>From reading Vlad, and reading comments by Mr. Brust, the question keeps popping up in my mind; "How much of Vlad is autobiographical?" Not that I think Mr. Brust is a sorcerer-witch-Jhereg-assassin, but I wonder if Vlad's weaknesses are ones which Mr. Brust has, or fears he has? The incredible writing of Vlad and Cawti's breakup seems to me as though it MUST have come from a real life source...maybe I'm just not giving Mr. Brust credit enough as a writer though. And contrarily, it seems like Vlad's good actions, his noble actions, are ones which Mr. Brust would like to believe he would do in the same situation. Of course, this is all speculation as I don't know Mr. Brust. I just pester him with emails :) Maybe this mailing list will put a stop to that. Mike P.S. The 'Finland Station' was the train station in St. Petersburg that Lenin stopped at on his return(?) to Russia.