In K. J. Parker's whip-smart dark fantasy, a group of scholars must do the impossible for a ruthless king. The cost of refusal, of course, is death.
History isn't truth; it's propaganda.
Seeking war with his neighbor, the tyrannical ruler of Aelia convenes several of his kingdom's professors for a chat. First Citizen Gyges only just invaded Aelia a few years back, and naturally, his public image can't take the hit of another unjustified assault.
His totally sane solution? Simple, really. These scholars must construct a fake ancient city from scratch to verify Gyges's apocryphal claims.
Now these academics must put their heads together to make history. Because if they don't, they'll lose their heads altogether.