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Agyar
From bestselling fantasy author Steven Brust comes this paranormal novel of immortality―and its price...
Born over a century ago, Agyar was once a frivolous young man, before he found unwanted immortality in a woman's blood-red lips. Now he goes from woman to woman, and decade to decade, finding himself at last in an Midwestern college town, where he must choose between the seductions of salvation―and of destruction.
Born over a century ago, Agyar was once a frivolous young man, before he found unwanted immortality in a woman's blood-red lips. Now he goes from woman to woman, and decade to decade, finding himself at last in an Midwestern college town, where he must choose between the seductions of salvation―and of destruction.
256 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1993
15 people are currently reading
1052 people want to read
About the author
Steven Brust
99 books2,305 followersSteven Karl Zoltán Brust (born November 23, 1955) is an American fantasy and science fiction author of Hungarian descent. He was a member of the writers' group The Scribblies, which included Emma Bull, Pamela Dean, Will Shetterly, Nate Bucklin, Kara Dalkey, and Patricia Wrede, and also belongs to the Pre-Joycean Fellowship.
http://us.macmillan.com/author/steven...
(Photo by David Dyer-Bennet)
http://us.macmillan.com/author/steven...
(Photo by David Dyer-Bennet)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 105 reviews
December 5, 2011
Agyar is my first introduction to Steven Brust. It's short, a stand-alone and quite an original vampire tale. The author succeeds at being humorous and witty without going overboard, and creates introspective and complex characters struggling to survive in a world when they are "different".
The first-person narrative easily enables the reader to get into the head of the main character without the author's opinions and judgment. Agyar is certainly not the most likeable character, but he easily justifies his actions and often comes across as a basically decent guy doing what he has to do to survive and sometimes even can distinguish right from wrong.
From page 157: "I could, I think, have killed them, but I have been given to understand that killing policemen is not something to be undertaken lightly; so I turned and ran."
None of the characters were especially likeable, except the compassionate, sympathetic and sociable ghost Jim. Jill and Susan were typical of young, self-preoccupied women, the type that would fall for a handsome, sexy drifter like Agyar.
If Agyar is an indication of the quality of Steven Brust's work, I will definitely be reading more!
The first-person narrative easily enables the reader to get into the head of the main character without the author's opinions and judgment. Agyar is certainly not the most likeable character, but he easily justifies his actions and often comes across as a basically decent guy doing what he has to do to survive and sometimes even can distinguish right from wrong.
From page 157: "I could, I think, have killed them, but I have been given to understand that killing policemen is not something to be undertaken lightly; so I turned and ran."
None of the characters were especially likeable, except the compassionate, sympathetic and sociable ghost Jim. Jill and Susan were typical of young, self-preoccupied women, the type that would fall for a handsome, sexy drifter like Agyar.
If Agyar is an indication of the quality of Steven Brust's work, I will definitely be reading more!
October 23, 2014
I like vampire novels & this isn't one nor is it horror or romance, yet it's all 3. The word 'vampire' is never once mentioned in the book, yet you're left with no doubt as to what Brust means. I really can't say more, maybe shouldn't have said that much. The process of discovery is one of the things that makes this book so well done. Each word is crafted with a precision that leads to inescapable conclusions, yet almost made me want to re-read it to see if I could have misunderstood.
The world is ours, with a slight twist, requiring very little suspension of belief for a fantasy. The characters are well done & I understood their motivations well, even when I didn't like them. There is a sense of predestination permeating the book, which I don't normally care for, but was pulled off in a masterful manner.
I really like Brust's writing, especially his Taltos series, but this book may well be the best that he's written. I don't LIKE it the best, don't re-read it as often as the Taltos books, but I think the writing & plot were the best he's ever done. It's just not as fun & relaxing as the others. Still, it isn't work. It's a fairly quick read.
The world is ours, with a slight twist, requiring very little suspension of belief for a fantasy. The characters are well done & I understood their motivations well, even when I didn't like them. There is a sense of predestination permeating the book, which I don't normally care for, but was pulled off in a masterful manner.
I really like Brust's writing, especially his Taltos series, but this book may well be the best that he's written. I don't LIKE it the best, don't re-read it as often as the Taltos books, but I think the writing & plot were the best he's ever done. It's just not as fun & relaxing as the others. Still, it isn't work. It's a fairly quick read.
August 28, 2017
Subtle and sometimes chilling, but overall really dull.
September 7, 2008
5.0 stars. One of the best vampire novels I have ever read (and the only one in which the word vampire does not appear). A haunting, emotional story that will stay with you long after you are finished reading the book.
October 21, 2009
Don't let the inane prologue put you off, this is a pretty good little vampire story, a quick, absorbing read. It's a first-person narrative of a rather aimless vampire who manages to repress most of his wicked instincts and so tends to think of himself as a decent guy. He comes across as likable, and only his casually ruthless treatment of a girl named Jill keeps you from agreeing with him.
