Making History

Published by Tordotcom.

History isn't truth...it's propaganda.

Academics can be cocky. Atop their perches of authority high above the thrumming masses of the unquestioning world they can begin to think themselves gods. It is extremely rare for this authority to be tested. But a challenge from an idiotic, power-hungry king—that'll do it.

Our narrator is one of a dozen professors at the University of the Kingdom of Aelia. Early one morning, all of them are rounded up for an audience with their dictator, Gyges. You see, Gyges is new to the job—he only just invaded Aelia last year—and like any good tyrant, he's looking to expand his empire. But he doesn't think his public image can take the hit of (another) unjustified assault. No problem, he's come up with a plan—have the scholars construct an ancient city from scratch that justifies his right to the lands of the neighboring city-state.

2 editions

reviewed Making History by K.J. Parker

Typical K.J. Parker Fare

Citizen Gyges has a chat with his city’s foremost scholars. He has a small request. A tiny one, really.

A quintessentially K. J. Parker novella. Wanting a far too clever for his own good narrator, who is a bit shifty but deep-down basically decent? Check. In need of a complicated scheme involving many moving parts? Parker has got your back.

If you generally enjoy Parker’s books, you’ll like this. I was vaguely disappointed by the denouement, but all in all, found it a delight.