Khaavren Romances
Encyclopedia
The Khaavren Romances are a series of fantasy novels
written by Steven Brust
and set in the fictional world of Dragaera
. The novels are swashbuckling adventure stories involving war, intrigue, and romance. They are heavily influenced by the d'Artagnan Romances
written by Alexandre Dumas
.
The title of each book roughly corresponds with its equivalent in the d'Artagnan Romances. The Phoenix Guards names the guard organization to which the main characters belong, as does The Three Musketeers
, Five Hundred Years After describes the length of time between it and the previous book, as does Twenty Years After
, and The Viscount of Adrilankha is the name of the next generation of hero, as is The Vicomte de Bragelonne
. The third novel of each trilogy is broken into smaller volumes.
a House of the Dragaeran Empire.
s to present the books as historical fiction
novels within the world of Dragaera. The author of the novels is Paarfi of Roundwood, a nobleman and historian from the House of the Hawk. Through his narrative, Paarfi attempts to dramatize historical events of Dragaera that he has studied but not witnessed himself.
Steven Brust presents himself as Paarfi's English translator. At the end of several of the Khaavren books, Brust and the character Paarfi have a comedic interaction or interview, and the two often quarrel. Brust claims to have changed Paarfi's original text in a number of ways in order to accommodate the differences in language. For example, the Dragaeran language has gender neutral pronouns, which Brust has translated into the generic male, a change that outrages Paarfi during one of their conversations.
, titled "How to Write Like Paarfi of Roundwood", which identifies 17 characteristics of Paarfi's style. Many of the Khaavren Romances include essays credited to Paarfi's Dragaeran colleagues, who use similarly overwrought language.
A Dragaeran essay in Five Hundred Years After notes that Paarfi writes in a style similar to Redwreath and Goldstar Have Traveled to Deathsgate, a Dragaeran play. This is a reference to Tom Stoppard
's Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead
. Brust took inspiration from that play, especially the "questions" game, in writing the Romances' bantering dialogue. A running joke throughout the series is that characters must ask a question multiple times before receiving an answer.
Paarfi's writing also makes heavy use of metafiction
, as he frequently calls attention to his twin roles as historian and storyteller. He often pauses the story to defend the historicity of a certain plot detail or to explain a literary technique that he is about to use. Paarfi's regular intrusions, combined with the biographical information included in several of the peripheral essays, make him into a frame tale for the series.
-like "flashstones" as their only source of magical weaponry. By Vlad's time, the abundance of sorcery has transformed Dragaeran society.
There are many crossovers between the Khaavren Romances and the Vlad Taltos novels. Due to the long lives of many characters in Dragaera, some characters appear in both series. Paarfi wrote The Phoenix Guards during a time roughly contemporary to Vlad's life, while the rest of the series was written at least one hundred years later. Some of Paarfi's other work is referenced in the Vlad novels. There are some discrepancies between the two series, but many of them are intentional. Paarfi, like Vlad, is not a completely reliable narrator. Brust has stated that while Paarfi is very well informed, he does not know as much as he thinks he does, and sometimes simply makes things up.
Fantasy literature
Fantasy literature is fantasy in written form. Historically speaking, literature has composed the majority of fantasy works. Since the 1950s however, a growing segment of the fantasy genre has taken the form of films, television programs, graphic novels, video games, music, painting, and other...
written by Steven Brust
Steven Brust
Steven Karl Zoltán Brust 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; he also belongs to the Pre-Joycean...
and set in the fictional world of Dragaera
Dragaera
Dragaera is the fictional world in which a series of novels by Steven Brust is set. The word "Dragaera" can refer to the planet, the Dragaeran Empire, or its former capital, Dragaera City.-Species:...
. The novels are swashbuckling adventure stories involving war, intrigue, and romance. They are heavily influenced by the d'Artagnan Romances
D'Artagnan Romances
The d'Artagnan Romances are a set of three novels by Alexandre Dumas telling the story of the musketeer d'Artagnan from his humble beginnings in Gascony to his death as a marshal of France in the Siege of Maastricht in 1673....
written by Alexandre Dumas
Alexandre Dumas, père
Alexandre Dumas, , born Dumas Davy de la Pailleterie was a French writer, best known for his historical novels of high adventure which have made him one of the most widely read French authors in the world...
.
Books
- The Phoenix GuardsThe Phoenix GuardsThe Phoenix Guards is the first novel in the Khaavren Romances, a fantasy series by Steven Brust set in the fictional world of Dragaera. The novel is heavily influenced by the d'Artagnan Romances written by Alexandre Dumas...
(1991) - Five Hundred Years AfterFive Hundred Years AfterFive Hundred Years After is the second novel in the Khaavren Romances fantasy series by Steven Brust. It is set in the fantasy world of Dragaera. The novel is heavily influenced by the d'Artagnan Romances written by Alexandre Dumas, and Brust considers the series an homage to that author...
