Arterial Spray
Straight from the heart
- Joined
- Apr 1, 2005
- Messages
- 86
Has anyone else read the latest Vlad Taltos novel by Brust?
I have to say that I was somewhat disappointed. There were so many opportunities for really interesting things that never materialized. For example
The book certainly has several cool moments, and the description and dialogue is very nicely done (as usual for Brust). But the plot just didn't have enough steam or coherency to really get my juices going, and in the end a lot of Vlad's walking around and other assorted machinations just didn't seem to be very necessary -- in other words, it was nicely written filler, but filler none the less.
I have to say that I was somewhat disappointed. There were so many opportunities for really interesting things that never materialized. For example
Lady Teldra doesn't do much -- I was hoping from the blurb that 'she' would provide some dramatic tension for the story by challenging Vlad (i.e. doing things to protect him that he didn't want 'her' to do, perhaps even attempting to control him and make him do things 'she' thinks are better for his safety). It looked like this might be starting to happen when Lady Teldra killed that sorceress by reflecting her spell (without Vlad intending for her to die), but Brust didn't develop that situation further in the way I was hoping (though he might do so in later books).
Moreover, although there was a nice moment of tension with Cawti towards the beginning, nothing very interesting came of it -- neither the relationship nor its dysfuntions were developed any further, and IMO Brust missed an opportunity to develop Vlad's character by having him ruminate on why he is doing all this crazy stuff for Cawti, or at very least to have him wonder if he should really be supporting her delusion (i.e. her delusion that by preventing The Organization from operating formally in South Ad. that she will prevent crime there and exploitation of the humans).
Lastly, Brust appears to be saving any confrontation / conflict between Vlad and a grief-stricken / offended Morrolan (over the loss of Lady Teldra) for a later book, but it left this one in a flaccid holding pattern....if you'll pardon the expression.
Rather than pursue any of these interesting storylines, Brust chose to involve Vlad in a convoluted story where he thwarts a number of fairly dull plots and defeats several blandly uninteresting enemies (I long for the days of Mellar, who was a fascinating villain with a fiendishly clever plot). He doesn't even really resolve or develop very far the conflict between Vlad and The Organization -- he has a bit more respect from them, but they haven't agreed to stop trying to kill him.
Moreover, although there was a nice moment of tension with Cawti towards the beginning, nothing very interesting came of it -- neither the relationship nor its dysfuntions were developed any further, and IMO Brust missed an opportunity to develop Vlad's character by having him ruminate on why he is doing all this crazy stuff for Cawti, or at very least to have him wonder if he should really be supporting her delusion (i.e. her delusion that by preventing The Organization from operating formally in South Ad. that she will prevent crime there and exploitation of the humans).
Lastly, Brust appears to be saving any confrontation / conflict between Vlad and a grief-stricken / offended Morrolan (over the loss of Lady Teldra) for a later book, but it left this one in a flaccid holding pattern....if you'll pardon the expression.
Rather than pursue any of these interesting storylines, Brust chose to involve Vlad in a convoluted story where he thwarts a number of fairly dull plots and defeats several blandly uninteresting enemies (I long for the days of Mellar, who was a fascinating villain with a fiendishly clever plot). He doesn't even really resolve or develop very far the conflict between Vlad and The Organization -- he has a bit more respect from them, but they haven't agreed to stop trying to kill him.
The book certainly has several cool moments, and the description and dialogue is very nicely done (as usual for Brust). But the plot just didn't have enough steam or coherency to really get my juices going, and in the end a lot of Vlad's walking around and other assorted machinations just didn't seem to be very necessary -- in other words, it was nicely written filler, but filler none the less.
