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Vlad Taltos #12
Iorich
House Jhereg, Dragaera's organized crime syndicate, is still hunting Vlad Taltos. There's a big price on his head on Draegara City. Then he hears disturbing news. Aliera--longtime friend, sometime ally--has been arrested by the Empire on a charge of practicing elder sorcery, a capital crime.
It doesn't make sense. Everybody knows Aliera's been dabbling in elder sorcery for ages. Why is the Empire down on her now? Why aren't her powerful friends--Morrolan, Sethra, the Empress Zerika--coming to her rescue? And most to the point, why has she utterly refused to do anything about her own defense?
It would be idiotic of Vlad to jump into this situation. He's a former Jhereg who betrayed the House. He's an Easterner--small, weak, short-lived. He's being searched for by the most remorseless killers in the world. Naturally, that's exactly why he's going to get completely involved...
It doesn't make sense. Everybody knows Aliera's been dabbling in elder sorcery for ages. Why is the Empire down on her now? Why aren't her powerful friends--Morrolan, Sethra, the Empress Zerika--coming to her rescue? And most to the point, why has she utterly refused to do anything about her own defense?
It would be idiotic of Vlad to jump into this situation. He's a former Jhereg who betrayed the House. He's an Easterner--small, weak, short-lived. He's being searched for by the most remorseless killers in the world. Naturally, that's exactly why he's going to get completely involved...
319 pages, Hardcover
First published December 29, 2009
57 people are currently reading
1388 people want to read
About the author
Steven Brust
99 books2,301 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 - 29 of 196 reviews
February 9, 2017
I'm always so pleased with these novels! I love them, but let me be entirely clear. I love them more now that Vlad is back in town. He's a city boy at heart and I feel so much more comfortable when he's getting into trouble with the Jhreg on his home turf.
It's so fun to see him get interested in the laws at long last, too, but not more than I like seeing him get to know his little son. Things might not be getting all that much better with him and his ex-wife, but at least with a weapon of power and a whole society of long-lived nobles after him 24/7, he doesn't have all that much time to worry about what she thinks of him.
Or what his other friends think of him. Or why they're being set up by different factions of the empire or the Justice of it. Even the Empress is caught in a really hard spot.
The novel takes place in the latest time slot, thank goodness. :) I like a lot of the out-of time novels, but I'm very, very curious about everything that happened after his Weapon of Power was awoken.
But last, but not least, I do need to mention that Brust's deleted scenes at the end of this novel nearly stole the freaking show and had me giggling furiously the entire time. This man knows his shit. Of course, I already knew that. Still, it's nice to pit Vlad up against all those other tired fantasy tropes and skewer the living shit out of them directly rather than indirectly. :) So Delicious. :)
It's so fun to see him get interested in the laws at long last, too, but not more than I like seeing him get to know his little son. Things might not be getting all that much better with him and his ex-wife, but at least with a weapon of power and a whole society of long-lived nobles after him 24/7, he doesn't have all that much time to worry about what she thinks of him.
Or what his other friends think of him. Or why they're being set up by different factions of the empire or the Justice of it. Even the Empress is caught in a really hard spot.
The novel takes place in the latest time slot, thank goodness. :) I like a lot of the out-of time novels, but I'm very, very curious about everything that happened after his Weapon of Power was awoken.
But last, but not least, I do need to mention that Brust's deleted scenes at the end of this novel nearly stole the freaking show and had me giggling furiously the entire time. This man knows his shit. Of course, I already knew that. Still, it's nice to pit Vlad up against all those other tired fantasy tropes and skewer the living shit out of them directly rather than indirectly. :) So Delicious. :)
June 26, 2024
Brust returns once again to the Jhereg saga with Iorich, taking place about 8 years after Vlad fled Dragaera City to escape assassination; the Jhereg have a long memory! This starts by Vlad finding his way to an inn in the country and hearing that Aliera, longtime friend and sometimes ally, managed to get arrested for a capital crime. Well, Vlad decides he must return to Dragaera City to find out what's what and help his friend. Oh boy...
I love Brust's prose and snark and both are in fine form here. While obviously fantasy, Brust still manages to insert a range of social criticism here that feel all too real today. A judicial system that treats lords and commoners in very different fashion? Check. Brust has a great time with this theme here! The Iorich, the clan for justice, usually work as lawyers, all specialized in various aspects of the legal system, but what does justice really mean? Hum. Another not-so subtle social critique revolves around making certain 'controlled substances' illegal, as there is a sneaky plan to do just that to help out the black market profiteers. Can you say war on drugs?
I also really liked how this one unfolded; Vlad often has some pressing problem and each installment witnesses him trying to figure out a solution. In this case, how to get the sullen and prideful Aliera Dragon Lord off the hook. No mean feat as the Empress herself put Aliera in jail in the first place. Many others want to help, but alas, that would put them at odds with the Empress!
Finally, the roots of the entire mess revolve around some massacre of peasants by the military in some far off parish. Each chapter begins with some aspect of that crime. Can you say war crimes? Using Imperial troops to do no good? Whew. Fun installment, but once again Brust has a role for Cawti, Vlad's ex-wife, and he just does not do romance or relationships that well. 4 snarky stars!
I love Brust's prose and snark and both are in fine form here. While obviously fantasy, Brust still manages to insert a range of social criticism here that feel all too real today. A judicial system that treats lords and commoners in very different fashion? Check. Brust has a great time with this theme here! The Iorich, the clan for justice, usually work as lawyers, all specialized in various aspects of the legal system, but what does justice really mean? Hum. Another not-so subtle social critique revolves around making certain 'controlled substances' illegal, as there is a sneaky plan to do just that to help out the black market profiteers. Can you say war on drugs?
I also really liked how this one unfolded; Vlad often has some pressing problem and each installment witnesses him trying to figure out a solution. In this case, how to get the sullen and prideful Aliera Dragon Lord off the hook. No mean feat as the Empress herself put Aliera in jail in the first place. Many others want to help, but alas, that would put them at odds with the Empress!
Finally, the roots of the entire mess revolve around some massacre of peasants by the military in some far off parish. Each chapter begins with some aspect of that crime. Can you say war crimes? Using Imperial troops to do no good? Whew. Fun installment, but once again Brust has a role for Cawti, Vlad's ex-wife, and he just does not do romance or relationships that well. 4 snarky stars!
July 27, 2023
***100 Days of Summer 2023***
Reading prompt: Book where the main character has a pet that is important to the plot
Virtual 12 sided dice roll: 12
3.5 stars
I always enjoy a little visit with Vlad Taltos, former assassin and human in a world of Dragnereans. I read this quickly, despite the fact that I really didn't understand why Vlad was so focused on getting Aliera off the hook. I mean she was innocent of the charges, but Vlad isn't responsible for justice in the Empire. Perhaps I missed something in the first chapter.
As usual, Vlad is a smart ass, both with his friends and with his lizard-like jhereg companion, Loiosh. Vlad is being pursued by the Jhereg assassins, so he depends on Loiosh's aerial surveillance to make his way safely around the capitol city. Despite this, he runs into trouble on a couple of occasions. He can't think or talk his way out of all of them. I am thankful that I understand Brust's sense of humour, but I'm aware that I should leave long spaces between books. His style entertains me for a short book, but quickly wears thin.
A quick, funny summertime read.
Book number 495 of my Science Fiction and Fantasy Reading Project
Reading prompt: Book where the main character has a pet that is important to the plot
Virtual 12 sided dice roll: 12
3.5 stars
I always enjoy a little visit with Vlad Taltos, former assassin and human in a world of Dragnereans. I read this quickly, despite the fact that I really didn't understand why Vlad was so focused on getting Aliera off the hook. I mean she was innocent of the charges, but Vlad isn't responsible for justice in the Empire. Perhaps I missed something in the first chapter.
