This, finally, is the ninth and latest volume in the story of Vlad
Taltos, and it’s a doozy. During the previous books we’ve occasionally
heard about a mysterious race called the Jenoine who seem to have had
something to do with the creation of the Dragaeran Empire. Apparently
they are really bad news–in fact, Morrolan and Aliera have gone missing,
and Sethra Lavode believes they’ve been captured by the Jenoine. Vlad,
she thinks, might be able to find them.

I don’t want to say too much about this one, as I don’t want to spoil it;
suffice it to say that the Issola of the title is Lady Teldra, Morrolan’s
hostess, and that we finally find out what she’s really like.

Theoretically there should be nine more of these books, one for each of
the remaining houses of the Dragaeran Empire. I’m looking forward to
them, because I have absolutely no idea where Vlad goes from here.