It didn't really work for me as a romance. It's also not quite horror. The book is never explicit or gory and the author assumes you already know what a vampire's habits are and leaves a great deal to your imagination. For the most part I liked the slightly cryptic style, and I think I'll look for more by this author.
It didn't really work for me as a romance. It's also not quite horror. The book is never explicit or gory and the author assumes you already know what a vampire's habits are and leaves a great deal to your imagination. For the most part I liked the slightly cryptic style, and I think I'll look for more by this author.
January 22, 2015
I really like Brust. This one played down some of the more common Brust elements. It's hard to go on and on about food and cooking when your narrator has a purely liquid diet, and a single liquid at that. And there wasn't much on drumming, or the Grateful Dead, and the Hungarian allusions were at a minimum. It still had more than its share of cleverness, and the main character was quite likable, for a vampire.
The story kind of sneaks up on you. For a while, I felt as though nothing was happening, and yet it was. And it built to an ending that I thought was completely satisfying. I didn't like this one as well as many of Brust's other books, and it was not the best vampire book I've ever read. But I'm glad I read it, and I think its worth it for anyone who likes Brust's way of doing things.
The story kind of sneaks up on you. For a while, I felt as though nothing was happening, and yet it was. And it built to an ending that I thought was completely satisfying. I didn't like this one as well as many of Brust's other books, and it was not the best vampire book I've ever read. But I'm glad I read it, and I think its worth it for anyone who likes Brust's way of doing things.
January 8, 2013
I've been a fan of Brust since I was in college (long, long ago) and was very interested when one of his works of a non-Vlad Taltos kind was made available for purchase.
After about 4 pages I was utterly hooked. Nobody works a book behind the scenes like Brust. His ability to impart a metric butt-ton of information by what he DOES NOT include in dialogue, descriptions and plot is amazing.
There are certain conventions one grows accustomed to after reading a lot of horror/sf/fantasy; almost like author macros which are conveniently used to provide background. Brust is able to impart a very significant amount of information by omitting those conventions and leaving it up to the reader.
I really like the work in that it was a sort of common story, written in a most uncommon way.
After about 4 pages I was utterly hooked. Nobody works a book behind the scenes like Brust. His ability to impart a metric butt-ton of information by what he DOES NOT include in dialogue, descriptions and plot is amazing.
There are certain conventions one grows accustomed to after reading a lot of horror/sf/fantasy; almost like author macros which are conveniently used to provide background. Brust is able to impart a very significant amount of information by omitting those conventions and leaving it up to the reader.
I really like the work in that it was a sort of common story, written in a most uncommon way.
February 4, 2015
***SPOILERS***
Things I pretty much hated about this book:
1. I agree with someone else's statement that the entire structure of the book makes no sense (more specifically, how the diary structure plays out). Why would a vampire go out of his way to obfuscate his undead condition in his own diary entries? As far as he knows, the only other entity that's going to read his work is the ghost Jim.
2. I cringed continuously at Brust's attempts to give Agyar any semblance of three-dimensionality. Shouldn't a vampire be a cut above, intellectually, emotionally? Agyar's turns of phrase were embarrassing and hackneyed---but I think they were supposed to be funny and endearing.
3. Agyar is altogether unlikeable and hateful. So why would the reader care at all about his love life and, for that matter, any details about his personality? I was actually disappointed that he didn't die.
I was in a bit of a bad mood while I read this, but it really is the worst book I've read in the last couple of years.
Things I pretty much hated about this book:
1. I agree with someone else's statement that the entire structure of the book makes no sense (more specifically, how the diary structure plays out). Why would a vampire go out of his way to obfuscate his undead condition in his own diary entries? As far as he knows, the only other entity that's going to read his work is the ghost Jim.
2. I cringed continuously at Brust's attempts to give Agyar any semblance of three-dimensionality. Shouldn't a vampire be a cut above, intellectually, emotionally? Agyar's turns of phrase were embarrassing and hackneyed---but I think they were supposed to be funny and endearing.
3. Agyar is altogether unlikeable and hateful. So why would the reader care at all about his love life and, for that matter, any details about his personality? I was actually disappointed that he didn't die.
I was in a bit of a bad mood while I read this, but it really is the worst book I've read in the last couple of years.
August 28, 2011
If urban-fantasy is not your favorite genre, than you'll love this urban-fantasy.
July 20, 2012
I read this book because later in the year I will be attending a workshop at which the author, Steven Brust, is an instructor. As a kind of game, I didn't read the book's summary/blurb. I wanted to let the story engage me on its own merits without knowing what it was about.
It took me a while to put together the clues. Not long, but if I had read "This is a novel about a vampire..." it would have taken away some of the fun of not knowing, of having to piece together the clues, of figuring things out.
The main character in this book is very well developed, and I am sorry that Agyar is a stand-alone novel, even though that is why I chose it in the first place. I'd like to read more about him. Some of the other characters are less three-dimensional, but they are depicted through the eyes of the main character. A predator.
