K. J. Parker's "How To Rule An Empire and Get Away With It" is an intoxicating blend of sharp wit, political intrigue, and inventive world-building. Parker takes us on an exhilarating ride filled with sly humor and unexpected plot twists. His characters are masterfully drawn, each contributing to the tangled web of this compelling narrative. With his trademark knack for intricate storytelling, Parker presents a fresh perspective on the art of ruling an empire. A book that is as thought-provoking as it is entertaining. This is political fantasy at its most addictive.

This was a fun and fast paced follow-up to Sixteen Ways to Defend a Walled City and I really enjoyed it. Notker was a great protagonist; relatable, unintentionally brave and hopelessly overwhelmed by the situation he has unwittingly found himself in. Hodda was the pre-requisite kickass feisty heroine that the book says is completely necessary for a successful plot (so true), and the machinations of the city politics were equally as fascinating as the first book. The pacing was definitely faster in this installment and I think I enjoyed the characters a little bit more here too. Overall, a really solid second book and I'm looking forward to the finale.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Sad to say I didn’t enjoy this one as much as the first instalment. I felt like it didn’t have the charm or same humour that I enjoyed in the first book.
Main character was very annoying and whiny and I didn’t enjoy reading about him at all.
I can still see the writing skill Parker has as it made me able to finish it. I just found this one kind of dull and lacking in many ways.
So unfortunately I won’t be continuing to the next one either.
Good writing but just bad execution!

Notker is just your average guy, who works hard at his job as an actor and just wants to get by. Although of you asked Notker himself, he'd tell you of his amazing talents in impersonating the rich. But when a big job lands in his lap that requires him to impersonate an (unfortunately dead) war hero, Notker becomes a reluctant leader in a war he has no interest in.

Notker is a really interesting character. He's sarcastic, charismatic and full of himself. He's selfish, witty and thoughtful. He's full of contradictions and humour, and his anti hero stance on the war, and people in general, is wonderful to read about. The humour is very much going to be hit or miss with readers, but to me the dry sarcastic comments on political incompetence and self righteousness was right up my street. I found everyone's rather nonchalant, not bothered attitude at finding our Notjer's real identity throughout the story particularly hilarious. It becomes a bit of a running joke that no-one really cares who he is, but rather that he's a figurehead for a movement, a means to an end.

The plot is also pretty well paced too, with plenty of action scenes that are often cleverly interwoven with plays that Notker is either performing or writing to explain what is going on in an easy to follow way. It's a very detailed account of seige warfare, cleverly and thoughtfully considered in such a way that it's entirely believable and realistic. The author clearly knows a thing or two about war.

Cleverly written, unique fantasy with excellent characterisation. Highly recommend to fans of war based high fantasy.

Thank you to Nazia and Orbit books for providing me an ARC. All thoughts are mine

How to Rule an Empire is one of the, if not, the most brilliant fantasy novels based on the Byzantine Empire that I have ever read. This is a tale of a conman, a tale of an actor that becomes something bigger than life. I really liked Notker and his ability to adapt in this world-changing novel. An actor that is threatened by three of the most powerful men in the city suddenly becomes privy to the politics of the city that forces him to become Emperor.

Firstly, I applaud Orbit for taking this Byzantine inspired fantasy and adding it onto my shelf. The cover really makes a lot of sense when you read the entire novel. I feel Notker's mother never really liked him and really wished that in the sequel, we see their chemistry becoming repaired. I was disappointed not to see a map because I really want to see a map of this Byzantine inspired fantasy. I also wished to see more of Ogus and his scenes developing with Notker who becomes the Emperor in a way.

This is also, of course, inspired by the 1453 Siege of Constantinople. If you watch Netflix's Rise of Empire: Ottoman, it provides a somewhat balanced viewpoints of the Roman and Ottoman viewpoints from the siege. If you get started with book 1, it'll provide some very good context. Notker seems to be inspired from Giovanni Giustiniani, apparently a Genose Captain, part of the Imperial Byzantine titles: Imperial Stable Master.

