfying part of the plot. There is also a lot of traveling. I hate writing travel sequences, and I think it's in this book (I could be wrong, it might be in book one) that Brust in the guise of Paarfi of Roundwood, pretended author of the Khaavren Romances, goes off on a whole section about the difficulties of writing travel scenes that I absolutely loved.
The point of re-reading these books, starting with The Phoenix Guards, was to mentally gear up for the new book, The Baron of Magister Valley, even though I don't think it has much to do with the rest of the "Paarfi" books. But what it did was whet my appetite for a re-read of all the Vlad Taltos books, in internal chronological order. Brust is an astonishingly good writer, and he has managed to keep details straight despite writing the books of that series out of order, and the little things that came up in this book made me want to confirm that. But that will have to wait, also I know from Twitter that Brust is in the middle of writing Tsalmoth and who knows where that will fit into the chronology...
March 24, 2021
Part 2 of 3
This one felt faster paced than the first. More action, less dialogue. No middle book slump here. Focused more on Khaavren and Morrolan, not very much Piro this time. Recap in the front, I wish all series would do this. Sort of? mostly? wraps up one phase of the conflict but with new threats looming. Going directly to book 3.
This one felt faster paced than the first. More action, less dialogue. No middle book slump here. Focused more on Khaavren and Morrolan, not very much Piro this time. Recap in the front, I wish all series would do this. Sort of? mostly? wraps up one phase of the conflict but with new threats looming. Going directly to book 3.
December 16, 2022
(Review of 2022 reread)
I’m hesitant to favorably review a novel that 1) requires other novels for context, 2) is written by a favorite author of mine because of inherent bias, 3) nope, nah, no way. This is an excellent part 2 that really knocks it out of the park. Brust struck with lightning with this one, and really lit up and charged the whole read with charm and energy that doesn’t let up. Rest assured, when you come to the cliffhanger, you are you not left wanting. And I must have you know I initially read all of these Khaavren Romance novels out of order- so I can say with certainty that you can go into this one blind (though, admittedly, you’d have a better time of it if you read these in order)
So, yes, I stand by a strong positive opinion. If you’re looking for laughs, fun bravado with none of the dull machismo that permeates most sword and sorcery novels, and a nice tip of the hat from Neil Gaiman at the end, then please look no further than book 2 of The Viscount of Adrilankha!
*yes, this novel is also an homage to Alexandre Dumas’ Musketeers novels (these 3 books being The Vicomte de Bragellone)- albeit not a faithful adaptation. (Which isn’t a problem. Go read those books, too!)
**nope, not a spoiler but a spoiler: no Vlad Taltos here, y’all. But lots of familiar faces and swords and ambiguous-origin’ed magic friends!
I’m hesitant to favorably review a novel that 1) requires other novels for context, 2) is written by a favorite author of mine because of inherent bias, 3) nope, nah, no way. This is an excellent part 2 that really knocks it out of the park. Brust struck with lightning with this one, and really lit up and charged the whole read with charm and energy that doesn’t let up. Rest assured, when you come to the cliffhanger, you are you not left wanting. And I must have you know I initially read all of these Khaavren Romance novels out of order- so I can say with certainty that you can go into this one blind (though, admittedly, you’d have a better time of it if you read these in order)
So, yes, I stand by a strong positive opinion. If you’re looking for laughs, fun bravado with none of the dull machismo that permeates most sword and sorcery novels, and a nice tip of the hat from Neil Gaiman at the end, then please look no further than book 2 of The Viscount of Adrilankha!
*yes, this novel is also an homage to Alexandre Dumas’ Musketeers novels (these 3 books being The Vicomte de Bragellone)- albeit not a faithful adaptation. (Which isn’t a problem. Go read those books, too!)
**nope, not a spoiler but a spoiler: no Vlad Taltos here, y’all. But lots of familiar faces and swords and ambiguous-origin’ed magic friends!
May 9, 2013
Another notch in my belt towards rereading all of Brust's Dragaera novels. This latest was more of the same in the Viscount of Adrilankha series, and, in this instance, as usual, that's a very good thing.
February 25, 2015
I find this to be as good as the previous volume, but I still found it very enjoyable. I can't wait to see the end of this series!
Also, another short review/thoughts thing, since I once again liked the book.
Also, another short review/thoughts thing, since I once again liked the book.
November 7, 2022
This is the middle book in the trilogy that ends this 3-book (or 5-book, depending how you look at it) series. As a result, it starts at the beginning of the middle and ends at the end of the middle, but that's cool--it works. I'm enjoying this series from start to finish, and although it doesn't give me the closure i'm eager to get to, it moves the story along well, and does so with a lot of humor and entertaining action.