I don't normally like books wherein the character acknowledges writing the very book that I am reading, addressing the act of writing and conjecturing about who might be reading it. But...this really worked for me, in this case. I wasn't put off by it in the least. Well, maybe a little at the very beginning, but I got over it. :)
This is a vampire novel. And yet, it is not a Vampire Novel. It is not soaked in seduction, sex, and blood, although those definitely play a part. But they are not the part. The story is about Jack/John Agyar and what he must do to overcome the difficulty he finds himself in. If that occasionally involves seduction, sex, and blood, that's because it's what he must do to live.
It is a violent story, but told from the viewpoint of the creature who must commit violence or die. He seems callous at times, vindictive and cruel at others, but tender and regretful as well. He is a man of some honor, but it's an odd kind of honor that's a bit horrifying at times.
I look forward to reading more of Brust's work.
It took me a while to put together the clues. Not long, but if I had read "This is a novel about a vampire..." it would have taken away some of the fun of not knowing, of having to piece together the clues, of figuring things out.
The main character in this book is very well developed, and I am sorry that Agyar is a stand-alone novel, even though that is why I chose it in the first place. I'd like to read more about him. Some of the other characters are less three-dimensional, but they are depicted through the eyes of the main character. A predator.
I don't normally like books wherein the character acknowledges writing the very book that I am reading, addressing the act of writing and conjecturing about who might be reading it. But...this really worked for me, in this case. I wasn't put off by it in the least. Well, maybe a little at the very beginning, but I got over it. :)
This is a vampire novel. And yet, it is not a Vampire Novel. It is not soaked in seduction, sex, and blood, although those definitely play a part. But they are not the part. The story is about Jack/John Agyar and what he must do to overcome the difficulty he finds himself in. If that occasionally involves seduction, sex, and blood, that's because it's what he must do to live.
It is a violent story, but told from the viewpoint of the creature who must commit violence or die. He seems callous at times, vindictive and cruel at others, but tender and regretful as well. He is a man of some honor, but it's an odd kind of honor that's a bit horrifying at times.
I look forward to reading more of Brust's work.
Read
August 2, 2011A most peculiar book. I'm still not sure what to say about it, and I don't think I can say anything without giving too much away.
Granted, I haven't read many vampire novels, but never in my life did I expect to read one in which the word "vampire" never appears. Or in which the vampires' feedings aren't described in bloody, intricate detail. I wasn't even sure that Jonathan was actually a vampire till more than halfway through. (Perhaps that's just a reflection on my intellect nowadays, or at least of the condition of my intellect at the late hours at which I was reading). There is almost nothing in the book that lets you know it is a horror story, which is most of its charm. It reads like a love story, which it is, and like a buddy story, which it also is. Jim, the ghost, is a wonderful character and a stroke of brilliance on Brust's part.
I really do need to make time to read it again when I have more time available in larger chunks. Reading this story in short spurts, one chapter a night for weeks, didn't do it justice. I need to take a long cruise to nowhere and bring this along to read for hours at a time.
Granted, I haven't read many vampire novels, but never in my life did I expect to read one in which the word "vampire" never appears. Or in which the vampires' feedings aren't described in bloody, intricate detail. I wasn't even sure that Jonathan was actually a vampire till more than halfway through. (Perhaps that's just a reflection on my intellect nowadays, or at least of the condition of my intellect at the late hours at which I was reading). There is almost nothing in the book that lets you know it is a horror story, which is most of its charm. It reads like a love story, which it is, and like a buddy story, which it also is. Jim, the ghost, is a wonderful character and a stroke of brilliance on Brust's part.
I really do need to make time to read it again when I have more time available in larger chunks. Reading this story in short spurts, one chapter a night for weeks, didn't do it justice. I need to take a long cruise to nowhere and bring this along to read for hours at a time.
October 24, 2020
The structure of Agyar is so clever. Not once is the word vampire nor the literal description of blood consumption mentioned once in the novel yet it is never unclear exactly what Jack Agyar is. I also loved the blend of classic vampire elements (powers like compulsion and shape shifting, gradually draining victims over time) in a modern Midwestern college town setting. In some ways, Agyar’s characterization resembles a “f*** boy,” but he is also revealed to be startlingly complex and perhaps a little unreliable as a narrator (the novel is told through his diary entries, and at one point he states several details he either chose not to include in the diary or forgot to altogether). Equal parts amusing and bleak, Agyar is definitely a hidden gem of the vampire fiction canon and a book I’d like to revisit sometime in the future.
February 17, 2024
Strange from a couple of standpoints.
1. I am not used to the 1st person style of storytelling. It took some getting used to but in the end allowed a more in depth insight into the mind of the protagonist.
2. Yes...it is a vampire book but not like any I had read before. Little to no gore. It alluded to it but then backed off just when you would think, "here we go"!
3. Romance....I am not much on the gushy, in your face kind of romance. This was different. Love is only actually mentioned rarely.
Overall...I really enjoyed this book and would recommend it to others for addition to their vampire collection.
1. I am not used to the 1st person style of storytelling. It took some getting used to but in the end allowed a more in depth insight into the mind of the protagonist.
