The True Bastards by Jonathan French
I received a free copy from NetGalley in return for an honest review. This in no way impacts my opinions.
I loved The Grey Bastards. Despite being chock full of Tolkien creatures, this was no trope-fest. Instead, it was an utter blast, a refreshing fantasy adventure that kept the reader enthralled (en-trolled?) from start to finish. When I heard The True Bastards was coming out and Crown publishing were happy to throw a copy my way, I was as happy as a hog in shit. Were my expectations met? Oh, yes, but here’s the thing. A lot (pun intended) of the book was similar in vein to TGB, but it was different too, like Bloody Rose was to Kings of the Wyld. Read on for my thoughts on the book.
Jackal and Oats have gone (no, please keep reading), leaving new chief Fetching to (wo)man the ship that was formerly known as The Grey Bastards. The name of the hoof might have changed, but there are problems aplenty for Fetching to dig her tusks into. Winsome is basically a lean-to at this stage, food is scarce and orc raids are always a risk. Throw in the fact that corpses, both nomad and human, are showing up torn to shreds too close to Winsome for her liking, and that’s just the problems any old chief would face. There are the other issues too. You know, she’s a woman in a man’s world. While her own hoof are on board with her, the other hoofs (hooves?) aren’t as enlightened and she struggles to make her voice heard when she tries to share the former problems with them. Fetching is no Jackal. While he is fierce and strong, he’s also impulsive and a bit of a plank at times. Not Fetch. She is sharp as a tack, and thinks before she acts. But will smarts win out over “tradition?” Follow her story to find out.
Worldbuilding
The world of Ul-Wundulas (and beyond) is harsh. A scrubland, that lacks much water or food. Almost everything that exists there can kill you, and will if given the chance. That’s not to mention orc raids, cavaleros, barbaric elves and marauding centaurs. The author adds a little extra in TTB, expanding the horizons with mountain tribes from far afield, a new kind of orc, some demon hyenas and, oh yes, the cavaleros now have cannons. Life just got harder for the True Bastards, and their missing two of their star players. That being said, apart from a centaur moment, there’s nothing overly different from the first book. This is no way a bad thing, as reinventing the wheel could have had a negative effect, but there may have been a missed opportunity for something new and fun.
Score – 4/5
Characters
Fetching. We follow her story throughout, like we did with Jackal in the first book. Unlike Jackal, who was utterly reactive and missed the mark on important details, Fetch is proactive, and understands the mentality of how a hoof works, and uses it to her advantage as best she can. That’s just part of it though. There’s also the aspect of dealing with the chauvinist idiots in other hoofs, which is no picnic, and also trying to get by without her best friends, who are an important part of who she is. My favourite part of her journey was how she learned about leadership, and what it meant to be chief. Her hatred for Claymaster doesn’t diminish (and rightfully so), but her respect for his ability to run the hoof and deal with others is amplified a thousandfold. There’s some new characters as well. A halfling named Xhreka (or something like that) plays a major role. Unlike the sly Zirko, she’s sharp-mouthed, and has a somewhat amusing gift (check out Belico’s Wrath). We get to know a lot of the hoofs better, meet some new “commoner” cavaleros, see more of the elves, and of course the new villain of the piece, an orc named Ruin Made Flesh. All these new people don’t distract from Fetch’s adventure, but enhance it. Jonathan French sure knows how to write great characters.
Score – 5/5
Plot
Remember in the first book when we all thought we knew the plot as it unfolded, and thought we were really clever, then the author dumped it all upside down? Yeah, well… Needless to say there are plenty of red herrings to keep us on our toes before the fun Scooby Doo ending. Unlike with Jackal though, who wore his heart on his sleeve and struggled to put all the pieces together, Fetch is on top of things early on, but refuses to let us in on her secrets – an unreliable narrator if you will. Still, trying to figure out the plots, then finding you were completely off the mark is half the fun.
Score – 5/5
Writing
Bit of a bugbear with this one. The dialogue is terrific, if you’re okay with the constant use of f%^k and c#@t. Every word is a gem, from the bravado of the half-orcs, the hidden agendas of Zirko and Starling, to the swagger of the pseudo-French Revolution cavaleros. The action scenes are intense, the descriptions of people, places and things are crisp and evoke the right imagery, and of course the plot and characterization are top notch. However, and this is probably a “me” thing as opposed to a “them” thing, I find some of the non-dialogue is a little…flowery. It’s not quite academic standard, but it just feels out of place in a book rife with ribald humour. Perhaps it’s just the publisher requesting it, or perhaps the author needs to cleanse his pallet, but for me, it interrupts the flow of the book. I must finish with a positive note though – the author wastes little time faffing around with exposition from book one, so kudos for that,
Score – 4/5
Personal Enjoyment
Those gripes about the worldbuilding and dialogue are pretty minor. I enjoyed almost every word, plot twist, gag and battle to the highest degree. If you can handle the crudity (I’m Irish, so I grew up with it), you are in for an utter treat. You don’t necessarily have to read book one, but I recommend it, more because it’s awesome than anything else.
Score – 5/5
Verdict
Why are you still reading this review? Check out The True Bastards now!
Total Score – 23/25
