The Vlad Taltos reread continues with the last volume in mass market paperback format: Jhegaala. With Jhegaala, Steven Brust once again takes a leap back in time, in this case to events following Phoenix, following Vlad’s doings after he got the hell out of Dodge a step or two ahead of the Organization.
During a visit to his grandfather, whom Vlad installed in the castle of his new fiefdom, Vlad learns that he might have relatives in a town further East. With no other motivation than to meet them, Vlad travels there. At this point, with perhaps a faint hint of Red Harvest/Yojimbo/A Fistful of Dollars/Last Man Standing, etc., the story shifts into a mystery of the classic, hardboiled American model, with Vlad in Philip Marlow/Sam Spade/Continental Op mode. And, later on, while an invalid after intensive torture, in Nero Wolfe mode, with Loiosh as a flying, rather less-resourceful Archie Goodwin.
There is some good stuff in this one. I liked the chapter prefaces; snippets of a play. Beyond that, much of a reader’s enjoyment of this book depends upon previously garnered goodwill and appreciation of the Vlad/Loiosh sarcastic banter. Happily for me, I do appreciate that, because, at 300 pages, Jhegaala can be rather a slog. There is a great deal of wandering around town, sitting in inns, eating, drinking, and thinking. And the less said about whatever socio-political analogy Brust had in mind in setting up his three-way power structure among the Guild, the Coven, and the Count, the better. And as mysteries go, the resolution of this one is not particularly clear cut. Readers who aren’t keen on murky ambiguity may feel let down.
Jhegaala is not, in other words, a series highlight. But, the next book awaits. Perhaps the reread will be a pleasant surprise.
Speaking of pleasant surprises, I received an advanced look at the cover of the next book in the Twilight Galaxy series. Pretty cool. If you want to read the first two, they are available here and here.
