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The Loyal Opposition #2
Sister Svangerd and the Devil You Know
Not yet published
Expected 12 May 26A new epic fantasy novel from World Fantasy Award-winner author K. J. Parker, one of the most original voices in the genre.
For more from K. J. Parker, check
Saevus Corax Deals With the Dead
Saevus Corax Captures the Castle
Saevus Corax Gets Away with Murder
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 Volume One
The Two of Swords Volume Two
The Two of 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
For more from K. J. Parker, check
Saevus Corax Deals With the Dead
Saevus Corax Captures the Castle
Saevus Corax Gets Away with Murder
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 Volume One
The Two of Swords Volume Two
The Two of 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
- GenresFantasy
336 pages, Trade Paperback
Expected publication May 12, 2026
10 people are currently reading
296 people want to read
About the author
K.J. Parker
131 books1,729 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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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
April 29, 2026
Sister Svangerd and the Devil You Know by K. J. Parker is a dark and witty continuation of the story started in Not Quite Dead. This instalment delves deeper into theological conflicts, exploring profound philosophical questions about God, and the Devil, delivered with Parker’s signature sharp wit and moral complexity.
The narrative brings together Brother Desiderius, a sceptical, irreverent monk, and Sister Svangerd, a formidable and devout nun he secretly admires. Under the directive of the formidable Mother Tysapherna, of the Church of the Invincible Sun, they are tasked with infiltrating a heavily guarded library to steal a valuable book. All the while navigating threats from the Loyal Opposition and the entanglement of the Devil and his agents, whose roles remain shrouded in ambiguity. Are they enemies, manipulators, or something else entirely?
Parker does an excellent job balancing razor-sharp dialogue, dark humour, and deep philosophical questions. The story races forward with a plot full of twists. Parker’s prose is sharp and precise, with much of the tension stemming from intellectual exchanges rather than mere action.
This second book is more Insightful, provocative, and as with previous Parker books, subtly sharp, this tightly woven story leaves a lasting impression long after the last page is turned.
My thanks to both NetGalley and Little Brown Book group for a free ebook and an honest review.
The narrative brings together Brother Desiderius, a sceptical, irreverent monk, and Sister Svangerd, a formidable and devout nun he secretly admires. Under the directive of the formidable Mother Tysapherna, of the Church of the Invincible Sun, they are tasked with infiltrating a heavily guarded library to steal a valuable book. All the while navigating threats from the Loyal Opposition and the entanglement of the Devil and his agents, whose roles remain shrouded in ambiguity. Are they enemies, manipulators, or something else entirely?
Parker does an excellent job balancing razor-sharp dialogue, dark humour, and deep philosophical questions. The story races forward with a plot full of twists. Parker’s prose is sharp and precise, with much of the tension stemming from intellectual exchanges rather than mere action.
This second book is more Insightful, provocative, and as with previous Parker books, subtly sharp, this tightly woven story leaves a lasting impression long after the last page is turned.
My thanks to both NetGalley and Little Brown Book group for a free ebook and an honest review.
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April 29, 2026I read the first book in this series in a manic frenzy, enamoured with the wry narration style and the hilarious idea of a character resolutely sticking with his beliefs, or lack of belief in this case, despite overwhelming proof to the opposite.
Needless to say, I was delighted when I was approved for the eARC of the second book.
I didn't love the narration so much this time around.
It was still wry and funny, and the adventure felt much more like a fantasy book than the previous one, complete with expanded world building and a classic quest plot. It was just unfortunately impossible to ignore the fact that Brother Desiderius is a man. There is nothing wrong with male characters, to start with. However, there was a significant plot point, and Brother Desiderius's wry detachment compounded with his feelings and urges towards his friend (or her body? Vessel?), the titular Sister Svangerd, was icky. Sister Svangerds's history as a prostitute, a job she was forced into, is stated but never fully delved into beyond the character's fervent devotion to her faith as being seen as both refuge from her previous life, and as a way to "atone" for it. (This viewpoint is communicated to the reader as being problematic, worry not.) Svangerd's history means that her body being unwillingly invaded by a demon, and losing complete control of her body as the demon uses it however it wishes, has to be extremely traumatizing for her. During this, Brother Desiderius is exploring the idea he has never been in love with Svangerd, but in lust with her body, and is teased by the demon possessing Svangerd. It is impossible to continue to enjoy the character of Brother Desiderius after this, thought nothing happens. Merely his thoughts pollute the relationship between him and Svangerd, which has been, up to this point, the highlight of these books. Svangerd and Desiderius's opposing beliefs and buddy-cop style mismatch of personalities are only made possible by their connection (romantic or platonic, whichever), and their shared desire to make a positive impact with their actions.
