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A bleak glimpse of a world of savage tyrants, from award-winning author Adrian Tchaikovsky in a beautiful signed, limited-edition hardcover.
Ogres are bigger than you.
Ogres are stronger than you.
Ogres rule the world.
It’s always idyllic in the village until the landlord comes to call.
Because the landlord is an Ogre. And Ogres rule the world, with their size and strength and appetites. It’s always been that way. It’s the natural order of the world. And they only eat people sometimes.
But when the headman’s son, Torquell, dares lift his hand against the landlord’s son, he sets himself on a path to learn the terrible truth about the Ogres, and about the dark sciences that ensured their rule.
Ogres are bigger than you.
Ogres are stronger than you.
Ogres rule the world.
It’s always idyllic in the village until the landlord comes to call.
Because the landlord is an Ogre. And Ogres rule the world, with their size and strength and appetites. It’s always been that way. It’s the natural order of the world. And they only eat people sometimes.
But when the headman’s son, Torquell, dares lift his hand against the landlord’s son, he sets himself on a path to learn the terrible truth about the Ogres, and about the dark sciences that ensured their rule.
159 pages, Hardcover
First published March 15, 2022
156 people are currently reading
3763 people want to read
About the author
Adrian Tchaikovsky
206 books16.5k followersADRIAN TCHAIKOVSKY was born in Lincolnshire and studied zoology and psychology at Reading, before practising law in Leeds. He is a keen live role-player and occasional amateur actor and is trained in stage-fighting. His literary influences include Gene Wolfe, Mervyn Peake, China Miéville, Mary Gently, Steven Erikson, Naomi Novak, Scott Lynch and Alan Campbell.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 687 reviews
September 26, 2023
“But when you’re property, it doesn’t matter if your owner treats you well or badly. The ownership is all. We don’t split hairs about who is a better slave master. And you would have been the best owner of all, and that still isn’t enough reason to keep you alive once you’ve decided that owning people is fine, just so long as it’s you that owns them.”This is a story that doesn’t do what you think it would. It takes turns that are sadder and crueler and angrier than I anticipated, seamlessly joining fantasy and science fiction (remember that murky line between magic and sufficiently advanced technology? And I would have been less surprised had I paid attention to the helicopter on the cover). And bringing up the eternal questions about fairness and privilege and exploitation, the haves and the have-nots.
“You understand where the ogres came from, after that.”
“Because in the end, changing the world was too complicated, and left to their own devices people wouldn’t change their habits, and so we had to change the people.”
Yeah, Adrian Tchaikovsky is good. By now he’s absolutely perfect at novellas. And he’s good at delivering a well-timed punch that sets things on a path that changes everything, mixing humor and pathos without a second thought.
“You’re all about the big picture, and you’ve become aware that there is a very big picture indeed, buried in the history of the world, and everything in your life seems to have been thrown up to hide it.
“Histories,” Minith says, as though it’s a dirty word. “Apparently we have recruited a humanities student.”
I’ve read an essay by Ursula K. Le Guin recently that focused on the rhythms in the narrative, both oral and written, and it made me pay much more conscious attention to the rhythms of the story. And it’s very impressive how well Tchaikovsky’s story flows, how right from the start it falls into a rhythm that makes it click for me — competently and seemingly effortlessly. He’s obviously really good at his craft, good at his prose, and it shows. I love competent writing which is a pure pleasure to read. And yes, here he takes a risk of putting the entire story into the second person narration, which to many people is the instant sign to back away slowly, but you needn’t worry here — Mr. T knows what he’s doing, and he’s very good even with this difficult style. Just trust him, and he’ll make it worth it.
“But so the stories go, and you prefer them. Already you’re starting to see the world in a certain way, with that overlay people paint where desperation and necessity get gilded over into stories.”
“The might of the ogres isn’t solely contained in their great limbs and strength. But that is what strikes the eye, when you see them. You, big and strong for a man, are used to weighing others by the amount of world they displace and the force they can exert.”
Don’t be annoyed at the start by seemingly standard plot of a fantasy hero’s journey from lovable rogue to a competent leader; it will evolve into quite more by the end. Tchaikovsky will bring his fantasy not only to science fiction but also to too-real reality, and he has quite a bit to say about that. Are we doomed to repeat the same old history because of our nature? Do revolutions ultimately return to status quo because it’s all about getting a slice of that proverbial pie for the leaders? And why are there no spiders in this book, at all?
“And then you find a book which finally teaches you the right questions.”
4.5 stars which I will round up because he’s that good. By now I’ve read quite a few of his novellas, and this is among my favorites, close to “Walking to Aldebaran” and “Spiderlight”.
