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The Father of Lies
Bringing together K.J. Parker’s recent novellas and novelettes, totaling over 500 pages of wry, twisty fiction, Father of Lies delves into the arcane as never before. Set amid the world of Parker’s critically acclaimed novels and award winning stories, as well as our own, this volume reveals a side rarely glimpsed in his other works. Contained herein are the tales of creatures that pluck the strings of existence, exposing the seedy underbelly of ultimate power as only Parker can.
It begins with love, as it often does. In The Things We Do for Love, Parker demonstrates the age old proverb ‘be careful what you wish for, you just might get it.’ It continues with a fall from grace, in Downfall of the Gods, where a daughter of heaven unwittingly pits herself against her divine family. Demonic pacts are everywhere, in The Devil You Know, where Parker returns to Saloninus, his iconic character who will finish what he started so many years ago. It ends with a beginning, in No Peace for the Wicked, as a New Pope is chosen to push back the darkness.
Filled with Parker’s hallmark wit and biting humor, Father of Lies is an essential collection, not just for the dedicated fantasist, but for anyone committed to a great story well told. Like all of K.J. Parker's brilliant fiction, these stories whisper the truth.
Just ask yourself, can you trust the Father of Lies?
Contents:
- The Things We Do for Love (2014)
- Downfall of the Gods (2016)
- The Last Witness (2015)
- The Devil You Know (2016)
- I Met a Man Who Wasn’t There (2013)
- Heaven Thunders the Truth (2014)
- Message in a Bottle (2017)
- Rules (2018)
- Safe House (2014)
- The Dragonslayer of Merebarton (2013)
- Told by an Idiot (2016)
- No Peace for the Wicked (2015)
Cover illustration by Vincent Chong
It begins with love, as it often does. In The Things We Do for Love, Parker demonstrates the age old proverb ‘be careful what you wish for, you just might get it.’ It continues with a fall from grace, in Downfall of the Gods, where a daughter of heaven unwittingly pits herself against her divine family. Demonic pacts are everywhere, in The Devil You Know, where Parker returns to Saloninus, his iconic character who will finish what he started so many years ago. It ends with a beginning, in No Peace for the Wicked, as a New Pope is chosen to push back the darkness.
Filled with Parker’s hallmark wit and biting humor, Father of Lies is an essential collection, not just for the dedicated fantasist, but for anyone committed to a great story well told. Like all of K.J. Parker's brilliant fiction, these stories whisper the truth.
Just ask yourself, can you trust the Father of Lies?
Contents:
- The Things We Do for Love (2014)
- Downfall of the Gods (2016)
- The Last Witness (2015)
- The Devil You Know (2016)
- I Met a Man Who Wasn’t There (2013)
- Heaven Thunders the Truth (2014)
- Message in a Bottle (2017)
- Rules (2018)
- Safe House (2014)
- The Dragonslayer of Merebarton (2013)
- Told by an Idiot (2016)
- No Peace for the Wicked (2015)
Cover illustration by Vincent Chong
541 pages, Hardcover
First published January 31, 2018
23 people are currently reading
353 people want to read
About the author
K.J. Parker
134 books1,681 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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February 1, 2018This hardcover copy is numbered 957 of 1000 copies printed signed by K. J. Parker.
Contents:
009 - "The Things We Do for Love" - from Subterranean Online, Summer 2014
079 - "Downfall of the Gods" - from Book Subterranean Deluxe Hardcover edition (March 31, 2016)
161 - "The Last Witness" - from Tor.com Mon Aug 31, 2015
249 - "The Devil You Know" - from Tor,com Tue Mar 1, 2016
327 - "I Met a Man Who Wasn’t There" - from (Subterranean Online, Winter 2014)
351 - "Heaven Thunders the Truth" - from "Beneath Ceaseless Skies" (Issue #157, Sixth Anniversary Double-Issue, October 2, 2014)
387 - Message in a Bottle" - from collection "The Djinn Falls in Love & Other Stories" 2017
403 - "Rules" original to this collection
435 - "Safe House" - from collection "Fearsome Magics" edited by Jonathan Strathan 2014
457 - "The Dragonslayer of Merebarton" - From Clarkesworld Magazine ISSUE 125, FEBRUARY 2017
483 - "Told by an Idiot" from "Beneath Ceaseless Skies" Issue #192, February 4, 2016 (The 400th story to appear in BCS!)
515 - "No Peace for the Wicked" from "Tales from the Vatican Vaults: 28 extraordinary stories" 2015
Contents:
009 - "The Things We Do for Love" - from Subterranean Online, Summer 2014
079 - "Downfall of the Gods" - from Book Subterranean Deluxe Hardcover edition (March 31, 2016)
161 - "The Last Witness" - from Tor.com Mon Aug 31, 2015
249 - "The Devil You Know" - from Tor,com Tue Mar 1, 2016
327 - "I Met a Man Who Wasn’t There" - from (Subterranean Online, Winter 2014)
351 - "Heaven Thunders the Truth" - from "Beneath Ceaseless Skies" (Issue #157, Sixth Anniversary Double-Issue, October 2, 2014)
387 - Message in a Bottle" - from collection "The Djinn Falls in Love & Other Stories" 2017
403 - "Rules" original to this collection
435 - "Safe House" - from collection "Fearsome Magics" edited by Jonathan Strathan 2014
457 - "The Dragonslayer of Merebarton" - From Clarkesworld Magazine ISSUE 125, FEBRUARY 2017
483 - "Told by an Idiot" from "Beneath Ceaseless Skies" Issue #192, February 4, 2016 (The 400th story to appear in BCS!)
515 - "No Peace for the Wicked" from "Tales from the Vatican Vaults: 28 extraordinary stories" 2015
January 19, 2018
Told By An Idiot
By K.J. Parker
Unmistakable K.J. Parker. Take a Welsh narrator, the Book of Job, the story of dr. Faust, a dealer in antiquities, a demon in a bottle, all spiced with a bit of humor and plenty of witty dialogues and twists and you get yourself this story.
“Nobody is writing my life. It’s impromptu, ad lib, extemporised by the clown, told by an idiot. Therefore, presumably, it’s comedy.”
It can be read here: http://www.beneath-ceaseless-skies.co...
By K.J. Parker
Unmistakable K.J. Parker. Take a Welsh narrator, the Book of Job, the story of dr. Faust, a dealer in antiquities, a demon in a bottle, all spiced with a bit of humor and plenty of witty dialogues and twists and you get yourself this story.
“Nobody is writing my life. It’s impromptu, ad lib, extemporised by the clown, told by an idiot. Therefore, presumably, it’s comedy.”
It can be read here: http://www.beneath-ceaseless-skies.co...
March 12, 2023
Four stars saved only by the quality of its novellas. I liked the short stories in this one less than the ones (and the nonfiction) in Academic Exercises
August 17, 2022
Probably my favourite KJ Parker read to date. Twelve separate stories over 530 pages. I enjoyed his earlier collection of short stories (Academic Exercises) but I think this one is even better.
All, I think, told in the First Person which the author commonly uses in his books and excels in. The language the author uses in his dialogue is so natural but also interesting and sometimes surprising in its frankness.
Most, though not all of the stories are located in his vaguely Byzantium, medieval world, one that he assumes in his dialogue that you, the reader, are as familiar with as he, the narrator, is. But he’ll clarify the details with you, usually just to check! Sometimes it’s like being in a conversation with the most interesting raconteur you’ve ever met, in the pub, over a quiet drink.
