This book amused the crap out of me. Saevus is a delightfully unreliable narrator and the last line is one of the best I’ve come across, bar none. Looking forward to the next one!

I have loved KJ Parker’s other work in this new series does not disappoint. It is a perfect blend of dark and absolutely hilarious.

KJ Parker is an auto-buy author for me. I love all of his works and I'm more than thrilled to be able to read one of them in advance. This book particularly calls to those who loved Sixteen Ways to Defend a Walled City, in voice if not always exactly in plot. Witty, somehow charming, always fascinating; I love KJ Parker's writing.

3.5
This is the first full novel that I've read by K J Parker after having already read some of his shorter works. And I can say that I really like his writing style. I love his brand of humour and how canny his characters are. It feels like watching a really intense chess game with really high stakes.

Saevus Corax is an interesting character. He is thrown into the spotlight but he is an extremely reluctant main character. He just wants to live a simple life and keep on doing his job as a battlefield salvager. But people keep trying to maneuver him due to his past. He is a really snarky narrator and extremely smart. So, I really liked reading from his point of view. And I liked the side characters as well. But there isn't any kind of character development. Saevus stays the same throughout the whole book; it's more about the plot than anything else.

The plot was where I found things that I didn't like as much. I did like what was going and following Saevus. However, there were moments when the pace slows way down especially in the last third of the book. There are moments when Saevus just has to wait and the reader has to wait with him (and I didn't understand why - there are scenes in the book where it's mentioned that, since Saevus is the one telling the story, he can just skip the slower parts). There is some repetition going on - Saevus gets betrayed, caught, rescued (or he escapes) and then gets caught again a couple of times.

I did like it though, I just wished the plot was a little bit tighter.

Thank you Netgalley, author, and publisher for the ARC.

This book was a pleasure to read. The captivating first-person narrative revealed a remarkably well-written antihero protagonist in Saevus Corax, and the supporting characters were also done well. Sharp, easily flowing dialog throughout, and a good coverage of relevant social themes. Another winner from KJ Parker.

This was an all-around fun book to read. I enjoyed the fresh storyline and was unable to predict what came next! I think anyone who loves suspense and a quick read will enjoy this book!

3 stars

A humorous, irreverent fantasy tale about a battlefield scavenger obstinately refusing to be a part of Great Destinies. The snarkiness reminds me a little of Jonathan Stroud, but clearly written for an adult audience, while the trials and adventures of our titular protagonist remind me of Odysseus (though perhaps by way of Taylor Mac, à la ‘Gary’). If you like slightly ridiculous swashbuckling and grandiose, seat-of-your-pants, god-I-hope-we-survive-this shenanigans, this will be the book for you,

At times Saevus Corax’s disclaimers to the audience get a little too precious. He is constantly telling the reader that he is not a likeable man, that the reader is going to hate him because he is oh-so-practical and mercenary and not at all nice. Meanwhile, the side characters are constantly calling him a goody-two-shoes who’s too nice for his own good, and he’s constantly making brilliant plans in order to avoid others’ deaths. This ‘not-like-other-girls’-ness gets wearying after a while, and I also feel like the story drags on a little too long, which is why this is a solid three stars—a good and entertaining read, but I doubt I will continue with the series.

Saevus Corax is a battlefield salvager. Meaning, he and his team strip the dead bodies soldiers of weapons, armour, jewellery, and anything else of value, then repair the items and sell them to suppliers of battlefield gear. They also burn the dead.

Saevus and his men have been doing this for years, securing salvage contracts from various powers, and competing against other salvagers for the rights to a particular battlefield. And if it hadn’t been for a wounded man recognizing him, requiring Corax to deal with the man, any number of violent, terrible and humorous things would not have occurred subsequently.

You see, Saevus Corax is a liar, and has been on the run for years . Who he is isn’t revealed till partway through the book, but we do see that he’s smart, a smart aleck, a fast, analytical thinker, and always looking out for number one. Which means finding ways to thwart numerous people who either want to use him for their own ends and/or kill him.

The story is framed as Saevus writing his memoirs, of a sort. He freely admits that he's a terrible person; he's reluctant to deepen his relationships beyond the transactional, reticent about his past, the reason for which becomes more obvious as he slowly reveals that he has prices on his head, or his former identity does.

I love K.J. Parker's logistics-heavy, military or military-adjacent, snarky stories. full of byzantine-level complicated schemes and plots created by the main character. If that's not your thing, this book won't be for you. However, I loved it. I fully appreciate the humour, as well as the frequently misanthropic, possibly criminal, self-centred main characters I've encountered in the works I've read by this author, including his "The Siege" series. How Corax uses his years of knowledge about the nations in the world, as well as a little fast-thinking, to repeatedly escape from those after him, and when that doesn't work, pitting various factions against each other, initiating war in the process, all to save his sorry hide, was frankly totally enjoyable. I am eager to continue with this reprobate's adventures.

