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Sharps

K.J. Parker

3.86 · Rating details · 1,401 ratings · 148 reviews

For the first time in nearly forty years, an uneasy truce has been called between two neighbouring kingdoms. The war has been long and brutal, fought over the usual things: resources, land, money...

Now, there is a chance for peace. Diplomatic talks have begun and with them, the games. Two teams of fencers represent their nations at this pivotal moment.

When the future of th ...more

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Paperback, 449 pages

Published July 17th 2012 by Orbit (first published July 5th 2012)

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Aug 17, 2012 Ranting Dragon rated it it was amazing

Shelves: stephan

http://www.rantingdragon.com/review-o...

There’s this relatively new rage in fantasy, and I’ve never been a fan of it. Authors—like Daniel Abraham and Joe Abercrombie—create a rich world with a lot of history, but zoom in on only one aspect of their world’s story in each book. Unlike the stories told in traditional fantasy, these are tales of characters instead of events. Think of it as the siege of Gondor in The Lord of the Rings, told solely from the viewpoints of a rider in the army of Rohan a http://www.rantingdragon.com/review-o...

There’s this relatively new rage in fantasy, and I’ve never been a fan of it. Authors—like Daniel Abraham and Joe Abercrombie—create a rich world with a lot of history, but zoom in on only one aspect of their world’s story in each book. Unlike the stories told in traditional fantasy, these are tales of characters instead of events. Think of it as the siege of Gondor in The Lord of the Rings, told solely from the viewpoints of a rider in the army of Rohan and an Orc under Sauron’s command.

Another author from the school of Abraham and Abercrombie—or perhaps the master of said school—is K.J. Parker. I have always been afraid to give Parker’s work a chance. However, when Parker’s latest work, Sharps, came across my path, I couldn’t resist giving it a try—a decision I don’t regret. While characters of other books in this subgenre—might I call it micro-fantasy?—were a turnoff for me, Parker’s characters are wonderfully unique and wholly engrossing. Where I could never really get into the stories of those other two authors, Parker pulled me in from the get-go and didn’t release me until long after I finished the last page.

Ambiguous bastards
Now, before you judge my opinion based on my dislike of the aforementioned authors, let me set something straight: both Abraham and Abercrombie are incredibly skilled writers, and their popularity testifies to that. The fault is entirely mine. You see, I am quite particular about my fantasy: I need a conflict of good versus evil. Sharps has that conflict. Sure, the evil isn’t quite as traditional; and the characters… well, the characters are each of them skillfully written, morally ambiguous bastards. But these bastards—a murderer, a drunk, the son of a war criminal (or hero, depending on which side you stand), a whiny girl, and a mysterious soldier—have been united against their will with a common goal in mind: to make sure that the uneasy peace between the rivaling nations of Scheria and Permia is maintained. This goal seems noble enough, as Parker makes abundantly clear through various random viewpoints just how high the economic and cultural stakes really are.

Sabotage and intrigue
From the very start, it is unclear who pulls the strings of this team of characters, or what motives are behind it, but the characters themselves—all “regular” Scherian citizens—wish only to do what they came to Permia to do: fence for sport in order to extend an olive branch in this cold war that succeeded a long and bloody conflict—and, if at all possible, make it back home safely despite their fencing tour seemingly being sabotaged at every corner.

This simple premise makes Sharps a marvelous read. Through Parker’s witty narration and intense eye for psychological detail, I immediately cared for the characters. When they were thrust into a dangerous world of political intrigue before too long, I was on the edge of my seat, flipping the pages as fast as I could. The relentless pace with which the characters are sent from one deadly situation to another, without ever truly being in control of their own fates, is breathtaking. The web of political factions and their conflicting motives is perplexing—in the best way possible. Throughout Sharps, only one question burned in my mind: how are these protagonists ever going to make it out of this alive?

Fencing with sharps
The best thing about Sharps, however, isn’t the complex scheming and plotting, nor the terrific ambiguous characters. No, the best thing about Sharps is the fencing. The characters were put together for a fencing tour through their rival nation’s cities, and thus, fencing is the unifying theme throughout this novel. Parker’s magnificent prose exalts these fencing matches to a form of art. A deadly art, for while our Scherian protagonists expected to be fighting with blunted instruments, their Permian opponents are using sharps—real weapons that inflict very real wounds. Add to that the fact that Scherian fencing is about grace and elegance, but Permian fencing is about brutally and efficiently drawing first blood, and the protagonists’ objective to stay alive without killing any Permians is suddenly given a very tangible meaning. Perhaps the only fault in Sharps is the fact that there aren’t nearly enough of these high-paced, awe-inspiring, astonishing fencing scenes.

