Belated Review: Brust, _Paths of the Dead_
Kate Nepveu
Yay, Brust.
So, _The Paths of the Dead does_, indeed, rock just as much as I'd
hoped during the long wait for it. This is the next book in the series
of Dumas pastiches set on Dragaera; the first two were _The Phoenix
Guards_ and _Five Hundred Years After_. _Paths_ is the either the
third book in the series, or the first part of the three-volume third
book, _The Viscount of Adrilankha_. Normally, I strongly recommend
publication order. However, I do suspect that if all you've read so
far is the Vlad Taltos books, _Paths_ would not be a horrible place to
start the Khaavren series, because it includes many more familiar
characters and referenced events than the prior Khaavren books. (I
think _The Phoenix Guards_ was the first of Brust's Dragaera books I
read; obviously I enjoyed it, but I recall finding the worldbuilding a
bit difficult to decipher. As best I can judge, _Paths_ does a
smoother job of incluing the reader.)
_Paths_ is set approximately 250 years after the Empire was destroyed.
It's clear from the first (even if you haven't read the other books)
that the Empire gets restored; this is the story of how various people
set out to do so. It's a hugely fun ride, one that's extremely smooth
and compulsively readable: so much so that it's quite ironic that it
took me so long to start reading, and then to write about, this
bookå‚ecause it took me practically no time at all to *read* it. This
is all the more impressive when one considers that this is the first
third of a longer work, meaning that several plot threads are left
dangling. It ends on somewhat less than a cliffhanger, however, and so
I'm not biting my nails for the next one for that reason. (_The Lord
of Castle Black_ was recently completed and is scheduled for release
in August. While the release of each volume separately has caused some
comment, it's fine with me: _Paths_ is 400 pages long, and I'd like to
be able to lift my books, please.)
There's a multitude of items, both small and large, to delight the
reader in this book. For some reason, I am unaccountably fond of Pel
and Sethra's conversation, and Pel's subsequent account of it, in
Chapter 28. I also like the trip through the Paths of the Dead; at one
level, I'm sure there's some significance to the landscape, because
this is Brust, who structured a whole book around a fable and the
creation of one painting (_The Sun, the Moon, and the Stars_), yet on
the other, I have to agree with the character who mutters, "Useless,
although, no doubt, significant in a mystical way that is beyond my
mortal comprehension. Bah." (And I still don't understand how the
paths for each House get communicated. Have I missed something?)
There's also a Prelude, by Paarfi's publisher; "Some Notes Toward Two
Analyses of Auctorial Method and Voice," as an about-the-author; and a
Cast of Characters, which, notably, includes some presumably-
significant people who haven't yet appeared. Even this extra stuff is
fun. The Prelude, by Emma Bull, continues to build Paarfi (the
narrator) as a character in his own right, and includes the lovely
sentences "But I'm sure none of his readers begrudge the extra decade
it took him to complete this book, beyond our announced date of
publication. Certainly we here in the editorial offices understood
completely, and are sure our creditors will, as well." (Cf. "long wait
for" _Paths_, above.) The "Two Analyses," by Teresa Nielsen Hayden,
are "How to Write Like Paarfi of Roundwood" and "How to Write Like
Steven Brust" (which, oddly, appears to be in a larger typeface than
the Paarfi bit). The first note under the Paarfi section is perhaps my
favorite:
1. Always refer to yourself as "we." It is unclear why Paarfi
prefers to use the first person plural. He doesn't seem to be
speaking jointly for himself and his patron of the moment;
neither is he speaking jointly on behalf of himself and Steven
Brust. His true camaraderie is reserved for himself and his
manuscript, but that doesn't usually prompt a writer to speak in
the plural. It may be that he's using the editorial "we."
Alternatively, he may just have a mouse in his pocket.
Emma Bull and Teresa Nielsen Hayden are pretty darn cool, too.
My only complaint is that I'm not crazy about the cover, but that's a
minor thing: don't let it stop you from going out and reading this
right away (well, stopping first to read some of the other books in
this world, if you really must). Have fun.
--
Kate Nepveu
E-mail: kne...@steelypips.org
Home: http://www.steelypips.org/
Book log: http://www.steelypips.org/weblog/
Konrad Gaertner
>
> (And I still don't understand how the
> paths for each House get communicated. Have I missed something?)
The copy-protected books mentioned in _Taltos_. Sethra seems to have
several, though her Dragon one is remarkably poor. I'd assume
they're written by undead folk.
--KG
J.B. Moreno
> Alternatively, he may just have a mouse in his pocket.
