The Vlad Taltos Series [Reading: Phoenix] (August 2024)

[Niki Hawkes, I made it past GOTM... barely]

Tammie wrote: "Niki Hawkes wrote: "Ch. 5-6..."

[spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[ That makes sense, because a solid hit would've killed him outright, but as he's walking away he refers to the boy as "injured." I'm glad I'm not the only one who found it vague. (hide spoiler)]

[Niki Hawkes, I made it past GOTM... barely]

Tammie wrote: "Chapter 5- I really enjoyed this part. It had me laughing. [spoilers removed]"

That one got me too haha.

[Niki Hawkes, I made it past GOTM... barely]

7&8 by Saturday... weekday math without it being written somewhere hurts my head lol.

[Niki Hawkes, I made it past GOTM... barely]

7&8 didn’t really give me a lot. I accidentally slipped into ch 9 without realizing. Onward to 9&10 by Tuesday.

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

I'll catch up soon, maybe even get ahead...

Breaking it up is making me forget details and callbacks a bit, even down in chapters 2-3...

But I can see how the past/present stuff wouldn't be distinct in ebook/paperback... I think the distinct character voices help on audio, when it jumps back to grandpa memories...

[Tammie]

Niki Hawkes wrote: "7&8 didn’t really give me a lot. I accidentally slipped into ch 9 without realizing. Onward to 9&10 by Tuesday."

I accidentally did the same thing twice. I have 10 to read still.

[Chris]

Niki Hawkes wrote: "Tammie wrote: "Chapter 5- I really enjoyed this part. It had me laughing. [spoilers removed]"

That one got me too haha."

Me too. Loved it

[Niki Hawkes, I made it past GOTM... barely]

Ch 9-10 (I'm early because I lost track of days lol) still by Tuesday, but early comments (view spoiler)[ I somehow missed the reason why we're suddenly tromping through the woods... did anyone catch that detail?

Ch. 10 made me notice how often the author uses just basic sentence tags. "He said, she said." It's kind of clunky. (hide spoiler)]

[Tammie]

I'm not sure why they were either. I guess I missed that part too. (view spoiler)[ Was it when they were on their way to kill the guy he was hired to kill? (hide spoiler)]

[Tammie]

Tammie wrote: "I'm not sure why they were either. I guess I missed that part too. [spoilers removed]"

I keep getting the past and present stories confused in my head, and sometimes not realizing that there has been a switch at first while I'm reading.

[Niki Hawkes, I made it past GOTM... barely]

Tammie wrote: "I'm not sure why they were either. I guess I missed that part too. [spoilers removed]"

I'm glad I'm not alone. (view spoiler)[ I kind of thought I read that he'd confronted him already and killed him? Wasn't he the one in the building where he had to sneak in inside a wine cask? Or was that just to get the magical item and now we're on the killing journey? It would make sense, with all the flashbacks, that we're now on an assassination quest lol. I probably missed it thinking we were still in the past. It's confusing me too. (hide spoiler)]

[Niki Hawkes, I made it past GOTM... barely]

So now 11&12 by Friday.

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

Are you guys reading the ebook?

I think the narration skips all the he said/she said and just does voices?... or at least in the scene I'm at, now that I'm trying to pay attention and notice if it's a big thing...

[Tammie]

Niki Hawkes wrote: "Tammie wrote: "I'm not sure why they were either. I guess I missed that part too. [spoilers removed]"

I'm glad I'm not alone. [spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[I think he was hoping to get to him when he sneaked in in the wine cask but was unsuccessful. I think the woods thing is the other quest he's on for the lady whats-her-name in the present? Lol, sorry can't remember her name at the moment, and I can't remember which is past and which is present any more. (hide spoiler)]

[Tammie]

Timelord Iain wrote: "Are you guys reading the ebook?

I think the narration skips all the he said/she said and just does voices?... or at least in the scene I'm at, now that I'm trying to pay attention and notice if it..."

Yes, I'm reading the ebook. Although it seems like it would be more confusing as to what is past and present if I was listening to the audio, because there is nothing to denote the change other than a break in the text.

[Niki Hawkes, I made it past GOTM... barely]

Timelord Iain wrote: "Are you guys reading the ebook?

I think the narration skips all the he said/she said and just does voices?... or at least in the scene I'm at, now that I'm trying to pay attention and notice if it..."

I'm doing the audio. It may have been just the little section I was on. Hope I didn't point out a sore thumb lol.

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

Tammie wrote: "Timelord Iain wrote: "Are you guys reading the ebook?

I think the narration skips all the he said/she said and just does voices?... or at least in the scene I'm at, now that I'm trying to pay atte..."

Well... (view spoiler)[there's the ritual... the past timeline that usual mentions anecdotes father or grandfather and has their voices... and the present, that generally deals with Sethra Lavode, Morollan, and Kragar... (hide spoiler)]

My problems stem more from the pauses to not get ahead, and now being far behind, and not the story jumps, for some reason...

