335 pages

English language

Published Aug. 5, 2011 by Tor.

ISBN:
9780765312099

View on OpenLibrary

4 stars (1 review)

Long ago, one of the gods fashioned an artifact called the silver tiassa. To Devera the Wanderer, it's a pretty toy to play with. To Vlad Taltos, it's a handy prop for a con he's running. To the Empire, it's a tool to be used against their greatest enemies―the Jenoine. To the Jhereg, it's a trap to kill Vlad. The silver tiassa, however, had its own agenda. Steven Brust's Tiassa tells a story that threads its way through more than ten years of the remarkable life of Vlad Taltos―and, to the delight of longtime fans, brings him together with Khaavren, from The Phoenix Guards and its sequels. Khaavren may be Vlad's best friend―or his most terrible enemy.

1 edition

This one is mostly about nobility, I think.

4 stars

There are three tales in one in this book. Spread over different parts of the timeline but all involve the chasing of a McGuffin object that has cosmic significance. Each of the tales is enjoyable in it's own right and bear all the hallmarks of the series. One tale, however, is told in an antiquated and slightly pompous style which some may find a little grating. There is a point to that, of course. Whilst it is a slight bit of Dumas homage, Brust here borrows the style of writing from his Khaavren romances. Now, I bounced off those books because of that style of writing but the penny finally dropped for me on this re-read of Tiassa. It was a perfect way to reflect on the prejudices and self-involvement of the nobility. I mean, sure, they may be basically decent people engaged in public service but they are still …

Subjects

  • Vlad Taltos (Fictitious character)
  • Fiction