I'm Team D'Artagnan from way back, and that makes me, inevitably, Team Khaavren, too. So the cataclysm at the end of the book before this trilogy, leading to Khaavren's subsequent retirement--hiding, really--and giving up on life was hard to take. We see signs in the previous book of him coming around, and in this novel he follows after his son Piro, who left home on a quest some time before. He's meant to be active and energetic, so it's good to see that change in him.
Zerika returns with the Orb in this book, a key to re-establishing the empire of old, but setting herself up as Empress is still a hard path, with thousands of troops and various enemies between herself and her partisans and their goal, the capital city of Adrilankha. An additional conflict is the love between Piro and Ibronka, one unacceptable to either set of parents. Since this series is patterned on The Three Musketeers and the succeeding volumes, one can guess how that love affair will prosper (or not), but the author isn't being slavish to the original, so I guess we'll still see.
The quaint language and ironic tone of the series still cracks me up, even after 1500 pages or so, and I'm delighted that Brust has kept it going throughout. Passages like this:
So mannered and belabored. I actually LOL while I'm reading this, which I rarely do with any other books. Well played, sir.
I will shortly be on to the last book in the trilogy. Looking forward to it. Meanwhile, fans of fantasy, especially those who admire Dumas, should hurry up and find these, if they haven't already. Super fun.
Recommended.
I'm Team D'Artagnan from way back, and that makes me, inevitably, Team Khaavren, too. So the cataclysm at the end of the book before this trilogy, leading to Khaavren's subsequent retirement--hiding, really--and giving up on life was hard to take. We see signs in the previous book of him coming around, and in this novel he follows after his son Piro, who left home on a quest some time before. He's meant to be active and energetic, so it's good to see that change in him.
Zerika returns with the Orb in this book, a key to re-establishing the empire of old, but setting herself up as Empress is still a hard path, with thousands of troops and various enemies between herself and her partisans and their goal, the capital city of Adrilankha. An additional conflict is the love between Piro and Ibronka, one unacceptable to either set of parents. Since this series is patterned on The Three Musketeers and the succeeding volumes, one can guess how that love affair will prosper (or not), but the author isn't being slavish to the original, so I guess we'll still see.
The quaint language and ironic tone of the series still cracks me up, even after 1500 pages or so, and I'm delighted that Brust has kept it going throughout. Passages like this:
"My dear friend, you seem agitated."
"Do I?"
"So it seems."
"Well, I confess I am disturbed."
"Tell me what troubles you, then, and perhaps together we will be able to ease your mind."
"Very well, I shall do as you suggest. This is it, then."
"I am listening."
So mannered and belabored. I actually LOL while I'm reading this, which I rarely do with any other books. Well played, sir.
I will shortly be on to the last book in the trilogy. Looking forward to it. Meanwhile, fans of fantasy, especially those who admire Dumas, should hurry up and find these, if they haven't already. Super fun.
Recommended.
March 6, 2020
So, you take the Three Musketeers, the book I was raised with, that has to me more emotional value than any other, you rewrite it in Dragaera, an amazing fantasy setting AND you make it about Morrolan, one of the most amazing characters to ever exist? Steven Brust, who the heck allowed you to do this?
Morrolan in Vlad's stories is fascinating. However, young, innocent and somehow naive Morrolan who pretty much has no idea what the hell is going on yet is VERY enthusiastic in participating is another level of precious. Paarfi doesn't hide dis mistakes and hilarious clumsiness, yet he's the man who jumps on this new culture and lifestyle without forgetting his old one, the man that could pursue a great political career but prefers to study what he's passionate about, who, despite his recklessness and inexperience, comes up with unconventional yet functioning strategy, and overall someone you cannot not love.
Paths of the Dead, although necessary to settle the context, was way too long and frankly boring, but Lord of Castle Black, just as the following Setra Lavode, is dynamic and incredibly funny, even when compared to other incredibly funny Brust's works.
I will refrain from naming it the best of the Khaavren's Romances as I clearly am biased towards Morrolan, but I clearly want to.
Morrolan in Vlad's stories is fascinating. However, young, innocent and somehow naive Morrolan who pretty much has no idea what the hell is going on yet is VERY enthusiastic in participating is another level of precious. Paarfi doesn't hide dis mistakes and hilarious clumsiness, yet he's the man who jumps on this new culture and lifestyle without forgetting his old one, the man that could pursue a great political career but prefers to study what he's passionate about, who, despite his recklessness and inexperience, comes up with unconventional yet functioning strategy, and overall someone you cannot not love.