———
Buddy read with Dennis (who’s a fan now) and Dylan.
———
Thanks to NetGalley and Rebellion Publishing Ltd. for providing me with a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.
———
Also posted on my blog.
March 15, 2022
**Publication Day**
"They've always been there, your masters the ogres...your father and his father have been wise stewards, no pestilence to blacken the fields...You've never known real privation. You have milk, eggs, wool. Meat is for the masters." Torquell's father, Tomas was the village headman. He prepared all accounts for the Landlord. Each bushel, each sheep on the hillside must be counted. "Woe betide the headman who cheats his Landlord, or even miscounts."
Landlord Sir Peter Grimes, a ten foot tall ogre, approached the village in his motorcade with his retinue. The second vehicle contained his favored servants-his beaters-"a quartet of humans with clubs" ready to mete out justice and punish transgressors. "Blessings to the masters for their protection." The Landlords have come to collect the tithes owed to the top 1% of society. All larders and barns must open. A feast for "the ravenous appetites of a pair of ogres" was prepared. Sir Peter's son Gerald, a landlord -in-training, was a cruel, contemptuous ogre, always ready to demean any and all those beneath his station. Torquell, the headman's son was the village's "lovable rogue" whose pranks included plucking apples from a neighbor's orchard to share with a band of outlaws on the fringes of society. The leader of the outcasts, Roben, was "a scarecrow of a man, having survived seven winters in the forest."
A clash between Torquell, the human and Gerald, the ogre ensued. Torquell was forced to flee his village. By losing his temper, the unthinkable was unleashed. He had now been "stripped down to the bones of who [he was]." He had "earned his outlawry...become an outlaw...one of a variety of skins [he'd] wear throughout [his] life."
"Ogres" by Adrian Tchaikovsky is Sci-Fi/ Fantasy at its best, a cautionary tale told through second person narration. It is a social commentary about the haves and have-nots in a society controlled by genetic manipulation. Will the quest for knowledge and enlightenment help reverse the rules that govern the human populace? Highly recommended!
Thank you Rebellion/Solaris and Net Galley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
"They've always been there, your masters the ogres...your father and his father have been wise stewards, no pestilence to blacken the fields...You've never known real privation. You have milk, eggs, wool. Meat is for the masters." Torquell's father, Tomas was the village headman. He prepared all accounts for the Landlord. Each bushel, each sheep on the hillside must be counted. "Woe betide the headman who cheats his Landlord, or even miscounts."
Landlord Sir Peter Grimes, a ten foot tall ogre, approached the village in his motorcade with his retinue. The second vehicle contained his favored servants-his beaters-"a quartet of humans with clubs" ready to mete out justice and punish transgressors. "Blessings to the masters for their protection." The Landlords have come to collect the tithes owed to the top 1% of society. All larders and barns must open. A feast for "the ravenous appetites of a pair of ogres" was prepared. Sir Peter's son Gerald, a landlord -in-training, was a cruel, contemptuous ogre, always ready to demean any and all those beneath his station. Torquell, the headman's son was the village's "lovable rogue" whose pranks included plucking apples from a neighbor's orchard to share with a band of outlaws on the fringes of society. The leader of the outcasts, Roben, was "a scarecrow of a man, having survived seven winters in the forest."
A clash between Torquell, the human and Gerald, the ogre ensued. Torquell was forced to flee his village. By losing his temper, the unthinkable was unleashed. He had now been "stripped down to the bones of who [he was]." He had "earned his outlawry...become an outlaw...one of a variety of skins [he'd] wear throughout [his] life."
"Ogres" by Adrian Tchaikovsky is Sci-Fi/ Fantasy at its best, a cautionary tale told through second person narration. It is a social commentary about the haves and have-nots in a society controlled by genetic manipulation. Will the quest for knowledge and enlightenment help reverse the rules that govern the human populace? Highly recommended!
Thank you Rebellion/Solaris and Net Galley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
March 15, 2022
This is not the book I expected to read.
I'm floored by how many times this books changed my perception of what I was reading. A treatise on slavery, human nature, rebellion, excess, leadership, greed, and recklessness.
Full review: https://youtu.be/8_oWMCnwOdQ
I'm floored by how many times this books changed my perception of what I was reading. A treatise on slavery, human nature, rebellion, excess, leadership, greed, and recklessness.
Full review: https://youtu.be/8_oWMCnwOdQ
July 4, 2022
My first Tchaikovsky. That was actually meant to be Children of Time, which I saw several people whose opinions I value describe as a modern classic of science-fiction. But then my friend Nataliya talked me into a buddy read of this, his new novella, and I read the blurb and thought that it sounded kinda boring, but it seems I can never withstand the draw of the buddy read and so it turned out to be Ogres.
