The Devil You Know

Of the three novellas I read this weekend, this was hands down my favorite. It was my first K.J. Parker/Tom Holt but I don't think it will be my last. This is the story of a philosopher conman pulling a giant con on the devil. It's crafty and wickedly smart and I loved every minute of it. I also learned that there was another novella featuring Salonius, which I will need to track down. He was marvelous!

The createst philosopher, alchemist and conman of the ages makes a deal with the devil -- his immortal soul for renewed youth, twenty years of guaranteed life, and everything he could wish for during that time. But, as the devil keeps asking himself throughout the novella ... why would such a smart man possibly make such a terrible deal?

The short novel delivers on this intriguing premise, but it doesn't go beyond that. The narration -- first person, tossing back and forth between the two parties of the deal -- is well done and entertaining, and the pages breeze by. And there is a twist or two, as one would hope, and they're satisfactory. But perhaps not much more than that. It's a high bar to clear, delivering on this stellar premise, show more and so perhaps Parker simply set my expectations too high for his own good when I found my experience at the end to be good, but not great. That said, I see he's written two other short novels involving the same character, and I'm now intrigued to try them, so clearly, I liked it rather a lotl. show less

In the grand Faustian tradition... 'The Devil You Know' takes a familiar tale and gives it a genuinely new twist... and a wonderfully wry dose of humor.

A brilliant and famed philosopher, entering his twilight years, decides to sell his soul to the devil. The particular devil who's sent to collect the contract (Hell is, apparently, quite the bureaucracy) happens to be a fan of the philosopher, who's known for his atheistic views and his arguments in favor of moral relativity. But, fan or no, knowing the man's history, which has involved not a few cons and schemes over the years, leads him to believe that there's some trick up his sleeve.

Why, after all, would someone, especially someone so intelligent, risk eternal damnation for just a show more few years of temporal power?

Is it possible to actually outwit the Infernal?

This novella deserves to end up on end-of-year awards lists.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Tor for the opportunity to read. As always,my opinion is solely my own. show less

Wow, K.J. Parker is truly a masterful writer. This is a book with compelling storytelling and beautiful prose, all packed within a rather thin volume. The main character Saloninus is the greatest philosopher of all humankind, and in his old age, he trades his soul to the devil for 20 years of youth to complete his life's work. Or so he says.

There's somewhat of a mystery element as the story slowly reveals what Saloninus is up to, and we are kept glued to the pages as we, along with the demon who is assigned to assist Saloninus, try to figure out his true motives. In the end, the ultimate reveal turned out to be a little predictable. Still, the journey to get there was executed well for the most part.

My only real complaint, which is no show more fault of the author's, is that I didn't realize this book was actually the 2nd of a series, and while it is completely understandable as a standalone, it does seem to make reference to events and characters from the first book. That, and the fact that it was hard to differentiate between the narration of Saloninus and his demonic assistant, which the book alternates between--I think their voices could have been made a little more distinctive from each other's, but it's really a minor quibble. show less

Saloninus is the greatest philosopher of all time.

He's also the greatest liar and trickster of all time.

So when he offers to sell his soul to the devil in exchange for a mere twenty years to complete his life's work, the assistant devil assigned to handle his case is certain he's up to something. But what? The contract, as always, is airtight; the Lord of Lies has the very best lawyers.

It would be wrong to say more than that. The story is funny, and tricky, and we get both the assistant devil's side of the story, and Saloninus' side. Enjoy!

Recommended.

This review and others posted over at my blog.

Saloninus is perhaps the greatest philosopher of all time and he’s looking to sell his soul to the devil for twenty more years on Earth and nearly unlimited power. But the demon assigned to his case, a big fan of the philosopher’s work actually, can’t shake the feeling that his team is missing something.

We have a few Parker books in the house (I also learned Parker is Tom Holt so technically we have even more of his work) and I’ve wanted to read something of his for years (well, actually, something of Tom Holt’s because I discovered him first and didn’t know they were one in the same), but just never made time. I recently picked up this novella for my Sweetbeeps since he’s back show more on a Parker kick and ended up reading it before he did. -snicker-

I connected immediately with Parker’s writing. Here we have a little tale told mostly from the point of view of the demon (whose name we never learn) and his thoughts on the philosopher Saloninus, who has recently sold his soul with the standard contract. The demon is actually a fan of Saloninus’s work and enjoys talking shop with his “customer”, as well as a patron of the arts and an all-around “good guy” which wasn’t what I was expecting. He doesn’t enjoy doing evil but is the best in the business because he takes his job so seriously.

Saloninus was a little flat – the predictable old trickster who is cleverer than the demons because of his humanity. But I didn’t mind because even though this tale is about him outwitting the devil (er-well, his minion), I think it’s really more about the demon himself and how he handles the situation and the bureaucracy of his organization. The changes between the demon’s POV and Saloninus’s were also abrupt and a little disorienting, but not a major problem.

I’ve no idea whether the characters or the land are part of another series, but I read this as a stand-alone novella with no problem. This has certainly motivated me to read more of Parker’s work. If you’ve never read anything by him, perhaps this novella is a good place to get your feet wet! show less

“I don't do evil when I'm not on duty, just as prostitutes tend not to have sex on their days off. My ideal off-shift day starts with a hot bath and the scent of black tea, followed by an hour on my balcony with a good book; then a stroll through the busy streets to view an art exhibition, hear a sermon or philosophical debate, or simply admire the mosaics in the Blue Temple.”

In “The Devil You Know” by K. J. Parker

The underpass is vacant apart from a solitary figure headed directly toward her. A woman around Romany's own age, and not too dissimilar from how she looks.
'I see you're not taking the advice,' the police officer says nodding to the wall. 'The poster. We're advising young women to be careful not to walk alone when they show more don't have to. He's killed three.'
'I'm sorry, I didn't see it. I'm only headed around the corner,' Romeny replies.
'I'll walk you along. I hope you've been watching the news.'
Out of the underpass now, Romeny learns a lot about the officer. She learns her name, that she's part Irish, that she isn't a natural blonde, and the police are no closer to finding the monster.
Romeny also knows that there are no cameras here, nor are there any cameras within a square mile of this alleyway. She remembers from the maps that decorate her basement flat.
It's how she's gotten away with it for so long.
She hasn't planned on it tonight, but the night is so young and crisp and the porcelain flesh of her new friend so inviting, she doesn't see any reason why she can't play.
She reaches into her jacket pocket and thumbs the icy blade it shelters.
This will be fun, she thinks.

And again, it is. show less