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mastersal's review against another edition
5.0
This book - this book ruined Aug for me. During the read of it I kept thinking about it and during the latter half I couldn’t stop comparing stuff to it. Damn you book!!
This book follows “ Basso the Magnificent. Basso the Great. Basso the Wise. The First Citizen of the Vesani Republic” , which is a mash-up of Renaissance Florence and the Roman Republic. Just accept it - Parker makes it work.
This book is basically a long-form character study of Basso who is one of the oddest, compelling, and cold characters I've read in a long time. And one who I loved - though I am not sure why.
Despite this close focus on one character, the book is told in 3rd person because the author keeps us at a distance from Basso throughout the book which keeps us guessing as to what Basso is up to and why. We don't really hear Basso’s thoughts or justifications as we would in a first person POV - explanation is given mostly through dialogue. But even there is doubt as to the truth as Basso tends to perform sometimes. It was excellently done and such as smart writing choice by the author - definitely created this dissonance which made me anxious and invested throughout. I was generally disconcerted throughout the book (except near the end as the plot threads were brought together).
The choices Parker makes are peculiar but so smart. In the first half - each chapter is another major event in Basso’s life or in the Republic. But rarely do the chapters linger in those events. So we get a large span of time told in what feels like snippets. But in the second half () we focus in one one event and the pace becomes different - almost frenetic even though we are following one event. . Odd - but it works.
Plus, Parker doesn’t spend a lot of time on “exciting plot” items such as battles, action, even political maneuvering from the other side. There is no interest in the action-fantasy part of the plot here. Basso is not a warrior so the book never shifts our focus to another arena. Instead we get screeds on the economy, fiat money, monetary policy and markets and banking. All of which I adored!! This could be because I am an ex-banker but I loved it. So good - and so real!
Something about this book really broke my heart - made me sad which I am not sure why. Perhaps because it felt true to life - and real-life politics especially - in a venal, corrupt sense that got to me. This is less mustache twirling evil on display here but completely understandable corruption and hubris that we have all seen and we all excuse Seen that done too often IRL for this not to hit me hard.
So, for example, this book comments on the need for conflict of interest provisions and processes, between government and industry - not exactly a heady topic for fantasy but true to life. Parker manages to make these topics sardonic and kind of funny so the sadness only hit me when I thought about it. And I thought about it a lot.
He only seemed to wake up when Bassano was in danger but by that time it was too late - no last minute reprieve here. Damn you Parker!
I was so impressed with what and how Parker managed what he did, and the fact that I was thinking about how commonplace corruption was throughout the book, made this an easy 5 stars for me. Not the most uplifting read ever but still well worth the read.
This book follows “ Basso the Magnificent. Basso the Great. Basso the Wise. The First Citizen of the Vesani Republic” , which is a mash-up of Renaissance Florence and the Roman Republic. Just accept it - Parker makes it work.
This book is basically a long-form character study of Basso who is one of the oddest, compelling, and cold characters I've read in a long time. And one who I loved - though I am not sure why.
Despite this close focus on one character, the book is told in 3rd person because the author keeps us at a distance from Basso throughout the book which keeps us guessing as to what Basso is up to and why. We don't really hear Basso’s thoughts or justifications as we would in a first person POV - explanation is given mostly through dialogue. But even there is doubt as to the truth as Basso tends to perform sometimes. It was excellently done and such as smart writing choice by the author - definitely created this dissonance which made me anxious and invested throughout. I was generally disconcerted throughout the book (except near the end as the plot threads were brought together).
The choices Parker makes are peculiar but so smart. In the first half - each chapter is another major event in Basso’s life or in the Republic. But rarely do the chapters linger in those events. So we get a large span of time told in what feels like snippets. But in the second half (
Spoiler
during the invasion warSpoiler
It’s like Basso is losing control near the end which is why he is treading water and can’t get the war to its conclusion - vs. all the other events where he quickly and competently wraps them up.Plus, Parker doesn’t spend a lot of time on “exciting plot” items such as battles, action, even political maneuvering from the other side. There is no interest in the action-fantasy part of the plot here. Basso is not a warrior so the book never shifts our focus to another arena. Instead we get screeds on the economy, fiat money, monetary policy and markets and banking. All of which I adored!! This could be because I am an ex-banker but I loved it. So good - and so real!