It was impossible for me to return to that dynamic with what went on.
For Desiderius's part, he spends the greater part of the book attempting to get the demon out of Svangerd, doing everything within his power. The possession as allegory for assault does get addressed at the end, but it is mostly skated over as the book wraps up. While Desiderius never actually does anything untoward with the demon in Svangerd's body, his lust towards the demon in his friends body is kind of revoulting. Enough so, that the resolution never really makes up for it.
With that out of the way, here are some more gripes:
-As stated before, a lot of the charm of the previous books was the Svangerd and Desiderius pair-up, so when a good chunk of the book loses it a possession plot, a lot of the enjoyment for me also went away. Desiderius is not fun enough on his own to carry this book.
-It's not as tightly paced as the previous book, nor is the plot as neatly woven. I wouldn't quite call it second book syndrome, but...second book syndrome.
-It lacks a lot of the character's emotional connections that the first book had, and the expansive world building did not make up for. There was no familiar ties/beloved mentors for the characters to reckon with.
-It's not as churchy! Svangerd and Desiderius might be a nun and a monk, but much of plot revolved around avoiding churches and church people. The church politics is part of what made the first book so entertaining to me, so I was sad that it wasn't as prevalent.
Needless to say, I was delighted when I was approved for the eARC of the second book.
I didn't love the narration so much this time around.
It was still wry and funny, and the adventure felt much more like a fantasy book than the previous one, complete with expanded world building and a classic quest plot. It was just unfortunately impossible to ignore the fact that Brother Desiderius is a man. There is nothing wrong with male characters, to start with. However, there was a significant plot point, and Brother Desiderius's wry detachment compounded with his feelings and urges towards his friend (or her body? Vessel?), the titular Sister Svangerd, was icky. Sister Svangerds's history as a prostitute, a job she was forced into, is stated but never fully delved into beyond the character's fervent devotion to her faith as being seen as both refuge from her previous life, and as a way to "atone" for it. (This viewpoint is communicated to the reader as being problematic, worry not.) Svangerd's history means that her body being unwillingly invaded by a demon, and losing complete control of her body as the demon uses it however it wishes, has to be extremely traumatizing for her. During this, Brother Desiderius is exploring the idea he has never been in love with Svangerd, but in lust with her body, and is teased by the demon possessing Svangerd. It is impossible to continue to enjoy the character of Brother Desiderius after this, thought nothing happens. Merely his thoughts pollute the relationship between him and Svangerd, which has been, up to this point, the highlight of these books. Svangerd and Desiderius's opposing beliefs and buddy-cop style mismatch of personalities are only made possible by their connection (romantic or platonic, whichever), and their shared desire to make a positive impact with their actions.
It was impossible for me to return to that dynamic with what went on.
For Desiderius's part, he spends the greater part of the book attempting to get the demon out of Svangerd, doing everything within his power. The possession as allegory for assault does get addressed at the end, but it is mostly skated over as the book wraps up. While Desiderius never actually does anything untoward with the demon in Svangerd's body, his lust towards the demon in his friends body is kind of revoulting. Enough so, that the resolution never really makes up for it.
With that out of the way, here are some more gripes:
-As stated before, a lot of the charm of the previous books was the Svangerd and Desiderius pair-up, so when a good chunk of the book loses it a possession plot, a lot of the enjoyment for me also went away. Desiderius is not fun enough on his own to carry this book.