As usual, Vlad is a smart ass, both with his friends and with his lizard-like jhereg companion, Loiosh. Vlad is being pursued by the Jhereg assassins, so he depends on Loiosh's aerial surveillance to make his way safely around the capitol city. Despite this, he runs into trouble on a couple of occasions. He can't think or talk his way out of all of them. I am thankful that I understand Brust's sense of humour, but I'm aware that I should leave long spaces between books. His style entertains me for a short book, but quickly wears thin.
A quick, funny summertime read.
Book number 495 of my Science Fiction and Fantasy Reading Project
May 28, 2012
Steven Brust has got his groove back. After the novella structure of Jhegaala, he returns to Vlad, our favorite ex-crimelord who appears to have become a hero over the years, although Vlad would be the first to disagree. Despite being on the run from assassins, he returns to the city of his birth to investigate why the Empire would be pressing sorcery charges against his friend Aliera, especially as Aliera is close friends with the next heiress to the crown. Aliera doesn't want him there, and refuses to speak to him. The syndicate he betrayed doesn't want him there, and wants his blood. His lizard familiar thinks he's courting death by being there, and yet Vlad insists on lurking around the palace, asking questions, and roughing up a witness or two. He even hires an advocate (gasp!)
Iorich is a little faster than early Vlad novels, a lot less detailed, but at the core, this is the writing and storytelling that sends shivers of anticipation down my spine when I see a Brust book. His world is inventive, a delicious mix of mafia-style crime, race relations (human and Dragaeran), three different magical styles, gods versus... um, non-gods, and wonderfully developed characters. Plot continues to be twisty, and Vlad and the lizard are full of smart-ass remarks. Some meals are devoured, although not prepared nor described with the loving detail seen in earlier Vlad novels. There's violence--a given, knowing Vlad--and a tentative re-connection with Cawti, Vlad's estranged ex-wife.
It's a solid three and a half stars, but I'm rounding up because I feel the series deserves more recognition than it gets, and Brust is a writer I respect. I even have a new writing geek fantasy--to attend the writers convention he helps organize in Minneapolis this year.
If you like smart fantasy worlds and want a leap up from the usual sword and sorcery, it's worth giving this series a try. Start with Jhereg, one of my favorites.
Iorich is a little faster than early Vlad novels, a lot less detailed, but at the core, this is the writing and storytelling that sends shivers of anticipation down my spine when I see a Brust book. His world is inventive, a delicious mix of mafia-style crime, race relations (human and Dragaeran), three different magical styles, gods versus... um, non-gods, and wonderfully developed characters. Plot continues to be twisty, and Vlad and the lizard are full of smart-ass remarks. Some meals are devoured, although not prepared nor described with the loving detail seen in earlier Vlad novels. There's violence--a given, knowing Vlad--and a tentative re-connection with Cawti, Vlad's estranged ex-wife.
It's a solid three and a half stars, but I'm rounding up because I feel the series deserves more recognition than it gets, and Brust is a writer I respect. I even have a new writing geek fantasy--to attend the writers convention he helps organize in Minneapolis this year.
If you like smart fantasy worlds and want a leap up from the usual sword and sorcery, it's worth giving this series a try. Start with Jhereg, one of my favorites.
July 9, 2022
Book 12 in the Vlad Taltos series. Another re-read.
Vlad narrates this story in first-person. Each chapter begins with a little snippet containing trial evidence.
Although he's still in hiding from the Jhereg assassins, he hears through the grapevine that Aliera has been arrested and charged with a crime that carries the death penalty. He throws caution to the wind and goes back to Adrilankha to try to help his friend. Vlad has become very loyal to his friends over the course of this series. So he wants to help Aliera; the difficulty lies in the fact that Aliera doesn't want any aid from anyone. She's more stubborn than a mule. And like every other book in this series, there is much more going on than it appears.
As to the book itself, it's written in pretty much the same style as the first book, with two exceptions. One is an interlude about a third of the way in. It's such a bittersweet and poignant scene. And the other difference is the inclusion of the tongue-in-cheek "deleted scenes".
Vlad narrates this story in first-person. Each chapter begins with a little snippet containing trial evidence.
Although he's still in hiding from the Jhereg assassins, he hears through the grapevine that Aliera has been arrested and charged with a crime that carries the death penalty. He throws caution to the wind and goes back to Adrilankha to try to help his friend. Vlad has become very loyal to his friends over the course of this series. So he wants to help Aliera; the difficulty lies in the fact that Aliera doesn't want any aid from anyone. She's more stubborn than a mule. And like every other book in this series, there is much more going on than it appears.
As to the book itself, it's written in pretty much the same style as the first book, with two exceptions. One is an interlude about a third of the way in. It's such a bittersweet and poignant scene. And the other difference is the inclusion of the tongue-in-cheek "deleted scenes".
September 20, 2024
Remember those episodes of Matlock in which someone is arrested for a crime, but during the investigation it turns out that the arrest was really just a front for a much larger intrigue? Steven Brust's newest VLAD TALTOS novel Iorich is sort of like that — except the person who is arrested is Aliera e'Kieron, and the larger intrigue involves Empress Zerika of the Dragaeran Empire. Oh, and Matlock's role is played by Vlad Taltos, human assassin and bon-vivant, who is still on the run from the Jhereg but has returned to Adrilankha to help out his friend Aliera. (Disclaimer: I actually don't know if there are episodes of Matlock like that, but it seems likely. Also, I realize I should probably have used a more current legal show like Law & Order, but I know even less about those. So there you have it: Vlad as Matlock. That must be a first.)
After the detour of the previous book in the series, Jhegaala, which was set earlier in the internal chronology, Iorich thankfully moves the story forward again. It takes places after the events of Dzur — and as such, it's definitely not a book to pick up if you're not familiar with the VLAD TALTOS series yet. (Instead, start with the omnibus The Book of Jhereg, which contains the 3 books that were published first. I definitely recommend reading the series in order of publication, at least until it's completed.)
Another contrast with the previous book: Jhegaala didn't feature many of the regular cast of VLAD TALTOS books, because it still dealt with Vlad traveling alone, on the run from the Jhereg. In Iorich, it's almost as if Steven Brust decided to systematically throw in every single regular character to please the fans: early in the book, Vlad has a sit-down with Morrolan, Sethra, Aliera, Kiera, Zerika (!), Cawti, and later on his old employee Kragar even makes an appearance. It almost feels as if the author was checking names of a list — not that I'm complaining, because it's lots of fun to see those characters in action again.
Fans of the VLAD TALTOS series will be aware that, in most of the books, Vlad takes on some of the characteristics of the noble house mentioned in the title, and Iorich is no exception. The Iorich attributes are "Justice and Retribution" (according to the handy new illustration of the Cycle, at the front of the book), and so we get to enjoy the delicious irony that career criminal Vlad Taltos is now working (more or less) inside the boundaries of the law to free his friend Aliera. Steven Brust also again uses the now-familiar device of chapter introductions that follow the theme of the novel — in this case, transcripts of court interviews and other legal documents. The transcript of Aliera's questioning at the start of chapter 12 is an easy highlight of Iorich.
There really isn't much to complain about in this solid new addition to one of my favorite fantasy series. I felt that, after the long set-up, the end was a bit rushed, but we can take that as an example of Vlad's "plan carefully and then strike quickly" style. There also aren't any really world-shaking revelations in this novel — it almost feels small-scale compared to some of the mind-bending earlier books.
