Grunts!
Grunts! (1992) is a fantasy novel by Mary Gentle.
Told primarily through the point of view of the orcs, this book turns J.R.R. Tolkien-inspired fantasy clichés on their heads.
It's hilarious, but extremely violent, and includes jokes about rape. However, it also addresses many of the gender issues often found in derivative high fantasy.
Quotes
- from page 58
- "Corporal, your squad needs a colour designation. Call yourself Red Squad, or Blue Squad, or ..."
- "Yes, sir, ma'am!" Barashkukor slammed a salute. "Please, ma'am, permission to designate this squad Black Squad?"
- "No!" The female orc glared. "We already have fifteen Black Squads, twelve Dark Squads, four Raven Squads, three Midnight Squads, one Sable Squad, one Ebony Squad, and," she consulted a sheet of paper, "one Pink Squad. Hmm. Yes. Well ... We're all a bit worried about Pink Squad ..."
- Shaking her head, she moved on past Barashkukor. He watched out of the corners of his long eyes as she halted in front of Marukka's all-female squad with their black unit tattoos, whose helmets had "BADGURLZ" stencilled on their camouflage-covers.
- from page 194
- "And pass me another elf, Sergeant. This one's split."
- from page 451
- "The history of an Age," Oderic said, puffing smoke-rings that lurched, lopsided, into the air. "I'm going to tell the real story about halflings, orcs, the Dark Lord, and the final victory. The halflings are going to be cheery and moral and know their place; the orcs will be cowardly, and they'll lose; there won't be any mention of arms trading, and at the end of it the Dark Lord will be male, and very, very dead!"
Reviews, references, etc.
- Green Man review, by Maria Nutik
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