Agyar

Born over a century ago, Agyar was once a frivolous young man, before he found im-mor-tality in a woman's blood-red lips. Now he roams from woman to woman and decade to decade, finding himself at last in an Ohio college town, where he must choose between the seductions of salvation and of destruction. From Publishers Weekly Brust has concocted a marvelous fantasy, a vampire novel in which the word "vampire" never appears. Jack Agyar is, if not quite immortal, very long-lived. He writes the story of his life on an old typewriter in the attic of an abandoned house in an Ohio university town where he lives with the ghost of an ex-slave named Jim. In Brust's world, vampires don't necessarily kill their victims, but, rather, feed off them for lengths of time. Through one of those victims, Agyar meets Susan, an enchanting young dancer with whom he is shocked to discover himself falling in love. Meantime, the vampire who made Agyar plans to set him up for a murder she commits and he finds himself less and less willing to do her bidding. The plot may seem elementary, but Brust is a master stylist who creates such intricate characters that plot is almost irrelevant. (Brust adds the initials P.J.F. after his name. They stand for Pre-Joyce Foundation, a group whose members, among them Emma Bull, Will Shetterly, and Jane Yolen, believe that James Joyce ruined modern literature.) Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc. From Library Journal A mysterious young man appears in a midwestern college town, takes up residence in an abandoned house, and awaits his death at the hands of the woman who controls his destiny. As John Agyar attempts to reconcile himself to impending doom, he discovers another woman whose love for him leads to a dangerous revelation--and his only hope to escape his fate. The author of The Phoenix Guards (Tor Bks., 1991) and the "Vlad Taltos" series offers a fresh perspective on a popular theme of dark fantasy in this penetrating look at an individual caught between life and death. A good choice for fantasy collections. Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From the bestselling author of Dragon and The Paths of the Dead, a novel of immortality—and its price

Kirkus Reviews

Impressively wrought modern vampire/redemption yarn, from the author of The Phoenix Guards, The Gypsy (p. 641), etc. Arriving in the quiet college town of Lakota, Ohio, Agyar Janos takes up residence in an empty, furnished house—abandoned because it's haunted by Jim, the ghost of an escaped slave. The pair strike up a wary friendship, and it becomes apparent that Agyar, methodical, callous, detached from both life and death, is a vampire. His first victim is artist Jill, but she rebels against his control of her; so when threatened by Jill's shotgun-toting boyfriend, Agyar kills him without compunction. Then Laura Kellem, the ancient vampire to whom Agyar is himself in thrall, orders Agyar to sacrifice himself by allowing the police to capture him, so as to preserve Kellem's own concealment, which she has foolishly compromised. At first, Agyar cares little; but in his developing non-vampire relationship with Susan, Jill's warm, attractive, intelligent flatmate, he finds compelling reasons to stay alive. Poor Jill, meantime, performs a gypsy magic ritual in another desperate attempt to break free of Agyar. But Agyar is no longer the vampire he was. After learning the details of the ritual, he voluntarily releases Jill; then, accompanied by Susan, he prepares to use the ritual himself in a showdown with the merciless Kellem. Compact, understated, and highly persuasive. Brust accomplishes with a wry turn of phrase or a small flourish what others never achieve despite hundreds of gory spatters.

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. At The Publisher's Request, This Title Is Being Sold Without Digital Rights Management Software (drm) Applied. From back cover Tor paperback March 1994: [Agyar], a suave and mysterious drifter who shares an abandoned house with a compassionate African-American ghost, spends his nights seducing various inhabitants of an Ohio college town. Few can resist him, but he eventually finds himself obsessed with two women, one a beautiful young dancer, the other a harsh taskmistress of indeterminate age. One offers him salvation, the second seeks to destroy him... Born over a century ago, Agyar was once a frivolous young man, before he found unwanted immortality in a womanś blood-red lips. Now he goes from woman to woman and from decade to decade, finding himself at last in a Midwestern college town, where he must choose between the seductions of salvation - and of destruction