Product Description

The city of Perimadeia has fallen. Bardas Loredan, the man who was supposed to save it, is now living on the Island - a recluce, living apart from his family in the mountains, with only a young apprentice for company. His life as a fencer-at-law is over. Instead, Loredon spends his days perfecting the art of bow-making. But his isolation will not last forever; and when the Island comes under attack, his skills as a soldier and general are once again called upon. COLOURS IN THE STEEL, Volume One of the Fencer Trilogy, introduced a remarkable new voice in fantasy fiction. THE BELLY OF THE BOW confirms that rich promise and establishes K. J. Parker in the top rank of writers.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #195424 in Books
• Published on: 2000-03-23
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 521 pages

Amazon.co.uk Review
The great city of Perimadeia has fallen to its barbarian enemies, and its last commander, Bardas Loredan, is one of the few survivors, saved by the brother who betrayed the city. The Loredan family are a strange bunch, doomed by the consequences of past actions to endless attempts at reconciliation, or actions so appalling that no reconciliation will be possible. And they are also crucial to the financial manoeuvrings of this well-imagined world, where hostile take-overs are conducted at swords point ... K J Parker's The Belly of the Bow, second of the Fencer trilogy, is intelligent about perverse behaviour, about the logistics of conquest and resistance and about the way that power follows both finance and military might. He is also intelligent about the details of weapon making--in his first book Colours in the Steel, it was siege engines and here it is longbows--and about the working and consequences of magic--a pair of wizards who meddled in things they did not understand find themselves tinkering endlessly to make events less devastating, and running out of that luck which makes meddling possible. With two books, Parker has become a name to be reckoned with; his gloomy fantasies of fate and misadventure are not like anything else in the field. --Roz Kaveney

Review
'The great city of Perimadeia has fallen to its barbarian enemies, and its last commander, Bardas Loredan, is one of the few survivors, saved by the brother who betrayed the city. The Loredan family are a strange bunch, doomed by the consequences of past actions to endless attempts at reconciliation, or actions so appalling that no reconciliation will be possible. And they are also crucial to the financial manoeuvrings of this well-imagined world, where hostile take-overs are conducted at swords point ... K J Parker's The Belly of the Bow, second of the Fencer trilogy, is intelligent about perverse behaviour, about the logistics of conquest and resistance and about the way that power follows both finance and military might. He is also intelligent about the details of weapon making--in his first book Colours in the Steel, it was siege engines and here it is longbows--and about the working and consequences of magic--a pair of wizards who meddled in things they did not understand find themselves tinkering endlessly to make events less devastating, and running out of that luck which makes meddling possible. With two books, Parker has become a name to be reckoned with; his gloomy fantasies of fate and misadventure are not like anything else in the field.' - Roz Kaveney, Amazon.co.uk Review

About the Author
Having worked in the journalism and the law, K. J. Parker now writes and makes things out of wood and metal.

Customer Reviews

It�s like watching a car accident, you just can�t turn away.
After reading Colours in the Steel, I went straight out and ordered the next volumes in the trilogy. Unfortunately, I'm not sure what to make of the second volume and am a little afraid of opening the third. Not wanting to give away the turnings of the plot, I will only say that the search for a sympathetic character becomes even harder in the second volume than it was in the first. I enjoy Parker's worldview, I like the technical aspects, I'm amused by the interpretation of the various professions and the introduction of business as state is entertaining to say the least - it makes for an almost tongue in cheek universe. The only problem I have is, I don't like any of the main characters anymore, perhaps it's human to have weaknesses, but I'm not sure they need to be expressed so forcefully. I will read the last volume, as I said I can't turn away, but I don't particularly care whether the characters live or die. Which is a pity, after the first book I quite liked Baradas.

Twist, twist, twist
This series certainly has lots of twists and turns.
I'm not certain you can say you feel entirely unsympathetic for the characters, but the author gives the Loredans extreme versions of ordinary flaws and perhaps makes you sit back and think 'wow, was I really starting to identify with him/her?' Certainly the last major plot twist come as a surprise like a punch in the stomach. Perhaps I should have seen it coming, but I don't think my mind was twisted enough to see it.

So yes, a warning to the squeamish, this book is probably not for you.

A truly original "middle" volume.
I usually dread middle books of fantasy trilogies. They are there because the author's publisher has told him/her that fantasy books come in threes: we usually end up spending a lot of time in landscape. Parker's trilogy is quite different; the middle book is vital and engaging; the lack of a sympathetic main character does not mean any lack of empathy and there is no actual need to have read book one.