REVIEW: Orcs: Forged for War by Stan Nicholls & Joe Flood

Orcs, Forged for War by Stan Nicholls & Joe Flood
Publishing Information: Trade Paperback; 208 pages
Publisher: First Second Books (21 Oct 2011)
ISBN 10: 1596434554
ISBN 13: 978-1596434554
Copy: Sent by the publisher
Reviewer: Yagiz

"Orcs: Forged for War is the first graphic novel in Stan Nicholls’ beloved Orcs universe. The fantasy landscape in this world is brutal and unforgiving, and populated by a race of unlikely protagonists: the powerful and violent warriors, orcs.

Orcs: Forged for War is an original story—a new entry in this series, not an adaptation of old material. It follows a ruthless and deadly cohort of warrior orcs as they fight their way free of the dominion of an evil human enchantress. Sitting on an exhilarating peak with high fantasy on one side and the thrilling, gruesome battlefields of graphic novel classics like Frank Miller’s 300 on the other, Orcs presents the world of its ogre-like protagonists with technicolor violence and moments of unexpected sympathy."

I love comic books. I started to read them when I was a kid and, as far as I can remember, my first fantasy comic book was an issue of Conan. My uncle loved (still loves) Conan comics and he collected them. I can clearly remember feeling as excited as a pirate in a vast treasure room. I used to read them for hours.

Then when I moved to France for college, I met a different and much more developed comic book culture. Les Bandes Dessinées, or simply les BDs, are absolutely huge in France and in Belgium. During the following years, I had the pleasure to read the work of some great artists with various different styles. I still use amazon.fr to order my BDs.

So when I caught a glimpse of Stan Nicholls & Joe Flood's Orcs: Forged for War, I knew I had to read it. I also really liked its cover art. With its blood-red background and the lone orc warrior with a bloody longsword, it is a good indicator of what's inside.

The book's setting is Nicholls' Maras-Dantia where various races co-exist, but not so happily. It is evident that there's a lot of inter-racial tension and this not only between humans and the Elder Races but also among the Elder Races. Orcs are just one of those Elder Races and they make up for their lack of magical powers with their ferocity and skill on the battle field. They are a race full of surprises and contradictions as they are not painted all in black a la Tolkien (who didn't invent them, by the way).

The story revolves around a band of Orc warriors called Wolverines. The only non-Orc member of the group is a Dwarf who is one of the two sergents under the command of Captain Stryke. According to the story, Captain Stryke is given the responsibility of escorting a convoy under the orders of a Goblin wizard. Orcs and Goblins hate each other so you can guess the general mood of the mission. His hands being tied, Captain Strkye has no choice but to comply with the orders of his empress.

I like the story but it is fairly simple. I would have expected more suspense. I believe the reader is given obvious clues about the things that's going to happen. At first I wasn't in love with the style of Joe Flood however it grew on me as I read it. The book reads pretty fast. It is not one of those dialogue-heavy graphic novels. And be ready for some real action, fight, war, gore and burnt bodies. You've been warned. Orcs: Forged for War is definitely not for your young kids.

Also, don't forget to visit Orcs Sketchbook, The Making of the Graphic Novel, Orcs: Forged for War where you can get the freshest news and various sketches by Joe Flood.

I must confess, I hadn't read Nicholls' Orcs trilogies. However, despite some problems, I, not only enjoyed Orcs: Forged for War but I now have this itch about picking up Bodyguard of Lightning, the first book of his First Blood trilogy.

Plot: ............. 7
Characters: ... 8
Style: ............ 8

Overall: ....... 8/10