2. Yes...it is a vampire book but not like any I had read before. Little to no gore. It alluded to it but then backed off just when you would think, "here we go"!
3. Romance....I am not much on the gushy, in your face kind of romance. This was different. Love is only actually mentioned rarely.
Overall...I really enjoyed this book and would recommend it to others for addition to their vampire collection.
January 7, 2019
Great read. Slow burn that surprises and entertains. Well worth read.
July 29, 2023
This was a book that I picked up about 20 years ago, and when I first read it, I thought it was brilliant. This was also before I picked up Brusts's Jhereg series. I've always known Brust as a brilliant dialogue writer, snappy, fast and quick witted and a decent character person (his characters do grow, albeit slowly), so what happens when you take a book with an interesting premise but take away a lot of the snappy dialogue? Well, you get a bore fest. For a 20 year old reread where I already know the major plot point, the book was an exercise in trying to find out what 20 year old me thought was brilliant about the book.
I think there's still a bit of a gem in here, the major plot point is resolved quite satisfactorily, but I think the lack of characters, the snappy dialogue missing, and some of the plot point holes made it a fairly unsatisfactory re-read.
I still think first time readers of this book will find it interesting. It takes a while to figure out who the main character is, how the world works for the main character, and how he resolves his major plot, but ultimately i think this falls under one of Brust's experimental books that never gets its groove on.
Still 3 stars.
I think there's still a bit of a gem in here, the major plot point is resolved quite satisfactorily, but I think the lack of characters, the snappy dialogue missing, and some of the plot point holes made it a fairly unsatisfactory re-read.
I still think first time readers of this book will find it interesting. It takes a while to figure out who the main character is, how the world works for the main character, and how he resolves his major plot, but ultimately i think this falls under one of Brust's experimental books that never gets its groove on.
Still 3 stars.
January 9, 2017
Disturbingly Delicious... that is, if you can stomach it
Pros: Daring, creative, funny and with subtext and substance
Cons: May repulse/revolt certain viewers
The Bottom Line: Probably one of the most challenging movies to date. You owe yourself to discover this wild descent into morally questionable aspects of our human psyche.
Right of the bat, this movie is not for everyone. It opens with an intertitle announcing nonchalantly, and I quote, "Have you ever done it with your dad?" Seeing this written simply on the screen, you start to look around the theatre to try to ascertain other people's reaction. You feel slightly uncomfortable. You wonder if your presence at the movie is a testament of your perversity. As the scene progress and it becomes eminent that this little girl is indeed going to have sex with her father, you feel a genuine unease. You even wonder if other member of the audience will simply stand up and leave... but everyone remains seated. They watch the act play itself out. It looks so real!! Who in the world filmed this? Is this a movie or did it really happened?
Then you realize that the reason nobody left, was that they were all glued in their seat. Frozen. The scene was so intense! And then... the laughter starts. An unsure, reluctant laugh. Should I laugh? Is this funny? Is this sick? Distasteful? Sad? The answer is: this is human nature. Some of us do this. Some never do, but nonetheless have the urge to do some of these things. We are not all as neat, conformist, lawful, respectful, righteous as some might think. We have a dark side. This film shows us this dark side. Simply, honestly, and with great care not to be afraid to go too far.
This film is extremely daring. It depicts acts that are not only illegal and to most (I sincerely hope) immoral, but that are also very passionate and intimately link to who we are. Seeing this on screen allows us a glimpse into this forbidden world. It is as though we are actually committing these atrocities vicariously, and if not, are at least silent witnesses. But we enjoy it. Yes, why do we enjoy it so much? Because, like it or not, it is part of us, somewhere deep (very deep) inside, we understand these fellow humans.
So behind the shock value and the constant disturbing images thrown at the spectators, there lies a deep analysis of human drives that is quite revealing and to the point. This film is like a case study in a scientific experiment. Between the sex, between the violence, we find the motivations and reasons for this decadence. For some, it may require more courage than others, but we owe it to ourselves to watch... to learn.
This film is not as dark as you might imagine it to be. That is what is so surprising about it. The incorporation of humour and absurdity in hateful and abject displays. The situations are in fact quite funny, even hilarious. The people are real persons that you might even come to like. The story is somewhat sweet, heartfelt. So come in open-minded, let go of your inhibitions, of your own self-censorship, and enjoy it!! Laugh, cry, let your stomach turn a little and feel like you've experienced something never before experienced. This is what novelty is all about.
The first scene is just the tip of the iceberg compared to the rest of the movie, but I would spoil the fun by telling you what you are about to see, just go ahead and see it. Expect nothing. Expect anything.
Pros: Daring, creative, funny and with subtext and substance
Cons: May repulse/revolt certain viewers
The Bottom Line: Probably one of the most challenging movies to date. You owe yourself to discover this wild descent into morally questionable aspects of our human psyche.