(1994) - The Viscount of AdrilankhaThe Viscount of AdrilankhaThe Viscount of Adrilankha is a fantasy novel published in three volumes and written by Steven Brust. Collectively, the three books form the third novel in the Khaavren Romances series. The novels are heavily influenced by the d'Artagnan Romances written by Alexandre Dumas, and Brust considers the...
, published in three volumes:- The Paths of the Dead (2002)
- The Lord of Castle Black (2003)
- Sethra Lavode (2004)
The title of each book roughly corresponds with its equivalent in the d'Artagnan Romances. The Phoenix Guards names the guard organization to which the main characters belong, as does The Three Musketeers
The Three Musketeers
The Three Musketeers is a novel by Alexandre Dumas, first serialized in March–July 1844. Set in the 17th century, it recounts the adventures of a young man named d'Artagnan after he leaves home to travel to Paris, to join the Musketeers of the Guard...
, Five Hundred Years After describes the length of time between it and the previous book, as does Twenty Years After
Twenty Years After
Twenty Years After is a novel by Alexandre Dumas, père, first serialized from January to August, 1845. A book of the D'Artagnan Romances, it is a sequel to The Three Musketeers and precedes The Vicomte de Bragelonne .The novel follows events in France during La Fronde, during the childhood reign...
, and The Viscount of Adrilankha is the name of the next generation of hero, as is The Vicomte de Bragelonne
The Vicomte de Bragelonne
The Vicomte of Bragelonne: Ten Years Later is a novel by Alexandre Dumas. It is the third and last of the d'Artagnan Romances, following The Three Musketeers and Twenty Years After. It appeared first in serial form between 1847 and 1850...
. The third novel of each trilogy is broken into smaller volumes.
Characters
The heroes of the Khaavren Romances roughly correspond with the heroes of the d'Artagnan Romances. Brust conceived of the series after assigning each of the MusketeersThe Three Musketeers
The Three Musketeers is a novel by Alexandre Dumas, first serialized in March–July 1844. Set in the 17th century, it recounts the adventures of a young man named d'Artagnan after he leaves home to travel to Paris, to join the Musketeers of the Guard...
a House of the Dragaeran Empire.
- Khaavren - A Tiassa nobleman without land, Khaavren seeks his adventure any way he can. As a Tiassa, he is adventurous, friendly, observant, and prone to feats of inspiration. As he ages, his youthful exuberance fades into crisp military discipline and a keen air of command. He wields a long and slender sword with great skill learned from the fighting arts of the Tiassa. He is the counterpart of d'ArtagnanD'ArtagnanCharles Ogier de Batz de Castelmore, Comte d'Artagnan served Louis XIV as captain of the Musketeers of the Guard and died at the Siege of Maastricht in the Franco-Dutch War. A fictionalized account of his life by Gatien de Courtilz de Sandras formed the basis for the d'Artagnan Romances of...
. - Aerich - A Lyorn aristocrat, Aerich is every inch a nobleman. He is an expert on the subjects of honor, tradition, and propriety, and holds himself to the highest standards of a gentleman. His reserved nature and dignified manner quickly impress those who meet him. He is also an expert in the martial arts of the Lyorn, which stress a defensive style of combat that utilizes vambraces to deflect enemies' blows until a killing stroke can be applied. He is the counterpart of AthosAthos (fictional character)Olivier d'Athos de la Fère, Comte de la Fère is a fictional character, a Musketeer of the Guard in the novels The Three Musketeers, Twenty Years After, and The Vicomte de Bragelonne by Alexandre Dumas, père....
. - Tazendra - A Dzur aristocrat, Tazendra shares her House's keen interest in battle and glory. Though she wields her massive hand-and-a-half sword with seemingly reckless enthusiasm, she is a serious warrior. She perceives the world in very simple and unsubtle terms, causing her to lose track of complex situations and rely on her friends to explain the details that she misses. Despite her uncomplicated mind, Tazendra is a potent sorcerer and is the only one of her friends so skilled. She is the counterpart of PorthosPorthosPorthos, Baron du Vallon de Bracieux de Pierrefonds is a fictional character in the novels The Three Musketeers, Twenty Years After and The Vicomte de Bragelonne by Alexandre Dumas, père. He and the other two musketeers Athos and Aramis are friends of the novel's protagonist, d'Artagnan...
. - Pel - A Yendi nobleman without land, Pel is an ambitious and fiendishly clever schemer whose true thoughts are rarely known even to his closest friends. Pel uses his handsome appearance and rakish charm as assets, and has many female friends in high places. He also maintains a host of contacts in the Jhereg Organization. Despite his cerebral nature and small stature, Pel is a skilled duellist and a ferocious swordsman. He is the counterpart of AramisAramisC. René d'Aramis de Vannes is a fictional character in the novels The Three Musketeers, Twenty Years After and The Vicomte de Bragelonne by Alexandre Dumas, père...