Bascially put, he's comes from one of the greatest families of Genose. Hired by the last official Byzantine Emperor Constantine XI Palaiologos, Giovanni proved to be a pain in the neck for the Ottomans. He would fight them back, and he would conduct schemes and ruses to trick the Ottoman attackers. Very similiar things happen. Except you can guess here: Like Notker, Giovanni also fled the city when the attack led by the Ottomans was led by a ferecious assault and Giovanni fled, but he succumbed to his wounds (he attacked but he was wounded very severly). Notker has something similar...but you can figure that out. And I did not like Hodda. I don't think she was ever a good fit for Notker in the first place (in brain and cunning yes. In love? Never.) I think Notker needs some really positive women in his life. Both his mother and Hodda are horrendous in my opinion. Captain Very was also a great character :)

I had so much fun reading this in the first person, I felt I was actively involved in Notker's story. I CAN'T wait to see where his story goes! Truly, this IS the performance of a lifetime. I daresay Notker has gotten a bigger role that was very...tremendous for an actor of his capabilities.

Not quite as enjoyable as the previous installment, but still a thoroughly enjoyable romp! The characters are just as fun as the previous, and just as well rounded.

This is the first book I read by this author and won't surely be the last as I loved this one.
It's highly enjoyable and gripping, full of humour, social commentary and with a tight knitter and well developed plot.
Notker is an unreliable narrator you cannot help loving. It's well developed and I likable. I think the character development is excellent and all the characters are interesting.
There's not a lot of world building but I loved how the atmosphere of the city under siege is realistic.
I laughed and thoroughly enjoyed this book, it's highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

Tuve la suerte de que la editorial Orbit me mandara un ejemplar de este obra, pero este gesto no ha alterado mi valoración, porque de todos es ya sabida mi admiración por K.J. Parker.


How to Rule an Empire and Get Away with It es la continuación de la estupenda 16 Ways to Defend a Walled City. Con cambio de protagonista pero no de circunstancias, volvemos a asistir al sitio, ya casi eterno, de la última ciudad del Imperio. El status quo continúa presente, ya que ni los artilugios de guerra son capaces de avanzar lo suficiente como para destrozar los muros ni hay zapadores experimentados para socavar sus bases. Sin embargo, es lógico suponer que en estos enfrentamiento a largo plazo siempre tiene las de perder el sitiado.

Es en esta situación, el líder de la ciudad muere y es necesario sustituirlo de alguna manera para que los ánimos no caigan por los suelos. Y no se les ocurre mejor idea que contratar a un actor para que interprete su papel. Notker, que así se llama el personaje sobre el que pivotará todo el libro, acepta a regañadientes, pero poco a poco va utilizando su influencia y su conocimiento de la ciudad para inclinar la balanza a su favor.

Mientras que en el primer libro casi todos los planes de acción versaban sobre obras de ingeniería y aquí también tenemos algo de eso, lo que dará empaque a la novela son las comparativas con el mundo del teatro y la farándula, que Notker no deja de utilizar para sus planes. Personalmente, me interesan menos que los temas de armamento militar que se utilizaban en la primera entrega y por eso me ha costado entrar en el libro. Pero esto es una cuestión de preferencias personales, así que a otro lector puede que no le resulte difícil dejarse llevar por el tema.

Las características de la obra de Parker, que ya discutimos en su momento, están presentes en esta nueva entrega del Parkerverso. Ironía a raudales e inteligencia aplicada al día a día para solventar problemas que a otros les parecen irresolubles. Es destacable también la crítica al racismo de estas dos obras, donde los denostados son los de piel más blanca.

Se trata pues de un buen final para una duología recomendable, tanto para introducirse en la obra del autor como para seguir disfrutando de ellas quienes ya la conozcan.

3.5 stars

I read this without realizing that it's the second book in a series. But even so, I didn't have a hard time understanding the world, the plot, and the characters. In fact, I ended up enjoying the book.

As I understand it, this is a sequel that takes place around seven years after the events of the first book and features Notker, who is sometimes a playwright, an actor, a criminal, and a professional liar. Due to some circumstances, Notker is forced to play the role of a dead city leader, but it is not easy because there's a siege going on.

Told in Notker's POV, this book is a comedy fantasy which is not an easy genre to get into. But I recently read Fate of the Fallen, which a satirical take on the chosen one trope and I found the tone of that book and this book nearly the same- light, funny, and almost sarcastic. Though it took me a few chapters before I get into the story, once I get into it, I couldn't put it down.

