The Grey Bastards by Jonathan French

The Grey Bastards (Lot Lands, #1)

by Jonathan French

'AN ADDICTIVELY READABLE - AND UNDENIABLY COOL - FANTASY MASTERWORK' Kirkus

BRING ON THE ORCS . . .

Jackal is proud to be a Grey Bastard, member of a sworn brotherhood of half-orcs. Unloved and unwanted in civilized society, the Bastards eke out a hard life in the desolate no-man's-land called the Lots, protecting frail and noble human civilization from invading bands of vicious full-blooded orcs.

But as Jackal is soon to learn, his pride may be misplaced. Because a dark secret lies at the heart of the Bastards' existence - one that reveals a horrifying truth behind humanity's tenuous peace with the orcs, and exposes a grave danger on the horizon.

On the heels of the ultimate betrayal, Jackal must scramble to stop a devastating invasion - even as he wonders where his true loyalties lie.

A standout adventure fantasy debut that's down, dirty and damn good fun - perfect for fans of Joe Abercombie, Markus Heitz's Dwarves series and Stan Nicholl's Orcs series.

'A gritty adventure with a fantastic, foul-mouthed voice . . . Fans of Abercrombie's The First Law . . . will like this a lot' Django Wexler

'A bloody good tale of battle, betrayal and war pigs' Brian McClellan

'Jonathan French has to be lauded for his plot ingenuity, bawdry charm and vicious characters. The Grey Bastards has instantaneously catapulted him into my must-read list' Fantasy Book Critic

'I'd like to raise a tankard to The Grey Bastards' brilliance' Fantasy Faction

Reviewed by Ashley on

5 of 5 stars

Share

This book is brilliant!

It's vulgar, crass, and full of misogynistic characters.. but damn it's great. Imagine like a motorcycle gang, but full of half-orcs who ride battle hogs (and it's called a “hoof” – not a gang). The author really brings you into that world and makes you care about the characters. There's so much culture, from their vulgar jokes to their awesome hoof slogan: “Live in the saddle. Die on the hog!” It's about unflinching loyalty to the cause and to the hoof.

Freakin awesome book and I can't wait for the rest of the series!

Last modified on

Reading updates

  • 15 January, 2021: Started reading
  • 15 January, 2021: on page 0 out of 464 0%
  • 15 January, 2021: on page 54 out of 464 13%
  • 16 January, 2021: on page 224 out of 464 52%
  • 17 January, 2021: on page 394 out of 464 91%
    Fuck :(
  • 17 January, 2021: Finished reading
  • 17 January, 2021: Reviewed