Sometimes the stories have some magic, sometimes not. But it’s the interesting characters that grab you. Often they are a little world weary and cynical but perhaps not quite as anchored in that style as I thought they were in Academic Exercises. No grand battles or heroics, just clever tales, and some gentle humour.
There’s a common theme in three of the stories based on the Faustian bargain - selling your soul to the devil, in exchange for short term advantage. Despite that, these three stories are quite different, no repetition in plot, and I especially enjoyed the longer one (‘The devil you know’) where Saloninus, the author’s standard Leonardo de Vinci/philosopher- scientist figure, has a particularly good relationship with the devil’s agent on earth. In this story the author also plays with two parallel first person POVs; not confusing at all and cleverly done. And the author was probably also showing off his capabilities!
There’s a story involving arrogant, childish gods, with a quest involving a clever, determined mortal that I thought told you all you need to know about the less than perfect immortals of Greek style mythology.
The Last Witness novella is in the collection and is the one story I’d read before. I didn’t skip it but read it again. It came through the second read test excellently, a clever, poignant story about someone with the ‘skill’ to extract memories from people’s minds as though they were scrolls stored in a library.
There’s usually wry humour in this author’s writing and I thought the DragonSlayer of Merebarton was rather good in that regard. A typically practical, nuts and bolts, Parker description of how an ageing knight undertakes the unwelcome chore of ridding his estate of a dragon (which everyone knows doesn’t exist).
I could go on! Of the twelve stories perhaps only 2-3 didn’t hit my 5* rating individually. I didn’t want the book to end. The book does end with a rather curious short story about Good and Evil being very close companions in conventional western religion, a little different from the author’s normal stories and probably profound - I think.
For those not yet under the Parker spell then this book would be an excellent introduction, better in that respect than his major novels and trilogies, which although also excellent in my view are an acquired taste (they often meander delightfully down side roads from the main plot). However, like a number of this author’s publications this was a Subterranean Press limited edition which can be hard to pick up, and expensive. Their ebook editions never seem to be available in the UK either. For some reason I was lucky to find it on Amazon at less than list price! If you can get a copy then I’d strongly recommend it...
EDIT: I now find these Parker books published by Subterranean Press to be accessible as ebooks and downloadable, though maybe some little time after the hardback signed editions.
All, I think, told in the First Person which the author commonly uses in his books and excels in. The language the author uses in his dialogue is so natural but also interesting and sometimes surprising in its frankness.
Most, though not all of the stories are located in his vaguely Byzantium, medieval world, one that he assumes in his dialogue that you, the reader, are as familiar with as he, the narrator, is. But he’ll clarify the details with you, usually just to check! Sometimes it’s like being in a conversation with the most interesting raconteur you’ve ever met, in the pub, over a quiet drink.
Sometimes the stories have some magic, sometimes not. But it’s the interesting characters that grab you. Often they are a little world weary and cynical but perhaps not quite as anchored in that style as I thought they were in Academic Exercises. No grand battles or heroics, just clever tales, and some gentle humour.
There’s a common theme in three of the stories based on the Faustian bargain - selling your soul to the devil, in exchange for short term advantage. Despite that, these three stories are quite different, no repetition in plot, and I especially enjoyed the longer one (‘The devil you know’) where Saloninus, the author’s standard Leonardo de Vinci/philosopher- scientist figure, has a particularly good relationship with the devil’s agent on earth. In this story the author also plays with two parallel first person POVs; not confusing at all and cleverly done. And the author was probably also showing off his capabilities!
There’s a story involving arrogant, childish gods, with a quest involving a clever, determined mortal that I thought told you all you need to know about the less than perfect immortals of Greek style mythology.
The Last Witness novella is in the collection and is the one story I’d read before. I didn’t skip it but read it again. It came through the second read test excellently, a clever, poignant story about someone with the ‘skill’ to extract memories from people’s minds as though they were scrolls stored in a library.
There’s usually wry humour in this author’s writing and I thought the DragonSlayer of Merebarton was rather good in that regard. A typically practical, nuts and bolts, Parker description of how an ageing knight undertakes the unwelcome chore of ridding his estate of a dragon (which everyone knows doesn’t exist).
I could go on! Of the twelve stories perhaps only 2-3 didn’t hit my 5* rating individually. I didn’t want the book to end. The book does end with a rather curious short story about Good and Evil being very close companions in conventional western religion, a little different from the author’s normal stories and probably profound - I think.
For those not yet under the Parker spell then this book would be an excellent introduction, better in that respect than his major novels and trilogies, which although also excellent in my view are an acquired taste (they often meander delightfully down side roads from the main plot). However, like a number of this author’s publications this was a Subterranean Press limited edition which can be hard to pick up, and expensive. Their ebook editions never seem to be available in the UK either. For some reason I was lucky to find it on Amazon at less than list price! If you can get a copy then I’d strongly recommend it...
EDIT: I now find these Parker books published by Subterranean Press to be accessible as ebooks and downloadable, though maybe some little time after the hardback signed editions.
February 18, 2019
Excellent collection from KJ Parker - read probably 2/3 of the stories on original publication and some are among the best from the author (Last witness, The things we do for Love), others while very enjoyable go a bit over the top (especially The Devil you know and Downfall of the gods to a lesser extent) and a few more that made less of an impression on me though I generally enjoyed them too
Overall an eclectic collection that offers a taste of the author's magnificent work
Overall an eclectic collection that offers a taste of the author's magnificent work
December 25, 2018
Another excellent collection from K.J. Parker. With one exception, all the stories here are 4 or 5 star reads. This collection differs from most of Parker's other work that I've read, including the previous collection, Academic Exercises, in that most (all?) of the stories here contain a magical element. I'd previously put Parker in what I refer to as the non-magical fantasy box, so this was kind of a surprise for me. I just read a pro review of this volume which referred to Parker's work as "grimdark" to which I say, wtf? no it isn't. grimdark wishes! That's like saying P.G. Wodehouse wrote family drama. For me, Parker is all about voice and humor, and you'd have to be completely blind to that to say his stuff is like anything else being published today. I'd love to be wrong about that, because I'd love to find more like Parker, but I don't think I am. There are some recurring themes/elements in the stories here but they all read well as standalones.
The Things We Do For Love - 4 - A thief and a witch. Good voice, doesn't feel like much in the way of a plot, more a character study/relationship type story.
Downfall of the Gods - 4-4.5 - (available as standalone ebook) This is all about the voice, and the bickering. It's funny, but I wish there were a bit more payoff plotwise.
The Last Witness - 5 - (available as standalone ebook) reviewed separately.
The Devil You Know - 4 - (available as standalone ebook) reviewed separately.
I Met a Man Who Wasn't There - 5
Heaven Thunders The Truth - 5 - Very distinct culture from Parker's norm. Not sure if this is supposed to be one of the tribal type cultures that occasionally appear in Parker's usual world or something new.
Message in a Bottle - ? - I didn't mark a rating down when I read this and the next.
Rules - ? - Another deal with the devil story, quite good.
Safe House - 5 - A wizard (not a great one) is sent to a country where wizards are executed to try and extract a natural talent that's been detected there.
The Dragonslayer of Merebarton - 5 - Damn. I can't recall ever having read another story of a village dealing with a dragon attack, but I can't imagine a better one has ever been written.
