Iorich, by Steven Brust

I always am eager to read the latest in the Vlad Taltos series by Brust. It is, in the words of The Moody Blues, "Lovely to see You Again, My Friend." Vlad is still hiding out in the hinterlands from the assassins of the Jhereg when he catches word that his friend, Aliera, has been arrested for practicing Elder Sorcery. Of course, he can't just leave things alone (or we wouldn't have this new novel to read), so he travels back to Adrilankha to see if he can help get her exonerated or freed.


His task is made a bit challenging by the fact that there's a contract out on his life, and so he must constantly be on his guard when traveling around the city. It turns out that Aliera's arrest is part of a plot worthy of a Yendi, concocted by the Houses of Jhereg, Orca and others to pressure the Empress into legislation that would increase their houses' profits, and incidentally, to lure Vlad into the reach of the Jhereg's hit men.

But Vlad still has friends in both high and low places, and manages to avoid most of the trouble that's trying to find him. He solves the mystery, kills some baddies, and finishes this adventure with his skin mostly intact.

One of the nicer things that happens in the novel is a couple of visits with his estranged lover, Cawti, and their son. They seem to have achieved a truce, at last, and it's good to see Vlad getting a chance to bond with his son a bit. Are we in for a Son of Taltos series at some point? I wouldn't rule it out completely.

This is a must-read for Brust fans.