Paths of the Dead, although necessary to settle the context, was way too long and frankly boring, but Lord of Castle Black, just as the following Setra Lavode, is dynamic and incredibly funny, even when compared to other incredibly funny Brust's works.
I will refrain from naming it the best of the Khaavren's Romances as I clearly am biased towards Morrolan, but I clearly want to.
July 5, 2019
Series continues charming.
If anything, Lord of Castle Black suffers from the standard "middle book of the trilogy" problem, in that it is neither a beginning nor an end, yet contains vital information that furthers the story already begun and leads us to the story's end.
Aside from the story itself, the thing I enjoy most about the "Khaavren Romances" (as this set of five books, or three, depending on if you count the The Paths of the Dead, The Lord of Castle Black, and Sethra Lavode as three separate books or three volumes of one book) is the framing device... never has an "author" (Paarfi, House of the Hawk) been more present without being an actual protagonist in the plot. At the end of this volume, the "review" of the multi-volume critique of Paarfi's writing puts his personality in context with the historical romances he has written. It is a breath-taking stylistic trick; Steven Brust makes perfectly clear the lines between Paarfi and plot without belaboring the device or sacrificing the enjoyment of the novel as a whole. The highest praise I can give is that I find myself laughing at sentences that are not necessarily funny except for the context. How does he do that!?!?
If anything, Lord of Castle Black suffers from the standard "middle book of the trilogy" problem, in that it is neither a beginning nor an end, yet contains vital information that furthers the story already begun and leads us to the story's end.
Aside from the story itself, the thing I enjoy most about the "Khaavren Romances" (as this set of five books, or three, depending on if you count the The Paths of the Dead, The Lord of Castle Black, and Sethra Lavode as three separate books or three volumes of one book) is the framing device... never has an "author" (Paarfi, House of the Hawk) been more present without being an actual protagonist in the plot. At the end of this volume, the "review" of the multi-volume critique of Paarfi's writing puts his personality in context with the historical romances he has written. It is a breath-taking stylistic trick; Steven Brust makes perfectly clear the lines between Paarfi and plot without belaboring the device or sacrificing the enjoyment of the novel as a whole. The highest praise I can give is that I find myself laughing at sentences that are not necessarily funny except for the context. How does he do that!?!?
Read
October 23, 2025With his bestselling novel The Phoenix Guards, Steven Brust took readers to a time a thousand years before the events of his popular Vlad Taltos novels. Its sequel, Five Hundred Years After, was hailed by Science Fiction Chronicle as the best fantasy novel of the year. Now, in the Viscount of Adrilankha series, Brust has returned to the Khaavren epic, first with The Paths of the Dead, and now with its direct continuation, The Lord of Castle Black...a novel that gives Vlad Taltos and Khaavren fans alike a new look at one of Brust's most popular characters, the Dragonlord Morrolan. Along the way, we'll also encounter swordplay, intrigues, quests, battles, romance, snappy dialogue, and the missing heir to the Imperial Throne. It's an old-fashioned adventure, moving at a twenty-first-century pace.
May 9, 2024
The story here really is just a continuation of the previous one. Paarfi's dedication at the front is identical to the previous book, as is the Cast of Characters (with only the addition of a name to a character who had been acting under a pseudonym for most of the previous book). Though actually, there are people listed in the Cast who did not appear in the first book, nor even in this one, which further underlines the intended continuity
Like the previous book, I found it enjoyable enough, though I think it maybe lacked a bit of the joy and energy of the earlier books in the series. The end did go off in a direction I hadn't anticipated, so it gains some minor points in that regard, and also whets my appetite for the next book.
Like the previous book, I found it enjoyable enough, though I think it maybe lacked a bit of the joy and energy of the earlier books in the series. The end did go off in a direction I hadn't anticipated, so it gains some minor points in that regard, and also whets my appetite for the next book.
June 4, 2020
This book provides part of the most interesting backstory for the Jhereg books- the restoration of the empire and Morrolan's arrival and key role. However the writing style is intentionally annoying. It's supposed to be some sort of court history by Paarfi. Brust discussed his disagreements with his editor in the intro. I'm curious if he was unhappy with his readers as well. The final chapter is a fake academic critique of the author Paarfi with speculation that one of his students did the actual writing.
Basically worth reading if you love the series or are a masochist or you like some of the good lines in the book in spite of all the sawdust. Actually not much happens.
Basically worth reading if you love the series or are a masochist or you like some of the good lines in the book in spite of all the sawdust. Actually not much happens.
July 26, 2017
I loved it, if for no other reason than the Three Musketeer "Dumas" style in which it is written.
How so, there's a style? Exactly, this is what I have stated.
The plot moves forward nicely, and each character acts accordngly. The familiar characters from the Phoenix Guard are reunited but don't really share much screen time.