Told by an Idiot - 2.5 - This is the one that didn't work for me. It's a Job type story, sort of Shakespeare type, but I've forgotten more Shakespeare than I remember and so the references either went over my head or annoyed me by being just familiar enough to know that I should know it, but I don't. This and the next are clearly our world and not Parker's usual fantasy setting.
No Peace for the Wicked - 5 - A fallen Angel and a Pope. Sacrilicious :)
The Things We Do For Love - 4 - A thief and a witch. Good voice, doesn't feel like much in the way of a plot, more a character study/relationship type story.
Downfall of the Gods - 4-4.5 - (available as standalone ebook) This is all about the voice, and the bickering. It's funny, but I wish there were a bit more payoff plotwise.
The Last Witness - 5 - (available as standalone ebook) reviewed separately.
The Devil You Know - 4 - (available as standalone ebook) reviewed separately.
I Met a Man Who Wasn't There - 5
Heaven Thunders The Truth - 5 - Very distinct culture from Parker's norm. Not sure if this is supposed to be one of the tribal type cultures that occasionally appear in Parker's usual world or something new.
Message in a Bottle - ? - I didn't mark a rating down when I read this and the next.
Rules - ? - Another deal with the devil story, quite good.
Safe House - 5 - A wizard (not a great one) is sent to a country where wizards are executed to try and extract a natural talent that's been detected there.
The Dragonslayer of Merebarton - 5 - Damn. I can't recall ever having read another story of a village dealing with a dragon attack, but I can't imagine a better one has ever been written.
Told by an Idiot - 2.5 - This is the one that didn't work for me. It's a Job type story, sort of Shakespeare type, but I've forgotten more Shakespeare than I remember and so the references either went over my head or annoyed me by being just familiar enough to know that I should know it, but I don't. This and the next are clearly our world and not Parker's usual fantasy setting.
No Peace for the Wicked - 5 - A fallen Angel and a Pope. Sacrilicious :)
January 8, 2021
I like K.J. Parker, but I think his stories are better appreciated separately than in collection. So many of them retreat the same thematic territory or even reuse the same anecdotes (we learn about the best way to get a pig into a cart three times here). Read separately over a period of years, the anecdote reuse becomes an Easter egg, a grace note; read one after another, it just starts to look sloppy.
There are entertaining pieces here--I particularly enjoyed "The Last Witness" and "The Devil You Know," both twisty tales about men trying to get out of impossible situations their own greed has trapped them in (isn't that always the case in Parker?)--and it's certainly cheaper and easier to get the single volume than to acquire every novella and short story separately. But I recommend savoring over time, rather than dashing straight through.
I acquired this free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
There are entertaining pieces here--I particularly enjoyed "The Last Witness" and "The Devil You Know," both twisty tales about men trying to get out of impossible situations their own greed has trapped them in (isn't that always the case in Parker?)--and it's certainly cheaper and easier to get the single volume than to acquire every novella and short story separately. But I recommend savoring over time, rather than dashing straight through.
I acquired this free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
February 12, 2018
A solid, well-written collection of stories. One of the stories, "Last Witness", is a true gem and may stand the test of time. Most of the other stories are well-told, but unremarkable (and sometimes cliched), and there are at least two too many reiterations of Faust; individually, they're fine, but it gets repetitive.
Many of the stories here take place in worlds created for the author's novels; not having read these, I cannot say whether familiarity would breed more enjoyment, but I don't believe it is necessary.
Again, the writing itself is quite strong; the problems here stem from too-familiar plots and themes. I would gladly read more from K.J. Parker, hoping it wouldn't feel like I'd read it before.
Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for an e-ARC of this book. All opinions here are honest and my own.
Many of the stories here take place in worlds created for the author's novels; not having read these, I cannot say whether familiarity would breed more enjoyment, but I don't believe it is necessary.
Again, the writing itself is quite strong; the problems here stem from too-familiar plots and themes. I would gladly read more from K.J. Parker, hoping it wouldn't feel like I'd read it before.
Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for an e-ARC of this book. All opinions here are honest and my own.
June 8, 2019
Parker me ha deslumbrado con esta novela corta. Con un humor fino y muy ácido cuenta una historia fantástica sobre un ladrón impenitente y su mujer. Sin embargo, de lo que de verdad trata la historia es sobre el amor. El autor reflexiona sobre la definición de este sentimiento llevando ilustrando sus ejemplos al límite. Desde luego me ha dejado pensando y estoy seguro que le voy a seguir dando vueltas durante una temporada.
Además, está gratis total en la Subterranean Magazine del verano del 2014
http://subterraneanpress.com/magazine...
No se puede pedir más.
Merged review:
Lo mejor de la prosa corta de Parker en un tomazo espectacular. Imprescindible.
Además, está gratis total en la Subterranean Magazine del verano del 2014
http://subterraneanpress.com/magazine...
No se puede pedir más.
Merged review:
Lo mejor de la prosa corta de Parker en un tomazo espectacular. Imprescindible.
August 12, 2019
Short stories and novellas about art, irony, magic, and devils.
I'm a KJ Parker fan. This wasn't my favorite of his, but "not my favorite KJ Parker" is still better than most of the books I read. The stories are all good, but shouldn't be read together, lest you start to tire of their Faustian tricks. Eked out between other books, these stories make good palate cleansers--or bad ones, because they certainly bring to your attention how much less good almost everything you're reading is.
Recommended if you like deal with the devil stories but haven't found a good one since the Twilight Zone episode with Dabney Coleman (I think that's who it was--Edit, sheeeesh, I was way off, Sherman Hemsley, I of Newton, playing off a demonic Ron Glass). If you're a fan of the author, then you already know, and need no recommendation of mine!
I'm a KJ Parker fan. This wasn't my favorite of his, but "not my favorite KJ Parker" is still better than most of the books I read. The stories are all good, but shouldn't be read together, lest you start to tire of their Faustian tricks. Eked out between other books, these stories make good palate cleansers--or bad ones, because they certainly bring to your attention how much less good almost everything you're reading is.
Recommended if you like deal with the devil stories but haven't found a good one since the Twilight Zone episode with Dabney Coleman (I think that's who it was--Edit, sheeeesh, I was way off, Sherman Hemsley, I of Newton, playing off a demonic Ron Glass). If you're a fan of the author, then you already know, and need no recommendation of mine!
March 5, 2017
Generally I'm a big fan of KJ Parker's stories, but this is probably my least favorite that I've read by him. It was OK - but I expected better.
An alternate history, set at the time of Shakespeare and Marlowe. Our narrator prides himself on being able to identify items of quality and authenticity, whether they are the plays he puts on at his theater or the antiquities he buys and sells at a profit. But he's caught by surprise when the "demon in a bottle" he's acquired turns out to be genuine. Then, the story of the Book of Job gets thrown into the mix.
There are some funny moments, but all the elements didn't come together as well as they could have.
An alternate history, set at the time of Shakespeare and Marlowe. Our narrator prides himself on being able to identify items of quality and authenticity, whether they are the plays he puts on at his theater or the antiquities he buys and sells at a profit. But he's caught by surprise when the "demon in a bottle" he's acquired turns out to be genuine. Then, the story of the Book of Job gets thrown into the mix.
There are some funny moments, but all the elements didn't come together as well as they could have.
