When Finley Fenn announced The Fall of the Orc, book two of the Orc Forged series, I couldn’t hit the preorder button fast enough. Olarr appears in book one, Sins of the Orc (you can read my review here), as a background character who frequently needs healing after encounters with his human lieutenant crush. I found the scenario so intriguing. To find out we get an entire book dedicated to Olarr and Gerrard was amazing.
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The Fall of the Orc (Orc Forged Book 2)
🥭🥭🥭🥭.5
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
(you can find my rating and spice system here)
POV & Tense: Single POV, third limited, past tense
Genre: MM Fantasy Romance
Tropes/Themes: Enemies to Lovers, Orc Wars, Forbidden Romance, Human/Orc, Size Difference, Fluids, Sparring as Foreplay, Scent, Scheming, Battle Scenes
Synopsis:
Aulis Gerrard may be a talented and dedicated lieutenant, but years of slogging away fighting a pointless, unwinnable war against the orcs have left him despondent. His plans to go out in a blaze of glory are foiled when the orc he’s battling refuses to fight and tells him to run. How dare he! But when Gerrard returns for a rematch, he gets more than he bargained for.
The Fall of the Orc by Finley Fenn (Orc Forged #2)
My Review:
Book one, Sins of the Orc, was a deeply emotional experience, and The Fall of the Orc is just as impactful. Be prepared to be uplifted, heartbroken, mended, and left changed.
Beautifully Flawed Characters
I adore Olarr and Gerrard so much. They are both dedicated warriors who put the needs of their men before their own, but unfortunately work under less-than-ideal leaders. Though they are enemies, they bond over their similar situations. But trust does not come easy. There are missteps on both sides, but both find themselves thoroughly dedicated to one another. I appreciated the main characters for both their flaws and virtues, and their willingness to work through their issues.
You make me fall all the harder at your feet. Until”—his breath shuddered, his voice dropping—”there shall be none commanding me but you.”
Playing With Fire
Sensory details are one of my favorite things about Finley Fenn’s orc books, specifically the orcs’ heightened sense of smell. This puts Olarr and Gerrard in a dangerous situation. Gerrard has Olarr’s scent all over him and must remain away from other orcs lest their secret treasonous relationship be divulged. And Olarr has to be very careful not to get any of Gerrard’s, ahem, ‘essence’ on him, or else the orcs will scent his little secret. They are playing with fire, yet they can’t stay away from one another (and we don’t want them to).
I granted you my scent, human,” the orc hissed. “And now, anyone who scents you shall know this. They shall know how I have betrayed my own kin with you!”
Battle Scenes
I love a good battle scene, and there are many throughout the book ranging from light-hearted sparring between Olarr and Gerrard to high-stakes life-or-death matches. Fenn has written each one with skill and precision. Every interaction between Olarr and Gerrard had me smiling. They’re so competitive and well-matched, both on and off the battlefield. The idea of them sparring as foreplay completely made my day.
Epilogue and Bonus Epilogue
Finishing the book is an epilogue that made me feel all the things. It’s a soothing balm. You’ll want to subscribe to Finley Fenn’s newsletter to get the bonus epilogue, which made my heart so happy. Not going to spoil anything, but it’s not to be missed. There is some gorgeous art of these two featured in this bonus epilogue (and also available on her Instagram page).
Gerrard could feel the intensity simmering behind them, behind the slow stroking of Olarr’s hands. The way he was touching Gerrard as if he was made of glass, or of gold, the reverence whispering without a word through his lips and his fingers.”
Final Thoughts
Ahhhhhhh I loved this one so much! Many characters from her Orc Sworn series, which I need to dive into soon, are mentioned in Fall of the Orc, we get to see Kesst and Efterar from book one, and we get introduced to many other orcs who would be great candidates for future books. Yes, she mentions there will be more books in this series, and I am so happy. Each can be read as a standalone, and from the books I’ve read so far, I can tell I’m going to want to read them all.
The Orc Forged series by Finley Fenn
Author Stalking (but not in a creepy way):
Finley Fenn is the author of two orc romance series and a series about mages.
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Banner Image Credit: Autumn Waterfall
~~If you like spicy books with orcs, check out my Orc Rec List ~~
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