dark fantasy

Here is a talent both rare and realtively undiscovered. A fresh stream of dark yet moving fantasy that is as different from the pretentious style of Rice as Frank Herbert's writing is from that of David Drake. Brust exemplifies the power of understated fiction. There is very little gore, very little pedantic demagoguery evident in many Vampire novels of today, yet the story strikes home with the power of truth and simplicity. Brust does not declaim to the reader, instead there is an almost unpercieved thread of narrative that twines around the main story that urges the reader to "think!, reflect! and comprehend!" This is Vampire fiction of a different class; please do not put the tale of Jonas Agyar and those of Lestat in the same shelf!

Agyar is absolutely the best written novel I have ever read. I think the clearest proof of this is that I have never gotten it back from anyone I lent it to. I have quite literally purchased this book 4 times, then lent it to friends, and never had it returned. Brust accomplishes so much without beating the reader over the head with too much imagery. The story seeps into you very organically. The thing I love about Brust's writing is that there is absolutely nothing unintentional about it. He crafts his words with precision and intent. I absolutely recommend this book (I won't call it a Vampire book, since the Word is never mentioned, besides, I hate the Horror Genre). Anyone with an interest in good writing and storytelling must read this. Oh, and If I could borrow your copy for a few days....

I was drawn to this book primarily because of the author, who is an exceptional writer of fantasy, and it is always interesting to see how a master of one style does when writing in another. Often the cross-over result is lackluster.

So I was more than pleasantly surprised by this volume, which is quite different than Brust's other works. And unlike many vampire novels, it is not clear at first that our protagonist is a vampire, nor do we linger on the gory details. Since the writing is the first person perspective of the vampire, much is not spelled out because it is "obvious". In some prose, this might result in a confusing meander through a stream of consciousness, but in "Agyar", this results in a smooth, flowing tale of the life of Jack Agyar. It is a short, compelling read.

Highly recommended for both fans of vampire novels, and those who normally don't like them.