Why should you read this book?
As a newbie reader of Parker’s works, I cannot compare Sharps to his or her various previous works. I have heard other reviewers say that this novel is his or her first more commercially viable work. The validity of that statement—which may be the reason why I loved it so much—is something I intend to find out for myself; Sharps has inspired me to read more of Parker’s books. It is an incredible story of realistically wrought characters, facing a world of intrigue, with a political complexity matching our own world, where the stakes are intensely high. As a reader, though, I simply wanted the protagonists to make it through the story in one piece. And frankly, that very fact made this novel simply mind-blowing. ...more

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Oct 30, 2012 Algernon (Darth Anyan) rated it it was amazing

Shelves: favorites, 2012

short review version: quintesential Parker.
Those already familiar with the works of the author will recognize familiar themes and characters, signature plot twists or moral dillemas. Also instantly recognizable is the dry style and the black humor. Yet, Parker appears capable of infusing fresh blood into these familiar territories, making the swordfighters in Sharps are different from the ones in the Fencer, Engineer or Scavenger books, yet members of the same family of slightly psychopatic lone ...more

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May 21, 2012 Liviu rated it it was amazing

Shelves: top_25_2012_novels, genre-fantasy, 2012_release_read, read_2012

Sharps is vintage KJ Parker but also the most complex of the author's standalone novels, while bringing elements from all the author's oeuvre and connecting with earlier works like Purple and Black which is alluded in the book - though of course as it is KJ Parker, the details may not be precisely the same in so far the Empire in P&B worshiped the Invincible Sun (like the Western Empire and Scheria here, Scheria being the country of our heroes and either former province of the Western Empire or ...more

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Jun 23, 2013 Stef rated it it was ok

Shelves: fiction, adventure, violence, civil-war, fencing

I fenced in high school and college and usually enjoy a good swashbuckling story. I was really excited about Sharps because unlike The Princess Bride or generic high fantasy novel, this was specifically about "fencers," albeit in a fantasy setting. Unfortunately, this novel reads more like a combination of Waiting for Godot and a wannabe Terry Pratchett that I found the reading difficult and the description of the fencing so absurdly technical that I don't understand how it would be appealing to I fenced in high school and college and usually enjoy a good swashbuckling story. I was really excited about Sharps because unlike The Princess Bride or generic high fantasy novel, this was specifically about "fencers," albeit in a fantasy setting. Unfortunately, this novel reads more like a combination of Waiting for Godot and a wannabe Terry Pratchett that I found the reading difficult and the description of the fencing so absurdly technical that I don't understand how it would be appealing to someone who had never fenced.

The novel opens with an introduction to all of the major players in this novel. However, this introduction is very random. Characters are not necessarily named, their actions are random and do not immediately lead to a coherent story, and the dialogue is somewhat painful if you can imagine the Samuel Beckett/Terry Pratchett combination of serious inanity and existentialism. None of the characters are particularly likeable and as a reader you are definitely led to certain conclusions about the personality and motives of the characters. Unlike some novels where you can see the ending from the first page, this book is intentionally obscure. 50 pages from the end I was still saying, "I have no idea how the author is going to wrap up this storyline." In that respect I applaud the author for not being obvious, but the ending left me having to go back and reread certain passages to make sure I understood what had happened and scratching my head because I didn't completely understand how the author managed this or that particular feat.

Did I mention there are no chapters in this book? 400 something pages and no chapters. I was annoyed when Hemingway did that with The Old Man and the Sea, but at least that book was short. I wish I could have read this book in one sitting, I might have enjoyed it more, but without chapter marks I felt uncomfortable putting the book down when I had to because I was in jeopardy of forgetting which characters I was following and what actions had lead up to the point I broke off at. There were paragraph breaks that allowed me rests, but seriously it could have used some chapters to demark which character I was reading about and where they were geographically.

The fencing was enjoyable to read and I got a few good chuckles out of it. However, I stand by the fact that if you were never into fencing the jokes about certain rules will not make sense and the classical styles and terminology will have you running to YouTube and Wikipedia for an explanation. I had thought at first this writer was a fencer, but it turns out he had gotten expert training from a classical style fencing master and several classic texts from the library. This means the author was really excited about fencing, but didn't really know how to relate what he learned to an audience that has no idea what he's talking about.

All in all, not really my favorite book. To difficult to get through and not written well enough for a layman. If you do fence it might be worth picking it up for things like "they fence in straight lines here" but really I think you will be exasperate by the lack of chapters and affected style of writing. ...more

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Jun 01, 2012 Kat Hooper rated it it was amazing

4.5 stars Originally posted at FanLit.

"Sharp swords, dirty books and pickled cabbage. Why has everything on this trip got to be horrible?"

The neighboring kingdoms of Permia and Scheria have always been enemies. Some of their citizens like it this way — particularly those of the military aristocracies who are valued (and therefore kept in power) by their countrymen when the two kingdoms are at war. The last war ended, though, when General Carnufex of Scheria managed to divert a few rivers and flo 4.5 stars Originally posted at FanLit.

"Sharp swords, dirty books and pickled cabbage. Why has everything on this trip got to be horrible?"

