Subject: _Grunts!_

From: [email-masked] (S H L G Bisson)
Date: 16 Jul 92 10:35:20 GMT

Mary Gentle is perhaps better known for her science fiction and `hard'
fantasy (_Golden_Witchbreed_,_Rats_and_Gargoyles_) than as a writer of 
humorous fantasy. However, if you've ever spoken to Mary, you'll not be
surprised by the contents of her new novel, _Grunts!_. Yes, the "Pass me
another elf, Sarge, this one's split!" book has finally been published.

The story has a similar feel (and map!) to the Midnight Rose shared
world anthology _Villains!_, an un-heroic fantasy with a certain dark
lunatic edge.

_Grunts!_ is the story of a group of Orcs, off to fight yet another final
battle between Light and Dark, who get sent to raid a dying dragon's hoard.
The dragon just happens to be a collector of otherworld militaria, who has
cursed her loot: "You are what you steal". Vietnam era US marine uniforms
and weapons lead to the formation of the orc marines, and to a lot of
changes for the world...

A certain cynicism about heroic fantasy, combined with a Bilkoesque view
of the military, makes _Grunts!_ an antidote to those interminable fantasy
quests and the Drake-clone military Sf that seems to fill the shelves.

Watch out for the missile armed pegasi, the stealth dragon and the Special
Undead Service (motto: "Death, THEN Glory!")...

Basic Bibliographic details:

_Grunts!_
Mary Gentle
Bantam UK
#14.99 (hc)

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Simon H Le G Bisson..net.jerriais..sf-bibliophile..
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