March 10, 2017
So much content--allusion, insights into human behavior, humor and just plain fun
November 25, 2024
Yep. Still my favourite collection of stories from this criminally underrated author. 5+⭐️
April 25, 2020
3 stars, Metaphorosis Reviews
Summary
A collection of fantasy stories from K.J. Parker
Review
What can I say that I haven’t said before? I complain on and on that Parker has only one note to play, but I keep buying the books. I think, though, that I’ve finally reached the end of my tether, at least on his short fiction. All the stories are clever and interesting – one at a time. Read en masse, though, they’re hard to tell apart. All the characters are very, very similar; in fact, most of them are the same character with a different name; sometimes not even that. A number of the stories felt long – appropriate if you just want to revel in the smooth prose, picaresque heroes, and sardonic tone, but not if you want something to happen.
There’s no denying that Parker is a good writer, and that he’s got this interesting character down to a T. I just wish he’d move on to U and V and W. Too often, here, he’s just hitting the same key over and over again. I had hoped that a collection of short stories would force him to focus and introduce some diversity of theme. I was dead wrong on that one. The stories are in different settings, sure, but looking back, I find them hard to tell apart. I’ve still got some unread Parker on my shelves, but after that? Maybe I’ll just re-read some old ones; I’m not sure there’s any difference between those and the new ones. Maybe not, though. Once I’ve decided an author is on the A list, I find it hard to take them off. Still, Parker is doing his best to convince me to cull.
Summary
A collection of fantasy stories from K.J. Parker
Review
What can I say that I haven’t said before? I complain on and on that Parker has only one note to play, but I keep buying the books. I think, though, that I’ve finally reached the end of my tether, at least on his short fiction. All the stories are clever and interesting – one at a time. Read en masse, though, they’re hard to tell apart. All the characters are very, very similar; in fact, most of them are the same character with a different name; sometimes not even that. A number of the stories felt long – appropriate if you just want to revel in the smooth prose, picaresque heroes, and sardonic tone, but not if you want something to happen.
There’s no denying that Parker is a good writer, and that he’s got this interesting character down to a T. I just wish he’d move on to U and V and W. Too often, here, he’s just hitting the same key over and over again. I had hoped that a collection of short stories would force him to focus and introduce some diversity of theme. I was dead wrong on that one. The stories are in different settings, sure, but looking back, I find them hard to tell apart. I’ve still got some unread Parker on my shelves, but after that? Maybe I’ll just re-read some old ones; I’m not sure there’s any difference between those and the new ones. Maybe not, though. Once I’ve decided an author is on the A list, I find it hard to take them off. Still, Parker is doing his best to convince me to cull.
July 6, 2024
The book contains several novellas and longish stories. Although it had begun with two exceptionally strong and memorable novellas, it had started sinking under its own weight and narcissistic philosophy. Then the stories raised the level considerably, so that the book ended strongly.
My favourites were~
1. The Things We Do for Love
2. Downfall of the Gods
3. I Met a Man Who Wasn't There
4. Heaven Thunders the Truth
5. Message in a Bottle (best story in the entire tome)
6. Rules
Overall, I found this one to be a very good collection. However, I would strongly recommend that the works in this book should be read leaving considerable gaps between any two. Otherwise the experinence of reading would be rather a chore.
Recommended.
My favourites were~
1. The Things We Do for Love
2. Downfall of the Gods
3. I Met a Man Who Wasn't There
4. Heaven Thunders the Truth
5. Message in a Bottle (best story in the entire tome)
6. Rules
Overall, I found this one to be a very good collection. However, I would strongly recommend that the works in this book should be read leaving considerable gaps between any two. Otherwise the experinence of reading would be rather a chore.
Recommended.
March 21, 2025
Kurzgeschichtensammlung über schlaue Leute, die andere reinlegen, meistens den Teufel oder Obrigkeiten. Gut konstruiert, aber selten sympathische Figuren.
October 19, 2018
I took awhile to read this because it’s a bunch of shorter works. This collection is a great introduction to Parker’s sardonic style. Some real gems in here and worth the read!
February 2, 2017
K.J. Parker is my newest must-read author. I've already mentioned how he drew me in with two innocuous-looking novellas that surprised me with their depth and plot, so I've started looking for more of his fiction. I've ordered a few of his novellas, and I found The Things We Do for Love online, so I didn't waste time in tearing through it.
The story has the wry wit that's evident in his other two novellas I've read, though here he seems to be making it the showcase of the story. It opens with a man confessing the murder of his wife, willing the judge and jury to hurry up with the trial so he can be hanged. Before they can pass judgment, his wife sashays into the courtroom, explains that it was all a mix-up, and takes her husband home. On the way back to their home, she tells him not to kill her again, to which he sighs and says, "Yes, dear."
With a set-up like that, how can you resist it?
I didn't find the story to be quite as good as either The Last Witness or The Devil You Know, namely because it lost most of its steam about halfway through the story. There, the focus shifts away from our narrator (the husband), and the momentum and voice is lost. Plus, the other two novellas highlight Parker's skills at plotting, leaving nothing to chance or coincidence, and this one feels more like a light romp through the unusual relationship between the two characters. It still reads like a Parker story, but it wouldn't be the story I'd recommend to hook someone else on the author.
I already have a lot more by this author on my list (Downfall of the Gods is next on my list of novellas, and The Two of Swords isn't that much behind), so I'm not going to let this story put me off from reading the rest of his work. Based on my own reactions to his work, and the critics' and fans' praise for it, I expect to like it as much as I did the first two novellas I read.
The story has the wry wit that's evident in his other two novellas I've read, though here he seems to be making it the showcase of the story. It opens with a man confessing the murder of his wife, willing the judge and jury to hurry up with the trial so he can be hanged. Before they can pass judgment, his wife sashays into the courtroom, explains that it was all a mix-up, and takes her husband home. On the way back to their home, she tells him not to kill her again, to which he sighs and says, "Yes, dear."
With a set-up like that, how can you resist it?
I didn't find the story to be quite as good as either The Last Witness or The Devil You Know, namely because it lost most of its steam about halfway through the story. There, the focus shifts away from our narrator (the husband), and the momentum and voice is lost. Plus, the other two novellas highlight Parker's skills at plotting, leaving nothing to chance or coincidence, and this one feels more like a light romp through the unusual relationship between the two characters. It still reads like a Parker story, but it wouldn't be the story I'd recommend to hook someone else on the author.
I already have a lot more by this author on my list (Downfall of the Gods is next on my list of novellas, and The Two of Swords isn't that much behind), so I'm not going to let this story put me off from reading the rest of his work. Based on my own reactions to his work, and the critics' and fans' praise for it, I expect to like it as much as I did the first two novellas I read.
July 27, 2025
This is the fourth full KJ Parker book I've read and the second compilation of short stories and novellas (after 2015's Academic Exercises). It's also the first (full) KJ Parker book I've rated less than 5 stars. For some reason I just didn't find the stories contained within The Father of Lies as compelling or as memorable as those in Academic Exercises. Not that most of them aren't quite good. They're full of the trademark KJ Parker witticisms, technical excellence, and sharp twists. Part of my slightly diminished enjoyment might simply have been circumstantial, as I read the book quite slowly due to lots of "stuff" happening concurrently in my life. But also, it may be that this collection just lacks the very high highs of its predecessor, with A Small Price to Pay for Birdsong and Let Maps to Others being particular standouts from that volume.
The Things We Do for Love ★★★★
The compelling story of a man who ends up in a relationship with an immortal witch. Things start romantic and quickly turn tragic. This was a good story to start with (killer opening line too), with plenty of the twists and hooks we expect from Parker. Still, I find myself a bit perturbed by his continued portrayal of women as conniving harridans who in this case "ought to be got rid of".
