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Vlad Taltos #16
Tsalmoth
First comes love. Then comes marriage…
Vlad Taltos is in love. With a former assassin who may just be better than he is at the Game. Women like this don’t come along every day and no way is he passing up a sure bet.
So a wedding is being planned. Along with a shady deal gone wrong and a dead man who owes Vlad money. Setting up the first and trying to deal with the second is bad enough. And then bigger powers decide that Vlad is the perfect patsy to shake the power structure of the kingdom.
More's the pity that his soul is sent walkabout to do it.
How might Vlad get his soul back and have any shot at a happy ending? Well, there’s the tale…
Vlad Taltos is in love. With a former assassin who may just be better than he is at the Game. Women like this don’t come along every day and no way is he passing up a sure bet.
So a wedding is being planned. Along with a shady deal gone wrong and a dead man who owes Vlad money. Setting up the first and trying to deal with the second is bad enough. And then bigger powers decide that Vlad is the perfect patsy to shake the power structure of the kingdom.
More's the pity that his soul is sent walkabout to do it.
How might Vlad get his soul back and have any shot at a happy ending? Well, there’s the tale…
288 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 25, 2023
145 people are currently reading
708 people want to read
About the author
Steven Brust
99 books2,296 followersSteven Karl Zoltán Brust (born November 23, 1955) is an American fantasy and science fiction author of Hungarian descent. He was a member of the writers' group The Scribblies, which included Emma Bull, Pamela Dean, Will Shetterly, Nate Bucklin, Kara Dalkey, and Patricia Wrede, and also belongs to the Pre-Joycean Fellowship.
http://us.macmillan.com/author/steven...
(Photo by David Dyer-Bennet)
http://us.macmillan.com/author/steven...
(Photo by David Dyer-Bennet)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 139 reviews
December 13, 2024
The one where Vlad unravels a series of crimes, obfuscated by the Jhereg, both his own side and that of the Left Hand.
"But from what Sticks described, the guy was taken down by a professional, and, not to put too fine a point on it, we’re the only professionals."
A little joke there, as that is the the plot of every book, with minor variations. Brust always plays with formatting, and in this case, every chapter begins with Vlad considering impending nuptials with Cawti and comparing it with his business problem of collecting 800 coins from a debtor that has recently died. It is a forced simile that works better in some chapters over others, but regardless, each section is interesting. As he notes,
"And sometimes they get all tangled up together, and mixed in with other stuff that you'd think had nothing to do with any of it."
I appreciated the helpful summaries along the way as Vlad and Cawti talked over his case(s). At 80% or so, there's a fantastic summation, which I appreciated, because by then I was mostly confused. Not completely confused, but mostly. Kudos to me for asking myself if the character in question was really a Yendi, shortly before Vlad himself notes he had been wondering if 'X was a Yendi,' which is Vlad shorthand for someone with even more convoluted schemes than himself.
The most significant challenge I had with it--besides the normally convoluted plot--is that the language Vlad narrates in is more colloquial than I usually associate for Vlad books. He is frequently self-mocking of his lack of vocabulary, which I don't ever recall being an issue, and it felt particularly odd coming off the book about him taking part in a theater production. Come to think of it, he's often talking about history and traditions, so it just doesn't seem in alignment. Of course, he's also supposed to be speaking to Sethra during this account, so I'm sure Brust has a reason for it. It just threw off my sense of the character.
"He thought it over. I figured he had a, what do you call it, dilemma. Like, he wanted to tell me to just let it go, and, hey, he was the boss, so he could do that. But if he did, it’d be like saying he knew something about the guy, and it was pretty clear he didn’t want to do that. He finally made a sort of a grunt and said, “Go ahead.”
It has the feel of Taltos. The relationship with Cawti is in a good spot, pre-marriage, and Brust was able to give it the appropriate feel for their time period (as opposed to the sadness and regret in later books). Entertaining, but not my favorite.
"Death is only permanent if you’re unlucky, which makes it the opposite of marriage."
Three and a half wiseguys, rounding up.
"But from what Sticks described, the guy was taken down by a professional, and, not to put too fine a point on it, we’re the only professionals."
A little joke there, as that is the the plot of every book, with minor variations. Brust always plays with formatting, and in this case, every chapter begins with Vlad considering impending nuptials with Cawti and comparing it with his business problem of collecting 800 coins from a debtor that has recently died. It is a forced simile that works better in some chapters over others, but regardless, each section is interesting. As he notes,
"And sometimes they get all tangled up together, and mixed in with other stuff that you'd think had nothing to do with any of it."
I appreciated the helpful summaries along the way as Vlad and Cawti talked over his case(s). At 80% or so, there's a fantastic summation, which I appreciated, because by then I was mostly confused. Not completely confused, but mostly. Kudos to me for asking myself if the character in question was really a Yendi, shortly before Vlad himself notes he had been wondering if 'X was a Yendi,' which is Vlad shorthand for someone with even more convoluted schemes than himself.
The most significant challenge I had with it--besides the normally convoluted plot--is that the language Vlad narrates in is more colloquial than I usually associate for Vlad books. He is frequently self-mocking of his lack of vocabulary, which I don't ever recall being an issue, and it felt particularly odd coming off the book about him taking part in a theater production. Come to think of it, he's often talking about history and traditions, so it just doesn't seem in alignment. Of course, he's also supposed to be speaking to Sethra during this account, so I'm sure Brust has a reason for it. It just threw off my sense of the character.
"He thought it over. I figured he had a, what do you call it, dilemma. Like, he wanted to tell me to just let it go, and, hey, he was the boss, so he could do that. But if he did, it’d be like saying he knew something about the guy, and it was pretty clear he didn’t want to do that. He finally made a sort of a grunt and said, “Go ahead.”
It has the feel of Taltos. The relationship with Cawti is in a good spot, pre-marriage, and Brust was able to give it the appropriate feel for their time period (as opposed to the sadness and regret in later books). Entertaining, but not my favorite.
"Death is only permanent if you’re unlucky, which makes it the opposite of marriage."
Three and a half wiseguys, rounding up.
March 11, 2023
I've had many people tell me I would like this series, and they were right. I think what impressed me most on this book is that the dramatic climax was centered in an emotional realization. Even tho the premise of this book is very mafia-esque, it never loses sight of its protagonist's heart.
The story is about Vlad, who is owed some money. He's just trying to get that money back, he swears. But maybe along the way he gets involved with some magical and grand plots and gets a little too invested in seeing it thru to the end.
At its center, this is also a book about Vlad preparing for his wedding, and generally being very cute with his tough betrothed.
As my starting place in the series, book 16 is admittedly not the best one to begin with. But, it added its own charm when the protagonist would say things like, "I'm not going to tell you about myself. That's boring. You'll figure it out." I'm sure long-time readers of the series will appreciate not wasting time with onboarding.
A video review including this book will appear on my Youtube channel in the coming weeks at youtube.com/@ChloeFrizzle
Thanks to Netgalley and Tor for a copy of this book to review. All opinions are my own.
The story is about Vlad, who is owed some money. He's just trying to get that money back, he swears. But maybe along the way he gets involved with some magical and grand plots and gets a little too invested in seeing it thru to the end.
At its center, this is also a book about Vlad preparing for his wedding, and generally being very cute with his tough betrothed.
As my starting place in the series, book 16 is admittedly not the best one to begin with. But, it added its own charm when the protagonist would say things like, "I'm not going to tell you about myself. That's boring. You'll figure it out." I'm sure long-time readers of the series will appreciate not wasting time with onboarding.
A video review including this book will appear on my Youtube channel in the coming weeks at youtube.com/@ChloeFrizzle
Thanks to Netgalley and Tor for a copy of this book to review. All opinions are my own.
March 26, 2023
Marriage and business!
Vlad Taltos is a boss with the House of Jhegala. It’s taken him some time, major capers and quite a few books to get to the being a boss let me tell you. He’s an Easterner and human. He’s an assassin in the Dragaeran world, involved in gang run gambling establishments, sometimes killing and a lot of other simple but nefarious doings. I just plain enjoy him. A laconic, wise cracking thief. A thief with powerful friends, an assassin for a fiancé and his familiar Loioish who sits on his shoulder. He’s sort of like a hard boiled gum shoe detective though he’s no goody two shoes, he does solve mysteries, he has his own standards, and a soft heart. But don’t tell anyone.
I’ve read all of Brust novels in and out of the Dragaeran series, and when a new one makes its way onto the shelves, I’m there. This is the 16th in the series, although chronologically a flashback happening in previous times.
Vlad gives us a discourse on the arrangements for his upcoming wedding to Cawti as part of the chapter introductions. Food features rather dramatically, because food is very important to Vlad.