. - Piro - Khaavren's son, the Viscount of Adrilankha makes his first appearance in Paths of the Dead as a hero of the next generation. He is a skilled and passionate young man, like his father, but as a child of the Interregnum he is less bound by the strict cultural taboos of the Dragaeran Empire. He is the counterpart of Raoul de BragelonneThe Vicomte de BragelonneThe Vicomte of Bragelonne: Ten Years Later is a novel by Alexandre Dumas. It is the third and last of the d'Artagnan Romances, following The Three Musketeers and Twenty Years After. It appeared first in serial form between 1847 and 1850...
.
Historical fiction
Brust uses the conventions of false documentFalse document
A false document is a literary technique employed to create verisimilitude in a work of fiction. By inventing and inserting documents that appear to be factual, an author tries to create a sense of authenticity beyond the normal and expected suspension of disbelief for a work of art...
s to present the books as historical fiction
Historical fiction
Historical fiction tells a story that is set in the past. That setting is usually real and drawn from history, and often contains actual historical persons, but the principal characters tend to be fictional...
novels within the world of Dragaera. The author of the novels is Paarfi of Roundwood, a nobleman and historian from the House of the Hawk. Through his narrative, Paarfi attempts to dramatize historical events of Dragaera that he has studied but not witnessed himself.
Steven Brust presents himself as Paarfi's English translator. At the end of several of the Khaavren books, Brust and the character Paarfi have a comedic interaction or interview, and the two often quarrel. Brust claims to have changed Paarfi's original text in a number of ways in order to accommodate the differences in language. For example, the Dragaeran language has gender neutral pronouns, which Brust has translated into the generic male, a change that outrages Paarfi during one of their conversations.
Writing style
Paarfi narrates with a distinctive voice that satirizes the flowery and verbose style of Alexandre Dumas and his contemporaries. Paths of the Dead includes an essay by Brust's editor, Teresa Nielsen HaydenTeresa Nielsen Hayden
Teresa Nielsen Hayden is an American science fiction editor, fanzine writer, essayist, and teacher. She is a consulting editor for Tor Books. She has also worked for Federated Media Publishing, where in 2007 she revived the comment section for the blog Boing Boing...
, titled "How to Write Like Paarfi of Roundwood", which identifies 17 characteristics of Paarfi's style. Many of the Khaavren Romances include essays credited to Paarfi's Dragaeran colleagues, who use similarly overwrought language.
A Dragaeran essay in Five Hundred Years After notes that Paarfi writes in a style similar to Redwreath and Goldstar Have Traveled to Deathsgate, a Dragaeran play. This is a reference to Tom Stoppard
Tom Stoppard
Sir Tom Stoppard OM, CBE, FRSL is a British playwright, knighted in 1997. He has written prolifically for TV, radio, film and stage, finding prominence with plays such as Arcadia, The Coast of Utopia, Every Good Boy Deserves Favour, Professional Foul, The Real Thing, and Rosencrantz and...
's Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead
Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead
Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead is an absurdist, existentialist tragicomedy by Tom Stoppard, first staged at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 1966. The play expands upon the exploits of two minor characters from Shakespeare's Hamlet, the courtiers Rosencrantz and Guildenstern...
. Brust took inspiration from that play, especially the "questions" game, in writing the Romances' bantering dialogue. A running joke throughout the series is that characters must ask a question multiple times before receiving an answer.
Paarfi's writing also makes heavy use of metafiction
Metafiction
Metafiction, also known as Romantic irony in the context of Romantic works of literature, is a type of fiction that self-consciously addresses the devices of fiction, exposing the fictional illusion...
, as he frequently calls attention to his twin roles as historian and storyteller. He often pauses the story to defend the historicity of a certain plot detail or to explain a literary technique that he is about to use. Paarfi's regular intrusions, combined with the biographical information included in several of the peripheral essays, make him into a frame tale for the series.
Continuity
The events described in the Khaavren Romances take place several hundred years before the events of the Vlad Taltos novels. Dragaeran society is somewhat different in the Romances than that in which Vlad lives. The capital of the Empire is Dragaera City, which serves as the primary setting for the first two novels of the series. In addition, sorcery is much weaker and more rare. Most of the characters in the Khaavren Romances know little about sorcery and rely on flintlockFlintlock
Flintlock is the general term for any firearm based on the flintlock mechanism. The term may also apply to the mechanism itself. Introduced at the beginning of the 17th century, the flintlock rapidly replaced earlier firearm-ignition technologies, such as the doglock, matchlock and wheellock...
-like "flashstones" as their only source of magical weaponry. By Vlad's time, the abundance of sorcery has transformed Dragaeran society.
There are many crossovers between the Khaavren Romances and the Vlad Taltos novels. Due to the long lives of many characters in Dragaera, some characters appear in both series. Paarfi wrote The Phoenix Guards during a time roughly contemporary to Vlad's life, while the rest of the series was written at least one hundred years later. Some of Paarfi's other work is referenced in the Vlad novels. There are some discrepancies between the two series, but many of them are intentional. Paarfi, like Vlad, is not a completely reliable narrator. Brust has stated that while Paarfi is very well informed, he does not know as much as he thinks he does, and sometimes simply makes things up.