Welcome to my weekly segment, Waiting on Wednesday, where I look at upcoming books that I am planning to order and review in the next few months and which I think I will really enjoy. I run this segment in conjunction with the Can’t-Wait Wednesday meme that is currently running at Wishful Endings. Stay tuned to see reviews of these books when I get a copy of them. In this week’s Waiting on Wednesday post, I am going to have a look at a fun upcoming fantasy book that is brimming with so much potential it could just burst: How to Rule an Empire and Get Away with It by K. J. Parker.
K. J. Parker is an exceedingly talented and clever fantasy author who has written a huge number of exciting and entertaining fantasy novels throughout his career. Parker, a pseudonym used by fantasy author Tom Holt, first came to my attention last year when I happened to get a copy of his impressive and hilarious fantasy/comedy hybrid novel, Sixteen Ways to Defend a Walled City.
Sixteen Ways to Defend a Walled City was an excellent novel that followed a cowardly and duplicitous engineer as he managed to lead the successful defence of a besieged city against an overwhelming force through trickery, ingenuity and manipulating the psychology of both the invaders and citizens of the city. I had an incredible time reading Sixteen Ways to Defend a Walled City last year, and not only did it receive a full five-star review from me but it also topped several of my end-of-year lists, including my Top New To Me Authors list as well as easily making its may onto My Top Books of 2019 list.
Due to how much I loved this 2019 release, I have been keeping an eye out for any new books from Parker, and I was delighted when I heard about How to Rule an Empire and Get Away with It. This book, which is currently set for release in mid-August 2020, sounds like another fun and awesome read, and I not only discussed it in my recent Top Winter TBR list but I also predicted that it was an upcoming release that will get a five-star review from me. I am really intrigued by the plot synopsis of this book, especially as it looks to have some curious connections with Sixteen Ways to Defend a Walled City.
Goodreads Synopsis:
This is the story of how the City was saved, by Notker the professional liar, written down because eventually the truth always seeps through.
The City may be under siege, but everyone still has to make a living. Take Notker, the acclaimed playwright, actor and impresario. Nobody works harder, even when he’s not working. Thankfully, the good citizens of Classis appreciate an evening at the theatre even when there are large rocks falling out of the sky.
But Notker is a man of many talents, and all the world is, apparently, a stage. It seems that the Empire needs him – or someone who looks a lot like him – for a role that will call for the performance of a lifetime. At least it will guarantee fame, fortune and immortality. If it doesn’t kill him first.
This is the story of Notker, an occasionally good man and a terrible liar. With razor-sharp wit, K.J. Parker has created one of fantasy’s greatest heroes, and he might even get away with it.
I really like the sound of this synopsis, especially as it looks to be another clever and curious story about an unusual hero who is thrust into circumstances well above his head and suddenly has and entire city relying on him. I am expecting a really compelling read that will combine action, intrigue, politics and comedy to create a fun and exciting narrative. Parker did such an amazing job writing a story like this in Sixteen Ways to Defend a Walled City, so I have extremely high hopes that he will produce another incredible book around this sort of story.
Another reason that I am extremely excited for this book is because it sounds like it is going to have a connection to the previous Parker book that I loved. Both Sixteen Ways to Defend a Walled City and How to Rule an Empire and Get Away with It are being grouped together in a series titled The Siege. Not only do both books have a similar cover design and a fun title, but they also both set within a capital city under siege by an outside force while those inside the city battle for power and influence. At this point and time, it is a little unclear whether they books are set in the same city or are describing the same siege, but I imagine that there will be some interesting twists to the story that tie the two novels together in some way or form. Whatever it is, I am sure that it will be extremely clever, and I am really looking forward to seeing if there are any references to the previous book.
Based on how much I enjoyed Parker’s work, How to Rule an Empire and Get Away with It was always going to be a book that I was going to get and probably enjoy. However, because it has an intriguing story and because it might have some connections to Sixteen Ways to Defend a Walled City, I am extremely excited to get my copy of this book, and I have a really strong feeling that this upcoming release is going to be one of the best books that I read in 2020.
The Unseen Library 