The Hammer

Mar 03, 2012 Fantasist rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012, favorites

ohhh my God!
I was more than half way through thinking what the hell, nothing's happening, wondering why the hell this has such great reviews. The writing was great and all but still the plot wasn't getting anywhere.
Then Parker drove a blade right through my heart which I never saw coming and then kept twisting till the end. Damn but I'll be forced to write a full review too!
If Parker's a woman damn me but I'd like to meet a woman who writes stuff like this, I wouldn't have thought it was possib...more

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Dec 29, 2010 Liviu rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: read_2010, genre-fantasy, review_fbc, 2011_release_read, top_25_2011_novels

For readers familiar with KJ Parker's work, The Hammer can be summarized as the family drama of The Fencer series, the driven hero of The Folding Knife and the setup of The Company.

As a big fan of the author's work, I had the highest expectations for The Hammer - it should top my 2011 Anticipated Fantasy list, though having had the book for a while makes that a bit moot - and it was as good as I expected and it's an early candidate for my best of 2011.

So, on a big island, a small subsistence...more

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Apr 28, 2013 Aleksandar rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy

This is my first Parker novel and while I liked it, I didn't like it as much as her short works, which are, in my opinion, on the top of the genre. It is still very well written and while I appreciate it for that, I think that it falls short when it comes to the entertainment factor. Of course, you don't read Parker as escapism - it features not quite likeable and morally ambiguous characters, difficult moral dilemmas, and intricate plotting. It was all there in her novellas, but it didn't preve...more This is my first Parker novel and while I liked it, I didn't like it as much as her short works, which are, in my opinion, on the top of the genre. It is still very well written and while I appreciate it for that, I think that it falls short when it comes to the entertainment factor. Of course, you don't read Parker as escapism - it features not quite likeable and morally ambiguous characters, difficult moral dilemmas, and intricate plotting. It was all there in her novellas, but it didn't prevent me from enjoying them immensely.

One of the reasons why I like Parker's works is because she (I'll assume it's "a she") takes scarcity and constraints seriously. Many other fantasy authors fail at this, but it's here where Parker really excels. Of course, doing all the effort to put consistent limitations to the actions of the actors might not be worth it, as most readers won't appreciate it anyway, but I am glad that Parker is an exception. I saw another review of "The Hammer", where the reviewer complained that the world-building was flat, but it is nothing of the kind. It is true that there are no dragons and dwarves and elves and an innumerate number of races and that there is no magic system whatsoever and that the action takes place on (maybe very big, but still) an island in a colony of only several hunderd people, but there are many things in the background, which contribute to the building of a complex world.

What I did like a lot, was the attention to economy and the way people make a living. In many other fantasy novels these are more or less taken for granted and the protagonists concentrate on bigger things (like saving the world). Here, a trained economist would recognize not only the role that farming and live-stock breeding play for the local population, but also things such as relative prices, monetary base, monopoly rents, market satiation and other economic categories. Contrary to what one may think, getting them all right with their complex interdependencies, is not an easy task even for a small economy of several hundred people. I am not quite sure that Parker managed it perfectly well, but it got me thinking about it (instead of spotting the loopholes right away), which means she wasn't far off target anyway, and it's still better that anyone else I've read in the genre.

There were some things that didn't quite click together, but they didn't come so much from the economic system, but from the way colonists interacted with the Met'Oc family and more specifically I found the fear and respect from them to be not quite consistent. I won't go into details, however, in order to avoid spoliers.

Having said all of the above about the complexity of Parker's worldbuilding, which is expressed in details, rather than in scope, it is still characters conflicts that drive the plot forward.

And in conclusion, "The Hammer" may not be the best of Parker, but it is a very good (though unconventional) fantasy read. (less)

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Apr 20, 2013 B. rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The Hammer is formulaic. It's a very effective formula, and one that has made me a fan of KJ Parker's work, but it's a formula nonetheless. You'll find here the same characters and tropes that inhabit most of Parker's other work: good characters that turn bad, bad characters that turn good, a seemingly relentless logic that leads to extreme and brutal results, and, most of all, a metaphor hammered until it's paper thin, then folded and re-folded and hammered again.

