This, of course, is the most recent volume in Brust’s long-running “Vlad Taltos” series. It takes place immediately after Phoenix, so far as I can tell. Vlad’s on the run from the Jhereg, and has headed East to his ancestral homeland of Fenario. For a city kid who’s used to living among the non-human citizens of the Dragaeran Empire, other humans are a new challenge for Vlad, and he rises to the occasion. Well, sort of.

As is usual with Brust I read this aloud to Jane. We both enjoyed it well enough–Brust is always fun–but it’s not one of the stronger books in the series, alas. I was hoping for more.

For those who came in late, if you like fantasy you need to go get a copy of the first Vlad novel, Jhereg; it’s also collected with its two successors in an omnibus volume, The Book of Jhereg.