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Corax Trilogy #3
Saevus Corax Gets Away with Murder
From one of the most original voices in fantasy comes a heart-warming tale of peace, love, and battlefield salvage.
If you’re going to get ahead in the battlefield salvage business, you have to regard death as a means to an end. In other words, when the blood flows, so will the cash. Unfortunately, even though war is on the way, Saevus Corax has had enough.
There are two things he has to do before he can enjoy his retirement: get away with one last score, and get away with murder. For someone who, ironically, tends to make a mess wherever he goes, leaving his affairs in order is going to be Saevus Corax’s biggest challenge yet. For more from K. J. Parker, check out:
Sixteen Ways to Defend a Walled City
How to Rule an Empire and Get Away With It
A Practical Guide to Conquering the World
The Two of Swords
The Two of Swords: Volume One
The Two of Swords Volume Two
The Two of Swords: Volume Three
The Fencer Trilogy
Colours in the Steel
The Belly of the Bow
The Proof House
The Scavenger Trilogy
Shadow
Pattern
Memory
Engineer Trilogy
Devices and Desires
Evil for Evil
The Escapement
The Company
The Folding Knife
The Hammer
Sharps
If you’re going to get ahead in the battlefield salvage business, you have to regard death as a means to an end. In other words, when the blood flows, so will the cash. Unfortunately, even though war is on the way, Saevus Corax has had enough.
There are two things he has to do before he can enjoy his retirement: get away with one last score, and get away with murder. For someone who, ironically, tends to make a mess wherever he goes, leaving his affairs in order is going to be Saevus Corax’s biggest challenge yet. For more from K. J. Parker, check out:
Sixteen Ways to Defend a Walled City
How to Rule an Empire and Get Away With It
A Practical Guide to Conquering the World
The Two of Swords
The Two of Swords: Volume One
The Two of Swords Volume Two
The Two of Swords: Volume Three
The Fencer Trilogy
Colours in the Steel
The Belly of the Bow
The Proof House
The Scavenger Trilogy
Shadow
Pattern
Memory
Engineer Trilogy
Devices and Desires
Evil for Evil
The Escapement
The Company
The Folding Knife
The Hammer
Sharps
12 pages, Audiobook
First published December 5, 2023
67 people are currently reading
513 people want to read
About the author
K.J. Parker
134 books1,679 followersK.J. Parker is a pseudonym for Tom Holt.
According to the biographical notes in some of Parker's books, Parker has previously worked in law, journalism, and numismatics, and now writes and makes things out of wood and metal. It is also claimed that Parker is married to a solicitor and now lives in southern England. According to an autobiographical note, Parker was raised in rural Vermont, a lifestyle which influenced Parker's work.
According to the biographical notes in some of Parker's books, Parker has previously worked in law, journalism, and numismatics, and now writes and makes things out of wood and metal. It is also claimed that Parker is married to a solicitor and now lives in southern England. According to an autobiographical note, Parker was raised in rural Vermont, a lifestyle which influenced Parker's work.
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June 10, 2024I have glommed this trilogy in Parker's vaguely alt-ancient Mediterraneanish world. Saevus makes for an intriguing narrator, not so much a flawed man as a man-shaped assembly of flaws, but with enough self-knowledge and a little tiny thread of hope. This last instalment gallops along and ends very much as it should, ie classic Parker.
December 13, 2023
The Saevus Corax trilogy concludes with this book. Saevus wants to retire from the battlefield-scavenging business, but first he has to rescue his widowed sister, notwithstanding the fact that she has been trying to kill him for years. There is also a treasure hunt. And Saevus does in fact get away with murder. I am always impressed by how much history (including family, political and military history) the author has created for these fantasies.
The ending of the book/trilogy was satisfying and it stayed true to the generally cynical and non sentimental nature of these books. The book could be read as a standalone, but it’s better to read from the beginning. I wasn’t crazy about the first book, but the next two improved.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.
The ending of the book/trilogy was satisfying and it stayed true to the generally cynical and non sentimental nature of these books. The book could be read as a standalone, but it’s better to read from the beginning. I wasn’t crazy about the first book, but the next two improved.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.
July 24, 2024
The final book in this rapidly issued trilogy (all three books published in two months). Classic KJ Parker, and book 3 finished off well this epic life story and adventures of Saevus Corax.
There’s a dark central thread to it, comparable with the Engineer trilogy. As for that series war and the consequences for ordinary people caught up in it feature heavily and this seems particularly appropriate at the moment when apparently unstoppable conflicts are all around us in our seemingly more civilised era.
On the book specifically, Saevus is back scavenging on the battlefields of small conflicts with his team of war equipment recyclers. However, rumours of a much bigger war are circulating and it may be time for the small scale operators to stay safe and keep out of the way for a while. In addition, the almost PTSD that Saevus suffers from due to the incident in book 1 that led him to leave his privileged youthful life takes centre stage again as people from that past reappear. And to my surprise Love emerges as a major theme. I’ve noted in other KJ Parker books that if it’s recognised at all it’s often as a great evil - the pleasure you may get from it can be easily outweighed by despair from its sudden loss. There is an element of that view here but this is the nearest to a romance that I recall in a KJ Parker novel. Even a dash of sex (“…I made rather a hash of it, but she didn’t seem to mind. It’s the thought that counts, she told me.”).
