Sister Svangerd and the Not Quite Dead is the first book in the newest fantasy trilogy written by K.J. Parker, The Loyal Opposition, published by Orbit Books. A story told with the classical cynicism that characterizes Parker's narrator characters, resulting in a fun novel that is not only great at examining almost any concept related to religion, power and history while demolishing them with an astonishing logic, but also managing to keep the reader engaged at all times.

Brother Desiderius and Sister Svangerd are both first-rate practitioners, doing the dirty work needed by the Church of the Invincible Sun. Their new mission: making a princess permanently disappear, taking the opportunity given the legendary Ecumenical Council; but the things become much more complicated once they discover how the Council is more akin to a nest of vipers than a reunion of pious men. A mission that escalates from a simple assassination to a theological debate that might threaten to create a schism, complicated by a small business with corpses that refuse to stay dead.

Brother Desiderius is kinda the classical lead that you could expect from a Parker book: really smart, tired and aware that how history is made is really different to how it is told. His sarcastic voice is the perfect one to tell this story, especially after the mission escalates into something bigger. Sister Svangerd is a bit the counterpart: proficient at wielding weapons, a hard believer in the Church's doctrine, but with a very practical way to see the world. Their friendship works pretty well, taking into account how they are basically the opposite.

The Ecumenical Council is the perfect setting for this kind of story: while in appearance is the reunion of the most pious and brilliant minds of the Church, a place for intellectualism, in reality hides a fight for power, for the destiny of the Church. It also serves as the perfect excuse for Brother Desiderius' examinations in religion and history, an atheist going over concepts to refute them with a dose of logic and cynicism, creating a dark philosophical tale in the process.
The pacing is quite on the spot, including certain action scenes that help to elevate the tension after some passages that are more dense.

Sister Svanger and the Not Quite Dead is a great way to kick-off the Loyal Opposition series, a perfect choice if you like your fantasy dark and sarcastic, but still want to have a ton of fun in the process.