And now I shall state my opinion of the book.
You have an opinion of it?
I do, and now I shall deliver it.
You can see that I am awaiting this deliverance.
Then let me state it.
How so, there's a style? Exactly, this is what I have stated.
The plot moves forward nicely, and each character acts accordngly. The familiar characters from the Phoenix Guard are reunited but don't really share much screen time.
And now I shall state my opinion of the book.
You have an opinion of it?
I do, and now I shall deliver it.
You can see that I am awaiting this deliverance.
Then let me state it.
March 11, 2024
Entertaining bits, including interesting character development and the history of the reestablishment of the empire by Zerika. The affected writing style is still mostly entertaining, though certain of the rhetorical devices begin to wear with repetition. The plot is a bit too scattered for complete coherence, with rapid shifts between many viewpoint characters. And while this is (according to the "author") intended to be part 2 of a single book, it ends on a series of cliffhangers that rather decrease the impact of the story.
Entertaining, but not one of Brust's better books.
Entertaining, but not one of Brust's better books.
March 19, 2024
Enormously silly
This is the story of Zerika’s journey from finding the orb to entering her new capital city in triumph. Also, the story of how Morrolan became who he is and built Castle Black. This one kind of pegged the silly meter, too, which was a lot of fun, though it also foreshadowed some dire trouble for our heroes in the next book.
This is the story of Zerika’s journey from finding the orb to entering her new capital city in triumph. Also, the story of how Morrolan became who he is and built Castle Black. This one kind of pegged the silly meter, too, which was a lot of fun, though it also foreshadowed some dire trouble for our heroes in the next book.
August 11, 2023
Excellent installment (except for the romance because *obviously* it should be between Ibronka and Röaana), but Neil Gaiman really can’t pull off the style with proper grace and élan in the afterward.
November 14, 2023
I find myself disliking Piro more and more.
And I find myself admiring Tazendra more and more.
It's good to get more perspective on Morrolan. In some ways, some of the things Vlad says about him in the other books are maybe unfair. In other ways, maybe they're very fair.
And I find myself admiring Tazendra more and more.
It's good to get more perspective on Morrolan. In some ways, some of the things Vlad says about him in the other books are maybe unfair. In other ways, maybe they're very fair.
January 1, 2015
REREAD (Oct 2014)
The book suffers from being the center volume of a trilogy, all rising action with no great climax. Still, it's far better than a kick in the head, and on reread (especially consecutively) reads better than it did the first time.
=======
ORIGINAL READ (Nov 2013)
(Original review scale 1-3)
Summary: [2] This is the second volume of Brust’s The Viscount of Adrilankha Dumas pastiche. The Empire gets its legs underneath it, Morollan (the titular character) becomes involved in matters, and lots of folks run around doing a lot of sword fighting and exchanging witticisms.
Entertainment: [2] The conceit remains entertaining, and is crafted with a now-polished fashion. But it’s almost become too easy, and I almost have the sense that Brust is rushing things along just a tad, to be done with it perhaps. The cast has now gotten so large that it’s easy to lose track of who’s who, who’s whose friend, who’s whose parent, who’s of what House, etc. that may contribute to the sense of a lack of focus. Every character, it seems, needs a parenthetical reference every so often, in a book that is built around parenthetical references, and the result becomes sketchier and sketcher. The lack of remembrance of who’s who isn’t a terrible barrier, though; you just kind of go along and enjoy it anyway.
At the same time, Brust is finally more substantially dealing with characters we know, or recognize from the Vlad books. Enough of them, from Loraan to Sethra the Younger to the Sorceress in Green, pop up that it begins to feel artificial.
All that quibbling aside, it’s still a greatly entertaining book, and I eagerly look forward to the next installment. Though, to be honest, I’d rather have another Vlad book.
Profundity: [1] Despite Paarfi’s best efforts, there aren’t many.
Re-readability: [2] No time soon, though. Unless I need a leg up on understanding the next book.
The book suffers from being the center volume of a trilogy, all rising action with no great climax. Still, it's far better than a kick in the head, and on reread (especially consecutively) reads better than it did the first time.
=======
ORIGINAL READ (Nov 2013)
(Original review scale 1-3)
Summary: [2] This is the second volume of Brust’s The Viscount of Adrilankha Dumas pastiche. The Empire gets its legs underneath it, Morollan (the titular character) becomes involved in matters, and lots of folks run around doing a lot of sword fighting and exchanging witticisms.