The neighboring kingdoms of Permia and Scheria have always been enemies. Some of their citizens like it this way — particularly those of the military aristocracies who are valued (and therefore kept in power) by their countrymen when the two kingdoms are at war. The last war ended, though, when General Carnufex of Scheria managed to divert a few rivers and flood a major Permian city, killing its entire population of thousands of people. It’s been years since General Carnufex (now known as “the Irrigator”) pulled out of Permia and the two countries, separated by a demilitarized zone, have mostly left each other alone.

Many people in each country (especially those of the lower classes) would like to forget the past and try to forge friendship and cooperation with the neighboring country. To this end (ostensibly) the Scherian government, with the help of its church and bank (a major force in Scherian society, since it holds the money) has decided to send a peace delegation consisting of five fencers and a couple of managers across the demilitarized zone and into Permia. The Permians are crazy about fencing and will surely treat the Scherian fencers as adored heroes.

The team is made up of six characters who are not especially eager to go to Permia. There’s Iseutz, an aggressive woman who is escaping an arranged marriage; Addo, the Irrigator’s useless youngest son; Suidas, the alcoholic Scherian fencing champion who can’t afford his girlfriend and turns out to be a berserker; Giraut, who accidentally killed the senator who was about to push through some major reforms; Phrantzes, an accountant and former fencing champion who just married a prostitute; and Tzimisces, an inscrutable man who seems to be in charge.

Each character has his own story and his own reason for reluctantly joining the team. It turns out that they were right to be reluctant because the problems begin even before they get to the border and the entire trip is an exercise in suffering. Nothing goes as it’s supposed to and the team has to deal with equipment failure, travel delays, bandits, bad weather, hunger, fatigue, riots, fire, language barriers, unpredictable mercenaries, an aspiring writer, and lots of pickled cabbage. But worst of all is the discovery that they won’t be fencing the way they’re used to because the Permians don’t use fencing foils — they use “sharps.” They’re also expected to fight with a nasty curved blade aptly called a “messer.” The Scherian fencers know they may not survive, but refusing to play the Permians’ way could ignite another war. To make things even worse, the team gradually starts to suspect that they are being used by some agency in their own country to further its political or economic goals...

I haven’t read all of K.J. Parker’s novels, but I’ve read enough to know that anything s/he writes goes directly to my TBR list. No need to ask my friends, no need to check Amazon or my favorite review sites, just put it on the list, and somewhere near the top. So, really, I shouldn’t have to say anything about Sharps except that “it’s written by K.J. Parker.” But just so you won’t think I took the easy way out, I’ll say some more stuff:

Sharps is completely entertaining from page one. The story is compelling, mysterious, often hilarious (though it’s definitely not a comedy), and written in Parker’s epigrammatic, no-nonsense, perfectly paced style. Parker’s world is described briefly but comprehensively enough that we understand the relevant political, economic, and social pressures. Parker uses these pressures to consider such topics as tax law, land redistribution, slavery, competition, class warfare, and trade relations.

Each of Parker’s characters is introduced quickly but thoroughly enough to engage our empathy, each is fun to listen to (and they have a terrific dynamic together), and each develops significantly over the course of the story, though a few of them never completely reveal themselves and I didn’t believe in the romance that developed between two of the characters. (This didn’t detract from the story, but a more believable relationship would have been much more satisfying.) My favorite character was Suidas Deutzel; I would love to see Parker write a prequel to Sharps from his perspective. (Please, K.J. Parker, whoever you are?)

Sharps is a novel that I’ll read again — something I very rarely do. I’m sure it will be one of my favorite novels of 2012. ...more

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Sep 29, 2012 Manuel Antão rated it liked it

Shelves: 2012

Despite the fact that I have been interested in reading KJ Parker’s novels for a while now, I never really got the chance to pick one up. However, now that I have read Sharps, I can safely say that I'm not sure I will be reading more from this author, if this work is anything to go by (I'll give him one more try to convince me...).

I had a few nagging issues. The plot seemed somewhat contrived. The character's behaviour looked to me a bit far-fetched, to say the least. That's enough for me to lo ...more

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Jan 22, 2012 Sarah rated it it was amazing

Shelves: arc-or-review-copy, fantasy, read-in-2012, orbit

Sharps is full of action, both physical and mental, as well as mystery, humor and depth. Parker packs this single volume full of some of the most amazing, mentally engaging writing I’ve ever had the honor of reading. The characterization, depth and mystery are unparalleled. Coupled with Parker’s sarcasm and dark humor, Sharps is one of those books that sets the bar incredibly, almost impossibly high. Parker is a unique, refreshing and engaging voice in fantasy. Sharps is one of those books that ...more

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Mar 25, 2012 Milo rated it really liked it

Shelves: orbit, fantasy, 25-best-2012-releases, 2012-releases-read, notable-2012-releases

Original Post: http://thefoundingfields.com/2012/08/....