Anyway Vlad gets involved with a guy who owes him money, eight hundred imperials. When the guy dies all Vlad wants back is his investment. Not too much to ask!? Unfortunately that enquiry has Vlad becoming involved in Necromancers, Left Hand sorceresses doings, a black stone called Vera’s tears that along with dark water took him somewhere else. A demon gets half planted on Vlad and Oh Yes, at some stage Vlad’s killed.
Of course Morrolan and Aliera at Castle Black and all the other inhabitants including Sethra become involved.
Vlad of course keeps up a wonderfully ironic running conversation throughout the novel that had me smiling and going Nice One Vlad! Along of course with Cawti who has his back.
As always Vlad novels are a treat. Vlad sense of humor is both wicked and sometimes his undoing. Still he manages to prevail (survive) with the help of his friends, particularly those in high places who are practised in magic and sorcery.
A Tor ARC via NetGalley.
Many thanks to the author and publisher.
(Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.)
Vlad Taltos is a boss with the House of Jhegala. It’s taken him some time, major capers and quite a few books to get to the being a boss let me tell you. He’s an Easterner and human. He’s an assassin in the Dragaeran world, involved in gang run gambling establishments, sometimes killing and a lot of other simple but nefarious doings. I just plain enjoy him. A laconic, wise cracking thief. A thief with powerful friends, an assassin for a fiancé and his familiar Loioish who sits on his shoulder. He’s sort of like a hard boiled gum shoe detective though he’s no goody two shoes, he does solve mysteries, he has his own standards, and a soft heart. But don’t tell anyone.
I’ve read all of Brust novels in and out of the Dragaeran series, and when a new one makes its way onto the shelves, I’m there. This is the 16th in the series, although chronologically a flashback happening in previous times.
Vlad gives us a discourse on the arrangements for his upcoming wedding to Cawti as part of the chapter introductions. Food features rather dramatically, because food is very important to Vlad.
Anyway Vlad gets involved with a guy who owes him money, eight hundred imperials. When the guy dies all Vlad wants back is his investment. Not too much to ask!? Unfortunately that enquiry has Vlad becoming involved in Necromancers, Left Hand sorceresses doings, a black stone called Vera’s tears that along with dark water took him somewhere else. A demon gets half planted on Vlad and Oh Yes, at some stage Vlad’s killed.
Of course Morrolan and Aliera at Castle Black and all the other inhabitants including Sethra become involved.
Vlad of course keeps up a wonderfully ironic running conversation throughout the novel that had me smiling and going Nice One Vlad! Along of course with Cawti who has his back.
As always Vlad novels are a treat. Vlad sense of humor is both wicked and sometimes his undoing. Still he manages to prevail (survive) with the help of his friends, particularly those in high places who are practised in magic and sorcery.
A Tor ARC via NetGalley.
Many thanks to the author and publisher.
(Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.)
Read
November 1, 2022Hmm.
The voice was off for me - really just all the word definitions where Vlad, who has never seemed like he lacked a large vocabulary so much as he enjoyed saying “the thing” like the tough guy he is, doesn’t know lots of words.
But it was nice to get some happy details of his life with Cawti and the marriage traditions were good and the Devera appearance was perfect. The thing was complicated and stupid but that’s ok because that makes total sense. And the epilogues promises more forward momentum in whatever comes next (Lyorn?) which is good.
The voice was off for me - really just all the word definitions where Vlad, who has never seemed like he lacked a large vocabulary so much as he enjoyed saying “the thing” like the tough guy he is, doesn’t know lots of words.
But it was nice to get some happy details of his life with Cawti and the marriage traditions were good and the Devera appearance was perfect. The thing was complicated and stupid but that’s ok because that makes total sense. And the epilogues promises more forward momentum in whatever comes next (Lyorn?) which is good.
February 27, 2023
This is the 16th book in the Vlad Taltos series and is actually a flashback story taking place between Yendi (#2 - another flashback) and Jhereg (#1). If you are new to the series, I highly recommend that you read Jhereg first as an intro to the wisecracking and irreverent main character … Baronet Vladimir Taltos of the House of Jhereg, nefarious crime boss and sometimes assassin. Here is a quick glimpse at the humor Vlad brings to the story:
[Vlad introduces the reader to his soon to be wife Cawti] “I met her on a warm, pleasant day with a nice breeze flowing in from the the ocean-sea when she killed me. Nothing personal, she’d been paid. And I got better didn’t I?”
[Vlad talking to his Capo] “Find someone to watch this guy. I don’t want to watch this guy. I’m the boss. The boss doesn’t have to watch guys. That’s why we become the boss.”
And the world building is one of my favorites (which, combined with the MC is why the first of this series in on my favorites shelf). Seriously … this is one of the few fantasy series that both wife and I buy on sight; so if you haven’t started it, you should.
Now … if you are, like me, picking up the next of the series that you have already been reading, I can hopefully assure you that you will not be disappointed. Publication wise, this book follows Vallista … which was a bit weird and something of a disappointment if I am honest. This 1st person PoV flash back harkens back to the beginning of the series where most fans fall in love with the character … the setup appears to be Vlad reminiscing with Sethra for some reason that is either not revealed or I do not recall. The time period is the period just prior to Vlad getting married to Cawti (who is primarily a foil to Vlad just so that there appears that there will always be an adult in the room). Each chapter opens with a brief segue into a commentary on various marriage customs amongst Easterners (humans) and Dragaerans (elfish) houses. The plot revolves around a mark getting “shined” before paying back the 800 Imperials owed to Vlad at a time when Vlad’s “business” would have a hard time absorbing such a loss. Vlad being Vlad … pours good money after bad until he uncovers a much bigger plot involving criminal/family factions and self interest within the House of Jhereg, as well as the sorcerous (and very dangerous) Left Hand … it’s enough to get someone very dead.
I was given this free advance reader copy (ARC) ebook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
#Tsalmoth #VladTaltos #NetGalley
[Vlad introduces the reader to his soon to be wife Cawti] “I met her on a warm, pleasant day with a nice breeze flowing in from the the ocean-sea when she killed me. Nothing personal, she’d been paid. And I got better didn’t I?”
[Vlad talking to his Capo] “Find someone to watch this guy. I don’t want to watch this guy. I’m the boss. The boss doesn’t have to watch guys. That’s why we become the boss.”
And the world building is one of my favorites (which, combined with the MC is why the first of this series in on my favorites shelf). Seriously … this is one of the few fantasy series that both wife and I buy on sight; so if you haven’t started it, you should.
Now … if you are, like me, picking up the next of the series that you have already been reading, I can hopefully assure you that you will not be disappointed. Publication wise, this book follows Vallista … which was a bit weird and something of a disappointment if I am honest. This 1st person PoV flash back harkens back to the beginning of the series where most fans fall in love with the character … the setup appears to be Vlad reminiscing with Sethra for some reason that is either not revealed or I do not recall. The time period is the period just prior to Vlad getting married to Cawti (who is primarily a foil to Vlad just so that there appears that there will always be an adult in the room). Each chapter opens with a brief segue into a commentary on various marriage customs amongst Easterners (humans) and Dragaerans (elfish) houses. The plot revolves around a mark getting “shined” before paying back the 800 Imperials owed to Vlad at a time when Vlad’s “business” would have a hard time absorbing such a loss. Vlad being Vlad … pours good money after bad until he uncovers a much bigger plot involving criminal/family factions and self interest within the House of Jhereg, as well as the sorcerous (and very dangerous) Left Hand … it’s enough to get someone very dead.
I was given this free advance reader copy (ARC) ebook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
#Tsalmoth #VladTaltos #NetGalley
November 11, 2025
5/5: some authors are fine wines, and some age like’em, and Steven Brust is both of those things. Tsalmoth is my new favorite Vlad novel since my last new favorite Vlad novel. It succeeds at being a standalone novel while putting a significant corner piece in place in the #WhatWouldVladDo puzzle.
A wedding, a wedding, there was going to be a wedding! Vlad and Cawti are getting married, but being a minor boss in the Elf Mafia means that things will happen when the stuff is going on. As they plan their wedding day, someone who owes Vlad a significant investment sum has taken a shine (he’s dead) and Vlad is displeased. He does, after all, have his wedding to Cawti to consider. But when Vlad’s soul is convinced to go take a walk on the wild side, things have to get a bit more intense than that. Can Vlad teleport, walk, be sarcastic, eat enough meals, and genuinely be threatening enough as he unravels plots within plots alongside plots? Can he do all of this and reorient his projection to this non-astral plane? Find out in Tsalmoth: the steady and often-hilarious inbetweenquel sequel we’ve waited 6 years since Vallista for (but a couple of decades for, in actuality.)
Thank you, NetGalley and Tor Books, for the ARC of my most anticipated read of 2023, of the latest entry in my favorite book series by one of my all-time favorite writers, and yet another different adventure in a genre that is not typically this exciting, subtle, or funny.
