Agyar by Steven Brust: The Vampire Never Named
Agyar is something as unusual—and quietly impressive—as a vampire novel that never once uses the word vampire . Every hint is indirect, every clue oblique. Instead of being told what Agyar is, the reader is left to assemble the truth from his habits, appetites and carefully controlled recollections. That restraint is more than a clever device. It shapes the entire novel. Agyar is telling his own story, and the things he avoids naming matter almost as much as those he chooses to reveal. Cover image: Agyar by Steven Brust, published by Tor Books. Used here for purposes of review and commentary. The pleasure is therefore not really in discovering that Agyar is a vampire. Most readers will know that before opening the book, and the clues soon leave little room for doubt. The more interesting mystery is what kind of man—or monster—is constructing this account, and how much sympathy his version of events deserves. Agyar is also a love story, although not a re...