-It's not as tightly paced as the previous book, nor is the plot as neatly woven. I wouldn't quite call it second book syndrome, but...second book syndrome.
-It lacks a lot of the character's emotional connections that the first book had, and the expansive world building did not make up for. There was no familiar ties/beloved mentors for the characters to reckon with.
-It's not as churchy! Svangerd and Desiderius might be a nun and a monk, but much of plot revolved around avoiding churches and church people. The church politics is part of what made the first book so entertaining to me, so I was sad that it wasn't as prevalent.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thanks to NetGalley and Orbit for this ARC.
Once again, nowhere did this book mention it was a sequel to another within the synopsis-- only Goodreads seemed to indicate that it was a continuation of a series. I did see the first book in passing, but never read it. Thus I had to make the decision on whether to read the first book or to try this as a standalone. Honestly, from what I was seeing I did not think I would have it in me to read the first book so I decided to go in blind The good news is, Sister Svangerd and the Devil You Know does well enough on its own. There was a time when authors used to put a catch up preface to explain the events leading up to now, but alas that appears to have gone out of fashion, and I am not sure if this would have benefitted greatly from that tradition.
Sister Svangerd and the Devil You Know starts off with a nameless protagonist being forced to run an errand on behalf of a high ranking official, with him and Svangerd being forced to take the fall if things were to go sideways. Which they do. Most of the time honestly. To the point that this feels more like a comedy of errors that I think would be hilarious to see on the big screen but just falls flat in book form.
The narrator is not fond of actually immersing the reader in the story, instead focusing on a monologue that is fond of so many tangents that it takes a while to circle back to the plot. I spent a good portion of my time rereading and trying to find the connecting factor. Some of the information was neat worldbuilding, told in a hard to swallow way. Sister Svangerd and the Devil You Know is the example of why showing not telling is the superior form of writing and why telling the reader everything that happens becomes a huge hindrance to accessing the story fully. Which is a shame as I felt the last few paragraphs had a relevant, thoughtful point that would leave the reader wondering about the state of the world.
Nevertheless, the constant rambling made this difficult to get through. Whenever things went wrong, I couldn't care less about what happened to our leads as their characters continued to flatten into an unseen dimension. Any personality seemed to be stripped out of the book. The devil in question as stated in the title was intriguing, however the execution did not allow me time to process nor fully appreciate the plot points previously laid out. Instead I felt tethered to the ride against my will, and all I was left to do was roll my eyes.
Not to say that this is a book not worthy of your time. I believe this book is for a specific niche of reader that sadly did not include me. Monologues and incoherent rambling is not my forte. As this was not my first foray into that niche, I know the audience does exist for it. Alas, it is not the vast majority of readers and I feel that the audience this was made for will have a difficult time coming across this book by chance. Overall, I feel this book did an okay attempt at getting the job done, but it's nothing to really heap praise on about.
Once again, nowhere did this book mention it was a sequel to another within the synopsis-- only Goodreads seemed to indicate that it was a continuation of a series. I did see the first book in passing, but never read it. Thus I had to make the decision on whether to read the first book or to try this as a standalone. Honestly, from what I was seeing I did not think I would have it in me to read the first book so I decided to go in blind The good news is, Sister Svangerd and the Devil You Know does well enough on its own. There was a time when authors used to put a catch up preface to explain the events leading up to now, but alas that appears to have gone out of fashion, and I am not sure if this would have benefitted greatly from that tradition.
Sister Svangerd and the Devil You Know starts off with a nameless protagonist being forced to run an errand on behalf of a high ranking official, with him and Svangerd being forced to take the fall if things were to go sideways. Which they do. Most of the time honestly. To the point that this feels more like a comedy of errors that I think would be hilarious to see on the big screen but just falls flat in book form.
The narrator is not fond of actually immersing the reader in the story, instead focusing on a monologue that is fond of so many tangents that it takes a while to circle back to the plot. I spent a good portion of my time rereading and trying to find the connecting factor. Some of the information was neat worldbuilding, told in a hard to swallow way. Sister Svangerd and the Devil You Know is the example of why showing not telling is the superior form of writing and why telling the reader everything that happens becomes a huge hindrance to accessing the story fully. Which is a shame as I felt the last few paragraphs had a relevant, thoughtful point that would leave the reader wondering about the state of the world.