You'll find, also, the common v...more The Hammer is formulaic. It's a very effective formula, and one that has made me a fan of KJ Parker's work, but it's a formula nonetheless. You'll find here the same characters and tropes that inhabit most of Parker's other work: good characters that turn bad, bad characters that turn good, a seemingly relentless logic that leads to extreme and brutal results, and, most of all, a metaphor hammered until it's paper thin, then folded and re-folded and hammered again.

You'll find, also, the common vocabulary and the usual tantalizing hints that all Parker's work occurs in the same world. There is a Company, a Republic, and Empire, a Colony. In this case, there is an explicit link to other books in mention of the Vesani Republic.

I like KJ Parker. I really do. I thought the first Parker book I read ( Colours in the Steel ) was excellent - despite what was then unexpected savagery. I liked other series almost as much, but felt they weren't treading very far afield. Recent standalone books continued the trend, though The Company at least offered a different setting.

The story here is about an exiled noble family, rich in tradition and pride, poor in almost everything else. They live in the vicinity of a colony working for Home, but keep their distance. The 'savages' who inhabit the rest of the peninsula are mostly in the background. As always, good intentions lead to bad results.

The Hammer sticks very close to the approach Parker has perfected. So much so, in fact, that it feels like a book she (let's say) has written before. If you've read Parker's other work, you've pretty much read this one. You know what will happen. You know where it will end. Only the details are different, and in this case, they're just not that interesting. It feels like something off a production line. That's a shame, particularly from an author whose approach and tone are so different from those of most other fantasy authors.

I'd be very disappointed to find that Parker has only one string to her bow. I'd still read her books, much as I still read Stephen Donaldson's books. But I'd hope for more.
(less)

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Aug 27, 2012 Ananda rated it 4 of 5 stars

KJ Parker is unique among fantasy authors. This is the fifth of her books that I've read and I think she has carved out a new genre: tragic fantasy. Her novels force the reader to grapple with characters who are really morally ambiguous, not manipulatively so, and with the question of what really matters -- motive or result? And - does knowing someone's motive affect your judgment of the results? And as each of her novels barrels towards its own uniquely terrible conclusion, I feel like I am wat...more

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Sep 17, 2012 gilmae rated it 4 of 5 stars

K.J. Parker, whoever they are, has a theory about society. The theory is, I think, that only sociopaths can get anything done. She - yeah, I think Parker is a she, and 'she' is less cumbersome than the gender neutral - is a maker of things and I expect has a certain dispassionate view of stuff. I wonder if her previous career has also given her a jaundiced view of humanity.

So. As always, there's the obvious sociopath, the not so obvious sociopath, and the ineffectual, needy psychopath. The fanta...more

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Jan 13, 2011 Ranting Dragon rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: benni

http://www.rantingdragon.com/the-hamm...

Written by K. J. Parker, The Hammer is a standalone novel set on an island populated by a farming colony, a tribe of nomadic savages, and an exiled noble family, the Met’Ocs. An uneasy and unspoken arrangement exists among these three groups—the colonists allow the armed Met’Ocs to pillage their farms in exchange for protection against the savages.

The oldest Met’Oc brother, Stheno, is the strongest and runs the family farm on the Tabletop, a naturally fort...more http://www.rantingdragon.com/the-hamm...

Written by K. J. Parker, The Hammer is a standalone novel set on an island populated by a farming colony, a tribe of nomadic savages, and an exiled noble family, the Met’Ocs. An uneasy and unspoken arrangement exists among these three groups—the colonists allow the armed Met’Ocs to pillage their farms in exchange for protection against the savages.

The oldest Met’Oc brother, Stheno, is the strongest and runs the family farm on the Tabletop, a naturally fortressed formation enhanced to be more defensible. The second-eldest, Luso, is the most agile and hunts, protects, and raids. The youngest, Gignomai—neither as strong as Stheno nor as agile as Luso—helps around the farm but dreams of being an entrepreneur. When Gignomai’s father suggests that he study law, Gignomai runs away from home to build a factory on the savages’ land in aid of the colonists. In doing so, he sets in motion a chain of events that will forever change the island and the dynamics among its people.