Entertainment: [2] The conceit remains entertaining, and is crafted with a now-polished fashion. But it’s almost become too easy, and I almost have the sense that Brust is rushing things along just a tad, to be done with it perhaps. The cast has now gotten so large that it’s easy to lose track of who’s who, who’s whose friend, who’s whose parent, who’s of what House, etc. that may contribute to the sense of a lack of focus. Every character, it seems, needs a parenthetical reference every so often, in a book that is built around parenthetical references, and the result becomes sketchier and sketcher. The lack of remembrance of who’s who isn’t a terrible barrier, though; you just kind of go along and enjoy it anyway.
At the same time, Brust is finally more substantially dealing with characters we know, or recognize from the Vlad books. Enough of them, from Loraan to Sethra the Younger to the Sorceress in Green, pop up that it begins to feel artificial.
All that quibbling aside, it’s still a greatly entertaining book, and I eagerly look forward to the next installment. Though, to be honest, I’d rather have another Vlad book.
Profundity: [1] Despite Paarfi’s best efforts, there aren’t many.
Re-readability: [2] No time soon, though. Unless I need a leg up on understanding the next book.
January 4, 2009
I loved The Phoenix Guards and Five Hundred Years after, so I originally had great hopes for this series. Most of them have not been realized.
The earlier books worked because they had a tight focus - they were epic stories, yes, but they were told mostly through Khaavren - which is Brust's comfort zone (and skill level) as a writer. This series is sprawling and disorganized; if you're going to use a cast of thousands, you have to be able to structure your novels, and Brust doesn't know how to do that.
Also, if you're going to use that cast of thousands (okay, dozens), you have to make sure that every PoV character is interesting, and, wow, Brust totally fails on that score. The pre-existing characters - Morrolan, Khaavren and company, Sethra Lavode - are interesting because we know them from elsewhere (or at least, I know them from elsewhere - I think you'd be really screwed if this was your first exposure to all these people), but the characters introduced in this series - Piro et al - are sort of unformed and dull. Brust struggles at balancing the epic with the personal, and the result is that it's hard to care about both aspects of the story. (For one thing, both aspects get short shrift, so, for example, the personal decisions made toward the end of the book seem out of character and they're totally untelegraphed.)
The pacing is also off. This very definitely felt like the middle chunk of a story; this book doesn't have an independent story arc that allows it to stand alone. It's pretty obvious that this is one book that has been chopped into three, which is irritating.
If you've read most of the other books in this world, the Viscount series provides some interesting background and history. If you haven't, though - well, it doesn't work very well as an actual story. This book is only for Dragaera completists.
The earlier books worked because they had a tight focus - they were epic stories, yes, but they were told mostly through Khaavren - which is Brust's comfort zone (and skill level) as a writer. This series is sprawling and disorganized; if you're going to use a cast of thousands, you have to be able to structure your novels, and Brust doesn't know how to do that.
Also, if you're going to use that cast of thousands (okay, dozens), you have to make sure that every PoV character is interesting, and, wow, Brust totally fails on that score. The pre-existing characters - Morrolan, Khaavren and company, Sethra Lavode - are interesting because we know them from elsewhere (or at least, I know them from elsewhere - I think you'd be really screwed if this was your first exposure to all these people), but the characters introduced in this series - Piro et al - are sort of unformed and dull. Brust struggles at balancing the epic with the personal, and the result is that it's hard to care about both aspects of the story. (For one thing, both aspects get short shrift, so, for example, the personal decisions made toward the end of the book seem out of character and they're totally untelegraphed.)
The pacing is also off. This very definitely felt like the middle chunk of a story; this book doesn't have an independent story arc that allows it to stand alone. It's pretty obvious that this is one book that has been chopped into three, which is irritating.
If you've read most of the other books in this world, the Viscount series provides some interesting background and history. If you haven't, though - well, it doesn't work very well as an actual story. This book is only for Dragaera completists.
December 9, 2016
Zerika has emerged with the Orb, thus ending the Interregnum---but not everyone wants the return of the Empire she represents. Kana, a Dragonlord, sees no need to stop his planned consolidation of the previous Empire's territory under his own banner. He has the troops, he's been building alliances, and he's laid thorough plans for the rest of his conquest. But Zerika is not without allies of her own: Khaavren and his friends, his son Piro and his friends, the ancient and powerful Sethra Lavode, and possibly this Easterner-raised Dragonlord named Morrolan . . .
This book contains a lot more of Morrolan's story---how he came from the East, set up in Southmoor, and the various things that happened to him after that. Morrolan occupies perhaps less of the story than might be expected from a book named for him, but what he does do is both amusing and crucial. He's determined to build himself a home in a country that happens to stand between Kana and Dzur Mountain, the home of Sethra Lavode. And he's not about to let some upstart Dragonlord run him over.
