A man wakes in the wilderness, amid scattered corpses and inquisitive crows. He has no memory of who he is or how he came to be there. The only clues to his former existence lie in his apparent skill with a sword and the fragmented dreams that permeate his sleep. Alone in a hostile world he moves from village to village, masquerading as a god to obtain food and shelter. But the shadow of his past pursues him relentlessly. It whispers to him a riddle far more complex than he could ever have imagined - and a truth he may not wish to believe.

'...indescribably addictive. I can heartily recommend both Shadow and Pattern to fantasy connoisseurs who prefer a little more bite from their fiction. Do try this most excellent of sagas. I really don't think you'll be disappointed.' - THE ALIEN ONLINE 'This is exactly what the fantasy genre needs. Mature, confident prose from a talented writer...compelling, assured, intelligent - five stars' - SFX In a world he does not know, Poldarn's future is uncertain. Pursued by invisible enemies, and haunted by the demons of his past, nobody can be trusted - not even himself, it seems. Attempting to piece together his own life from whatever scattered fragments he can find and dreams that hide as much as they reveal has brought him nothing but trouble. Now all he craves is peace. But will he find it on the island he believes to be his childhood home? Or will this place hold more terrors for him to confront? K.J. Parker's SHADOW began a ground-breaking new series that takes fantasy into remarkable new territory. Now, with PATTERN, the extraordinary story of Poldarn takes a new shape. Books by K.J. Fencer Trilogy The Colours in the Steel The Belly of the Bow The Proof House Scavenger Trilogy Shadow Pattern Memory Engineer Trilogy Devices and Desires Evil for Evil The Escapement Saloninus Blue and Gold The Devil You Know Two of Swords The Two of Part 1 The Two of Part 2 The Two of Part 3 Novels The Company The Folding Knife The Hammer Sharps Savages Sixteen Ways to Defend a Walled City My Beautiful Life

Returning to his childhood home was supposed to bring peace for Poldarn. But it was not to be. The island proved no sanctuary from the ghosts of his past, or from the demons that stalk his dreams. Instead, he has unearthed yet more lies, betrayals, and enemies from his former life. But with each fresh discovery, Poldarn is coming ever closer to the reality of his shadowy origins. One by one, the fragmented memories and obscure clues are falling into place, forming a truth he cannot escape, a past he cannot deny, and a history that may be more than he—or anyone else—can bear. This is the brilliant conclusion of K.J. Parker’s compelling Scavenger Trilogy.