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Seldom does a book make me laugh out loud, but K.J. Parker's novella Blue and Gold did. Parker describes the adventures of Salonius, a noted philosopher and alchemist. Kept under guard by his friend prince Phocas, Salonius is also the prince's brother-in-law and has just murdered his own wife, so he says. He claims he lies about many things.

From publisher's website: Subterranean Press is proud to present a new novella by the enigmatic author of The Engineer Trilogy, The Company, and the novella, "Purple & Black".

"Well, let me see," I said, as the innkeeper poured me a beer. "In the morning I discovered the secret of changing base metal into gold. In the afternoon, I murdered my wife."

For a man as remarkable as the philosopher Saloninus, just another day.

Of course, we only have his word for it, and Saloninus has been known to be creative with the truth. Little white lies are inevitable expedients when you’re one jump ahead of the secret police and on the brink of one of the greatest discoveries in the history of alchemy. But why would a scientist with the world's most generous, forgiving patron be so desperate to run away? And what, if anything, has blue got to do with gold?

Limited: 250 signed numbered copies, bound in leather
Trade: Fully cloth bound hardcover edition

(Source: Subterranean Press)