Nit-picking aside, Iorich is a lovely addition to the VLAD TALTOS series. To long-time fans, this will be like a comfort read: set almost entirely in Adrilankha, with most of the major characters in top form, and Vlad doing his thing, talking with relish about his meals, wise-cracking back and forth with Loiosh — just like the old days, almost. In addition, we also get some beautiful and poignant scenes with Cawti, and on the flip side, the book has an appendix with some truly hilarious "deleted scenes" (even including a brief return of the dreaded KHAAVREN ROMANCES narrator Paarfi). We also get some fascinating looks at life inside the Imperial Palace and the Iorich wing (which is so labyrinthine that it's hard not to interpret it as a symbol for the Kafka-esque intricacies of the law).
If you're already a fan of the VLAD TALTOS series, you'll have a blast with Iorich. And if you're not familiar with the series yet, do yourself a favor and go find a copy of The Book of Jhereg right now. You won't be disappointed.
(This review was also published on www.fantasyliterature.com --- come check us out!)
After the detour of the previous book in the series, Jhegaala, which was set earlier in the internal chronology, Iorich thankfully moves the story forward again. It takes places after the events of Dzur — and as such, it's definitely not a book to pick up if you're not familiar with the VLAD TALTOS series yet. (Instead, start with the omnibus The Book of Jhereg, which contains the 3 books that were published first. I definitely recommend reading the series in order of publication, at least until it's completed.)
Another contrast with the previous book: Jhegaala didn't feature many of the regular cast of VLAD TALTOS books, because it still dealt with Vlad traveling alone, on the run from the Jhereg. In Iorich, it's almost as if Steven Brust decided to systematically throw in every single regular character to please the fans: early in the book, Vlad has a sit-down with Morrolan, Sethra, Aliera, Kiera, Zerika (!), Cawti, and later on his old employee Kragar even makes an appearance. It almost feels as if the author was checking names of a list — not that I'm complaining, because it's lots of fun to see those characters in action again.
Fans of the VLAD TALTOS series will be aware that, in most of the books, Vlad takes on some of the characteristics of the noble house mentioned in the title, and Iorich is no exception. The Iorich attributes are "Justice and Retribution" (according to the handy new illustration of the Cycle, at the front of the book), and so we get to enjoy the delicious irony that career criminal Vlad Taltos is now working (more or less) inside the boundaries of the law to free his friend Aliera. Steven Brust also again uses the now-familiar device of chapter introductions that follow the theme of the novel — in this case, transcripts of court interviews and other legal documents. The transcript of Aliera's questioning at the start of chapter 12 is an easy highlight of Iorich.
There really isn't much to complain about in this solid new addition to one of my favorite fantasy series. I felt that, after the long set-up, the end was a bit rushed, but we can take that as an example of Vlad's "plan carefully and then strike quickly" style. There also aren't any really world-shaking revelations in this novel — it almost feels small-scale compared to some of the mind-bending earlier books.
Nit-picking aside, Iorich is a lovely addition to the VLAD TALTOS series. To long-time fans, this will be like a comfort read: set almost entirely in Adrilankha, with most of the major characters in top form, and Vlad doing his thing, talking with relish about his meals, wise-cracking back and forth with Loiosh — just like the old days, almost. In addition, we also get some beautiful and poignant scenes with Cawti, and on the flip side, the book has an appendix with some truly hilarious "deleted scenes" (even including a brief return of the dreaded KHAAVREN ROMANCES narrator Paarfi). We also get some fascinating looks at life inside the Imperial Palace and the Iorich wing (which is so labyrinthine that it's hard not to interpret it as a symbol for the Kafka-esque intricacies of the law).
If you're already a fan of the VLAD TALTOS series, you'll have a blast with Iorich. And if you're not familiar with the series yet, do yourself a favor and go find a copy of The Book of Jhereg right now. You won't be disappointed.
(This review was also published on www.fantasyliterature.com --- come check us out!)
December 13, 2018
Everytime I read one of these books I'm reminded of how good they are and I just wonder why I don't power through the full series. This one, in particular, was incredible.
I think I'll pick up the next one, just while I'm riding the buzz
I think I'll pick up the next one, just while I'm riding the buzz
January 21, 2010
Fog of War (Definition) - used to describe the level of ambiguity in situational awareness experienced by participants in military operations. The term seeks to capture the uncertainty regarding own capability, adversary capability, and adversary intent during an engagement, operation, or campaign.
I generally enjoy every instalment in the continuing story of Vlad Taltos as documented by Steven Brust. This episode is no different; Vlad lands back in Adrilankha to ensure that his friend Aliera is not executed for a crime she did commit, but isn't being punished for. Since he's still on the run from the Jhereg, and no one will tell him what's going on to cause Aliera's problem, comedy ensues. All fine. Yet...
I think that Brust had a problem; his lead was stuck in the sticks due to plot, and to return to his home would be silly/deadly. The only reason to do so that makes any sense....is to save a friend. But, (and here's where I'm only 3-stars happy with the book) although we have a plot, it's totally opaque to the reader. The shape of the story is so oblique as to be inconsequential to the end result; Vlad must stay in town.
The legal angle of House Iorich was funny, and was underused. The lawyer (and his silver coin) are never given much back-story, to the detriment of the story. The commentary on accountability of government (or lack therof) was given short-shrift IMHO. And on, and on...
I wouldn't say that Brust phoned it in, but I've been used to something better. I'll add that the 'deleted scenes' at the end were quite amusing on several levels, and left me with a grin that I only occasionally wore while reading the story. Let's hope that he's back to form now that he's home in the next episode.
I generally enjoy every instalment in the continuing story of Vlad Taltos as documented by Steven Brust. This episode is no different; Vlad lands back in Adrilankha to ensure that his friend Aliera is not executed for a crime she did commit, but isn't being punished for. Since he's still on the run from the Jhereg, and no one will tell him what's going on to cause Aliera's problem, comedy ensues. All fine. Yet...
I think that Brust had a problem; his lead was stuck in the sticks due to plot, and to return to his home would be silly/deadly. The only reason to do so that makes any sense....is to save a friend. But, (and here's where I'm only 3-stars happy with the book) although we have a plot, it's totally opaque to the reader. The shape of the story is so oblique as to be inconsequential to the end result; Vlad must stay in town.
The legal angle of House Iorich was funny, and was underused. The lawyer (and his silver coin) are never given much back-story, to the detriment of the story. The commentary on accountability of government (or lack therof) was given short-shrift IMHO. And on, and on...
I wouldn't say that Brust phoned it in, but I've been used to something better. I'll add that the 'deleted scenes' at the end were quite amusing on several levels, and left me with a grin that I only occasionally wore while reading the story. Let's hope that he's back to form now that he's home in the next episode.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 26, 2018
Mini-Review:
5 Stars for the Deleted Scenes at the End!
It has been a long time since I've read any of the Vlad books. This is one of my fav series and I've read all of the books (up to 11) a handful of times. It's a rich & complex world with multi-faceted characters. I love the humor and sneaky way of luring the reader to fill in the blank.
Iorich took a while to pull me into the story. It was a slow draw that compiled into great bits of timing later. Vlad was pulled back home when he comes across a rumor that a friend may be in danger. He turned to the usual suspects for answers and ended up taking the challenge of answer-finder instead.
It was great to be back in this world and I am so glad that I have a few more books to read in the series.
Little Vlad was great and I hope he will feature more in the other books.
5 Stars for the Deleted Scenes at the End!
It has been a long time since I've read any of the Vlad books. This is one of my fav series and I've read all of the books (up to 11) a handful of times. It's a rich & complex world with multi-faceted characters. I love the humor and sneaky way of luring the reader to fill in the blank.
Iorich took a while to pull me into the story. It was a slow draw that compiled into great bits of timing later. Vlad was pulled back home when he comes across a rumor that a friend may be in danger. He turned to the usual suspects for answers and ended up taking the challenge of answer-finder instead.
It was great to be back in this world and I am so glad that I have a few more books to read in the series.
