Steven Brust Books In Order

Publication Order of Vlad Taltos Books

Publication Order of Dragaera Books

Publication Order of Incrementalists Books

Publication Order of Khaavren Romances Books

Publication Order of Standalone Novels

Publication Order of Crossroads Adventure Books

Publication Order of Anthologies

Steven Brust is a well known novelist of the science fiction and fantasy books from America. He hails from Minnesota and is of the Hungarian descent. Author Brust was born on November 23, 1955. He is particularly famous for writing books that feature the assassin named Vlad Taltos as the lead character. Vlad belongs to a disdained group of minor humans, who live in a world named Dragaera. In addition to being an author, Brust is also a popular songwriter, singer, and drummer. He has recorded a solo album as well as a couple of albums with the Cats Laughing band. Author Brust has also co-written songs for 2 albums that were recorded during the mid-1990s. The books of Vlad Taltos are written in high fantasy tone with an underpinning of science fiction. The events are set in an Empire that is ruled and inhabited by Dragaerans. They are a humanoid species of genetically engineered characteristics. Some of the characteristics of Dragaerans include extended life and average height more than 7 feet. Some humans refer them as elfs, but they prefer to call themselves as humans. The Empire controls an enclouded region, where an overcast blocks the view of the sun. Vlad Taltos is among the human minority, whom the Dragaerans call Easterners. The minority group is treated as a lower class. Taltos is efficient in practicing the witchcraft. In fact, the name Taltos is a Hungarian word for a type of supernatural being in folklore. In spite of being a human, Taltos is considered an Empire’s citizen as his father had acquired a title in a reputable Great House of Dragaera. This Great House is the one that runs a criminal organization. In the organization, Taltos is surprisingly successful.

Even though Taltos is a criminal and a human, he has made a numerous high-ranked friends from Dragaera. He also gets held up in several important events. Author Brust has penned 14 books in this series. The books have been proposed to run up to 19 books, one for every Great House at the Empire, one for Taltos himself, and another novel that will be the final one. The first 3 books resemble detective stories of the private eye type. But, the later books seem to be more variable in style and setting. Though the books read as fantasy stories, they are actually explanations of science fiction. Author Brust has also penned another novel series that takes place in Dragaera. This series is known as Khaavren Romances. The events of this series take place many centuries before the time of Taltos. As the Dragaerans are mentioned to have long lives, a number of characters make appearances in both the book series. This series is actually an homage for the pere novels of Alexandre Dumas related to The Three Musketeers. It is written in 5 volumes and follows the pattern of the Alexandre’s series. The presentation of the stories of the series is done in a historical manner and are shown to have been written by Roundwood’s Paarfi. He is depicted as a contemporary to Taltos.

The elaborate, highly verbose and old fashioned writing is based on that of Dumas explicitely. Both the novel series are eventually brought together in Vlad series’ 13th novel, called Tiassa. This novel can also be considered as the 6th one in the Khaavren book series. It comprises of 3 novellas, which are told in different styles, and linked by a single theme. Author Brust’s birth took place in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He was brought up among a family that organized Hungarian labor. Initially, author Brust used to work as a computer programmer and musician. It was not before the year 1983 that he came into prominence as a novelist with his debut book Jhereg. With the rapid increase in his literary fame, author Brust did not leave his other two professions. He continued to play drums and make music for Cats Laughing, a legendary band which he was a part of. Brust even continued with his album recordings. Later in his career, he began writing full time and used to get involved in other works only in his spare times. As of today, Brust resides in Las Vegas, Nevada. There, he is pursuing his interest in the field of Stochastic.

The Vlad Taltos series written by Steven Brust is comprised of 15 books in total, which were released between the years 1983 and 2015. The first book of the series is called ‘Jhereg’. It was released in 1983 first and then again in 2005 by the Klett-Cotta publication. Author Brust has described the important characters in this story as Vlad Taltos, Mellar, Aliera, Loiosh, and Morollan. At the start of the novel, Vlad is shown going on an adventure as he is hired to murder someone. A powerful boss fro Jhereg approaches Taltos and hires him for assassinating Mellar. It is believed that Mellar took away millions from the leadership of Jhereg and the boss wants to teach him a lesson for that. To his bad luck, Taltos finds out that Mellar is protected in such a way that it won’t be easy for Taltos to carry out his job. But, there is definitely a way and if Taltos were to take this route, he will have to become a permanent enemy of a known friend. Now, Taltos finds himself in a difficult situation. However, he has a sharp criminal mind with which he can find a solution to any problem and emerge victorious from any situation.

Another mindblowing novel published in the series is called ‘Dragon’. The Tor Fantasy publication released it in 1999. In this book’s plot, Vlad Taltos comes to know about a surprising truth about himself at the end of the fateful Baritt’s Tomb Battle. At the beginning of the book, it is mentioned that Vlad Taltos survives in Adrilankha for many years with the practice of the trade that he knew very well, and that is killing people to earn his living. But suddenly, Taltos finds himself in the least expected place that no self respecting assassin would want to be. He ends up joining the army. To make matters worse for him, he lands in the center of an apocalyptic battle among 2 sorcerous armies. People expect Taltos to play a role, but no one would tell him or explain how. The only thing that he can rely on at this moment of high risk is his wits. It is his wit that has kept him away from death all these years and once again, he has to play some magic with his wit to prevent himself from getting killed in the brutal battle. Taltos also has a smart mouthed, winged lizard to aid him through the battle.