Usually things like that don't end well, because I know myself as a reader and if the blurb says 'boring' to me then more often than not I end up being bored and whoever recommended the book to me is only in for one thing - disappointment. And frankly, we started on the wrong foot here as well. Second person! Goddammit, Tchaikovsky, is what I thought. Additionally, the rather standard plot of the oppressed raising their hand against the oppressing (ogres), paying a steep price for their insolence, and then going on the often told hero's journey to come back and take their revenge didn't really interest me all that much.
But even though I didn't care much about what happened in this rather cruel fantasy tale, I could still see that Tchaikovsky is indeed a very good writer and not even the (usually) dreadful second person narrative got on my nerves any longer after only two or three chapters. As for the plot, it turned out I've been wrong and this book actually takes a very interesting science-fictional turn around the halfway mark and has a couple of things to say about our societal, economical, environmental shortcomings as human beings in both our current days and our past. And what about our future? Are we going to make the same mistakes all over again, because that's just how we are? Or can we be better? Do we even have the chance to, or is it the system that screws us over and we are lost?
In the end this turned out to be a well-written novella with a nice genre twist in the middle and an equally nice plot twist right at the end and I came to both appreciate the book and Tchaikovsky as a writer. Well done, my friend.
4 stars.
Buddy read with Nataliya and Dylan.
***
Thanks to NetGalley and Rebellion Publishing Ltd. for providing me with a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts are my own and in no way influenced by the aforementioned.
This review also appears on books are life.
Recommended by Nataliya
Usually things like that don't end well, because I know myself as a reader and if the blurb says 'boring' to me then more often than not I end up being bored and whoever recommended the book to me is only in for one thing - disappointment. And frankly, we started on the wrong foot here as well. Second person! Goddammit, Tchaikovsky, is what I thought. Additionally, the rather standard plot of the oppressed raising their hand against the oppressing (ogres), paying a steep price for their insolence, and then going on the often told hero's journey to come back and take their revenge didn't really interest me all that much.
But even though I didn't care much about what happened in this rather cruel fantasy tale, I could still see that Tchaikovsky is indeed a very good writer and not even the (usually) dreadful second person narrative got on my nerves any longer after only two or three chapters. As for the plot, it turned out I've been wrong and this book actually takes a very interesting science-fictional turn around the halfway mark and has a couple of things to say about our societal, economical, environmental shortcomings as human beings in both our current days and our past. And what about our future? Are we going to make the same mistakes all over again, because that's just how we are? Or can we be better? Do we even have the chance to, or is it the system that screws us over and we are lost?
In the end this turned out to be a well-written novella with a nice genre twist in the middle and an equally nice plot twist right at the end and I came to both appreciate the book and Tchaikovsky as a writer. Well done, my friend.
4 stars.
Buddy read with Nataliya and Dylan.
***
Thanks to NetGalley and Rebellion Publishing Ltd. for providing me with a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts are my own and in no way influenced by the aforementioned.
This review also appears on books are life.
Recommended by Nataliya
December 21, 2021
And all of a sudden, we've got ourselves a political treatise, a medieval fairy tale, and a Red Rising hardcore high-tech revolution all rolled into one tiny novella.
Can you say Adrian Tchaikovsky?
I thought it was funny as hell right at the very beginning that our main character would be named Tocqueville, as in comte de Tocqueville, the French Aristo that argued for the decent treatment of the lower end of the class struggle, who was so essential to the formation of the United States of America.
And I found it equally hilarious how we jumped right from Robin Hood to education to revolution and a great little twist at the end. Class warfare, you know? And it's almost as if we're channeling a little taste of Attack on Titan, too, with a pretty fantastic turn of the knife on vegetarianism.
Delicious. Yum Yum. :)
Can you say Adrian Tchaikovsky?
I thought it was funny as hell right at the very beginning that our main character would be named Tocqueville, as in comte de Tocqueville, the French Aristo that argued for the decent treatment of the lower end of the class struggle, who was so essential to the formation of the United States of America.
And I found it equally hilarious how we jumped right from Robin Hood to education to revolution and a great little twist at the end. Class warfare, you know? And it's almost as if we're channeling a little taste of Attack on Titan, too, with a pretty fantastic turn of the knife on vegetarianism.
Delicious. Yum Yum. :)
June 29, 2025
Injustice is what moves you. Injustice, that you were born to serve and scrape and, at the worst, go into a pie, and the ogres were born to rule and to gorge.
