Jump to content

K.J. Parker (a.k.a.Tom Holt) - Part II


AncalagonTheBlack

Recommended Posts

It's been so long since I preordered #16 at Amazon that the order was glitched, asking for an update on my payment method and refusing to accept anything I tried to use. Fortunately I could just redo the order from the product page.

Interesting change in format for this installment.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 9/5/2017 at 5:17 PM, Brendan Moody said:

It's been so long since I preordered #16 at Amazon that the order was glitched, asking for an update on my payment method and refusing to accept anything I tried to use. Fortunately I could just redo the order from the product page.

Interesting change in format for this installment.

Agree. I enjoyed it. Felt like things may be coalescing. And it looks like the next few installments are coming out weekly! 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 weeks later...

It’s kind of ironic that as The Two of Swords finally shifts from slow-burn preliminaries to conflict and action, the format changes in a way that makes the world-shaking events feel much less meaningful. I assume Parker had some trouble figuring out how to structure the conclusion— that must be why the series took a hiatus of a year and a half— and this was what he felt worked best. But it loses a lot of what made the series unusual and interesting. The last four parts are basically the final third or so of a more conventional Parker novel. Which means they’re funny and dark and thoughtful, but still there’s something of a damp squib effect compared to the promise of parts one through fifteen.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I've been really curious about learning more about the specifics of the Two of Swords books- although I plan in any event to buy the omnibuses when they come out.  I did wonder if there was some drop off in quality, because while I couldn't read the second review (not being a member), I noted that RT gave the first omnibus a glowing review and then rated the second at only two stars.

On another topic, Subterranean Press just announced/made available to order a new anthology that collects all of the other Parker stories to date- https://subterraneanpress.com/slider-tabs/just-announced/father-of-lies.  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Brother Longfoot said:

I've been really curious about learning more about the specifics of the Two of Swords books- although I plan in any event to buy the omnibuses when they come out.  I did wonder if there was some drop off in quality, because while I couldn't read the second review (not being a member), I noted that RT gave the first omnibus a glowing review and then rated the second at only two stars.

Funny as the switch in style should only be in the third omnibus. If the second omnibus got two stars it was probably due to it being just more of the same as in the first omnibus without moving along the overall plot. Which would be a fair complaint. 

I liked the final set of volumes and do think Parker had trouble trying to figure out how to bring everything together, necessitating the long break in volumes and the change in style. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The one that is going to be in Book of Swords?

And I suppose also missing is that novella "Mightier Than the Sword".

And come to think of it, there's also that Priest's Hole from that 5 stories, which I haven't read.  Surprised that one wasn't included.

Guessing in like a year or two there will be a "Swords" anthology from Subterranean that will include those and subsequent ones.

It's kind of interesting to me with the upcoming "Father of Lies" anthology that there were enough stories to support a "deal with the devil" theme.  Some more literally than others.  Granted, not all of them fit.  Like "The Dragonslayer of Merebarton" and "Safe House" really don't fit and are probably included for the sake of completeness.  I think they'd probably better fit in a hypothetical anthology that included the Book of Swords story that would be like "K.J. Parker does heroic fantasy".

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 months later...
  • 3 weeks later...
  • 6 months later...

Thanks to Brother Longfoot for the heads-up.

Sixteen Ways to Defend a Walled City by K. J. Parker (April 2019)

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Sixteen-Ways-Defend-Walled-City/dp/0316270792/

Quote

The powerful new novel from World Fantasy Award-winner K. J. Parker and the start of a sweeping new epic fantasy series.

A siege is approaching, and the City has little time left to prepare. The people have no food and no weapons, and the enemy have sworn to slaughter them all.

Their only chance rests with a colonel of engineers - a despised outsider, a genius, a master of military and political strategy with the wrong colour skin. He is the City's only hope.

But nobody, rich or poor, wants to take orders from a jumped-up Milkface. Saving the City from itself might be more difficult than surviving the coming siege.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...