by K. J. Parker (Author)
From World Fantasy Award-winning author K.J. Parker comes a fiendishly complex tale of ecclesiastical espionage and divine deceptions.
When the Church of the Invincible Sun is looking for someone to do its dirty work, they call on Sister Svangerd and her priest. Stealing a book might sound like a relatively simple task, but this isn't any old book.
To get their hands on it, they must impersonate a legendary figure, create the world's most expensive letter of introduction, and sneak into the most heavily guarded library in the world. All in a day's work, but the machinations of the mysterious Loyal Opposition threaten to derail their best-laid plans.
And when Svangerd begins to act not at all like herself, it soon becomes clear that the secret war between divine forces is going to test everyone's faith.
For more from K. J. Parker, check out:
Saevus Corax Deals With the DeadSaevus Corax Captures the CastleSaevus Corax Gets Away with Murder Sixteen Ways to Defend a Walled CityHow to Rule an Empire and Get Away With ItA Practical Guide to Conquering the World The Two of SwordsThe Two of Swords: Volume OneThe Two of Swords Volume TwoThe Two of Swords: Volume Three The Fencer TrilogyColours in the SteelThe Belly of the BowThe Proof House The Scavenger TrilogyShadowPatternMemory Engineer TrilogyDevices and DesiresEvil for EvilThe Escapement The CompanyThe Folding KnifeAuthor Biography
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.
Number of Pages: 336
Dimensions: 0.84 x 8.22 x 5.48 IN
Publication Date: May 12, 2026
