Orcs before Tolkien
A look at the early literary history of orcs. Content note: racism. Image: engraving of Orcus from Orlando Furioso. The orc – generally a brutish, animalistic warrior, perhaps actually bred to act as cannon-fodder – is a staple of modern fantasy fiction. The popular depiction is owed overwhelmingly to the legendarium of J. R. R. Tolkien; whether particular authors follow his version closely, deviate from it, or deliberately subvert it, it remains their effective starting poin
