Sixteen Ways to Defend a Walled City

Name: Sixteen Ways to Defend a Walled City
Brand: Hachette Audio
Availability: InStock
Author: K. J. Parker
ISBN: 9781549156984

Author: K. J. Parker

Narrator: Ray Sawyer

Unabridged: 13 hr 16 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Publisher: Orbit

Published: 12/17/2019

Categories: Fiction, Fantasy, Epic, Action & Adventure, Military Fantasy

Synopsis

K. J. Parker's new novel is the remarkable tale of the siege of a walled city, and the even more remarkable man who had to defend it.

A siege is approaching, and the city has little time to prepare. The people have no food and no weapons, and the enemy has sworn to slaughter them all.

To save the city will take a miracle, but what it has is Orhan. A colonel of engineers, Orhan has far more experience with bridge-building than battles, is a cheat and a liar, and has a serious problem with authority. He is, in other words, perfect for the job.

Sixteen Ways To Defend a Walled City is the story of Orhan, son of Siyyah Doctus Felix Praeclarissimus, and his history of the Great Siege, written down so that the deeds and sufferings of great men may never be forgotten.

About K. J. Parker

Having worked in journalism, numismatics and the law, K. J. Parker now writes for a precarious living. He is the author of Devices and Desires, Evil for Evil, The Devil You Know, and other novels, and has won the World Fantasy Award twice. Parker also writes under the name Tom Holt.

Reviews

Goodreads review by Matt's Fantasy Book Reviews on March 20, 2023

Check out my YouTube channel where I show my instant reactions upon finishing reading fantasy books. An absolute blast from beginning to end! This book is just a blast from start to finish, and while I understand after reading some negative reviews of this what people may not like about it, this o......more

Goodreads review by Sean Barrs on May 06, 2020

This was so much fun. I could tell that K.J Parker had a real laugh when writing it. Orhan is a great character, and although he is hilariously out if his depth his keen mind allows him to pull through a rather tricky situation, though not without several awkward blunders. Orhan is an engineer, not......more

Goodreads review by Liviu on February 13, 2019

First person narration, funny, irreverent, lots of twists - being a huge fan of the author and reading pretty much all his books, I saw some ahead of time as those occur frequently throughout his work, but it still managed to surprise me quite often. While the ending has a conclusion so to speak, I......more

Goodreads review by Niki Hawkes on March 17, 2025

Check out my Booktube channel at: The Obsessive Bookseller I’m going to need more K.J. Parker books to devour. What a total delight! Written in a chronicled, sardonic tone, this was like a mashup between Abercrombie and Pratchett. There were a few brutal elements, but the levity of the tone always kep......more

Goodreads review by Bradley on December 13, 2021

I admit I was hook-line-and-sinkered with the title. Anything that logical and/or methodical tied to an epic fantasy title just screams niche-cool. And I wasn't disappointed. Engineer-turned-hero tales, turning a hopeless situation (a dead army, useless leaders, and a bunch of screwed-over normal peo......more

Quotes

"Full of invention and ingenuity . . . Great fun."—SFX

"Launches a witty adventure series . . . Readers will appreciate the infusion of humor and fun-loving characters into this vivid and sometimes grim fantasy world."—Publishers Weekly

"As with most of Parker's work, there is a melancholy undercurrent that gives the humor weight. As heroes go, Orhan is a reluctant and flawed one . . . . [but] when Orhan works the problem, we can't help but watch."—Locus

“With a steady pacing, solid, lean writing and variety of twists, the novel keeps on surprising the reader."—Fantasy Book Critic

"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

"[Sharps] is a ripping good adventure yarn, laced with frequent barbed witticisms and ace sword fighting... Parker's settings and characterizations never miss a beat, and the intricate political interplay of intrigue is suspenseful almost to the last page."—Publishers Weekly on Sharps

"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

"Parker carries the reader on a headlong gallop to the powerful conclusion."—Publishers Weekly on The Company (starred review)