The Phoenix Guards
Aug. 18th, 2019 09:09 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
elfbiterSteven Brust - The Phoenix Guards
(Repost from Livejournal)
This is the first of the Dragaeran books I've managed to read - I'm still missing many Vlad Taltos books. But I think I consider myself impressed. And I'm going to tell you why.
Why, we are eager to hear that
I'm glad you think so
Charmed, I'm sure.
Well, do you condescend to listen?
Flames, it's been an hour since I've been asking anything else!
I shall do so promptly.
Argh!
Brust has written the tale in the style reminiscent of the 19th century romances, with intentional parallels to Dumas's Three Musketeers. But this is not rewritten Three Musketeers (in the way too many fantasy books are rewritten Lord of the Rings).
Dragaera is a land of casual duels where the quick repartee may still save your head. Dragaerans seem to challenge each other to duels almost casually and almost as casually prepare to die. They are long-lived people who can talk about centuries the way we talk about decades. That includes the narrator, historian Paarfi of Roundwood, contemporary of Vlad Taltos who writes about these events millennia after they happened. Paarfi sprinkles in references that are supposed to be familiar to his Dragaeran readers.
Relatively young Khaavren of the Casterock (only couple of centuries old) of the House of Tiassa comes to Dragaera City to join the royal Phoenix Guards. The cycle of time had lead to the end of the rule of the House of Dragon and the House of Phoenix now has their emperor Tortaalik on the throne. It also means that the members of the other houses now have an opportunity to join the otherwise Dragon-dominated Phoenix Guards.
Khaavren quickly befriends three other prospective candidates, Phel, Aerich and Thazedra and they buy a house together. At least as quickly they end up mixed up with courtly intrigue when some advisors want to influence the Phoenix emperor to get what they want. In their way. Different lines of the House of Dragon are jockeying for positions and noble titles. And some of them are wiling to resort to murder. And in the middle of this is a painter Kathena who some people want to protect only so they could expose her in a moment that would give them best political advantages.
Khaavren is proficient with his sword but actually his quick tongue saves the day more than once - even gain peacefully what others would rather have got by force. And that does no please everyone...
>
(Repost from Livejournal)
This is the first of the Dragaeran books I've managed to read - I'm still missing many Vlad Taltos books. But I think I consider myself impressed. And I'm going to tell you why.
Why, we are eager to hear that
I'm glad you think so
Charmed, I'm sure.
Well, do you condescend to listen?
Flames, it's been an hour since I've been asking anything else!
I shall do so promptly.
Argh!
Brust has written the tale in the style reminiscent of the 19th century romances, with intentional parallels to Dumas's Three Musketeers. But this is not rewritten Three Musketeers (in the way too many fantasy books are rewritten Lord of the Rings).
Dragaera is a land of casual duels where the quick repartee may still save your head. Dragaerans seem to challenge each other to duels almost casually and almost as casually prepare to die. They are long-lived people who can talk about centuries the way we talk about decades. That includes the narrator, historian Paarfi of Roundwood, contemporary of Vlad Taltos who writes about these events millennia after they happened. Paarfi sprinkles in references that are supposed to be familiar to his Dragaeran readers.
Relatively young Khaavren of the Casterock (only couple of centuries old) of the House of Tiassa comes to Dragaera City to join the royal Phoenix Guards. The cycle of time had lead to the end of the rule of the House of Dragon and the House of Phoenix now has their emperor Tortaalik on the throne. It also means that the members of the other houses now have an opportunity to join the otherwise Dragon-dominated Phoenix Guards.
Khaavren quickly befriends three other prospective candidates, Phel, Aerich and Thazedra and they buy a house together. At least as quickly they end up mixed up with courtly intrigue when some advisors want to influence the Phoenix emperor to get what they want. In their way. Different lines of the House of Dragon are jockeying for positions and noble titles. And some of them are wiling to resort to murder. And in the middle of this is a painter Kathena who some people want to protect only so they could expose her in a moment that would give them best political advantages.
Khaavren is proficient with his sword but actually his quick tongue saves the day more than once - even gain peacefully what others would rather have got by force. And that does no please everyone...
>
