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Yendi (Vlad Taltos #2)
by
Steven Brust (Goodreads Author)
Vlad Taltos tells the story of his early days in the House Jhereg, how he found himself in a Jhereg war, and how he fell in love with the wonderful woman, Cawti, who killed him.
Paperback, 224 pages
Published
March 15th 1987
by Ace
(first published 1984)
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Community Reviews
(showing 1-30)
Damn. I'd written this nice little meta-review about being a geek, and then some errant keystrokes backed me out of the review I was writing and everything disappeared. I don't have it in me to rewrite at the moment, so here are some quick thoughts.
•Vlad Taltos' little gangster turf war is the best part of Yendi, and I hope that we get a little more of that as the series goes on, although I sense that he may be getting closer and closer to going legit-ish, or at least becoming all political.
•the ...more
•Vlad Taltos' little gangster turf war is the best part of Yendi, and I hope that we get a little more of that as the series goes on, although I sense that he may be getting closer and closer to going legit-ish, or at least becoming all political.
•the ...more
I freely admit that I don't know whether this second book was written before or after the first's publication date, but it certainly falls five years before the main action of the previous novel.
Why does this matter? I don't mind having that tantalizing clue of having died years ago in the first novel being expanded into it's own interesting tale, but something has been itching under my skin as I read Yendi.
It didn't feel as polished as the previous novel. I kept picking up on clues that felt li ...more
Why does this matter? I don't mind having that tantalizing clue of having died years ago in the first novel being expanded into it's own interesting tale, but something has been itching under my skin as I read Yendi.
It didn't feel as polished as the previous novel. I kept picking up on clues that felt li ...more
I'm rereading my Taltos books these days, and my reread of Yendi didn't do it any kindness. It was an okay way to spend a few sleepless nights, but I very nearly set it down. I suppose I kept going out of nostalgia, but it made me sad.
Now I knew, I know, going into these books that they are readable and fun, but they are also fairly light weight. Yendi is too light weight, however. Sure we get to see the coming together of Cawti and Vlad, but it didn't come anywhere near satisfying me this time ...more
Now I knew, I know, going into these books that they are readable and fun, but they are also fairly light weight. Yendi is too light weight, however. Sure we get to see the coming together of Cawti and Vlad, but it didn't come anywhere near satisfying me this time ...more
4.5 to 5.0 stars. The Jhereg series is one of those series that I love to come back too whenever I am in the mood for a good, fun read. This is the second installment and I think it was as good as the first one. I love the world that Brust has created and the main character (Vlad Taltos) is great. I highly recommend this series to everyone who has not tried it yet.
Yendi is the 2nd installment in the Vlad Taltos series, and is actually a prequel to the first book. It establishes some background; how Vlad met Cawti (she tried to kill him) and how he built up his Jhereg territory. There is also the obligatory political problem, which in this case was extremely convoluted.
I do enjoy these books...they are fast paced, and have action. They aren't too long or convoluted.They are a great relaxing read.
For some reason, it took me a little bit to realize we had g ...more
I do enjoy these books...they are fast paced, and have action. They aren't too long or convoluted.They are a great relaxing read.
For some reason, it took me a little bit to realize we had g ...more
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I've certainly become a fan of Brust's Taltos series through the first two books - Jhereg and Yendi. They are fun & light reads. The plot seems straightforward and the characters are a bit one-dimensional but it all just comes off as fun, rather than boring or lazy.
This is a prequel to the first book in the series. I'm usually weary of prequels since there can be a loss of some of the suspense in a novel when you know part of its future. But its not a big deal here because, for the most par ...more
This is a prequel to the first book in the series. I'm usually weary of prequels since there can be a loss of some of the suspense in a novel when you know part of its future. But its not a big deal here because, for the most par ...more
In the Empire, the Yendi are known for their Byzantine plotting, and the plotting here is certainly Byzantine.
When viewed with a little distance, it's remarkable how well Burst makes us care about things that we don't really see at all. We know Easterners, but at no point visit the lands they're from, or even spend much time with ones who are not fully assimilated into Dragaeran society. Our viewpoint character is a human, with a normal human lifespan. As such, we're almost completely uninvolve ...more
When viewed with a little distance, it's remarkable how well Burst makes us care about things that we don't really see at all. We know Easterners, but at no point visit the lands they're from, or even spend much time with ones who are not fully assimilated into Dragaeran society. Our viewpoint character is a human, with a normal human lifespan. As such, we're almost completely uninvolve ...more
I couldn't decide on 3 or 4 stars for this book. Definitely not as good as the first in the series.
I knew going into it that it was set chronologically before the first book, but I still didn't like it. I found the start of Vlad's idiosyncrasies a little disappointing. Specifically the changing of weapons every so often seemed to be a random idea rather than a reasoned decision or even the result of Vlad's paranoia.
The book also depicts Cawti's entrance into Vlad's live and their subsequent ro ...more
I knew going into it that it was set chronologically before the first book, but I still didn't like it. I found the start of Vlad's idiosyncrasies a little disappointing. Specifically the changing of weapons every so often seemed to be a random idea rather than a reasoned decision or even the result of Vlad's paranoia.