Which reminds me of the Ukiah Oregon books by Wen Spencer - fun
near-future alien adventure novels. Mice are pretty important to the
first story...
--
JBM
"Your depression will be added to my own" -- Marvin of Borg
Bill Westfield
comment, it's fine with me: _Paths_ is 400 pages long, and I'd like to
be able to lift my books, please.)
It's not awful, but I have to wonder what it does to the presumably
17-book series, assuming that the Paarfi books were every considered
part of the 17...
BillW
David Goldfarb
They're not. The Paarfi books are separate from the Vlad books.
The Vlad series is projected to be a total of 19 books: one for
each of the 17 houses, plus _Taltos_ and one perhaps to be called
_The Final Contract_. (All this assuming that Steven Brust doesn't
lose interest or die.)
--
David Goldfarb <*>| "All love is unrequited."
gold...@ocf.berkeley.edu |
gold...@csua.berkeley.edu | -- Babylon 5, "Rising Star"
Mike Schilling
"Bill Westfield" <bi...@cypher.cisco.com> wrote in message
news:547kc7p...@cypher.cisco.com...
My understanding is 19 Vlad books: _Taltos_, one for each House, and a final
one. This doesn't include the Paarfi books, which don't fit either by name
or thematically.
Mike Schilling
"Kate Nepveu" <kne...@steelypips.org> wrote in message
news:o3qg4v0ft3301uqpp...@news.earthlink.net...
> My only complaint is that I'm not crazy about the cover, but that's a
> minor thing:
Since you brought it up, what character is that supposed to be, and why does
he look like a Dragaeran version of Reese from "Malcolm in the Middle"?
Andrew Plotkin
>> Alternatively, he may just have a mouse in his pocket.
> Which reminds me of the Ukiah Oregon books by Wen Spencer - fun
> near-future alien adventure novels. Mice are pretty important to the
> first story...
I just got to those last month. (Despite having been at several cons
where Wen Spencer was on panels and stuff -- she's local; all those
Pittsburgh neighborhoods from the first book have been my haunts for
the past (urk) fifteen years on and off; I have no excuse for taking
this long to pick them up...)
Anyway, now that I've read them, I recommend them. Lots of fun. Not
at all what I expected from reading the first few pages (and I'm fine
with that).
--Z
"And Aholibamah bare Jeush, and Jaalam, and Korah: these were the borogoves..."
*
* Make your vote count. Get your vote counted.
J.B. Moreno
> Here, J.B. Moreno <pl...@newsreaders.com> wrote:
> > Kate Nepveu <kne...@steelypips.org> wrote:
>
> >> Alternatively, he may just have a mouse in his pocket.
>
> > Which reminds me of the Ukiah Oregon books by Wen Spencer - fun
> > near-future alien adventure novels. Mice are pretty important to the
> > first story...
>
> I just got to those last month. (Despite having been at several cons
> where Wen Spencer was on panels and stuff -- she's local; all those
> Pittsburgh neighborhoods from the first book have been my haunts for
> the past (urk) fifteen years on and off; I have no excuse for taking
> this long to pick them up...)
Well, I wasn't even aware of the books until a month or so ago, so I
guess we're even.
> Anyway, now that I've read them, I recommend them. Lots of fun. Not
> at all what I expected from reading the first few pages (and I'm fine
> with that).
I'm not sure they are all that different from my expectations -- I ended
up reading the two books in reverse order (store didn't have the first),
which kinda puts a different spin things. But I certainly enjoyed them
and am looking forward to the 3rd book coming out in a few months (she's
been snippeting a bit over on Baen's Bar).
Kate Nepveu
My guess is Morrolan, but I'm not sure.
My major complaints are the hands and the boots. I am aware this is
highly nitpicky of me.
Kate Nepveu
Right, that's what I meant: I remembered the books, but I didn't
recall that we were ever told where the information actually came
from. You wouldn't think there would be enough undead to make this a
workable system, but then, the Dragaeran gods seem to do things oddly.
Bill Westfield
recall that we were ever told where the information actually came
from. You wouldn't think there would be enough undead to make this a
workable system, but then, the Dragaeran gods seem to do things oddly.
Don't forget that the dragaerans have a somewhat different relationship with
their gods than humans. In "Issola", we hear that it's not uncommon for the
gods to come visit... Presumably, the books could be direct gifts from the
gods to appropriate people...
BillW
Andrew Plotkin
> Right, that's what I meant: I remembered the books, but I didn't
> recall that we were ever told where the information actually came
> from. You wouldn't think there would be enough undead to make this a
> workable system, but then, the Dragaeran gods seem to do things oddly.
