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The Phoenix Guards Steven Brust 9780812506891 Books

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The Phoenix Guards Steven Brust 9780812506891 Books

I read this as it was recommended before continuing with the jhereg series. Frankly I couldn't stand the dragged out discussions over and over again....
Do you want me to tell you?
I would very much like that.
OK then, I shall tell you.
I'm looking forward to you telling me.
Did you want me to tell you right now?
Now would be pleasant.
OK I will tell you now.
I would love for you to tell me now.
On and on and on all book long with this garbage. I ended up just skimming through a lot of the book to get past the potatoes to find the meat, but there wasn't much to be found. No way am I reading the next one.


Tags : The Phoenix Guards [Steven Brust] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. <div>A thousand years before the birth of Vlad Taltos, the Dragaeran Empire is a hotbed of intrigue, sorcery, intrigue,Steven Brust,The Phoenix Guards,Tor Books,0812506898,Fantasy - Historical,Fantastic fiction.,FICTION Fantasy Historical,Fantasy,Fantasy - Epic,Fiction,Fiction - Fantasy,Fiction Fantasy Epic,Fiction-Fantasy,General Adult,MASS MARKET,Science fiction

The Phoenix Guards Steven Brust 9780812506891 Books Reviews

I've read through this book at least five times. Excellent worldbuilding and a great plot. Some readers will have trouble with the stilted style of prose, but I enjoy it as a change of pace. It's not bad, just different, and it gives this book a distinct feel similar to some of Dumas's works (The Three Musketeers, etc.)
I have owned 2 copies of the paperback and I absolutely ADORE this series.

Yes, the four main characters are homage to some of the most colorful characters in literature ("The Three Musketeers"). So, it stands to reason that Khaavren, Aerich Tazendra and Pel are the four of the most colorful characters in fantasy, period.

Paarfi is a riot himself, if one gets past overblown and wordy style of writing. But to be honest, I never really found him too tedious. Just roll with it and get the joke and his writing style becomes hilarious in its own right. And to be honest, Paarfi's narration never interfere with the situational humor from the characters -- and at times enhanced it. Though, when Paarfi takes a step back and let the characters shine, are the best moments of the tale

Again, probably one of my favorite Dragaeran novels - right up there with "Taltos", "Issola" and "Dragon"
We all know and love Brust, right? He's well known for his Vlad Taltos series, which are set in the Dragaeran empire, an extremely well constructed fantasy world featuring 17 races of Dragaerans and 1 race of Easterners (or humans). "The Phoenix Guards" is set in the same empire but about 1000 years before the birth of Vlad Taltos. In my opinion, this novel is interesting for fans of the Taltos series for two main reasons
1. It shows some of the earlier history of the Dragaeran empire, but from the point of view of a Dragaeran, not from the human point of view of Vlad Taltos. Not only is the main character, Khaavren, a Dragaeran (a Tiassa to be more precise), but the fictional narrator of the story, Paarfi, is a also a Dragaeran.
2. The writing style, which echoes the style of Alexandre Dumas. Imagine long, very intricately constructed sentences, and a focus on very formal, over-polite conversation. (The title of the sequel to this novel, "Five Hundred Years After", is a very obvious reference to "Twenty Years After" by Dumas.) The style is about as far removed from the laconical, witty tone of the Taltos novels.
I enjoyed reading this one more for the curiosity factor than for the actual quality of the novel. The plot is full of intrigue and action, and the characters are likeable enough, but the prose style simply becomes grating after a while. Recommended for Brust fans only.
Before I get started on my review, allow me to make one thing clear--do not read this book simply based on my liking it. You could very well hate it. It is one of the few books I've read which has such a polarizing effect on those who pick it up. It is written in a specific style no longer utilized by modern writers and as such turns a lot of folks off. Read an excerpt if you can. You'll quickly discover if you find the writing entertaining or annoying.

"The Phoenix Guards" is not a new book, but it's been on my "to read" list for ages, and lurking on my almost as long, so I thought it high time to consume it. Anyone who is a fan of Alexander Dumas will recognize the writing style immediately. Mr. Brust emulated Dumas' style beautifully. This is a good thing for folks like me who enjoy long exchanges of inane banter between characters, often without accompanying tags to help you keep track of who said what.

Dumas also used his books to transport his readers to exotic lands. Nowadays we can travel from L.A. to Tokyo in about thirteen hours. In Dumas'time, people just didn't get around as much, or have access to the internet or coffee table books with large photos. As such, Dumas' books were part adventure, part travelogue. Mr. Brust takes this route for his story too (though not to quite the extremes as Dumas). You'll finish the story knowing all sorts of things about a typical roadside inn, you'll learn about the different architectural styles of each emperor, you'll be able to label horses based on color, build and strengths/weaknesses, etc. Yes, lots of detail.

It's not unusual for the story to come to a screeching halt while the narrator describes in exquisite detail what a new character is wearing, how they carry themselves, what about their bone structure, skin color and hair color distinguishes them as a Dragonlord or a Yenti, and even what weapon style they favor. In between are dozens of fights, many of them duels based on honor, and the body count is high. Apparently, it's exhausting to be a gentleman in Mr. Brust's world. One never knows when he might have to defend himself against a verbal slight. I'm fairly certain none of us have run into an artist so hot-headed she lopped someone's head off because he insulted her painting. That's passion!

In the end, the story threads get pulled together neatly, and in a very "Three Musketeers" sort of way, our group of friends go their own way, but leaving us with the hope they might find the time to get together again for more adventures down the road. It's all in good fun and I loved it.

Lee Dunning Author of Exile's Redemption Book One of the Chronicles of Shadow
If you are reading this as a part of your Vlad Taltos journey keep in mind that while this is technically part of the series it not only occurs well before the birth of Vlad, it is also written as a historical fiction written in the empire. The language is formal and flowery, while it takes a couple of chapters to get used to, it becomes a welcome rhythm of speech in the book. I have a far better appreciation for the characters only seen as distant historical figures the main backbone of Vlad's story. Captivating stories in themselves, The Khaavren Romances only enhance my enjoyment of the other books written in this world.
I read this as it was recommended before continuing with the jhereg series. Frankly I couldn't stand the dragged out discussions over and over again....
Do you want me to tell you?
I would very much like that.
OK then, I shall tell you.
I'm looking forward to you telling me.
Did you want me to tell you right now?
Now would be pleasant.
OK I will tell you now.
I would love for you to tell me now.
On and on and on all book long with this garbage. I ended up just skimming through a lot of the book to get past the potatoes to find the meat, but there wasn't much to be found. No way am I reading the next one.