Status
Available
Call number
Series
Genres
Publication
Ace (1990), Edition: Reissue, 10 pages
Description
Verra, Vlad's patron goddess, hires him to assassinate a king whose country lies outside the Dragaeran Empire, resulting in increased tension between the two places. Meanwhile, the peasant Teckla and the human Easterners persevere in their fight for civil rights. As Vlad's wife Cawti is a firm partisan of the movement, and Vlad is not, their marriage continues to suffer, causing Vlad to make some decisions that will change his life forever.
User reviews
LibraryThing member iayork
An outstanding novel: Brust really puts what he's capable of in "Phoenix". He incorporates the suspense of Teckla minus the depressing overtone and the more on unbelievable aspects found in Taltos. And of course you get Loiosh's usual comic relief. It starts off with Vlad being saved by his
*note: this takes place between Teckla and Athyra
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demon-goddess, Verra (Example of the far-out stuff), and has to shine someone for her. It picks up from there. Brust really took his time on the descriptions and Vlad's thoughtshots, esp. in the segment when he is on Greeanare and hides in the tree. Many parts in the island scenes make you want to read on and on until the unexpected happens. You will be surprised at some of this stuff. It all comes down to an unprecedented climax in which Vlad must make a choice that could cost him his life. I'd call it the best in the series.*note: this takes place between Teckla and Athyra
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LibraryThing member silentq
More indirection and intrigue and of course assassination. Vlad offs a king on the command of a goddess and things get... complicated, as they do. Things with his wife continue to chill down, and the book ends on a sadly optimistic note as Vlad reaches an end in his ruminations about the morality
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of being an assassin. Show Less
LibraryThing member pastapril
Another good Taltos book, although I'm not sure I like the ending. I'm just not that interested in the books that come (chronologically) after this.
I love Morollan, Loiosh, and Vlad. I disliked Cawti in this book, because what she was doing didn't seem to have much point and was obviously hurting
I love Morollan, Loiosh, and Vlad. I disliked Cawti in this book, because what she was doing didn't seem to have much point and was obviously hurting
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those around her and she just didn't care. Blech, I always seem to have more sympathy for the men in a marriage going dead (same with Seyonne and Ysanne in the Carol Berg Rai-kirah trilogy). Show Less
LibraryThing member TadAD
After the flashback of Taltos, we return to the time period of the other books and pick up with the story line after Teckla. Like the latter, this is an introspective and downbeat story line, lacking the light-heartedness of the first two books. The characters are still quite good, Brust's writing
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has not diminished but, darn it, I want all of the irreverent humor back, not just the occasional flash! Show Less
LibraryThing member hannah.aviva
I liked this book much better than some of the previous ones. It was cool to see a part of Dragaera other than Adrilankha for once, to see that life is different outside of the empire. I wish there was even more time spent on Greenaere and getting to know Aibynn. It was surprising and intriguing
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finding out the relationship between Verra and Aliera and Vlad. It was also satisfying to finally have Cawti express some emotion towards Vlad at the end. I wonder if Morrolan and Noish-pa will become friends? Show Less
LibraryThing member Herenya
Phoenix is the fifth Vlad book and follows on immediately from Teckla (the third, not the fourth, book). In Teckla Vlad wanders around being kind of angsty. His problems haven't really been resolved by Phoenix, he's just become more resigned to them. It isn't fun the way, say, Taltos was, but I
Also, Vlad still has Loish, his jhereg familiar and one of my favourite characters.
Maybe it’s just me, but it seems like when things are going wrong - your wife is ready to leave you, all your notions about yourself and the world are getting turned around, everything you trusted is becoming questionable - there’s nothing like having someone try to kill you to take your mind off your problems.
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still enjoyed it, because Vlad's problems are interesting and Vlad's a funny guy.Also, Vlad still has Loish, his jhereg familiar and one of my favourite characters.
Maybe it’s just me, but it seems like when things are going wrong - your wife is ready to leave you, all your notions about yourself and the world are getting turned around, everything you trusted is becoming questionable - there’s nothing like having someone try to kill you to take your mind off your problems.
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LibraryThing member jrg1316
Solid book that first introduces Vlad to a land outside of Dragaera. It's a short read, but a lot happens within that timeframe to change Vlad's life forever.
LibraryThing member ChrisRiesbeck
A decent entry in the Taltos saga, but not a good entry point. It's a transitional book. Even though these books are not sequential, this does a fair amount of referring back to others, and is primarily about Vlad questioning who he is and what he does. Since I've never been fond of the hero
Recommended for fans. Novices should start with Jhereg.
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assassin trope, I'm in favor of this debate though I was eager for it to finish one way or the other.Recommended for fans. Novices should start with Jhereg.
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LibraryThing member TheDivineOomba
This one isn't my favorite of these books - However, it does introduce one of my favorite characters, the drummer Aibynn. This is the book that sets Vlad on a totally different trajectory and has him running from the Jhereg. Its a transitory novel, however we learn a bit more about the Demon
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Goddess. Show Less
Awards
Minnesota Book Awards (Finalist — 1991)
Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
1990
Physical description
10 p.; 7 inches
ISBN
0441662250 / 9780441662258