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Title: the worst of the taltos series
Review: While this one is important for character development (both Vlad and Cawti's), it was also a pain in the arse to read. Apparently Brust himself was having marital difficulties around the time he wrote this, which he sub-consiously put into the book. The 2 strengths of these books are(at least to me) the well-rounded, likeable character of Vlad and the way the books is like a fantasy version of the Mafia. In this one the Mafia idea is not really used, and the characterization is more like something you need to know for later books than actually enjoyable to read. I read this series years ago, and this is the one that stands out least in my mind - even a friend i lent it to cried out in pain when talking about it. I only gave it an extra star for Brust, I have all his stuff and think he's (usually) a great writer. So in conclusion, I warn you, stay away from this dreck for your very sanity!
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