Downfall of the Gods ★★★★
Funnily enough, this story actually mollified my perturbation a bit as it might be the first Parker story I've read told from a female perspective. In this case the POV is an effectively omnipotent goddess. Despite her omnipotence though, she's still chasing self-worth and male validation. The story drags in a few places, but it struck me as something quite different for Parker and I appreciated that.
The Last Witness ★★★★
By far the most confusing story of the lot, probably only completely comprehensible on rereads. The conceit is that the protagonist has the ability to absorb and delete other peoples' memories, which forms his primary source of income as well as his curse, for he no longer really knows which of his memories are really his own. The story flip-flops between a present-day narrative and a melange of past memories, which may or may not actually belong to the protagonist. This story was compelling, but I read it too slowly to fully comprehend what was going on. Still, it's an excellent and creative example of unreliable narration.
The Devil You Know ★★★★
Somewhat similarly to Downfall of the Gods, this novella features a partnership between a clever mortal (in this case, recurring scholar/scoundrel Saloninus) and a divine entity (though a demon rather than a goddess). Both characters have POVs. I appreciated the commentary and clever back-and-forth dialogue of this story, though like its counterpart the plot begins to drag a little toward the middle.
I Met a Man Who Wasn't There ★★★
At this point, over halfway through the volume, we switch over from novellas to proper short stories of about 15-30 pages each. I honestly already forgot most of what happens in this story, so I suppose it wasn't among the best of the volume.
Heaven Thunders the Truth ★★★★★
This is the first story in the book that really tickled my fancy the way Academic Exercises did. Parker goes somewhat gonzo with his magic system here, as the protagonist features among an ancient order (I get the feeling the feeling the story is set long before most others in his world) of wizards that are bonded with (seemingly invisible and incorporeal) snakes that live inside their heads and give them superpowers including apparent omniscience. What's more, the story contains plenty of twists, family drama, and gruesome action. Can't ask for much more from a story this short.
Message in a Bottle ★★★★
An interesting shorter story, almost more of a thought experiment, centered around "Schrodinger's plague vial". Basically, does this vial contain the cure for the plague, or a worse version of it? Is it worth opening at all? In typical Parker fashion, it isn't clear what the answer is, nor what's going to happen in the end.
Rules ★★★★★
Another great short story, this one a bit of a mix between the man/demon duo of The Devil You Know and the artist/fan dichotomy of A Small Price to Pay for Birdsong. A patron of plays gets a demon to show him that his friend, an acclaimed genius playwright, will still be lauded in a thousand years, and that the patron will go to Heaven, so long as his friend writes a particular play. The patron comes up with the plot and offers it to the playwright, who writes it. But the play is a critical failure - it will only be appreciated long after the writer is dead. The playwright kills himself and the patron is financially ruined. An interesting and complex tragedy with plenty of twists.
Safe House ★★★★
This one reminded me of Illuminated from Academic Exercises, featuring a male wizard and a female "novice" trapped together far from civilization. The novice turns out to be more than she seems, as per usual with KJ Parker's women, and things get hairy. Fun, but not overly memorable.
The Dragonslayer of Merebarton ★★★★
I think this is probably the only Parker story I've read that featured or even mentioned dragons. To be fair, the existence of dragons is only conjectural for most of the story. I liked the unique focus on hunting and natural history in this story, as well as the brutal action scenes.
Told by an Idiot ★★★★
Interestingly, the last two stories of the collection vacate Parkerland entirely for real-life historical Europe, though it's a version of Europe where demons exist. Still, it was a bit odd reading Parker with real place names. This story features a collector of curios and artifacts who stumbles across a demon stuffed into a bottle. It's fun, but not a lot happens in this story, at least that's memorable.
No Peace for the Wicked ★★★★
The second historical (with demons) story, this time featuring a demon from Hell who's taken the place of a bishop or someone similarly high-up in the Catholic Church, as he manipulates a papal conclave into eventually (as in, hundreds of years) producing either the Great Schism or the schism of the Protestant Reformation (not clear which to me). Again, fun, and somewhat disturbing. This story capping the collection drives home its overall theme of religion and Parker's critiques thereof.
The Things We Do for Love ★★★★
The compelling story of a man who ends up in a relationship with an immortal witch. Things start romantic and quickly turn tragic. This was a good story to start with (killer opening line too), with plenty of the twists and hooks we expect from Parker. Still, I find myself a bit perturbed by his continued portrayal of women as conniving harridans who in this case "ought to be got rid of".
Downfall of the Gods ★★★★
Funnily enough, this story actually mollified my perturbation a bit as it might be the first Parker story I've read told from a female perspective. In this case the POV is an effectively omnipotent goddess. Despite her omnipotence though, she's still chasing self-worth and male validation. The story drags in a few places, but it struck me as something quite different for Parker and I appreciated that.
The Last Witness ★★★★
By far the most confusing story of the lot, probably only completely comprehensible on rereads. The conceit is that the protagonist has the ability to absorb and delete other peoples' memories, which forms his primary source of income as well as his curse, for he no longer really knows which of his memories are really his own. The story flip-flops between a present-day narrative and a melange of past memories, which may or may not actually belong to the protagonist. This story was compelling, but I read it too slowly to fully comprehend what was going on. Still, it's an excellent and creative example of unreliable narration.
The Devil You Know ★★★★
Somewhat similarly to Downfall of the Gods, this novella features a partnership between a clever mortal (in this case, recurring scholar/scoundrel Saloninus) and a divine entity (though a demon rather than a goddess). Both characters have POVs. I appreciated the commentary and clever back-and-forth dialogue of this story, though like its counterpart the plot begins to drag a little toward the middle.
I Met a Man Who Wasn't There ★★★
At this point, over halfway through the volume, we switch over from novellas to proper short stories of about 15-30 pages each. I honestly already forgot most of what happens in this story, so I suppose it wasn't among the best of the volume.
Heaven Thunders the Truth ★★★★★
This is the first story in the book that really tickled my fancy the way Academic Exercises did. Parker goes somewhat gonzo with his magic system here, as the protagonist features among an ancient order (I get the feeling the feeling the story is set long before most others in his world) of wizards that are bonded with (seemingly invisible and incorporeal) snakes that live inside their heads and give them superpowers including apparent omniscience. What's more, the story contains plenty of twists, family drama, and gruesome action. Can't ask for much more from a story this short.
Message in a Bottle ★★★★
An interesting shorter story, almost more of a thought experiment, centered around "Schrodinger's plague vial". Basically, does this vial contain the cure for the plague, or a worse version of it? Is it worth opening at all? In typical Parker fashion, it isn't clear what the answer is, nor what's going to happen in the end.
Rules ★★★★★
Another great short story, this one a bit of a mix between the man/demon duo of The Devil You Know and the artist/fan dichotomy of A Small Price to Pay for Birdsong. A patron of plays gets a demon to show him that his friend, an acclaimed genius playwright, will still be lauded in a thousand years, and that the patron will go to Heaven, so long as his friend writes a particular play. The patron comes up with the plot and offers it to the playwright, who writes it. But the play is a critical failure - it will only be appreciated long after the writer is dead. The playwright kills himself and the patron is financially ruined. An interesting and complex tragedy with plenty of twists.
Safe House ★★★★
This one reminded me of Illuminated from Academic Exercises, featuring a male wizard and a female "novice" trapped together far from civilization. The novice turns out to be more than she seems, as per usual with KJ Parker's women, and things get hairy. Fun, but not overly memorable.