Lots of love and good cheer to Steven Brust for pulling off another successful Vlad caper that is somehow more mature and measured than even the last without dulling any of the previous entries in the hands of his readers, nor Vlad’s hands in Cawti’s. Non-spoilers: thanks for making me laugh way too loud at that bit in chapter 13 about yendis.
A wedding, a wedding, there was going to be a wedding! Vlad and Cawti are getting married, but being a minor boss in the Elf Mafia means that things will happen when the stuff is going on. As they plan their wedding day, someone who owes Vlad a significant investment sum has taken a shine (he’s dead) and Vlad is displeased. He does, after all, have his wedding to Cawti to consider. But when Vlad’s soul is convinced to go take a walk on the wild side, things have to get a bit more intense than that. Can Vlad teleport, walk, be sarcastic, eat enough meals, and genuinely be threatening enough as he unravels plots within plots alongside plots? Can he do all of this and reorient his projection to this non-astral plane? Find out in Tsalmoth: the steady and often-hilarious inbetweenquel sequel we’ve waited 6 years since Vallista for (but a couple of decades for, in actuality.)
Thank you, NetGalley and Tor Books, for the ARC of my most anticipated read of 2023, of the latest entry in my favorite book series by one of my all-time favorite writers, and yet another different adventure in a genre that is not typically this exciting, subtle, or funny.
Lots of love and good cheer to Steven Brust for pulling off another successful Vlad caper that is somehow more mature and measured than even the last without dulling any of the previous entries in the hands of his readers, nor Vlad’s hands in Cawti’s. Non-spoilers: thanks for making me laugh way too loud at that bit in chapter 13 about yendis.
August 31, 2023
3.5 stars
I read this book for a buddy read that I'm participating in for this series. We're reading the series in chronological order instead of publication order. So far I'm enjoying the books. I like the humor and the way Vlad tells the story, but for some reason they don't compel me much to pick them up and read them. I took my time with this one and read it over the last month.
See all my reviews at Writings of a Reader and on Facebook.
I read this book for a buddy read that I'm participating in for this series. We're reading the series in chronological order instead of publication order. So far I'm enjoying the books. I like the humor and the way Vlad tells the story, but for some reason they don't compel me much to pick them up and read them. I took my time with this one and read it over the last month.
See all my reviews at Writings of a Reader and on Facebook.
June 10, 2023
I’m still trying to decide how I feel about this one. As it happens, I’m planning this summer to re-read the first three in the series with a group, and since part of my dubiousness about this volume is how it fits with the early books, the timing seems fortuitous.
Brust has never been afraid to skip around in the timeline with these tales, from the very beginning. But I will say, considering how few books are left before the conclusion of the series, it feels like an odd choice to do this, though I suspect it’s a bit of a retcon to introduce something viral to the conclusion (we’ll see).
But there’s another sort of retcon going on here (I think). Without saying too much about the series as a whole, Vlad’s character has slowly grown in a number of ways over time. But always Vlad has been a clever, wise-cracking protagonist and narrator. And one of the choices Brust made here was to portray this younger Vlad (I think this would be 4th in the chronology) as more uneducated then (I think) we’ve previously seen. Not, I should say, any less intelligent, but one of the running jokes is Vlad’s somewhat limited vocabulary (though, to his credit, he’s constantly taking in the new words).
The thing is, it fits. I mean, Vlad’s arc is, broadly speaking, coming from the margins of Dragaeran society as an Easterner, working his was up through the criminal underworld to be a low-level and then higher-level boss and assassin, and eventually rather outgrowing the Jhereg both in the sense that he is on the outs because of the decisions he makes, but he’s also the wielder of one of the Great Weapons, with friends in very high places and connections to existential issues for the world in which he lives.
But none of the books that came earlier—at least to my memory—had Vlad sounding like that. So maybe this is Brust retconning something that he didn’t really think of earlier in his career? But also, part of the conceit is that Vlad is telling all of these stories (except that one) into some kind of magical recorder. I’ll give some attention to the question as I re-read, but it could be intended that this story was (except for the epilogue) actually one of the first ones recorded (?). Anyway, it’s a theory.
And if all this even amounts to a criticism, it’s a minor one. I’m thoroughly bought in on Vlad at this point, and Steve would have to really jump the shark to lose me at this point.
Because it was a fun read. And the backdrop too is that this takes place right before Vlad and Cawti’s weddding, so we see their new love growing, and it’s sweet and a bit sad because we know already how they’re going to ultimately grow apart and all that’s in store for these kids.
Brust has never been afraid to skip around in the timeline with these tales, from the very beginning. But I will say, considering how few books are left before the conclusion of the series, it feels like an odd choice to do this, though I suspect it’s a bit of a retcon to introduce something viral to the conclusion (we’ll see).
But there’s another sort of retcon going on here (I think). Without saying too much about the series as a whole, Vlad’s character has slowly grown in a number of ways over time. But always Vlad has been a clever, wise-cracking protagonist and narrator. And one of the choices Brust made here was to portray this younger Vlad (I think this would be 4th in the chronology) as more uneducated then (I think) we’ve previously seen. Not, I should say, any less intelligent, but one of the running jokes is Vlad’s somewhat limited vocabulary (though, to his credit, he’s constantly taking in the new words).
The thing is, it fits. I mean, Vlad’s arc is, broadly speaking, coming from the margins of Dragaeran society as an Easterner, working his was up through the criminal underworld to be a low-level and then higher-level boss and assassin, and eventually rather outgrowing the Jhereg both in the sense that he is on the outs because of the decisions he makes, but he’s also the wielder of one of the Great Weapons, with friends in very high places and connections to existential issues for the world in which he lives.
But none of the books that came earlier—at least to my memory—had Vlad sounding like that. So maybe this is Brust retconning something that he didn’t really think of earlier in his career? But also, part of the conceit is that Vlad is telling all of these stories (except that one) into some kind of magical recorder. I’ll give some attention to the question as I re-read, but it could be intended that this story was (except for the epilogue) actually one of the first ones recorded (?). Anyway, it’s a theory.
And if all this even amounts to a criticism, it’s a minor one. I’m thoroughly bought in on Vlad at this point, and Steve would have to really jump the shark to lose me at this point.
Because it was a fun read. And the backdrop too is that this takes place right before Vlad and Cawti’s weddding, so we see their new love growing, and it’s sweet and a bit sad because we know already how they’re going to ultimately grow apart and all that’s in store for these kids.
April 29, 2023
I love this series. And this book was a good addition. As I was reading it, I thought it was fine, but not as entertaining as the others.
The ending, though... I totally didn't see that coming, and it took the whole book up a level, IMO. In fact, I feel like it makes all the other books better as well. And it made the things that kind of bugged me about this book make more sense. The more I think about it, the more impactful and brilliant it is.
I'm going to keep it at 4 stars because it wasn't as fun to read as some of the others, but I love that this book exists.
The ending, though... I totally didn't see that coming, and it took the whole book up a level, IMO. In fact, I feel like it makes all the other books better as well. And it made the things that kind of bugged me about this book make more sense. The more I think about it, the more impactful and brilliant it is.
I'm going to keep it at 4 stars because it wasn't as fun to read as some of the others, but I love that this book exists.
May 9, 2023
I received an eARC of this title from the publisher through NetGalley.
Vlad is back, and to my delight he's back in his early days, as this takes place just before the first novel in the series, Jhereg.
It's not my favorite in the series, but it's a welcome return nonetheless. The best parts to me are the little introductory segments that begin each chapter and form a part of the story on their own.
Vlad is back, and to my delight he's back in his early days, as this takes place just before the first novel in the series, Jhereg.
It's not my favorite in the series, but it's a welcome return nonetheless. The best parts to me are the little introductory segments that begin each chapter and form a part of the story on their own.
October 28, 2023
Brust is one of the few authors I read in high school, who is still publishing new books, and that I eagerly anticipate each new volume. I have been reading the Vlad Taltos books by Steven Brust since they first started appearing. I started keeping track of what I read in the fall of 1995, since that time I have read or reread a book by Brust 36 times. With each new work I appreciate the series, the author and especially Vlad more. Whenever a Vlad Taltos book appears it is like a visit with an old friend. In fact Brust is one of the few authors I read 35 years ago in high school that I still read now. That speaks to his staying power as a storyteller, and the charm and wit of Vlad. I gave up on Xanth by Piers Anthony by the 6th book and Wild Cards by George R.R. Martin by the 10th book. The only series I started reading in the mid 80’s that I finished was The Stainless Steel Rat by Harry Harrison and it ended a while ago.
