the Last Ring-Bearer

[Warthog]

There is a very interesting and quite enjoyable alt-fanfic with orcs as the protagonists. Mordor as industrialised and organised, frequent reference to following the Field Manual while on mission

Written about 20 years ago by Kirill Yeskov, the Last Ring-Bearer tells the story of the Lord of the Rings from the perspective of two orcs.

The events and backstory of Tolkien's work are not so much changed as re-interpretted, and the war cast as a conflict between the scientific, industrial east, and the superstitious, magic-working west.

The POD is not so much a single event, but a change in our understanding of the macro-relationships of the peoples of Middle-Earth: What if the elves were not merely a patronising but broadly allied elder race, but in fact saw humans and other sentients as lesser species, tools to use at their will to accomplish their race's goal? There are of course elements of this in Tolkien's work - and more so in Jackson's - but Yeskov's novel takes this a lot further.

It is basically a thriller, set in Tolkien's world viewed through an alternative perspective. The changed perspective is fascinating, and Yeskov created some depth to Mordor society, orc culture and the industrial revolution in Middle-Earth which is quite enjoyable

 

[Kato]

I remember reading about 60 pages of a PDF formatted version of this, the better part of a decade ago, after following a link to what I was assured was a really "bad" fanfic.

Personally I found the scenario as above intriguing as an alternate historiography, and as a fresh take on "history written by the victors".

I can't really critique it on a literary level - yes it was clunky to read, but I can understand that it wasn't written in English as a first language.

I think where it falls down is that "this whole elves/humans/orcs division thing is a bit off, isn't it?" doesn't feel like an especially fresh take, when there is conflict enough in Tolkien's own work to explore this theme, and when its a trope that has been both entrenched and parodied in the wider fantasy genre for a long time.

But as alternative world building, its a really interesting attempt to flesh own a society that is only ever seen in canon through the eyes of its enemies.

 

[Hendryk]

I'd be interested in an in-depth critique of it. I downloaded it a while ago but haven't got around to reading it yet.