Nevertheless, the constant rambling made this difficult to get through. Whenever things went wrong, I couldn't care less about what happened to our leads as their characters continued to flatten into an unseen dimension. Any personality seemed to be stripped out of the book. The devil in question as stated in the title was intriguing, however the execution did not allow me time to process nor fully appreciate the plot points previously laid out. Instead I felt tethered to the ride against my will, and all I was left to do was roll my eyes.
Not to say that this is a book not worthy of your time. I believe this book is for a specific niche of reader that sadly did not include me. Monologues and incoherent rambling is not my forte. As this was not my first foray into that niche, I know the audience does exist for it. Alas, it is not the vast majority of readers and I feel that the audience this was made for will have a difficult time coming across this book by chance. Overall, I feel this book did an okay attempt at getting the job done, but it's nothing to really heap praise on about.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I'm usually a huge fan of KJ Parker's work. I love his blend of cool battle scenes, mysterious hard to pin down characters, and snarky dialogue. His Saevus Corax trilogy is one of my all-time favorites. Do you feel a huge BUT coming? Well, it's not a devastating but, though I have to say I am not enjoying this most recent series as much as the previous one I'm sad to say.
Don't get me wrong, if it were any other author than KJ Parker, this would have been an outstanding read. There were times when this book was very entertaining in fact. But when you have the high standards of Parker, I just expected more. Now maybe this is a classic case of middle-book syndrome, I'm not sure. But whatever the reason, this installment just didn't move me as much as his other books have.
The one thing that saved this one for me was Parker's always solid characterization. He never fails to deliver the goods in that regard and I think it has to do with the fact that he writes such great dialogue that the characters become instant acquaintances. You feel like you are there as these rogues are bantering on the battlefield or in a dusty Ale House. So that part of it worked for me as it always does. Had the characters been ones that I didn't really connect with, this may have been an even lower rating.
This is a bit of a quest fantasy, and part of the pitfalls that can tend to arise is that during these journeys, the plot may bog down somewhat. And I did feel that way occasionally. It's very uncharacteristic for this author, and I'm hoping it's not a harbinger for how this series will eventually end. I'm going to put my faith in KJ Parker because he's never let me down in the past. I'm just going to chalk it up to this book fell a little flat for me and leave it at that. I'm sure we will get a slam bang finish, because that's what the last two series have provided.
In the end, this was a fun read, filled with amazing characters, while lacking a bit in plot advancement and intrigue. But I still recommend it for anyone who enjoys a dark adventure with cutting dialogue. I eagerly wait book number three to see what Parker has in store for us with Brother Desiderius and Sister Svangerd.
Don't get me wrong, if it were any other author than KJ Parker, this would have been an outstanding read. There were times when this book was very entertaining in fact. But when you have the high standards of Parker, I just expected more. Now maybe this is a classic case of middle-book syndrome, I'm not sure. But whatever the reason, this installment just didn't move me as much as his other books have.
The one thing that saved this one for me was Parker's always solid characterization. He never fails to deliver the goods in that regard and I think it has to do with the fact that he writes such great dialogue that the characters become instant acquaintances. You feel like you are there as these rogues are bantering on the battlefield or in a dusty Ale House. So that part of it worked for me as it always does. Had the characters been ones that I didn't really connect with, this may have been an even lower rating.
This is a bit of a quest fantasy, and part of the pitfalls that can tend to arise is that during these journeys, the plot may bog down somewhat. And I did feel that way occasionally. It's very uncharacteristic for this author, and I'm hoping it's not a harbinger for how this series will eventually end. I'm going to put my faith in KJ Parker because he's never let me down in the past. I'm just going to chalk it up to this book fell a little flat for me and leave it at that. I'm sure we will get a slam bang finish, because that's what the last two series have provided.
