The Grey Bastards

The Grey Bastards follows Jackal, a half-orc warrior who patrols the borderlands as part of a brotherhood called the Hoof. The Hoof riders protect human settlements from hostile orc raids while facing prejudice from the very people they defend. The story takes place in a grim fantasy realm where half-orcs ride massive war hogs and live in tight-knit bands. Through Jackal's eyes, readers experience the harsh daily life of the Hoof - from brutal combat to complex political maneuvering between rival factions. Brotherhood, loyalty, and identity stand at the heart of this fantasy tale. The novel explores what it means to belong somewhere when caught between two worlds, and how bonds forged in combat can create a family stronger than blood.

Readers describe The Grey Bastards as a gritty fantasy that blends Sons of Anarchy with orcs. Many note its crude humor, brotherhood themes, and fast-paced action. Readers appreciated: - Fresh take on orc mythology - Strong character dynamics within the half-orc gang - Complex political intrigue - Detailed worldbuilding - Dark humor throughout Common criticisms: - Excessive crude language and sexual content - Some found the pacing slow in the middle - Female characters lack depth - Repetitive battle scenes Ratings across platforms: Goodreads: 4.1/5 (12,000+ ratings) Amazon: 4.4/5 (1,600+ ratings) LibraryThing: 4.0/5 (200+ ratings) Sample reader comment: "Like Game of Thrones meets Sons of Anarchy but with half-orcs riding giant hogs. Crude but compelling." - Goodreads reviewer Several readers noted they almost quit early due to the crude content but ended up enjoying the overall story.

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🐗 Author Jonathan French originally self-published The Grey Bastards in 2015, and it later won Mark Lawrence's Self-Published Fantasy Blog-Off competition before being picked up by a major publisher. 🗡️ The hybrid orc-human main characters, called "half-orcs," ride massive war hogs instead of horses, drawing inspiration from motorcycle gang culture and medieval cavalry traditions. 🏰 The book's setting, called "The Lot Lands," is inspired by the real-world historical region of Aquitaine, which was a frontier territory between France and Spain during the Middle Ages. ⚔️ The distinctive swearing and crude language throughout the novel was carefully crafted to reflect both fantasy conventions and real-world military camaraderie, particularly that of medieval mercenary companies. 🐎 The war hogs (called "barbarians") in the story were inspired by the author's research into ancient war elephants and the historical use of boars in hunting, combined with the concept of motorcycles as modern "steel horses."