The book also depicts Cawti's entrance into Vlad's live and their subsequent ro ...more
![[Name Redacted]](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1347082397p2/287915.jpg)
Oddly, the second book in the series is set before the first, which becomes a tradition for Brust's "Vlad Taltos" novels. Every other book, starting with the first, is set in the "present", while the rest are all set in the past... So the order should be: 4, 8, 2, 8, 13, 1, 3...
Also, Brust's writing is rather like Sanderson's in that there is very little description to it. You never really know what anyone or anything looks, feels, smells, tastes, etc. like; the action is bare bones, and even th ...more
Also, Brust's writing is rather like Sanderson's in that there is very little description to it. You never really know what anyone or anything looks, feels, smells, tastes, etc. like; the action is bare bones, and even th ...more
Ouch. The second Vlad book, which is actually a prequel to the first one, kind of falls on the floor and goes *klunk*.
The first 100 pages are really exciting. We're thrown into a territory war between Vlad, now a small-time underworld boss, and his rival. But there's a mystery afoot that involves his powerful noble friends and the woman who will someday be his wife, and here's where it breaks down. After Brust builds up all this tension with the escalation of the mob war, he digresses into scen ...more
The first 100 pages are really exciting. We're thrown into a territory war between Vlad, now a small-time underworld boss, and his rival. But there's a mystery afoot that involves his powerful noble friends and the woman who will someday be his wife, and here's where it breaks down. After Brust builds up all this tension with the escalation of the mob war, he digresses into scen ...more
-Fantasía cocinada con todos los ingredientes de la novela negra más clásica.-
Género. Narrativa Fantástica.
Lo que nos cuenta. Vlad Taltos, dedicado a los negocios ilegales en la ciudad de Adrilankha, capital del imperio dragaerano, se ha hecho recientemente con el control de un pequeño territorio, pero parece que su dominio sobre el mismo está siendo puesto a prueba. Segundo libro de la serie de Vlad Taltos pero anterior al primero en la línea de tiempo de la vida del protagonista.
¿Quiere saber ...more
Género. Narrativa Fantástica.
Lo que nos cuenta. Vlad Taltos, dedicado a los negocios ilegales en la ciudad de Adrilankha, capital del imperio dragaerano, se ha hecho recientemente con el control de un pequeño territorio, pero parece que su dominio sobre el mismo está siendo puesto a prueba. Segundo libro de la serie de Vlad Taltos pero anterior al primero en la línea de tiempo de la vida del protagonista.
¿Quiere saber ...more
I didn't like this (very short) second book as well as Jhereg. I enjoyed watching Vlad establish and defend his territory - he's a nice sort of underworld boss - but I wasn't terribly interested in the greater political plot explored in the second half of the book.
The scheming and action scenes are well-written and believable. The romantic scenes, not so much. I was not impressed by the instant attraction between Vlad and the woman who tried to kill him.
Still, there was enough good stuff here fo ...more
The scheming and action scenes are well-written and believable. The romantic scenes, not so much. I was not impressed by the instant attraction between Vlad and the woman who tried to kill him.
Still, there was enough good stuff here fo ...more
these books are weird. just when my frustration with certain fantasy cliches - especially the "all races = one race = white" equation - threatens to reach its boiling point, brust will bust out with a completely unexpected, completely awesome twist or comment or insight. i hope he starts building more on these unexpected turns in later books...
Pacy, idiosyncratic, wry.
2nd book in, and really enjoying it. Interesting mix of genres. It seems to know exactly what it is though, and embraces it. Lots of fantasy goodness, great snark, and crime/mystery/?
Again the adventurs of vlad taltos are wonderful, at least for me, due to to the way the books are narraited. they are told from the main characters point of view and I like the way he thinks.
Vladimir Taltos has taken an important first step: claiming a small area of the city as his own territory. The Jhereg House dabbles in many things that are either highly taxed or flat-out illegal, such as assassinations and running the local crime syndicate. As long as Vlad can clear it with his superiors in the House--and avoid drawing the Empire's official attention--he's got a new, stable, much more lucrative line of business. Except that someone else is trying to muscle in on his territory,
...more
Another solid traditional fantasy with just enough unique details and engaging characters to keep me interested. Though I felt the beginning of it was a bit rushed, I loved the relationship between Cawti and Vlad. I also feel I have a better grasp of Morrolan and Aliera's characters now, which is exactly what I was hoping for.
In this book, like the privious one , we are meeting again the love characters.
But in this book for new complicate scam. So now we learn about Vlad, from not his bright side, but by his evolving side , how to care for his employees, but also to run an underworld business.
But in this book for new complicate scam. So now we learn about Vlad, from not his bright side, but by his evolving side , how to care for his employees, but also to run an underworld business.
Short and sweet... I love the characters, the wit, and the universe. Each book is like eating a snack. It doesn't last long, but is good in the moment.
