Vlad Taltos Books in Order

Where to Start Reading Vlad Taltos

If you are diving into the world of Dragaera for the first time, the absolute best place to start is with the very first published novel, Jhereg (1983). While it is not the earliest book chronologically, it was designed as the reader's gateway. It immediately establishes Vlad’s sardonic voice, his telepathic partnership with his jhereg familiar Loiosh, the basics of witchcraft and sorcery, and the complex social structure of the Great Houses. Starting elsewhere can ruin key mysteries and spoil character developments that Brust meticulously unfolds across the series.

Vlad Taltos Books in Publication Order

Reading in publication order is highly recommended by both the author and the fanbase. Steven Brust wrote these books to slowly peel back the layers of the world, and reading them in the order they were released ensures you experience Vlad's growth and the universe's history exactly as intended. Here is the publication order of the books:

1. Jhereg (1983) – Vlad takes on a high-stakes assassination contract targeting a prominent noble who has stolen from the Jhereg Council.
2. Yendi (1984) – A prequel to Jhereg that explores Vlad's early gang wars, his rise to power, and how he met his future wife, Cawti.
3. Teckla (1986) – A politically charged novel focusing on a peasant rebellion led by the Teckla house, causing Vlad to re-evaluate his own morals and marriage.
4. Taltos (1988) – The earliest prequel, detailing Vlad’s youth, his introduction to the assassin guild, and his first journey to the Paths of the Dead.
5. Phoenix (1990) – Vlad is caught in the schemes of the Goddess Verra and the high-ranking nobility, leading to life-altering consequences that force him on the run.
6. Athyra (1993) – Told from the perspective of a young peasant boy named Savn, this book observes a weary, hiding Vlad from an outsider's point of view.
7. Orca (1996) – Vlad investigates a financial conspiracy involving a major bank and the Orca house to help his friend Kiera the Thief.
8. Dragon (1998) – Vlad looks back on his participation in a massive military campaign, alternating between his past experiences in the army and his current struggles.
9. Issola (2001) – Vlad is pulled back into high-level imperial politics when his friends Lady Teldra and Morrolan are threatened by ancient, god-like entities.
10. Dzur (2006) – Vlad returns to the capital city of Adrilankha, attempting to eat a quiet meal at his favorite restaurant while dodging assassins and getting involved in a Dzur-style feud.
11. Jhegaala (2008) – Set chronologically between Phoenix and Athyra, Vlad travels to the human kingdom of Fenario to track down his relatives, only to get caught in local intrigue.
12. Iorich (2009) – Vlad returns to the empire to help save an old friend who has been arrested, facing the legalistic and bureaucratic machinery of the Iorich house.
13. The Desecrator (2011) – A standalone short story focusing on the Hawklord Daymar and the discovery of a dangerous Morganti blade.
14. Tiassa (2011) – A unique novel split into three distinct time periods, showing how Vlad’s actions affect various characters over several decades.
15. Hawk (2014) – Vlad tries to negotiate a deal with the Jhereg leadership to finally lift the contract on his life and allow him to return home permanently.
16. Vallista (2017) – Vlad finds himself trapped in a mysterious, pocket-dimension manor house that defies the laws of time and space.
17. Tsalmoth (2023) – A prequel set during Vlad’s early career, detailing his engagement to Cawti and an investigation into an unpaid debt.
18. Lyorn (2024) – Hiding from Jhereg assassins, Vlad takes refuge in a theater troupe staging a controversial, banned play.

Vlad Taltos Books in Chronological Order

For re-readers who want to experience Vlad’s life in a linear fashion, arranging the books chronologically is a fun challenge. However, a strict chronological order is difficult because several books (especially Dragon and Tiassa) contain split timelines, flashbacks, or framing stories that jump across years. This approximate chronological order shows where the main narratives fit on Vlad’s timeline:

1. Taltos (Vlad’s youth and early career)
2. Dragon (Main military campaign chapters)
3. Yendi (Vlad’s early gang wars and meeting Cawti)
4. Tsalmoth (Vlad’s engagement to Cawti)
5. Jhereg (Vlad’s career peak as a Jhereg boss)
6. Teckla (The peasant rebellion and marital troubles)
7. Phoenix (Vlad's falling out with the Jhereg and the gods)
8. Jhegaala (Vlad's flight to Fenario)
9. Athyra (Vlad hiding in the countryside)
10. Orca (Vlad investigating the banking conspiracy)
11. Issola (The cosmic threat and return of ancient enemies)
12. Dzur (Vlad's quiet return to the capital)
13. Iorich (Vlad defending his arrested friend)
14. Tiassa (Sections of this book bridge multiple gaps between Dzur, Iorich, and Hawk)
15. Vallista (Vlad's exploration of the pocket manor)
16. Hawk (Vlad attempting to resolve the bounty on his head)
17. Lyorn (Vlad hiding within the theater troupe)

Understanding the Dragaera Universe and the Cycle

The Dragaeran Empire is populated by Dragaerans—genetically engineered, long-lived humanoids who refer to themselves as "humans," while referring to actual humans as "Easterners." Dragaeran society is organized around seventeen Great Houses, each associated with an animal, specific behavioral traits, and a type of magic. These houses participate in the Cycle, a cosmic rotation where each house takes turns ruling the empire.

Steven Brust’s grand plan for the Vlad Taltos series is to publish exactly nineteen books. This includes seventeen novels named after each of the Great Houses, one named after Vlad himself (Taltos), and a final concluding book. With the release of Lyorn in 2024, only two books remain: Chreotha (representing the final unrepresented Great House) and the series finale, The Last Contract.

Spin-offs and Companion Novels

If you cannot get enough of Dragaera, Steven Brust has written several companion works that enrich the setting:

• The Khaavren Romances – Written under the pen name of a fictional Dragaeran historian named Paarfi of Roundwood, this series is a swashbuckling homage to Alexandre Dumas’s The Three Musketeers. Set centuries before Vlad’s birth, it provides vital historical context for the empire. The series includes The Phoenix Guards, Five Hundred Years After, and the three-volume epic The Viscount of Adrilankha (comprising The Paths of the Dead, The Lord of Castle Black, and Sethra Lavode).
• The Baron of Magister Valley (2020) – Another Paarfi of Roundwood novel, styled as a retelling of The Count of Monte Cristo set in Dragaera.
• Brokedown Palace (1986) – A standalone fairytale-style novel set in Fenario, the homeland of the Easterners. While it features no appearances from Vlad, it expands on the folklore and culture of the human kingdoms.