Reviews

Orcs: Tales of Maras-Dantia by Stan Nicholls

markimus's review against another edition

4.0

I liked orcs a lot only because it is neat to have a new perspective on ors themselves. Do not be fooled they still very much so have there brutal nature that we adore. But now....Add intellect and honor. Stryke is a character I adore an honorable leader even though he does not want to believe it. I did not get the random dream phases until the end when they finally detail that Stryke is indeed not crazy. The trials they go through is very enjoyable and kept me engaged. I felt the sex scenes very unnecessary almost to much detail for this kind of book. It mashed mini porn in the book but it is quick. However on a end note orcs appeals to my delicious violent taste and I adore it.

thatjasonpace's review against another edition

3.0

I liked the book, but I really feel that it could have been told better and with greater effect if it had been half the length. Too much of the story felt like it was just dragging out time between the parts worth reading.

wynwicket's review against another edition

Violent and cliche. I can usually handle one or the other, but not both. A shame, really, as this would have been fantastic if it had actually delved into a bit of Orc psychology...

bookbelle5_17's review against another edition

DNFing. I'm just not into it or excited to continue reading it. I feel guilty, because it is different from what i usually read, but I'm not as engaged in the story. I do appreciate that the author is telling a high fantasy story through the eyes of the Orcs, who are usually minor characters used as lackeys. Though, I do think there are other books out there that look at the Orc perspective, like Warcraft. The writing is decent, but juvenile. There is some mature content, like a rape scene, so I would not recommend to under sixteen, unless the reader is very mature for their age.

rogue_runner's review against another edition

2.0

This was pretty good to start with, but just kept tailing off and tailing off as it went on. At just over 700 pages, it was just /too/ long. The characters were passable- Coilla I think was the best of the bunch, but Haskeer, Stryke, Jennesta especially... really very very basic stock characters that were completely stereotypical fantasty protagonists/antagonists. Jennesta actually irritated me quite a lot, because she was so completely stereotypical evil fairy queen. As were her sisters, Sanara even more so predictable.
The writing I think was what saved it, as the plot was languid in places and very repetitive- go and find this star, oh, k we got it, next one... next one... with many interspersed fighting scenes littered at least once a chapter (and there were a lot of chapters). The dream sequency stuff leading to the end

Spoiler

parallel universes?!

was okay, but again, a bit annoying.

The bit that confused me the most was the extra little couple of chapters right at the end of the book, that returned to the very start of the story. Why was it added? Why was it needed? It felt very tacked-on and unnecessary, as if it was a part of the story that didn't make final edit cuts at the start, but was so 'important' (but not really) that the author couldn't help but shove it in messily at the end just because he could.

I think this could have been good, but he didn't do quite enough to make the orc culture /different/ or new or enough that it stood out from human culture, without literally just being "oh they're slimy and green and warlike". At many points I could easily have seen a human war band acting the same way, but because it was orcs (apparently) it was all really different?

umb's review against another edition

adventurous fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.75

lawacha's review against another edition

adventurous funny tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

Honestly I found the book entertaining, but I tend to like anything revolving found families. This does read more like a dnd campaing than anything tho, fun if you like a lot of action. The enemies are very meh tho, and the ending is kinda shit 

beardybot's review against another edition

1.0

Truly abysmal. Poor writing, poor story, poor characters... poor, poor, poor. There was literally nothing I enjoyed about a book that promised to be fresh and was anything but. One of few books I'm glad to say I wasn't masochistic enough to finish!

silverthane's review against another edition

3.0

A very interesting book, plenty of excitement, battles and blood but the book also provides a fresh new twist in the fantasy genre by changing the way readers look at the Orc...well worth a read

multiplelizards's review against another edition

2.0

What starts out as an interesting premise rapidly devolves into a series of thinly connected battle scenes and a plot that drags out without really going anywhere. For its length, it's a waste of time and energy, unfortunately.