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| Dzur (Vlad) | 
 enlarge | Author: Steven Brust
Publisher: Tor Fantasy
Category: Book
List Price: $6.99
Buy Used: $1.99
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New (35) Used (23) from $1.99
Avg. Customer Rating:  70 reviews
Sales Rank: 70962
Media: Mass Market Paperback
Edition: 1st
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 288
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.3
Dimensions (in): 6.7 x 4.1 x 1
ISBN: 0765341549
Dewey Decimal Number: 813.54
EAN: 9780765341549
ASIN: 0765341549
Publication Date: October 30, 2007
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Product Description
In which Vlad Taltos confronts the Left Hand of the Jhereg…and discovers the game has more players than he thought
Vlad Taltos, short-statured, short-lived human in an Empire of tall, long-lived Dragaerans, has always had to keep his wits about him. Long ago, he made a place for himself as a captain of the Jhereg, the noble house that runs the rackets in the great imperial city of Adrilankha. But love, revolution, betrayal, and revenge ensued, and for years now Vlad has been a man on the run, struggling to stay a step ahead of the Jhereg who would kill him without hesitation.
Now Vlad’s back in Adrilankha. The rackets he used to run are now under the control of the mysterious “Left Hand of the Jhereg”—a secretive cabal of women who report to no man. His ex-wife needs his help. His old enemies aren’t sure whether they want to kill him, or talk to him and then kill him. A goddess may be playing tricks with his memory. And the Great Weapon he’s carrying seems to have plans of its own…
Picking up directly where Issola left off, Dzur gives us Vlad Taltos at his best—swashbuckling storytelling with a wry and gritty edge.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 65 more reviews...
 More a snack than a feast August 10, 2006
62 out of 62 found this review helpful
_Dzur_ is about two-thirds of a Vlad novel. It's got a lot of fabulous dialogue, some sumptuous descriptive writing, and the welcome return of some old friends. What it doesn't have is much in the way of plot.
I was really looking forward to this one. Vlad used to be a small cog in the big machine of Adrilankha. Then he was a desperate refugee. Now he's back in Adrilankha, but no longer as a bit player. Now, he's a power to be reckoned with.
But _Dzur_ doesn't really show much of a change in Vlad, in Adrilankha, or in the relationship between them. Brust could have set the tale in Vlad's early life, before his exile, without many alterations. It's as though Brust, having made Vlad into a big cheese, is trying to explain it all away so that he doesn't have to tell a different kind of story.
Furthermore, having set up the conflict in the opening chapter, Brust follows with a surprisingly low-key plot. Vlad walks around and talks to people a lot. There's only one bit of action, which lasts about a page. The emotional intensity is very low (something that could have been different if Cawti had any major role to play; she appears, vanishes, and comes back for a brief epilogue). And Vlad's ultimate solution to his problem is something he really could have done around chapter 3. All that walking and talking in the middle of the book contributes very little to the end.
If you're new to the series, DO NOT start here. If you like Vlad, on the other hand, you'll probably enjoy reading this novel. It's, well, Vlad-like. (I particularly enjoyed meeting Kragar again.) But don't be surprised if you're hungry again an hour later.
I wanted more from this book August 21, 2006
35 out of 35 found this review helpful
There are quite a few things to like in this, the 10th volume of Steven Brust's Vlad Taltos series. Like that it IS a book in the Vlad Taltos series. And that it takes the reader with interest in Dragaeran events one step closer to the end of a story arc that I suspect will require 8 more books. Not to mention the action and the snappy dialog.
But I felt the bill of fare was just a little too lean. In previous volumes, Brust has managed to balance action and process to a good effect. Here, I often felt left out of the loop. Several times, Vlad made connections that were never explained to my satisfaction, or said something like "the pieces fell into place," without ever saying what the pieces were or how they fit. This bothered me. Since I've never before had trouble following Vlad's reasoning, I mostly ended up feeling that information was withheld to no good purpose, except maybe to move the story along to the more active bits. But since I didn't have the information, the active bits didn't have the impact they could have.
I had a hard time understanding why Vlad got involved in the situation in the first place. This was mainly because his feelings for Cawti at this point in his history were mainly left unexplored. Several times Vlad himself, as narrator, mentioned something from his past and then declined to go into detail. This annoyed me. Even though I've read all the books in this series and understood what he was referring to, I felt hearing some of Vlad's own perspective would not have come amiss.
A couple plot devices seemed misplaced. The subplot about the Demon Goddess served mainly to distract from the main doings of the book. I got the sense of, "this is going to be relevant later and it has to go somewhere..." I wish it had had more bearing on the matter at hand. Also, as much as I enjoy seeing Kiera the Thief, her appearance in this volume seemed largely gratuitous.
