I read this book exactly a year ago. I wrote a review then, too. ‘Bout time I posted it…
Heard of The Grey Bastards (TGB)? Nope? Well, here’s a bullet-point review.
- Don’t like frequent swearing? Don’t read this book.
- Don’t like violence? Don’t read this book.
- Don’t like books where nasty things happen? Don’t read this book.
- Don’t like books with multiple characters? Don’t read this book.
- Don’t like plots that twist and turn but somehow come out making sense? Don’t read this book.
- Don’t like sex scenes and/ or sexual references? Don’t read this book.
- Don’t like a sense of humour which ranges from clever to crude to banter to juvenile? Don’t read this book.
- Don’t like magic? Don’t read this book.
- Don’t like disturbing, skin-crawling (literally in some cases) events? Don’t read this book.
- Don’t like orcs or whores or shaven-headed elves or mad centaurs or devious humans and power-crazed wizards? Don’t read this book.
- Do like all this stuff? Go read this book.
Now for the wordy version…
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
The Grey Bastards is nice twist on the classic coming-of-age tale. In this case our protagonist is not a human but a half-orc. The book follows Jackal and his friends as they struggle to deal with the fate of their home and their ‘hoof’ against a multitude of enemies and, in some cases, friends.
The novel has plenty of twists and mashes up dark fantasy/ epic fantasy/ cowboy stories (cow-orcs?) and murder-mystery-suspense tropes. Friendships become enemies and enemies become allies. Those partnerships are made and broken seemingly from page to page. This, plus short chapters, makes for a fast-paced novel which is very easy to keep reading.
That pace, paradoxically, was one of the things that I found a little wearing at around the three-quarter mark. Ending each chapter on a cliff-hanger is a very effective way to keep people reading but I find it grates if used too much.
The other thing that niggled was the main character: Jackal. He’s nice. There were some utter reprobates amongst the ‘mongrels’, but Jackal and his friends are the half-orcish equivalent of whores with a heart of gold (who also crop up in this book). Jackal always strives to do the right thing and is always prepared to make the required sacrifice. I would have preferred him to be a bit more, well, orcish I guess. (Or human, depending on your view of humanity…) Jackal almost always gets the lucky escape, too – something else that I would have liked to vary a little more. Despite that, he is a solid main character and develops well, as evident by his role in his own fate.
My last mini-gripe would be to tone down the descriptions. Most of the prose is great and suits the book perfectly, but there are a few places where it felt forced.
I feel churlish pointing a lot of this stuff out as it is a very good book. Any fans of grimdark or dark fantasy will enjoy TGB. There are a lot of genre staples here dealt with in a refreshing way e.g. flipping the ‘good’ and ‘bad’ from human to orc, the centaurs, elves and wizards, etc. I particularly like the way the author manages the half-orc world: from the reason for the hoofs and their existence (that’s a great plot twist), their hierarchy and names, the hogs (I want one!), to their levels of orcishness: frailing/ half-orc/ thrice/ thick.
The other impressive feature is how it all comes together at the end. There are so many reversals of fortunes and loyalties and reasonings along the way, that I wondered at one point how the author would tie it all in. He does, and the book ends with a satisfying conclusion. It also leaves enough teasers dangling for book two – which has recently been released and looks as good as the first.
In conclusion, The Grey Bastards is well worth your time. But this recommendation comes with one final warning…
- Don’t like the word c**t? DON’T READ THIS BOOK!
You can pick up a copy hereImage may be NSFW.
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