Whether sneaking, swashbuckling, or smirking his way through the magical world of Dragaera, Steven Brust’s Vlad Taltos has been entertaining — and surprising — fans since 1983. The long-running and endlessly inventive series has reached its 15th volume in a projected 19 novel run, with all but two of the books named for one of the 17 divisions of the Dragaeran caste system. Striking cover art and design has been a hallmark since the series inception and has remained remarkably consistent despite being the work of multiple artists (Stephen Hickman, Kinuko Y. Craft, and Ciruelo Cabral) — a definite rarity in publishing over so long a period of time.
Nearly all the covers feature Loiosh, Vlad’s Jhereg familiar, with whom he shares a telepathic bond — and more than his share of wisecracks. New fans to the series will be delighted to know that most of it is now available in reprint omnibus editions.