This story is different than many in the series. In part Vlad is telling the story to a recorder or some sort of recording device. In doing so he ocassionally breaks the fourth wall of the story to interject and interact with the events or the retelling of them. This story is set much earlier in the series. It is during the time of the courtship and wedding planning of Vlad and Cawti. Vlad has friends in high places and in different houses. But at this point he is a low level Jhereg. He runs a small area and is known to still do some wet work. This story is also different in that someone dies owning Vlad money, and he is just trying to get his money back, and as the story progresses the costs incurred along the way. The story gives him his first real insights into the Left Hand of the Jhereg the women of sorcery. It causes him some grief with his boss. And The whole think about the Verra’s tear stone and what happens with it. The necromancer plays a key role in this story, as does the sorceress of Dzur Mountain. But a lot of the story is Vlad just putting in leg work trying to get his 800 imperials coins back.
The description of this volume is:
“First comes love. Then comes marriage…
Vlad Taltos is in love. With a former assassin who may just be better than he is at the Game. Women like this don’t come along every day and no way is he passing up a sure bet.
So a wedding is being planned. Along with a shady deal gone wrong and a dead man who owes Vlad money. Setting up the first and trying to deal with the second is bad enough. And then bigger powers decide that Vlad is the perfect patsy to shake the power structure of the kingdom.
More's the pity that his soul is sent walkabout to do it.
How might Vlad get his soul back and have any shot at a happy ending? Well, there’s the tale…”
The story begins with this prologue:
“Have you ever noticed that getting married is like trying to collect a debt from a dead guy?
If you’re gonna get married, you gotta decide which traditions to keep, and which ones to throw away, and what to do that’s got nothing to do with tradition. And you gotta work it out with someone else—you know, the one you’re marrying? That one? Well, you gotta work with that person to get something that’s okay for you both.
But if you’re living in the Dragaeran Empire, and all your traditions go back to Fenario, where your family came from a few generations ago, then you got a whole ’nother layer of stuff to get through. It’s complicated, and it’s different for everyone. Just like if some jerk dies owing you money, and you want to get it back, there are a lot of things to consider, and you might start out dealing with it one way, but then change your mind, and you’ll have to deal with different sets of customs: one being the Jhereg, that’s my House and my organization, where we have policies about loaning money and collecting it, and the other from whatever House the dead guy was in. And then there’s the Empire, which exists to make everything more complicated. And sometimes they get all tangled up together, and mixed in with other stuff that you’d think had nothing to do with any of it.
Let’s go into detail.”
Each chapters begins with a piece about wedding customs, and which Vlad and Cawti keep, change or completely ignore. But the main thrust of the book is who is going to pay back the debt. And Why is it so complicated to collect on this particular debt.
This book is a lot of action and adventure but also a lot of eating and planning. We receive a some information that we were unaware of in previous volumes. There are a number of tangents in this story and that information can lead in the next book.
It is another great read from one of my all-time favourite authors. A great novel in an incredible series! Well done Mr. Brust, well done.
This story is different than many in the series. In part Vlad is telling the story to a recorder or some sort of recording device. In doing so he ocassionally breaks the fourth wall of the story to interject and interact with the events or the retelling of them. This story is set much earlier in the series. It is during the time of the courtship and wedding planning of Vlad and Cawti. Vlad has friends in high places and in different houses. But at this point he is a low level Jhereg. He runs a small area and is known to still do some wet work. This story is also different in that someone dies owning Vlad money, and he is just trying to get his money back, and as the story progresses the costs incurred along the way. The story gives him his first real insights into the Left Hand of the Jhereg the women of sorcery. It causes him some grief with his boss. And The whole think about the Verra’s tear stone and what happens with it. The necromancer plays a key role in this story, as does the sorceress of Dzur Mountain. But a lot of the story is Vlad just putting in leg work trying to get his 800 imperials coins back.
The description of this volume is:
“First comes love. Then comes marriage…
Vlad Taltos is in love. With a former assassin who may just be better than he is at the Game. Women like this don’t come along every day and no way is he passing up a sure bet.
So a wedding is being planned. Along with a shady deal gone wrong and a dead man who owes Vlad money. Setting up the first and trying to deal with the second is bad enough. And then bigger powers decide that Vlad is the perfect patsy to shake the power structure of the kingdom.
More's the pity that his soul is sent walkabout to do it.
How might Vlad get his soul back and have any shot at a happy ending? Well, there’s the tale…”
The story begins with this prologue:
“Have you ever noticed that getting married is like trying to collect a debt from a dead guy?
If you’re gonna get married, you gotta decide which traditions to keep, and which ones to throw away, and what to do that’s got nothing to do with tradition. And you gotta work it out with someone else—you know, the one you’re marrying? That one? Well, you gotta work with that person to get something that’s okay for you both.
But if you’re living in the Dragaeran Empire, and all your traditions go back to Fenario, where your family came from a few generations ago, then you got a whole ’nother layer of stuff to get through. It’s complicated, and it’s different for everyone. Just like if some jerk dies owing you money, and you want to get it back, there are a lot of things to consider, and you might start out dealing with it one way, but then change your mind, and you’ll have to deal with different sets of customs: one being the Jhereg, that’s my House and my organization, where we have policies about loaning money and collecting it, and the other from whatever House the dead guy was in. And then there’s the Empire, which exists to make everything more complicated. And sometimes they get all tangled up together, and mixed in with other stuff that you’d think had nothing to do with any of it.
Let’s go into detail.”
Each chapters begins with a piece about wedding customs, and which Vlad and Cawti keep, change or completely ignore. But the main thrust of the book is who is going to pay back the debt. And Why is it so complicated to collect on this particular debt.
This book is a lot of action and adventure but also a lot of eating and planning. We receive a some information that we were unaware of in previous volumes. There are a number of tangents in this story and that information can lead in the next book.
It is another great read from one of my all-time favourite authors. A great novel in an incredible series! Well done Mr. Brust, well done.
September 30, 2025
In finishing up this novel I've now back-filled all my gaps in Brust's long-running series; now it's just a matter of waiting for (presumably) "Creotha" and the climax of this epic.
That isn't to say that this book started out smoothly for me, and Brust is, if nothing else, almost always smooth in his plots. That Vlad sounded more like one of the people that the Vlad of the early books would hire for some routine dirty work was somewhat off-putting, as though Brust was having some issues with recapturing the voice of his early books. Still, it all eventually modulates into a typical "Dragaera" story, and one appreciates the interplay between Vlad, Morrolan, and the rest of the high-powered magic users that Vlad was inexplicably associating with until explained several books in. It's been a good run.
That isn't to say that this book started out smoothly for me, and Brust is, if nothing else, almost always smooth in his plots. That Vlad sounded more like one of the people that the Vlad of the early books would hire for some routine dirty work was somewhat off-putting, as though Brust was having some issues with recapturing the voice of his early books. Still, it all eventually modulates into a typical "Dragaera" story, and one appreciates the interplay between Vlad, Morrolan, and the rest of the high-powered magic users that Vlad was inexplicably associating with until explained several books in. It's been a good run.
December 15, 2023
The thing about reading the Taltos series is you never know where in his timeline a book may take you. This one seems to be between the first and second books, leading up to Vlad and Cawti's wedding.
A man owing Vlad money has the temerity to die before paying off his debt and Vlad is not having it. This leads he and Cawti down a rabbit hole of plots, betrayal murders and plenty more.
Once again I find myself cracking up laughing as I read this.
A man owing Vlad money has the temerity to die before paying off his debt and Vlad is not having it. This leads he and Cawti down a rabbit hole of plots, betrayal murders and plenty more.
Once again I find myself cracking up laughing as I read this.
January 15, 2024
Another book with Vlad and Cawti - and they are marrying! 🥰 Made me realize how few books are actually with them both together. And made me plan a re-read in chronological order. The plot wasn't super interesting but could naturally not be as convoluted as in Yendi. It felt like filling in the details for the grander scheme - see re-read... Anyway, love Loiosh.
Sadly, there doesn't seem to be an audiobook. 😕
Sadly, there doesn't seem to be an audiobook. 😕
August 2, 2024
It felt like Vlad needed a vocabulary lesson multiple times a chapter and though it has been a little bit since I've read the older books I don't recall him being that ignorant of language.
As for the rest it was sad knowing the future but a beautiful journey.
As for the rest it was sad knowing the future but a beautiful journey.
May 18, 2023
It felt…nostalgic. And the epilogue really helped to put some context around the other recent books.
March 15, 2023
I have enjoyed the Vlad Taltos series since book one and I am still here after so many books later. This one was even better than the first and it's just so amazing how these never get boring. I loved them all and can not wait to have a chance to read them again. This is humorous and an amazing adventure that I could not put down.
August 20, 2023
The tone seemed off with this one: Vlad was both uncharacteristically cocky (especially for how early in his career this is), uncharacteristically forthright about the structure of Dragaeran society in tedious detail (weird, because this is the 16th book in publication order and something like the fourth in series chronological order; granted, it may be supposed to be the first “tale” Vlad narrates, but this seems like special pleading to cover up clumsiness), uncharacteristic solidarity with the Teckla and a lot less bitterness and cynicism in general, compared to how he thinks and acts in the books that are supposed to be taking place just before or after this one; generally, saying the subtext out loud in a way that the first oh, 10 books manage not to.
