Daydreaming about Dragons Episode 98:

TABLETOP TECHNIQUES - Patterns of Play

INSPIRATION GOAT - Vlad Taltos and Lore

https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/daydreaming-about-dragons/episodes/Daydreaming-about-Dragons-Episode-98-TABLETOP-TECHNIQUES---Patterns-of-Play--INSPIRATION-GOAT---Vlad-Taltos-and-Lore-e273sq0

#TTRPG #VladTaltos #Jhereg #WorldBuilding

Time to get back on the biography bike!

I other news, if I know anyone who is a #VladTaltos fan and has read Tsalmoth, let me know. I have thoughts

This has been the year of finally reading gigantic #speculativefiction series/authors I'd ignored for years and then realizing what a terrible decision that was. Now I'm delightfully drowning in CJ Cherryh's /Foreigner/ and Steven Brust's /Vlad Taltos/ amid a Vorkosigan Saga reread, and it's overwhelming but pretty dang fun! #sciencefiction #cjcherryh #stevenbrust #vladtaltos #vorkosigan #vorkosigansaga #loismcmasterbujold #bookstodon @bookstodon

I'm speaking, of course, of #StevenBrust's #VladTaltos novels, which started with *#Jhereg*, published in 1983 - the year I turned 12, and devoured this book, rereading it four or five times in that year alone.

The titular character, Vlad Taltos, is a wisecracking assassin in a sword-and-sorcery world called Dragaera, where most of the inhabitants are extremely long-lived beings ("Dragaereans") akin to elves.

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But reading *against* type, outside of one's comfort zone, yields new and distinct delights. The Temeraire series joins the very short list of heroic fantasy novels that I count among my all-time favorites, along with such marvels as Steven Brust's #VladTaltos/#Jhereg series:

https://memex.craphound.com/2017/10/17/listen-up-you-really-owe-it-to-yourself-to-read-15-vlad-taltos-novels-seriously/

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@bluetyson Thanks for the heads up! I was not aware of these releases.

I'm sad to see #VladTaltos end and thrilled to hear more from Gil the ARM.

@arathar Last #VladTaltos book out in Feb? Amazingly, a new Gil Hamtilton story shortly too according to Tangent I think.

@cpoliticditto If you like speculative fiction, I always recommend the #StevenBrust #VladTaltos series that starts with #Jhereg. Each book is short, but he's been writing them since the 80s. Each book has a unique take, mostly first-person but different books have different styles. (I love first-person, unreliable narrators.)

There's a new one coming out in April. The series is subversive, sardonic, romantic and fun. Witty, and in my view, very deep.

Reads like fantasy (and mystery, and heists), but it's actually... well, that would be spoilers

@la_marteau @bookstodon People snooze on the #StevenBrust series about #VladTaltos. Massive ongoing series, since the 80's. Start with #Jhereg and just read them in chronological published order. Third book is very dark, but push through, you'll be very pleased.

So well written, and the interlocking stories get told from various viewpoints and in various styles. Lots of humor and lots of serious stuff. Moves back and forth in time. Some things take 10+ books to pay off.

There's a secondary prequel series that is an homage to Dumas' Three Musketeers, and has characters from the original series (some characters live for centuries.)

Reads like fantasy, but is actually sci-fi. Takes a long time to realize it, though, as a reader. It's romantic, sardonic, devastating and fun.

<Shut up, Loiosh.>

PS: New one (Tsalmoth) coming out in April 2023!

Niche social media site meet memes about niche fantasy series
#VladTaltos #Dragaera #Cawti

Happy Friday, y'all. Time to read about an assassin who knows how to cook.
#vladtaltos