Little Vlad was great and I hope he will feature more in the other books.
February 8, 2025
It's always a lot of fun re-entering the world of Vlad Taltos. Plenty of snark, especially between Vlad and Loiosh. The entire series is pretty tongue in cheek.
Vlad comes out of hiding from the assassins who have an open contract out on him and into the city. A friend is in trouble and he's obligated to try and get her out of it despite her objections.
Generally he tries to stay out of politics but once again is smack dab in the middle of them.
Vlad comes out of hiding from the assassins who have an open contract out on him and into the city. A friend is in trouble and he's obligated to try and get her out of it despite her objections.
Generally he tries to stay out of politics but once again is smack dab in the middle of them.
June 28, 2013
I don't recall whether I first encountered Steven Brust through To Reign In Hell or Jhereg. I remember seeing the blurb from Roger Zelazny (one of my favorite authors) on To Reign in Hell, and I remember reading the introduction, where Zelazny said he was sceptical that anyone could pull the story off. But Brust did - the book was great. I think it's more likely I started with Jhereg,, where I was equally taken with its clever, sardonic protagonist and his sarcastic reptilian sidekick. In any case, I went out searching for more Brust.
It was pretty varied in content, from sf farce to historical fantasy. Cowboy Feng's Space Bar and Grille and The Sun, the Moon, & the Stars were a lot of fun. Freedom and Necessity was not. Nor were Agyar and The Gypsy - the latter what should have been a sure-fire combination of Brust and Megan Lindholm (before she was Robin Hobb) but wasn't.
The best thing about the books was that they were all over the place, subject-wise. Even if they weren't all good, I was willing to keep buying them. And I did buy the sequels to Jhereg as they came out - Yendi, Brokedown Palace - and I liked them a lot.
But after a while, it seemed like that was all Brust was writing. It's understandable - the first books were great, and very successful. But he eventually set himself up for a whopping 17+ books in the main Dragaeran sequence, and the truth is that the story is too thin for it. He explored the pre-history in the more substantial books of the enjoyed The Khaavren Romances, but they terminated in the truly indigestible Viscount of Adrilankha.
In the main sequence, I found the prequel to this book (remember? I'm reviewing Iorich, though it doesn't seem that way, does it?) to be really dull, and to be frank I dreaded slogging through another six like it. It's a very bad sign when a favored author's favorite series is still going, and you wish it weren't - like Zelazny's second run at Amber.
So finally, Iorich. I'm happy to say that this book ups the interest quotient again, and we can hope that Jhegaala was the low point in the sequence. Maybe it's because in this book, Vlad is back in Adrilankha again. The plot, as always, is both convoluted and thin. Vlad has to rescue a reluctant Aliera because that's the kind of guy he is. And there's lots of wandering around with Loiosh making smart-ass remarks, lots of asides to the reader. Most of it works - not as well as it used to, because it's not fresh anymore. It's Vlad doing what he did in the 11 previous books. There are plenty of affectations, a whole lot of superiority (including to the reader), and some irritating repetition - Vlad gets hurt, and he mentions it so often that I really wished he hadn't. But Brust doesn't let it get in the way of the narrative.
I could have wished for more depth - the interactions here are pretty limited, and most of the book is in Vlad's head. One of the best parts is his interaction with Cawti and his son, but it's mostly glossed over. I'd have preferred a book that dealt just with that, but I suppose it would have messed with the formula. And this is clearly a formula-driven book - even Brust acknowledges that, with a fun epilogue. I'm happy to say that at least he's dragged the formula up from that gutter it looked to be headed toward. I'll keep reading the series, and keep enjoying them, but I don't see the books getting back up to the 5 star level soon.
On the side note that I alluded to earlier - Brust clearly has a lot of talent. It would be nice to see him apply it to something new. Even if it's a tossup whether it will be more like To Reign in Hell or Agyar, I'll buy it. I'll take the chance if Brust will.
It was pretty varied in content, from sf farce to historical fantasy. Cowboy Feng's Space Bar and Grille and The Sun, the Moon, & the Stars were a lot of fun. Freedom and Necessity was not. Nor were Agyar and The Gypsy - the latter what should have been a sure-fire combination of Brust and Megan Lindholm (before she was Robin Hobb) but wasn't.
The best thing about the books was that they were all over the place, subject-wise. Even if they weren't all good, I was willing to keep buying them. And I did buy the sequels to Jhereg as they came out - Yendi, Brokedown Palace - and I liked them a lot.
But after a while, it seemed like that was all Brust was writing. It's understandable - the first books were great, and very successful. But he eventually set himself up for a whopping 17+ books in the main Dragaeran sequence, and the truth is that the story is too thin for it. He explored the pre-history in the more substantial books of the enjoyed The Khaavren Romances, but they terminated in the truly indigestible Viscount of Adrilankha.
In the main sequence, I found the prequel to this book (remember? I'm reviewing Iorich, though it doesn't seem that way, does it?) to be really dull, and to be frank I dreaded slogging through another six like it. It's a very bad sign when a favored author's favorite series is still going, and you wish it weren't - like Zelazny's second run at Amber.
So finally, Iorich. I'm happy to say that this book ups the interest quotient again, and we can hope that Jhegaala was the low point in the sequence. Maybe it's because in this book, Vlad is back in Adrilankha again. The plot, as always, is both convoluted and thin. Vlad has to rescue a reluctant Aliera because that's the kind of guy he is. And there's lots of wandering around with Loiosh making smart-ass remarks, lots of asides to the reader. Most of it works - not as well as it used to, because it's not fresh anymore. It's Vlad doing what he did in the 11 previous books. There are plenty of affectations, a whole lot of superiority (including to the reader), and some irritating repetition - Vlad gets hurt, and he mentions it so often that I really wished he hadn't. But Brust doesn't let it get in the way of the narrative.
I could have wished for more depth - the interactions here are pretty limited, and most of the book is in Vlad's head. One of the best parts is his interaction with Cawti and his son, but it's mostly glossed over. I'd have preferred a book that dealt just with that, but I suppose it would have messed with the formula. And this is clearly a formula-driven book - even Brust acknowledges that, with a fun epilogue. I'm happy to say that at least he's dragged the formula up from that gutter it looked to be headed toward. I'll keep reading the series, and keep enjoying them, but I don't see the books getting back up to the 5 star level soon.
On the side note that I alluded to earlier - Brust clearly has a lot of talent. It would be nice to see him apply it to something new. Even if it's a tossup whether it will be more like To Reign in Hell or Agyar, I'll buy it. I'll take the chance if Brust will.
November 27, 2020
Ok, so I finished this in the wee hours of the morning, but didn’t write a review. And now my head is absolutely pounding, so.....I really enjoyed it. The end.
May 6, 2017
Overall, I found this to be an enjoyable addition to the Vlad books. But then, I'm the kind of fan who would read The Adventures of Vlad Taltos Having a Perfectly Ordinary Day.
Plot: As promised in the book description, this involves Vlad returning to Adrilankha to figure out why Aliera has been arrested and why her friends are doing nothing about it. As such, this plot is as typically complex as these novels are - nothing is what it appears, and greater political machinations are in play at every turn.
I'm a little bit frustrated by the pattern that started with Jhegaala (at least, I started noticing it in Jhegaala) where a great deal of Vlad's realizations and personal plots are hidden from the reader until the very last minute. It seems like these books would benefit from a second reading immediately following the first. The preludes to each chapter - a section from the investigation into Tirma - would especially make more sense in that context.
Characterization: on some level, I recognize the characters aren't terribly complex, but nonetheless they manage to be absolutely fascinating. They are additionally brought to life by the snappy dialogue. But, that's not saying anything new about the Vlad books, is it?
