Product Description

COLOURS IN THE STEEL and THE BELLY OF THE BOW, the first two volumes of the Fencer Trilogy, introduced a remarkable new voice in fantasy fiction. THE PROOF HOUSE is the final volume in K.J. Parker's brilliant Fencer Trilogy. After years spent in the saps under the defences of the apparently impregnable city of Ap' Iscatoy, Bardas Loredan, sometime fencer-at- law and the betrayed defender of the famed Triple City, is suddenly a hero of the Empire. His reward is a boring administrative job in a backwater, watching armour tested to destruction in the Proof House. But the fall of Ap' Iscatoy has opened up unexpected possibilities for the expansion of the Empire into the land of the Plains people, and Bardas Loredan is the one man Temrai the Great, King of the Plains tribes, fears the most. Look out for more information on this book and others on the Orbit website at www.orbitbooks.co.uk

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #163391 in Books
• Published on: 2000-10-05
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 602 pages

Amazon.co.uk Review
Bardas has come a long way from the young soldier who wrought havoc in the wars with the barbarians of the plains, the swordsman who fought successful trials by combat and the commander whose attempts to save his city were dashed by last-moment treachery. He has taken several steps into madness and depravity; in The Proof House, the impressive conclusion of The Fencer Trilogy, his sanity is entirely up for grabs as an imperial posting sends him to where armour is made and souls are tested, not least by the endless din of breastplates and helmets subjected to breaking strain. It is the end-game for his friends as well--for his former secretary and the ambitious merchants she has formed a partnership with, and the half-smart magicians whose attempts to change history have consistently made things radically and disastrously worse. His family--the brothers who betrayed him and the niece whose attempts to kill him have cost her most of her hand--are out there somewhere too...Parker's is a bleak and sardonic fantasy world, where it can never be assumed that things will turn out for the best; this is a startlingly original book with a tone entirely of its own. --Roz Kaveney

Review
'From the first page, it has style, humour and pace all its own, and develops rapidly into one of the most entertaining fantasy debuts in recent years.Refreshing, fun, thoughtful, different, absorbing' SFX 'A massively enjoyable adventure' BLACK TEARS on THE BELLY OF THE BOW 'Action-packed adventure ... An intriguing tale of magic, manipulation and revenge' STARBURST

STARBURST
'Actionpacked adventure ... An intriguing tale of magic, manipulation and revenge'

Customer Reviews

A brilliant end to a fascinating series
K J Parker is a genius. An erratic, possibly crazy genius, but a genius nonetheless. In 'Colours in the steel' we were introduced to the unique Loredan family, each with their own set of problems and distintive talents. In the second book 'The belly of the bow' we learn more about the Loredans, and more about the motivations for their actions, shocking as they may seem. In this final book, the story ends in a way guaranteed to seem unexpected. The technical information in these books is presented in an interesting fashion, and the fluidity of the writing makes the books very easy to read. However, it is the characters in these books that make them so worthwhile. It is rare for something so completely different to come along and I was pleased by the refreshingly unusual approach to the fantasy genre. No one character could be seen as 'good', although I found myself liking them anyway, and the story itself was disturbing. I had to keep reading to find out how it all ended. I would recommend this book, and the others in the series, to anyone who would like a break from the usual run-of-the-mill, sword-and-sorcery type books. For sheer innovativeness, this trilogy cannot be beaten.

A well-written but depressing book
As before, Parker has drawn on the engineering of arms and armour to provide an underlying theme: in this case, testing-to-destruction. The Proof House is excellently executed, but keeps hammering home the point that militarily-flawed societies and people will be smashed by someone bigger and better-organised. It's interesting, well-thought-out, and a worthwhile read - but don't expect to be light-hearted after you've finished it.

Grim, but so beautifully written
As Amazon's reviewer states, the main character is several steps into both madness and depravity, but the series is indeed startlingly original. Read it for the author's wonderful dry wit and humour amidst the grisly details, and for the great command of prose, if not completely of plot. There is artistry at work here.