Sister Svangerd and the Not Quite Dead - (The Loyal Opposition Trilogy) by K J Parker (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

From World Fantasy Award-winning author K.J. Parker comes a devilishly clever tale of murder, intrigue, and existential crisis.

​Not even the Church of the Invincible Sun is invincible - and somebody has to do its dirty work. Enter Sister Svangerd and her accompanying priest, both accomplished practitioners. Their mission is simple: to make a meddlesome princess disappear (permanently).

To get to her, they must attend the legendary Ecumenical Council, the once-in-a-century convening of the greatest spiritual minds the world has to offer. But when they arrive, they find instead a den of villainy that would make the most hardened criminal blush.

To complicate matters further, it appears that some people long considered dead might not be after all. What began as a simple murder is about to escalate into a theological debate of terrifying complexity.

For more from K. J. Parker, check out:

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 Swords: Volume One
The Two of Swords Volume Two
The Two of Swords: Volume Three

The Fencer Trilogy
Colours in the Steel
The Belly of the Bow
The Proof House

The Scavenger Trilogy
Shadow
Pattern
Memory

Engineer Trilogy
Devices and Desires
Evil for Evil
The Escapement

The Company
The Folding Knife

Review Quotes

"Another erudite stroll through a Dark Ages-inspired alternate world... Parker breezily tosses off bits of invented theology and details of faked manuscript manufacture alongside the sardonic observations of his put-upon monk and sassy religious sister with a dark past, giving the reader a tasty buffet of light but filling bon mots. Parker's fans and newcomers alike will be excited to see where this series goes next."

--Publishers Weekly

"Well-crafted, powerful and downright unmissable."--SFX on The Company

"A richly textured and emotionally complex fantasy...Highly recommended."--Library Journal on The Engineer Trilogy (starred review)

"Astonishingly good."--RT Book Reviews on Sharps

"Brilliant."--Locus on The Engineer Trilogy

"Full of invention and ingenuity . . . Great fun."--SFX on Sixteen Ways to Defend a Walled City

"Parker's acerbic wit and knowledge of human nature are a delight to read as he explores the way conflict is guided, in equal measure, by the brilliance and unerring foolishness of humanity . . . . Thoroughly engaging."--RT Books Reviews on The Two of Swords: Volume One

"Parker's skillful control of pacing, expert rendering of characters, and subtle sense of humor add depth and believability."--Library Journal on Sharps

"Part political intrigue, part underdog tale, part acerbic commentary on humanity, Parker's dryly funny low fantasy is off to a strong start."--Booklist on Saevus Corax Deals with the Dead

"Readers who like Peter David, A. Lee Martinez, or the Guardians of the Galaxy movies will find this title right up their alley with similar tones, fantastical plots, and over-the-top characters."--Library Journal on Saevus Corax Deals with the Dead

"Skillful plotting and rich scene-setting."--Guardian on The Company

"This is another splendid offering from K.J. Parker, the (pseudonymous) British fantasist who seems incapable of writing in anything but top form."--Locus on Sharps

About the Author

K.J. Parker is a pseudonym for Tom Holt. He was born in London in 1961. At Oxford he studied bar billiards, ancient Greek agriculture and the care and feeding of small, temperamental Japanese motorcycle engines; interests which led him, perhaps inevitably, to qualify as a solicitor and emigrate to Somerset, where he specialized in death and taxes for seven years before going straight in 1995. He lives in Chard, Somerset, with his wife and daughter.