Notker's tale is fascinating and at times intriguing. I love the pretend-trope so it's no surprise I enjoyed Notker's story. I even found him as a very likable protagonist despite him being some kind of anti-hero. The story progresses in moderate pacing and I think the wrap-up is really neat. Though I must admit, overall, there's nothing spectacular in the story. Nothing really stood out.

I think this book is best for readers who are looking for a quick, fun read, with a likeable character.

I have read a lot of speculative fiction that shows humans going crazy if a major event happens; a pandemic has rioting in the street or the voice of God echoing from the heavens leads to a rise in suicides. Perhaps it is a British thing, but I think that we would just shrug our shoulders and get on with things as best as we can. K J Parker appears to have similar opinion on humans as How to Rule an Empire and Get Away with It is set within a besieged city. Are the people panicking? Nope, they are getting on with their lives including going to the theatre to see actors like Notker, even if the roof is falling in.

Notker is not the best actor and gets more work for his writing and impressions. He is hired one night to imitate the rich and famous at a party but as he waits outside a projectile lands on the building killing all inside. You see Notker lives in a city surrounded at all sides by the enemy who have been attacking for months. The war is at a stalemate, but fate has intervened as the iconic hero Lysimachus was at that party and is now dead. Thankfully for the powers that be (and not Notker), the actor does a mean impression of said hero and Notker suddenly finds himself in the role of a lifetime, acting Emperor.

Rule an Empire is a sequel to an earlier adventure that I have not read but this book easily stands alone as Parker is such a competent writer who is able to compartmentalise stories and build the world again in each novel. Fantasy fans may know this author as Tom Holt, one of the most experienced writers in the genre who specialises in fantasy comedy. The change of name also leads to a change in style. The comedy is still present, but this is far more grounded and satirical.

At the centre is our unreliable narrator, Notker. He states that he is no hero, yet he finds himself once more at the core of events. Unlike traditional fantasy protagonists, Notker is not setting out to save others, but himself. Almost all his motivations are self-serving and if they happen to correspond with The City so be it. One of the most interesting elements of the book is how power sits on Notker’s shoulders; great responsibility is thrust upon him and he meets the challenges as he can. Parker is hinting that our own leaders may not be as wise or as noble as we think. Perhaps they have just got a bit lucky and are winging it?

The best element of this book is how realistic the siege warfare feels. Although this is set in an alternative world, it is not fantastical. Instead it is a mixture of Shakespearian England and the Byzantium Empire. The book is darkly comedic, but Parker has also researched historic warfare to show the consequences of bombardments, disease, and undermining the foundations. Notker must deal with all these issues and he does so with knowledge. It is nice to see a character reading and surrounding themselves with clever people to make the most of a situation.

At its heart Rule an Empire is a caper. Notker finds himself being swept away in events and the book is essentially him trying to get some semblance of control back. It is funny and intelligent, but also dark and historically true. Although under a different name this book is right up there with the best that Holt has created, the nom de plume has given him the opportunity to alter his written voice slightly and produce something refreshing and fun.

3.5 stars

this was a really fun novel about an actor who gets roped into impersonating an important politcial figure and thus accidentally becomes emperor but could have been so much better if it had been gayer

Synopsis: Lights on, ready for stage, enter professional liar Notker in three acts of his drama to save the City. The Robur capital is in nearly the same situation seven years after it was defended by engineer Orhan (actually, I've read it just two days ago): surrounded by the enemy white-face army, live just goes on like nothing behind the thick walls. Notker writes theater plays, and people like this way of living, because nowhere else in the whole world is anything like Robur style theaters. The city survives better than ever, because it exports well-crafted things in exchange for necessities like food or arrows.

Notker is a great impresario and he brings people to laugh with his imitations, best of all the city's savior Lysimachus. Wait, you say, wasn't it Orhan the grumpy engineer from the previous book who saved the city? History forgot him, because a real hero was needed, and so his name wasn't mentioned once in this second novel. Lysimachus is the shining hero, or better: was - because he was hit by one of the trebuchet stones. 

A replacement was found in Notker - and one might name this comedy "Sudden Emperor", because nearly nobody noticed the change from playwright to his new ruling role. Soon, the people behind this act find out that he's got a will of his own and he's quite intelligent. 

Review: I couldn't imagine a more interesting change of characters in the same setting - from snarky and nerdy Orhan with his petty criminal and treacherous ways to professional liar Notker. From engineering to theater. 

