The Long Game, by K. J. Parker (Subterranean)
Demons never lie. They just don’t tell the entire truth,
especially when it involves a plot running for thousands of years to ultimately
seduce humankind so that Evil can reign on Earth.
The unnamed narrator is an Ecclesiastical Adept, rather full
of himself and his abilities (including the knack for sliding through exams
with the least possible amount of effort other than raw talent). He’s supposed
to be carefully guarding the world against the forces of Evil in the form of
demons, but actually he has—somehow, he’s not sure exactly how—formed a
friendship with one of the Enemy’s minions. The demon is no match for the Adept’s
powers and all too ready to exchange a few favors here and there for the right
to continued residence in the mortal realms. So when a young, beautiful, mysterious
woman from a land formerly thought to be mythical murders a local prior, it’s
up to the Adept and his ever-helpful demon to solve the case. But nothing is as
it seems when it comes to demons. They are notorious for playing the Long Game,
in this case, The Very, Very, Very Long Game. They do this by telling the
truth. Just not all of it.
The best thing about this short novel is the wonderful voice of the narrator, snappy and sarcastic and oh-so-unreliable when it comes to his own nature and motives. And the plot twists. And the mystery. It’s just delicious!
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