[Niki Hawkes, I made it past GOTM... barely]

Tammie wrote: "Niki Hawkes wrote: "Tammie wrote: "I'm not sure why they were either. I guess I missed that part too. [spoilers removed]"

I'm glad I'm not alone. [spoilers removed]"

[spoilers removed]"

Okay that makes sense. Good Grief lol. For what it's worth, I don't remember the other ones I read (Jhereg & Taltos) being difficult to follow, but we'll see.

[Niki Hawkes, I made it past GOTM... barely]

Tammie wrote: "Timelord Iain wrote: "Are you guys reading the ebook?

I think the narration skips all the he said/she said and just does voices?... or at least in the scene I'm at, now that I'm trying to pay atte..."

I've maintained for years that the audios should include a little boop when a page break is present. It's sometimes maddening.

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

Niki Hawkes wrote: "Tammie wrote: "Niki Hawkes wrote: "Tammie wrote: "I'm not sure why they were either. I guess I missed that part too. [spoilers removed]"

I'm glad I'm not alone. [spoilers removed]"

[spoilers remo..."

Good thing you didn't trying to break this book down chronologically :D

[Niki Hawkes, I made it past GOTM... barely]

Timelord Iain wrote: "Niki Hawkes wrote: "Tammie wrote: "Niki Hawkes wrote: "Tammie wrote: "I'm not sure why they were either. I guess I missed that part too. [spoilers removed]"

I'm glad I'm not alone. [spoilers remov..."

hahaha - yes!! Read pgs 9-12, 22-25, etc. then we'll read the whole current events section. lmao

[Chris]

I was thinking what a mess that would be.

We have the ritual in italics at the beginning of each chapter.

Present timeline where Vlad and Morollan are on Sethra's quest. (view spoiler)[ on the Paths of the Dead (hide spoiler)]

Past timeline where we see Vlad in his early days in the Jhereg. (view spoiler)[ including his first hit job (hide spoiler)]

[Niki Hawkes, I made it past GOTM... barely]

Chris wrote: "I was thinking what a mess that would be.

We have the ritual in italics at the beginning of each chapter.

Present timeline where Vlad and Morollan are on Sethra's quest. [spoilers removed]

Pas..."

What's the end-goal on Sethra's Quest? (view spoiler)[ is it the assassination? lol this shouldn't be this difficult but I'm feeling dense (hide spoiler)]

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

Niki Hawkes wrote: "Chris wrote: "I was thinking what a mess that would be.

We have the ritual in italics at the beginning of each chapter.

Present timeline where Vlad and Morollan are on Sethra's quest. [spoilers..."

It's a play on Greek mythology... (view spoiler)[rescuing Morollan's cousin, whose soul was trapped in the gem of the staff they stole from the mage they killed in the earlier assassination mission...

Like Greek Mythology, where they go into the Land of the Dead / Hades to rescue a loved one, but aren't allowed to turn back and look/see what's chasing them or they'll both be stuck there forever... (hide spoiler)]

Not entirely accurate/parallel... but that's what these types of things remind me of... pretty common in the October Daye faerie series, as well...

[Niki Hawkes, I made it past GOTM... barely]

Timelord Iain wrote: "Niki Hawkes wrote: "Chris wrote: "I was thinking what a mess that would be.

We have the ritual in italics at the beginning of each chapter.

Present timeline where Vlad and Morollan are on Sethr..."

ahhhh okay thank you!

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

Niki Hawkes wrote: "Timelord Iain wrote: "Niki Hawkes wrote: "Tammie wrote: "Niki Hawkes wrote: "Tammie wrote: "I'm not sure why they were either. I guess I missed that part too. [spoilers removed]"

I'm glad I'm not ..."

We didn't make it complicated enough... you also gotta line up the first timeline of this story with the pages from the prologue of Jhereg... like (view spoiler)[Vlad's ritual to bind Loiosh in chapter 7 (hide spoiler)]

[Niki Hawkes, I made it past GOTM... barely]

Timelord Iain wrote: "Niki Hawkes wrote: "Timelord Iain wrote: "Niki Hawkes wrote: "Tammie wrote: "Niki Hawkes wrote: "Tammie wrote: "I'm not sure why they were either. I guess I missed that part too. [spoilers removed]..."

You know if I'd time I'd totally be on board to be that detailed with the read, lol.

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

Niki Hawkes wrote: "Timelord Iain wrote: "Niki Hawkes wrote: "Timelord Iain wrote: "Niki Hawkes wrote: "Tammie wrote: "Niki Hawkes wrote: "Tammie wrote: "I'm not sure why they were either. I guess I missed that part t..."

