Book Review: Sister Svangerd and the Not Quite Dead (The Loyal Opposition Trilogy 1) by K.J. Parker



4.75/5 stars. This is my first read of a book by KJ Parker. I have been interested in reading his work for some time, so when I got the opportunity from Orbit Books and NetGalley to read the eARC of this book, I was very excited. My excitement was not misplaced. Parker is an excellent writer and wordsmith; he creates intriguing characters and tells an interesting political/religious story in a richly constructed fantasy setting.

Our two main characters, the narrator – Brother Desiderius, a notorious forger; and, the titular Sister Svangerd, an assassin, are both monks who are sent to the ecumenical council of the Church of the Invincible Sun to carry out an assassination. Oh, and did I mention that Desiderius is deeply in love with Svangerd, but she only tolerates his companionship, at best. While at the council, they encounter ‘walkers’ – zombie-like creatures who are only found in Desiderius’s homeland of the Mesoge. Quite a coincidence that the only person in attendance just happens to be Desiderius. The story ensues from this point and has some fantastic horror-esque moments while the reader tries to keep up with all of the political maneuvers involving the council events, Desiderius, and Svangerd.

I enjoyed this story and will definitely read more books by Parker, especially the next one in the Sister Svangerd trilogy that will be released in May 2026. This first installment releases on January 27, 2026. Highly recommended!

#orbitbooks #netgalley #sistersvangerdandthenotquitedead #kjparker

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