Vlad Taltos

Vlad began his career as an assassin and enforcer for the local mob (the cities in that universe being mostly ruled by local mobs) and then a mob boss for a certain sector of the city when things broke up.

When the human revolt came to the land and Vlad's wife left him, he left the city for adventures (and survival) elsewhere, gaining some measure of wisdom along the way.

And the books went from first person to third person.

Vlad Taltos is the main character (and narrator for most) of Steven Brust's "Vlad Taltos" series of books. Order is the "approved" order. In parentheses is the "chronological" order - realizing that parts of it skip around.

1. Jhereg (4)
2. Yendi (3) (note: introduction is prior to Taltos)
3. Teckla (5)
4. Taltos (1)
5. Phoenix (6)
6. Athrya (7)
7. Orca (8)
8. Dragon (2)
9. Issola (9? - I haven't read it yet)
10. ... Other books in this world include:
    • The Phoenix Guards (from the Dragaeran view)
    • Five Hundred Years After (with The Phoenix Guards, makes the first two books of an unfinished trilogy)
    • The Viscount of Adrilankha (forthcoming)
    • Brokendown Palace (from the human point of view)

    So, who is Vlad and what is this world like?

    In the "present time" in most of the books, Vlad is middle of the organization (mafia equivalent) boss who occasional does "work" (assassination). Vlad's family includes his wife, Cawti, a former assassin and radical (power to the people!) and his grandfather, Noish-pa. His friends include Morrolan (dragonlord of Castle Black), Kragar (his mafia lieutenant), Kiera the Thief (youngish thief who showed him compassion when he was younger), Aliera and Sethra Lavode - we're talking big name friends here. Oh, and don't forget Loiosh, Vlad's familiar.

    The world and society that Vlad lives in is a bit harder to describe. The world is dominated by the Dragaerans who are occasionally called elves or faeries by Noish-pa. These people consider homo sapiens as a second class species and call them "whiskers" as an insult (the Dragaerans can't grow beards - Vlad keeps his to rub it in their faces). The Dragaerans live for several thousand years (600 years is considered "young") and live in a class oriented society divided by Houses. Vlad belongs to the House Jhereg - the crime lords.

    As a child, Vlad lived and worked with his father (his mother died when he was very young) in a restaurant. Vlad's father paid an exorbitant amount to buy a title in the House Jhereg and become a citizen of the empire (Vlad still hasn't forgiven him for this). The reason for this was that Vlad's father wanted to 'be' a Dragaeran and saw to it that Vlad was taught the Dragaeran side of life - combat with a big heavy sword and sorcery. As a rebellious youth, Vlad also learned the eastern ways of fencing with a rapier and witchcraft from his grandfather.

    As a eastern child, Vlad was often roughed up by Orca bullies. Eventually, he became good enough at combat to keep them at bay, and later to kill them. After Vlad's father's death Vlad continued upon the path of witchcraft and got a familiar - a jhereg. While incubating the egg he sold his father's restaurant. Shortly afterwards, he was offered a job as a bouncer at a gambling parlor. He was now in the organization.

    Since then, Vlad has become a security consultant to one of the most powerful sorcerers, traveled the halls of the dead, unraveled several plots, fought in a war, retrieved part of a great weapon, betrayed the organization and did "work" for a God.