“Enthralling, Original. A Delight to read, fans of fantasy will enjoy this.” ~The Founding Fields

Despite the fact that I have been interested in reading KJ Parker’s novels for a while now, I never really go the chance to pick one up. However, now that I have read Sharps, I can safely say that I will be reading more from this author, if this work is anything to go by. Despite a few nagging issues that I had with this title, I still found it ...more

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Jun 22, 2012 Stefan rated it it was amazing

Shelves: advance-reading-copy, ebook, fantasy, far-beyond-reality-review

The last war between the neighboring countries of Permia and Scheria ended when Scheria’s greatest general redirected the course of a number of rivers and flooded one of the enemy’s cities, thereby killing tens of thousands of people and gaining the charming nickname “the Irrigator.” Some years later, as K.J. Parker’s newest novel Sharpsstarts off, the tension between the two enemies shows signs of thawing, so much so that there’s talk of sending a mission of goodwill across the Demilitarized Zo ...more

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Jun 12, 2012 Tudor Ciocarlie rated it it was amazing

Shelves: 2012-my-best-of, hugo-numbers

Great meditation on war, conflict and the uses of fighting on the same level as the brilliant Use of Weapons by Iain M. Banks. The middle part is a little slow, but the ending and the resolutions are absolutely perfect and very satisfying.

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Apr 17, 2020 Ned Lud rated it it was amazing

Whenever I am asked who my favourite author is I become tongue tied. Perhaps that knot has unraveled.

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Jun 08, 2012 Mihir rated it really liked it

Full Review Originally at Fantasy Book Critic

SHARPS is a tale about several things, one way the author summarizes is “Sharps is rather more about the Arab Spring than the economy or the war, but just as elements of the war and the economy impinged on events in Egypt and Libya in real life, so in the book.”

It’s also perhaps a tale of fencing or as the author quotes it as “a conversation in steel”. Most reviewers who have read it have had fulsome praise for it. For me it’s a tale of people th
Full Review Originally at Fantasy Book Critic

SHARPS is a tale about several things, one way the author summarizes is “Sharps is rather more about the Arab Spring than the economy or the war, but just as elements of the war and the economy impinged on events in Egypt and Libya in real life, so in the book.”

It’s also perhaps a tale of fencing or as the author quotes it as “a conversation in steel”. Most reviewers who have read it have had fulsome praise for it. For me it’s a tale of people that are talented fencers but are sent on a mission of peace, warriors that have to use their martial skills to help broker peace between warring provinces lest ruin might touch both. It’s an inherent contradiction in terms of the characters and the plot that makes this book a good one and another excellent fable from the cunning mind of K.J. Parker.

The story begins in a meandering manner, wherein the author introduces all the main characters. And the lot is varied, a murderer, an ex-soldier, a son of a famous general and a couple of others. Amidst the introduction, the background situation is revealed through character dialogue as is the vogue seen in previous KJP novels.

From here on the story slowly unfolds as the reader is taken in to Permia along with the fencing party and slowly and surely the reader picks up on details regarding the war, character backgrounds and Permian-Scherian culture. The first part of the book has an uneven pace until the story reaches near the middle point wherein a few key events occur that shake up certain status quos and reveal what truly is at stake.

The pace then picks up and it is from here on that KJP’s cynicism and trademark dialogue flow to make the story reach a tumultuous but very much satisfying ending. The characterization of the book is the one thing that is the best piece of this entire story, as the reader will get to know these flawed but highly captivating characters that make you engrossed in the story without a care of the world outside.

What also helps is that each character is unique and interesting; they individually could power a singular story themselves and in KJP’s hands make the story intriguing beyond a doubt. Another excellent point about the book is the dialogue across several occasions while seeming focused on the events in the book has a very crucial subtext about human nature and the vagaries of life, war and history.

This book came very close to her previous work “The Folding Knife” which is an all-time favorite of mine because of the characterization and plot however TFK was a story wherein everything clicked. Not so much the case in this one as the uneven pace of the earlier half might hamper the read for some readers’ especially first time readers. I would very much request all virgin KJP readers to start with TFK just because I think it’s the epitome of her storytelling style.

“Sharps” is another excellent story from a devious mind and with it being given the requisite push from the publisher as well. It will only help KJP’s cause and perhaps spread the world among fantasy fans about one of the most under-appreciated fantasy writers of the 21st century. If you haven’t read any of her books, do so soon if you want something different in your current fantasy reads. ...more

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May 08, 2015 Jeremy Preacher rated it it was ok

Shelves: fantasy

First of all, Sharps is only a fantasy novel by courtesy - it takes place on a world that isn't quite our own, with cultures that are basically European (particularly Roman) but there is no actual fantastic element other than that. That's not a flaw, mind you - the worldbuilding hits all of the usual fantasy notes and the lack of magic is more than made up for by the details of the swordplay.