The atmosphere changed from pressured, high octane action to a more light-minded, thoughtful approach to save the city. 

The novel could be read as a standalone without the need to read through the predecessor. There are a couple of references where you get a good laugh or two if you've read both, but anything needed to understand the plot and characters is provided within this novel. 

I just liked Orhan's character and the tighter atmosphere of the first novel better than this book - which might be a personal preference and could work the opposite for other readers. 

The setting is the same - no dragons, no magic, similar to classic Rome.

Because this novel is perfectly entertaining, with a twisting plot, a very satisfying ending (which the first book hasn't), and a likeable protagonist who works as the unreliable, lying narrator. Once again, a very interesting and intelligent female sidekick plays along without ending in a boring romance.

In this sour year 2020, you might need to enjoy a comedy instead of grimdark tragedies. These two books are a perfect choice and I highly recommend reading both of them back to back.

How to Rule an Empire and Get Away with It reads much like its spiritual predecessor, Sixteen Ways to Defend a Walled City. Empire takes place a handful of years after Sixteen Ways and features a different main character and cast. But in many ways Empire has the same essence, capturing the life of a reasonably ordinary bloke against the backdrop of an all-consuming war.

That is what I generally love about Parker's books. They have epic settings and wars and trickery and betrayal, but they have main characters that feel so very ordinary. They aren't destined to be great, there are no prophecies, they are just people: good and bad and troubled, with their complicated lives and mixed up desires, they are engineers and, in this case, actors.

Notker is an actor and he works hard at his job. But then the role of a lifetime comes up - he's needed to pretend to be Lysimachus, who is now dead. But nobody can know this. And the more Notker pretends to be Lysimachus, the more he becomes him. To the point that it doesn't even matter. I thought this was so very fascinating and I loved how Notker began to embrace this.

I think I liked the first book better - I recall it being more clever, with more twists and turns, but Empire was fantastic in its own right.

Title - How To Rule an Empire and Get Away With It

Author - K J Parker

Genre - High Fantasy

Publication Date - 20th August 2020

'The history of how the City was saved, by Notker the Professional liar, written down because eventually the truth always seeps through.' This is how the book introduces itself before it decides to throw down its readers directly into action. K J Parker, a pretty well acclaimed author when it comes to Historical Fantasy finally brings out sequel to his bestselling novel and here is my take on the same.

Seven years after the events of the previous novel, we are introduced to Notker, a playwright, an actor and an impresario. He has been pretty well known in the circles for doing an impression of the ruler and has been well acknowledged. As he finds himself hung with the issue that he is now the king since the ruler died, Notker needs to escape a lot of tricky situations. From being a broke playwright to becoming one of the most-loved ruler, here is the story in three acts on Notker narrating his life addressing directly to readers.

This though claims to be a sequel to author's previous novel, one can easily pick this one up without having to go through the first novel. The story though is something not unheard of, but what stands out with Parker's work is the witty and humorous take on a lot of situations. Notker is pretty relatable as someone who has a lot of issues going on and though a bit hit hard initially rises up to the situation.

What did not work for me and this is entirely due to my reading style were the various names and clans that kept popping up throughout the book. Maybe I might have understood it better if I had read the first novel, so this fault lies on me. The book was a complete roller coaster when it comes to the writing. The Act 1 and 2 were pretty well written and would surely keeps you on hook throughout. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for Act 3 which dips a lot and was kind of tiresome for me. The book did pick up well before it reached its conclusion and hence the experience overall was quite satisfying.

So, what is my recommendation for this book? I would say go for the first book before you pick this one because of certain plotlines that needs to be understood. The pace and writing overall is pretty captivating and with just a few characters in focus, one does not tend to get distracted much though it did annoy me a bit since some supporting characters were not given a proper closure. An above average read.

My Ratings - 3.5 out of 5 stars (🌟🌟🌟💫)

trigger warning
<spoiler> kidnapping, torture, trauma, genocide, public killing for fun </spoiler>

Notker is an actor who specialises in the impersonation of famous people in a city under siege.
Notker gets kidnapped to impersonate a famous person who recently died.
Notker doesn't have a choice. Or does he?

Life is not well in the city, because not only are they under siege, the enemie's leader has sworn to kill every last one of them because of history that came before. He'll only rest once the genocide is complete.