The plot is epic in its scope, with Saevus witnessing major events while dealing with his personal issues. There’s a lot of warfare, though not much witnessed first hand, often more the tragic aftermath. A dark tone overall with Saevus attempting to plod on with his life though often in a state of resignation as events unfold around him. And his family background really does not help.
I’ve decided anything by KJ Parker is my comfort reading, if not always with a comfortable content. An interesting, unpredictable, convoluted story that makes you think about humanity’s pointless conflicts. This one has less observational wry humour to compensate than some but is an absorbing read. A must for KJ Parker fans.
5* for this and the series.
There’s a dark central thread to it, comparable with the Engineer trilogy. As for that series war and the consequences for ordinary people caught up in it feature heavily and this seems particularly appropriate at the moment when apparently unstoppable conflicts are all around us in our seemingly more civilised era.
On the book specifically, Saevus is back scavenging on the battlefields of small conflicts with his team of war equipment recyclers. However, rumours of a much bigger war are circulating and it may be time for the small scale operators to stay safe and keep out of the way for a while. In addition, the almost PTSD that Saevus suffers from due to the incident in book 1 that led him to leave his privileged youthful life takes centre stage again as people from that past reappear. And to my surprise Love emerges as a major theme. I’ve noted in other KJ Parker books that if it’s recognised at all it’s often as a great evil - the pleasure you may get from it can be easily outweighed by despair from its sudden loss. There is an element of that view here but this is the nearest to a romance that I recall in a KJ Parker novel. Even a dash of sex (“…I made rather a hash of it, but she didn’t seem to mind. It’s the thought that counts, she told me.”).
The plot is epic in its scope, with Saevus witnessing major events while dealing with his personal issues. There’s a lot of warfare, though not much witnessed first hand, often more the tragic aftermath. A dark tone overall with Saevus attempting to plod on with his life though often in a state of resignation as events unfold around him. And his family background really does not help.
I’ve decided anything by KJ Parker is my comfort reading, if not always with a comfortable content. An interesting, unpredictable, convoluted story that makes you think about humanity’s pointless conflicts. This one has less observational wry humour to compensate than some but is an absorbing read. A must for KJ Parker fans.
5* for this and the series.
January 15, 2024
4.5 Stars
This book is little dark compared to the first two. While I liked the complex themes Parker explored in this book, I miss the wittiness we got in the first two books. And surprisingly, this is the saddest I felt at the end of a Parker book. That only shows how much I got invested in these characters.
This book is little dark compared to the first two. While I liked the complex themes Parker explored in this book, I miss the wittiness we got in the first two books. And surprisingly, this is the saddest I felt at the end of a Parker book. That only shows how much I got invested in these characters.
December 9, 2023
The story of Saevus Corax comes to an end with this third volume in the series.
As you might expect, it does come back to his family, the royal family that he's been fleeing all his life and that wants him dead. It plays out, however, in an unexpected fashion.
There's still plenty of humor and sarcasm in it, but there is gradual, inexorable movement towards a bittersweet ending. This series is so cynical that you know you're not going to get rainbows and unicorns at the end.
Some people don't like startling, unexpected endings. The question to ask is: Is the ending appropriate to the story? Is it authentic to what came before? And in this case, yes, it is. Many books don't have endings we want, but we remember them because they have the endings that, in hindsight, are right for the story. That's what we have here.
But it was a fun ride while it lasted.
As you might expect, it does come back to his family, the royal family that he's been fleeing all his life and that wants him dead. It plays out, however, in an unexpected fashion.
There's still plenty of humor and sarcasm in it, but there is gradual, inexorable movement towards a bittersweet ending. This series is so cynical that you know you're not going to get rainbows and unicorns at the end.
Some people don't like startling, unexpected endings. The question to ask is: Is the ending appropriate to the story? Is it authentic to what came before? And in this case, yes, it is. Many books don't have endings we want, but we remember them because they have the endings that, in hindsight, are right for the story. That's what we have here.
But it was a fun ride while it lasted.
January 26, 2024
Review originally on
JamReads
Saevus Corax Get Away with Murder is the third and final book in the Saevus Corax trilogy, written by K.J. Parker, and published by Orbit Books. A big war is coming, and that means bad news for the stability of Saevus' business; he hopes to get away before all starts, but as usual in the life of our character, soon he's dragged to adventures, as one of the few people from his past reclaim his help: his sister.
Accused of the murder of her husband, she's on the run, desperate for help; Saevus (well, Florian) is her only hope. At this point, you won't be surprised if I tell you this is only the excuse that will take Saevus into a new journey, and even to take one of the "best" employs in the world: treasure hunter; all under the manipulations of his sister, because even after all what he lived, Saevus is a bit naïve. And we even have the return of a beloved character such as the sister Stauracia.
This sequel is partly a continuation, in all the senses, but also the final in Saevus' journey; we maintain the snarky voice and the irony, sprinkling humour into the narration, making it a fun read when you manage to connect with the character. Personally, I loved the development Stauracia had, and I must recognise that Parker made an excellent job at painting the "lovable" family of Saevus.