The book also contains little gems of philosophy scattered in the story of an Empire struggling to rise from its ashes. My favorite aside was a conversation between Aerich and some of Piro's friends, in which they debate whether or not the ends justify the means. It was my favorite because of Aerich's take, which I have not heard before, in that the question is wrong. Good ends can only be reached by good means, so if one finds oneself using bad means, start to question whether the end is actually good.
Overall, although I would not recommend starting with this book, because it picks up so many threads from the previous, this is a very good continuation. I rate this book Recommended.
See my reviews and more at https://offtheshelfreviews.wordpress....
This book contains a lot more of Morrolan's story---how he came from the East, set up in Southmoor, and the various things that happened to him after that. Morrolan occupies perhaps less of the story than might be expected from a book named for him, but what he does do is both amusing and crucial. He's determined to build himself a home in a country that happens to stand between Kana and Dzur Mountain, the home of Sethra Lavode. And he's not about to let some upstart Dragonlord run him over.
The book also contains little gems of philosophy scattered in the story of an Empire struggling to rise from its ashes. My favorite aside was a conversation between Aerich and some of Piro's friends, in which they debate whether or not the ends justify the means. It was my favorite because of Aerich's take, which I have not heard before, in that the question is wrong. Good ends can only be reached by good means, so if one finds oneself using bad means, start to question whether the end is actually good.
Overall, although I would not recommend starting with this book, because it picks up so many threads from the previous, this is a very good continuation. I rate this book Recommended.
See my reviews and more at https://offtheshelfreviews.wordpress....
August 26, 2011
The empire restored, and Piro falls in love! But to the wrong person (in his father's opinion). More great action, and some good social commentary as well.
"What should I tell her?"
"Tell her?"
"You must have known girls before."
"Well, yes."
"And you must have known one with whom you desired to have conversation.'
"Oh, without doubt."
"What did you tell her?"
"That I should like to get to know her better."
"Good."
"That I have never before met another with whom I could speak so freely."
"I must remember that one."
"That it would be a great honor to be able to escort her for an evening of entertainment."
"And this has worked for you, has it not?"
"Certainly."
"Then what more is there to say?"
"My dear Kytraan—"
"Well?"
"I do not understand what you do me the honor of telling me."
"Merely, that, if it worked before—"
"Shards! Those things? I cannot tell those things to Ibronka."
"The Gods! Why not?"
"Why not? You ask me why not?"
"Indeed, I ask you why not. And if that is not enough, I ask you again. Why not?"
"Because—"
"Yes?"
"Because, well because with Ibronka, they are true!"
"Ah!" said Kytraan after a moment. "I had not understood this circumstance."
"Well, but you understand now, do you not?"
"Oh, entirely, my poor friend. But then, speak to her of other things."
"What other things?"
"Oh, the usual things. Speak of her family, or talk about food, or about philosophy. You know she is interested in philosophy."
"Oh, I cannot. When I try to speak to her, my breath fails, and my throat closes."
"Ah, my poor friend. I understand entirely."
(originally excerpted by Frieda on the dragaera.info mailing list)
"What should I tell her?"
"Tell her?"
"You must have known girls before."
"Well, yes."
"And you must have known one with whom you desired to have conversation.'
"Oh, without doubt."
"What did you tell her?"
"That I should like to get to know her better."
"Good."
"That I have never before met another with whom I could speak so freely."
"I must remember that one."
"That it would be a great honor to be able to escort her for an evening of entertainment."
"And this has worked for you, has it not?"
"Certainly."
"Then what more is there to say?"
"My dear Kytraan—"
"Well?"
"I do not understand what you do me the honor of telling me."
"Merely, that, if it worked before—"
"Shards! Those things? I cannot tell those things to Ibronka."
"The Gods! Why not?"
"Why not? You ask me why not?"
"Indeed, I ask you why not. And if that is not enough, I ask you again. Why not?"
"Because—"
"Yes?"
"Because, well because with Ibronka, they are true!"
"Ah!" said Kytraan after a moment. "I had not understood this circumstance."
"Well, but you understand now, do you not?"
"Oh, entirely, my poor friend. But then, speak to her of other things."
"What other things?"
"Oh, the usual things. Speak of her family, or talk about food, or about philosophy. You know she is interested in philosophy."
"Oh, I cannot. When I try to speak to her, my breath fails, and my throat closes."
"Ah, my poor friend. I understand entirely."