This has been going on for seven years, so it feels to everybody like this has been how it is for ages and they kind of settled in their new routines.

So, yes, this is part two of a series but you don't actually need to read book one to understand this. I only know it's not a standalone because of GR, and I didn't miss anything. It seems like the books are connected by the same place but book one is about how the siege came to be, while this one is set years later. Seven, to be precise.

Okay, Notker gets kidnapped. A leader loved by the people died, and they want to prevent a power-vacuum by setting up a marionette that slightly looks like him and can act good enough to fool the public. Easy, they think.
Nobody accounted for Notker being a method actor that gets deep into the role and acts like he think the original person would have done, and thus getting an interest in the future of the city - and getting an overly large opinion of himself and believing he could do it better than they are right now.

The marionette plays the puppeteers and it's so much fun once you realise that.
On top of that: The good guys, a.k.a. the besieged people, are black and the attackers are called Milkfaces and seem to be as pale as me. Did not expect that.

Although I am into high and comedic fantasy, this was my first novel by K.J. Parker/ Tom Holt - and though I am trying to stay away from white male authors at the moment, I am sure I'll visit his works again if I get the chance.

I recieved a copy of this book in exchange for a honest review.

How To Rule An Empire And Get Away With It, is a direct sequel to Sixteen Ways to Defend A Walled City. This is the story of Nokter, a professional liar, actor, impresario and anti-hero.

The city is under siege and Nokter is put in an untenable position of saving the city. The Empire needs him - or someone who looks a lot like him - for a role that will call for the performance of a lifetime. At least it will guarantee fame, fortune and immortality. If it doesn't kill him first.

Nokter is an easily likeable main character to route for. Although he’s an unreliable narrator, he comes across as intelligent, full of wit and occasionally sarcastic. It is his narrative voice that carries this story. Throughout the book, we get an insight into Notker, through his internal monologues, he is personable and very entertaining.

The story is interspersed with bits of social commentary, which at times he can be very witty. The overall arc is an elaborate heist story, albeit set within a besieged city. Above all, it's a war story. Nokter makes his own luck but has the power to persuade and manipulate people in clever ways and Parker puts this trickster trope to good use.

The world-building is secondary, but for sake of clarity, all of Parker's stories are set within the same world but different time frames. Think of Parker's world as the old Byzantine empire – Roman republics. There are casual references made to Saloninus, for fans who have read Parker's previous books.

The prose is stylish and there are plenty of twists and turns, and few surprises towards the end. It is a well-told story that is pure entertainment and one of Parker’s most accessible stories to date.

Fantastic, and easily the best book I’ve read in 2020.
Thanks to #NetGalley and #LittleBrown a for a digital e=arc

I did it again. "How to Rule an Empire and Get Away With It" is the follow-up to "Sixteen Ways to Defend a Walled City"... and I haven't read that (yet). Despite that, I didn't have any problems following the plot or characters as the book stands up really well on its own. The book is fun, amusing, entertaining, and a bit silly. A good diversion from the every day. 4.5 stars.

My thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for an advance copy to review. This review is entirely my own, unbiased, opinion.

At this stage, my being enthusiastic about the latest K.J. Parker novel can’t be a surprise. And that streak is going to continue with How to Rule an Empire and Get Away With It, which is equal parts social commentary, elaborate heist, and war story. It also has an extremely long title, but you can’t have everything - and as a sort-of sequel to the equally lengthily titled Sixteen Ways to Defend a Walled City, it’s on-brand. And much like that book, it's very, very good.

This is Parker at their best, frankly. The narrator is unreliable, intelligent, incisive, and sarcastic. The narrative voice, tied to the internal monologue of the character, is clear, personable, and thoroughly entertaining. As usual, Parker shines at giving us a protagonist we can root for who is at once thoroughly likable and rather flawed. Identity, come to think of it, is one of the key themes of the text. Watching our lead, a some-time professional actor-slash-impersonator, struggle to define who they are through the constraints of their own unreliable narration is a joy. When they’re still struggling to define themselves against their own legacy, how are we supposed to take what they say as entirely true.