This one is shorter than some of the recent ones (closer to the lenght of the early books) but still felt like it had a lot of padding. The way the various strands o of intrigue came together was a clever swerve in a meta sense, but still felt a bit like a cop out. Not even going to touch the Big Metaphysics Reveal, because .what. (I think it will be more meaningful to people who care about the Jenoine/saving the universe plotline.) All these complaints said, there were a couple of scenes that I liked a lot: the confrontation with the Phoenix Guards in Princess Chervik’s apartment; Vlad and Cawti going to see Toronnan; some of the negotiations with the Left Hand.
This one is shorter than some of the recent ones (closer to the lenght of the early books) but still felt like it had a lot of padding. The way the various strands o of intrigue came together was a clever swerve in a meta sense, but still felt a bit like a cop out. Not even going to touch the Big Metaphysics Reveal, because .what. (I think it will be more meaningful to people who care about the Jenoine/saving the universe plotline.) All these complaints said, there were a couple of scenes that I liked a lot: the confrontation with the Phoenix Guards in Princess Chervik’s apartment; Vlad and Cawti going to see Toronnan; some of the negotiations with the Left Hand.
July 23, 2023
After waiting so long, there are two Taltos books coming in two years... and the first of them does not disappoint!
It's especially impressive how Brust manages to make Vlad's voice as a young man so distinctive, and yet still maintain a connection with the older, more reflective Vlad we've come to know in later books, as if old Vlad and young Vlad were manifestations of the same person in different astral planes.
Wonderful, too, to have all the old gang together as well. Morrolan and Aliera never fail to disappoint. Great nods throughout to various secrets we've had revealed in other books. And of course some new ones popped up here to make our obsessive rereadings until Lyorn comes out even more fun!
It's especially impressive how Brust manages to make Vlad's voice as a young man so distinctive, and yet still maintain a connection with the older, more reflective Vlad we've come to know in later books, as if old Vlad and young Vlad were manifestations of the same person in different astral planes.
Wonderful, too, to have all the old gang together as well. Morrolan and Aliera never fail to disappoint. Great nods throughout to various secrets we've had revealed in other books. And of course some new ones popped up here to make our obsessive rereadings until Lyorn comes out even more fun!
May 3, 2023
This is more of a 4.5 than 4 star read, but it was overall quite fun! In many ways I enjoyed it a lot more than "Vallista", in part because it was largely hanging out with a lot of familiar characters rather than a new cast, and that offset Vlad's sometimes random mystery solving. That set-up was still present, but with a lot of familiar faces and character interactions and little subplots that were fun to explore. Unfortunately these books don't make me laugh until I cry like they used to, but I was grinning and chuckling for a large portion of this.
I still hope that someday Brust will start labeling some of the conversation lines he has in long back-and-forths, because he still seems to have issues accidentally having people talk to themselves, or otherwise not making clear when a line doesn't switch back to a different character in a two-person conversation. This happened at least twice, and it's a problem with many of the books in this series. It's okay to add a "x said" or "x replied" to make sure you're not messing up the back and forth, Mr. Brust. I promise. No one will get mad at you.
I adored Cawti in this, and Cawti and Vlad's relationship (though I could have done with less of Loiosh and other characters being notably disgusted by how in love they were. Yes, I too find people who are REALLY in love with each in public sometimes irritating, but the constant references to vomit were a bit much). I think the interludes with whatever random topic is going to dominate chapter starters didn't exactly work, just like it didn't really work with that one volume that did the same thing with cooking (I think that was "Dzur"?). I get there's a theme and Brust sticks with it, and here it was marriage, and it was interesting to see the backstory and see how different characters acted, but it felt out of place. I cannot actually see any newcomers coming into this and understanding what's going on, because there's so many references to different events out of chronological order. Yes, it's book 16 in a series with an additional spin-off pentalogy, and two standalone spin-offs, but chronologically this is book 7. Mostly. Even I, at times, had issues understanding when things were happening. . That being said, if you're already in this far, probably you know what's happening and you're in for the long haul, so it's not a major issue.
I also particularly loved Vlad and Morrolan's relationship in this. It was just a lot of fun, and played with that relationship in a way I don't recall seeing in other books. Admittedly it's been many years since I read the first 13-14 books, but still. Kragar was a delight, too, as always. There was just a lot of fun in this, despite how distressed Vlad was, and even that was handled in an interesting way. .
A last criticism is that while I did enjoy it more than "Vallista", I don't think the central narrative was as strong. Confusing as "Vallista" could be, the mystery was set up in an oddly straightforward manner (which is funny, considering that volume had even more time travel). In "Tsalmoth", Vlad just seems to be flailing around for something that sticks to make it seem like the mystery matters and he's supposed to be involved in it. He does that a lot in his stories, but it just felt really random and reach-y in this one in a way that was odd to read. It's still a good story that mostly gets by with a lot of fun character stuff and learning more about Vlad's past, as well as , but I often asked "why are you doing this again?" whenever Vlad was doing something.
Overall, though, it was another enjoyable entry in the series. Looking forward to "Lyorn" next year! And I plan to give "The Baron of Magister Valley" a shot at some point before then.
I still hope that someday Brust will start labeling some of the conversation lines he has in long back-and-forths, because he still seems to have issues accidentally having people talk to themselves, or otherwise not making clear when a line doesn't switch back to a different character in a two-person conversation. This happened at least twice, and it's a problem with many of the books in this series. It's okay to add a "x said" or "x replied" to make sure you're not messing up the back and forth, Mr. Brust. I promise. No one will get mad at you.
I adored Cawti in this, and Cawti and Vlad's relationship (though I could have done with less of Loiosh and other characters being notably disgusted by how in love they were. Yes, I too find people who are REALLY in love with each in public sometimes irritating, but the constant references to vomit were a bit much). I think the interludes with whatever random topic is going to dominate chapter starters didn't exactly work, just like it didn't really work with that one volume that did the same thing with cooking (I think that was "Dzur"?). I get there's a theme and Brust sticks with it, and here it was marriage, and it was interesting to see the backstory and see how different characters acted, but it felt out of place. I cannot actually see any newcomers coming into this and understanding what's going on, because there's so many references to different events out of chronological order. Yes, it's book 16 in a series with an additional spin-off pentalogy, and two standalone spin-offs, but chronologically this is book 7. Mostly. Even I, at times, had issues understanding when things were happening. . That being said, if you're already in this far, probably you know what's happening and you're in for the long haul, so it's not a major issue.
I also particularly loved Vlad and Morrolan's relationship in this. It was just a lot of fun, and played with that relationship in a way I don't recall seeing in other books. Admittedly it's been many years since I read the first 13-14 books, but still. Kragar was a delight, too, as always. There was just a lot of fun in this, despite how distressed Vlad was, and even that was handled in an interesting way. .
A last criticism is that while I did enjoy it more than "Vallista", I don't think the central narrative was as strong. Confusing as "Vallista" could be, the mystery was set up in an oddly straightforward manner (which is funny, considering that volume had even more time travel). In "Tsalmoth", Vlad just seems to be flailing around for something that sticks to make it seem like the mystery matters and he's supposed to be involved in it. He does that a lot in his stories, but it just felt really random and reach-y in this one in a way that was odd to read. It's still a good story that mostly gets by with a lot of fun character stuff and learning more about Vlad's past, as well as , but I often asked "why are you doing this again?" whenever Vlad was doing something.
Overall, though, it was another enjoyable entry in the series. Looking forward to "Lyorn" next year! And I plan to give "The Baron of Magister Valley" a shot at some point before then.
April 23, 2024
An assassin, mob boss, and quipping protagonist ... that's the Vlad Taltos from the series's dawning. This book is decidedly part of the twilight of the series, as my reviews of the recent books have shown, where there's a lot less action and a lot more moral quandaries -- and yet, this is a book that is almost completely a flashback to very early in the series. (There is an in-story explanation for why the details of this particular adventure were never mentioned until now, although I wasn't very satisfied ).
So, this Vlad, telling the story of what happened way back when, plays himself up as a small time boss, navigating the boundaries of being a small cog in an entire Organization, while romancing his future wife and planning their wedding. A small part of his loan shark business ends up occupying his time: a recent debtor ended up dead, leaving a dent in his finances that needed to be made up. Of course, it being a novel, this was just the tip of an iceberg of complications, not least of which is Vlad being killed and resurrected (not an unusual event in the Dragaerean Empire, but distressing) but also having a literal existential crisis of his soul.