The Dragonslayer of Merebarton ★★★★
I think this is probably the only Parker story I've read that featured or even mentioned dragons. To be fair, the existence of dragons is only conjectural for most of the story. I liked the unique focus on hunting and natural history in this story, as well as the brutal action scenes.
Told by an Idiot ★★★★
Interestingly, the last two stories of the collection vacate Parkerland entirely for real-life historical Europe, though it's a version of Europe where demons exist. Still, it was a bit odd reading Parker with real place names. This story features a collector of curios and artifacts who stumbles across a demon stuffed into a bottle. It's fun, but not a lot happens in this story, at least that's memorable.
No Peace for the Wicked ★★★★
The second historical (with demons) story, this time featuring a demon from Hell who's taken the place of a bishop or someone similarly high-up in the Catholic Church, as he manipulates a papal conclave into eventually (as in, hundreds of years) producing either the Great Schism or the schism of the Protestant Reformation (not clear which to me). Again, fun, and somewhat disturbing. This story capping the collection drives home its overall theme of religion and Parker's critiques thereof.
January 18, 2024
Why do I do this to myself? Why do I keep reading short story collections? I never enjoy them (with the exception of "Songs of the Dying Earth"). But K. J. Parker is a good writer, and I already owned this book (I had bought it together with "Academic Exercises"), so I decided to give it a shot.
The book starts with three novella-length stories, which is great because it eliminates my biggest problem with short stories: their length. The first story, "The Things We Do For Love", is about a thief who's in a relationship with an ageless witch. She makes him immortal, and together they wander the world committing small thefts and enjoying each other. Well, that's more the witch's point of view; the thief wants to leave her, but instead of making his wishes known he tries indirect methods such as running away or killing himself. What we have here is a failure to communicate. His passive-aggressive attempts to leave the relationship are annoying.
My favorite story in this collection is "Downfall of the Gods". It's about a Lord who falls afoul of the Goddess of Charm by killing one of her favorites. As penance, she makes him undertake a difficult quest. The story is told from the goddess's point of view, which is refreshing. She has a complicated relationship with her divine family, and this adds interest to the story. The writing is peak K. J. Parker, strong and funny.
"The Last Witness" is another strong story. The protagonist has the power to take away other peoples' memories. This is a great basis for a story, and there are interesting things to say about memory, especially because he has a hard time distinguishing between his real memories and those he had taken from other people. The plot was inconsistent: sometimes he uses this power to great effect, e.g. getting out of a fight by quickly making his assailants forget about him; but other times he allows himself to get beat up without even trying. Eventually he has to come to grips with sins he had committed years earlier.
After these novellas there are only shorter stories, and most of them are about deals with demons. I did not like this thematic consistency at all! It makes them feel similar, like Parker is writing the same story over and over in different variations. The protagonists also feel the same: it's always a smart-alec, smug, smarter-than-thou man. So as I progressed through the book I became more and more bored, and ended up taking a month to read it (much longer than usual).
"The Devil You Know" is about one of Parker's recurring characters, the alchemist-philosopher Saloninus. It's a sequel to a story about Saloninus from his previous short story collection, "Academic Exercises". Saloninus makes a deal with the devil to grant him more life and power, which he uses to build his own private kingdom. This story is told partly from Saloninus's POV, and partly from the POV of the demon who's his counterpart. Saloninus is the epitome of the too-smart and extremely annoying protagonist. Occasionally he tells parts of his philosophy, strongly defending it, and then immediately saying something like "of course, I don't believe a word of this". Blech. Saloninus doesn't reveal why he's doing what he's doing, or why he agreed to make a foolhardy deal with the devil, but this coyness gets old very quickly. Without a plan there are no stakes, which means there's no future; only the present.
"I Met a Man Who Wasn’t There" is about a strange man who claims to be able to teach anyone to do magic. The protagonist takes him up on this offer, but the teacher doesn't really teach; he claims that the student already knows how to do magic. It's a strange story. This time, for variety, *both* the protagonist and the teacher are of the I'm-smarter-than-thou genus.
"Heaven Thunders the Truth" is about a young wizard who discovers that he's actually the son of the current King. It's boring. At least there are no demons involved.
"Message in a Bottle" is about a man who's trying to end a plague. There's a bottle that might contain a cure inside it, or an even worse version of the plague. Should he open it? The story just goes round and round on this question. It's like the mind battle between Westley and Vizzini in "The Princess Bride": would you put the poison in your own cup, or mine? You can go back and forth endlessly. But "The Princess Bride" was far more entertaining, and came to a conclusion faster as well.
"Rules" is another story about deals with demons. The only difference from the previous stories is that this time it's not the protagonist who's making the deal: instead, he's trying to get a different character, a Shakespeare analogue, to make a deal with a demon. I was really tired of this formula by then.
"Safe House" is different from the other stories, which is nice. A wizard is badly injured and has to seek shelter in an eldritch stronghold that may or may not be safe. In it he finds a young woman, a wizard candidate, and he tries to teach her -- but she may be more than she seems. This is one of the rare short stories I actually liked, with a surprising ending.
"The Dragonslayer of Merebarton" is about a retired warrior who has to deal with a dragon problem in his area. This story is very unlike the other stories in this collection. It's ok, but not interesting.
The last two stories in the collection are set in our world instead of K. J. Parker's usual fantasy world. The protagonist of "Told by an Idiot" is another one of Parker's highly-capable and glib men. He comes across a bottle that contains a demon, but refuses to make a deal with him. After this disaster after disaster strike, in a clear Job analogue; the story addresses this directly. There are long stretches of boring philosophical conversation between the protagonist and the demon. The story is long, and very similar to the previous stories, and I barely got through it, despite Parker's good paragraph-by-paragraph writing.
The final story, "No Peace for the Wicked", appears to be some sort of alternate-history around one of the most notorious popes in history. I didn't like it at all, and this is the only story that I didn't read fully. I just skimmed it, because I was eager to finally be rid of this book. The book clearly had put its best (and least demon-oriented) stories up front.
The book starts with three novella-length stories, which is great because it eliminates my biggest problem with short stories: their length. The first story, "The Things We Do For Love", is about a thief who's in a relationship with an ageless witch. She makes him immortal, and together they wander the world committing small thefts and enjoying each other. Well, that's more the witch's point of view; the thief wants to leave her, but instead of making his wishes known he tries indirect methods such as running away or killing himself. What we have here is a failure to communicate. His passive-aggressive attempts to leave the relationship are annoying.
My favorite story in this collection is "Downfall of the Gods". It's about a Lord who falls afoul of the Goddess of Charm by killing one of her favorites. As penance, she makes him undertake a difficult quest. The story is told from the goddess's point of view, which is refreshing. She has a complicated relationship with her divine family, and this adds interest to the story. The writing is peak K. J. Parker, strong and funny.
"The Last Witness" is another strong story. The protagonist has the power to take away other peoples' memories. This is a great basis for a story, and there are interesting things to say about memory, especially because he has a hard time distinguishing between his real memories and those he had taken from other people. The plot was inconsistent: sometimes he uses this power to great effect, e.g. getting out of a fight by quickly making his assailants forget about him; but other times he allows himself to get beat up without even trying. Eventually he has to come to grips with sins he had committed years earlier.