Right of the bat, this movie is not for everyone. It opens with an intertitle announcing nonchalantly, and I quote, "Have you ever done it with your dad?" Seeing this written simply on the screen, you start to look around the theatre to try to ascertain other people's reaction. You feel slightly uncomfortable. You wonder if your presence at the movie is a testament of your perversity. As the scene progress and it becomes eminent that this little girl is indeed going to have sex with her father, you feel a genuine unease. You even wonder if other member of the audience will simply stand up and leave... but everyone remains seated. They watch the act play itself out. It looks so real!! Who in the world filmed this? Is this a movie or did it really happened?
Then you realize that the reason nobody left, was that they were all glued in their seat. Frozen. The scene was so intense! And then... the laughter starts. An unsure, reluctant laugh. Should I laugh? Is this funny? Is this sick? Distasteful? Sad? The answer is: this is human nature. Some of us do this. Some never do, but nonetheless have the urge to do some of these things. We are not all as neat, conformist, lawful, respectful, righteous as some might think. We have a dark side. This film shows us this dark side. Simply, honestly, and with great care not to be afraid to go too far.
This film is extremely daring. It depicts acts that are not only illegal and to most (I sincerely hope) immoral, but that are also very passionate and intimately link to who we are. Seeing this on screen allows us a glimpse into this forbidden world. It is as though we are actually committing these atrocities vicariously, and if not, are at least silent witnesses. But we enjoy it. Yes, why do we enjoy it so much? Because, like it or not, it is part of us, somewhere deep (very deep) inside, we understand these fellow humans.
So behind the shock value and the constant disturbing images thrown at the spectators, there lies a deep analysis of human drives that is quite revealing and to the point. This film is like a case study in a scientific experiment. Between the sex, between the violence, we find the motivations and reasons for this decadence. For some, it may require more courage than others, but we owe it to ourselves to watch... to learn.
This film is not as dark as you might imagine it to be. That is what is so surprising about it. The incorporation of humour and absurdity in hateful and abject displays. The situations are in fact quite funny, even hilarious. The people are real persons that you might even come to like. The story is somewhat sweet, heartfelt. So come in open-minded, let go of your inhibitions, of your own self-censorship, and enjoy it!! Laugh, cry, let your stomach turn a little and feel like you've experienced something never before experienced. This is what novelty is all about.
The first scene is just the tip of the iceberg compared to the rest of the movie, but I would spoil the fun by telling you what you are about to see, just go ahead and see it. Expect nothing. Expect anything.
April 4, 2014
Reading and liking a new book is like a good first date. Something about the book makes you pick it up-- the cover, the synopsis, a blurb, a good friend's recommendation, even a random pick hoping for serendipity. You start reading, pleasantly surprised when your interest grows with each page. Every new revelation signals even more intrigue and mystery that you're eager to uncover. But you reserve judgment, still cautious and guarded, knowing it may yet disappoint. You're a roller coaster of emotions, your senses are heightened, your attention fully commanded. You are wrapped in hope, excitement and titillation.
Thus began my romance with Agyar. From the outset, this book has an almost palpable tone, foreboding and sinister. Such exquisite subtlety. It whispers, walks on tiptoes, teases, a slow burn. Agyar presumes an attentive, circumspect reader able to spot delicate hints, finespun threads. It is about one type of monster which it never names but otherwise describes so thoroughly as to leave no doubt as to its identity. The undercurrent of danger is a constant reminder.
We are inside the mind of Jack Agyar, Agyar Janos of old, follow him on his actual meanderings around Ohio and virtual ones through decades of memories. We are inside his thoughts as he struggles to commit to paper the events of his life and the insights he gained from them. Jack has an almost fatalistic indifference. He has no qualms or illusions about his nature and is seemingly without plans for the future. He has no need to rush, too many lives lived for regrets. He has the uncommon luxury of time, though it often feels more of a yoke. Yet, curiously, his monstrous nature seems to be treated as simultaneously incidental and intrinsic to the story, casually presumed some moments and deliberately emphasized in others.
Jack starts out under the compulsion of another, the right to choose an extravagance not afforded to him. In any event, Jack initially has no desire to question much less fight the compulsion anyway. We watch as he finds a reason to resist and the means by which to do it. Whether or not he shall be successful or must merely be content with finding the will to resist within himself remains to be seen.
Another noteworthy component to this tale is the romance. While this is a subject matter I admittedly normally eschew, the romance angle here is captivating. It is singular and peculiar, guileless yet sophisticated. It is an exploration of mature relationships-- the fundamental imbalance of power, the inherent pitfalls, the variability of emotions.
A significant part of why I read is to be fascinated, enamoured, surprised by another's thoughts, ideas, insights. Agyar is bursting at the seams with brain fodder. So many lines replete with meaning, so much dialogue oozing with authenticity, so many familiar emotions presented under a new light. Here's an example--
"We create our own omens, I think, and then mystify ourselves trying to understand their significance."
And the ending. Oh, what an ending! Every bit a climax, conclusion and beginning all at once. Again, the ending is an homage to the monster, a testament to love, an eternal promise and a defiance of death.
