Sister Svangerd and the Not Quite Dead

By: K. J. Parker

Published by Orbit, 2026-01-27

From World Fantasy Award-winning author K.J. Parker comes a devilishly clever tale of murder, intrigue, and existential crisis.



​Not even the Church of the Invincible Sun is invincible - and somebody has to do its dirty work. Enter Sister Svangerd and her accompanying priest, both accomplished practitioners. Their mission is simple: to make a meddlesome princess disappear (permanently).



To get to her, they must attend the legendary Ecumenical Council, the once-in-a-century convening of the greatest spiritual minds the world has to offer. But when they arrive, they find instead a den of villainy that would make the most hardened criminal blush.



To complicate matters further, it appears that some people long considered dead might not be after all. What began as a simple murder is about to escalate into a theological debate of terrifying complexity.



For more from K. J. Parker, check out:



Saevus Corax Deals With the Dead

Saevus Corax Captures the Castle

Saevus Corax Gets Away with Murder



Sixteen Ways to Defend a Walled City

How to Rule an Empire and Get Away With It

A Practical Guide to Conquering the World



The Two of Swords

The Two of Swords: Volume One

The Two of Swords Volume Two

The Two of Swords: Volume Three



The Fencer Trilogy

Colours in the Steel

The Belly of the Bow

The Proof House



The Scavenger Trilogy

Shadow

Pattern

Memory



Engineer Trilogy

Devices and Desires

Evil for Evil

The Escapement



The Company

The Folding Knife