The Folding Knife by K.J. Parker

… K.J. Parker is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors. Both this novel and Purple and Black are intellectually satisfying without being pedantic or dogmatic. The prose is crystalline in purity. Each word is important, though the full relevance may not be obvious for several chapters. This is fantasy of the highest order, without actually containing a single fantastical element. There are no elves, dragons, or magic — just an author creating an entirely new world out of thin air, and polishing it to such a mirror sheen that it can be held up to reflect who the reader is at their core. If I could give this book more than five stars, I would. As it is, I highly recommend The Folding Knife to anyone who can read… Read the rest.