It's a rather twisty story - the point of view jumps around, but for most of the book the reader knows ve First of all, Sharps is only a fantasy novel by courtesy - it takes place on a world that isn't quite our own, with cultures that are basically European (particularly Roman) but there is no actual fantastic element other than that. That's not a flaw, mind you - the worldbuilding hits all of the usual fantasy notes and the lack of magic is more than made up for by the details of the swordplay.

It's a rather twisty story - the point of view jumps around, but for most of the book the reader knows very little more than the characters, who are a fencing team nominally sent on a goodwill mission to the recently-defeated neighboring country. Things start to go wrong immediately, and it's clear that there are many people with many different motives attempting to use them to achieve their own political ends. This is very much a modern novel - the bankers are profoundly corrupt, the wars are pointless and driven by power-mad elite, everyone is flat broke and stuck with nothing but bad choices - and its cynicism feels very familiar to anyone who keeps up with the news these days.

The fencing itself - which doesn't happen nearly enough to suit me - is well-done and an excellent framework for a lot of the conflicts. It's used to highlight differences between the two countries, illuminate the emotional and interpersonal struggles of the various characters, and it's just plain fun. It's also not particularly technical while still sounding as if it's super-technical, which is a neat trick if you can pull it off.

The less-neat part of the book is its bog-standard fantasy Eurocentrism and male focus. Much is made of one or the other Empires (I could not ever keep them straight) being a visibly different race, probably Italianesque, but the standard of beauty is set by the blond northern barbarian, and if there are characters darker than "the color of blueberry just before its ripe" I didn't notice. There is one female character with more than a single scene, and she is not only consistently referred to as "a young girl" when she appears to be late teens at the youngest (only a few years younger than the "men") she is depicted as a constant whiner, an irritation, and of course a love interest for the most noble of the male characters.

Part of me wishes that the mysterious, pseudonymous Parker is actually a queer woman of color who is planning a huge reveal at some later date and all of the flaws in this book were intentional and ironic. But this is cynical age and I am its child, and I suspect this is just good ol' boy fiction at its dubious best. Sharps is probably an outstanding book if you are its primary audience; I lack the necessary equipment to fully appreciate it. ...more

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Aug 04, 2019 Steve rated it really liked it

Shelves: fantasy, k-j-parker-holt

My fourth KJ Parker in my recent exploration of his work, and an enjoyable read with small caveats.

Two adjacent countries are exhausted after decades of war. Both societies happen to be fanatical about fencing as a sport, with top practitioners being superstars. Despite continuing tensions between the countries a fencing team, comprised of the lead characters in the story, is sent from one country to the other as a sort of bridge building exercise. The fencers have been forced into this potentia My fourth KJ Parker in my recent exploration of his work, and an enjoyable read with small caveats.

Two adjacent countries are exhausted after decades of war. Both societies happen to be fanatical about fencing as a sport, with top practitioners being superstars. Despite continuing tensions between the countries a fencing team, comprised of the lead characters in the story, is sent from one country to the other as a sort of bridge building exercise. The fencers have been forced into this potentially difficult and dangerous trip, and from the start the team finds its journey eventful. It reminded me of a Cold War spy thriller in many ways. There’s intrigue, with strong political forces deviously pulling strings in the two countries and manipulating the trip. Who can the lead characters trust? Probably no one from your own country, or in the host country, or even any of your travelling companions for the trip!

I’m still a Parker fan, but I’m learning he’s more varied than I thought from my first couple of reads in which there was a strong, though cynical, strand of humour. We once again have a magic free, pre-industrial world but this time without prominent humour though neither is it that dark or grim. It also includes well defined, interesting, lead characters though there’s only one, not especially prominent, female lead.

The story is clever, and unexpected twists keep you guessing. The storyline is strong enough for you to care how it’ll all end. My caveats? There’s a key moment where a conspiratorial character says ‘We must stop this - my sources say X is definitely going to happen here but I don’t know how or by who’. I thought it a rather clumsy plot device. There is a feeling as the plot moves along that the lead characters, though well drawn, have little control on the flow of the story and are caught up helplessly in events and other people’s conspiracies. Though, to be fair, this isn’t the case for the main climax.

I think 3.5* for the plot and 4.5* for the writing (a strong reason for reading KJ Parker) which does keep you reading even during what I perceived as the occasional plot deficiency.

...more

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Jun 08, 2020 Phil rated it really liked it

Shelves: fantasy

A very good story of intrigue and deception set in Parker's usual universe. Two kingdoms (Scheria and Permia) have been at war for decades until a fragile peace emerges (largely, because both sides are broke). To help facilitate the peace, a diplomatic mission of a troupe of fencers from Scheria goes on tour to Permia. The Permians are absolutely mad about fencing; something like a national sport, or football for Brazil. The fencing team is comprised not exactly by volunteers; each of the four h ...more

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Apr 23, 2018 Jeremy Jackson rated it it was amazing

Sharps was my introduction to K.J. Parker, and if it's not his best then I have a lot to look forward to.