In comparison with the previous books, I must remark that this one is a bit less light-hearted, leaning towards some really dark moments.
Personally, I found Saevus Corax Get Away with Murder to be the perfect ending for a character I grew fond of it; if you want a different kind of fantasy, you should try the whole trilogy, as K.J. Parker is a master at writing this kind of weird/rare books.
Saevus Corax Get Away with Murder is the third and final book in the Saevus Corax trilogy, written by K.J. Parker, and published by Orbit Books. A big war is coming, and that means bad news for the stability of Saevus' business; he hopes to get away before all starts, but as usual in the life of our character, soon he's dragged to adventures, as one of the few people from his past reclaim his help: his sister.
Accused of the murder of her husband, she's on the run, desperate for help; Saevus (well, Florian) is her only hope. At this point, you won't be surprised if I tell you this is only the excuse that will take Saevus into a new journey, and even to take one of the "best" employs in the world: treasure hunter; all under the manipulations of his sister, because even after all what he lived, Saevus is a bit naïve. And we even have the return of a beloved character such as the sister Stauracia.
This sequel is partly a continuation, in all the senses, but also the final in Saevus' journey; we maintain the snarky voice and the irony, sprinkling humour into the narration, making it a fun read when you manage to connect with the character. Personally, I loved the development Stauracia had, and I must recognise that Parker made an excellent job at painting the "lovable" family of Saevus.
In comparison with the previous books, I must remark that this one is a bit less light-hearted, leaning towards some really dark moments.
Personally, I found Saevus Corax Get Away with Murder to be the perfect ending for a character I grew fond of it; if you want a different kind of fantasy, you should try the whole trilogy, as K.J. Parker is a master at writing this kind of weird/rare books.
December 11, 2024
Saevus Corax Gets Away with Murder is the third and final book in this series. Saevus allows his sister to deftly manipulate him with unforeseen consequences. For Saevus he will do anything for familial love but Saevus's family is like no other and he is about to feel what it is like to be on the receiving end of betrayal, done in style.
Through this action, we see the fragility of Saevus's true personality. As for the ending, just wow, didn't see it coming and felt for Saevus. The complete soul-crushing impact of betrayal after betrayal on a person. We see how these events essentially rob Saevus of his humanity and love to become a lost and cynical shell of a man.
The worldbuilding is cleverly done, rich but not overwhelming, often told through small clever bits of Philosophy and history. Saevus remains his usual self, full of cynical sardonic humour. There is some grim violence, mixed with lighthearted adventure.
For me, Parker yet again delivers another masterful trilogy in style, writes like no one else, and gives unexpected endings.
Through this action, we see the fragility of Saevus's true personality. As for the ending, just wow, didn't see it coming and felt for Saevus. The complete soul-crushing impact of betrayal after betrayal on a person. We see how these events essentially rob Saevus of his humanity and love to become a lost and cynical shell of a man.
The worldbuilding is cleverly done, rich but not overwhelming, often told through small clever bits of Philosophy and history. Saevus remains his usual self, full of cynical sardonic humour. There is some grim violence, mixed with lighthearted adventure.
For me, Parker yet again delivers another masterful trilogy in style, writes like no one else, and gives unexpected endings.
January 9, 2024
OW. We have reached the end of Saevus’ story and man. It was fun reading but ouchie painful.
August 30, 2024
Love this author, love this series. Finally a happy ending! Sort of.
October 30, 2024
Люблю стиль и ч/ю Паркера, но длинные отступления-монологи ГГ иногда утомляли. Ну и концовка слегка вогнала в тоску :(
November 20, 2023
4.5 stars
I laughed, I cried, I haven't stopped thinking about it for days. What a bittersweet but satisfying ending to one of my favorite new series. These could technically work as standalones, they don't have cliffhangers, but I highly recommend reading them all and in order for maximum impact. They're all releasing back-to-back-to-back, so you really have no excuse.
Saevus Corax (aka one of my favorite characters of all time) and his crew of battlefield salvagers are back, but this time The Big War TM is imminent, and he's feeling a little melancholic. Is this really all he should be doing with his life? Has the day finally come when his lack of a moral code has caught up with him?
This installment is still hilarious like the other two, full of biting satire and hijinks, but it manages to give trauma, repression, and complicated family relationships/friendships/romance equal weight. The ending to this series felt very fitting, but also genuinely shocked me. Like, I screamed. Out loud. And then cried and stared at the wall for a few hours. But I promise, I mean that in the most complimentary way possible.
If you like absurd books with unreliable narrators, fourth wall breaks, medieval adventure, sarcasm, moral ambiguity, commentary on the bleakness of the human condition, but also humor, romance, and incredible world-building, please read these. And then come talk to me, because I am not ok. Thank you to NetGalley, the publishers, & the author for an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.
I laughed, I cried, I haven't stopped thinking about it for days. What a bittersweet but satisfying ending to one of my favorite new series. These could technically work as standalones, they don't have cliffhangers, but I highly recommend reading them all and in order for maximum impact. They're all releasing back-to-back-to-back, so you really have no excuse.
