K. J Parker

After forty years of war, an uneasy truce is called between two neighboring kingdoms. The chance for peace rests on diplomatic talks as well as the games, where two teams of fencers represent their nations at this pivotal moment

When you need a memory to be wiped, call me. Transferring unwanted memories to my own mind is the only form of magic I've ever mastered. But now, I'm holding so many memories I'm not always sure which ones are actually mine, any more. Some of them are sensitive; all of them are private. And there are those who are willing to kill to access the secrets I'm trying to bury... A classic Parker tale with a strong supporting cast of princes, courtiers,...

The second volume in The Two of Swords trilogy by World Fantasy Award-winning author K. J. Parker. "Why are we fighting this war? Because evil must be resisted, and sooner or later there comes a time when men of principle have to make a stand. Because war is good for business and it's better to die on our feet than live on our knees. Because they started it. But at this stage in the proceedings," he added, with a slightly lop-sided grin, "mostly from...

In a world he does not know, Poldarn's future is uncertain. Pursued by invisible enemies and haunted by the demons of his past, nobody can be trusted-not even himself, it seems. Attempting to piece together his own life from whatever scattered fragments he can find and dreams that hide as much as they reveal has brought him nothing but trouble. Now all he craves is peace. But will he find it on the island he believes to be his childhood home? Or will...

The exciting conclusion to K. J. Parker's Scavenger trilogy. Returning to his childhood home was supposed to bring peace for Poldarn. But it was not to be. The island proved no sanctuary from the ghosts of his past, or from the demons that stalk his dreams. Instead, he has unearthed yet more lies, betrayals, and enemies from his former life. But with each fresh discovery, Poldarn is coming ever closer to the reality of his shadowy origins. One by...

In the pitch dark, witty fantasy novella Prosper's Demon, K. J. Parker deftly creates a world with vivid, unbending rules, seething with demons, broken faith, and worse men. In a botched demonic extraction, they say the demon feels it ten times worse than the man. But, they don't die, and we do. Equilibrium. The unnamed and morally questionable narrator is an exorcist with great follow-through and few doubts. His methods aren't delicate but they're...

"This is the story of Orhan, son of Siyyah Doctus Felix Praeclarrissimus, and his history of the Great Siege, written down so that the deeds and sufferings of great men may never be forgotten. A siege is approaching, and the city has little time to prepare. The people have no food and no weapons, and the enemy has sworn to slaughter them all. To save the city will take a miracle, but what it has is Orhan. A colonel of engineers, Orhan has far more...

"This is the story of how the City was saved, by Notker the professional liar, written down because eventually the truth always seeps through. The City may be under siege, but everyone still has to make a living. Take Notker, the acclaimed playwright, actor and impresario. Nobody works harder, even when he's not working. Thankfully, the good citizens of Classis appreciate an evening at the theatre even when there are large rocks falling out of the...

"An Imperial legate is called in to see his aunt, who just happens to be the empress running the civilized world while her husband's in his sick bed. After some chastisement, she dispatches her nephew to take care of the dreaded Land and Sea Raiders, pirates who've been attacking the realm's monasteries. So begins a possibly dommed tour of banished relatives and pompous royals put in charge of monasteries like Cort Doce and Cort Malestan, to name...