Phoenix by Steven Brust

(Vlad the Assassin, Book 5) There's something about this book that puts it above the first four in the series. I don't know if it was the fact that Brust's writing became better (I didn't really notice anything different) or that Vlad becomes more of a dynamic character, but it was more enjoyable than the others. We finally get to see Vlad doing some real soul searching about what he does for a living. We also see more of the agony he is experiencing due to the fact that his marriage is falling apart. This makes Vlad a much more three dimensional character and more enjoyable to read. I also liked the fact that, towards the end of the book, we get to know his grandfather a little better. I'd love to see him get a bigger part in a future book. The adventure and suspense in this book have been turned up since the last one. I found myself unable to put the book down at night. I always wanted to see what happened next. As far as I'm concerned, this is the best book in the series so far.