Two of Swords is the new serialised novel by K.J. Parker. The
first three parts are available now, and run to about eighty pages each.
Further parts will be made available on a monthly basis. I’m going to try and
put out a review for one of the currently available parts each week, and then
review each new part in the month where it becomes available.
The third part of Parker’s serialised novel shifts the scope
a little. We’re moved away from the broad sweeps of warfare, the stumbling
confusion of conscripts and lower echelon troops – instead, our perspective
settles in higher society. There’s discussion of politics, of the reasons that
the central conflict exists. Away from the sharp end shown in the first two
parts, there’s a sense of shifting currents in a largely static event, a cold
war with hot edges. On the other hand, whilst there’s less interest in large
scale battles, this section has a keener focus on small scale murder.
The characters continue to be typical Parker. The
protagonist in particular comes off very well, as alluded to above. There’s
perhaps less strength in the supporting cast of characters than there was
before, but on the other hand, they have less immediate effect, largely serving
as givers or receivers of orders – they do get to keep the wry dialogue that
always makes Parker a pleasure to read, but this section really is focused on
the central character.
Our protagonist for this section of the serial appears to
act as something of a mobile troubleshooter. Sent to key points in the
conflict, to preserve lives, or to end them – really, to do whatever needs
doing, in whatever way her rather opaque and obfuscated masters will
allow. Parker has always managed to
craft believable female characters, and this one is no exception. The reader is
given a view on an entirely pragmatic individual, aware of their own skills and
competence; not driven to succeed as much as a consummate professional. At the
same time, there are touches of wry humour running through the viewpoint,
observations of the character of others which made me crack a smile and chuckle
occasionally – they help to humanise the protagonist. Other little touches – a n
interest in antiquarian books, a duel of words with a priest that is also a
confession – help realise that humanity, and turn what could have been a paper
thin plot device into a living, breathing person.
The setting changes a bit as well – gone are the muddy
hovels and barracks of the first two instalments. Instead the reader is
subjected to the airy marble halls of governance. And the muddy trellis of
governance. And the dark bedrooms of governance. It’s all a touch more rarefied,
though no less brutal for all of that. This section seems to play on the theme
of battlefields a little, drawing comparisons between the blood spattered
massacres of the first sections and the cold slice of politics in this one. At
any rate, the difference in setting doesn’t detract from it – Parker’s on fine form
here, breathing life into formal
buildings and large social events, as well as (and often alongside) clandestine
meetings in dark corners. The broadening
of the social view after the first two sections is intriguing – the reader is getting
a lot more context on the world, although a lot of it is surrounded by layers
of deliberate camouflage. Parker is bringing the reader’s attention to the wider
world outside the current narrative, and it makes for interesting reading.
From a narrative perspective, there’s quite a lot going on
here – political manoeuvring, personal clashes, what might, at a push, be taken
for a touch of romance – and the occasional murder. It’s a little slower paced
than other instalments in some areas, but the pacing picks up quickly for some
extremely tense action scenes.
This is perhaps the first section which doesn’t work as well
as a stand alone story. It’s still readable as one, but you lose some of the valuable
context from the first two sections. That said, of the three currently
available sections, it’s probably the strongest as part of the ensemble. If you’ve
not read the first two parts, I’d advise picking those up first –but if you’ve
read those and enjoyed them, this part certainly hit (and crested) the already
high bar set by its predecessors.
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