Something about this book really broke my heart - made me sad which I am not sure why. Perhaps because it felt true to life - and real-life politics especially - in a venal, corrupt sense that got to me. This is less mustache twirling evil on display here but completely understandable corruption and hubris that we have all seen and we all excuse
Spoiler
until it leads us into war and bankruptcy of a nation state.So, for example, this book comments on the need for conflict of interest provisions and processes, between government and industry - not exactly a heady topic for fantasy but true to life. Parker manages to make these topics sardonic and kind of funny so the sadness only hit me when I thought about it. And I thought about it a lot.
Spoiler
The conversation between Basso and Bassano especially broke my heart. Getting his letters and seeing events from his perspective - which is the only other “POV” in this book - hurt. It showed the futility and the meanness of war and the loss. But Basso kept pushing and pushing which you can see is a bad idea - it was excellently done !!He only seemed to wake up when Bassano was in danger but by that time it was too late - no last minute reprieve here. Damn you Parker!
I was so impressed with what and how Parker managed what he did, and the fact that I was thinking about how commonplace corruption was throughout the book, made this an easy 5 stars for me. Not the most uplifting read ever but still well worth the read.
celiapowell's review against another edition
5.0
The Folding Knife is only really speculative in the sense that the world of the Vesani Republic is very much like but not quite like the Roman Republic. It follows the life of Basso, a man who rises to be first citizen of the Vesani Republic, immensely wealthy and powerful. Basso is a marvellously amoral character, ruthless and calculating, and I got completely swept up in this saga of a story. Trememendously enjoyable, and I want to rush out and read everything that KJ Parker has ever written.
elsmasho's review
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
brendalovesbooks's review against another edition
I'm a little over 100 pages in, and I'm going to give up on this one. It's not that it's poorly written, it's just that I was really in the mood for a fantasy, and this really isn't one. I have no idea why it's labeled as fantasy. I like my fantasy with at least some fantastical elements, so it may be that this book is just not for me.
dreyankee's review against another edition
5.0
Potentially my favorite book that I've ever read, a genius protagonist who is 5 steps ahead of everyone else, until he isn't
Average - 9/10 - Goodreads 5*
Spoilers Below
Emotional Impact - 9/10 - The stress of living paycheck to paycheck in book form. I was in awe at the maneuvering that Basso pulled-investing here, manipulating markets there, robbing Peter to pay Paul-so many clever wins that made me laugh, but then it comes crumbling down. The dread of reading every letter received during the war is unmatched anywhere else. Made me laugh, cheer, pace around from stress.
Characters - 10/10 - This review would do a disservice by talking about anything but Basso right upfront. He is the smartest character that I've ever read, but not in a Big Bang Theory way. We're shown countless examples where he plots, schemes, bargains, and then it pays off in a strange way, and we find out everything went completely according to his plan. Then the fall from grace when he flies too close to the sun. The anti-Kanye "I don't take advice from people less successful than me", he listens to his advisors, and they save his ass so many times. The side characters are well fleshed out, but the focus is clearly on Basso, and he's written outstandingly well.
Plot - 10/10 - A rollercoaster, the pacing is insane, the first section skips decades at a time, then the middle is all of these different maneuverings and sieges and battles that feel like decades, but turn out to just be a crazy year or two. The last section being the war told through letters and not much else gives anxiety, "Will the war finally end or did someone die?" I just loved the plot, watching Basso and the bank grow, Bassano grow up and have to map his life out, and then the rise and fall of the nation.