This is the first book I've read by Steven Brust and if his others are even halfway as alluring, galvanic and thought-provoking, it will definitely not be the last. I guess you can say I want a second date.
Thus began my romance with Agyar. From the outset, this book has an almost palpable tone, foreboding and sinister. Such exquisite subtlety. It whispers, walks on tiptoes, teases, a slow burn. Agyar presumes an attentive, circumspect reader able to spot delicate hints, finespun threads. It is about one type of monster which it never names but otherwise describes so thoroughly as to leave no doubt as to its identity. The undercurrent of danger is a constant reminder.
We are inside the mind of Jack Agyar, Agyar Janos of old, follow him on his actual meanderings around Ohio and virtual ones through decades of memories. We are inside his thoughts as he struggles to commit to paper the events of his life and the insights he gained from them. Jack has an almost fatalistic indifference. He has no qualms or illusions about his nature and is seemingly without plans for the future. He has no need to rush, too many lives lived for regrets. He has the uncommon luxury of time, though it often feels more of a yoke. Yet, curiously, his monstrous nature seems to be treated as simultaneously incidental and intrinsic to the story, casually presumed some moments and deliberately emphasized in others.
Jack starts out under the compulsion of another, the right to choose an extravagance not afforded to him. In any event, Jack initially has no desire to question much less fight the compulsion anyway. We watch as he finds a reason to resist and the means by which to do it. Whether or not he shall be successful or must merely be content with finding the will to resist within himself remains to be seen.
Another noteworthy component to this tale is the romance. While this is a subject matter I admittedly normally eschew, the romance angle here is captivating. It is singular and peculiar, guileless yet sophisticated. It is an exploration of mature relationships-- the fundamental imbalance of power, the inherent pitfalls, the variability of emotions.
A significant part of why I read is to be fascinated, enamoured, surprised by another's thoughts, ideas, insights. Agyar is bursting at the seams with brain fodder. So many lines replete with meaning, so much dialogue oozing with authenticity, so many familiar emotions presented under a new light. Here's an example--
"We create our own omens, I think, and then mystify ourselves trying to understand their significance."
And the ending. Oh, what an ending! Every bit a climax, conclusion and beginning all at once. Again, the ending is an homage to the monster, a testament to love, an eternal promise and a defiance of death.
This is the first book I've read by Steven Brust and if his others are even halfway as alluring, galvanic and thought-provoking, it will definitely not be the last. I guess you can say I want a second date.
July 5, 2019
This is probably the best vampire book I have ever read. And as a goth, I have read a fair number.
The word vampire doesn't appear anywhere in the book, nor does any euphemism.
This review is being written after listening to the audiobook, as narrated by the author, probably close to twenty years after reading it the first time. I think the experience of reading it the second time was pretty close to the first, even knowing what happens.
At first, I think "Gosh, this hasn't aged well! Is this what Brust thinks is charming?" Jack Agyar has that way about him of a man now in his 70s or 80s still using flirting techniques from an era when in some circles it was considered simply polite to hit on any unmarried woman you met.
Then it gets... worse. Jack's charm goes from awkward to unsettling and creepy. He's really an awful person. If the word "person" even still applies?
Brust has occasionally been compared to Roger Zelazny, and I think that comparison is very apt here. Brust pulls off that trick Zelazny had of presenting a protagonist who, based solely on his actions, is actually terrible, but somehow has such charisma that you fall into the narrative with them anyway. Corwin of Amber has this, especially in the early amber novels, and so does Brust's Vlad Taltos. With Agyar, Brust starts us off on that path, then pushes the reader off the edge as Agyar does increasingly terrible things.
The ending reminds me a fair bit of Neil Gaiman's Sandman - there's an examination of just how much a person can change in the course of a very long life.
One last observation; I know that the Dragaeran setting Brust spends most of his time writing in is based on a long ago D&D campaign. I cannot help but wonder if Agyar has old roots in a 90s World of Darkness game. I have to say, though, that Agyar delivers on the promise of "gothic punk personal horror" more fully than Vampire: the Masquerade generally did.
The word vampire doesn't appear anywhere in the book, nor does any euphemism.
This review is being written after listening to the audiobook, as narrated by the author, probably close to twenty years after reading it the first time. I think the experience of reading it the second time was pretty close to the first, even knowing what happens.
At first, I think "Gosh, this hasn't aged well! Is this what Brust thinks is charming?" Jack Agyar has that way about him of a man now in his 70s or 80s still using flirting techniques from an era when in some circles it was considered simply polite to hit on any unmarried woman you met.
Then it gets... worse. Jack's charm goes from awkward to unsettling and creepy. He's really an awful person. If the word "person" even still applies?
Brust has occasionally been compared to Roger Zelazny, and I think that comparison is very apt here. Brust pulls off that trick Zelazny had of presenting a protagonist who, based solely on his actions, is actually terrible, but somehow has such charisma that you fall into the narrative with them anyway. Corwin of Amber has this, especially in the early amber novels, and so does Brust's Vlad Taltos. With Agyar, Brust starts us off on that path, then pushes the reader off the edge as Agyar does increasingly terrible things.