So, as is usual with the late books of the series, most of the story involves walking around and talking with people, usually his much more powerful (politically, magically) and wealthy friends. There's a bit of investigation, following up on leads, and a lot of world building, but for a story in which Vlad ends up killed (and, to repeat, resurrected -- the series goes on), there are no exciting action sequences. There is a lot of nostalgia for the wedding planning , though -- this a middle aged Vlad who's been through a lot, remembering the joys of simpler times. Then there's finally a confrontation, Vlad actually starts to do something, and it ends.
I thought it worked better than the previous book in the series, but I do feel like I'm being really generous in giving this four stars. But I'm invested, and this does have the advantage of novelty when it could have stayed formulaic light action fare. This is a series where the young Vlad and the old Vlad show huge changes in pretty much everything.
So, this Vlad, telling the story of what happened way back when, plays himself up as a small time boss, navigating the boundaries of being a small cog in an entire Organization, while romancing his future wife and planning their wedding. A small part of his loan shark business ends up occupying his time: a recent debtor ended up dead, leaving a dent in his finances that needed to be made up. Of course, it being a novel, this was just the tip of an iceberg of complications, not least of which is Vlad being killed and resurrected (not an unusual event in the Dragaerean Empire, but distressing) but also having a literal existential crisis of his soul.
So, as is usual with the late books of the series, most of the story involves walking around and talking with people, usually his much more powerful (politically, magically) and wealthy friends. There's a bit of investigation, following up on leads, and a lot of world building, but for a story in which Vlad ends up killed (and, to repeat, resurrected -- the series goes on), there are no exciting action sequences. There is a lot of nostalgia for the wedding planning , though -- this a middle aged Vlad who's been through a lot, remembering the joys of simpler times. Then there's finally a confrontation, Vlad actually starts to do something, and it ends.
I thought it worked better than the previous book in the series, but I do feel like I'm being really generous in giving this four stars. But I'm invested, and this does have the advantage of novelty when it could have stayed formulaic light action fare. This is a series where the young Vlad and the old Vlad show huge changes in pretty much everything.
December 15, 2023
In Tsalmoth, all Vlad wants is his eight hundred gold. When an apothecary from the House of the Tsalmoth who owes Vlad money is murdered, Vlad tries to find someone he can collect his money from. This leads him on an increasingly complicated investigation that reveals a number of conspiracies that turn out to originate from the former Tsalmoth Heiress. (A woman who is a complete failure as a Chess Master.)
Chronologically, most of this book takes place after Yendi. (There is an epilog that takes place years in the future, though it’s not clear where in the timeline the point of view is from.) In between Vlad’s attempts to collect his debt, we get to watch Vlad be a giddy doofus because he’s getting married. (While attempting to assure the reader that really, he’s a tough guy! A very dangerous character! Sadly for Vlad, absolutely no one is convinced of this.)
The chapter headings involve Vlad having a lot to say about marriage. He describes the wedding customs of various Houses and also Eastern customs. (Specifically the customs of Fenario.) He talks about the plans he and Cawti are making for the wedding. You the reader, are completely and utterly spoiled for how this marriage ends and if you are anything like me you are staring in abject horror at the train wreck you know is going to happen. Needless to say this book is a terrible place to start the series from.
A few things we learn: We learn the reason behind Vlad’s recurring memory problems that have been mentioned here and there in the series. We also get the story for the framing element of “Vlad is literally telling someone this story, and they are recording it,” that is present in the series. (There is a connection between the memory problems and the recordings.)
(Also: Devera cameo!)
A lot of the humor fell down in this one, but I think it was somewhat deliberate. Brust is making it clear that the seeds of the eventual end of Vlad and Cawti’s marriage were there from the beginning. This tactic is extremely effective but it does not make Vlad a particularly sympathetic character.
I did like this book, though I found it difficult to get into. (The future trainwreck was just too much for me. Also, the deliberate “yes, Vlad is not as funny as he thinks he is,” was a little off putting.) Tsalmoth is well worth reading if you are a long time fan of the series.
Chronologically, most of this book takes place after Yendi. (There is an epilog that takes place years in the future, though it’s not clear where in the timeline the point of view is from.) In between Vlad’s attempts to collect his debt, we get to watch Vlad be a giddy doofus because he’s getting married. (While attempting to assure the reader that really, he’s a tough guy! A very dangerous character! Sadly for Vlad, absolutely no one is convinced of this.)
The chapter headings involve Vlad having a lot to say about marriage. He describes the wedding customs of various Houses and also Eastern customs. (Specifically the customs of Fenario.) He talks about the plans he and Cawti are making for the wedding. You the reader, are completely and utterly spoiled for how this marriage ends and if you are anything like me you are staring in abject horror at the train wreck you know is going to happen. Needless to say this book is a terrible place to start the series from.
A few things we learn: We learn the reason behind Vlad’s recurring memory problems that have been mentioned here and there in the series. We also get the story for the framing element of “Vlad is literally telling someone this story, and they are recording it,” that is present in the series. (There is a connection between the memory problems and the recordings.)
(Also: Devera cameo!)
A lot of the humor fell down in this one, but I think it was somewhat deliberate. Brust is making it clear that the seeds of the eventual end of Vlad and Cawti’s marriage were there from the beginning. This tactic is extremely effective but it does not make Vlad a particularly sympathetic character.
I did like this book, though I found it difficult to get into. (The future trainwreck was just too much for me. Also, the deliberate “yes, Vlad is not as funny as he thinks he is,” was a little off putting.) Tsalmoth is well worth reading if you are a long time fan of the series.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 29, 2024
[3.5 stars really]
“Tsalmoth” reminds me of “Vallista”, in that it contains absolutely essential revelations — even more of them this time! — in a book whose plot strikes me as being mostly disposable. Brust loves his flashback books, of course, and in the past he deployed them well. “Yendi” and “Taltos” were still in the early part of the series, so there was plenty to be learned about Vlad, his friends, and his milieu. “Dragon” and “Jhegaala” came later, so there was less work for a flashback to do, but by putting Vlad into an unusual setting — an army fighting a war, an Eastern town — Brust could still make good use of them. The first part of Tiassa was the first time the flashbacks started to feel a bit superfluous: Brust likes to play around with chronology, and in this case he could also set up a crossover event with his other Dragaeran series, but the connection to the larger series felt surprisingly tenuous. Sure, we learned some useful pieces of information, but while it wouldn’t be fair to call the story surrounding those tidbits forgettable, it was far from essential. It didn’t really add to our understanding of Vlad, or his friends, or his world. And the same is true of “Vallista” and “Tsalmoth”: they’re essential, but not because of the story, only the information it contains. Which is, I think, why they aren’t as much fun as the earlier flashback books. Not that Tsalmoth isn’t fun: it’s a typical Vlad story, and since it’s early Vlad — the book takes place sometime between “Yendi” and “Jhereg” — all the usual suspects are here as well. Brust writes a capable plot with the usual twists and turns, Vlad and Loiosh crack wise as well as ever, and yet somehow I wasn’t drawn into it in the same way. Maybe it’s because the factors that drive the plot — a debt that Vlad would like repaid, and then a dispute over who ought to be the Tsalmoth Heir — didn’t seem that interesting, or maybe because there was a fairly clear disconnect between the part of the plot where we learn things that matter for the series and the part of the plot where things happen. At any rate, if you’ve gotten this far you of course have to read “Tsalmoth”, and you won’t regret it, but Brust has definitely done better.
“Tsalmoth” reminds me of “Vallista”, in that it contains absolutely essential revelations — even more of them this time! — in a book whose plot strikes me as being mostly disposable. Brust loves his flashback books, of course, and in the past he deployed them well. “Yendi” and “Taltos” were still in the early part of the series, so there was plenty to be learned about Vlad, his friends, and his milieu. “Dragon” and “Jhegaala” came later, so there was less work for a flashback to do, but by putting Vlad into an unusual setting — an army fighting a war, an Eastern town — Brust could still make good use of them. The first part of Tiassa was the first time the flashbacks started to feel a bit superfluous: Brust likes to play around with chronology, and in this case he could also set up a crossover event with his other Dragaeran series, but the connection to the larger series felt surprisingly tenuous. Sure, we learned some useful pieces of information, but while it wouldn’t be fair to call the story surrounding those tidbits forgettable, it was far from essential. It didn’t really add to our understanding of Vlad, or his friends, or his world. And the same is true of “Vallista” and “Tsalmoth”: they’re essential, but not because of the story, only the information it contains. Which is, I think, why they aren’t as much fun as the earlier flashback books. Not that Tsalmoth isn’t fun: it’s a typical Vlad story, and since it’s early Vlad — the book takes place sometime between “Yendi” and “Jhereg” — all the usual suspects are here as well. Brust writes a capable plot with the usual twists and turns, Vlad and Loiosh crack wise as well as ever, and yet somehow I wasn’t drawn into it in the same way. Maybe it’s because the factors that drive the plot — a debt that Vlad would like repaid, and then a dispute over who ought to be the Tsalmoth Heir — didn’t seem that interesting, or maybe because there was a fairly clear disconnect between the part of the plot where we learn things that matter for the series and the part of the plot where things happen. At any rate, if you’ve gotten this far you of course have to read “Tsalmoth”, and you won’t regret it, but Brust has definitely done better.