Political discourse disguised as speculative fiction couched in sci-fi, Ogres starts with the intriguing premise of an adolescent human worker escaping his village to avoid punishment, continues with rebellion building slowly into a revolution. Adrian Tchaikovsky packs a lot in this thought-provoking novella with brilliant craftsmanship. The book is part of a three book series on Terrible Worlds that can be read independently.
The second person writing combined with the initial focus on one person running away from punishment creates a sense of urgency that is almost too much even as the bare-boned plot continues to revelations of the terrible world that he sees. The writing is sparse and dry but efficiently conveys the thirst for knowledge and restlessness of the protagonist. Torquell's growth as a character happens steadily, proportional to his learning, how much of the world he sees and more importantly his power.
The brilliance of the book is mostly in the ideas and themes explored - of power and resources snatched from the weak, of slavery, atavistic strength, of revolutions and the importance of knowledge in the right hands. These themes shine in the book, more so against the background of minimal world-building and sparse text, showcasing Tchaikovsky's craftsmanship.
🌟🌟🌟🌟1/4
[One star for the premise and the whole book; 3/4 star for the characters; 3/4 star for the world-building; One star for the story and themes explored; 3/4 star for the writing - 4 1/4 stars in total.]
But when you’re property, it doesn’t matter if your owner treats you well or badly. The ownership is all. We don’t split hairs about who is a better slave master.
Political discourse disguised as speculative fiction couched in sci-fi, Ogres starts with the intriguing premise of an adolescent human worker escaping his village to avoid punishment, continues with rebellion building slowly into a revolution. Adrian Tchaikovsky packs a lot in this thought-provoking novella with brilliant craftsmanship. The book is part of a three book series on Terrible Worlds that can be read independently.
The second person writing combined with the initial focus on one person running away from punishment creates a sense of urgency that is almost too much even as the bare-boned plot continues to revelations of the terrible world that he sees. The writing is sparse and dry but efficiently conveys the thirst for knowledge and restlessness of the protagonist. Torquell's growth as a character happens steadily, proportional to his learning, how much of the world he sees and more importantly his power.
The brilliance of the book is mostly in the ideas and themes explored - of power and resources snatched from the weak, of slavery, atavistic strength, of revolutions and the importance of knowledge in the right hands. These themes shine in the book, more so against the background of minimal world-building and sparse text, showcasing Tchaikovsky's craftsmanship.
🌟🌟🌟🌟1/4
[One star for the premise and the whole book; 3/4 star for the characters; 3/4 star for the world-building; One star for the story and themes explored; 3/4 star for the writing - 4 1/4 stars in total.]
But when you’re property, it doesn’t matter if your owner treats you well or badly. The ownership is all. We don’t split hairs about who is a better slave master.
December 27, 2021
Muhahahahahahahaha.
Picture a future in which there are ogre-ish beings, bigger and stronger than humans. Picture a world in which those "ogres" are meat-eating masters whereas the humans are vegetarian slaves that don't know a lick of actual science but consider it magic.
How did we get there? Oh, we're not THAT far away from that future, really.
But every tale, especially one with monsters, also needs a hero. And of course there is one: the son of a village headman. A boy with a temper. A boy who gets in waaay above his head and then is forced on a journey of (self-)discovery with awesome history and science bits that tell us sooo much about our current world.
You know how tales of heroic slaves rising up against their masters end? Let's just say that Tchaikovsky had a great twist waiting for us here, at the very end.
Seriously, this is now my favourite novella by this author. It has a quirky narrator and a great set-up. More than that, though, the author also addresses certain supposed solutions to problems like overpopulation and the destruction of nature - and why they wouldn't/couldn't work while acknowledging that something indeed has to be done but that we need to wholly change for it to have a chance to work.
And then there is the dark humour. I laughed sardonically countless times while reading this and wholly enjoyed the deep sarcasm and irony. One could say it was ... delicious. ;)
Picture a future in which there are ogre-ish beings, bigger and stronger than humans. Picture a world in which those "ogres" are meat-eating masters whereas the humans are vegetarian slaves that don't know a lick of actual science but consider it magic.
How did we get there? Oh, we're not THAT far away from that future, really.
But every tale, especially one with monsters, also needs a hero. And of course there is one: the son of a village headman. A boy with a temper. A boy who gets in waaay above his head and then is forced on a journey of (self-)discovery with awesome history and science bits that tell us sooo much about our current world.
You know how tales of heroic slaves rising up against their masters end? Let's just say that Tchaikovsky had a great twist waiting for us here, at the very end.
Seriously, this is now my favourite novella by this author. It has a quirky narrator and a great set-up. More than that, though, the author also addresses certain supposed solutions to problems like overpopulation and the destruction of nature - and why they wouldn't/couldn't work while acknowledging that something indeed has to be done but that we need to wholly change for it to have a chance to work.