Engaging characters
Despite his role as protagonist, Gignomai acts with a persistent air of enigma, yet we are fed just enough facts so that the mystery fascinates rather than frustrates. Gignomai embodies a charming and sometimes ominous je ne sais quoi that keeps everyone, including the reader, guessing as to any potential secondary motives. He’s all brain, leading us to wonder about his heart. If you want a strong emotional tie to the protagonist, you may not find it here. Gignomai, like all the characters in The Hammer, is strongly goal-oriented and leaves little room in his heart for love. He certainly never places love first.

The secondary characters are not particularly sympathetic either, but I still grew to care greatly for them, in part because they are forced to live outside their comfort zones. Exiled into poverty, the Met’Ocs try to maintain a semblance of their former lives. The town merchant—who only wanted to rip people off without pissing them off—is elected mayor despite his protests. These are trying times, and the peoples’ faults and deficiencies make them real. I particularly enjoyed the thought processes of the so-called “savages” whose logic and illogic nicely contrasted with that of the more “civilized” folks.

Non-stop intrigue
Intrigue seeps into the politics of family, land, and state. As mentioned above, the characters are goal-oriented, and their machinations move the plot along at a swift pace, though it may be a while before you realize the grand scheme. Parker constructs a puzzle for those who wish to solve it, but for the rest of us, each puzzle piece is sufficiently engrossing in itself to keep us occupied as the pieces fall together on their own.

Why should you read this book?
If you just want a good story with some twists and turns, you’ll be satisfied. But if you want more from The Hammer, you’ll get plenty of ideas to stew on as well. The Hammer will have you thinking about how being born into the wrong family can stifle you or propel you forward; how what we choose to forget ceases to exist—unless someone never forgot in the first place; how staying true to one’s self can lead to the total abandonment of one’s self, and vice versa; and how people so dependent on one another nevertheless occupy entirely different planes of existence—until “the hammer” nails them all together. I absolutely recommend this book.(less)

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Nov 05, 2011 Nathan rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: author-female, books-i-own, rated-5-star, high-fantasy, read-2011

Someone needs to penetrate Parker's pseudonym, I would hate to think she is writing under another name as well and I am missing some of her books.

When reading Parker you know a couple things. The world will be gritty and violent, at least one, maybe more of the characters have a nasty plan going, and a few hidden gems will make you laugh and then feel guilty about it.

The Hammer starts with a lot of time pressed into a short section. A few years before IT happened, where we get some back ground...more

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Mar 25, 2012 Kyle Hajek rated it 5 of 5 stars

Another excellent one by KJ Parker- it takes the usual elements (morally grey characters, lots of plotting, and a well-developed setting that stays in the background except for where the plot is important), and sets it up on a plot of revenge. The Hammer is more of a slow burn than the others, but once the plot is in motion it comes down all at once and hits hard. I really appreciated how the motivations where set up, and while it was easy to tell the general idea of what event traumatized Gig s...more

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Jun 21, 2012 Crystal rated it 4 of 5 stars

I experienced some trepidation before starting this book. KJ Parker's books are usually twisted in some unexpected way. I don't mean that they're part of that "grimdark" trend in fantasy, where every character is miserable and evil all the time. I just mean that Parker unfailingly exposes flaws in the human condition through extraordinary ways. After reading "The Company" in 2010, I was a little depressed, though I loved the book.

My opinion is that "The Hammer" is one of Parker's easier books to...more

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Jan 14, 2011 Stefan rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, ebook, advance-reading-copy, www-fantasyliterature-com-review

Gignomai met’Oc is the youngest son of a once-noble family that, decades ago, fell out of favor and was exiled from the Empire’s capital to a remote and comparably primitive colony established 70 years before the start of the novel. The met’Oc family is really twice isolated, as it lives on a plateau separate from the rest of the colony, with which it lives in an uneasy kind of not-quite-peace. While Gig’s older brothers Luso and Stheno have their own responsibilities around the house, Gig has e...more Gignomai met’Oc is the youngest son of a once-noble family that, decades ago, fell out of favor and was exiled from the Empire’s capital to a remote and comparably primitive colony established 70 years before the start of the novel. The met’Oc family is really twice isolated, as it lives on a plateau separate from the rest of the colony, with which it lives in an uneasy kind of not-quite-peace. While Gig’s older brothers Luso and Stheno have their own responsibilities around the house, Gig has enough free time to get into trouble, including the occasional illicit trip to the colony, where he learns more about how the colonists perceive his family and meets with his friend Furio.