> Don't forget that the dragaerans have a somewhat different
> relationship with their gods than humans. In "Issola", we hear that
> it's not uncommon for the gods to come visit...
Now, that's *not* we learn! The implication, as best I can sort it
out, is that the profession of interacting with gods -- what
Easterners would call a "priest/priestess" -- is described by
Dragaerans as the work of welcoming gods into one's home. But that
doesn't mean that a god walks through the front door, looking like a
mortal being...
(Dzur Mountain and Castle Black can probably *not* be considered as
typical in this matter!)
I think the book says gods are "in a sense" considered to be
everywhere at once, including (permanently) in your home. We already
know that the central aspect of godhood is multilocality.
> Presumably, the books could be direct gifts from the gods to
> appropriate people...
Agreed.
Konrad Gaertner
>
> "Mike Schilling" <mscotts...@hotmail.com> wrote:
> >"Kate Nepveu" <kne...@steelypips.org> wrote in message
> >news:o3qg4v0ft3301uqpp...@news.earthlink.net...
>
> >> My only complaint is that I'm not crazy about the cover, but that's a
> >> minor thing:
>
> >Since you brought it up, what character is that supposed to be, and why does
> >he look like a Dragaeran version of Reese from "Malcolm in the Middle"?
>
> My guess is Morrolan, but I'm not sure.
>
> My major complaints are the hands and the boots. I am aware this is
> highly nitpicky of me.
I always assumed it was Piro.
BTW, I saw in the recent Tor catalog a B&W scan of the cover for
_Lord of Castle Black_. It seems to be Morrolan, sitting on a
throne looking moody. I don't like it. I've never pictured him
as a throne person; heck, I've never pictured him even sitting
down.
--KG
Kate Nepveu
>Andrew Plotkin <erky...@eblong.com> wrote:
>> Here, J.B. Moreno <pl...@newsreaders.com> wrote:
>> > Kate Nepveu <kne...@steelypips.org> wrote:
>> >> Alternatively, he may just have a mouse in his pocket.
>> > Which reminds me of the Ukiah Oregon books by Wen Spencer - fun
>> > near-future alien adventure novels. Mice are pretty important to the
>> > first story...
[...]
>> Anyway, now that I've read them, I recommend them. Lots of fun. Not
>> at all what I expected from reading the first few pages (and I'm fine
>> with that).
>I'm not sure they are all that different from my expectations -- I ended
>up reading the two books in reverse order (store didn't have the first),
>which kinda puts a different spin things. But I certainly enjoyed them
>and am looking forward to the 3rd book coming out in a few months (she's
>been snippeting a bit over on Baen's Bar).
These sound interesting--anything else useful to be said about them?
Kate Nepveu
>Kate Nepveu wrote:
>> "Mike Schilling" <mscotts...@hotmail.com> wrote:
[cover]
>> >Since you brought it up, what character is that supposed to be, and why does
>> >he look like a Dragaeran version of Reese from "Malcolm in the Middle"?
>> My guess is Morrolan, but I'm not sure.
>> My major complaints are the hands and the boots. I am aware this is
>> highly nitpicky of me.
>I always assumed it was Piro.
I don't seem to be able to find, on a really quick look, a description
of Piro's hair color. Morrolan definitely has dark hair. Also, I
figured the background was something god-related.
>BTW, I saw in the recent Tor catalog a B&W scan of the cover for
>_Lord of Castle Black_. It seems to be Morrolan, sitting on a
>throne looking moody. I don't like it. I've never pictured him
>as a throne person; heck, I've never pictured him even sitting
>down.
Do you know, I think you're right: I never have either. Well, but that
he must sit down to eat, and he does eat.
Damien Neil
Kate Nepveu <kne...@steelypips.org> wrote:
> Do you know, I think you're right: I never have either. Well, but that
> he must sit down to eat, and he does eat.
What, you don't picture him moodily striding about with Blackwand in
one hand and a sandwich in the other?
- Damien
Michael S. Schiffer
> Konrad Gaertner <kgae...@worldnet.att.net> wrote:
>>Kate Nepveu wrote:
>>> "Mike Schilling" <mscotts...@hotmail.com> wrote:
> [cover]
>>> >Since you brought it up, what character is that supposed to
>>> >be, and why does he look like a Dragaeran version of Reese
>>> >from "Malcolm in the Middle"?
>>> My guess is Morrolan, but I'm not sure.
