Issola by Steven BrustMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
The ninth book of the Vlad Taltos series. If you, like me, have made it this far, you know what to expect and Brust serves it up. Vlad is hiding out from the Jhereg mainly and everybody else incidentally. So he is surprised when Lady Teldra, the servant of the Dragonlord Morrolan appears in his campsite one night.
Always willing to hear out the people that seek him out, Vlad learns from her that Morrolan and Aliera are missing. Vlad may talk a good line about being a cold and calculating assassin, but in reality he is easily talked into being part of the rescue mission. And he does wonder why all these wizards and demigods seem to want him included in the effort. Lady Teldra is an Issola (hence the title) which means that she is the soul of courtesy and graciousness. During periods of captivity and when the sorcerors are debating things, Vlad and Teldra discuss manners, politeness, and appropriate behaviour. While there may be epic battles taking place, this quiet discussion becomes the real centre of the novel.
If you're not into that, don't worry—there are threatening Jenoine abductors, tight places to escape from, deadly Morganti weapons being brandished, and a final decisive battle. Vlad is still making smartass remarks and as usual, Loiosh, Vlad's familiar, provides some comic relief. All the stuff we are used to finding in this series.
Book Number 429 of my Science Fiction & Fantasy Reading Project.
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