In the end, this was a fun read, filled with amazing characters, while lacking a bit in plot advancement and intrigue. But I still recommend it for anyone who enjoys a dark adventure with cutting dialogue. I eagerly wait book number three to see what Parker has in store for us with Brother Desiderius and Sister Svangerd.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you to Orbit and NetGalley for the e-Arc!
3/5 stars, BUT I actually recommend you read this book. 90% of this book is really, really good, but the last 10% just kind fizzles out and ends very anticlimactically. The prose is wonderful, our main character is quite interesting, Sister Svangerd herself is a common enough trope but works for this story.
I do want to call out the main character- he’s very quippy and sarcastic, but unlike lots of other characters today, he is so for a reason: he’s an atheist monk who believes that having a church is good for humanity. That contradiction would make anyone take an extremely flippant view of the world. He’s also a forger, which means he values incredibly rare books and knowledge while destroying them.
Despite being an atheist, our main character fully acknowledges that there are higher beings most people call demons and angels, he just thinks they are some form of pre-human endemic life. In the face of encountering both believers with abilities he can’t explain and supernatural beings, he remains steadfast in his beliefs.
He’s also in love with the titular sister, despite the fact both have sworn oaths of obedience, piety, and chastity. In fact, the church in this book is a strange mix of totally fictional elements and word for word quotations from real history and the Middle Ages. It’s only book two and so I don’t expect all the answers, but hearing a quote from real Scripture definitely through me out of the text once or twice.
This is my first K.J. Parker book, and it definitely made me want to check out his other works, especially The Engineers trilogy. I also feel he could write several 5/5 books in this world with these characters, unfortunately, the end of this one really soured on me it. I’m the type of person where the end can really make or break a story, and this one didn’t land for me.
3/5 stars, BUT I actually recommend you read this book. 90% of this book is really, really good, but the last 10% just kind fizzles out and ends very anticlimactically. The prose is wonderful, our main character is quite interesting, Sister Svangerd herself is a common enough trope but works for this story.
I do want to call out the main character- he’s very quippy and sarcastic, but unlike lots of other characters today, he is so for a reason: he’s an atheist monk who believes that having a church is good for humanity. That contradiction would make anyone take an extremely flippant view of the world. He’s also a forger, which means he values incredibly rare books and knowledge while destroying them.
Despite being an atheist, our main character fully acknowledges that there are higher beings most people call demons and angels, he just thinks they are some form of pre-human endemic life. In the face of encountering both believers with abilities he can’t explain and supernatural beings, he remains steadfast in his beliefs.
He’s also in love with the titular sister, despite the fact both have sworn oaths of obedience, piety, and chastity. In fact, the church in this book is a strange mix of totally fictional elements and word for word quotations from real history and the Middle Ages. It’s only book two and so I don’t expect all the answers, but hearing a quote from real Scripture definitely through me out of the text once or twice.
This is my first K.J. Parker book, and it definitely made me want to check out his other works, especially The Engineers trilogy. I also feel he could write several 5/5 books in this world with these characters, unfortunately, the end of this one really soured on me it. I’m the type of person where the end can really make or break a story, and this one didn’t land for me.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
The continuation of Brother Desiderius (the irreverent atheist monk, forger, autodidact, all-around philosopher and man of semi-action narrator) and Sister Svangerd (a beautiful killer whom Desiderius adores from a distance as she is highly devout and takes her vows seriously), his partner in holy (mis) deeds for this or that Church potentate.
This time, the duo is tasked by Mother Tysapherna, abbess, archdeaconess and the most senior female cleric in Holy Mother Church to recover a supposedly still extant book about whom everybody knows that it was commisioned by mad, bad, persecutor of the Church emperor Nero (ok Gratian III in the book's universe about which three things are universally known, namely fiddling when the capital burned, all the saints he has thrown to the lions in the Circus, and the mysterious book of course) and then locked up in a vault 900 years ago and which suppsoedly has recently reapeared in the library of the heretical pirate king of the island of Ankgola.
