Saevus Corax Gets Away With Murder (Corax, #3)

by K. J. Parker

[annieb123]

Originally posted on my blog Nonstop Reader.

Saevus Corax Gets Away with Murder is a bonkers comedic romp and the third book in the Corax trilogy by K.J. Parker (Tom Holt). Released 5th Dec. 2023 by Orbit, it's 352 pages and is available in paperback, audio, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout. 

Tom Holt, aka Parker, is undeniably quite gifted at drawing humo(u)r from the juxtaposition of elements which would otherwise shock and/or horrify. From accidentally running over a badger and unwillingly becoming the owner of the ring of the Nibelung to this heist caper featuring a battlefield scavenger trying to retire from the business of stripping corpses, the sheer capacity of -imagining- these what if's is mind-boggling. Happily, throughout his oeuvre, he generally manages to fall on the funny side, and is occasionally really funny. 

As it's the 3rd book in a trilogy with a fair bit of continuity, this one doesn't work well at all as a standalone and it's strongly recommended to read the books in order. The author -does- provide the necessary backstory for readers who jump in at the end, but it won't be the same experience or nearly as immersive. 

This book is more cynical and less funny/witty than the previous books and there was a definite wistfulness to the story here (more than expected for an admittedly grim setup: to wit, a battlefield scavenger who's had everyone from governments to his family trying to kill him or otherwise put him out of commission for years). 

That being said, the author's a gifted wordsmith, and it was impressively well written. 

Four and a half stars. Recommended for library acquisition (adult fantasy/speculative fiction section), home use, and would make a nice binge/buddy read with the sister volumes. 

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.