The Phoenix Guards

Set in the same world as the VLAD TALTOS books, but centuries earlier, this novel is modeled after Dumas' classic, THE THREE MUSKETEERS. It exchanges the wisecracking, hardboiled tone of the VLAD books for a faux-courtly, elaborately ironic

style, recounting the story of four sword-savvy friends who join the Palace Guard only to become embroiled in an intricate conspiracy that threatens the throne of the newly crowned emperor.