That's how fandom wikis are started :D

[Niki Hawkes, I made it past GOTM... barely]

Timelord Iain wrote: "Niki Hawkes wrote: "Timelord Iain wrote: "Niki Hawkes wrote: "Timelord Iain wrote: "Niki Hawkes wrote: "Tammie wrote: "Niki Hawkes wrote: "Tammie wrote: "I'm not sure why they were either. I guess ..."

haha

[Niki Hawkes, I made it past GOTM... barely]

Ch 11 (view spoiler)[ “now things are going to get weird.” Lol (hide spoiler)]

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

Hey guys…

I’m in chapter 15…

At some point I caught up and didn’t notice…

If I hadn’t checked when I did, I’d have finished the book…

Oops…

[Tammie]

Timelord Iain wrote: "Hey guys…

I’m in chapter 15…

At some point I caught up and didn’t notice…

If I hadn’t checked when I did, I’d have finished the book…

Oops…"

😂

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

That's why I setup the BR to run without me :D

I knew I'd be terrible at following at the right pace... especially this month, which has turned into a month of BRs and bonus points...

Even when I think I'm catching up, the Mystery Club is forging ahead :D

[Chris]

Niki Hawkes wrote: "Ch 11 [spoilers removed]"

That was a great sentence. 😄

[Niki Hawkes, I made it past GOTM... barely]

I got lost over the weekend. Per schedule we should be discussing 13-14 today. Then 15-16 to discuss Thursday.

I’m halfway through 14. I don’t know if it’s our pacing or just the book, but I’m not enjoying the present moments (I still like the flashbacks though). I think a lot of my confusion is just that I don’t care enough about what they’re doing to retain it as I go lol. I’m glad I’ve tried a couple other books in this series because I liked them a lot more. Hoping the next one is better.

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

Did you setup this BR to end on the last day of the competition? :D

This book is pretty disjointed, due to the structure... much better as a prequel to the first published book, I guess...

[Niki Hawkes, I made it past GOTM... barely]

Not intentionally, but it’s working out that way lol.

[Tammie]

Niki Hawkes wrote: "I got lost over the weekend. Per schedule we should be discussing 13-14 today. Then 15-16 to discuss Thursday.

I’m halfway through 14. I don’t know if it’s our pacing or just the book, but I’m no..."

Some chapters have been more interesting than others to me. I'm think I'm liking the flashbacks better than what's going on in the present right now too.

[Niki Hawkes, I made it past GOTM... barely]

Strategizing a bit, if there are no objections, let's do 15-17 to finish up and push discussion back to friday. Then we can get going on the next book the following monday.

[Chris]

Good idea, Niki.

Gets us to the end of the month/challenge and helps catch up. With the Braves advancing to the World Series I've been off my pace reading a touch.

Still, I'm through Chapter 12 so I should be able to finish with the group.

[Chris]

And I agree. The flashbacks/young Vlad sequence is really good, but the present day Paths of the Dead quest isn't doing it for me as much either.

I do remember enjoying the other books more, though.

[Tammie]

Niki Hawkes wrote: "Strategizing a bit, if there are no objections, let's do 15-17 to finish up and push discussion back to friday. Then we can get going on the next book the following monday."

I think that's a good idea.

[Niki Hawkes, I made it past GOTM... barely]

I had time this morning so I finished the last few chapters. The first half of the book was a solid 4 stars - I was super intrigued and loved most things about it. The last half, 2 stars. At least I know from the first half that the stories can work for me. I think the flashbacks could've been organized better with longer breaks between switches. That would've helped considerably. Near the end it happened so often, I found myself not caring about either storyline. Here's hoping the next one is better. I quite enjoyed Jhereg and Teckla.

[Niki Hawkes, I made it past GOTM... barely]

I have another book I'm trying to rush through today before it goes back to the library. What say y'all we start tomorrow? Ch. 1&2 for Thursday Discussion. Don't forget to skip the interludes on this one. :)

[Tammie]

Niki Hawkes wrote: "I have another book I'm trying to rush through today before it goes back to the library. What say y'all we start tomorrow? Ch. 1&2 for Thursday Discussion. Don't forget to skip the interludes on th..."

That sounds good to me.

[Chris]

Good for me. Today has been a Charlie Foxtrot (view spoiler)[ clusterfuck (hide spoiler)] for me anyway...

[Niki Hawkes, I made it past GOTM... barely]

Chris wrote: "Good for me. Today has been a Charlie Foxtrot [spoilers removed] for me anyway..."

lol

[Niki Hawkes, I made it past GOTM... barely]

ch. 1&2 of Dragon
(view spoiler)[Kraygar (I'm doing audio lol) USED TO BE A DRAGON?! That's wicked cool. I already liked him a lot... I'd love to find out how he came to be such a loyal assistant to our main character. (hide spoiler)]

[Chris]

Niki Hawkes wrote: "ch. 1&2 of Dragon
[spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[ I was thinking that was mentioned briefly in Taltos. I felt like I knew it at least, so could have been from when I read some of the books before. (hide spoiler)]

I read the books up until this one several years ago.

[Niki Hawkes, I made it past GOTM... barely]

Chris wrote: "Niki Hawkes wrote: "ch. 1&2 of Dragon
[spoilers removed]"

[spoilers removed]

I read the books up until this one several years ago."

I probably just missed it. I've been "reading" on my commute so it's entirely possible I was in traffic or something lol.