And then there is the dark humour. I laughed sardonically countless times while reading this and wholly enjoyed the deep sarcasm and irony. One could say it was ... delicious. ;)
December 28, 2023
Adrian Tchaikovsky always comes up with something exciting and new, so when I came across this novella entitled simply Ogres I was sure it would be good. In fact it was brilliant!
The story is dystopian and the world is one which had reached its capacity for humanity to thrive. A group of genetically enhanced people (the ogres) has culled the population and reduced society to a kind of feudal system. The time is ripe for the repressed to rebel and all they need is the right kind of leader.
I wondered from the start what made the author write in a second person narrative which is rare enough to make reading it difficult at least for the first few chapters. However this is an author who you can count on to know what he is doing, and it is used to tremendous effect at the end.
What a fantastic conclusion. What an entertaining book. Definitely worth reading.
The story is dystopian and the world is one which had reached its capacity for humanity to thrive. A group of genetically enhanced people (the ogres) has culled the population and reduced society to a kind of feudal system. The time is ripe for the repressed to rebel and all they need is the right kind of leader.
I wondered from the start what made the author write in a second person narrative which is rare enough to make reading it difficult at least for the first few chapters. However this is an author who you can count on to know what he is doing, and it is used to tremendous effect at the end.
What a fantastic conclusion. What an entertaining book. Definitely worth reading.
December 3, 2021
Ogres is a like a master class on genre bending. Just as you think it's one thing it deftly turns into something totally new and unexpected. It presents a bleak world with some fantasy and dystopian trappings that becomes the stage for a heroic struggle against oppression and injustice. At the heart of it all is a great mystery, with Tchaikovsky doing what he does better than almost anyone. Dropping you cold into a strange yet eerily familiar world, slowly peeling back the incongruities, the horrors and the unknown to reveal the shocking hidden truth.
Thanks to the publisher for providing me with an advanced copy for review.
Thanks to the publisher for providing me with an advanced copy for review.
May 28, 2025
audio reread 2025- still brilliant.
Brilliant. This is the best novella I've ever read. I thought the second person narration would bother me, but after the first chapter or so, you get used to it. I want more people to read this....this is such a thought provoking story.
Brilliant. This is the best novella I've ever read. I thought the second person narration would bother me, but after the first chapter or so, you get used to it. I want more people to read this....this is such a thought provoking story.
February 16, 2024
I seem to be on a roll loving Tchaikovsky Novellas!!!! It’s a bit odd getting the story from 2nd person POV but dang this story slaps
February 14, 2022
Adrian Tchaikovsky has yet to disappoint after his amazing latest novella, Ogres. Narrated in the second person, it discusses various ideas and themes well balanced with its initially straightforward plot and characters that then unexpectedly diverges into something fascinating. How he can think up these concepts and stories and still put out well-written books at a consistently rapid rate is beyond me.
The set-up is fairly familiar, reminiscent of a classical fantasy beginning. Torquell is the son of the village head, a rebellious teenager with roguish charm, tentative friends with the outcasts in the forest led by Robin. When the region’s Ogre overseer Peter arrives with his son to collect taxes, an incident with Torquell kicks off what seems to be his hero’s journey. Partway through, however, the story takes some interesting turns and really delves into what it wants to explore. It touches on many themes, prominent among them being slavery and servitude, the perils of excessive ambition and greed, the many facets of institution and rebellion, and at its core, what drives people to be who they are. Given the book’s short length, it mused on each for the appropriate amount of time and wove them together wonderfully as the story progressed. It is very well paced; enough time is spent with each plot beat such that they don’t overstay their welcome while also giving each aspect its proper time to breathe: before the inciting event, the flight from Theo, Lady Isadora’s service, and the rebellion.
I loved the second-person narration, it lent itself well to the story direction and the eventual twists at the end. It allowed for pithy meta-commentary on the nature of heroes and tales and relevant events in general, which definitely added to the experience and injected the novella with a distinct narrative personality. The characters were solid. They served their purposes well with what they represented and were decently faceted enough to not feel sparse. Lady Isadora, for example, being an Ogre in a very interesting social position, between her seeming sympathies and her actual institutional entrenchment in the society that privileges her. The worldbuilding was excellent as well, one of the more fascinating aspects as we got deeper into the story. While not of excessive depth, the world was sketched in a way to make it feel real, having enough detail and later revelations that provided an initial sense of mysterious familiarity and made everything seem sensical. Tchaikovsky does this wonderful thing of seamlessly blending science fiction and fantasy to create his worlds and explore concepts, something that was much more the focus in his other novella, Elder Race.