I have to say, I was absolutely delighted to get back to Vlad's Dragaeran buddies, after Jhegaala, which was spent entirely among Easterners. And we really do bring every single one of them back, too - sometimes the book reads like a series of snappy conversations with each and every one of them.
I was especially pleased by Vlad's interactions with Zerika in this book. Te play of words and courtly graces here - whether Zerika calls him "Vlad" or "Lord Taltos" or "Count Szurke," and how many steps Vlad takes backwards before leaving her presence - all tell so much about their relationship.
Interactions with Kiera (re: "Who else are you?"), Kragar (re: Vlad getting older faster than he expected), Cawti (the wound of their separation is especially strong in this book, and there are also poignant observations of the inevitability of Vlad eventually losing his soul to a Morganti blade) and eight-year-old Vlad Norathar (unusually perceptive!) in this book were also notable. Surprisingly, Morrolan and Aliera were not as intense as they usually are - for all that Aliera is the reason for Vlad returning to Adrilankha, she really only appears in two scenes.
Perisil, the Iorich who is hired as an advocate for Aliera, is also a fascinating character, and a welcome addition.
Vlad's relationship with [Issola spoiler:] continues to develop in this book, becoming just as uncanny as Morrolan's relationship with Blackwand. She still hasn't "awoken," as promised, but we do get a fascinating moment where Vlad refers to her as his "Dragaeran lover."
But really, you should read this book because it has drunken Sethra Lavode. There, I said it.
Plot: As promised in the book description, this involves Vlad returning to Adrilankha to figure out why Aliera has been arrested and why her friends are doing nothing about it. As such, this plot is as typically complex as these novels are - nothing is what it appears, and greater political machinations are in play at every turn.
I'm a little bit frustrated by the pattern that started with Jhegaala (at least, I started noticing it in Jhegaala) where a great deal of Vlad's realizations and personal plots are hidden from the reader until the very last minute. It seems like these books would benefit from a second reading immediately following the first. The preludes to each chapter - a section from the investigation into Tirma - would especially make more sense in that context.
Characterization: on some level, I recognize the characters aren't terribly complex, but nonetheless they manage to be absolutely fascinating. They are additionally brought to life by the snappy dialogue. But, that's not saying anything new about the Vlad books, is it?
I have to say, I was absolutely delighted to get back to Vlad's Dragaeran buddies, after Jhegaala, which was spent entirely among Easterners. And we really do bring every single one of them back, too - sometimes the book reads like a series of snappy conversations with each and every one of them.
I was especially pleased by Vlad's interactions with Zerika in this book. Te play of words and courtly graces here - whether Zerika calls him "Vlad" or "Lord Taltos" or "Count Szurke," and how many steps Vlad takes backwards before leaving her presence - all tell so much about their relationship.
Interactions with Kiera (re: "Who else are you?"), Kragar (re: Vlad getting older faster than he expected), Cawti (the wound of their separation is especially strong in this book, and there are also poignant observations of the inevitability of Vlad eventually losing his soul to a Morganti blade) and eight-year-old Vlad Norathar (unusually perceptive!) in this book were also notable. Surprisingly, Morrolan and Aliera were not as intense as they usually are - for all that Aliera is the reason for Vlad returning to Adrilankha, she really only appears in two scenes.
Perisil, the Iorich who is hired as an advocate for Aliera, is also a fascinating character, and a welcome addition.
Vlad's relationship with [Issola spoiler:] continues to develop in this book, becoming just as uncanny as Morrolan's relationship with Blackwand. She still hasn't "awoken," as promised, but we do get a fascinating moment where Vlad refers to her as his "Dragaeran lover."
But really, you should read this book because it has drunken Sethra Lavode. There, I said it.
June 24, 2010
Brust sets himself a nearly impossible task with each of these Vlad books. The books have to work on three different levels. First, each book must have a plot that stands on its own, so that someone who had never read another of the books would at least be able to follow what was going on. Then, each book has to fit into the overall saga of Vlad Taltos, and hopefully move that plot along a bit as well. And then, each book also has to fit into the much larger plot that Brust is putting together. I think the central character in the biggest plot may be Sethra Lavode, but I'm not positive about that. Thus, the entire Vlad series, I think is just a continuation of the five book trilogy that he wrote. And I also suspect that the whole thing is vitally connected to Brokedown Palace as well.
Maybe I'm giving Brust too much credit about the extent of his plans. But if he pulls off the grand vision that I think he aims for, then the whole thing will be one of the best, and oddest, works of epic fantasy ever conceived.
As for Iorich, for me it was a middling Vlad book. There are others I liked much more, and still others that I've liked less. The stand alone plot is just a bit thin. It did a fair bit to advance the relationships in the overall Vlad saga, and I liked these parts about the book (the meetings with Kiera, Morallan, Aliera, Cawti and his sone, and especially the meetings with the Empress). I didn't see much that advanced the overarching plot of all the books.
On top of that, the "deleted" scenes at the end of the book were fabulous, and hysterically funny. They alone are worth the price of admission and could bump the rating up another star.
Maybe I'm giving Brust too much credit about the extent of his plans. But if he pulls off the grand vision that I think he aims for, then the whole thing will be one of the best, and oddest, works of epic fantasy ever conceived.
As for Iorich, for me it was a middling Vlad book. There are others I liked much more, and still others that I've liked less. The stand alone plot is just a bit thin. It did a fair bit to advance the relationships in the overall Vlad saga, and I liked these parts about the book (the meetings with Kiera, Morallan, Aliera, Cawti and his sone, and especially the meetings with the Empress). I didn't see much that advanced the overarching plot of all the books.
On top of that, the "deleted" scenes at the end of the book were fabulous, and hysterically funny. They alone are worth the price of admission and could bump the rating up another star.
October 19, 2017
Four years after the events of Dzur, Vlad Taltos is still on the run from the Jhereg. When he learns that Aliera e'Kieron has been arrested by the Empire for practicing the forbidden elder sorcery, Vlad feels compelled to return to Adrilankha to help her...even if she doesn't want his help. Even if he is risking his life by returning, and the lives of those dear to him. But this is Vlad we're talking about, and so of course, he's going to jump right in regardless of the danger.
After Jhegaala, this is a welcome return to the more familiar environs and characters of most of the Vlad books. Pretty much everyone makes an appearance, and the witty repartee is as funny as ever. The plot was maybe a little too quickly resolved, and I'd have liked to see a little more action and a little less dialogue (much as I like Brust's dialogue), but I'd call this a good, solid entry in the series. I especially liked the long, detailed look at the Imperial Palace (if only we'd gotten to see Khaavren!) and the lovely, delicately written scenes with Cawti and Vlad Norathar.
After Jhegaala, this is a welcome return to the more familiar environs and characters of most of the Vlad books. Pretty much everyone makes an appearance, and the witty repartee is as funny as ever. The plot was maybe a little too quickly resolved, and I'd have liked to see a little more action and a little less dialogue (much as I like Brust's dialogue), but I'd call this a good, solid entry in the series. I especially liked the long, detailed look at the Imperial Palace (if only we'd gotten to see Khaavren!) and the lovely, delicately written scenes with Cawti and Vlad Norathar.
February 13, 2017
I have no idea what happened in this book. The plot got too convoluted and I got a lot distracted. I will have to reread it some day to figure out who did what, when, where, and why.
July 8, 2017
Guess who's back in town? Vlad Taltos that's who! And he's now the hero who has to save the day while nobody knows what to do, and save he does with ample style and wit and a shiv up somebody's neck. Featuring our favorite and fabulous wisecracking reptile sidekick, the alluring enchantress Sethra, the ever mysterious Keira and the solidly inconspicuous Kragar (where?) this is Brust at his best!
April 5, 2018
Back to the best of Vlad.