Thank you to Netgalley and to Orbit Books for this ARC in exchange for my review.

An entertaining book but my issue is that the main character feels like any of the main characters from the previous first person trilogy from KJ parker I've read. Zany and sardonic and arrogant. If you had told me this was the same person form 16 Ways to Defend a Walled City I would believe you.

And unfortunately, it's just not a character type I like that much. This voice was maybe a bit better than that trilogy, but I still struggled with it.

Although, I did audio for this one and I think the narrator, while technically good, is mismatched for this book. So I will try the second one physically and see if that helps.

Delving into KJ Parker's, "Saevus Corax Deals with the Dead," proved to be an enthralling experience. From the captivating first-person narrative to the intricately developed characters, this novel offers a blend of cynicism, wit, and unexpected twists that kept me hooked from start to finish.

Parker's strength lies in skillful character development. Saevus Corax, the protagonist, is masterfully crafted, managing to be both devious and self-aware. The narrative cleverly unfolds as Corax withholds parts of himself, creating an air of mystery and intrigue.

Corax's self-awareness infuses the narrative with a unique blend of cynicism, wit, and insight. The banter between characters, especially Corax, adds a delightful layer of humor, making the reading experience enjoyable.

Secondary characters are not overlooked, with Parker's attention evident in their development, contributing to the overall richness of the story. Clever and twisted plotting took me by surprise, showcasing Parker's mastery in crafting a compelling and unpredictable storyline.

The writing style is another highlight—easy to read, fluid, and effortlessly guiding the reader through the intricacies of the plot. In conclusion, I'm eager to explore more works from KJ Parker. "Saevus Corax Deals with the Dead" is a testament to Parker's prowess in storytelling, character development, and plot intricacies. Thanks to NetGalley and Orbit Books for the opportunity to review this book. I look forward to delving into more adventures by this talented author.

Saevus Corax Deals With the Dead by K. J. Parker

A while back, I became a fan of K. J. Parker. It started when I read an eARC of A Practical Guide to Conquering the World by K.J. Parker and loved it! It was grabby (in a “can’t put this book down” kind of way) and it was thoroughly enjoyable. I said I’d be looking out for more books by K. J. Parker and I later really enjoyed an eARC of the Long Game and Pulling the Wings off Angels, which were both delightful books! After that, I went back and read Sixteen Ways to Defend A Walled City and How to Rule an Empire and Get Away with It, which were also wonderful. Parker’s books that I have read have been first person tales whose protagonists are usually clever bastards (in a thoroughly enjoyable manner).

The titular Saevus Corax is no different - a man who is too clever by half that runs a business reclaiming armor and other loot from battlefield corpses. I don’t want to spoil the plot, which was full of delightful surprises, but suffice it to say that Corax is more than he originally appears, and he cleverly gets into and out of various and sundry scrapes.

When I tried to start reading this book the first time, I wasn’t quite in the mood for it, and couldn’t get more than a few pages in, but when I went back to it, I could not put it down. It has that same grabbiness as the other Parker books that I have read.

With Parker’s books, you know exactly what you were going to get. This book feels very similar to every other Parker book that I’ve already read, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Anyone that has ever enjoyed any of his books before should enjoy this one.

Thanks to NetGalley and Orbit Books for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

My thanks to NetGalley for making an eARC of this book available to me.

The narrator (and title character) is the owner/operator of a successful business that scavenges goods from battlefields. However, he is also much, much more. His past and secrets play out as the book progresses, and he gets deeper and deeper into trouble along the way. The descriptions the narrator gives of working on these battlefields, war, family, friends, the theatre, and life in general are fascinating and insightful. Not to mention snarky and full of dark humor. It's also the first of a new trilogy, so be prepared to get sucked in.

I've liked Parker for a few books now, and I still do. Similar enough style and prose that I predict I'll like the trilogy enough to keep reading anything by Parker.

Some days, you just need a witty, sarcastic, cycnical writer who also moonlights as a battle field scavenger telling you about the absurdity that is his life, and how it all manages to both fall apart and come together. You also get into the nitty gritty of military strategy, and Corax's voice is the key that holds this all together. Kind of leaves me wondering if there's an audiobook of this. Either. way - it's a good time, and I highly recommend picking this up if you've liked KJ Parker's works before.

Thank you to Orbit Books and Netgalley for providing me with this book in exchange for my honest opinion. Saevus Corax Deals with the Dead is available now.

For those of you who have read books by K.J. Parker before, you know that he has a very specific style. You might not know exactly how the book will go, but you understand that there is a certain tone and style you can reasonably expect. Parker’s one-of-a-kind writing style is what first endeared me to his books. It has a wry, self-deprecating narration that is loads of fun.

