REVIEW | Blue and Gold by K.J. Parker

Cover art by Vincent Chong

K.J. Parker is a big enigma in the world of Fantasy. No one is even quite sure if Parker is a man or woman, but most think female. Whatever the case Parker has yet to disappoint me with the crafting of tales. Last year I thoroughly enjoyed the novella Purple and Black and when I first heard the title of Parker's second novella for Subterranean Press, Blue and Gold, I immediately thought this would be a sequel of some sort or at least placed in the same world. As far as I can tell the two stories aren't related in the least.

"Well, let me see," I said, as the innkeeper poured me a beer. In the morning I discovered the secret of changing base metal into gold. In the afternoon, I murdered my wife."

While Purple and Black went for the unusual style of letter correspondence Blue and Gold goes for the first person POV of an unreliable narrator. He is an alchemist. Maybe the best in the world. Maybe not as he contradicts himself from page to page. I'm not giving anything away by mentioning this. The main character reveals this himself on the second page.

"I'm Saloninus, by the way. And I tell lies, from time to time. Which goes to prove the old rule; never entirely trust a man who talks about himself in the third person."

Saloninus is not a self-aggrandizing rogue you'll love to hate. There are lots of those out there in Fantasy nowadays. I simply fell in love with his voice as he pulls punches and still stabs daggers into many backs all in the name of survival and some would say selfishness. The story jumps around during many of Saloninus's many escape attempts while also mixing in directions on alchemical formulas and philosophical debates, which show off Parker's imagination and also research skills. At first I thought the recipes would bog down the story, but the voice of Saloninus is so strong he could have been telling you about his trip to the market yet makes every word said riveting.

Blue and Gold is the black comedy cousin to The Usual Suspects with its unique take on the science of alchemy and a murder that might not be. Sly humor is effused throughout with quips and outright lies that starts and finishes strongly. Blue and Gold surpasses the other short fiction I've read from Parker and is one of her most memorable pieces to date. I give Blue and Gold 8.5 out of 10 hats. Even once finished you'll question exactly what the true story is beneath all the deceit and slight of hand, but you'll do so with a big grin. I can't wait to see what Parker has in store for us next, especially with the The Hammer coming out early next month.

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MINI REVIEW | Purple and Black by K.J. Parker (Subterranean)

Pseudonymous K.J. Parker has been making a name for themselves over the last few years with well-reviewed Military Fantasy such as The Engineer Trilogy and The Company. When I heard about the Purple and Black novella I thought it would be the perfect opportunity to dip my toe into her works. Purple and Black is told through the letters an Emperor of a sprawling land and one of his oldest friends who is also current governor of one of the most remote parts of the country. The letters are printed in black and purple, which is used to good effect by Sub Press's two color design.

The worldbuilding while not fully developed feels like a medieval setting with the back pinning of a religion akin to the Egyptians of old where the ruler is close to being a God. Yet there is a lot of backstabbing history in this government, which pops up again and again as it is the theme of the story. The Emperor with an often funny yet self-defeated tone fell into his role as the rest of his relatives killed each other, which left him the de facto ruler.

The characters while scant come across well for such a short number of pages, but Parker does manage to tell a good yarn with an usual story which is complete to boot. Overall, Purple and Black is a tasty treat and would provide a great break for those of us draw to giant fantasy tomes. I give Purple and Black 7 out of 10 Hats. Fans of political themed Fantasy would be advised to track a copy down as Sub Press is sold out, but it does look like Amazon and a few other retailers still have copies.  [Edit it seems Sub Press does still have the signed limited edition, but not the trade].  I'll probably try Parker's other works in the future as I'm interested in her style outside of this format, but she has shown she can do a little with a lot.

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