Savages
K. J. Parker
Language: English
Pages: 354
ISBN: 1596066156
Format: PDF / Kindle (mobi) / ePub
An unnamed man wakes to find himself facing the loss of everything that matters most to him. Against all odds, he escapes with his life and heads out into the turbulence of the wider world, recreating himself, step by step, as he goes along.
That wider world is dominated by an empire that has existed for decades in a state of near perpetual war. A host of colorful characters will help to shape the destiny of the empire, and its constantly shifting array of allies and adversaries; among them, a master military strategist, a former pacifist who inherits his father's moribund arms business, a beautiful forger and a very lucky counterfeiter. Each of them, together with corrupt bureaucrats and the nomadic 'savages' of the title, plays a part in a gradually unfolding drama of conflict and conquest played for the highest of stakes.
A story of war, politics, intrigue, deception, and survival, Savages is a hugely ambitious, convincingly detailed novel that is impossible to set aside. Filled with schemes, counter-schemes, sudden reversals of fortune, and brilliantly described accounts of complex military encounters, it is, by any measure, an extraordinary entertainment, the work of a writer whose ambition, range, and sheer narrative power have never been more thoroughly on display.
all believe. No, it wasn’t that.” “Ah. So, what—?” “I’d rather not say, if that’s all right.” Chauzida stood up. “Thank you for talking to me. I hope you feel better soon.” Semplan felt he had to say something. “Really, your uncle’s only doing what he thinks is for the best.” “I know,” Chauzida said. “And I do understand why he thinks that, and it’s all for the Cosseilhatz and not himself. But I don’t think he’s right.” It was too embarrassing for a man with a bad head to cope with. “I’m
second best pasture. Disaster; so Father had had a storm drain dug, at ruinous cost, no expense spared; he’d even had the drain lined with hard clay pipe, forty-eight inch inside diameter, big enough for a man to crawl through, if he was desperate enough. There was nowhere for that much water to soak away without causing muddy havoc, so Father had continued the trench right down into the yard and knocked through the wall of the well. If memory served, the drain mouth was about fifteen feet down,
door to close again. The next one— Somebody hit him. His head swam, his knees started to fold and he nearly threw up. He wasn’t sure where the blow had landed, too dizzy. He saw a blurred shape in front of him, one fuzzy arm drawn back. Without any real idea of what he was doing, he aimed himself at the shape and lunged forward. He crashed into something, and then he was on the floor; he was doing something, but he wasn’t sure what. Hands were clamped on his wrists, trying to pull them apart. He
joke.” Joiuaz pulled his thinking face. “What it means is, I’m not supposed to do what I think is the right thing. I’ve got to pretend I’m you, only older. It’s complicated,” he added, “and in practice, it’s all about doing the thing that’ll upset the fewest people while still getting done the things that need doing.” He paused. “That bit’s quite important,” he said. “Do you want me to say it again?” “No thanks, I think I’ve got it.” “Then explain it to me.” Chauzida took a moment to find the
what you’re up to, Aimeric, but I won’t ask, because I don’t want to prompt you to lie to me, it’d be bad for our working relationship. Just promise me it won’t hurt the emperor. Well?” “I promise.” “You do know, don’t you, what’ll happen to you if you mess me around?” “I can guess.” “No,” Calojan said gently, “You’ve led a sheltered life, so I don’t suppose you can. But that’s fine, I’m sure you’ve got the message. Another snippet of homely folk wisdom from my inexhaustible supply; it may be