Steven Brust facing Financial/Health problems

For many of us in Canada, the idea of losing your home to a minor health crisis is foreign. Not so in other parts of the world. Steven Brust, author of several fantasy series including the Vlad Taltos novels, has had a lien placed against his house by a hospital for unpaid medical bills.

A lot of jokes get made about the Canadian health care system, and plenty of complaints are made about waiting times. That said, if you have a clear-cut medical need and the support of your physician, you never need to worry about losing your house to the hospital. Not so uninsured Americans like fantasy author Steven Brust who had a $50,000 lien placed against his house this week by a hospital.

Brust's Vlad Taltos books have been popular among fantasy fans for over a decade. He's not likely to win any literary awards soon with his light, humorous books about an assassin who's sense of honor vastly exceeds his sense of morals. All the same, his characters demonstrate remarkable fortitude and patience and somehow always seem to end up helping others despite their worst intents.

One of my favorite among Brust's books remains To Reign in Hell, his tale of the revolt of the angels. It is an amusing spin on the fall of Lucifer and I have to confess his treatment of how points of view alter the meaning of every situation has been inspirational in some of my own writing.

For anyone who feels they can, Steve has been persuaded to set up a link where his fans can donate to help him with expenses at the Jhereg Foundation