Saevus Corax (aka one of my favorite characters of all time) and his crew of battlefield salvagers are back, but this time The Big War TM is imminent, and he's feeling a little melancholic. Is this really all he should be doing with his life? Has the day finally come when his lack of a moral code has caught up with him?
This installment is still hilarious like the other two, full of biting satire and hijinks, but it manages to give trauma, repression, and complicated family relationships/friendships/romance equal weight. The ending to this series felt very fitting, but also genuinely shocked me. Like, I screamed. Out loud. And then cried and stared at the wall for a few hours. But I promise, I mean that in the most complimentary way possible.
If you like absurd books with unreliable narrators, fourth wall breaks, medieval adventure, sarcasm, moral ambiguity, commentary on the bleakness of the human condition, but also humor, romance, and incredible world-building, please read these. And then come talk to me, because I am not ok. Thank you to NetGalley, the publishers, & the author for an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.
January 31, 2024
Really loved the conclusion of this series. Saevus Corax does finally get what he deserves, sort of. No spoilers but worth reading from book 1.
December 3, 2024
I received a copy of Saevus Corax Gets Away with Murder from Hachette Australia to review.
One of the masters of comedic fantasy, K. J. Parker, ends his fantastic Corax trilogy on an outstanding note with Saevus Corax Gets Away with Murder.
After years of schemes, daring cons, an unwilling coronation and other unfortunate adventures, Saevus Corax is still stuck doing the only job he’s good at, battlefield salvage. Unglamourous and often disgusting work, it provides a basic living for his large crew of outcasts and rogues as they tour their world’s many scattered battlefields, rescuing and repurposing everything they can recover from the dead. However, Corax’s band are about to encounter the only thing that can make their business unprofitable, a massive total war that threatens to burn the entire continent.
Seeing the signs of upcoming mass conflict, Corax and his crew attempt to flee to safer climates where they can still potentially make a living. However, Corax finds his plan to escape thwarted by the family he has long tried to run away from. His sister, Phantis, has finally caught up with him, but instead of the vengeance she always promised, she needs his help to survive a coup gone bad. Despite his reluctance to get involved, Corax attempts to help, only to get dragged into even more danger.
Soon, with war coming closer and various factions seeking to kill him and claim the many bounties on his head, Corax is forced into one final scheme to get enough money to retire and escape from everything. Reuniting with his old flame, the beautiful con artist Stauracia, Corax attempts to find a long-lost treasure that could solve all his problems. But with betrayal coming from all sides, can Corax survive the chaos to come, or has he finally encountered a situation that even he cannot think his way out of?
Parker continues to showcase why he is the master of hilarious fantasy fiction, as Saevus Corax Gets Away with Murder was another amazing read with a captivating and unique plot behind it. Masterfully wrapping up the Corax trilogy with a dark and entertaining story, Saevus Corax Gets Away with Murder had me hooked the entire way through and, just like all the other books in the series, it gets a full five-star rating from me.
To see the full review, click on the link below:
https://unseenlibrary.com/2024/12/03/...
For other exciting reviews and content, check out my blog at:
https://unseenlibrary.com/
One of the masters of comedic fantasy, K. J. Parker, ends his fantastic Corax trilogy on an outstanding note with Saevus Corax Gets Away with Murder.
After years of schemes, daring cons, an unwilling coronation and other unfortunate adventures, Saevus Corax is still stuck doing the only job he’s good at, battlefield salvage. Unglamourous and often disgusting work, it provides a basic living for his large crew of outcasts and rogues as they tour their world’s many scattered battlefields, rescuing and repurposing everything they can recover from the dead. However, Corax’s band are about to encounter the only thing that can make their business unprofitable, a massive total war that threatens to burn the entire continent.
Seeing the signs of upcoming mass conflict, Corax and his crew attempt to flee to safer climates where they can still potentially make a living. However, Corax finds his plan to escape thwarted by the family he has long tried to run away from. His sister, Phantis, has finally caught up with him, but instead of the vengeance she always promised, she needs his help to survive a coup gone bad. Despite his reluctance to get involved, Corax attempts to help, only to get dragged into even more danger.
Soon, with war coming closer and various factions seeking to kill him and claim the many bounties on his head, Corax is forced into one final scheme to get enough money to retire and escape from everything. Reuniting with his old flame, the beautiful con artist Stauracia, Corax attempts to find a long-lost treasure that could solve all his problems. But with betrayal coming from all sides, can Corax survive the chaos to come, or has he finally encountered a situation that even he cannot think his way out of?
Parker continues to showcase why he is the master of hilarious fantasy fiction, as Saevus Corax Gets Away with Murder was another amazing read with a captivating and unique plot behind it. Masterfully wrapping up the Corax trilogy with a dark and entertaining story, Saevus Corax Gets Away with Murder had me hooked the entire way through and, just like all the other books in the series, it gets a full five-star rating from me.
To see the full review, click on the link below:
https://unseenlibrary.com/2024/12/03/...
For other exciting reviews and content, check out my blog at:
https://unseenlibrary.com/
July 6, 2024
Corax's sister--the sister responsible for the massive bounty on his head for the last two decades--begs him to save her from the just consequences of murdering her husband for fun and profit. As is the custom, Corax stumbles into contact with Stauracia and taps previously unknown frenemies for favors. And the trilogy--which I'd been describing as decent but not Parker's best work--comes to a conclusion that absolutely floored me.