August 30, 2022
Not the best Vlad novel. Too much intrigue & talking not enough action. A little too convoluted of a plot. Vlad finds out his friend Aliera has been arrested and charged with a capital crime. With both sides of the Jhereg house hunting him Vlad still sets off for the capital to see what he can do to rescue his friend. It wasn't a horrible read. I hope the next is better.
May 2, 2018
The deleted scenes :)
June 23, 2024
[3.5 stars, really]
[Warning, spoilers]
“Iorich” is an oddly dour and downbeat entry in the series, even though the surprising and rapid shift that begins it seems to promise something more. The book opens with Vlad, still on the run in the backcountry, learning that Aliera has been arrested and immediately heading for Adrilankha. True, the Jhereg are still out to destroy his soul, but Vlad reasons that if he hangs around the Imperial Palace — which he wants to do, because that’s where Aliera is being held, and which he can do, thanks to his imperial title — no assassin would dare to target him without a really good plan. Of course, the longer he stays, the more time an assassin would have to evolve such a plan, so it’s still pretty risky, which is why it’s a little surprising — or was to me, at least — that Vlad doesn’t feel that he has any choice: Aliera is in trouble, and he has to help her. By contrast, Morrolan, who barely appears at all, apparently doesn’t feel the same way: even though he’s quite close to his cousin, he isn’t compelled to do something. But perhaps this is the reason that Brust does this: it’s a useful reminder of an important fact from “Jhereg” that has since often been allowed to lie in abeyance, namely that Aliera and Vlad are brother and sister, albeit with a few cycles of reincarnation in between.
However, we don’t really learn much else about the nature of Aliera and Vlad’s quasi-familial relationship: although she is in a way a central figure of the book, her role is necessarily limited since she spends almost all of it in prison, accused of violating an Imperial Edict by practicing pre-Empire sorcery. As the reader, not to mention Vlad and everybody at court, is well aware, she is absolutely guilty, but by the same token, since everybody from her good friend the Empress on down has known that Aliera was violating this edict for years it seems clear that the crime was merely an ulterior motive for her imprisonment. Nonetheless, Vlad’s first impulse is to break Aliera out of prison: figuring out what’s going on can wait. It helps that Zerika is totally in favor of such a breakout: instead, it’s Aliera who absolutely refuses to countenance any such scheme, since that would look like a confession of guilt (notwithstanding the fact that she is guilty, she doesn’t want to admit it). As a result, Vlad is forced to take the legal route, which is where the Iorich come in, as they are the lawyers and judges of the Empire. He spends a lot of time talking to a lawyer he engages who is an expert on Imperial Edicts, like the one that Aliera has violated, while also investigating the real reason for her imprisonment, which has to do with a complex and unfortunately rather implausible court intrigue.
It turns out that Aliera’s arrest is part of a labyrinthine conspiracy by the Jhereg and the Orca to orchestrate the banning of drugs, on the grounds that they can subsequently make a fortune selling and transporting them respectively. The anti-drug campaign plans to exploit popular, especially Teckla, revulsion at a massacre of Teckla carried out by the Imperial Army in a remote village by blaming it on the drugs that the troops were supposedly taking. Unfortunately, while I agree with Brust’s implied political stance, this sequence of events strikes me as fairly implausible. To transfer the outrage at the massacre from the killers to the drugs they were supposedly on would require a pre-existing willingness in society to believe that drugs are bad, and Brust has shown us no evidence of this. There are no Teckla temperance societies or Chreotha sobriety campaigns, no religious strictures against mind-altering substances: it just seems extremely unlikely that assigning a dubious link to narcotics to one faraway atrocity would be able to change that. Plus, from the other side, how would the Empire enforce such a ban? The closest thing it has to police are the Phoenix Guard, who only operate in Adrilankha and are really intended for the maintenance of public order rather than enforcement of laws. That’s why the Jhereg are able to operate relatively openly: since their activities don’t threaten public order, the Guard is willing to look the other way if bribed, and the people in charge of the Guard, who must be aware of these bribes, are willing to allow them. It seems, to put it mildly, unlikely that this body would be able to enforce a ban on the sale of drugs with anything close to the vigor needed to make it a profitable endeavor for the Organization. And finally, this just seems out of character for the Jhereg. As Vlad explains somewhere in the series, only a relative handful of members of the Organization are professional thieves or assassins: most of what the Organization does is about skirting the edges of legality, rather than brazenly violating it. Gambling and prostitution are legal, but the Jhereg don’t pay the required taxes or licensing fees; money-lending is legal, but the Jhereg charge illegal rates of interest; selling goods is legal, but the Jhereg sell stolen merchandise. It seems far more likely that they would advocate for taxing drugs so they could sell them without paying the taxes, instead of a straightforward ban. Put it all together, and you end up feeling like this idea been shoehorned into the book to allow Brust to comment on American politics, rather than evolving naturally out of Dragaeran society as he has created it.
At any rate, Zerika has no interest in banning drugs, and she seemingly outmaneuvers the Jhereg by instead arresting Aliera, who is, after all, Warlord, and so in theory responsible for the troops who committed the massacre: since this isn’t technically a crime, her interest in pre-Empire sorcery is used as a pretext to jail her instead. But it turns out that the Jhereg also suggested arresting Aliera, on the grounds that this would lure Vlad back to Adrilankha, making him an easier target. Zerika doesn’t like being manipulated: plus, she was hoping that Aliera would escape from prison and lie low somewhere until the heat went off. With Aliera instead defiantly remaining in jail, and Vlad applying legal pressure, the Empress is moved towards a third and more complicated course, setting up an investigation of the massacre (each chapter is in fact headed by an excerpt from the investigation’s final report). This leaves the Empire stuck between popular outrage and the armed forces usual dislike of having their activities probed, but it also causes the Jhereg to panic, since an investigation is the only option that doesn’t benefit them at all. They come up with a new plan, to forestall the probe by creating a rift between the Teckla activist groups who are agitating for it and the Imperial legal machinery that would carry it out, but Vlad manages to foil them, in something approaching the old manner. It helps that Kragar, though now running Vlad’s old territory, is not only not interested in helping his bosses assassinate Vlad, he’s perfectly willing to drop everything to help Vlad out, just as if Vlad were still his boss.
So things end happily, and yet the overall feel of the book is quite depressed. Vlad gets Aliera out of prison, but being back in Adrilankha, and seeing Cawti and Vlad Norather more regularly, makes him dissatisfied with his life on the run: he’s left mooching around the Palace, knowing that the longer he stays the more dangerous it gets, but unwilling to head out for the wilds once again, and unable to come up with a plan to make such a move unnecessary. (The fact that the Jhereg were willing to accept getting a better chance at taking him out in lieu of advancing their scheme to generate fantastic sums by creating an illegal drug market is not an encouraging development.) Zerika, who plays an even larger role here than she did in “Phoenix,” manages to get through the crisis without having to execute a good friend or taking any obviously stupid policy decisions, but she still feels that she has failed the people of Tirma. Plus, her investigation of the massacre clears the top ranks of the army -- including Aliera, who is subsequently released -- leading to widespread rioting which is harshly suppressed. All part of being Empress, of course, but Zerikia nonetheless spends a lot of time wondering whether the whole affair is a sign that she has become a decadent Phoenix, in which case it would be time for the cycle to turn and her to step down. Aliera is out of prison, but being Aliera, she’s not exactly overflowing with positive feelings about it, and given that she was being scapegoated, it’s hard to blame her (although on the other hand, she’s being scapegoated for something that is, technically speaking, her fault, so it’s not quite clear how sympathetic we ought to be). “Iorich” is clearly a transitional book -- at the very least, the fact that Vlad has stopped running means that his feud with the Jhereg is going to be resolved in one way or another -- and yet at the same time it leaves everybody more or less in the same place that they were when it started: no wonder it’s the most downbeat book of the series so far.
