Pam's Book Log

6 April, 2004

Brust-a-palooza continues, with the fifth Vlad Taltos book. This one is a direct follow-up to Teckla. Kelley's group is still fomenting revolution among the Empire's lower classes, Cawti is still part of the group, Vlad is still questioning his life and his values. In the midst of this, Demon Goddess Verra hires Vlad to assassinate the King of a pissant little island nation. (Verra gives plausible reasons why she needs Vlad to do this, although they might not be her real, true reasons. Or at least not all of them.) Naturally, the islanders don't take kindly to this, and soon war is brewing. What with the combination of a foreign war and a brewing domestic rebellion, the Empress is Not Amused. When Cawti is arrested along with the rest of her comrades-in-arms, Vlad is Not Amused.

This may be the most aptly-titled Vlad novel in the series (I know he deliberately matches the titles to plots, but this one is especially appropriate). By the end, Vlad's old life is in ashes, and he has begun a new one, separate from almost everything he's known before (he still has Loiosh & Rocza).

Bits:

I now know why Daro (from the Paarfi books) likes to wear red, even though she is a Tiassa (house colors blue and white): in Phoenix, she's described as a Lyorn! I guess Brust "had a better idea."
So, the Empress's Eastern lover (during Vlad's time) is indeed the same guy as in The Lord of Castle Black, one Laszlo. He's obviously no ordinary Easterner. (Although that was obvious from The Lord of Castle Black.)
My speculations about the metaphysical dangers posed by Kelley's rebellion appear to be supported by Sethra, Zerika, et al's remarks in this book.