Yendi
I was midly disappointed by Yendi, the second book in The Vlad Taltos series. Contrary to Jhereg, where I was immediately pulled inside the story, things were much slower in Yendi. A quarter or even half the book felt like Brust (the author) was merely listing a series of action instead of telling a story. And it was hella boring.
Stephen Brust has decided to write a non-linear series, therefore, his second book instead of continuing where his predecessor left, takes place in the past. At t ...more
I was midly disappointed by Yendi, the second book in The Vlad Taltos series. Contrary to Jhereg, where I was immediately pulled inside the story, things were much slower in Yendi. A quarter or even half the book felt like Brust (the author) was merely listing a series of action instead of telling a story. And it was hella boring.
Stephen Brust has decided to write a non-linear series, therefore, his second book instead of continuing where his predecessor left, takes place in the past. At t ...more
Probably a 3.5, really
Sometimes a sequel comes across favourably when compared to the original. Yendi is most definitely a case of this, improving on what made Jhereg good, while learning from – and fixing many of – the problems of the original, while trying some new things in the process. I’m going to be comparing the two quite a bit in this review, so you may want to see what I had to say about Jhereg before continuing.
In this instalment, the protagonist, Vlad, finds himself fighting for what’s his when Laris, a ne ...more
In this instalment, the protagonist, Vlad, finds himself fighting for what’s his when Laris, a ne ...more
The second in the writing order and the third book in the internal chronological order in the Vlad Taltos series.
Yendi is a very short book and mostly filled by a convoluted plot which isn’t exposed until at the very end. Vlad spends most of his time trying to stay alive from assassination attempts and trying to make sense from everything.
Vlad finds that Laris, one of the other crime bosses, is trying to muscle into his area. Vlad isn’t going to just give in so he tries to prepare for a conflict ...more
Yendi is a very short book and mostly filled by a convoluted plot which isn’t exposed until at the very end. Vlad spends most of his time trying to stay alive from assassination attempts and trying to make sense from everything.
Vlad finds that Laris, one of the other crime bosses, is trying to muscle into his area. Vlad isn’t going to just give in so he tries to prepare for a conflict ...more
Yendi is the second book in the Vlad Taltos series by Steven Brust. This is a bit of a flash-back book, which took me by surprise because it opens by having Vlad thought-mention that he doesn't have a wife and I rightly recalled, from having already read JHEREG, that he is married to Cawti, so my very first thought when reading this book was, "Wait! What happened to Cawti? Did Brust kill her off like they seem to do with each successive Bond girl so James can be single and sexy again?"
Then, I sc ...more
Then, I sc ...more
Originally posted at Fantasy Literature: http://www.fantasyliterature.com/revi...
Loveable assassin Vlad Taltos is back in Yendi, the second in Steven Brust’s VLAD TALTOS series. Yendi is actually a prequel to the first novel, Jhereg which introduced us to Vlad, his wife Cawti, his familiar, and several of his friends and enemies. Vlad is a new mob boss who is trying to protect his territory from the encroachment of neighboring mob bosses. When one of them sets up a racket in Vlad’s territory, Vl ...more
Loveable assassin Vlad Taltos is back in Yendi, the second in Steven Brust’s VLAD TALTOS series. Yendi is actually a prequel to the first novel, Jhereg which introduced us to Vlad, his wife Cawti, his familiar, and several of his friends and enemies. Vlad is a new mob boss who is trying to protect his territory from the encroachment of neighboring mob bosses. When one of them sets up a racket in Vlad’s territory, Vl ...more
Thank goodness I knew beforehand that the Vlad Taltos books aren't written in order of the timeline, or else I would have been really confused. This is the second book in the series to be published, but actually takes place before the first book, to the time when Vlad first meets his wife Cawti.
I really liked Cawti's character in Jhereg, and I was excited to find out she was going to have a much bigger role in this novel, based on its synopsis. So I was slightly let down when a third of the book ...more
I really liked Cawti's character in Jhereg, and I was excited to find out she was going to have a much bigger role in this novel, based on its synopsis. So I was slightly let down when a third of the book ...more
Steven 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)
More about Steven Brust...
http://us.macmillan.com/author/steven...
(Photo by David Dyer-Bennet)
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“When I say that life is like an onion, I mean this: if you don't do anything with it, it goes rotten. So far, that's no different from other vegetables. But when an onion goes bad, it can either do it from the inside, or the outside. So sometimes you see one that looks good, but the core is rotten. Other times, you can see a bad spot on it, but if you cut that out, the rest is fine. Tastes sharp, but that's what you paid for, isn't it?”
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“...so I walked down to the operation nearest my office, a brothel, and found the manager. Before he could say anything, I pinned the right side of his cloak to the wall with a throwing knife, about knee level. I did the same with his left side. I put a shuriken into the wall next to each ear, close enough to cut. Then Loiosh went after him and raked his claws down the guy's face. I went up and hit him just below his sternum, then kneed him in the face when he doubled over. He began to understand that I wasn't happy.”
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