The ending was unexpected, but fitting and fantastic. Revelations about the constructed society and the narrative twists at the end really nailed the themes and their nuances and wrapped up the story itself quite memorably. It also added context to the necessity of the second-person perspective, which I was a fan of. I would say that Ogres was a consistently engaging and fun read that ranks among my favourite novellas alongside Elder Race, The Emperor’s Soul, and The Wilful Princess and the Piebald Prince, though I’ve not read very many as of yet.
[Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher Rebellion Publishing for providing an eARC for an honest review.]
The set-up is fairly familiar, reminiscent of a classical fantasy beginning. Torquell is the son of the village head, a rebellious teenager with roguish charm, tentative friends with the outcasts in the forest led by Robin. When the region’s Ogre overseer Peter arrives with his son to collect taxes, an incident with Torquell kicks off what seems to be his hero’s journey. Partway through, however, the story takes some interesting turns and really delves into what it wants to explore. It touches on many themes, prominent among them being slavery and servitude, the perils of excessive ambition and greed, the many facets of institution and rebellion, and at its core, what drives people to be who they are. Given the book’s short length, it mused on each for the appropriate amount of time and wove them together wonderfully as the story progressed. It is very well paced; enough time is spent with each plot beat such that they don’t overstay their welcome while also giving each aspect its proper time to breathe: before the inciting event, the flight from Theo, Lady Isadora’s service, and the rebellion.
I loved the second-person narration, it lent itself well to the story direction and the eventual twists at the end. It allowed for pithy meta-commentary on the nature of heroes and tales and relevant events in general, which definitely added to the experience and injected the novella with a distinct narrative personality. The characters were solid. They served their purposes well with what they represented and were decently faceted enough to not feel sparse. Lady Isadora, for example, being an Ogre in a very interesting social position, between her seeming sympathies and her actual institutional entrenchment in the society that privileges her. The worldbuilding was excellent as well, one of the more fascinating aspects as we got deeper into the story. While not of excessive depth, the world was sketched in a way to make it feel real, having enough detail and later revelations that provided an initial sense of mysterious familiarity and made everything seem sensical. Tchaikovsky does this wonderful thing of seamlessly blending science fiction and fantasy to create his worlds and explore concepts, something that was much more the focus in his other novella, Elder Race.
The ending was unexpected, but fitting and fantastic. Revelations about the constructed society and the narrative twists at the end really nailed the themes and their nuances and wrapped up the story itself quite memorably. It also added context to the necessity of the second-person perspective, which I was a fan of. I would say that Ogres was a consistently engaging and fun read that ranks among my favourite novellas alongside Elder Race, The Emperor’s Soul, and The Wilful Princess and the Piebald Prince, though I’ve not read very many as of yet.
[Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher Rebellion Publishing for providing an eARC for an honest review.]
October 31, 2023
2.5 stars
TW: systemic oppression; eugenics; death of family; cannibalism
This was a very mid dystopian novella that didn’t really do anything interesting with the ideas of revolution or a hero’s journey. The conclusion felt rushed and thematically simple. Also the 2nd person narration style didn’t have the payoff I would have liked, as when you found out who the narrator was, it doesn’t make a ton of sense as to how they know all the details of the story. I’ve liked this authors other works way more.
TW: systemic oppression; eugenics; death of family; cannibalism
This was a very mid dystopian novella that didn’t really do anything interesting with the ideas of revolution or a hero’s journey. The conclusion felt rushed and thematically simple. Also the 2nd person narration style didn’t have the payoff I would have liked, as when you found out who the narrator was, it doesn’t make a ton of sense as to how they know all the details of the story. I’ve liked this authors other works way more.
January 24, 2022
Torquell is the son of the village headman in a bleak, dystopian world that has reverted to a feudal economy ruled by Ogres who treat the human population as their servants. Torquell has enjoyed a free ranging upbringing, smiled on by the village even as he plays pranks and steals apples and meets with the outlaws who live in the woods. However, one day when the landlord, Sir Peter Grimes, a ten foot ogre, comes to collect his taxes with his cruel and oafish son Gerald, Torquell loses his temper and lashes out at Gerald and suddenly finds himself an outcast.
Tchaikovsky has clearly had fun writing this enjoyable novella. At first the world seems strange but as Torquell learns more of its history, it becomes a cautionary tale for our polluted, overpopulated world. Told in the second person, with the narrator only revealed at the end, there is a streak of humour and fun threaded through this sardonic fairytale.
With thanks to Rebellion and Netgalley for a copy to read
Tchaikovsky has clearly had fun writing this enjoyable novella. At first the world seems strange but as Torquell learns more of its history, it becomes a cautionary tale for our polluted, overpopulated world. Told in the second person, with the narrator only revealed at the end, there is a streak of humour and fun threaded through this sardonic fairytale.