Corax Gets Away With Murder takes its sweet time getting to the Murder of the title, but the Murder itself is tectonic. As is his reason for committing Murder. As is the Murder's fallout.
I three- and four-starred the first two books of the trilogy. I did not yet understand that all three books are verrry gradually building towards one explosive moment, one event, that makes all the ambling worthwhile. Five star book, five star trilogy.
The last page:
Corax Gets Away With Murder takes its sweet time getting to the Murder of the title, but the Murder itself is tectonic. As is his reason for committing Murder. As is the Murder's fallout.
I three- and four-starred the first two books of the trilogy. I did not yet understand that all three books are verrry gradually building towards one explosive moment, one event, that makes all the ambling worthwhile. Five star book, five star trilogy.
The last page:
October 27, 2024
In this last entry in highly enjoyable “Saevus Corax” trilogy, all the things Saevus has been running from since we first met him on a battlefield post-battle catch up with him in a big way.
The novel opens much as the previous two: After mopping up after a battle, the team heads to a town where Sarvus knows they can sell their salvage and have some downtime. They hear rumours of war, and Saevus begins thinking of where to take the team to hole up while the Sashan and their enemy beat the crap out of each other and anyone caught between them.
Then, Saevus receives a letter from Phantis, his sister. She appeals to him to save her as there are people who want to kill her. Knowing getting tangled up with her mess will negatively affect his team, he divests himself of some of his responsibilities then heads out.
When the siblings reunite, Saevus discovers Phantis has a price on her head for the little inconsequential reason of murdering her husband, a duke. He also finds out that she knew where to find him because a woman had come to her Court with news of the salvager. I immediately figured who this woman was, and was so happy to have my suspicions confirmed when Stauracia makes her appearance later in the narrative. (She is also the only woman Saevus knows who’s a match for his knowledge, strategic thinking and sheer deviousness.)
Phantis has a strange relationship with her brother: on the one hand, she can’t forgive Saevus, or Florian, for killing their brilliant brother, but she also needs Saevus to save her.
Saevus does a lot of running around the land, trying to stay a step ahead of Phantis’ problems and his own, and each time, he sheds a little bit more of his salvager trappings. He also gets pulled into a treasure hunt, must contend with kidnappings, marauding troops once the war kicks off, and the biggest surprise to himself, though not to the reader if they’ve been paying attention to the wry, often blackly funny narration of the ever resourceful Saevus since book one, love.
And, while there is danger, multiple deaths, and duplicity everywhere, author K.J. Parker gives Saevus a few moments of genuine happiness, interesting conversations, and resolutions to situations mentioned in the previous two books, before Saevus actually gets to get away with murder.
I have thoroughly enjoyed this series and its protagonist. His cynicism but also care for those he chose to surround himself with, his wit and near encyclopedic knowledge of different peoples, cultures, histories and lands were strangely endearing, and though where he ends up by the end is a little tragic, it is also oddly perfect, and a great way to wrap up this satisfying and entertaining book and trilogy.
Thank you to Netgalley and to Orbit Books for this ARC in exchange for my review.
The novel opens much as the previous two: After mopping up after a battle, the team heads to a town where Sarvus knows they can sell their salvage and have some downtime. They hear rumours of war, and Saevus begins thinking of where to take the team to hole up while the Sashan and their enemy beat the crap out of each other and anyone caught between them.
Then, Saevus receives a letter from Phantis, his sister. She appeals to him to save her as there are people who want to kill her. Knowing getting tangled up with her mess will negatively affect his team, he divests himself of some of his responsibilities then heads out.
When the siblings reunite, Saevus discovers Phantis has a price on her head for the little inconsequential reason of murdering her husband, a duke. He also finds out that she knew where to find him because a woman had come to her Court with news of the salvager. I immediately figured who this woman was, and was so happy to have my suspicions confirmed when Stauracia makes her appearance later in the narrative. (She is also the only woman Saevus knows who’s a match for his knowledge, strategic thinking and sheer deviousness.)
Phantis has a strange relationship with her brother: on the one hand, she can’t forgive Saevus, or Florian, for killing their brilliant brother, but she also needs Saevus to save her.
Saevus does a lot of running around the land, trying to stay a step ahead of Phantis’ problems and his own, and each time, he sheds a little bit more of his salvager trappings. He also gets pulled into a treasure hunt, must contend with kidnappings, marauding troops once the war kicks off, and the biggest surprise to himself, though not to the reader if they’ve been paying attention to the wry, often blackly funny narration of the ever resourceful Saevus since book one, love.
And, while there is danger, multiple deaths, and duplicity everywhere, author K.J. Parker gives Saevus a few moments of genuine happiness, interesting conversations, and resolutions to situations mentioned in the previous two books, before Saevus actually gets to get away with murder.
I have thoroughly enjoyed this series and its protagonist. His cynicism but also care for those he chose to surround himself with, his wit and near encyclopedic knowledge of different peoples, cultures, histories and lands were strangely endearing, and though where he ends up by the end is a little tragic, it is also oddly perfect, and a great way to wrap up this satisfying and entertaining book and trilogy.