[Warning, spoilers]
“Iorich” is an oddly dour and downbeat entry in the series, even though the surprising and rapid shift that begins it seems to promise something more. The book opens with Vlad, still on the run in the backcountry, learning that Aliera has been arrested and immediately heading for Adrilankha. True, the Jhereg are still out to destroy his soul, but Vlad reasons that if he hangs around the Imperial Palace — which he wants to do, because that’s where Aliera is being held, and which he can do, thanks to his imperial title — no assassin would dare to target him without a really good plan. Of course, the longer he stays, the more time an assassin would have to evolve such a plan, so it’s still pretty risky, which is why it’s a little surprising — or was to me, at least — that Vlad doesn’t feel that he has any choice: Aliera is in trouble, and he has to help her. By contrast, Morrolan, who barely appears at all, apparently doesn’t feel the same way: even though he’s quite close to his cousin, he isn’t compelled to do something. But perhaps this is the reason that Brust does this: it’s a useful reminder of an important fact from “Jhereg” that has since often been allowed to lie in abeyance, namely that Aliera and Vlad are brother and sister, albeit with a few cycles of reincarnation in between.
However, we don’t really learn much else about the nature of Aliera and Vlad’s quasi-familial relationship: although she is in a way a central figure of the book, her role is necessarily limited since she spends almost all of it in prison, accused of violating an Imperial Edict by practicing pre-Empire sorcery. As the reader, not to mention Vlad and everybody at court, is well aware, she is absolutely guilty, but by the same token, since everybody from her good friend the Empress on down has known that Aliera was violating this edict for years it seems clear that the crime was merely an ulterior motive for her imprisonment. Nonetheless, Vlad’s first impulse is to break Aliera out of prison: figuring out what’s going on can wait. It helps that Zerika is totally in favor of such a breakout: instead, it’s Aliera who absolutely refuses to countenance any such scheme, since that would look like a confession of guilt (notwithstanding the fact that she is guilty, she doesn’t want to admit it). As a result, Vlad is forced to take the legal route, which is where the Iorich come in, as they are the lawyers and judges of the Empire. He spends a lot of time talking to a lawyer he engages who is an expert on Imperial Edicts, like the one that Aliera has violated, while also investigating the real reason for her imprisonment, which has to do with a complex and unfortunately rather implausible court intrigue.
It turns out that Aliera’s arrest is part of a labyrinthine conspiracy by the Jhereg and the Orca to orchestrate the banning of drugs, on the grounds that they can subsequently make a fortune selling and transporting them respectively. The anti-drug campaign plans to exploit popular, especially Teckla, revulsion at a massacre of Teckla carried out by the Imperial Army in a remote village by blaming it on the drugs that the troops were supposedly taking. Unfortunately, while I agree with Brust’s implied political stance, this sequence of events strikes me as fairly implausible. To transfer the outrage at the massacre from the killers to the drugs they were supposedly on would require a pre-existing willingness in society to believe that drugs are bad, and Brust has shown us no evidence of this. There are no Teckla temperance societies or Chreotha sobriety campaigns, no religious strictures against mind-altering substances: it just seems extremely unlikely that assigning a dubious link to narcotics to one faraway atrocity would be able to change that. Plus, from the other side, how would the Empire enforce such a ban? The closest thing it has to police are the Phoenix Guard, who only operate in Adrilankha and are really intended for the maintenance of public order rather than enforcement of laws. That’s why the Jhereg are able to operate relatively openly: since their activities don’t threaten public order, the Guard is willing to look the other way if bribed, and the people in charge of the Guard, who must be aware of these bribes, are willing to allow them. It seems, to put it mildly, unlikely that this body would be able to enforce a ban on the sale of drugs with anything close to the vigor needed to make it a profitable endeavor for the Organization. And finally, this just seems out of character for the Jhereg. As Vlad explains somewhere in the series, only a relative handful of members of the Organization are professional thieves or assassins: most of what the Organization does is about skirting the edges of legality, rather than brazenly violating it. Gambling and prostitution are legal, but the Jhereg don’t pay the required taxes or licensing fees; money-lending is legal, but the Jhereg charge illegal rates of interest; selling goods is legal, but the Jhereg sell stolen merchandise. It seems far more likely that they would advocate for taxing drugs so they could sell them without paying the taxes, instead of a straightforward ban. Put it all together, and you end up feeling like this idea been shoehorned into the book to allow Brust to comment on American politics, rather than evolving naturally out of Dragaeran society as he has created it.
At any rate, Zerika has no interest in banning drugs, and she seemingly outmaneuvers the Jhereg by instead arresting Aliera, who is, after all, Warlord, and so in theory responsible for the troops who committed the massacre: since this isn’t technically a crime, her interest in pre-Empire sorcery is used as a pretext to jail her instead. But it turns out that the Jhereg also suggested arresting Aliera, on the grounds that this would lure Vlad back to Adrilankha, making him an easier target. Zerika doesn’t like being manipulated: plus, she was hoping that Aliera would escape from prison and lie low somewhere until the heat went off. With Aliera instead defiantly remaining in jail, and Vlad applying legal pressure, the Empress is moved towards a third and more complicated course, setting up an investigation of the massacre (each chapter is in fact headed by an excerpt from the investigation’s final report). This leaves the Empire stuck between popular outrage and the armed forces usual dislike of having their activities probed, but it also causes the Jhereg to panic, since an investigation is the only option that doesn’t benefit them at all. They come up with a new plan, to forestall the probe by creating a rift between the Teckla activist groups who are agitating for it and the Imperial legal machinery that would carry it out, but Vlad manages to foil them, in something approaching the old manner. It helps that Kragar, though now running Vlad’s old territory, is not only not interested in helping his bosses assassinate Vlad, he’s perfectly willing to drop everything to help Vlad out, just as if Vlad were still his boss.
So things end happily, and yet the overall feel of the book is quite depressed. Vlad gets Aliera out of prison, but being back in Adrilankha, and seeing Cawti and Vlad Norather more regularly, makes him dissatisfied with his life on the run: he’s left mooching around the Palace, knowing that the longer he stays the more dangerous it gets, but unwilling to head out for the wilds once again, and unable to come up with a plan to make such a move unnecessary. (The fact that the Jhereg were willing to accept getting a better chance at taking him out in lieu of advancing their scheme to generate fantastic sums by creating an illegal drug market is not an encouraging development.) Zerika, who plays an even larger role here than she did in “Phoenix,” manages to get through the crisis without having to execute a good friend or taking any obviously stupid policy decisions, but she still feels that she has failed the people of Tirma. Plus, her investigation of the massacre clears the top ranks of the army -- including Aliera, who is subsequently released -- leading to widespread rioting which is harshly suppressed. All part of being Empress, of course, but Zerikia nonetheless spends a lot of time wondering whether the whole affair is a sign that she has become a decadent Phoenix, in which case it would be time for the cycle to turn and her to step down. Aliera is out of prison, but being Aliera, she’s not exactly overflowing with positive feelings about it, and given that she was being scapegoated, it’s hard to blame her (although on the other hand, she’s being scapegoated for something that is, technically speaking, her fault, so it’s not quite clear how sympathetic we ought to be). “Iorich” is clearly a transitional book -- at the very least, the fact that Vlad has stopped running means that his feud with the Jhereg is going to be resolved in one way or another -- and yet at the same time it leaves everybody more or less in the same place that they were when it started: no wonder it’s the most downbeat book of the series so far.
