Bodyguard Of Lightning: Orcs First Blood [Paperback]

Stan Nicholls (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 31, 2001 | Series: Orcs First Blood

When humans arrived on Maras Mantia, home of dwarves, elves, and all the other old races, they raped the land of its soul and magic. And, now the Orcs, whom Earthlings hunted down and slaughtered like beasts of the field, may be the chosen creatures destined to win peace for all..."Wall to wall action, undercurrents of dark humor...gritty, fast paced..."--David Gemmell, author of the bestselling Drenai series.

Editorial Reviews

Review

'You'll never feel the same about LORD OF THE RINGS' -- SFX --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

About the Author

Stan Nicholls has been a reviewer and interviewer in the UK for more than 20 years and is a key figure on the genre scene. He writes a regular column for TIME OUT and contributes to both INTERZONE and STARBURST. Since the original Orcs trilogy his Quicksilver fantasy trilogy has been an international hit.

Product Details

• Paperback: 304 pages
• Publisher: Gollancz (December 31, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1857985575
• ISBN-13: 978-1857985573
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 5.9 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,183,167 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A good book, though a little annoying at times, July 23, 2001

By 

Paul Greatrix (uk) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Bodyguard of Lightning (ORCS: First Blood, Book 1) (Mass Market Paperback)

I must admit that writting from the Orcs point of view is a good idea. But Im affraid that Stan does'nt pull it off particulary well. He strays from the traditional orc charater too much, having them sing of fair orcish ladies and the such.

All books (it is said) have a beginning, a middle, and an end. Not so in this case. The entire story seems the "middle", completely lacking a begining or end. That means that there was no final battle, and the book ended abruptly.

There are good points however. The beginning chapter is so gripping that it will probably motivate you to read half the book in one sitting. Its fast paced and delivers a lot of action through out. The characters are a little cold, but when it comes to a battle, Stan directs them well.

It's worth checking out if you intend to spend time reading the entire series. It does leave you with the incentive to buy the next novel by leaving you on a cliff hanger at the end of the book.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Good, entertaining fantasy with a twist, June 26, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Bodyguard of Lightning (ORCS: First Blood, Book 1) (Mass Market Paperback)

A proud people of warriors at one with Nature struggling to adjust to a world brought to change by invaders from across the sea. Yes, it does sound like a number of native people all around the world to me, too.

But in this book it is the orcs, who normally are treated as bad guys by default, who defend their traditions and way of life in a fantasy world invaded by humans. The humans pollute, exhaust natural resources and generally make things bad for everyone else, all in the name of their One True God.

It is a good twist, but it's not a great book. The characters are somewhat stereotype. It's more of an RPG adventure than a novel. But there is a lot of fighting (it is about orcs, after all) and of course an epic quest to embark on. I can recommend you to read it because it is a quick, fun read with some nice ideas and twists.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Good Show, April 17, 2005

By 

Mr. X "Blademaster" (Uk) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Bodyguard Of Lightning: Orcs First Blood (Paperback)

At first aproach i was slightly wary of the book, i mean, orcs? heroes? noble creatures? And yet, as you progess through the book, you begin to feel great empathy for these natural-born warriors, who, since there birth have been forced to fight for masters they disagree with, as blind servants, with no say in their own destiny. Suddenly, they have choice, and the opputunity to decide for themselves what their next move will be, not just to be told, and carry out their orders or face certain death. Their journey, and the enemies they face in all directions will have you not only understanding their way of life, but rooting for them, holding your breath, and hoping this next fight will not be their last. It's a book that sucks you in and won't let go, although you might want to harden your stomach to some of the....grosser details.....it's fast-paced, action packed, gritty, and more often than not, very funny. This is a worth edition to any fantasy reader's collection.