The Hammer has an interesting structure, as it’s divided into 4 sections: “Seven Years Before,” “The Year When,” “Seven Years After,” and “Five Years Later.” The first two sections, while quite important, are really long prologues for “Seven Years After,” which takes up most of the book. The section titles refer to an initially mysterious event that changes Gig’s life completely and sets off the main plot of the novel, but it isn’t until late in the book that we find out what this actually was — although perceptive readers may be able to figure some of it out much earlier. As most of the motivations for Gig’s actions derive from this life-changing event, it takes a while before you really understand what’s going on, but luckily The Hammer is so well written that it’s a pleasure to read, regardless of when you pick up on the central mystery.

K.J. Parker has the same gift for smooth, easy-flowing dialogue as Lois McMaster Bujold. The characters always sound realistic and never resort to lecturing each other in full paragraphs. In fact, the rest of Parker’s prose is just as good: The Hammer is simply a blast to read, expertly paced and full of surprising and occasionally funny twists. There’s an odd contrast between the almost cheerful tone of the story and the eventual, much darker revelation about the event that sets off the main plot. K.J. Parker has also mastered the art of showing characters rather than describing them: you learn everything you need to know just by observing their actions without needing the author to spell things out for you. Sounds simple, but it’s amazing how few authors pull it off.

The setting of The Hammer is intriguing, despite — or maybe because of — its being only vaguely described. The world seems to be on the cusp of an industrial revolution (or more correctly, on the verge of re-discovering pre-industrial techniques and scientific advances that were lost in an unspecified past). While the main political intrigue, which led to the exile of the met’Oc family, happened well before the start of the novel, there are many tantalizing hints of what’s currently happening in the capital (called “Home”) and the rest of the Empire. Complicating matters, there are also some mysterious indigenous people living near the Empire’s colony. The Hammer is one of those novels that suggest there may be many more stories to be told about its world, and I for one would jump at the chance to read them.

Reinforcing this impression is the fact that several of the side characters are so fascinating, and have such an interesting story arc, that they could easily each have been main characters in another novel. The stories of Luso, Furio, Furio’s uncle, and especially Gig’s father are just as captivating as Gig’s, despite the fact that (aside from Furio and to a lesser extent his uncle) they happen mostly off-camera. It would be tremendous if K.J. Parker were to write another novel set in this fantasy universe, but focusing on the life of Gig’s father before the start of the story.

As for the main character, Gig is a great choice: he’s mischievous, driven, and has a fascinating, analytical mind. There are some sections from the points of view of his friend Furio and Furio’s uncle (the involuntary mayor-by-default of the colony), but Gig’s the real star of the story. The final sections of the novel lead to a number of difficult questions about morality and exactly to what extent the end justifies the means. You’ll end up reconsidering much of what you’ve read before (e.g. the way Gig protects some of the family’s chickens) in an entirely different light, making this a novel that very much rewards a second reading.

Put all of this together and you get The Hammer: an entertaining but deceptively deep fantasy novel that should win K.J. Parker many new fans. Highly recommended.

(This review was published at www.fantasyliterature.com on 1/14/2011)(less)

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Apr 16, 2011 Emma rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 4-stars, low-magic-fantasy, standalone-fantasy, 10-best-books-read-in-2011

I wish there were more books like this: fantasy only because it’s set in a secondary world, with complex characters and unpredictable plots and moral ambiguity and solid writing and dialogue. This book is not for everyone—while it’s apparently less dark than much of Parker’s previous work, the main character is not altogether likeable and the plot is driven by a couple of atrocities that the reader won’t soon forget. Still, it’s so well-crafted that I would certainly recommend to anyone looking...more I wish there were more books like this: fantasy only because it’s set in a secondary world, with complex characters and unpredictable plots and moral ambiguity and solid writing and dialogue. This book is not for everyone—while it’s apparently less dark than much of Parker’s previous work, the main character is not altogether likeable and the plot is driven by a couple of atrocities that the reader won’t soon forget. Still, it’s so well-crafted that I would certainly recommend to anyone looking for a serious, thought-provoking, gritty fantasy novel.