March 22, 2025
This is book twelve in the Vlad Taltos high fantasy series. The central character is the eponymous Vlad Taltos, a human assassin in a society dominated by far longer-lived Dragaerans. I gobbled up the first eleven books in quick succession, then forced myself to take an extended break before reading this book. (A break of almost two months, such is my remarkable self-control.) It was a joy to return to Vlad, whom I've grown to like very much. I suspect that book twelve may not really be better than its predecessors, but I'm giving it a rare five-star review because I was so glad to be back with these characters. Vlad and Loiosh forever!
In case it isn't obvious, I highly recommend this series, though I would suggest beginning at the usual starting point, "Jhereg." This book, as with most of them, is narrated by Vlad in a dryly witty fashion that I find considerably entertaining. Most of the books have a fun tone, despite varying amounts of destruction and occasional disturbing scenes. Several of the books have quite intricate plots, and the series has satisfying overarching threads with intermittent revelations.
Spoiler warning:
4.5 out of 5 returning stars.
Update 1/26/2025. Re-read. Still very good, particularly the scenes with Vlad's son. I also particularly liked Perisil, and the italicized sections at the start of the chapters concerning the events at Tirma and their investigation.
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).
In case it isn't obvious, I highly recommend this series, though I would suggest beginning at the usual starting point, "Jhereg." This book, as with most of them, is narrated by Vlad in a dryly witty fashion that I find considerably entertaining. Most of the books have a fun tone, despite varying amounts of destruction and occasional disturbing scenes. Several of the books have quite intricate plots, and the series has satisfying overarching threads with intermittent revelations.
Spoiler warning:
4.5 out of 5 returning stars.
Update 1/26/2025. Re-read. Still very good, particularly the scenes with Vlad's son. I also particularly liked Perisil, and the italicized sections at the start of the chapters concerning the events at Tirma and their investigation.
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).
January 20, 2010
This is part of Brust's extremely well written and engaging dark fantasy series of Vlad Taltos' books. While this one isn't as strong as some of the others, it's definitely not the worst of the lot. Getting a glimpse into the judicial process of the empire was interesting, and one deposition in particular was hilarious. On top of all that, it looks like the author is working his way towards getting the hero of the series, Vlad, back together with his estranged wife, Cawti, and their son. The interactions between these two were one of the strengths of the earlier books in the series, and it looks like the author has realized that.
All in all, I'm glad I shelled out hard cash for this book as soon as it was released, and I'll continue doing so for any further books in the series. I've never been a fan of any series going much past a trilogy, but this is the one exception. If his quality remains around the same, I'll keep buying them even if he gets to the hundredth installment.
All in all, I'm glad I shelled out hard cash for this book as soon as it was released, and I'll continue doing so for any further books in the series. I've never been a fan of any series going much past a trilogy, but this is the one exception. If his quality remains around the same, I'll keep buying them even if he gets to the hundredth installment.
April 24, 2011
Some rereading in preparation for getting my hands on Iorich.
Iorich -- good. I've decided that Vlad books are now like Buffy episodes -- there's the ones that drive the larger plot forward, which can be good but never great, and there's the standalones, with much less big plot movement, in which greatness is possible. Dzur (with the chapter-by-chapter retelling of a fabulous meal, and most of the action happening at a restaurant) was one of the latter. This is one of the former. A lot of stuff happens in the "current" timeline, and we find out a bunch of stuff. Satisfying, but not more than that.
Added 4/23/11: Reread in preparation for Tiassa coming out. Good. Not my favorite of the recent ones, that'd be Dzur.
Iorich -- good. I've decided that Vlad books are now like Buffy episodes -- there's the ones that drive the larger plot forward, which can be good but never great, and there's the standalones, with much less big plot movement, in which greatness is possible. Dzur (with the chapter-by-chapter retelling of a fabulous meal, and most of the action happening at a restaurant) was one of the latter. This is one of the former. A lot of stuff happens in the "current" timeline, and we find out a bunch of stuff. Satisfying, but not more than that.
Added 4/23/11: Reread in preparation for Tiassa coming out. Good. Not my favorite of the recent ones, that'd be Dzur.
March 5, 2010
Finally gave in and read the rest of this - I'd been saving it as a special treat and it really was. I actually went back and read from the beginning just to savor the experience. Brust's prose and layers of story are so rewarding that it's well worth rereading.
I will need to dig up all of these from the beginning and do a complete reread the next time I'm in a dry spell.
Vlad is back in Adrilanka because a friend has been arrested on a charge that makes no sense. Imperial politics, and we see him reconnect with Cawti and others from the earlier books. This is really only directed to those who are already reading the series to say this is brilliant - I don't think you could start at book 12.
I will need to dig up all of these from the beginning and do a complete reread the next time I'm in a dry spell.
Vlad is back in Adrilanka because a friend has been arrested on a charge that makes no sense. Imperial politics, and we see him reconnect with Cawti and others from the earlier books. This is really only directed to those who are already reading the series to say this is brilliant - I don't think you could start at book 12.
September 24, 2012
Vlad Taltos has been on the run from the Jhereg for about eight years now, but when he hears that a friend has been arrested he returns to Adrilankha. He spends this book evading assassins and trying to make sense of the complicated political situation behind the arrest.
I always enjoy these novels. Vlad is an appealing character and I like Brust’s writing. This one doesn’t have the strongest plot, but it served for an excuse to have Vlad back in town interacting with all his old buddies. That was mostly fun, although I’m not a fan of Cawti.
I’ve been buying omnibuses until this book - I wonder if Brust always puts the strange set of “deleted scenes” at the end? The one about landing in a Tim Powers novel made me smile, since I’ve recently read one of those.
I always enjoy these novels. Vlad is an appealing character and I like Brust’s writing. This one doesn’t have the strongest plot, but it served for an excuse to have Vlad back in town interacting with all his old buddies. That was mostly fun, although I’m not a fan of Cawti.
I’ve been buying omnibuses until this book - I wonder if Brust always puts the strange set of “deleted scenes” at the end? The one about landing in a Tim Powers novel made me smile, since I’ve recently read one of those.
May 9, 2012
I enjoyed this, but somehow the niggling inconsistencies from book to book are annoying me. That is one price of reading an entire series back-to-back, instead of gently forgetting details from year to year when reading them as they are published. Iorich has quite a bit of blatant and not-so-blatant philosophizing about law, justice, and cynical reality, in amongst the plotting and evading and occasional killing. Oh, and there's an addendum of "outtakes" from the book which are pretty darned hilarious; Brust doesn't do so much poking at the fourth wall during the book itself as he does in some others, so he saves all that for the outtakes.
May 17, 2010
Ah, back to Steven and Vlad's good stuff. Great action, though most of the story is actually Vlad and others playing head games with each other, each trying to make something happen from the sidelines without attracting anyone's attention or causing other unwanted consequences. When I catch up on the rest of my reading pile, this one is actually going back into it, because I want to see if I can catch more of the "games" and follow Vlad's reasoning a little more fully on a second reading.
Vlad's series is highly recommended by me, though you'll probably want to start at the beginning.
Vlad's series is highly recommended by me, though you'll probably want to start at the beginning.
July 6, 2013
9/10
One of my favorite Vlad books--he's in the city (where he belongs) and all his friends are involved. He gets to use skills from when he was an assassin, although he is still shielded from magic & sorcery. Loved seeing Cawti and Kragar again, and watching "Vlad Jr." as he progresses. Interesting parallels between Empress Zerika and Vlad at the end of the book, and the "out-take" chapter bits were very clever!
One of my favorite Vlad books--he's in the city (where he belongs) and all his friends are involved. He gets to use skills from when he was an assassin, although he is still shielded from magic & sorcery. Loved seeing Cawti and Kragar again, and watching "Vlad Jr." as he progresses. Interesting parallels between Empress Zerika and Vlad at the end of the book, and the "out-take" chapter bits were very clever!
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