The ending reminds me a fair bit of Neil Gaiman's Sandman - there's an examination of just how much a person can change in the course of a very long life.
One last observation; I know that the Dragaeran setting Brust spends most of his time writing in is based on a long ago D&D campaign. I cannot help but wonder if Agyar has old roots in a 90s World of Darkness game. I have to say, though, that Agyar delivers on the promise of "gothic punk personal horror" more fully than Vampire: the Masquerade generally did.
January 19, 2010
This was really, really interesting and well-done. It's also hard to write a review about this without getting spoilery, so spoilers follow.
This book is a pretty good antidote for all the vampire-romance lovers out there (yours truly included). Brust does the Hemingway thing where he refers to a lot of things obliquely and insinuates, and you have to piece it all together yourself. For instance, never once does he say the word vampire, nor does the narrator actually talk about drinking blood.
So when you take away some of the vampireness of the vampire, you start to really see how much the "seduction" of the vampire is like rape, and what sociopaths vampires really are. The romance disappears.
I also really love the theme in the book of the experience and process of writing, and how when you're reading it you feel like you're there with the narrator typing. You're present in the meta-narrative. And I love, love that when you go back to read the first passage of the book, it has a completely different significance and meaning than it did when you first read it.
Excellent plotting, excellent writing. I'm definitely going to read more Brust in the future.
This book is a pretty good antidote for all the vampire-romance lovers out there (yours truly included). Brust does the Hemingway thing where he refers to a lot of things obliquely and insinuates, and you have to piece it all together yourself. For instance, never once does he say the word vampire, nor does the narrator actually talk about drinking blood.
So when you take away some of the vampireness of the vampire, you start to really see how much the "seduction" of the vampire is like rape, and what sociopaths vampires really are. The romance disappears.
I also really love the theme in the book of the experience and process of writing, and how when you're reading it you feel like you're there with the narrator typing. You're present in the meta-narrative. And I love, love that when you go back to read the first passage of the book, it has a completely different significance and meaning than it did when you first read it.
Excellent plotting, excellent writing. I'm definitely going to read more Brust in the future.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 19, 2020
This is a vampire story that never utters the word 'vampire'. Agyar has been around for over a century aimlessly moving from city to city living a vague kind of un-life. Recently, he's been drawn to a small Ohio city where all of that is going to change. He will feel emotions long thought dead. You want to root for Agyar but he's also a very unlikeable character. Quite a feat to write such a character!
It's hard to say anything about this book because it is best experienced knowing as little as possible about it and it would be too easy to spoil it.
The book moves a bit slow at first and you won't be sure if it's going to be any good. But I'm glad I stuck around because all of a sudden I was engrossed in the tale!
I've been a fan of Brust's Taltos books since Jr./Middle school. I don't know how the books would hold up now, but I've the feeling they would do well. While looking for some vampire books for a vampire book trading box, I was quite surprised to find out that Brust wrote a vampire novel and I immediately added it to my cart! Glad I found it! Agyar is no Taltos but he's still pretty interesting.
It's hard to say anything about this book because it is best experienced knowing as little as possible about it and it would be too easy to spoil it.
The book moves a bit slow at first and you won't be sure if it's going to be any good. But I'm glad I stuck around because all of a sudden I was engrossed in the tale!
I've been a fan of Brust's Taltos books since Jr./Middle school. I don't know how the books would hold up now, but I've the feeling they would do well. While looking for some vampire books for a vampire book trading box, I was quite surprised to find out that Brust wrote a vampire novel and I immediately added it to my cart! Glad I found it! Agyar is no Taltos but he's still pretty interesting.
June 20, 2007
This book is a must-read for all Vampire players and for most folks who like Vampire fiction in general. Written in the first-person perspective with the vampire as a protagonist, Agyar manages to be as compelling and sensual as the Anne Rice novels, but with far fewer "filler" paragraphs.
The vampirism is portrayed subtly, and I find that it gives this book a much classier air than your average Vampire story. Steven Brust is a phenomenal writer and uses a lot of short, witty language that includes a lot of very powerful subtext - simple on the surface and very rich between the lines.
The vampirism is portrayed subtly, and I find that it gives this book a much classier air than your average Vampire story. Steven Brust is a phenomenal writer and uses a lot of short, witty language that includes a lot of very powerful subtext - simple on the surface and very rich between the lines.
January 29, 2008
Agyar had been on my list forever until I had stumbled upon it at a used book store.
This is a very subtle tale of a young man and his relationship with three women: his loves and nemesis'. I don't know if I can recommend it or not. I did like the writing style, as if the reader has discovered a diary, but the reason for subtleness in this context escapes me.
I mean this is a first-hand account, or confession, so why be so subtle and ambiguous about it? I want to like Steven Brust since he has such a fervent following, but I don't think he's for me. Oh well, life goes on.