Speaking of which, this is a story which does dip back into the past now and again, telling us the story of our protagonist’s childhood, from his own eyes, showing us, little by little, how he ended up where he is, and also how he ended up as the person that he is. Some other parts of the story are laugh out loud funny, and even these sections can get a subversive chuckle out of me, but there’s some grim reading here, dark steel beneath warmer words. The child of an enforcer in the Themes, the unofficial gangs of the City, our narrator comes from a heritage of violence, extortion, and outright murder. Struggling to shake off that heritage helps shape them, and they also have enough self-awareness to acknowledge the role that their childhood has in making them who they are. Frankly, the way that we start with an enigma, and gradually see parts of our narrator’s history field in by their own recollections, and from other characters in dialogue, is compelling stuff, and the slow drip of revelation and discovery made the story all the more intriguing.

So yes. Rock solid protagonist. Top banter. Clever. Thinks things through. Unreliable, though with a bit more of a moral centre than a lot of Parker’s other leads. Honestly, I love the characterisation here, it’s top notch. And that extends to the other characters as well. Some of them we only meet briefly, but you can feel the desperation, the sweat on their palms as they try and extricate themselves from a bad situation. Or the auger-like sharpness of a calculating gaze, weighing the odds, deciding when would be a good time to make that one roll that means either retirement to a money vault, or a rather rapid demise. Because our lead isn’t the only smart person around. There are others, and they all have an agenda of their own. Watching the fencing, the squabbling, the betrayals and moments of self-doubt, it helps shape this world,and show that there are people here, with agency, recognising or struggling against institutional inevitabilities.

As an aside, Parker has always been good about writing women who are as thoroughly realised and developed as characters as the men, and that trend continues here. There’s an abundance of sharp-witted, driven female characters here, with their own agency, utterly unwilling to take any crap from the protagonist, and getting on with their own lives, with their own goals. They’re not here to provide an incentive, or be the plot - they’re here to seize the initiative, and shape the world to their needs.

In the end, the characters here are, frankly, wonderful. They live, they breathe, and occasionally they die very quickly. Each of them feels like a person, and you can feel for them. If I had to pin down what makes them work, I’d say its their humanity - the pettiness, the spite, the conflict, and the moments of hope, of joy, of genuine love sprinkled through. These are people, and people matter. Which means that you keep turning the pages, to see what happens next.

Speaking of what happens next: Parker has always done narrative chess well, laying out all the pieces line by line, word by word, stepping the character and the readers through it until the story has the momentum of a hurtling boulder, born from the first few lines, way back at the beginning. So it is here. There’s a lot going on. This is a city under siege from an army sworn to destroy everything inside. And so there are rushes at gates. There are attempts to storm the walls, and heroic citizens laying down their lives for their culture. There’s saps and counter saps - I learned a surprising amount about siege mining! Basically, there’s a war on. And if we’re not often on the front lines, in the dark, feeling the grate of blade against bone, we’re watching the high level discussions about how the City can survive, what to do next, how to keep things moving from one day to the next. There’s issues with logistics, and, for example, a genuinely interesting bit on the role of fire brigades. And it works! It’s sometimes funny, always utterly convincing, and smart enough to keep your attention. The war is there, driving us forward, making our protagonist make choices, decide what to do, and what the results of those choices mean about who he is.

Anyway. At the end of the day, this is another cracking story from Parker. It has the superlative characterisation they’re known for, as well as the complex plotting, the devastating twists and turns, and the beautifully structured, thoroughly believable world. This is a fantastic story, and, as usual, I think you should give it, and Parker, a try.

This is a sequel to the similarly excellently named Sixteen ways To Defend A Walled City, but bar a few passing references it works perfectly well as a standalone novel. It’s a very entertaining read, clever and sardonic and full of wit and jeopardy. Much like the main character, it has a charm that means you will willingly overlook flaws and quibbles, and gladly go along with the ride

This is so much fun, much like Sixteen Ways to Defend a Walled City our hero just happens to be in the right place at the wrong time.

In Sixteen Ways it was the colonel of engineers who found himself defending the City more from a sense of duty rather than loyalty, in How to Rule it is playwright and occasionally actor Notker who bears a passing resemblance to the recently killed leader. From there he uses his acting talents, wits and intelligence to keep the City safe. Notker, reads, studies, listens to advisors who actually know what they are doing, to keep the besieging army at bay.

It is hugely enjoyable watching Notker twist and turn, not only trying to save the City, but also himself.