Mightier than the Sword
by K J Parker (Subterranean, 2017)
A novella with the breadth and impact of a novel, packed into one sitting. Parker again delivers invented-world fantasy with more realism and more of an eye to detail than do most actual histories. Another droll (if downbeat) deconstruction of human nature.
Jimmy and the Crawler
by Raymond E. Feist (HarperCollins, 2013)
Jimmy the Hand is one of Raymond E. Feist’s best-loved characters. Jimmy and the Crawler reads more like a novel excerpt than a stand-alone novella; nevertheless, fans of Feist’s Riftwar Saga will appreciate this nostalgic return to storylines long since left behind.
The Devil You Know
by K J Parker (Tor, 2016)
A single-sitting novella in which Parker adds a devilish twist to the Faust legend: the demon representing the Prince of Lies has an appreciation for the arts; the man selling his soul is a great philosopher but an irrepressible liar and cheat.
Downfall of the Gods
by K J Parker (Subterranean, 2016)
Parker knows a cynical thing or two about human nature, and in this droll fantasy novella exposes the gods as being equally prone to self-destruction. Told from a divine perspective, her quest narrative follows its own succulent logic through several unexpected turns.