After these novellas there are only shorter stories, and most of them are about deals with demons. I did not like this thematic consistency at all! It makes them feel similar, like Parker is writing the same story over and over in different variations. The protagonists also feel the same: it's always a smart-alec, smug, smarter-than-thou man. So as I progressed through the book I became more and more bored, and ended up taking a month to read it (much longer than usual).
"The Devil You Know" is about one of Parker's recurring characters, the alchemist-philosopher Saloninus. It's a sequel to a story about Saloninus from his previous short story collection, "Academic Exercises". Saloninus makes a deal with the devil to grant him more life and power, which he uses to build his own private kingdom. This story is told partly from Saloninus's POV, and partly from the POV of the demon who's his counterpart. Saloninus is the epitome of the too-smart and extremely annoying protagonist. Occasionally he tells parts of his philosophy, strongly defending it, and then immediately saying something like "of course, I don't believe a word of this". Blech. Saloninus doesn't reveal why he's doing what he's doing, or why he agreed to make a foolhardy deal with the devil, but this coyness gets old very quickly. Without a plan there are no stakes, which means there's no future; only the present.
"I Met a Man Who Wasn’t There" is about a strange man who claims to be able to teach anyone to do magic. The protagonist takes him up on this offer, but the teacher doesn't really teach; he claims that the student already knows how to do magic. It's a strange story. This time, for variety, *both* the protagonist and the teacher are of the I'm-smarter-than-thou genus.
"Heaven Thunders the Truth" is about a young wizard who discovers that he's actually the son of the current King. It's boring. At least there are no demons involved.
"Message in a Bottle" is about a man who's trying to end a plague. There's a bottle that might contain a cure inside it, or an even worse version of the plague. Should he open it? The story just goes round and round on this question. It's like the mind battle between Westley and Vizzini in "The Princess Bride": would you put the poison in your own cup, or mine? You can go back and forth endlessly. But "The Princess Bride" was far more entertaining, and came to a conclusion faster as well.
"Rules" is another story about deals with demons. The only difference from the previous stories is that this time it's not the protagonist who's making the deal: instead, he's trying to get a different character, a Shakespeare analogue, to make a deal with a demon. I was really tired of this formula by then.
"Safe House" is different from the other stories, which is nice. A wizard is badly injured and has to seek shelter in an eldritch stronghold that may or may not be safe. In it he finds a young woman, a wizard candidate, and he tries to teach her -- but she may be more than she seems. This is one of the rare short stories I actually liked, with a surprising ending.
"The Dragonslayer of Merebarton" is about a retired warrior who has to deal with a dragon problem in his area. This story is very unlike the other stories in this collection. It's ok, but not interesting.
The last two stories in the collection are set in our world instead of K. J. Parker's usual fantasy world. The protagonist of "Told by an Idiot" is another one of Parker's highly-capable and glib men. He comes across a bottle that contains a demon, but refuses to make a deal with him. After this disaster after disaster strike, in a clear Job analogue; the story addresses this directly. There are long stretches of boring philosophical conversation between the protagonist and the demon. The story is long, and very similar to the previous stories, and I barely got through it, despite Parker's good paragraph-by-paragraph writing.
The final story, "No Peace for the Wicked", appears to be some sort of alternate-history around one of the most notorious popes in history. I didn't like it at all, and this is the only story that I didn't read fully. I just skimmed it, because I was eager to finally be rid of this book. The book clearly had put its best (and least demon-oriented) stories up front.
June 3, 2021
As many others said, too much already.
They're all good stories, but after a while they got a bit samey.
You start to notice the cynical, I'm-so-clever approach. Even when the hero makes a mistake, he usually recovers by always being way ahead of everyone else. Reminds me of Heinlein a bit.
They're all good stories, but after a while they got a bit samey.
You start to notice the cynical, I'm-so-clever approach. Even when the hero makes a mistake, he usually recovers by always being way ahead of everyone else. Reminds me of Heinlein a bit.
April 28, 2019
Death is nothing, it isn't important. It only matters because the people who are left behind, the people who love the person who dies, are very unhappy. In fact, it's the worst unhappiness there is. But a wizard can see and hear dead people just like seeing and hearing the living. You can talk to them anytime you like. That's the most wonderful thing, love without loss, because love should be the best thing in the world , but because you lose the people you love, love is the worst thing, it hurts more than anything else. It's an enemy to be avoided at all costs unless you want to spend most of your life in pain. Except for wizards.
This, KJ Parker's 12th story originally published in issue 157 of 'Beneath Ceaseless Skies' in 2014 and since reprinted in his collection The Father of Lies is - like the above quote shows - 'heavy stuff'.
No spoilers to follow. The (as usual) unnamed narrator is a wizard but calls himself a doctor. He has a female snake (physically!) living inside his head that has some level of control over him, to keep it intentionally vague.
In his dreams he can talk to other wizards regardless of their physical location and even if they are alive. Since the whole story takes place in an unspecified special place, this skill is essential to the story - this becomes obvious when the only named character is referred to as 'The King' AKA 'Heaven Thunders the Truth' AKA 'The Great Elephant' AKA 'He-Who-Eats-Up-the-World' and more ...
Merged review:
KJ Parker’s 10th story, originally published in Subterranean Summer 2014, is - to avoid spoilers - about wizards and con-men. Both the two characters and the location re-main nameless, but we know it takes place in the Empire (the Vesani Republic, Boc Bohec and the First Consolidated Bank are name-dropped).
I love the way KJP plays with the discrepancy of magic playing no role in his novels, but a central one in his short fiction:
Quote (from page 344 in ‘Father of Lies):
“A person can’t be convicted of witchcraft unless he’s proven to have performed magic. Magic doesn’t exist. Therefore it’s impossible that anyone could be convicted. [But] there’s a fistful of silly old laws on the statute book prescribing the death sentence for witchcraft.”
Brilliant.
Merged review:
KJ Parker'a 17th story originally appeared in the (recommended) anthology The Djinn Falls in Love & Other Stories, edited by Jared Shurin & Mahvesh Murad and also in Parker's collection The Father of Lies.
It takes place in the same world as most of his stories and novels, sometimes called Parkerland that Parker himself refers to as The Civilised Nations of the Middle Sea (page 402 in 'Father of Lies'), specifically in the Golden Scales monastery.
Name-drops include individuals Emperor Gaiseric, Scaevola and Saloninus, as well as Perimadeia, the ubiquitous capitol always called 'the City' or the No Vei.
Th story deals - no spoilers - with the dilemma whether something contained in a Mezentine glass bottle will solve a massive problem or make it much worse. As with many of Parker's stories it is told in the first person by an unnamed narrator who has studied magic ("in theory"), but considers himself a scientist rather than a wizard and who was sent to solve this problem by the chancellor of the studium, another very regular feature in Parker's stories.
Merged review:
KJ Parker's 13th story, originally published 2014 in the very good anthology Fearsome Magics edited by Jonathan Strahan and since reprinted in Parker's collection The Father of Lies is yet another first person narrative; the story is told by someone who works as a 'third grade [wizard]' for the studium in Politeia Thaumasta* and was sent to Boc Flemen to track down an 'untamed natural [wizard]'.
Almost the complete story takes place inside a somewhat mysterious blockhouse tower with the designation 326N528W** and features only the narrator and the equally unnamed 'natural'.
Atypical for Parker is that when mentioning a devastating war that was fought 150 years ago, the protagonist does not know who fought who.