This is a very subtle tale of a young man and his relationship with three women: his loves and nemesis'. I don't know if I can recommend it or not. I did like the writing style, as if the reader has discovered a diary, but the reason for subtleness in this context escapes me.
I mean this is a first-hand account, or confession, so why be so subtle and ambiguous about it? I want to like Steven Brust since he has such a fervent following, but I don't think he's for me. Oh well, life goes on.
May 3, 2011
Hi,
I know this is not part of his regular series and it is a far cry from Brust's normal story, but I loved it! I was at a sci fi convention that he was doing a book signing. Of course I did not have my books with me and I could not get to them. He had just put this one out, so I bought it there and had him sign it. I went home and read it in one sitting. I just could not put it down.
I know that this book gets very little attention, but it deserves way more. Read this book! Even if you are not a fan of the Vlad series. Totally worth it.
Jenn
I know this is not part of his regular series and it is a far cry from Brust's normal story, but I loved it! I was at a sci fi convention that he was doing a book signing. Of course I did not have my books with me and I could not get to them. He had just put this one out, so I bought it there and had him sign it. I went home and read it in one sitting. I just could not put it down.
I know that this book gets very little attention, but it deserves way more. Read this book! Even if you are not a fan of the Vlad series. Totally worth it.
Jenn
July 23, 2013
That was well done. Thank you Sherwood Smith for recommending this a long time ago.
A longer review to follow. Maybe.
A longer review to follow. Maybe.
July 17, 2019
The second time I have read this, I think, and it is a book very much of the moment in which it was written -- the early 90s, during
I like it very much, but it is bleak -- and it should be, a good corrective to the idea that someone who does terrible things is all right because they also love.
I like it very much, but it is bleak -- and it should be, a good corrective to the idea that someone who does terrible things is all right because they also love.
September 30, 2019
Agyar has come to a town because Laura called him. He has to succumb to her will in all things, and it seems he is to die.
This book was deeply in Agyar's head, and it mimicked his thought process - I think the use of the typewriter was genius! He is a vampire, altough the word is never written down, and he is quite set in his "patterns", which ain't pretty. His handling of "Jill" (his memory is getting bad, so the name is wrong) is monstrous, but again, he never pretended to be something other than he is. Agyar explores the town and himself, experiences changes he hadn't thought possible, and undertaking risks that could bring his eternal life to an end.
This was a slow burner, and at times I had to force myself to read on. The prose is beautiful, and Agyar's voice captivating, so I think it was worth it. And oh, the ending!
This book was deeply in Agyar's head, and it mimicked his thought process - I think the use of the typewriter was genius! He is a vampire, altough the word is never written down, and he is quite set in his "patterns", which ain't pretty. His handling of "Jill" (his memory is getting bad, so the name is wrong) is monstrous, but again, he never pretended to be something other than he is. Agyar explores the town and himself, experiences changes he hadn't thought possible, and undertaking risks that could bring his eternal life to an end.
This was a slow burner, and at times I had to force myself to read on. The prose is beautiful, and Agyar's voice captivating, so I think it was worth it. And oh, the ending!
November 21, 2022
I really like Brust's books, but this one was a bit of a disappointment. It is a conventional type of story that is told in an unconventional way. It does not take long to realize that the main character of the novel The main conflict is revealed very early in the book, but it takes forever for this plot to move forward. Much of the plot is taken up by the day-to-day musings of Agyar as he juggles his relationships with two young women. While this was intriguing at first, it dragged on too long before there was any significant progress with the main conflict. Not nearly as engaging as his Vlad Taltos books.
October 20, 2023
I'm fairly indifferent toward this work. Maybe I'll check out some other stuff by the same author, though.
I suppose I'm bothered by the instinct here to familiarize vampirism and immortality. The narrator protagonist ends up just coming across as "some guy," indeed, the kind of guy who indulges in banal observational humor and has mildly pretentious taste in music.
If vampires, then, are more or less just hipsters, what's the point in their representation? At least, if your premise negates the possibility for wonder and imagination, the possibility of there being something or someone out there genuinely new or different, I think you need to dedicate more effort to explaining why you adopted it.
I suppose I'm bothered by the instinct here to familiarize vampirism and immortality. The narrator protagonist ends up just coming across as "some guy," indeed, the kind of guy who indulges in banal observational humor and has mildly pretentious taste in music.
If vampires, then, are more or less just hipsters, what's the point in their representation? At least, if your premise negates the possibility for wonder and imagination, the possibility of there being something or someone out there genuinely new or different, I think you need to dedicate more effort to explaining why you adopted it.
February 11, 2022
It was ok. There were a few too many curse words. No F-word. But the S-word and the N-word. I wasn't totally offended like I am about lazy F-word usage. The ex-slave ghost used the n-word about himself and then tutted when the other man used the s-word. Anyway, it was a different type of vampire book. It took a while to figure out that he was a vampire. And then I still never fully understood the method of his life sucking. I would have believed that he was an incubus. Maybe he was. The word vampire was never mentioned. Then there were a few interesting twists involving freedom and sacrifice.
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