With thanks to Rebellion and Netgalley for a copy to read
July 16, 2022
It starts like a fairy tale: there's a village outside the wood, and the ogres are coming to claim their tithes. And then it hits a couple of odd notes. The ogres are coming in...cars? And ogres love meat (of all kinds), but humans can no longer digest it?
The hell is going on here? And since when has anyone's vegetarianism ever been a mystery?
Ogres unfolds from its fairy tale beginnings and peculiar second person narration and ends up somewhere at the crossroads of Jack and the Beanstalk, Marxism, and The Time Machine, but even that might be saying too much.
This is a twisty, strange, idea-driven tale - I rarely knew where it was headed (except the origin of the ogres; I called that one), but I was 100% down for the gradual illumination of How Things Came to Be This Way. Characters are mostly archetypes, but the ogre Isadora and her home Hypatian (Hypatia was a famous scholar of the ancient world, incidentally) are given a more nuanced, if ambivalent, portrayal.
I appreciate the whiff of misanthropy that is often present in Tchaikovsky books:
Oh yes. An accurate assessment, although I wouldn't have chosen the same solutions.
The hell is going on here? And since when has anyone's vegetarianism ever been a mystery?
Ogres unfolds from its fairy tale beginnings and peculiar second person narration and ends up somewhere at the crossroads of Jack and the Beanstalk, Marxism, and The Time Machine, but even that might be saying too much.
This is a twisty, strange, idea-driven tale - I rarely knew where it was headed (except the origin of the ogres; I called that one), but I was 100% down for the gradual illumination of How Things Came to Be This Way. Characters are mostly archetypes, but the ogre Isadora and her home Hypatian (Hypatia was a famous scholar of the ancient world, incidentally) are given a more nuanced, if ambivalent, portrayal.
I appreciate the whiff of misanthropy that is often present in Tchaikovsky books:
"The world was...well, a lot of it was poisoned, and there were far too many people, all of them eating and breeding and just...using up everything. And there wasn't enough of everything. And it was only going to get worse. Something had to be done. We saved the world."
Oh yes. An accurate assessment, although I wouldn't have chosen the same solutions.
March 17, 2022
☆ "Because it's on, now. It's us or them."
Ogres rule the world. And humans are their slaves. - This sentence is all it took for me start drooling over this book. The premise was so promising and exciting. And luckily Adrian Tchaikovsky didn't disappoint; infact he delivered more than it was initially promised.
"Ogres" is an important book to read. The storyline is unparalleled and extraordinary. The wildly creative plot , combined with the author's unique narrative style and exquisite prose - Ambitiously Perfect is what this Novella is. This short Novella is packed with way more significance than you can imagine.
I loved this book. I loved it soo much. "Ogres" is one the best sci-fi books I have ever read. It was an instant favourite and the first addition to my 2022 favourite list. I enjoyed it so much that I can't even form a nice coherent sentence right now. So, I am not going to waste your time by prolonging my review. Just GO and READ it.
Ogres rule the world. And humans are their slaves. - This sentence is all it took for me start drooling over this book. The premise was so promising and exciting. And luckily Adrian Tchaikovsky didn't disappoint; infact he delivered more than it was initially promised.
"Ogres" is an important book to read. The storyline is unparalleled and extraordinary. The wildly creative plot , combined with the author's unique narrative style and exquisite prose - Ambitiously Perfect is what this Novella is. This short Novella is packed with way more significance than you can imagine.
I loved this book. I loved it soo much. "Ogres" is one the best sci-fi books I have ever read. It was an instant favourite and the first addition to my 2022 favourite list. I enjoyed it so much that I can't even form a nice coherent sentence right now. So, I am not going to waste your time by prolonging my review. Just GO and READ it.
September 21, 2022
Holy shit that was amazing
December 26, 2021
Adrian Tchaikovsky is a machine. He writes one excellent book after another, and it's getting difficult to keep up with him.
In Ogres, he delivers a thrilling dark satire told (successfully!) in 2nd person POV. At over six feet tall, Torquell is a giant, bigger than any human around. Compared to Ogres, though, he's punny. Ogres tower over everyone thanks to genetic modification.
I'm not sure if I should tell you anything more about the plot, as the mystery of what is going on is at the heart of the book. Suffice to say, Torquell gets on the wrong side of his Ogre landlord and finds himself on the run. He soon learns who made the ogres, and how did they become lords of all creation.
