The Grey Bastards

“A filthy, charismatic and frankly excellent read.”—Mark Lawrence, international bestselling author of Prince of Thorns and Red Sister “A funny thing happens when reading The Grey Bastards. You’re rolling along, smiling at the novelties on display, but then, almost without warning, you find yourself truly in the world French has created, and it all becomes wonderfully familiar and convincing. The world-building creates exactly the kind of seamless transition that makes fantasy literature compelling, informative, and just plain fun.”—R.A. Salvatore, New York Times bestselling author of The Legend of Drizzt “French flips the fantasy script as the monsters become the good guys, fueling an action-packed, sneakily smart adventure. Half orc and all badass, Jackal is a hero you won’t soon forget.”—Scott Sigler, New York Times bestselling author of Alive and Infected “Refashions high-fantasy tropes into something both vibrant and highly entertaining..a fantasy take on Sons of Anarchy might seem an unlikely starting point for an excellent novel, but Jonathan French manages it with considerable aplomb.”—Anthony Ryan, New York Times bestselling author of the Raven’s Shadow trilogy “The Grey Bastards dragged me in immediately. A bloody good tale of battles, intrigue, betrayal, duty and frickin’ war pigs.”—Brian McClellan, author of The Powder Mage trilogy “A gritty adventure with a fantastic, foul-mouthed voice and filthy, lovable characters in a wonderfully original world. Fans of Abercrombie’s THE FIRST LAW or the soldierly banter of Erikson’s MALAZAN BOOK OF THE FALLEN will like this a lot.”—Django Wexler, author of The Shadow Campaigns series“A terrific and highly original epic fantasy debut … French’s half-orcs, halflings, centaurs, and others have rich histories and folklore, giving the work depth while never getting in the way of the fun. Excellent fantasy fare on all levels.“—Publishers Weekly (starred review)“A dirty, blood-soaked gem of a novel [that reads] like Mad Max set in Tolkien’s Middle Earth … powered by unparalleled worldbuilding, polished storytelling, and relentless pacing. A fantasy masterwork.”—Kirkus Reviews (starred)

Jonathan French lives in Atlanta with his wife and son. He is a devoted reader of comic books, an expert thrower of oddly shaped dice, and a serial con attendee.