It’s hard to say much about the plot without spoiling part of the fun, so I’ll just describe the set-up: in a poor, remote colony of a distant empire, an exiled noble family lives in uneasy peace with the colonists and the indigenous people; Gignomai, the noble family’s youngest son, rebels against his father’s leadership, and a host of complications result. (Is that vague enough?) While the plot isn’t necessarily fast-moving, there’s a lot packed into 400 pages, and I wound up reading it compulsively.

There are a lot of great things about this book. It’s very well-constructed. The author uses foreshadowing excellently, which sounds silly, but rarely do I see it done so well: while the climax was not predictable, looking back it was so well set up as to be inevitable. Gignomai is both a fascinating and a frustrating protagonist; he keeps secrets from the reader, and he’s not a “good” guy, but he’s complicated and driven and gets things done. The other major characters are equally complex and interesting.

I also loved the world this story is set in: rather than another generic quasi-medieval setting, we have a small, backwater colony, mostly devoted to cattle-ranching, with somewhat more advanced technology (there are guns, although they’re not very accurate). I enjoyed reading about the everyday problems of the colony, meeting the local characters and seeing how the place changed during the story. Parker has a very precise, down-to-earth writing style and pays attention to things like economics, making the story feel so much more real and believable than the vast majority of fantasy out there.

The one thing I didn’t much like about this book (other than a few continuity errors) was that the women in it exist either to be love interests or to be murdered horribly and spark off other events. There are only a couple of women who get any real characterization, and both are married off for contrived reasons. But at least their characterization is decent for their minor roles in the story.

At any rate, Parker’s books certainly deserve a wider audience than they seem to have. This one raises a lot of hard questions (about morality, and the relative importance of justice vs. peace, and the way people respond to authority, and more) that I expect I’ll be thinking about for awhile. Additionally, it’s enjoyable and just an all-around high-quality book.(less)

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Mar 25, 2011 Algernon rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011

I found this latest book lighter in tone than previous books and also more straightforwatd in plot : the third son of a noble familiy exiled on an island is not satisfied with his decorative role imposed on him by his father and runs away from home. Gignomai is the customary brainiac always planning ahead and keeping his final goal masked. In a departure from the usual Parker style, the technological details are significantly toned down and the exploration of the theme of moral and ethic relativ...more

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Jan 29, 2013 Laura rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites

I read somewhere else that this is Parker's most straightforward novel, and in a way it is. I was able to understand and sympathize with the characters fully, and I was actually able to solve some of the mystery of the plot on my own (for once). The story itself is clean and simple, leading straight to the end. In a way, this is a small story.

And I like that. Maybe it's the slight nod to Norse mythology that comes in the climax of the book, which I loved immensely. Maybe it's the fact that the s...more

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Sep 09, 2011 Jon Knight rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

If you've never read any KJParker stuff, treat my review as a four - but only read this one. Having read quite a few, I'm afraid it felt like a bit of a retreading of old ground.

Maybe I'm a phillistine and authors should be encouraged to explore the same themes over several novels, this felt too similar.

To reiterate: summarizes a lot of what the author has explored before in good form. Read this instead of the back catalogue - but I'd put it to the bottom of the to-read list if you've read oth...more

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May 05, 2011 Bibliotropic rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: netgalley

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. First, I'd like to make a point of stating that the author clearly went through a lot of trouble to set up the world in which this book takes place. So very like our own world's history, there are enough similarities to make the setting familiar and enough differences to give it a fantastical feeling of being somewhere strange and new. It was clearly well thought through.

Perhaps, though, a little too much. The book occasionally gave us pieces of history that, while interesting, did little to add...more First, I'd like to make a point of stating that the author clearly went through a lot of trouble to set up the world in which this book takes place. So very like our own world's history, there are enough similarities to make the setting familiar and enough differences to give it a fantastical feeling of being somewhere strange and new. It was clearly well thought through.

Perhaps, though, a little too much. The book occasionally gave us pieces of history that, while interesting, did little to add to the story at hand beyond giving some background information that we could have done just as well without. It felt at times like I was taken out of the story and handed one of the many books from the met'Oc library shelves and told to hurry up and understand the intricacies of what was going on.

