Someone told me that you, skzb, have appreciated Robert Parker’s work. I had an interesting experienced when I heard about Mr. Parker’s death. I didn’t know Rober Parker, but I felt like I knew Spenser, Susan, and Hawk, and more recently Virgil Cole and Everett Hitch. It made me sad to think that Spenser and Hawk won’t be going on any more adventures, and especially that Virgil and Hitch didn’t complete their journey back to Appaloosa.

I hope I’m not being wrong in mourning Robert’s creations more than I was able to mourn the man himself. But it’s a testimony to him that he was able to create characters that I cared about.

Over a decade ago I started putting together ideas, an outline, and wrote half a draft for a new Vlad story….I havent touched it in about a decade. Somewhere in there I pitched the vague notion to you and was politely told to write my own stuff.

Chad talking about the changes in Vlad in Athyra and Jhegaala brought it to mind….

The first story I read was Phoenix, the year it hit the shelves. I read it and realized there were others…so I found Yendi in the local library. Loved it as much as I did Phoenix. Shortly after I had the money to purchase the first 5 books. Jhereg had always been my favorite, until you wrote Orca….I loved the dual viewpoint and the chance to really get to know Kiera, finally! Then you wrote Issola and I had a new favorite. I think I liked those 2 best because we got to really spend time with characters that were always in the background before…I hope you’ll write a few more of those…anyhow I digress…

The first 2 or 3 times I read Athyra, I hated it….and I still at that time had not gotten over the way things turned out for Vlad at the end of Phoenix…but Athyra I hated, mainly because I hadnt yet grasped the continuity and development of Vlad as a dynamic individual. In fact, it is because of that turn in Vlad’s life that I began the story I was writing for him — Vlad’s triumphant return do Adrilahnka, still hunted, and no longer an assassin, but something different — and once again in the undesired position of having the means and moral responsibility to save an Empire he hates (from his wife, no less.)

After I found this forum I re-read Athyra and was like “Ohhhh!” Yes, now I get it.

And so I second Chad’s position: Whether by intention or accident, I’m thrilled at the journey you’ve led us on with Vlad, still thrilled. I think I’ll be sad whenever we — you the author, and we the avid fans — whenever we do finally reach the end of his journey.

By now I’ve read and re-read all the books in the series and tonight I found myself discussing, with the same friend, the changes that the events of Jhegaala and Athyra wrought in Vlad’s character. During the discussion I remembered my early impressions that I described above and I wondered this: Was it intentional? Did you convince us to abandon our moral compass so that we could experience with Vlad the difficulties and complexities of being confronted with moral choices?

Whether this is what you intended or not, it’s good stuff.

A good writer can tell a compelling tale with lots of adventure and derring-do and enrapt the reader. A very good writer can give such lavish detail about the setting to enchant the reader into smelling, tasting, and feeling the world, as well as seeing and hearing it. A great writer can take the simple elegance of a fine meal and translate it into a metaphor for deeply moving emotional and psychological motivations in such a way as to convey meaning in every bite and swallow.

One of the things I love most about the way you write is the food. Maybe it’s the Cranberry-Fig Compote talking, but I find myself leafing through your books and lingering on the excellent scenes revolving around the food and wine. I love the wit, the occasional wisdom, and the well-turned, beautifully timed humor, but by gods I look forward to the next meal at least as much as the next fight, if not more-so. I’m sure it’s been mentioned a dozen times already, but a few more novels and you could augment your retirement with a Drageran cook-book (with substitutions for kethna, etc.). Hell, a couple more books set in Valabar’s, and you’d have plenty of material — and I’d buy it in hardback.

As to the comments about chronology, I think it’s a beautiful set-up. A firmly-established chronology unecessarily binds the hands of the author, and being able to go back and fill in detail about an established character’s backstory that enhances your understanding of them is not only artistically pleasant, it keeps you from writing yourself into a corner. Always room to write about that one time Vlad . . . and cool stuff ensues.

I feel your pain about Tiassa. I’m 38 chaps into a 41 chapter book, and I’ve hit a wall and have to back up before I can end it. Frustrating. I’m ready to move on. I know how it ends, already, so my curiosity is satisfied, but now I’ve got to write all of those pesky words. And then the rewrite.

Back to Valabar’s . . .

:)

So… I’ve started re-reading the Taltos books in prep for the new one.

I had a question… not sure if you’ve answered it before.

When Vlad and Morrolan are in the Paths of the Dead and get into the scrape with the Dragons and Vlad kills a bunch, Morrolan says something like… “You never learn, do you?”

Just curious if Morrolan knows of Vlad’s soul and it’s history with him being whatever he was and if so, if it was a comment about that?

It just struck me as slightly odd. You never learn, I mean, they didn’t really know each other that long at that point. And Morrolan doesn’t strike me as someone that would say something like that and not mean exactly what he said.

Any plans to hear more about Vlad’s ancient history with Aleria and Sethra and all that? It’s always sorta fascinated me and there’s very little info in the books about it.

I know that’s because Vlad doesn’t want to know about it… but if you don’t learn your history you’re bound to repeat it. Isn’t that what they always say?