Decaying empires, political intrigue, Machiavellian monks, complex characters, and lots and lots of fencing! Parker is a master wordsmith- I know I'm going to stick with an author if I lose count of the number of times I stop at a sentence and say, "Man, I wish I had written that." After a few edge-of-your-seat passages that detail fencing methods and movements, I wouldn't be surprised if he ...more

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Jun 07, 2016 Metaphorosis rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2016-rev, reviewed

4 stars - Metaphorosis Reviews

A mismatched group of reluctant fencers is sent on a goodwill tour through a conquered neighbour. They find that not only must they fight with un-bated swords, they're not at all up to their putative purpose, and no one seems to care.

When I first ran across K. J Parker, through his (we now know) Fencer trilogy, I was thrilled. Here was someone doing something decidedly different and interesting, rather than just regurgitating Tolkien. It's interesting, because I had ...more

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Aug 05, 2015 Jacqie rated it it was amazing

This was my first K.J. Parker book, and I think it will be the first of many that I'll read by him. I went right out and bought "The Company" after finishing this.

The story: five rag-tag professional fencers go on a tour of the country with which their homeland has had an on-again, off-again war. The idea is to mend fences (see what I did there?) because both countries are mad about the sport of fencing.

The first clue this motley crew has that things may not be what they seem is when they find This was my first K.J. Parker book, and I think it will be the first of many that I'll read by him. I went right out and bought "The Company" after finishing this.

The story: five rag-tag professional fencers go on a tour of the country with which their homeland has had an on-again, off-again war. The idea is to mend fences (see what I did there?) because both countries are mad about the sport of fencing.

The first clue this motley crew has that things may not be what they seem is when they find that their luggage has been loaded with "sharps" (bladed weapons with an edge) instead of the safer fencing foils, which have no cutting edge.

The tour is rough. The country they are touring never uses foils, only sharps. They also do a street fighting style of bout with knives called Messers, which often end in serious injury. No one on the team has trained with Messers, except for one army veteran, and he's pretty messed up emotionally about the idea of fighting with them again. (hey-yo!)

Besides dealing with PTSD, a wily political officer who keeps disappearing when things get hairy, a very cranky young female fencer, the younger son of a brutal war hero, and a hapless young team member who's on the team because it beats rotting in prison, people start getting mysteriously assassinated along the fencing team's route, putting the team in danger and destabilizing the political situation. I confess it took me far too long to figure out exactly who was doing the mischief making here, but I was caught up in the story. Each character was distinct, flawed, and interesting, and there were a lot of balls in the air throughout the course of this book. Politically, there were several different factions, some pro-war, some anti-war, and it was difficult to figure out who was really pulling the strings.

This is a book that's got that dry British humor that I enjoy. Things are awful, yet somehow amusing at the same time. It's a bit like Bernard Conrwell's Sharp series, translated to a low fantasy setting. There's also a lot of action. I really enjoyed the ride and wanted to know what would happen next. I also cared about the characters, which can be difficult for an author to achieve in a humorous book. There's lots to be said in this book about the nature of war and the effect that it has on people. ...more

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Sep 21, 2015 Lauren Stoolfire rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: adventure, fantasy, historical-fiction, war, epic-fantasy

After a long and brutal war, a truce has been called between two neighboring kingdoms. There is finally a chance for peace as diplomatic talks begin. To help facilitate this new peace, there is going to be a fencing tour with the shared love of a sport bringing two previously warring kingdoms together. The ragtag group of Scherian fencers making up the tour will have to learn to work together if they want to make it home from Permia in one piece and not begin another war.

First and foremost, the ...more

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Sep 26, 2012 Aran rated it really liked it

Consummate craftsmanship laced with the driest mirth. This is perhaps closer to a quest narrative than Parker's other works, but like those other works it's too original, too mature to be classed as genre fantasy. In many ways, closer to the tradition of Dostoevsky than of Tolkien. Refreshingly, you never have the sense that a certain character is bound to triumph because they're the hero, that the whole book is lurching towards a telegraphed outcome.

The central images here are the messer - an i ...more

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Jan 14, 2013 Sasha rated it liked it

Shelves: fantasy

Finally finished! After loving KJ Parker's Engineer Trilogy, I was delighted to find Sharps at the Library. I know about nothing about fencing, but figured it's KJ Parker, so I gave it a shot.

This book took me awhile to get into. I was worried with all of the character introductions that I didn't know who was where, why they mattered, and I surely didn't think I'd be able to keep track of them all. I almost gave up, but I always try my best to finish books that I've started, so I pushed the worr ...more

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Apr 03, 2014 Daniel rated it really liked it

Shelves: fantasy, favorites, political-fantasy

Very enjoyable. This was my first KJ Parker book and I don't know why. It's very much the sort of non-magical, politics and intrigue type of fantasy I prefer. The writing is excellent, and it's the sort of story where you can read 50 pages, realize not much has actually happened, and yet it wasn't slow or boring at all. The ending was--while not bad--not quite as dramatic as one might have hoped, and for that reason I'm only giving it 4 stars, but I'll definitely be reading more from this author ...more

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Aug 27, 2013 Alvaro added it

Shelves: give-it-up

Too slow and sometimes thick for my taste.