Part mystery, part history, The Hammer mostly tells the story of Gignomai, part of the exhiled met'Oc family, unsatisfied at home for reasons that remain mysterious and nebulous until the last quarter of the novel. He runs away from the life of genteel poverty that he's known and takes up a place in town, where people aren't so fond of the met'Oc but are willing to tolerate Gig, especially once he presents to them an idea to build a factory to produce goods so that the town can become self-sufficient and stop relying on Home and its exorbitant taxes for all their supplies.

And while this is most certainly something that Gig intended, it's also a cover for something far more sinister, the plans of a man obsessed with justice and revenge for his family's wrongdoing years prior.

Gig's motives, reasons, and justifications for his actions leave him somewhere between protagonist and antagonist when it comes to classifications. He intends outright murder, and even he admits it, and he weaves convoluted set-ups to further his goals that endanger lives and livelihoods, and he shows an almost cheerful disregard for any consequence that isn't directly related to what he ultimately intends. He's a complex character, that's for certain, as are most of the characters in the book. But for all his complexities, his presenation felt rather flat to me.

This probably had a lot to do with the writing style. Parker wavered between third-person limited and third-person omniscient throughout the book, which left the peculiar impression of getting to know a character while still watching them from a distance, enough to keep yourself detached from the action. Entire scenes were set up as though someone was reading passages from a history textbook or reporting on local news, and then two paragraphs later we'd get snippets of the inner thoughts and workings of characters' minds. It was hard to know where I stood with this novel half the time. Characters had clear definitions but I couldn't get a feel for them. Motives were fascination, revelations intriguing, and yet I couldn't quite bring myself to care much. This was the book's biggest downfall, and it didn't leave the most favourable impression on me.

While the plot was interested and the characters complex and real, it still suffered a little too much in other areas for me to come away with a favourable impression. Shame, because clearly the author's got a sharp mind for detail. I suspect that this book is one for those who are already fans of the author's work, and not a good one to cut your teeth on.(less)

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Jan 07, 2011 Sherryl rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011-january, kj-parker, fantasy

Finally finished it. I guess the book is very well written and the pace of the story plods along steadily. If you've read other books by the author, you probably won't be surprised at the reveal near the end. Basically this novel is a revenge type story, unlike The Count of Monte Cristo however, this one is more simple and tho the protagonist goes through elaborate planning to extract his revenge, the story felt flat to me. The reason for this is because of the lack of passion of the characters....more

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Jan 09, 2013 Patrick rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviewed

On principle, I write very few reviews, as I don’t like writing them for books I do not genuinely like. Unfortunately, that happens to be the vast majority of what I read. May of the books I read that I can appreciate in terms of skill and quality I cannot actually enjoy. Then there are books which are more like guilty pleasures for me—I know that they are not particularly good, but they’re something to read that I can at least bring myself to enjoy. Besides, there’s always the chance that they’...more On principle, I write very few reviews, as I don’t like writing them for books I do not genuinely like. Unfortunately, that happens to be the vast majority of what I read. May of the books I read that I can appreciate in terms of skill and quality I cannot actually enjoy. Then there are books which are more like guilty pleasures for me—I know that they are not particularly good, but they’re something to read that I can at least bring myself to enjoy. Besides, there’s always the chance that they’ll surprise me.
I started this book assuming it would be ranked among the latter of those two categories—like much of the popular fantasy I see acclaim for and then read, only to realize those who praised it were looking for something different than I. Granted, that praise was for “The Folding Knife” rather than this book, but I assumed Parker’s writing would be of comparable quality and I happened to stumble upon this book, so I figured I’d try it and see what I thought.
Shortly into this book, I could have sworn this was written by Robin Hobb (resulting in unfounded speculation since I know Parker happens to be a pseudonym, but that should run its course shortly). I was pleasantly surprised, as I enjoy Hobb’s writing—though I must admit I always feel that despite the strength of her characters and her worlds the plot often seems to get away from her, especially towards the end. Then I continued reading, and found that not only does Parker manage to have characters at least as good as Hobb’s better creations, she also happens to possess an excellent grip on plot.
I would be remiss in saying to book was perfect. First and foremost: this is not a happy story. If you want that, go read something else. It is a bit slow until the “big reveal” halfway in, and while I enjoyed it because I am more than happy to read about the daily life of interesting characters with only the faintest hints of plot in the background, others may not fare so well. The “big reveal” was also not completely unexpected. I guessed what it was about, but that didn’t in any way ruin the event. As much as the important information was foreshadowed, the details that mattered and gave the event its force were not. There was also some shifting between viewpoints from paragraph to paragraph—nothing distracting for me, as I always knew whose head the book was in at a given point, but I’m obligated to acknowledge it. Also, the setting is a very thinly veiled America during the colonial period, but on much smaller scale. Nothing incredibly inventive, but as that feature does not give away any of the important plot points it’s hardly a flaw.
This book did not have the flair and the sheer complexity to warrant awarding it five stars rather than four. That’s not a flaw; the book isn’t trying to be a piece of literature comparable to “Tigana” or “Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell”. It’s trying to be a good book, and because of that what the book offers is almost perfect. The pacing, while slow at the beginning, escalates wonderfully, and the ending fit the book perfectly. The characters are, as a whole, not remarkably complex, but that comes from them being both readily understandable and the fact that this book demonstrates a rare instance in which that sort of complexity would be a hindrance rather than an aid. The tone was wonderful and the voice strong. The book, in short, was good, and by now you could probably have bought it, so I encourage you to go do so.(less)