Each chapter is preceded, as others have mentioned, with portions of a description of Vlad's long-awaited meal at Valabar's. Brust has used this interweaving technique to great efect before, notably in _Taltos_. Here, it seemed out of place. There was no clear connection between the meal and the rest of the story. Also, the descriptions of the food were so loving and lavish that it made the action seem rather uninteresting in comparison.
Until Chapter 15, I was a little bored by this book. After that, things started happening and got more interesting.
In the end, I was glad to read another Vlad novel, but I felt strongly that this was a book not really meant to stand alone, but best taken in context as a a transitional point of the series. As such, a reader new to the series should not start here.
 Finally! August 9, 2006
14 out of 17 found this review helpful
Thank Goodness! Everything's OK now. Vlad Taltos is finally back for some good, old-fashioned derring-do, as only Steven Brust could write it. With Vlad are his constant companions and bodyguards, Loiosh and Rocza, Vlad's invaluable, wiseacre familiar and his mate. You just can't help but feel a sense of anticipation and excitement when opening a new Steven Brust novel - and it's even twice as electric when the novel's about Vlad.
Here's some background for those unfamiliar with the series: In a world where 7-foot-tall elves (Dragaerans) are considered civilized "humans" and actual humans are dismissively called Easterners, Vlad Taltos has actually done well for himself. In his former vocations as assassin and minor crime lord, Vlad had risen to a dubious position of power and had even befriended "humans" of vast influence, such as Sethra Lavode, Aliera, and Morrolan of Castle Black. But, some years ago, an annoying burst of conscience, as well as several misadventures proving detrimental to the Jhereg and the Dragaeran Empire, combined to alienate him from the Jhereg Organization. For the past several years, Vlad had been constantly on the run, with a price on his head.
This book opens up only an hour or so removed from Vlad's recent escapades narrated in Issola (2001). Dzur has him at last returning to his old stomping grounds, seedy Adrilankha, where he truly belongs. Before Vlad's hasty departure all those years ago, he left his estranged wife Cawti the running of his criminal empire in South Adrilankha. Now, it seems that Cawti has lost control of said empire and is in deep doodoo, as a faction called the Left Hand Of the Jhereg, consisting of deadly female sorcerers, seeks to take over. And because Cawti used to be partnered with the current Dragon Heir to the throne, who may have gotten herself involved, there are grave empirical ramifications to consider. So, of course, it's Vlad to the rescue.
Steven Brust took 5 looooong years off from the Taltos series, instead choosing to spend time crafting the Viscount of Adrilankha trilogy, which was interesting stuff (especially if you like Alexander Dumas) but not nearly as much fun as the exploits of our sneering, sarcastic ex-assassin. Vlad Taltos is one of the most complex, most romantic, and most fully realized characters in literary fantasy. Vlad, in the early books, was corrupt and self-serving, yet endowed with a saving grace of humor, a steadfast sense of loyalty to his friends, and an occasional penchant for doing the right thing.
Then, as chronicled in Phoenix, he had a change of heart about his questionable profession. Oh, he hasn't stopped killing - there are too many bounty hunters and revenge-seekers out there looking to take him down with Morganti weaponry. But what we have now is a decidedly "kinder" Taltos. It was interesting to see Vlad frolic in new environments, as recounted in Athyra, Orca, and Issola. But, now, he's come home. Longtime readers will know what that entails, regarding Cawti and a certain secret she's keeping from Vlad. And will the transmogrified Lady Teldra keep Vlad alive just a bit longer? And will he have any more "chats" with the goddess Verra?
The faithful reader is reintroduced to past characters such as Aibynn, Daymar, and Kragar. And, of course, recurring favorites Sethra, Kiera the Thief (one of my favorites), and Cawti make an appearance. Aliera, Morrolan, and Noish-pa, sadly, do not. But there's a legendary assassin, more dreaded and more capable than Vlad (longtime fans of the series will know who), who makes a fleeting cameo. The reader will also make a new acquaintance who plays a key role in Vlad's machinations: the Dzurlord Telnan (had to be a reason for the book's title, right?).
Dzur is definitely NOT the book to begin reading about Vlad's exploits, as there are plenty of references here that will confuse readers who haven't prior knowledge of Lord Taltos and his world. Trust me, start with Jhereg or Taltos.
