Lyorn

Vlad Taltos, Book 17

De: Steven Brust

Narrado por: Kevin Stillwell

All the world's a happy stage. Until the knives come out.... Lyorn is the next adventure in Steven Brust’s best-selling Vlad Taltos series.

Another opening...another cataclysm?

Vlad Taltos is on the run. Again. This time from one of the most powerful forces in his world, the Left Hand, who are intent on ending his very lucrative career. Permanently.

He finds a hidey-hole in a theatre where the players are putting on a show that was banned centuries ago...and is trying to be shut down by the House that once literally killed to keep it from being played.

Vlad will take on a number of roles to save his own skin. And the skins of those he loves.

And along the way, he might find a part that was tailor-made for him.

One that he might not want...but was always his destiny.

©2024 Steven Brust (P)2024 Audible, Inc.

Big improvement over Tsalmoth

Much better with the narration this time around, Vlad especially. Kragar still sounds weird as a Yiddish Norseman but 's what it is.

Good ol’ Vlad

In midst of the odd timelines of the Taltos series, this book brings us ever closer to Vlad’s resolution. The best thing I can say about this book is that it’s a Taltos book, and I mean that with all respect it deserves. It was fun, witty, and to the point. It furthers the plot that Vlad set into motion a few books ago and I am excited for the next!

Much better than Tsalmoth in all ways...

Much better story and performance from Tsalmoth. I just hope Steven Brust carries on with Vlad's story instead of going back to the past again to beat more dead horses that long, long ago turned to dust and blew away in the wind.

amazing story a always

Been reading Brust for years now. I loved this book and am very excited for the last

this... this hit the spot

the story feels like it's moving again and I lived the theater motif. can't wait to see where it goes next.

Good story meh performance

While i like the narrator his performance leaves me wanting the previous narrator back to narrate.

The voice actor

Does not act with his voice. Kreigar sounds like a moron. Lylosh sounds like he is sleeping. The actor does not make the characters sound unique at all. At times it sounds like he is reading things for the first time. The story is great and fun. It’s just the voice actor doesn’t compare to the original. Please bring back Bernard S. Clark.

the story was once again great but

The story was once again great loved the story as always but here's the butt the narrator don't understand how to enunciate any of the characters names properly as an example kragar wants a smooth talking second rank official quick thinker now sounds like a mentally handicap swedish guy if you're going to narrate the book please keep in character it was hard to listen to

Happy to see this finally in Audiobook format

So glad to finally see this book available in Audiobook since I typically have more opportunities to listen to books while driving rather than find the time to sit down to read one. I didn't have much of an issue with Stillwell's narration of the Khaavren Romances, but I wish Benard Setaro Clark had narrated this. After 15 books of Clark narrating this series, I cringed every time Stillwell pronounced Morrolan & Aliera because I was used to how Clark did it thus that was the only right way in my head so I found myself verbally correcting the radio with the "right way" to pronounce their names. The voice for Kragar sounded like the stereotypical dull-minded simpleton in movies, I'd be willing to buy this again if it was redone by Bernard Setaro Clark. As for the story itself if the "One book for each dragaeran house plus the Taltos book for Vlad" formula still stands that makes this one the last book of the series & I hope it is not because it seemed to end abruptly. Simply put I want more of the life, adventures, & mishaps of Vlad Taltos

Entertaining, but not exceptional

And then there were two.

3.5 stars.

As this series nears its end, it's clear that Brust is choosing to be more experimental. This book is a heist novel set entirely in a theater. It's an interesting twist, and the filk lyrics for showtunes heading each chapter are entertaining, but there is a pervasive atmosphere of fatigue here, both for Vlad and from the author.

The heist itself seems a bit more contrived than those in the early books in the series. The short sidequests are fun, but mostly inconsequential. Vlad playing the crimelord is worth reading, but the bits are short. And the implied cliffhanger ending is annoying.

The narrator here doesn't do justice to the chapter head lyrics. A reading more in keeping with the original lyrical tempo and stress would have been much more entertaining. Also, his pronunciation of character names doesn't match the pronunciation guides in early books in the series. (Oddly enough, it does match my natural pronunciation of the same names, but one should really follow the guidelines of the author in these things.) I suspect he would be a really good narrator of different material or with better guidance.

I don't regret reading this book. There were enough enjoyable bits to carry it through to conclusion. But it wasn't one of Brust's best, lacking much of the upbeat suspense of early books. If you're following the series, this is definitely recommended, but it's not a reason to begin the series by itself.