Thank you to Netgalley and to Orbit Books for this ARC in exchange for my review.
December 3, 2023
What misadventure will Saevus get into in the newest Saevus Corax adventure?!
What happens when your sister…who has been paying for years to have you brought to her dead or alive needs your help? This is what Saevus deals with as he bumbles his way through another adventure.
Parker has always had a way of writing Saevus that is funny and a bit self deprecating, but you can tell his bravado covers a heart and someone who deeply cares for those around him. So it’s not surprise when his sister comes calling he answers.
The characters we have come to know and love shine in this conclusion to the series. I’m truly sad to see this is the end, but it was a well done finale to the series.
What happens when your sister…who has been paying for years to have you brought to her dead or alive needs your help? This is what Saevus deals with as he bumbles his way through another adventure.
Parker has always had a way of writing Saevus that is funny and a bit self deprecating, but you can tell his bravado covers a heart and someone who deeply cares for those around him. So it’s not surprise when his sister comes calling he answers.
The characters we have come to know and love shine in this conclusion to the series. I’m truly sad to see this is the end, but it was a well done finale to the series.
May 26, 2024
Probably the best one of the Saevus books, but the author had a few missed opportunities that I’m really surprised his agent or editor didn’t tell him to include. Namely, around the number of actions and fights that take place while Saevus is blacked out or blindfolded and bound. One of the biggest plot points in all of the books happened while he was asleep. Things like that really need to be shown to be the reader, especially if there’s supposed to be any emotional response, as was expected after this one. It made me feel a little cheated having stayed with the series for so long and then to not have THE big fight scene (not in terms of size but importance to the plot), only the aftermath of it.
Overall, the series got a little tiresome and predictable. I also think that this series is overrated in the world-building department. There was never a moment in which I could tell you more about the world than what Saevus had just info-dumped to me the page before. It’s the end of the series and all I remember is Sashan is like the Roman Empire and they fight someone else in this book. I can’t even tell you more than a handful of character names other than Saevus. How can it be good world building if the world isn’t remembered or understood without info dumps?
Overall, the series got a little tiresome and predictable. I also think that this series is overrated in the world-building department. There was never a moment in which I could tell you more about the world than what Saevus had just info-dumped to me the page before. It’s the end of the series and all I remember is Sashan is like the Roman Empire and they fight someone else in this book. I can’t even tell you more than a handful of character names other than Saevus. How can it be good world building if the world isn’t remembered or understood without info dumps?
October 25, 2024
Normally with series like this I like to read them all together, back to back, but I wish I hadn't done that this time. 'Gets Away With Murder' is good for the same reason that the other two are good (fast paced, deadpan narrator, irreverent tone etc) but it's basically the same story of "curse your sudden but inevitable betrayal" over and over again and I'm a bit done with it by the end of three in a row.
May 8, 2024
Tom Holt writing as K.J.Parker
Saevus Corax has a sister. For years she’s been trying to have him killed by putting a 70,000 staurata bounty on his head, but now she’s in trouble for killing her husband, so who does she turn to? Yes, that’s right. And Saevus, while not entirely falling for it, rises to the bait.
Saevus Corax has a sister. For years she’s been trying to have him killed by putting a 70,000 staurata bounty on his head, but now she’s in trouble for killing her husband, so who does she turn to? Yes, that’s right. And Saevus, while not entirely falling for it, rises to the bait.
July 8, 2024
This is the last book in the trilogy about Saevus Corax. This book picked up the pace and was as fun as the first book.
Saevus was an unreliable narrator and it made half the fun of reading this book. :) The constant intrigue was great as always. The slow parts are when Saevus has too much free time and starts to bore me with his inner monologue. But then the action would begin again...
Saevus was an unreliable narrator and it made half the fun of reading this book. :) The constant intrigue was great as always. The slow parts are when Saevus has too much free time and starts to bore me with his inner monologue. But then the action would begin again...
January 5, 2024
Casi 2 estrellas. Definitivamente no de los mejores libros de K. J. Parker.
Reseña completa en mi blog ^w^:
https://elultimopuente2.wordpress.com...
Reseña completa en mi blog ^w^:
https://elultimopuente2.wordpress.com...
January 6, 2025
I feel like I have found a new must-read author. KJ Parker is absolutely brilliant. This book was a great conclusion to the Corax trilogy. I will definitely be reading more Parker in the future
February 25, 2025
A maudlin end to a wonderful trilogy.
December 18, 2024
Quick, enjoyable read, with one the most likeable (if frustrating) anti-hero MCs I've ever seen. I enjoyed the chaos and pacing of the book, and definitely laughed out loud at some parts, especially at the wry (and dry) sense of humour of the MC. Sadly, I can't say the ending was too happy (nor was it particularly bad, but still), which felt very fitting for the series but always upsets me, the delicate little flower that I am. Would still recommend the series for sure though!
November 26, 2023
The third and final (?) installment in the trilogy takes us on Saevus's latest adventure, and helps tie up a lot of loose ends we got exposed to in the first two books. The story begins with Saevus and his crew encountering the former's sister. One things leads to another, and Saevus embarks on an adventure of global proportions, meeting many characters we learned to love (and hate), learning even more about these characters, and surviving another war.