And so it starts, though of course the reality is much different, the book is well, you gotta read this novel to see what, and of course the "Loyal Opposition" (meaning the Devil and his minions) interfere from the beginning, though as opponents, protectors, beings with a secret plan... Desiderius who doesn't believe in them but still profoundly despises their agents, has to figure out.
Mayhem, quips, dark humor, and interesting philosophical questions, mixed with adventure and twists and turns until the excellent ending, which of course means that Desiderius (now known under a different name for reasons will find out) and Svangerd are ready for another adventure in book 3, announced at the ending of this one...
Overall, lots of fun, though some repetition with the way the first book goes makes this one a bit less interesting than the series debut.
This time, the duo is tasked by Mother Tysapherna, abbess, archdeaconess and the most senior female cleric in Holy Mother Church to recover a supposedly still extant book about whom everybody knows that it was commisioned by mad, bad, persecutor of the Church emperor Nero (ok Gratian III in the book's universe about which three things are universally known, namely fiddling when the capital burned, all the saints he has thrown to the lions in the Circus, and the mysterious book of course) and then locked up in a vault 900 years ago and which suppsoedly has recently reapeared in the library of the heretical pirate king of the island of Ankgola.
And so it starts, though of course the reality is much different, the book is well, you gotta read this novel to see what, and of course the "Loyal Opposition" (meaning the Devil and his minions) interfere from the beginning, though as opponents, protectors, beings with a secret plan... Desiderius who doesn't believe in them but still profoundly despises their agents, has to figure out.
Mayhem, quips, dark humor, and interesting philosophical questions, mixed with adventure and twists and turns until the excellent ending, which of course means that Desiderius (now known under a different name for reasons will find out) and Svangerd are ready for another adventure in book 3, announced at the ending of this one...
Overall, lots of fun, though some repetition with the way the first book goes makes this one a bit less interesting than the series debut.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit for this ARC!
“Sister Svangerd and the Devil You Know” is the second installment in K.J. Parker’s “The Loyal Opposition” series. I was lucky enough to receive an ARC of book one as well, and you can find my review here .
We once again join the devout, murderous nun Sister Svangerd, and atheist Brother Desiderius, on a mission that starts off simple enough and eventually spirals completely out of control.
This book continues a lot of the things I liked about book one. The dry but witty humour, the wonderfully ridiculous situations our protagonists put themselves in, Brother Desiderius going to ridiculous lengths to create fake documents and evidence. We also dive a bit deeper into the philosophy and philosophers of this universe, and learn more about the Loyal Opposition. Or do we? It’s definitely difficult to follow along with the plans of Heaven and Hell, spanning across all of history – past, present and future.
The only thing I kind of disliked in this book is that, due to plot reasons you will discover as you read this, there are significantly less interactions between Svangerd and Desiderius, something that really makes these books IMO, and was definitely missed here.
There was also less action and fighting in this book than in book one, but this was not an element I found myself missing.
I really recommend giving this series a read if you enjoy funny fantasy with extensive, well thought out worldbuilding.
“Sister Svangerd and the Devil You Know” is the second installment in K.J. Parker’s “The Loyal Opposition” series. I was lucky enough to receive an ARC of book one as well, and you can find my review here .
We once again join the devout, murderous nun Sister Svangerd, and atheist Brother Desiderius, on a mission that starts off simple enough and eventually spirals completely out of control.
This book continues a lot of the things I liked about book one. The dry but witty humour, the wonderfully ridiculous situations our protagonists put themselves in, Brother Desiderius going to ridiculous lengths to create fake documents and evidence. We also dive a bit deeper into the philosophy and philosophers of this universe, and learn more about the Loyal Opposition. Or do we? It’s definitely difficult to follow along with the plans of Heaven and Hell, spanning across all of history – past, present and future.
The only thing I kind of disliked in this book is that, due to plot reasons you will discover as you read this, there are significantly less interactions between Svangerd and Desiderius, something that really makes these books IMO, and was definitely missed here.
There was also less action and fighting in this book than in book one, but this was not an element I found myself missing.
I really recommend giving this series a read if you enjoy funny fantasy with extensive, well thought out worldbuilding.
