The Siege

K. J. Parker

When a powerful enemy lays siege to a great city, the defenders appear to have little hope—and even fewer competent leaders. Orhan, a cynical military engineer and unlikely commander, must improvise weapons, rally fractious citizens, and devise increasingly audacious strategies to keep the walls standing. Blending sharp wit with meticulously imagined military ingenuity, this darkly comic fantasy explores leadership, survival, loyalty, and the extraordinary lengths people will go to when defeat seems inevitable.