The King’s Justice is a book of two novellas by Stephen Donaldson. The first novella, “The King’s Justice,” tells of a stranger known only as “Black,” who comes to a village looking to solve a series of strange events and find the person or thing responsible. Possessing magical abilities, Black is able to gain cooperation from the villagers, who just want to be left alone. It is a mystery well-handled, filled with magic and danger.
The second novella is entitled “The Auger’s Gambit.” Told in first person, this is the tale of Gordian, a court hieronomer who continues to see disaster in his prophesies about the island nation he calls home. He serves Queen Inimica Phlegathon DeVry, who seems to be courting disaster by pitting her Barons against each other. But through history lessons from the queen’s daughter, Gordion learns enough to develop a theory and try to come up with a solution. “The Auger’s Gambit” is a lot of fun. It’s another mystery, though not as dark as “The King’s Justice,” making a good pairing for this book.
Pick up The King’s Justice and enjoy both stories. I certainly did!