May 6, 2026
Many of life’s most interesting conundrums are found in the grey areas. Much like this story and our friends, the atheist monk and the murderous nun. The quest and occasional side quests all appear to have a sort of grey overcast, and continue the theme of book one. If you enjoy dry wit and grimdark fantasy, this is right up your alley. Parker has a distinct way of being blunt enough, to force the reader to engage with the concept he’s presenting a little further. I enjoyed the mix of the traditional quest theme and the then shifting pace and characters introspection. It still reminds me heavily of Joe Abercrombie’s “the Devils”, with similar scenery and characters.
I believe that after book one fell a little flat for me, I came into book two prepared for the tone and writing style. I may have to revisit my previous review. This is not your whimsy and colorful or “ha ha” funny fantasy, but a thought provoking, witty and thought provoking one.
Thank you to Orbit Books for sending me on yet another quest and to Parker for this second adventure!
I believe that after book one fell a little flat for me, I came into book two prepared for the tone and writing style. I may have to revisit my previous review. This is not your whimsy and colorful or “ha ha” funny fantasy, but a thought provoking, witty and thought provoking one.
Thank you to Orbit Books for sending me on yet another quest and to Parker for this second adventure!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
— 1.5 stars
The funky cover and the fun title brought me here and it’s probably the only good thing I’d experienced throughout this story.
After about five pages of the first chapter, I just had to look up the author and realized they wrote Prosper’s Demon, and everything just clicked for me. The almost hazy, feverish, no-thoughts-head-empty-ness I’d experienced when I read Prosper’s Demon back in 2019? 2020? was still as present as ever here.
The fundamental issue here is, I think, I just don’t mesh well with Parker’s writing style. It’s just bricks after bricks of texts I failed to find an emotional tether to. I couldn’t feel any connection to the characters, or between the two of them, and I had no interest in the plot or where it was going.
If I wasn’t skimming, I was physically forcing myself to pick it back up, and it’s just not a reading experience anyone should have.
— Thank you to Orbit and Netgalley for this eARC in return of an honest review.
The funky cover and the fun title brought me here and it’s probably the only good thing I’d experienced throughout this story.
After about five pages of the first chapter, I just had to look up the author and realized they wrote Prosper’s Demon, and everything just clicked for me. The almost hazy, feverish, no-thoughts-head-empty-ness I’d experienced when I read Prosper’s Demon back in 2019? 2020? was still as present as ever here.
The fundamental issue here is, I think, I just don’t mesh well with Parker’s writing style. It’s just bricks after bricks of texts I failed to find an emotional tether to. I couldn’t feel any connection to the characters, or between the two of them, and I had no interest in the plot or where it was going.
If I wasn’t skimming, I was physically forcing myself to pick it back up, and it’s just not a reading experience anyone should have.
— Thank you to Orbit and Netgalley for this eARC in return of an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Our diligent scribe and narrator is tasked with another challenging assignment with Sister Svangerd, one that seemed to be chosen because of his particular talents, but then things aren't always as simple as they seem. Much like the first book in the series, things go off the rails pretty quickly and satirical humor permeates the story. I don't know if possession is nine-tenths of the law, but it might be nine-tenths of the punchline to this tongue-in-cheek sendup. I was quite entertained by this follow-up to Sister Svangerd and the Not Quite Dead and look forward to the next installment of The Loyal Opposition.
I received access to this eARC thru NetGalley (for which I want to thank NetGalley and the publisher, Orbit Books) for an honest review. The opinion expressed here is my own.
I received access to this eARC thru NetGalley (for which I want to thank NetGalley and the publisher, Orbit Books) for an honest review. The opinion expressed here is my own.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thanks to Netgalley for the eARC!
In Sister Svangerd and the Devil You Know we follow our favourite atheist monk and our favourite murderous nun.
Getting sent out on a near impossible mission to steal a book should be the biggest of their problems. Turns out, that part is the least of their worries.
I really enjoy this writing. I was confused the entire time and I absolutely did not know what was going on at almost any point of this story, ever. I loved it. I really like how flat and literal and blunt the characters are. That shouldn't work as well as it does.