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Aug 12, 2012 Kam rated it liked it

Shelves: mystery, adventure, fantasy

One of the very first martial arts I developed an interest in was fencing. I remember watching the 1993 Disney version The Three Musketeers, starring a very young Chris O'Donnell and Kiefer Sutherland, and absolutely adoring the action depicted onscreen: sword-blades flashing quicksilver-bright as thrusts and counter-thrusts were delivered, all mingled with witty retorts and daring escapes. To be sure, a lot of the action wasn't entirely period-accurate (the movie owes a lot to Hong Kong action ...more

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Apr 18, 2017 Darren rated it liked it

This one was pretty good. Bloodier than I expected. I really didn't like the ending - I probably moved it from a 4 star to a 3 star just for the last scene.

Lots of hidden motives and twisty plot.

I really could have used a map. ...more

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Aug 29, 2012 Mike rated it really liked it

I’ve heard a lot of good things about K. J. Parker, her/his (the author’s name is a pseudonym) Engineer Trilogy (amongst two other earlier series) has been well regarded amongst critics. With all the praise for Parker’s previous work buzzing in the background I decided to the give the author’s recent stand alone novel, Sharps, a shot. As the novel begins there is an uneasy peace between the nations of Scheria and Permia; two nations that have been at war for nearly 40 years. As diplomatic talks I’ve heard a lot of good things about K. J. Parker, her/his (the author’s name is a pseudonym) Engineer Trilogy (amongst two other earlier series) has been well regarded amongst critics. With all the praise for Parker’s previous work buzzing in the background I decided to the give the author’s recent stand alone novel, Sharps, a shot. As the novel begins there is an uneasy peace between the nations of Scheria and Permia; two nations that have been at war for nearly 40 years. As diplomatic talks are begun a team of Scherian fencers are selected and sent (not all willingly) on a fencing tour of Permia; pitting themselves against the best that the other nation has to offer. Of course all is not quite as it seems and intrigue and betrayal dog the steps of our often hapless fencers across every inch of their journey.

The definition of fantasy is something that can be argued about nearly without end. Truth of the matter is (at least in my view) is that beauty of fantasy is that it can be anything we want it to be. I note this because in Sharps the elements of the fantastic are completely non-existent. Parker has invented a whole new world in which to set this novel; drafted a rich, vibrant and violent history but beyond the setting there is little else to distinguish this as a fantasy novel. No dragons, no mages, no eleves, no fairies just a realistic world that isn’t ours. Truth be told this sort of pure realistic fantasy isn’t my particular cup of tea. However Parker’s exploration of two societies born and grown accustomed to war and violence works best when unencumbered by our own historical past; by crafting a unique world Parker frees readers from expectations set forth by our own experience.

Over the course of Sharps, Parker introduces readers to a cast of well drawn and realistic characters. Parker assembles a motley team of fencers consisting of Suidas (a drunk, a fencing champion, and a war hero), Iseutz (a woman looking to avoid marriage who seems to be perennially cranky), Giraut (a student and amateur fencer whose amorous tendencies landed him in jail) and Addo (son of the great general Carnufex and pacifist). Leading this group you have an aged wool merchant and former fencing champion, Phrantzes, strong-armed into position. Watching over the whole “diplomatic tour” is the completely slimy and utterly distasteful Timizces who never seems to be around when the trouble starts. As the novel starts readers are introduced to many of these characters and the situations which has prompted their placement on the fencing team. Once these characters are brought together Parker’s ability with characterization comes to the forefront as the interaction of the team’s members further begins to define their personalities and motivations.

As the fencing team sets out on their journey it becomes immediately obvious that all is not as it seems and that there are plots afoot in which the fencers appear to be mere pawns. Disaster upon disaster seems to follow the team on their journey and Parker does a great job at keeping readers guessing as to what exactly is going on. It becomes increasingly easy over the course of the novel for readers to internalize the frustration and anger of the fencers whose perspectives make for the bulk of the novel. Parker also shows a keen grasp when it comes to action scenes with the duels the fencers participate in some of the most entertaining one-on-one action scenes I’ve ever read.

Intrigue, humor, and action propel Sharps forward. Lightning quick dialogue and strong sense of character further draws the reader in. While it might not appeal to fans of magic-laden fantasy, readers that enjoy strong writing in a realistic if fictional setting should definitely give Sharps a shot. In the midst of all the action and excitement, and thanks mostly to the deft characterization and world-building, Parker has produced a novel with a surprising and welcome amount of emotional and philosophical weight that examines the deep scars and last wounds left by prolonged war and ingrained violence. I’ll definitely be looking for whatever K. J. Parker comes out with next. ...more

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Aug 21, 2012 Ryandake rated it liked it

K.J. Parker does one thing really, really well: s/he ties the reader up in knots, trying to figure out who's plotting what, and why.