Steven Brust, along with Robin McKinley and Nina Kiriki Hoffman, is one of my cherished fantasy writers. Maybe it's his Gypsy heritage, I dunno, but there's something magical and, even after all this time, something still so fresh about his stories. And Brust doesn't get any better than when he's telling stories about Vlad, who is a most cool and romantic figure. And Vlad slinking into Adrilankha's depraved underbelly - ah, that bodes well for the reader. Be warned that the pace of the book is leisurely, as Vlad doesn't get to flex his muscles much here, but, intead, gallivants all over Adrilankha and converses much with Easterners and Dragaerans. But it's still very well done. The writing here is lyrical, even in its colloquialism (except for Athyra, the Taltos books are narrated in first person); the style is evocative in its deceptive simplicity. It's, dare I say, Roger Zelazny-ish. And there's no higher praise than that, really.
Brust does it again! August 31, 2007
13 out of 13 found this review helpful
It is hard to believe that a series of books has kept my attention through 10 books. Yet that is exactly what Brust has done. Every time a new book comes out I go back and reread the entire series up to that point. I read the first ones back in the 80's in high school as they came out, and I thought that the Character of Vlad Taltos was the coolest. He is a member of House Jehreg and a sometime assassin. Vlad once read quickly becomes an immensely popular protagonist. I have introduced these books to numerous friends and all have loved him and the books.
Issola, in the book before Dzur Vlad, is wandering around the countryside with a price on his head, and lamenting about how his life got so turned upside down. Vlad in Dzur, gets to do what he likes best- he starts stirring things up and seeing where the pieces fall.
One of my favorite elements of this series is that you never know how Brust will start chapters off. Each book has had chapter headings in a new and unique way. In the one book it was quick wit "No matter how subtle the wizard a knife between the shoulder blades will seriously cramp his style." In another it is a list of cleaning and repairs to an outfit. In this one it is a recollection of a meal at Valabar's - a restaurant that makes appearances throughout the series. If Brust is able to create the meal described in these snippets he is not only a master wordsmith but must be close to a master chef.
Brust had Vlad come back to the capitol city because his estranged wife is in trouble. He rushes in where angels would fear to tread. He steps into the middle of a power struggle with organized crimes' two sides of the family. He fears getting friends killed or injured, but is more than willing to risk his own neck. However, as Vlad is getting older, he is also mellowing some and maturing.
Vlad realizes that he cannot do it himself. He challenges his patron Goddess to help as much as she can. He also enlists the help of some of those who have offered, but warns them not to take too many risks. Vlad is a little more subdued and subtle in this book compared to some of the earlier ones. However he is just as enjoyable as a character and the journey with him through the adventure in Dzur is as exciting and thrilling as the previous books.
Like the meal described at the beginning of the chapters, Brust's books need to be savored and enjoyed at the pace they come at us. Just as Vlad describes the meal step by step and makes comparisons between preparing a meal and preparing a hit, Brust leads us to discover more and more about Vlad as we go through the courses in this book.
Like each of the previous 9 books in this series, Jhereg (1983), Yendi (1984), Teckla (1987), Taltos (1988), Phoenix (1990), Athyra (1993), Orca (1996), Dragon (1998), Issola (2001), and I'm sure, the forthcoming Jhegaala (2008) this book is a great read. The series is planned to be a total of 19 books, making this one the middle point as far as volumes. It leaves a lot of questions unanswered and the readers salivating for the next volume.
(First Published in Imprint 2007-08-31 as "Series still captivates after 10 books.")
 Not as good as I hoped August 9, 2006
11 out of 14 found this review helpful
I've been waiting for this book since Issola came out, so I was a little dissapointed by the fare this one offered. I think Brust is very much the best writer in the genre, but I think this one got a little bogged down.
Brust's contributions have always been stylistically innovative within fantasy. Like Taltos which had parts of the end introducing each chapter (which he kind of repeated in Dragon), or Yendi when each item of clothing on his shopping list indicated a new twist. But this one seemed to be missing something. The links between the meal at Valabar's and the progression of the book are a little forced. The dialogue is just a little too tried and true. The timing is funny, especially considering most of it takes place within three days of Issola, and all the characters seemed to have moved on exceptionally quickly within hours of defeating a cataclysmic force.
But almost more than all of that, this one didnt seem to live up the title. Vlad has always had more than just a little of the dzur in him, and frankly this time he had more assurances and power than ever before when he confronted overwhelming odds. Again, the link between Dzur and Vlad seemed a little forced whereas the other books indicated an aspect of his personality a little more subtly.
Finally, who introduces new auxiliary characters this late in the game?
It wasnt awful, but it certainly wasnt what I expected.
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