Just very enjoyable in general, though I admit that you have to be a certain type of reader to like this style of writing, probably.
In Sister Svangerd and the Devil You Know we follow our favourite atheist monk and our favourite murderous nun.
Getting sent out on a near impossible mission to steal a book should be the biggest of their problems. Turns out, that part is the least of their worries.
I really enjoy this writing. I was confused the entire time and I absolutely did not know what was going on at almost any point of this story, ever. I loved it. I really like how flat and literal and blunt the characters are. That shouldn't work as well as it does.
Just very enjoyable in general, though I admit that you have to be a certain type of reader to like this style of writing, probably.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This felt very consistent with the style, tone, and atmosphere of the first book. I gave the first instalment 5 stars because I found the voice and concept so fresh and entertaining, and I really enjoyed spending time in that world.
Unfortunately, this sequel felt a little too much like a rehash of the same conversations and dynamics. It’s strange, because the elements that charmed me so much the first time around just didn’t land in quite the same way here. It felt as though there had been very little character growth, with the main character circling the same thoughts and viewpoints repeatedly.
That said, I still enjoyed the read overall. It wasn’t a bad story by any means, it just didn’t feel as sharp or engaging as the first book for me personally.
Unfortunately, this sequel felt a little too much like a rehash of the same conversations and dynamics. It’s strange, because the elements that charmed me so much the first time around just didn’t land in quite the same way here. It felt as though there had been very little character growth, with the main character circling the same thoughts and viewpoints repeatedly.
That said, I still enjoyed the read overall. It wasn’t a bad story by any means, it just didn’t feel as sharp or engaging as the first book for me personally.
March 31, 2026
This one just didn’t speak to me. The writing is beautiful but it’s very text-heavy. The character development was strong but I didn’t feel connected to them (less so than when I read book 1) and the storyline is not as strong. I had high hopes for the ending but it fell flat for me. I know that there’s likely people who love all the things I just mentioned (and I truly hope so) because I can tell this author writes well. Perhaps I’ll try another series.
#SisterSvangerdandtheDevilYouKnow #SisterSvangerd #NetGalley
Thank you to Orbit for the ARC.
#SisterSvangerdandtheDevilYouKnow #SisterSvangerd #NetGalley
Thank you to Orbit for the ARC.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Feels like it was written to be an audiobook as the narrator repeats certain details multiple times in the first half of the text. It felt like the dumbing down of TV that's happening lately for folks who don't pay attention.
I enjoyed the tone even if I did get tired of the snark and the unreliability. There were also no stakes, disappointingly, as there were no situations where it felt like there was actual danger.
Also, lots of spelling errors in the ARC so hopefully copyediting is on the agenda.
I enjoyed the tone even if I did get tired of the snark and the unreliability. There were also no stakes, disappointingly, as there were no situations where it felt like there was actual danger.
Also, lots of spelling errors in the ARC so hopefully copyediting is on the agenda.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I didn’t like the dynamic between the two central characters. Maybe if I go back and reread the first story, it’ll give me more insight into how their friendship works. In this story however, it just annoyed me and gave me the ick at times.
Thank you anyways to NetGalley, the author, and Orbit Books for a copy!
Thank you anyways to NetGalley, the author, and Orbit Books for a copy!
March 10, 2026
We get another fun outing with Sister Svangerd and our narrator monk, an atheist who believes that ultimately the church is good for humanity; this time they have to pull a heist of a possibly heretical book from a pirate king. What the book actually is is a hell of a reveal, and the heist itself with these particular characters is great. Can't wait to see how this unfolds in the light of the next book coming!
Want to Read
March 26, 2026Are you telling me the devil you know is the same devil I know from The Devil You Know? If so, this is gonna be lovely ;)
April 22, 2026
I think the author needs to write a book from the loyal opposition pov as that would also be a great read, darkly humorous and sardonic our not so hapless duo are once again let loose to bring chaos to order 😉
Want to Read
January 20, 202612/05/26
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