4 ms·
> It's an interesting take on a darker version of elfdom. Tolkiens orcs were originally elves, though they were twisted with methods of torture by Morgoth (Sau
by Jenz 7y ago
> It's an interesting take on a darker version of elfdom.
Tolkiens orcs were originally elves, though they were twisted with methods of torture by Morgoth (Saurons master) into becoming as they are.
- oh_sigh 7y agoDid Tolkien predict epigenetics?
- riffraff 7y agoBefore epigenetics we had Lamarckism[0] and in The Island of Dr. Moreau visisection is used to create humanoid beings from animals[1] [0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lamarckism https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lamarckism [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Island_of_Doctor_Moreau https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Island_of_Doctor_Moreau
- n4r9 7y agoThe corresponding race in the Second Apocalypse are the Sranc, an artificial genetic aberration derived from the Nonmen by aliens that possess superior biotech. I concur with OP's comments that the Second Apocalypse is much darker than LOTR. The Sranc embody this difference. Partly due to how much more graphic detail an author can get away with these days, Sranc are much more brutal, bestial and disgusting than Orcs.
- asdfasgasdgasdg 7y agoBesides the mere graphic violence, Bakker has a way of making things psychologically disturbing. For example, it's weird and scary that the Sranc have beautiful faces. Obviously the transgressions in their behavior are disturbing (they don't just want to kill you -- in fact, they'd prefer if you lived, so they can do unspeakable things to your body after subduing you). The orcs are just an ugly army of big brutish bad guys. But they fight with the same tactics as any other medieval army, at least to my recollection of the LOTR books. The Sranc (and Wracu and Bashrag etc.) are something different.
- n4r9 7y agoAbsolutely. It's extremely psychologically compelling: the porcelain features, the "black seed", the imagery of thousands of screaming humanoid beasts hurling themselves ravenously at a shield wall. imo the series (at least the first half) is eventually going to be seen as a defining piece of modern fiction.
- asdfasgasdgasdg 7y agoAchamian vs. the Spires in Sauglish will go down as one of the greatest magical fight scenes in the history of the written word for me.
- raizinho 7y agoYou have the wrong library. That fight was in Iothiah (the Sareotic Library).
- asdfasgasdgasdg 7y agoOh right. All these libraries starting with the word S.