I haven’t been reading for a couple of months now. This is very odd for me. It only happens when I get really stressed and am unable to concentrate properly. I had to break out of not just the stress but the inevitable downer that always hangs around nearby stress. I tried about a dozen books by various authors but I just couldn’t commit to them and stopped reading after a couple of pages. I should have known better and started with this one.
I love the Taltos books. They are my favourite fantasy books. Brust has a style that makes me feel less like I’m reading and more like the story has been implanted in my head. I’ve no idea how this is done but it is like his books were written specifically for me.
Vlad Taltos is an Assassin and former crime boss of a small area. The plots and schemes of Taltos are convoluted and yet elegant. The first person narrative works really well and manages to make the reader forget that they can’t rely on the narrative. That is important as there are things deliberately left out or remain vague. Each plot unfolds like a lotus bloom and leaves the reader grinning. Like most of the Taltos books it can be read alone but there are a lot of things that are improved by understanding the relationships built up in previous books.
This book re-ignited my passion and I’m now reading again. I may have just gone back and read all the previous Taltos books back to back. Don’t judge me. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and recommend it to anybody that enjoys fast-paced, action-packed fantasy.
Tony's Thoughts 