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Jun 27, 2012 Leif rated it 4 of 5 stars

Yet again, I cannot choose any category for KJ Parker books. Fantasy? Historical fiction? I guess it's just plain fiction.

This story was sadder than the other Parker books that I have read. Still quite enjoyable, and of course very well crafted and elegantly executed. Having read a few of his novels, I am starting to see some common elements emerge, such as the lone character working to get back from exile, and the "civilized" invaders in the midst of a much larger society of "savages". However,...more

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Feb 09, 2013 Nair Núñez rated it 5 of 5 stars

It had been a while since I got so hooked up on a fantasy novel I forgot to sleep entirely.

The Hammer is unique in many ways. First, in a genre where trilogies and series abound, a stand alone novel pops us a refreshing change. Second, rather than setting the story in the fuss lines of middle-agery, or jumped down to urban fantasy, it is build upon an 18th century-like timeline. Thirdly, it has nothing to do with magic, the supernatural or any fantasy-standard memorabilia. Quite frankly, The Ha...more

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Apr 22, 2012 Nayan rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: recommendedbyothers

K J Parker has been an author that I have meant to read but haven't been able to for almost a year now. However, I just couldn't be patient anymore and decided to read The Hammer.

The book is more or less centered around Gignomai met'Oc. The met'Ocs are a once-noble family who have now been exiled on an island on the tabletop while "the colonists" populate the area around the tabletop. There is an uneasy peace which exists between the met'Ocs and the colonists since the colonists believe that the...more

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Mar 28, 2012 Dee rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: grit, loanage, thriller, world-fantasy

I'm finding it hard to review this book in terms other than comparisons to the rest of Parker's work. I feel as though, really, Parker has been whittling away at the extraneous requirements writing "fantasy" puts on the story - forget about magic, or creatures, or strange psychological/temporal phenomena, let's get back to the essence of story, which is one man hitting another man with a stick thus causing that man to go away and build a better stick. (Do I miss the unexpected world and system c...more

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Mar 01, 2011 Benni rated it 4 of 5 stars

http://www.rantingdragon.com/the-hamm...

Written by K. J. Parker, The Hammer is a standalone novel set on an island populated by a farming colony, a tribe of nomadic savages, and an exiled noble family, the Met’Ocs. An uneasy and unspoken arrangement exists among these three groups—the colonists allow the armed Met’Ocs to pillage their farms in exchange for protection against the savages.

The oldest Met’Oc brother, Stheno, is the strongest and runs the family farm on the Tabletop, a naturally fort...more http://www.rantingdragon.com/the-hamm...

Written by K. J. Parker, The Hammer is a standalone novel set on an island populated by a farming colony, a tribe of nomadic savages, and an exiled noble family, the Met’Ocs. An uneasy and unspoken arrangement exists among these three groups—the colonists allow the armed Met’Ocs to pillage their farms in exchange for protection against the savages.

