Tsalmoth

Brust’s wise-cracking crime boss and witch Vlad Taltos returns for an exciting 14th fantasy noir replete with murder, magic, and love (after The Baron of Magister Valley). Vlad is a rare Easterner (read: human) living in the Dragaeran (read: elf) Empire, and he’s bought his way into the criminal House of the Jhereg. Brust’s series moves around on the timeline of Vlad’s life, and this installment fills in some of his early adventures while he is still a low-level boss engaged to fellow Easterner and assassin Cawti. Someone has killed a member of the house of Tsalmoth who owed Vlad 800 imperials, and Vlad hopes to find a way to recoup his loss. In Vlad’s hands, this mission becomes characteristically complicated: before the tale is over, the sorceresses of the Left Hand of the Jhereg become involved; Vlad (temporarily) becomes a demon; and the succession of the House of Tsalmoth comes into question. In between all the chaos, he and Cawti plan their wedding. Vlad’s narration is cocky and quick-witted as ever, and it’s a joy to revisit his usual costars, among them his strangely unnoticeable Jhereg employee, Kragar; his powerful Dragonlord friends Morrolan, Aliera, and Sethra Lavode; and his familiar, Loiosh. Series fans won’t want to miss this. (Apr.)