Prose - 9/10 - Extremely readable, but many profound quotes as well, and a few moments that made me laugh out loud
-"A good deal is where both sides make a profit...That way, both sides will want to deal with each other again. It's better to keep the other man happy and make ten percent ten times than rip the other man off and make thirty percent once"
-"If someone had given him thirty political assassinations of his choice for a birthday present, he couldn't have done better"
World Building - 7/10-Probably the weakest part of the book, but I primarily read fantasy, where nations and magic systems jump off the page. This could've just been set in our world, then the map would be more built into my brain.
Average - 9/10 - Goodreads 5*
Spoilers Below
Emotional Impact - 9/10 - The stress of living paycheck to paycheck in book form. I was in awe at the maneuvering that Basso pulled-investing here, manipulating markets there, robbing Peter to pay Paul-so many clever wins that made me laugh, but then it comes crumbling down. The dread of reading every letter received during the war is unmatched anywhere else. Made me laugh, cheer, pace around from stress.
Characters - 10/10 - This review would do a disservice by talking about anything but Basso right upfront. He is the smartest character that I've ever read, but not in a Big Bang Theory way. We're shown countless examples where he plots, schemes, bargains, and then it pays off in a strange way, and we find out everything went completely according to his plan. Then the fall from grace when he flies too close to the sun. The anti-Kanye "I don't take advice from people less successful than me", he listens to his advisors, and they save his ass so many times. The side characters are well fleshed out, but the focus is clearly on Basso, and he's written outstandingly well.
Plot - 10/10 - A rollercoaster, the pacing is insane, the first section skips decades at a time, then the middle is all of these different maneuverings and sieges and battles that feel like decades, but turn out to just be a crazy year or two. The last section being the war told through letters and not much else gives anxiety, "Will the war finally end or did someone die?" I just loved the plot, watching Basso and the bank grow, Bassano grow up and have to map his life out, and then the rise and fall of the nation.
Prose - 9/10 - Extremely readable, but many profound quotes as well, and a few moments that made me laugh out loud
-"A good deal is where both sides make a profit...That way, both sides will want to deal with each other again. It's better to keep the other man happy and make ten percent ten times than rip the other man off and make thirty percent once"
-"If someone had given him thirty political assassinations of his choice for a birthday present, he couldn't have done better"
World Building - 7/10-Probably the weakest part of the book, but I primarily read fantasy, where nations and magic systems jump off the page. This could've just been set in our world, then the map would be more built into my brain.
tara_whitaker's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
crimsoncor's review
dark
informative
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
So George RR Martin likes his "but what was Aragorn's tax policy?" soundbite like he's some sort of economics savant, even though the early feudal style kingdom of Gondor probably didn't have much a tax policy because that was all handled at the noble level. And then he creates a world with a single bank.
So what would a world look like if someone actually cared about crafting it with economic policy in mind? Maybe something like this, where things like financial derivatives, paper money, currency debasement (but also rebasement!), bank runs, etc. Like everything else I've read by KJ Parker, this is a fascinating, super deep world. yes, the main character is a savant, but isn't particularly unrealistic. When you're willing to push all-in and you're operating from a position of strength, you're going to win most of the time. Until you don't. The ending twist and what brings down our main character is masterfully done and rather heart-breaking. And then the final oroborous of the story, where the apprentice becomes the master becomes his teacher: just wonderfully done. One of the smartest fantasy novels I've ever read.
So what would a world look like if someone actually cared about crafting it with economic policy in mind? Maybe something like this, where things like financial derivatives, paper money, currency debasement (but also rebasement!), bank runs, etc. Like everything else I've read by KJ Parker, this is a fascinating, super deep world. yes, the main character is a savant, but isn't particularly unrealistic. When you're willing to push all-in and you're operating from a position of strength, you're going to win most of the time. Until you don't. The ending twist and what brings down our main character is masterfully done and rather heart-breaking. And then the final oroborous of the story, where the apprentice becomes the master becomes his teacher: just wonderfully done. One of the smartest fantasy novels I've ever read.
abmgw's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
informative
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
kaiap33's review against another edition
challenging
dark
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5