The oldest Met’Oc brother, Stheno, is the strongest and runs the family farm on the Tabletop, a naturally fortressed formation enhanced to be more defensible. The second-eldest, Luso, is the most agile and hunts, protects, and raids. The youngest, Gignomai—neither as strong as Stheno nor as agile as Luso—helps around the farm but dreams of being an entrepreneur. When Gignomai’s father suggests that he study law, Gignomai runs away from home to build a factory on the savages’ land in aid of the colonists. In doing so, he sets in motion a chain of events that will forever change the island and the dynamics among its people.

Engaging characters
Despite his role as protagonist, Gignomai acts with a persistent air of enigma, yet we are fed just enough facts so that the mystery fascinates rather than frustrates. Gignomai embodies a charming and sometimes ominous je ne sais quoi that keeps everyone, including the reader, guessing as to any potential secondary motives. He’s all brain, leading us to wonder about his heart. If you want a strong emotional tie to the protagonist, you may not find it here. Gignomai, like all the characters in The Hammer, is strongly goal-oriented and leaves little room in his heart for love. He certainly never places love first.

The secondary characters are not particularly sympathetic either, but I still grew to care greatly for them, in part because they are forced to live outside their comfort zones. Exiled into poverty, the Met’Ocs try to maintain a semblance of their former lives. The town merchant—who only wanted to rip people off without pissing them off—is elected mayor despite his protests. These are trying times, and the peoples’ faults and deficiencies make them real. I particularly enjoyed the thought processes of the so-called “savages” whose logic and illogic nicely contrasted with that of the more “civilized” folks.

Non-stop intrigue
Intrigue seeps into the politics of family, land, and state. As mentioned above, the characters are goal-oriented, and their machinations move the plot along at a swift pace, though it may be a while before you realize the grand scheme. Parker constructs a puzzle for those who wish to solve it, but for the rest of us, each puzzle piece is sufficiently engrossing in itself to keep us occupied as the pieces fall together on their own.

Why should you read this book?
If you just want a good story with some twists and turns, you’ll be satisfied. But if you want more from The Hammer, you’ll get plenty of ideas to stew on as well. The Hammer will have you thinking about how being born into the wrong family can stifle you or propel you forward; how what we choose to forget ceases to exist—unless someone never forgot in the first place; how staying true to one’s self can lead to the total abandonment of one’s self, and vice versa; and how people so dependent on one another nevertheless occupy entirely different planes of existence—until “the hammer” nails them all together. I absolutely recommend this book.

Benni received a review copy of this book courtesy of Orbit.(less)

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Mar 01, 2011 Kevin rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

While interesting, I'm not impressed. I did go from liking the main character to hating him and back to something in the middle. If nothing else, Parker has a way of writing his characters as human, no real heroes and no real villains. There's something to be said for that. Also, the story moved through a lot of dialog which I like.

Don't think I'd recommend it.

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Oct 04, 2011 Craig rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy

More of an alternate, medieval world thing than actual fantasy. Loved the writing here and the well-drawn, complicated (and often unsympathetic) characters. Really liked the way the book progressed through the first three-quarters or so, but things slipped away a bit towards the end - hanging on to a 4 star rating by the skin of its teeth.

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Sep 15, 2011 Eric rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy

My first thought after reading The Hammer was why is this book considered fantasy? There are no fantastic elements that one associates with the fantasy genre. Oh well, a decent book about revenge and the writer's style is intelligent and unique. He/she keeps a decent pace and the overall tragedy is compelling.

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Jun 26, 2012 Andy rated it 3 of 5 stars

She needs a new hook - outcast main character being a master manipulator is getting a bit thin. Still a great writer though - very little really happens yet it is still interesting to follow.

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Oct 23, 2011 Joe rated it 3 of 5 stars

This book had an interesting premise, and a good set up.

But, ultimately it is difficult to find redeeming qualities in the characters leaving me depressed when reading this book.

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Sep 11, 2012 Jason rated it 2 of 5 stars

Some reviewers said the second half was worth the effort, but I couldn't get there. Given the little time I have to read, I need something with a quicker hook.

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Mar 21, 2012 Jes rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction

Not much to say, not very compelling. Some of the characters were pretty flat. The rest... meh... but not the worst I have ever read.

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