Sharps is full of a bunch of different factions maybe trying to start a war, not so long, as it happens, since the last one ended. a small group of fencers is sent to a neighboring country as a goodwill tour, theoretically to mend fences and as a token of peace.

except that each of the fencers is hiding something; at least one (but which one?) is surely an assassin; K.J. Parker does one thing really, really well: s/he ties the reader up in knots, trying to figure out who's plotting what, and why.

Sharps is full of a bunch of different factions maybe trying to start a war, not so long, as it happens, since the last one ended. a small group of fencers is sent to a neighboring country as a goodwill tour, theoretically to mend fences and as a token of peace.

except that each of the fencers is hiding something; at least one (but which one?) is surely an assassin; and all have been coerced into joining the tour. the fun begins before they even cross the border.

so it's a great deal of fun, trying to keep up with revelations and sort and re-sort the pieces, trying to make them fit.

you can never fault a K.J. Parker novel on plot.

but this one, alas, is rather thin on character. they're not terribly complex, our fencers, more symbolic than real. the case of Iseutz, the lone female fencer, is particularly disappointing--she's just a ball of anger through most of the book. it might have been more fun to explore why a woman whose only option in life is to get married might be a ball of anger, rather than just use it to score points. we have also a coward, a soldier with a bad case of PTSD, an old man who just wants to be left alone, and a the spare of the "heir and a spare." Parker pulls some fun twists with each of these, and to be sure there are unexpected turnings in the book, but in terms of insight or change, none of these characters is particularly well-illuminated.

which would also be ok, but that it makes it hard to care about whether the war that's maybe going to get started, or stopped, or ya this time really started but by a different faction, actually does get started. there's just nobody to hang an attachment on, to care whether they live or die or get rolled over by a war machine.

i've read quite a few of Parker's books by now. the Engineer trilogy was, in my opinion, the best of them--there were quite a few characters in there to care about, to genuinely despise, to sustain an interest in. but i have, overall, a wish that Parker would write a little deeper.

maybe s/he writes just to develop these origami plots, and this is where the fun lies for him/her. i don't know. but i am generally just a little wistful when i finish a Parker book: may I have some more, please?
...more

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Jun 08, 2013 JJ DeBenedictis rated it it was ok

Although I did like Sharps, it seems as if merely liking it is a disappointment. I read The Folded Knife by K. J. Parker recently, and not only can this author create vibrant, engaging characters, but s/he can pull a narrative drive out of subject matter I wouldn't have thought I'd find compelling. So I expected to like Sharps--which has subject matter much more up my alley than The Folded Knife--quite a lot.

Instead, it was merely fine.

The characters were good, but not all of them were as inter ...more

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Dec 23, 2014 Tracey the Lizard Queen rated it really liked it

Shelves: fantasy, 2015-reads

I liked this book. It's one of those rare breed fantasies without any actual magic in them. Just another world with different countries and peoples. It's not a bad thing though, I didn't miss the magical element. The characters were more than enough to keep me interested. A map would have been nice though, just to help visualise the countryside better. And I like maps.

The basic plot runs a bit like this: There was a war between two nieghbouring countries, Scheria and Permia, it ended a few years ...more

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Feb 01, 2019 Micah Hall rated it it was amazing

Well, there it is.

I absolutely adored this. Having first experienced KJ Parker previously in the Book of Swords anthology edited by the late Gardner Dozois, I made it a mission to seek out more of his work; I was blown away with the acerbic wit, the patter of his dialogue, and the level of detail to world building, character, action, and literal sword smithing. As such, I decided on a bargain bin paperback of Sharps. Boy does this have everything I love: a dash of nihilism, unpredictable plot wi ...more

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About K.J. Parker

K.J. Parker

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K.J. Parker is a pseudonym for Tom Holt.

According to the biographical notes in some of Parker's books, Parker has previously worked in law, journalism, and numismatics, and now writes and makes things out of wood and metal. It is also claimed that Parker is married to a solicitor and now lives in southern England. According to an autobiographical note, Parker was raised in rural Vermont, a lifest ...more

Books by K.J. Parker

Devices and Desires (Engineer Trilogy, #1)

Sixteen Ways to Defend a Walled City (The Siege, #1)

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Quotes from Sharps

“He turned away, and suddenly she thought about the old children's story, where the stupid girl opens the box that God gave her, and all the evils of the world fly out, except Hope, which stays at the bottom; and she wondered what Hope was doing in there in the first place, in with all the bad things. Then the answer came to her, and she wondered how she could've been so stupid. Hope was in there because it was evil too, probably the worst of them all, so heavy with malice and pain that it couldn't drag itself out of the opened box.” — 67 likes

“…if medical science is geography, then mankind as a species has a map with three towns marked on it and a lot of blank space with drawings of sea serpents.” — 7 likes

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