Saevus Corax Deals with the Dead has several things to like. First of all, is Saevus’ job. He’s basically a vulture. He and his team pick over battlefields to scavenge what they can repair and resell. It’s a surprisingly lucrative job and it keeps Saevus moving, which is a big bonus for him, because, while those on the battlefield are quite dead, Saevus’ past just won’t stay buried.

At the beginning of the book, Saevus promises the reader to be completely honest, even if (when) that makes him look like a jerk. The wonderful thing about Parker’s characters, though, is that they are rarely honest with themselves. This transfers over into a delightful and healthy distrust of the story being told. I love an unreliable narrator when they’re well written, and Saevus is extremely well written.

However.

I didn’t love Saevus Corax Deals with the Dead. It isn’t a carbon copy of other Parker books by any means, but it is similar enough that I found myself comparing them. Both fortunately and unfortunately, depending on how you look at it, I liked How to Rule an Empire and Get Away with It, and Sixteen Ways to Defend a Walled City quite a bit more.

Is Saevus Corax Deals with the Dead worth reading? Absolutely. It’s a massively enjoyable book. But if you only ever read one book by K.J. Parker (which would be a real shame because he’s a great author), this isn’t the book I’d suggest first.

Recommended with a caveat: don’t start your K.J. Parker experience here.

Saevus Corax and his crew scavenge battlefields, and it seems that there are plenty of battles. In this picaresque story, Saevus winds up getting in the middle of an impending war.

I enjoyed the first 2 books of The Siege trilogy by this author. This new trilogy follows the same pattern as the previous books. An unlikely protagonist winds up getting involved in a war and has to act out of character. In fact, the two trilogies are too similar for me in structure, plot and tone. I don’t like to keep reading the same thing over and over. I already have the next 2 books in this trilogy, but I’m not really looking forward to them. The scavenger part of the book was a little gross, but at least it was different. There is some humor to this book, and Saevus is an interesting character. I listened to the audiobook, and Ben Onwukwe did a wonderful job with the narration. Nevertheless, I was never fully engaged with this book. 3.5 stars

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.

Prior to picking up Sixteen Ways to Defend a Walled City, I had never read any of K.J. Parker’s (aka Tom Holt) books, but that book totally worked for me! The character's voice was snarky and full of wry humor which perfectly counterbalanced the plot, which was a city besieged with no way out. So imagine my delight when I picked up Saevus Corax Deals with the Dead and found a book with another snarky character full of gallows humor.
We first meet Saevus Corax as he’s cleaning up a battlefield - some might call folks like that scavengers, but for him and his crew of five hundred it’s just business. They have rival businessmen they must face, quotas to meet, and profits to turn. Someone recognizes our shifty main character for who he really is and that someone suddenly becomes a corpse - woops, doc couldn’t save him after the battle. Who is the narrator of this tale, exactly?
Saevus Corax, who we rarely hear called by his name (any of them), is narrating this tale in the form of a memoir. He’s recording the true story of the Battle of Sirupat, which we haven’t gotten to quite yet, and is determined to make himself out to be a horrible villain. He’s moderately evil, but his main focus is self preservation because he really likes being alive. This point is proven time and time again throughout the book and despite the repetition (or perhaps because of it) I remained amused.

“Yes, you can be a real piece of work sometimes. But if you’re trying to make yourself out as some kind of unspeakable monster that needs to be put down for the sake of humanity, you’ve got delusions of grandeur.”

The plot is chock full of stuff happening, and “stuff” was a particular word choice. Saevus is always in the midst of some event or another, whether that be a pitched sea battle or an assassination attempt, and largely you spend the book wondering where this all might be going and what the point of it is. I found that I didn’t much mind the meandering thanks to the humorous bent of the story, but I do think it could put off some readers. I had a good time reading this, and honestly, that was enough for me!

4.5 Stars

This is my fourth novel by KJ Parker after The Folding Knife, The Company and The Hammer. Those three standalones are fairly contained where as we travel to many places along with our protagonist in this one. Though, other places and wars were discussed in those books, focus was mostly on protagonist's ambitions and motivations.
But we got to know many details about the world in this book. From different religions to institutions which control the economy of the world. I had a fantastic time getting to know those details. Pacing was little off in the second half but Parker's humour and character work was as usual, brilliant. I cannot wait to continue the series.

Thanks to Netgalley and Orbit for proving an e-ARC.

I requested this one because it might be an upcoming title I would like to review on my Youtube Channel. However, after reading the first several chapters I have determined that this book does not suit my tastes. So I decided to DNF this one.

Give me a cheeky writing style any day.

Look, I don't know what to tell you, other than it was a well plot out political fantasy, with some weird idiosyncrasies, and a cheeky writing style. If you like that sort of thing, then you will like this series. I am really surprised that I read this fully without needing the audiobook, so you know it's good. It does lag in parts, but the ending and the revelations through the book make it all worth it.

I will definitely be checking out the rest of the series. And I'm interested to see what he gets himself into next.

Thank you to Netgalley and Orbit for an e-copy.