* Politeia is an ancient Greek word used by Plato for the title of his book more commonly known as 'Res Publica', while thaumasta is a biological term used both in conjunction with a moth (ardonis) and a sea snail (aexellia).
** my attempts to translate this data to an interesting place on the globe failed: 3º16'N 5º28'W is a couple of hundred miles off the Ivory Coast and 31º6'N 52º8'W is in the middle of the North Atlantic, halfway between Africa and America.
Merged review:
KJ Parker's 19th story, Rules, is the hardest and most expensive to obtain because it has thus far only been published in the signed limited edition of his collection The Father of Lies, Subterranean Press 2018. Neither the book nor this story are available as eBooks.
That is a pity, because it's a very good story about a "inveterate under-achiever, a dissipated libertine and a drunken profligate" from Mezentia who studied theology and canon law at the university in Beloisa where he met and befriended the famous dramatist Saturninus*, of whom the unnamed narrator says:
He was hilariously witty, if you like blood and skin and bits of crunched-up bone mixed in with your satire.and - unrelated - offers him the following advice:
You've been looking [for a good plot] in the wrong place. In books. You won't find it there, believe me. It's like looking for fresh pears in a latrine. Anything you'll find there's already been digested and turned into shit by someone else.
We learn right at the beginning of the story (and therefore I do not consider that a spoiler), that the narrator, a land-owning magistrate at one time, has made a deal with the devil** and that contract is due. If it is possible to get out of that deal and what role Saturninus plays is the subject of the story.
* a popular name used by half a dozen Roman politicians between ca. 150BC and 400
** actually referred to as 'the devil', the same entity in religions like Christianity and Islam which strikes me as odd for a fantasy story/novel ...
July 28, 2018
Originally published on my blog: Nonstop Reader.
The Father of Lies is a collection of short novels and novellas by K.J. Parker (a.k.a. Tom Holt). It's a brick of a book, well over 500 pages, and contains 12 pieces which run the gamut from first person revenge/love tales, to (mostly) straightforward mythology retellings, complete with the drama and infighting immortals get up to, and a couple of decent Faustian stories for good measure.
Most of the time when I'm reviewing collections and anthologies, I swear I'm going to savor them like a box of chocolates and wind up devouring the whole thing cover to cover. That's not really the way to experience this book. I enjoyed this book a lot more for having read a story at a time interspersed with other completely different genres and styles.
Picking out stories to highlight is difficult, they're consistently well written and the author has a deft hand and sure voice.
I honestly enjoyed all of the stories, but No Rest for the Wicked, The Things We Do for Love, and The Devil You Know were outstanding. It's worth noting that all of the stories in this collection were previously published elsewhere, but it's nice having them conveniently accessible together.
There is no additional author background or introduction included with the book; the stories stand up quite well on their own merits.
Enjoyable, savor them over time.
Four stars (on average, trending toward a five, there are many flashes of brilliance here).
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes
The Father of Lies is a collection of short novels and novellas by K.J. Parker (a.k.a. Tom Holt). It's a brick of a book, well over 500 pages, and contains 12 pieces which run the gamut from first person revenge/love tales, to (mostly) straightforward mythology retellings, complete with the drama and infighting immortals get up to, and a couple of decent Faustian stories for good measure.
Most of the time when I'm reviewing collections and anthologies, I swear I'm going to savor them like a box of chocolates and wind up devouring the whole thing cover to cover. That's not really the way to experience this book. I enjoyed this book a lot more for having read a story at a time interspersed with other completely different genres and styles.
Picking out stories to highlight is difficult, they're consistently well written and the author has a deft hand and sure voice.
I honestly enjoyed all of the stories, but No Rest for the Wicked, The Things We Do for Love, and The Devil You Know were outstanding. It's worth noting that all of the stories in this collection were previously published elsewhere, but it's nice having them conveniently accessible together.
There is no additional author background or introduction included with the book; the stories stand up quite well on their own merits.
Enjoyable, savor them over time.
Four stars (on average, trending toward a five, there are many flashes of brilliance here).
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes
January 20, 2018
Full disclosure: I received an ARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
This was a good collection of novellas/stories all set in the same fantasy world. (I gather that this is the same world as many of Parker's other novels, although I'm afraid I don't know if this particular world has a name.) These are stories involving tricksters, people who make deals with demons, people who try to cheat demons, etc. The stories are funny and make me want to check out Parker's novels.
This was a good collection of novellas/stories all set in the same fantasy world. (I gather that this is the same world as many of Parker's other novels, although I'm afraid I don't know if this particular world has a name.) These are stories involving tricksters, people who make deals with demons, people who try to cheat demons, etc. The stories are funny and make me want to check out Parker's novels.
June 6, 2020
I really liked some of the stories here, but others were only ok, and i think this collection is not as good as his previous collection (Academic Exercises) which I love. The common theme of The Devil runs through most stories, which leads to a lot of repeated themes, issues, plots and even characters.
The best story is the longest one, with Salonius trying to get out of a deal with the devil, and i enjoyed several others, although not the first and last ones as much.
The best story is the longest one, with Salonius trying to get out of a deal with the devil, and i enjoyed several others, although not the first and last ones as much.
December 8, 2023
An anthology of Parker's metaphysical fantasy. Parker is one of those writers that tends to tell the same story in many different ways. Stories seen trough the eyes of scoundrels, anti heroes and not very ladylike ladies. And yet he has a talent to keep surprising the reader . Parker is one of those underrated fantasy writers with a large cult following. Some of his books are mediocre,others are simply brilliant.
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August 24, 2024Short stories and novellas published between 2013 and 2018. Mostly set in the same fantasy historical world of the Invincible Sun, and most with that same acerbic black humour. As with the previous collection Academic Exercises, definitely best read sporadically as they tend to feel a bit samey when read in succession, and so bleak even when funny. Also notable that sometime after Academic Exercises, he discovered women as main characters - I approve.
March 9, 2018
42 WORD REVIEW:
A 500+ page compendium of Parker’s recent short fiction, focussing in particular on those pieces depicting gods, devils, magic and religion. As ever, Parker crafts believable worlds in which to tell fantastic, habitually mordant, stories. Anti-heroes abound and suffer for their sins.
A 500+ page compendium of Parker’s recent short fiction, focussing in particular on those pieces depicting gods, devils, magic and religion. As ever, Parker crafts believable worlds in which to tell fantastic, habitually mordant, stories. Anti-heroes abound and suffer for their sins.
October 11, 2019
Written conversationally with humour. SPOILER ALERT: Religion enters into just about every story. No preaching though and well done. Every story is first person narrative and in The Devil You Know he switches narrator repeatedly which is a bit confusing. Overall though, I enjoyed it. You should probably read this book
August 23, 2025
The Things We Do For Love - 5
Downfall of the Gods - 4.5
The Last Witness - 4
The Devil You Know - 4.5
I Met a Man Who Wasn’t There - 3
Heaven Thunders the Truth - 3
Message in a Bottle - 2.5
Rules - 3.5
Safe House - 4.5
The Dragonslayer of Merebarton - 4
Told by an Idiot - 3
No Peace for the Wicked - 4
Downfall of the Gods - 4.5
The Last Witness - 4
The Devil You Know - 4.5
I Met a Man Who Wasn’t There - 3
Heaven Thunders the Truth - 3
Message in a Bottle - 2.5
Rules - 3.5
Safe House - 4.5
The Dragonslayer of Merebarton - 4
Told by an Idiot - 3
No Peace for the Wicked - 4
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