(originally excerpted by Frieda on the dragaera.info mailing list)
March 22, 2010
So, when is Sethra Lavode coming out in paperback? :)
I adore Brust. While i won't go so far as to say he can do no wrong, i find the results of his less-rightness (eg Brokedown Palace) are still good enough to keep on my shelf and revisit from time to time. This book? Falls squarely in the "damn good stuff" category. it suffers a little from being the middle book of a trilogy -- or rather it suffers from my having read the first book in the trilogy over a year ago. details from the past escaped me, but generally it seemed that the truly pertinent details were reintroduced in an efficient fashion, so no real worries there. tho i predict that when i get my hands on Sethra Lavode, i'll be doing a grand re-read of the series, perhaps even going so far back as The Phoenix Guards -- which will take a bit longer than the 1.5 weeks it took me to re-read all the Vlad Taltos books last summer. but i predict it will be satisfying. mmmm.... epics written in high-falutin' yet self-deprecating style. Love it!
I adore Brust. While i won't go so far as to say he can do no wrong, i find the results of his less-rightness (eg Brokedown Palace) are still good enough to keep on my shelf and revisit from time to time. This book? Falls squarely in the "damn good stuff" category. it suffers a little from being the middle book of a trilogy -- or rather it suffers from my having read the first book in the trilogy over a year ago. details from the past escaped me, but generally it seemed that the truly pertinent details were reintroduced in an efficient fashion, so no real worries there. tho i predict that when i get my hands on Sethra Lavode, i'll be doing a grand re-read of the series, perhaps even going so far back as The Phoenix Guards -- which will take a bit longer than the 1.5 weeks it took me to re-read all the Vlad Taltos books last summer. but i predict it will be satisfying. mmmm.... epics written in high-falutin' yet self-deprecating style. Love it!
January 17, 2013
2.5. Another re-read in preparation for Tiassa. This picked up a bit more, even the Morrolan sections. I thought it was more enjoyable than its immediate prequel, The Paths of the Dead. A word of warning: you will want to have the sequel, Sethra Lavode, immediately to hand when you finish this one.
Re-read again in January 2013. I read this and thought, man, you really need to have read Issola to get this, at a minimum. And then I went back and realized ... hey. This was published after Issola.
Re-read again in January 2013. I read this and thought, man, you really need to have read Issola to get this, at a minimum. And then I went back and realized ... hey. This was published after Issola.
May 19, 2014
The star rating given reflects my opinion within ‘the official goodreads rating system’. (Notice the two important words... OPINION and RATING)
1 star: Didn’t Like it
2 stars: It’s Okay
3 stars: Liked it
4 stars: Really Liked it
5 stars: It Was Amazing
I don’t really give a rat-fuck that there are some who think I ‘owe’ an explanation for my opinion. Nope, nada, and not sorry about it.
Sometimes I may add notes to explain what my opinions are based on, and sometimes I don’t. I do this for me, on my books, in my library and I don’t ‘owe’ any special snowflakes a thing. Fuck off if you don’t like it and stop reading my shit.
Particularly given the ‘modifications’ to reader’s personal content going on (and outright censorship), unless particularly motivated I will not comment in detail.
It would help if GR was forthcoming in the new ‘appropriate’ and would make a site-wide announcement delineating the new focus from a reader-centric site to one that is now for authors and selling.
1 star: Didn’t Like it
2 stars: It’s Okay
3 stars: Liked it
4 stars: Really Liked it
5 stars: It Was Amazing
I don’t really give a rat-fuck that there are some who think I ‘owe’ an explanation for my opinion. Nope, nada, and not sorry about it.
Sometimes I may add notes to explain what my opinions are based on, and sometimes I don’t. I do this for me, on my books, in my library and I don’t ‘owe’ any special snowflakes a thing. Fuck off if you don’t like it and stop reading my shit.
Particularly given the ‘modifications’ to reader’s personal content going on (and outright censorship), unless particularly motivated I will not comment in detail.
It would help if GR was forthcoming in the new ‘appropriate’ and would make a site-wide announcement delineating the new focus from a reader-centric site to one that is now for authors and selling.
September 30, 2008
I think the hardest thing to get use to in this Durst story is the bombastic prose that is used.
This isn't Brust's normal writing voice of course, it seems he was trying to emulate the scholar that narrates the story as a tome of dragaeran history. Brust does such a great job at this that every character sounds like the the narrator.
Once I came to realize this it was a little easier to read. I just simply translated speeches in voices that I felt were more endearing of the characters. Unfortunately, just like transliterating the King James into a voice more understandable to a modern ear, this gets to be tiring.
So if you enjoy the world of Taltos, then I recommend this book. It will give you some historical background of the dragaeren people. Otherwise I would suggest you should read any of the books with Vlad Taltos as the lead character.
This isn't Brust's normal writing voice of course, it seems he was trying to emulate the scholar that narrates the story as a tome of dragaeran history. Brust does such a great job at this that every character sounds like the the narrator.
