Saevus Corax Deals With the Dead

By: K. J. Parker

Narrated by: Ben Onwukwe

From one of the most original voices in fantasy comes a twisted tale of murder, betrayal, and battlefield salvage.

There’s no formal training for battlefield salvage. You just have to pick things up as you go along. Swords, armour, arrows – and the bodies, of course.

Over the years, Saevus Corax has picked up a lot of things. Some of them have made him decent money, others have brought nothing but trouble. But it’s a living, and somebody has to deal with the dead.

Something else that Saevus has buried is his past. Unfortunately, he didn’t quite succeed.
For more from K. J. Parker, check out: Sixteen Ways to Defend a Walled CityHow to Rule an Empire and Get Away With It
A Practical Guide to Conquering the World
The Two of SwordsThe Two of Swords: Volume OneThe Two of Swords Volume TwoThe Two of Swords: Volume Three The Fencer TrilogyColours in the SteelThe Belly of the BowThe Proof House The Scavenger TrilogyShadowPatternMemory Engineer TrilogyDevices and DesiresEvil for EvilThe Escapement The CompanyThe Folding KnifeThe HammerSharps

Critic reviews

"Full of invention and ingenuity . . . Great fun."—SFX on Sixteen Ways to Defend a Walled City

"Parker's acerbic wit and knowledge of human nature are a delight to read as he explores the way conflict is guided, in equal measure, by the brilliance and unerring foolishness of humanity . . . . Thoroughly engaging."—RT Books Reviews on The Two of Swords: Volume One

"This is another splendid offering from K.J. Parker, the (pseudonymous) British fantasist who seems incapable of writing in anything but top form."—Locus on Sharps

"Well-crafted, powerful and downright unmissable"—SFX on The Company

"Brilliant."—Locus on The Engineer Trilogy

"Skillful plotting and rich scene-setting."—Guardian on The Company

"A richly textured and emotionally complex fantasy...Highly recommended."—Library Journal on The Engineer Trilogy (starred review)

"Astonishingly good."—RT Book Reviews on Sharps

"Parker's skillful control of pacing, expert rendering of characters, and subtle sense of humor add depth and believability."—Library Journal on Sharps

I love Tom Holt writing his KJ Parker absolutely wonderful

The narrator is perfect! story is wonderful and funny and kind of gross sometimes. Parker's writing is not for someone who is squeamish or has a problem with f-bombs. but if you love a really good story really well told you will love this trilogy! I wish I could find more of his books. I started with 16 ways to defend a walled City from the library as a way to sample the author. I liked the preview, loved the author and started looking for more. I came across this series, part of the Library part on Audible, and listen to it straight through. he's written so many books I wish I could find most of them. here's crossed fingers that they'll start producing more please audible please!

Typical KJ Parker, in a good way

Complicated protagonist, the witty kind of dialogue everyone wishes they could snap out in person, and a sprawling story in a fictional world. If you’re new to his work, I wouldn’t start here — probably enjoyed it because of the familiarity more than the story itself, which is obviously set up for sequels, but I enjoyed it nonetheless. Maybe pick up the Engineer series or the latest trilogy.

KJ Characters (BrettD Review)

KJ Parker is most known for his witty and flawed characters. They tend to push the boundaries of morality while still being likable. Saevus continues this character trend. I am not sure about chronology, but this story takes place in the same world as the siege trilogy (which I also enjoyed very much). I think the siege trilogy suffered from switching main characters each book, with the siege being the central theme/arc that linked the stories. The changing perspective was somewhat jarring. I am eager to see where this story goes following one very clever main character throughout.

Side note for listeners: This book requires the listener to pay attention. KJ's witty language can side track quickly. Space out for 10 seconds and you will wonder "how did we get here?". Actively listening is totally worth the effort.

A real jerk

Saevus Corax is a brilliant guy with a nasty personality. His friends are nasty and he somehow manages to find a beautiful woman that is equally nasty. Strangely their sarcastic and raw way of looking at life manages to keep them alive through an age of blood and hardship. His genius works well for him in many sticky situations that would otherwise have led him into a horrible death. The novel is full of interesting war details that nobody would have imagined like how many jars of olives you’d need for fifteen hundred men traveling two weeks on foot. I enjoyed it more than I thought I would and I’ll definitely be listening to the next two novels in the series.

Starts slow, good. Tough to hear

Not the author is best. 16 ways to defend the world city was a little better written and more laugh out loud hilarious moments.
I will say that is one of the funniest books I’ve ever read though so that still leaves this one is quite funny.
The first hour is rambling and not particularly captivating, but then the story really gets going.
My main beef is the reader is doing like a theatrical deep voice. I’m sure the reader has a deep voice, but it’s obviously being played up and it’s just too much. Between that and a British accent if you are listening on a phone, the base doesn’t really come through as well and it’s very hard to understand. If it were just a little less theatrical or just a little less base, it might have been dramatic and pleasant, but it was too much.