Steven Brust

Steven Karl Zoltán Brust is a highly regarded American author, well-known for his science fiction and fantasy novels. He was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on November 23, 1955, and comes from a lineage of Hungarian labor organizers. Before gaining recognition as a writer, Brust worked as a musician and a computer programmer.

Brust's literary career took off in 1983 with the publication of Jhereg, the first novel in his acclaimed series featuring Vlad Taltos, a human professional assassin living in a world predominantly ruled by magically-empowered human-like beings known as Dragaerans. The series has since expanded to include several other novels, such as To Reign in Hell, The Sun, the Moon, and the Stars, and Cowboy Feng's Space Bar and Grille. Additionally, Brust penned a science fiction novel, A Rose for Iconoclastes.

Brust is not only a successful author but also a talented musician. He is a member of the band Cats Laughing and has recorded several albums, both as a solo artist and with the band. During the mid-1990s, he co-wrote songs for two albums. Brust's notable works include The Phoenix Guards, Five Hundred Years After, and The Viscount of Adrilankha series, which are set a thousand years earlier than the Taltos books. His ability to create immersive worlds and intriguing characters has earned him a dedicated fanbase and critical acclaim. Brust's unique storytelling, often blending elements of high fantasy and science fiction, has solidified his position as a prominent figure in the realms of science fiction and fantasy literature.