# Sharps by K.J. Parker



## Werthead (Jul 22, 2012)

_Sharps_ by KJ Parker





> The  neighbouring kingdoms of Permia and Scheria fought one another for  forty years before the Scherian general Carnufex, known in infamy as  'The Irrigator', flooded a Permian city and killed thousands. The war  ended with an uneasy truce and the two nations maintaining a neutral  zone between their kingdoms, containing the very territory they spilled  so much blood over. To help restore relations and build on their mutual  interest in the sport of swordplay, the Scherians dispatch a team of  fencers to tour Permia. The fencers quickly learn that they may just be  pawns in a larger game as factions in both kingdoms attempt to use their  visit as an excuse to restart the war or to seize power in their own  land. But no-one has reckoned on this particular team and their  individual motivations and ambitions...
> 
> 
> _Sharps_  is the latest stand-alone novel from the enigmatic K.J. Parker. Parker  is known for her fascination with medieval and renaissance weapons of  war and basing entire narratives around them. Usually these narratives  work on multiple levels, with both extensive literal use of the item in  question and also its use as a metaphor. In _Sharps_ Parker returns  to her love of the sword and the sport of fencing, which she last  studied in detail in her very first novel, the excellent _Colours in the Steel_, fifteen years ago. _Sharps_ is a very different book, however, to both that novel and her normal output.
> ...


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## Nerds_feather (Jul 23, 2012)

Cool! I've only read Parker's novella Amor Vincit Omnia, which blew my mind. I've been looking forward to reading one of her (do we know Parker is a her?) novels.

Had thought of doing The Company first...would you say this is a better place to start?


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## Stephen Palmer (Jul 23, 2012)

I was asking myself the same question. Is Parker's real identity known?


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## Werthead (Aug 4, 2012)

Stephen Palmer said:


> I was asking myself the same question. Is Parker's real identity known?



No. There is much speculation but not hard info.

Her old author bio on the Orbit website said definitively that she was a she, and she is known to be a friend or associate of Tom Holt (who has blurbed and reviewed her novels extensively, and interviewed her). She is also known to be an American living in the UK and is interested in the weaponsmithing, armour-forging and swordfighting techniques shown in her books. She has her own forge and likes to make things out of metal.

Beyond that not much else is known.


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## Nerds_feather (Aug 4, 2012)

has her own forge?? awesome!


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## elvet (Aug 9, 2012)

I have read all her books, including the Subterranean shorter novels. I am almost doneSharps and I agree with your review. I do like the intimate details of the weapons and technique, and now I know how she comes by it.


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