April 3, 2025
We've gone back to near the beginning of the protagonist's timeline again, in the days when he was still a low-level Jhereg crime boss. It's a productive visit, however -- not so much for the immediate plot, which is a very typical Taltos affair, but for the fact that we find him in the midst of his lovestruck courtship with Cawti, his future ex-wife. This is an era that author Steven Brust has largely skipped over in the past, moving the couple from initial attraction to estrangement between novels. It's nice to finally see the characters together and happy, despite knowing (unless you're reading this series in chronological order or otherwise skipping volumes, I suppose) that it doesn't last.
As for the story, it's fun and convoluted as usual too. The antihero makes for an amusing detective this time, as his main motivation is simply to recoup his losses from a man who was killed by unknown parties while owing him a modest sum. Vlad repeatedly shakes down people who could easily settle up for that amount as he investigates the murder, but because none of them believe he's really just after the money, they instead draw him further and further into their own complicated schemes and wind up toppling everything they're trying to accomplish.
There's an odd writing choice to have the narrator claim not to know basic words like "thwart" and "catharsis," which is a meathead characterization that's never been true of him at any age before. I have to assume it's intended as a running joke rather than representing either a retcon or a mistake, but it feels strange that it goes entirely unaddressed within the text (unlike a similar apparent plot hole regarding his knowledge of certain matters that does eventually get called out and explained). That aside, though, this 2023 installment is overall a fine addition to its sequence.
[Content warning for gore.]
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As for the story, it's fun and convoluted as usual too. The antihero makes for an amusing detective this time, as his main motivation is simply to recoup his losses from a man who was killed by unknown parties while owing him a modest sum. Vlad repeatedly shakes down people who could easily settle up for that amount as he investigates the murder, but because none of them believe he's really just after the money, they instead draw him further and further into their own complicated schemes and wind up toppling everything they're trying to accomplish.
There's an odd writing choice to have the narrator claim not to know basic words like "thwart" and "catharsis," which is a meathead characterization that's never been true of him at any age before. I have to assume it's intended as a running joke rather than representing either a retcon or a mistake, but it feels strange that it goes entirely unaddressed within the text (unlike a similar apparent plot hole regarding his knowledge of certain matters that does eventually get called out and explained). That aside, though, this 2023 installment is overall a fine addition to its sequence.
[Content warning for gore.]
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March 5, 2024
Ah, so glad to have another Vlad Taltos tale. At first, I was delaying reading this installment (Vlad Taltos, bk 16) because suddenly he's getting married and he's HAPPY. (Both of these seemed somewhat out of character to me.)
Then, when I finally picked up the book, I realized that his bride-to-be is none other than his longtime flame Cawti.
Cawti, I remember. I like Cawti. Cawti is a fellow Easterner (human race), Jhereg clan, and assassin. Suddenly I was totally on board to read this book!
So, the book opens with a Tsalmoth clan man who had borrowed money from Vlad suddenly turning up dead. All Vlad can think of is how to get his 800 Imperial golds back. (The Tsalmoth had borrowed 1,000 but had already made his first $200 payment.)
I like the way this book was structured. The wedding plans/wedding ceremony had the chapter headings. Like it was the A story and not Vlad's dogged pursuit of the 800 golds he was owed (allegedly the B story). And yes, the quest to get Vlad's golds back takes up the entire book. That said, I very much enjoyed this tale / Vlad Taltos installment.
The Vlad Taltos books are told in first person by our (sometimes unreliable) narrator Vlad himself. Yes, MAYBE you could pick up this book without having read the first 15 but you will definitely regret it.
Easterners are witches. But Vlad and Cawti don't live in Eastern lands.
Instead, they live in the Dragaeran Empire, almost entirely populated with Dragaerans, a very long-lived race (yes, multiple hundreds of years).
Dragaerans are sorcerers. Two completely different types of magic.
As you would have discovered in the first 15 Vlad Taltos books, Vlad has powerful friends/allies including very powerful sorcerers. Vlad does his best to take care of his business but when he gets outclassed magically, it is very good to have friends.
Highly recommended for fantasy fans, series fans, and plenty of character-driven action, not to mention the wedding!
Can't wait for the next Vlad Taltos book Lyorn [clan] due to be released next month (April 2024)!
Then, when I finally picked up the book, I realized that his bride-to-be is none other than his longtime flame Cawti.
Cawti, I remember. I like Cawti. Cawti is a fellow Easterner (human race), Jhereg clan, and assassin. Suddenly I was totally on board to read this book!
So, the book opens with a Tsalmoth clan man who had borrowed money from Vlad suddenly turning up dead. All Vlad can think of is how to get his 800 Imperial golds back. (The Tsalmoth had borrowed 1,000 but had already made his first $200 payment.)
I like the way this book was structured. The wedding plans/wedding ceremony had the chapter headings. Like it was the A story and not Vlad's dogged pursuit of the 800 golds he was owed (allegedly the B story). And yes, the quest to get Vlad's golds back takes up the entire book. That said, I very much enjoyed this tale / Vlad Taltos installment.
The Vlad Taltos books are told in first person by our (sometimes unreliable) narrator Vlad himself. Yes, MAYBE you could pick up this book without having read the first 15 but you will definitely regret it.
Easterners are witches. But Vlad and Cawti don't live in Eastern lands.
Instead, they live in the Dragaeran Empire, almost entirely populated with Dragaerans, a very long-lived race (yes, multiple hundreds of years).
Dragaerans are sorcerers. Two completely different types of magic.
As you would have discovered in the first 15 Vlad Taltos books, Vlad has powerful friends/allies including very powerful sorcerers. Vlad does his best to take care of his business but when he gets outclassed magically, it is very good to have friends.
Highly recommended for fantasy fans, series fans, and plenty of character-driven action, not to mention the wedding!
Can't wait for the next Vlad Taltos book Lyorn [clan] due to be released next month (April 2024)!
September 6, 2023
I can’t say I’m a big fan of the flashback story as a general rule, but I get that not all of Vlad’s tale fits into a neat order or ever really has. In a world full of millennia-old sorcerers, some stories just play out on a different scale than others. That said, this one felt especially odd and out of place. Having just resolved Vlad’s crisis and exile in the previous couple of volumes, to jump back to pre-wedding Vlad and introduce a major change to the character that has heretofore been conveniently glossed over due to some amnesia spells seems especially jarring.
Added to that is Vlad’s “voice” in this one…I get that we’re supposedly hearing the oral history of a younger and less experienced Vlad, there’s still some ways in which he just sounds…different. Less clever rake and more uneducated thug? He’s always been a talker more than a scholar, but he never came across as some kind of uneducated goon before. Here, he spends quite a bit of time not understanding the words being used by people around him, which really struck me as odd. I grant I’ve been reading these books spread out across two decades, but here it just felt like somebody else was writing Vlad’s dialogue, and it really put me off. Maybe I misremember early Vlad and he used to talk more like a mafioso street thug, but in any case it isn’t how he’s sounded in any of the more recent books.
The plot here is sort of secondary to the revelations of Vlad’s backstory and his previously unknown metaphysical change-of-state, but it’s a pretty good one. Lots of internecine squabbles within the Jhereg (Right and Left Hand), tied up with a centuries old rebellion against the Empire and disgraced nobility. There’s a lot more presence of Vlad’s powerful friends, which is always fun, and the moments of his engagement and subsequent wedding planning with Cawti gave us a lot more of her than I’ve seen in a long time, and that was fun.
Added to that is Vlad’s “voice” in this one…I get that we’re supposedly hearing the oral history of a younger and less experienced Vlad, there’s still some ways in which he just sounds…different. Less clever rake and more uneducated thug? He’s always been a talker more than a scholar, but he never came across as some kind of uneducated goon before. Here, he spends quite a bit of time not understanding the words being used by people around him, which really struck me as odd. I grant I’ve been reading these books spread out across two decades, but here it just felt like somebody else was writing Vlad’s dialogue, and it really put me off. Maybe I misremember early Vlad and he used to talk more like a mafioso street thug, but in any case it isn’t how he’s sounded in any of the more recent books.
The plot here is sort of secondary to the revelations of Vlad’s backstory and his previously unknown metaphysical change-of-state, but it’s a pretty good one. Lots of internecine squabbles within the Jhereg (Right and Left Hand), tied up with a centuries old rebellion against the Empire and disgraced nobility. There’s a lot more presence of Vlad’s powerful friends, which is always fun, and the moments of his engagement and subsequent wedding planning with Cawti gave us a lot more of her than I’ve seen in a long time, and that was fun.
