39 of 39 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
"I came for the aroma.", July 11, 2008
A few SPOILERS, and three and a half stars.
Steven Brust sure takes forever to write a book, yet the man is worth the wait. He's one of my favorite authors, and I'm always like a pig in odious slop whenever he's writing about Vlad Taltos. JHEGAALA is the eleventh novel in the Taltos series, featuring that wise-cracking assassin and lowly Easterner living in the world of Dragaerans.
Some background stuff: Note that in the world of Dragaera, seven-foot-tall elves (called Dragaerans) are the ruling species, with the Easterners (or humans) predominantly treated as second class citizens. Vlad Taltos had eked out a living as an assassin for the House of the Jhereg and had, for a while, become a minor crime lord. Life was good, and he'd even gotten married. But then certain of his actions (and a peasants' revolt) drew the ire of the Jhereg House and he'd been forced to skedaddle, with assassins fierce on his heels. Several books (
Athyra,
Orca,
Issola (Vlad),
Dzur (Vlad)) have chronicled his adventures during his fugitive years. As things stand presently, Vlad is still on the run and seemingly without direction. So I do wish Brust would get on with current events...
...Because JHEGAALA doesn't catch us up to what Vlad's been up to recently. This eleventh book, instead, tells of a time in Vlad's past, filling in the gap between the life-changing events in
Phoenix and his re-appearance years later in ATHYRA. So, chronologically, DZUR is still the most current novel. In this one, it's only been weeks since Vlad's marriage had soured and since the criminal Jhereg organization had put a contract on him. Vlad decides to leave the Dragaeran Empire and head East, to get even further away from the Jhereg and also to sate his curiousity regarding his mother's murky family roots. A lead takes him to the pungent village of Burz in the human kingdom of Fenario, possibly the home of his mother.
Vlad finds himself in unfamiliar territory, a human having to deal with his own kind. Immediately he's looked on with suspicion and his questions draw uneasy reactions from the villagers, especially when he throws out his old family name of Merss. Then, a tragedy unfolds, this possibly stemming from Vlad's nosiness. Soon Vlad and his winged lizardly familiars, Loiosh and Rocza, are full deep in shady goings-on. Vlad, really out of his element, remains clueless even as the body count piles up and mysterious entities such as the Guild and the Coven make their mark. And where does the elderly Count and his machinations fit in? Vlad has never been good at sleuthing. He'd rather stab something, any day. But, as it turns out, if he wants to get thru this predicament, he'll have to do it while bed-ridden...
Is JHEGAALA worth the wait? I happen to think so, but I can see why other readers might feel cheated. JHEGAALA is one of the slower entries in the Taltos series. New readers are advised to start with something more newbie-friendly, such as TALTOS (
The Book of Taltos) or JHEREG (
The Book of Jhereg (Vlad Taltos)). JHEGAALA, not as action-packed or colorful or boisterous as other Taltos novels, better serves Vlad's longtime fans. If you're up on Vlad's history, then this one goes a ways into filling in the timeline between PHOENIX and ATHYRA. JHEGAALA tends to be more introspective. Vlad really is an alien amongst his own people, having to constantly ferret out the townspeople's customs, beliefs, and frame of mind. Also, I don't think I've ever seen Vlad rendered more distraught or vulnerable. A significant portion of the book has him in helpless convalescence, from which state he's forced to orchestrate his survival. In the Dragaeran Cycle, the House of the Jhegaala reflects metamorphosis and endurance. This certainly applies to what happens to Vlad here.
Steven Brust's writing kept me flipping pages in spite of the languid pace and the lack of enough exciting stuff happening. As always, the entertaining banter between Vlad and Loiosh continues to be a strength. And, as always, it's fun having the story told from Vlad's wry point of view. And here's a thing: Somewhere during the reading, the book becomes a whodunit, and Loiosh and Vlad's wisecracks fit in that genre seamlessly. This is kind of a come-full-circle thing as Brust has admitted that there's a bit of Dashiell Hammett thrown in the writing style of this series. Personally, though, I didn't care all that much for the mystery part (too convoluted); rather, I just sat back and relished Vlad Taltos doing his Vlad Taltos stuff. He's never better than when he's being arrogant and smirky and sarcastic. But if you're new to this series, I can see why this book might not do anything for you.
JHEGAALA isn't at the top of my favorite Vlad Taltos stories, but I'll take what I can get. But I hope the next book in the series catches us up with what Vlad is up to right now. And, hopefully, we get to see more of Vlad's Dragaeran friends and more of Cawti and Noish-pa.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
Best for fans of the series, September 4, 2008
Having read Jhegaala a few weeks ago, and having had time to think about it, I feel that I would recommend it only to people already fans of the series. It seeks to be like Orca, in that it is concerned with solving a mystery rather than executing a plan (or person). It has the slower pace of that novel, as opposed to some in the series that are more action-packed. But I don't think that the resolution of Jhegaala was anywhere near as satisfying. While it's tough to avoid spoilers, I thought that the sequence of events in the resolution was highly unlikely, in terms of an opponent of Vlad's suddenly becoming helpful.
I am glad I read and purchased it; I'm a fan of the series! I very much like that Brust experiments with different narrative and plot styles. It also helps fill the gaps in Vlad's life story.
Finally, I did enjoy it on its own merits, but if this had been my first exposure to the Jhereg series I doubt I'd go looking for the rest.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Strong entry into Taltos series, but not perfect, September 5, 2008
The way Brust hops around his Vlad Taltos series chronologically, it can be difficult to figure out when an individual novel has been set. Jhegaala is no exception. While there is a pattern to Brust's literary madness, it isn't something you should have to think about as you're reading. Since I hadn't re-read the series recently, I found myself wondering exactly when this novel took place midway through the book. What used to be cool and clever has become somewhat problematic.
The rest of the book, however, is a good, solid read. It isn't as fun or exciting as the first few books in the series, nor is it quite as introspective or revealing as books like Taltos or Five Hundred Years after. But it is enjoyable. I do wish Brust would set up a larger story, though ... Jhegaala is essentially a murder mystery, and not a tremendously compelling one. I felt all the way through the novel that I wanted Vlad to get somewhere and he never really did.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
