I chose K.J. Parker’s The Company as my next read a little hesitantly–I wasn’t crazy about the Engineer Trilogy and I was afraid this would read the same way (i.e., waaaay too detailed for my taste). I was pleasantly surprised to see another facet of Parker’s writing.
The Company is about 5 men who went to war together. The book takes place about 10 years later, when they finally meet again. Parker draws vivid characters by telling the story in the present as well as including flashbacks from their younger days at school and at war together. General Teuche Kunessin, their leader, comes to town and proposes that they all live on an island together, just like they said they would during the war. The bonds of brotherhood run deep and they promptly (and a little conveniently) drop their civilian lives and careers to follow Kunessin, who has chosen the island of Sphoe to colonize. The further discovery of gold on the island adds a streak of avarice as members of the group have varying opinions on what should be done with the newfound wealth. Unfortunately, the more time A Company spends together, the more their secrets begin to unravel.
Those who enjoyed The Engineer Trilogy’s level of detail will be pleased as Parker explains how to colonize the island: pan for gold, build boats, etc. For me, this is only interesting to a certain extent. It is also “typical” Parker in its dark cynicism, so don’t expect to be happy about the ending. Parker’s worldview is definitely not for everyone. Overall, it’s an above average read, exceedingly well written–without the help of magic, dragons, and other commonalities of the fantasy genre.
