Reading order
| # | Title | Published | Author | Buy on Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Purple and Black | 2009 | K.J. Parker | Buy |
| 2 | The Sun and I | 2013 | K.J. Parker | N/A |
| 3 | Academic Exercises | 2014 | K.J. Parker | Buy |
| 4 | The Last Witness | 2015 | K.J. Parker | Buy |
| 5 | Downfall of the Gods | 2016 | K.J. Parker | Buy |
| 6 | Mightier than the Sword | 2017 | K.J. Parker | Buy |
| 7 | My Beautiful Life | 2019 | K.J. Parker | Buy |
| 8 | Burning Books for Pleasure and Profit | 2022 | K.J. Parker | Buy |
| 9 | Set in Stone | 2024 | K.J. Parker | Buy |
| 10 | Making History | 2025 | K.J. Parker | Buy |
K.J. Parker’s novellas are often considered some of his best writing. The shorter format suits his style well, giving him room to develop a single idea without the sprawl of a trilogy. Purple and Black, an epistolary story told through letters between an emperor and his general, was one of his earliest shorter works. Since then, he has published regularly through Tor.com and Subterranean Press, with titles like The Last Witness, Downfall of the Gods, and My Beautiful Life earning award nominations.
More recent entries like Set in Stone and Making History continue the streak. These stories typically feature Parker’s usual preoccupations: characters who are very good at one particular thing, whether that is memory manipulation, forgery, or some obscure craft, and who get pulled into situations where that skill becomes both a blessing and a liability. For readers who want to try Parker without committing to a full novel, any of these novellas will give a clear sense of what he does.