Saevus Corax Deals With the Dead — K.J. Parker

The first novel in a new epic fantasy trilogy from World Fantasy Award-winner K. J. Parker.

There's no formal training for battlefield salvage. You just have to pick things up as you go along. Swords, armor, arrows â€" and the bodies, of course.
 
Over the years, Saevus Corax has picked up a lot of things. Some of them have made him decent money, others have brought nothing but trouble. But it's a living, and somebody has to deal with the dead.
  
Something else that Saevus has buried is his past. Unfortunately, he didn't quite succeed. For more from K. J. Parker, check out:   Sixteen Ways to Defend a Walled CityHow to Rule an Empire and Get Away With It
A Practical Guide to Conquering the World
  The Two of SwordsThe Two of Swords: Volume OneThe Two of Swords Volume TwoThe Two of Swords: Volume Three   The Fencer TrilogyColours in the SteelThe Belly of the BowThe Proof House   The Scavenger TrilogyShadowPatternMemory   Engineer TrilogyDevices and DesiresEvil for EvilThe Escapement   The CompanyThe Folding KnifeThe HammerSharps