I actually loved this book, and it's a fitting and awe-inspiring finish to a fantastic trilogy. While this installment is perhaps lighter on the banter, the wanton violence, and lighthearted adventure, it makes up for all of it by taking a more serious note and laying bare Saevus's personality. We see the soul crushing impact of betrayal after betrayal on a person who is essentially good and kind. We see how these events essentially rob a person of the belief in kindness and love, and make him into a cynical and lost human being. We also see how one can slide into nihilism and dejection, going on due to inertia alone.
The potent psychological dismemberment of the protagonist in this book does the whole trilogy justice. It makes it hang together as more than just frivolity, and while it continues to have some levity, it also makes you think and feel, leaving the experience of reading the books marked by them, and considering human resilience in the face of betrayal and loss.
The only thing that I perhaps struggled with is the pacing of the book. It felt rushed at times, as if the author was just trying to get to the point, without letting the true impact of events sink in. In this way, the book was perhaps less balanced and cohesive than its predecessors.
Either way, I highly recommend it to anyone who loves grim dark (especially when it is veiled in something more frivolous), folks who want to read about heroes and anti-heroes regardless of their love for fantasy (after all, there is nothing fantastic in this book), and readers who enjoy an author who makes playful use of language and humour to tell what is essentially a tragic story. This third book makes the entire trilogy stand out for me as among the best I read in the genre (and, again, I really do struggle to call this fantasy!).
My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an early copy of this book in return for an honest review.
I actually loved this book, and it's a fitting and awe-inspiring finish to a fantastic trilogy. While this installment is perhaps lighter on the banter, the wanton violence, and lighthearted adventure, it makes up for all of it by taking a more serious note and laying bare Saevus's personality. We see the soul crushing impact of betrayal after betrayal on a person who is essentially good and kind. We see how these events essentially rob a person of the belief in kindness and love, and make him into a cynical and lost human being. We also see how one can slide into nihilism and dejection, going on due to inertia alone.
The potent psychological dismemberment of the protagonist in this book does the whole trilogy justice. It makes it hang together as more than just frivolity, and while it continues to have some levity, it also makes you think and feel, leaving the experience of reading the books marked by them, and considering human resilience in the face of betrayal and loss.
The only thing that I perhaps struggled with is the pacing of the book. It felt rushed at times, as if the author was just trying to get to the point, without letting the true impact of events sink in. In this way, the book was perhaps less balanced and cohesive than its predecessors.
Either way, I highly recommend it to anyone who loves grim dark (especially when it is veiled in something more frivolous), folks who want to read about heroes and anti-heroes regardless of their love for fantasy (after all, there is nothing fantastic in this book), and readers who enjoy an author who makes playful use of language and humour to tell what is essentially a tragic story. This third book makes the entire trilogy stand out for me as among the best I read in the genre (and, again, I really do struggle to call this fantasy!).
My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an early copy of this book in return for an honest review.
December 17, 2023
Saevus Corax Gets Away With Murder by K. J. Parker
This final volume of a trilogy felt both incredibly similar and predictable while continuing to surprise me throughout.
A while back, I became a fan of K. J. Parker. I first heard the name of this author via Jo Walton’s monthly reading lists on Tor dot com. So I requested an eARC of A Practical Guide to Conquering the World by K.J. Parker and loved it! It was grabby (in a “can’t put this book down” kind of way) and it was thoroughly enjoyable. I said I’d be looking out for more books by K. J. Parker and I later really enjoyed an eARC of the Long Game and Pulling the Wings off Angels, which were both delightful books! After that, I went back and read Sixteen Ways to Defend A Walled City and How to Rule an Empire and Get Away with It, which were also wonderful. Parker’s books that I have read have been first person tales whose protagonists are usually clever bastards (in a thoroughly enjoyable manner).
The titular Saevus Corax is no different - a man who is too clever by half that runs a business reclaiming armor and other loot from battlefield corpses. In this presumably final novel, Corax’s world effectively falls apart and the book spins off in some unexpected directions. I wasn’t expecting to learn more about his brother, and there were a number of deaths that really saddened me, as well as some fake outs that surprised me. I guess maybe someone could’ve seen the ending coming but I certainly didn’t. This book had the same feel as all of the other Parker books I have read, but it didn’t feel the same, if that makes any sense. A good end to a good trilogy.
Thanks to NetGalley and Orbit Books for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.
This final volume of a trilogy felt both incredibly similar and predictable while continuing to surprise me throughout.
A while back, I became a fan of K. J. Parker. I first heard the name of this author via Jo Walton’s monthly reading lists on Tor dot com. So I requested an eARC of A Practical Guide to Conquering the World by K.J. Parker and loved it! It was grabby (in a “can’t put this book down” kind of way) and it was thoroughly enjoyable. I said I’d be looking out for more books by K. J. Parker and I later really enjoyed an eARC of the Long Game and Pulling the Wings off Angels, which were both delightful books! After that, I went back and read Sixteen Ways to Defend A Walled City and How to Rule an Empire and Get Away with It, which were also wonderful. Parker’s books that I have read have been first person tales whose protagonists are usually clever bastards (in a thoroughly enjoyable manner).