>>> My major complaints are the hands and the boots. I am aware
>>> this is highly nitpicky of me.
>>I always assumed it was Piro.
> I don't seem to be able to find, on a really quick look, a
> description of Piro's hair color. Morrolan definitely has dark
> hair.
>...
Of course, Vlad Taltos definitely has a mustache, which hasn't
generally guided the cover artists of his books from what I've seen.
(See also most Bujold covers.) That's not to say that the cover
isn't Morrolan, but details like hair color probably aren't the way
to narrow it down unless you know the artist is a stickler for that
kind of detail.
Mike
--
Michael S. Schiffer, LHN, FCS
msch...@condor.depaul.edu
J.B. Moreno
> pl...@newsreaders.com (J.B. Moreno) wrote:
> >> Here, J.B. Moreno <pl...@newsreaders.com> wrote:
-snip
> >> > Which reminds me of the Ukiah Oregon books by Wen Spencer - fun
> >> > near-future alien adventure novels. Mice are pretty important to the
> >> > first story...
-snip-
> >I'm not sure they are all that different from my expectations -- I ended
> >up reading the two books in reverse order (store didn't have the first),
> >which kinda puts a different spin things. But I certainly enjoyed them
> >and am looking forward to the 3rd book coming out in a few months (she's
> >been snippeting a bit over on Baen's Bar).
>
> These sound interesting--anything else useful to be said about them?
Not really -- I can argue books, but am not a good reviewer (I go blank,
and can't think of anything to say beyond "it had pages, I liked it" or
"it had pages, I didn't like it").
Well, there is one thing -- she has a website with sample chapters,
<http://www.wenspencer.com> (and the opening page currently has a bit
about mice, or at least a mouse, on it).
Mike Schilling
"Damien Neil" <ne...@misago.org> wrote in message
news:130220030034327482%ne...@misago.org...
Not at Dzur Mountain anyway; it wouldn't be polite to Sethra.
Kate Nepveu
Snrk.
No, actually. Sandwiches and Morrolan--nope, not at all. (Though
someone has pointed out to me that he ate biscuits with honey in
_Taltos_.)
Kate Nepveu
[the Ukiah Oregon books by Wen Spencer]
>> These sound interesting--anything else useful to be said about them?
>Not really -- I can argue books, but am not a good reviewer (I go blank,
>and can't think of anything to say beyond "it had pages, I liked it" or
>"it had pages, I didn't like it").
I discover that she will be at Boskone (okay, "discover" isn't the
correct word: "recognized her name on the preliminary program").
Anything you want me to ask if I run into her?
>Well, there is one thing -- she has a website with sample chapters,
><http://www.wenspencer.com> (and the opening page currently has a bit
>about mice, or at least a mouse, on it).
Interesting snippet; thanks for the pointer. I'll definitely look for
them at the dealer's room.
J.B. Moreno
> pl...@newsreaders.com (J.B. Moreno) wrote:
> >Kate Nepveu <kne...@steelypips.org> wrote:
>
> [the Ukiah Oregon books by Wen Spencer]
> >> These sound interesting--anything else useful to be said about them?
>
> >Not really -- I can argue books, but am not a good reviewer (I go blank,
> >and can't think of anything to say beyond "it had pages, I liked it" or
> >"it had pages, I didn't like it").
>
> I discover that she will be at Boskone (okay, "discover" isn't the
> correct word: "recognized her name on the preliminary program").
> Anything you want me to ask if I run into her?
She's got her own web board over on Baen's bar, I've asked a couple of
questions there (well, I thought of them as questions...).
If you like the books and are interested in snippets for the next one,
the NNTP mirror of the group will still have everything.
Dylan Alexander
Kate Nepveu <kne...@steelypips.org> wrote:
> Damien Neil <ne...@misago.org> wrote:
> >In article <9o4m4v0ssrb7tglfj...@news.earthlink.net>,
> >Kate Nepveu <kne...@steelypips.org> wrote:
> >> Do you know, I think you're right: I never have either. Well, but that
> >> he must sit down to eat, and he does eat.
> >What, you don't picture him moodily striding about with Blackwand in
> >one hand and a sandwich in the other?
>
> Snrk.
>
> No, actually. Sandwiches and Morrolan--nope, not at all. (Though
> someone has pointed out to me that he ate biscuits with honey in
> _Taltos_.)
He's often sitting in his library with a cup of wine. Imagine
him surrounded by arcane, dusty tomes, looking out the window
from his tattered favorite chair and surveying his domain.
--
Dylan Alexander