April 30, 2023
My selection for the 'Sequel' square for the r/Fantasy 2023 Bingo.
After a wait of six years, Vlad is back! I read the first book in this series (which was published in 1983) in 1992. I quickly caught up with all the ones that had already been published, then continued to read them as they came out. It's wonderful when, after all these years you find that the latest one is just as much fun as most of the previous ones.
In this one, the author does romance, or should that be "romance", because when it comes to Vlad and Cawti things are definitely not normal. They are planning to get married, but then one of Vlad's customers dies owing him money. Vlad attempts to retrieve it, but it turns out to be more complicated than original anticipated, so he (this time accompanied by his betrothed) goes off on another adventure.
All of your favorite characters are here. albeit some only have minor cameos. There's the usual humor and snark (but less "Shut up Loiosh!"). It's actually quite a complex plot (that summarized in a couple places in case you've lost it), but it does all unravel and get explained. It sure helps that Vlad has some very powerful friends.
If you haven't come across this series, you should really start at the beginning (or memorize the fan wiki) as there is so much world-building, history and back-story. But in my opinion it's well worth it. I hope we don't have to wait another six years for the next one.
(Other 2023 Bingo squares that this would fit: Published in 2023; Multiverse and Alternate Realities (HM). There is one other square this book would fit (hard mode), but it would be a major spoiler, so I'm not going to provide it).
After a wait of six years, Vlad is back! I read the first book in this series (which was published in 1983) in 1992. I quickly caught up with all the ones that had already been published, then continued to read them as they came out. It's wonderful when, after all these years you find that the latest one is just as much fun as most of the previous ones.
In this one, the author does romance, or should that be "romance", because when it comes to Vlad and Cawti things are definitely not normal. They are planning to get married, but then one of Vlad's customers dies owing him money. Vlad attempts to retrieve it, but it turns out to be more complicated than original anticipated, so he (this time accompanied by his betrothed) goes off on another adventure.
All of your favorite characters are here. albeit some only have minor cameos. There's the usual humor and snark (but less "Shut up Loiosh!"). It's actually quite a complex plot (that summarized in a couple places in case you've lost it), but it does all unravel and get explained. It sure helps that Vlad has some very powerful friends.
If you haven't come across this series, you should really start at the beginning (or memorize the fan wiki) as there is so much world-building, history and back-story. But in my opinion it's well worth it. I hope we don't have to wait another six years for the next one.
(Other 2023 Bingo squares that this would fit: Published in 2023; Multiverse and Alternate Realities (HM). There is one other square this book would fit (hard mode), but it would be a major spoiler, so I'm not going to provide it).
July 11, 2023
Tsalmoth is yet another flashback book in the Jhereg series, this one filling in some space between the flashbacks of Yendi and Jhereg itself. For the billionth time, this one made me wish these stories had been told a little more in narrative order instead of jumping forward and backward so much — this one's heavily focused on the building love affair between Vlad and Cawti, which we saw disintegrate horribly in book 3 all the way back in 1987. I just wish these novels had built up that relationship (and Vlad's crime-boss-and-assassin era) back in the day enough that I felt invested in it — getting the story in these long back and forth jumps over decades just makes this whole book seem like an ugly, cynical irony, where we're watching these two coo over each other and plan their wedding for maximum tradition and romance, all while we know how quickly and painfully it all fell apart.
The central mystery in this one (who offed this guy who owed Vlad money, and why?) was pretty grabby, and lured me back to the series enough that I wound up re-reading a bunch of the early books shortly afterward. But I think people who read this series in the future, and take it in narrative order instead of release order, are just going to have a much fuller and more complete experience than I did reading them as they come out — they'll have a chance to get invested in this relationship before it flames out, and to get to know Vlad more as a capable and functional guy before he falls apart. I'm very curious how this series is going to end, supposedly just two more books from now.
The central mystery in this one (who offed this guy who owed Vlad money, and why?) was pretty grabby, and lured me back to the series enough that I wound up re-reading a bunch of the early books shortly afterward. But I think people who read this series in the future, and take it in narrative order instead of release order, are just going to have a much fuller and more complete experience than I did reading them as they come out — they'll have a chance to get invested in this relationship before it flames out, and to get to know Vlad more as a capable and functional guy before he falls apart. I'm very curious how this series is going to end, supposedly just two more books from now.
May 1, 2023
Vlad Taltos #16
This story takes place in an earlier timeframe: shortly after Vlad and Cawti became an item. The two are planning their wedding when one of Vlad's customers cheats him out of eight hundred gold imperials. Vlad decides to get his money back, plus expenses, and nothing turns out to be easy.
It was a lot of fun being back in that period of the series. A lot of the characters missing in the later internal-chronology books were back. It was also great to have Vlad and Kragar working together in that upstairs office. Their conversations are always funny! It was interesting to see Vlad portrayed as his younger, immature and unwise self.
Each chapter had a title and an italicized opening outlining an aspect of Vlad and Cawti's wedding planning; they were both subtle hints about the upcoming content within that chapter. Sometimes I didn't catch the reference until that chapter was over, and then I would have an Ah-Ha! moment. The narrative is mostly Vlad's first-person perspective, except for one notable scene where it becomes Morrolan's third-person point of view.
Just as in the rest of the series, the dialogue is snappy, the pacing is good, and the characters are terrific. According to the author's website, there will be another book in 2024: Lyorn. Yay!!
This story takes place in an earlier timeframe: shortly after Vlad and Cawti became an item. The two are planning their wedding when one of Vlad's customers cheats him out of eight hundred gold imperials. Vlad decides to get his money back, plus expenses, and nothing turns out to be easy.
It was a lot of fun being back in that period of the series. A lot of the characters missing in the later internal-chronology books were back. It was also great to have Vlad and Kragar working together in that upstairs office. Their conversations are always funny! It was interesting to see Vlad portrayed as his younger, immature and unwise self.
Each chapter had a title and an italicized opening outlining an aspect of Vlad and Cawti's wedding planning; they were both subtle hints about the upcoming content within that chapter. Sometimes I didn't catch the reference until that chapter was over, and then I would have an Ah-Ha! moment. The narrative is mostly Vlad's first-person perspective, except for one notable scene where it becomes Morrolan's third-person point of view.
Just as in the rest of the series, the dialogue is snappy, the pacing is good, and the characters are terrific. According to the author's website, there will be another book in 2024: Lyorn. Yay!!
May 2, 2023
"Have you ever noticed that getting married is like trying to collect a debt from a dead guy?"
My favorite sarcastic mob assassin is back! And he's getting married! So anyway, a small bit of background - Brust's Taltos novels are a long-running non-linear series of the adventures of a witch and assassin, in a world where everyone is bigger, longer-lived, and more magical than he is; he's been a mob boss, a killer on the run, a friend of the great and powerful, a supporter of the oppressed - this is the story of his marriage to Cawti (his rival, and wife, and ex, at various points). Oh and also there's this debt he needs to collect, from someone inconveniently dead. So with an endless supply of dry wit, a flying dragon-like familiar, a collection of friends and some good food, he's going find a way to deal with both of these things. Honestly, you could probably just start reading here, if you don't mind a bit of references that you'll understand later, and you'll have a really enjoyable time as he tries to get to the bottom of the mysteries.
(There's also a really good three-book collection called 'The Book of Jhereg' that contains the first three volumes, if you want to start at the 'beginning' -- fans of Lynch's Gentleman Bastards, or Week's Night Angel books really owe it themselves to check this out; there's a reason that sarcastic quippy assassin - ruthless to enemies, devoted to friends - is such a good trope, and Brust has been writing this for decades.)
My favorite sarcastic mob assassin is back! And he's getting married! So anyway, a small bit of background - Brust's Taltos novels are a long-running non-linear series of the adventures of a witch and assassin, in a world where everyone is bigger, longer-lived, and more magical than he is; he's been a mob boss, a killer on the run, a friend of the great and powerful, a supporter of the oppressed - this is the story of his marriage to Cawti (his rival, and wife, and ex, at various points). Oh and also there's this debt he needs to collect, from someone inconveniently dead. So with an endless supply of dry wit, a flying dragon-like familiar, a collection of friends and some good food, he's going find a way to deal with both of these things. Honestly, you could probably just start reading here, if you don't mind a bit of references that you'll understand later, and you'll have a really enjoyable time as he tries to get to the bottom of the mysteries.
(There's also a really good three-book collection called 'The Book of Jhereg' that contains the first three volumes, if you want to start at the 'beginning' -- fans of Lynch's Gentleman Bastards, or Week's Night Angel books really owe it themselves to check this out; there's a reason that sarcastic quippy assassin - ruthless to enemies, devoted to friends - is such a good trope, and Brust has been writing this for decades.)
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