The titular Saevus Corax is no different - a man who is too clever by half that runs a business reclaiming armor and other loot from battlefield corpses. In this presumably final novel, Corax’s world effectively falls apart and the book spins off in some unexpected directions. I wasn’t expecting to learn more about his brother, and there were a number of deaths that really saddened me, as well as some fake outs that surprised me. I guess maybe someone could’ve seen the ending coming but I certainly didn’t. This book had the same feel as all of the other Parker books I have read, but it didn’t feel the same, if that makes any sense. A good end to a good trilogy.
Thanks to NetGalley and Orbit Books for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.
November 10, 2023
Honestly, this ended up being a gorgeous, melancholic end to the trilogy. The ghost of a grand haul haunts the whole thing, with the world slowly starting to fall apart around them, betrayals by long term friends and the last of Saevus' family, and a love story you may have saw coming but know it won't end well for anyone involved. I was lucky enough to be able to read these one after the other; the trilogy comes out in October, November, and December, pick it up for the holidays and curl up with them by a fire.
April 19, 2025
The conclusion to the Saevus Corax trilogy has, unexpectedly, broken me.
November 16, 2023
Saevus Corax Gets Away With Murder is really a story about getting caught. You might think this'd be a major break from the first two Corax books, which forever threatened Saevus with unimaginable catastrophes —continent-scale war, true love, unstoppable vegetarian cannibals — only to pull him off the cliff edge at the last minute. Yet Murder is still very much a KJ Parker work, so it mostly tweaks his signature tragicomic blend without throwing out the formula. But even without radical change, it’s a poignant, surprisingly elegiac close to a series about the man who seemed like he’d always get away with everything, and sometimes did.
————
Of course, it’s impossible to talk in detail about how Saevus gets caught here without spoiling the effect, so I won’t. What I can say is that Murder shows just how masterfully Parker has been training his audience through this series to expect certain things, to lean on particular crutches, if only so he can kick them away tand leave you hanging in the void. But you really wouldn’t know it at first. After all, we start in the usual style: Saevus is short on money, the lads are picking up the tail end of a little war, things get complicated, Sister Stauracia sweeps in at the end of Act One to set up the stakes, cue scene card. It’s all lullingly familiar, but dissonant notes creep in from practically the first page, chipping away at the cozy certainties. Doc Papanian can’t fix all wounds, the Asvogels might not be in business forever, some obvious setups really are obvious setups, and maybe a few battlefield scavengers really are amoral sociopaths (and not just Saevus). It’s just a trickle, but even that’s enough to know the dam is doomed.
Murder goes on to cleverly rework many of the beats of the other two Corax books, and this subversive streak is often delightful but also a bit parasitic on what came before. Sure, the reasons Saevus is tromping through desolate, hostile wilderness now are an Ironic inversion of the time he dashed across Hetsuan to save his family in Castle. Still, he’s definitely tromping through hostile wilderness. Again. The book's middle lingers a bit too long on these funhouse-mirror callbacks, and while they effectively evoke Saevus’ own dislocation and uncertainty, it’s fair to wonder if this story is going anywhere new.
It is, thankfully, and the last third of Murder turns that trickle of change into an all-consuming torrent. And by the end, for maybe the first time in all three books, I actually understood why Saevus might be telling his jokey, surely-you-must-be-joking stories. They’re not barroom boasts, or campfire tall tales, they’re the setup to a tragedy, and like Saevus. I didn’t see it coming until It finally happened. Well played.
————
Of course, it’s impossible to talk in detail about how Saevus gets caught here without spoiling the effect, so I won’t. What I can say is that Murder shows just how masterfully Parker has been training his audience through this series to expect certain things, to lean on particular crutches, if only so he can kick them away tand leave you hanging in the void. But you really wouldn’t know it at first. After all, we start in the usual style: Saevus is short on money, the lads are picking up the tail end of a little war, things get complicated, Sister Stauracia sweeps in at the end of Act One to set up the stakes, cue scene card. It’s all lullingly familiar, but dissonant notes creep in from practically the first page, chipping away at the cozy certainties. Doc Papanian can’t fix all wounds, the Asvogels might not be in business forever, some obvious setups really are obvious setups, and maybe a few battlefield scavengers really are amoral sociopaths (and not just Saevus). It’s just a trickle, but even that’s enough to know the dam is doomed.
Murder goes on to cleverly rework many of the beats of the other two Corax books, and this subversive streak is often delightful but also a bit parasitic on what came before. Sure, the reasons Saevus is tromping through desolate, hostile wilderness now are an Ironic inversion of the time he dashed across Hetsuan to save his family in Castle. Still, he’s definitely tromping through hostile wilderness. Again. The book's middle lingers a bit too long on these funhouse-mirror callbacks, and while they effectively evoke Saevus’ own dislocation and uncertainty, it’s fair to wonder if this story is going anywhere new.
It is, thankfully, and the last third of Murder turns that trickle of change into an all-consuming torrent. And by the end, for maybe the first time in all three books, I actually understood why Saevus might be telling his jokey, surely-you-must-be-joking stories. They’re not barroom boasts, or campfire tall tales, they’re the setup to a tragedy, and like Saevus. I didn’t see it coming until It finally happened. Well played.
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