THE HAMMER

K.J. Parker is a pseudonym, and no one knows the author's real identity. But one thing that's not in doubt is how good a writer the mysterious Mr/Ms Parker is. To my mind, Parker is one of the best fantasy writers around.

The Hammer is a startlingly bitter fantasy novel about a terrible deed committed within an exiled noble family that somehow, in some way, must be brought to justice. And Gignomai, the family's youngest son might just have found a way.



Many of Parker's novels contains characters railing against their (supposedly) aristocratic betters, and The Hammer follows that formula very closely. But the formula is effective, and keeps you reading, even through some of the detailed descriptions of an early stage of industrialisation. Because K.J. Parker does love engineering as well as family and sibling conflicts.

Despite the familiarity of Parker's themes and plot structure, his/her novels are always entertaining, gripping reads, and The Hammer is no exception.  Recommended!

First Blood

What a book! Surely one of the best thrillers ever written, First Blood contains savagely raw writing, stunning characterisation and brilliant action sequences. There's also a strong theme that somehow, despite the breakneck speed of the narrative, the author stays true to throughout.

Although David Morrell says he liked the film, he must have been disappointed that the director and producers lost his sympathetic portrayal of Teasle, the small town cop who wants to move Rambo out of town because he looks like trouble. Rambo himself is brilliantly depicted, a festering wound of a man, wandering America like a time bomb. And when he explodes, well, Teasle and the whole town of Madison, Kentucky had better watch out.

I've reread First Blood countless times over the past twenty-five years and it has never lost its power or excitement. If you've never read First Blood, do so. If you have read it, then dig it out of your attic because its well worth a reread. Just make sure you have a clear weekend, because once you read that great first line ('His name was Rambo and he was just some nothing kid for all anybody knew...')  you'll want to keep on reading until the shocking end.