Jhereg

Vlad Taltos, Book 1

By: Steven Brust

Narrated by: Bernard Setaro Clark

Length: 8 hrs and 40 mins

Publisher's summary

Vlad Taltos is a mobster and assassin in the magical metropolis of Adrilankha. A member of the Great House of Jhereg (named for the tiny dragon-like creatures native to Dragaera), Taltos is given the largest contract of his career but the job is even more complicated than he expects.

The first book in Stephen Brust's "Vlad Taltos" series, Jhereg has also been adapted into a graphic novel by Marvel Comics. Here, Bernard Setaro Clark brings the tale to life in a rousing performance.

©1983 Steven K. Z. Brust (P)2012 Audible, Inc.

in between

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

yes & maybe
Maybe because in was a little tedious & yes because I listened to all of it

Did the narration match the pace of the story?

yes

Do you think Jhereg needs a follow-up book? Why or why not?

I did not feel the story line was very interesting & would not read a follow up

Any additional comments?

disappointing

Story better than the narration..Huh?

I did not think such a combination was possible. The story is one of assassination. Oh, but how to do the execution without possibility of revivification or breaking the laws of Castle Black. The assassin must not contribute to the next war between the Dragon and Jhereg Clans. So many factors make this a good story. I really wanted to keep listening and enjoyed it overall.
I just had to ignore the reader's voice. Especially when it came to the main character. He was flat. It made it so that I did not like my main character. He sounded childish and petulant. He did a pretty good job with every one else. The female voices also were too faint. I had to keep increasing the volume for the women and then putting it down again for the men. Surely a technician should have been able to control this. In spite of all this , though, we listened to the whole thing. Great Story!

interesting concept

Would you try another book from Steven Brust and/or Bernard Setaro Clark?

yes

What did you like best about this story?

different than usual fantasy

What about Bernard Setaro Clark’s performance did you like?

good but neeeds a bit more umph james marsters has it all

Was Jhereg worth the listening time?

yes

Any additional comments?

hard to folow when listening in short stints. some names with M too similar maybe just me not having the time to listen for long periods

Truly excellent book! Well worth listening to.

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Absolutely, although I think that not everyone would get the intelligence. The humor is probably accessible to everyone.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Jhereg?

The scenes that reference other parts of the main story arcs. Like the visions Vlad has while doing the witchcraft spell to find the bad guy.

Have you listened to any of Bernard Setaro Clark’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

No. I really liked his performance in this book. His voices brought the characters to life and generally seem to fit the characters themselves. His excellent performance complimented this smartly written book.

Any additional comments?

A great book, just as good now as when I first read it years ago. The performance really brought the book to life. This definitely worth the use of a credit. I had forgotten how charming I found Vlad Taltos when I first discovered this book. The book itself is funny, intelligent, and set in a very thoroughly conceived and complex world. The most amazing thing about this book (and the series) is the re-readability of it. I have read it several times in the past, and now listened to it once. I plan on listening to the rest of the series in the original publication order, and then going back to either read or listen to the series in chronological order. The book is even more enjoyable to me now as mid forties adult as it was to me in my early to mid 20's.

Before Harry Dresden, There Was Vlad Taltos

I've loved Steven Brust's books for almost 20 years, and it's a joy to finally have them as audiobooks. Fans of the Dresden Files will probably enjoy the Vlad Taltos books because they have several similarities, to the extent that I wonder if Jim Butcher had read them before writing his own.

This book, like (almost) all the Vlad Taltos books, is written in the first person, in Vlad's voice. And what a fun voice it is. Vlad is snarky, irreverent, insightful, and it's always a joy to hear him banter with his familiar Loiosh, his assistant Kragar, and the other characters.

The plotting is also really tight in Jhereg. It's a fantasy novel with some noir trappings, but its plot is essentially a heist, like Ocean's Eleven with sorcery and assassination.

I'm normally wary about starting a new series of books, as I'm weary of sprawling fantasy epics that never end. But the books in this series are all self-contained, each having a self-contained story with a beginning, a middle, and an end. There is some continuity between books, and they jump around in time, but I recommend reading them in order of publication, as they are numbered by Audible.

droll but oh so funny

Serious, too. A very subtle book. May require being in the proper mood. But if the stars align you'll love it as I did.

Unexpected enjoyment!

I bought this audio book on a Daily Sale. I bought it quite some time ago, and honestly, had forgotten about it. As I was scrolling through my library deciding what to listen to next, this one caught my eye, and I thought, what the heck. I have to say, I was pleasantly surprised! I liked this book much more than I thought I would. Excellent world created by the author, and the characters were true. Great experience, and I will be purchasing the next book in the series!

Vlad does a bit of "work."

Any additional comments?

The first novel in a long-running and much-loved fantasy series. The characters are good, as is the world building, though the plot runs a little thin at times. Clark's narration was solid. His character voice variations were great, just enough to give each a distinct sound without sounding silly (with the exception of his jhereg voice that made me think of Ren and Stimpy).

Fast Paced Action.

Vlad is a human easterner that has the ability to do some witchcraft. He summons a Jhereg (small dragon the size of a cat with human like intelligence) and receives an egg. Vlad bonds with the Jhereg and they have a mental bond. Vlad sales his fathers restaurant to become an assassin working for Dragaerans (they live for thousands of years and have several unique ability's of their own). There's a twist in this world just because you're killed doesn't mean you're really dead, people can be brought back to life.

If your a Rogue, this ones for you!

I have read this book as well as the rest of the Vald Taltos series many times. They are great reads and this was a very well done Audiobook performance.

If you are a fan of the wise-cracking, well-meaning but not always best acting hero then you will enjoy this book and the rest of the series.

Burst does a good job of filling in the details on the world of Vlad Taltos without burying the reader in too much history all at once. The details are delivered in context in and relevance to each stage of the story as you progress.

The story is light hearted, fast paced with likable and relatable characters. Who doesn't like the idea of a loyal but snarky familiar.

It is a fun, entertaining fantasy novel with as much or as little depth as you would like. Its a great listen when you want a good adventure with plenty of chuckles along the way. Good for tweens, teens and adults.