Tom Holt

[Dave]

Thomas Charles Louis Holt
pen names: K. J. Parker (for dark fantasy) and Thomas Holt (for historical fiction).

born London, England: 13 September 1961

Tom Holt is best known as a British author of humorous and mythopoeic novels. Before writing full-time he was a solicitor.

His first published collection was Poems by Tom Holt (1973).

As Tom Holt his novels are parodies that develop themes which encompass various aspects of mythology, history, or literature, and present them in a humorous manner.

Here Comes the Sun (1993) requires steampunk technology to keep the Sun's movement through the sky, operated with typical inefficiency and bureaucracy.

Blonde Bombshell (2010) has shapeshifting dog-like aliens with a rogue bomb and offers a satire of computer technologies.

Under the name Thomas Holt he has written historical novels.

As K. J. Parker he publishes fantasy fiction. His assumed identity as K. J. Parker remained secret for 17 years until it was disclosed in 2015. Under this pseudonym, he produced novels, novellas and short fiction.

These novels are set in worlds with fictional geographies and histories but do not typically involve the cliches or the explicit use of magic common in many fantasy works. However, his short stories often do address the magical-related problems of sorcerers. These works frequently embody tragic themes, featuring characters whose actions inadvertently lead to their self-destruction, and they explore themes of politics and technological impact.

Notably works are The Fencer Trilogy, beginning with Colours in the Steel (1988) and The Scavenger Trilogy, beginning with Shadow (2001).

A list of his works is to be found here: Summary Bibliography: Tom Holt

Wikipedia page: Tom Holt - Wikipedia

 

[BAYLOR]

Flying Dutch. A comic fantasy retelling of there of the famous Flying Dutchman ship . Captain Vanderdecker and his Crew encounter an alchemist who has discovered a miraculous elixir which gives both youth and immortality . The Captain and his mistake it for a beer chaser and the next thing they know, they're immortal. Unfortunately, the elixir has a rather interesting not very pleasant side effects which cause them no end of trouble. This is just the tip of the iceberg.

 

[Teresa Edgerton]

I haven't read any of the books written under his own name, but I've read quite bit of things he wrote under the K. J. Parker pseudonym. Mostly novellas, short novels, and collections, as I found that, for myself, Parker is best taken in small doses. The books are funny, with a wry sort of humor, but they are ... uncheerful books ... with many a dark twist. Reading a trilogy of doorstop books (like the Engineer Trilogy) was too relentlessly depressing for me (compelling and almost compulsively readable, yes, but such a dispiriting experience) , so I gravitated afterwards toward his shorter fiction.

 

[BAYLOR]

I had no idea he was also k J Parker .

 

[Dave]

I had no idea he was also k J Parker .

The reveal was quite an anticipated event, even here on SFFChrons: KJ Parker to reveal identity on Tuesday 2pm GMT