Once I came to realize this it was a little easier to read. I just simply translated speeches in voices that I felt were more endearing of the characters. Unfortunately, just like transliterating the King James into a voice more understandable to a modern ear, this gets to be tiring.
So if you enjoy the world of Taltos, then I recommend this book. It will give you some historical background of the dragaeren people. Otherwise I would suggest you should read any of the books with Vlad Taltos as the lead character.
April 28, 2023
I enjoyed Steven Brust’s The Lord of Castle Black much more than I did The Paths of the Dead. Part of it may be from how I’ve come to peace with the circuitous dialogue. Much of it may be that The Paths of the Dead was the wind-up, while The Lord of Castle Black is the start of the pitch. It seems wittier too. In particular, the conclusion of the Ninth (or Tenth) Battle of Dzur Mountain and the blasé way in which Piro embarks upon his new career killed me. I think that the narrative voice of Paarfi is used to better effect, slyly suggesting or saying two different things at once more often than in the last book. Also, I’m finding Morrolan adorable. He’s such an innocent, yet he gets things done. (And he’s often telling people to get to the point already.) I read the Vlad books 15 years ago, but I don’t think as I was as fond of Morrolan in those.
December 17, 2009
I have increased the rating of this book after re-reading it. If the previous one did not satisfy me (The Paths of the Dead, in this one we recover the feeling of adventure, even if the main characters in the previous books take clearly a supporting role. The Dumas pastiche works very well, with sympathetic villains and a few despicable ones, fallible heroes, but heroes yet, and better rounded dialogue than others. It is still a very shallow book unless you are very interested in Brust imaginary worlds, but if you do, there are several gems and explanations for many aspects of the Vlad Taltos books.
Only recommended for those who are reading the series, as this book cannot stand alone.
Only recommended for those who are reading the series, as this book cannot stand alone.
June 17, 2015
When I first read these three books it was as they were published which was nearly a year or more between volumes. Even more than the Dumas' stories that these are loosely based on, these three volumes are clearly one continuous narrative that really suffers from being separated in reading time.
That is a long way of saying that I enjoyed this re-reading much more than the first time because I'm going straight through without pauses. The thrust of the work (all 3 really) is how the Interregnum ended with the return of the Orb from the Paths of the Dead and the struggles of Empress Zerika to solidify the throne against the pretender Kana. This volume starts with Zerika's return, which is where the first one ended, and basically only deals with the ninth (or to some scholars, the tenth) battle of Dzur Mountain and how Morrolan created Castle Black at its foot.
That is a long way of saying that I enjoyed this re-reading much more than the first time because I'm going straight through without pauses. The thrust of the work (all 3 really) is how the Interregnum ended with the return of the Orb from the Paths of the Dead and the struggles of Empress Zerika to solidify the throne against the pretender Kana. This volume starts with Zerika's return, which is where the first one ended, and basically only deals with the ninth (or to some scholars, the tenth) battle of Dzur Mountain and how Morrolan created Castle Black at its foot.
January 16, 2013
As with "Paths of the Dead," the fourth installment of the Khaavren Romances is a story written like a history book. With detail to every rock that had ever been upturned in the history of the Dragaeran Empire, pre and post Interegnum, the reader is forced to flip through page after page of useless dialog, wherein the characters repeat the same things back and forth, turning one individuals statement into an question, and so on and so forth. However, this airy style of writing is continually balanced by the intrigue that seems to accompany the characters throughout the book. Though not as good as the Taltos series, Brust continues to deliver as he opens to us a ethereal doorway, through which we catch a glimpse of the lives of human and easterner alike.
November 29, 2011
Stubborn masochism is the only explanation I can come up with for why I continue to read these. The stylistic joke of drawing out every sentence into 15 sentences has grown so overtired that a small number of the characters are themselves beginning to complain about it. If one ignores the style (virtually impossible, to be sure), the plot itself is fine if a bit deus-ex-machina for my taste. This is the middle part of the "third" book (or the fourth of six books depending on how you wish to count) in the series so is merely setting up the final denouement which will finally put the joke to rest.
March 5, 2017
In this second of the Viscount of Andrilankha series, young Zerika emerges from the Paths of the Dead with the Imperial Orb, and gathers supporters to defend her from pretender Emperoror Kana, who is marching his tens of thousands of troops against her. But much of the book revolves around the titled Lord Morrolan, an elf raised in the East, and only newly aware of his heritage, the Empire, sorcery, etc. I love the characters, their amusing (although occasionally wearing) dialogue, and the world they live in. The Vald Taltos series, set in the same world and same time frame as Lord Morrolan, is also one of my favorites.
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