Ogres is a future dystopia about power imbalance. It shows the far future, generations after attempting to "manage" the human crisis of overpopulation and shortage of resources. There's a twist, of course, and a bitter look at humanity's worst impulses. Nevertheless, Tchaikovsky's sharp social commentary is brutally logical and on point. And rather uncomfortable.
The second-person narration works surprisingly well; readers won't know (or guess) who speaks to Torquell until the last page, and the reveal is well worth it. Such narration choice emphasized the "you are there" effect. I can't guarantee everyone will like it, but I loved it and hope others will, too.
ARC through NetGalley
In Ogres, he delivers a thrilling dark satire told (successfully!) in 2nd person POV. At over six feet tall, Torquell is a giant, bigger than any human around. Compared to Ogres, though, he's punny. Ogres tower over everyone thanks to genetic modification.
I'm not sure if I should tell you anything more about the plot, as the mystery of what is going on is at the heart of the book. Suffice to say, Torquell gets on the wrong side of his Ogre landlord and finds himself on the run. He soon learns who made the ogres, and how did they become lords of all creation.
Ogres is a future dystopia about power imbalance. It shows the far future, generations after attempting to "manage" the human crisis of overpopulation and shortage of resources. There's a twist, of course, and a bitter look at humanity's worst impulses. Nevertheless, Tchaikovsky's sharp social commentary is brutally logical and on point. And rather uncomfortable.
The second-person narration works surprisingly well; readers won't know (or guess) who speaks to Torquell until the last page, and the reveal is well worth it. Such narration choice emphasized the "you are there" effect. I can't guarantee everyone will like it, but I loved it and hope others will, too.
ARC through NetGalley
July 6, 2024
Until the end of it I thought it was a usual Adrian, which is perfectly very well...
But
The last 2 pages make it awesome Adrian, which is fucking mind blowing
But when you’re property, it doesn’t matter if your owner treats you well or badly. The ownership is all. We don’t split hairs about who is a better slave master. And you would have been the best owner of all, and that still isn’t enough reason to keep you alive once you’ve decided that owning people is fine, just so long as it’s you that owns them.
But
The last 2 pages make it awesome Adrian, which is fucking mind blowing
But when you’re property, it doesn’t matter if your owner treats you well or badly. The ownership is all. We don’t split hairs about who is a better slave master. And you would have been the best owner of all, and that still isn’t enough reason to keep you alive once you’ve decided that owning people is fine, just so long as it’s you that owns them.
August 8, 2022
I was torn how to rate this. I ultimately rated it 3 stars since I did not enjoy it more, but this is a very subjective rating. I can understand why it is a 4 or 5 star rating for others (I rather seem to be the odd one out), because objectively this is a cleverly constructed novella.
I did not like the second person narrative, although there is a good reason for this, which will become clear at the end of the book. At least for me this reason / twist was not predictable, which counts on the plus side. The main reason why I only rated Ogres 3 stars is that I was not involved emotionally, although this novella contains several topics that would otherwise have been quite heartrending. But even though I was emotionally detached and struggled with the second person narrative, Ogres held my interest and I wanted to know how the story continued, and how Tchaikovsky was going to resolve this.
This illustrates that from an intellectual perspective this novella is quite good, and that you might enjoy it more than I did.
My favorite book by Tchaikovsky is still Children of Time, which I cannot recommend highly enough.
I did not like the second person narrative, although there is a good reason for this, which will become clear at the end of the book. At least for me this reason / twist was not predictable, which counts on the plus side. The main reason why I only rated Ogres 3 stars is that I was not involved emotionally, although this novella contains several topics that would otherwise have been quite heartrending. But even though I was emotionally detached and struggled with the second person narrative, Ogres held my interest and I wanted to know how the story continued, and how Tchaikovsky was going to resolve this.
This illustrates that from an intellectual perspective this novella is quite good, and that you might enjoy it more than I did.
My favorite book by Tchaikovsky is still Children of Time, which I cannot recommend highly enough.
December 10, 2022
Brilliant. This was my first time reading second person narration and it didn't bother me at all. And I think it's perfect choice for the story considering the similarities with our real world issues and injustices.
Engaging and thought provoking.
Engaging and thought provoking.
January 25, 2022
I'm going to skip over giving this a synopsis because it's quite twisty from the get go and I don't want to spoil anything. I'll just keep things short. This is an incredibly well-balanced novella that has great ideas, plot and characters without sacrificing anything to stick to the shorter length, and without any padding to justify a novella rather than a short. Tchaikovsky deftly explores some interesting political ideas without it feeling like a lesson in political science, and his simple but often lyrical prose is a joy to read. I will say, I was initially a bit put-off by the second-person narration, but it didn't really take away from the experience for me.
I'm looking forward to his next release, which I'm sure is only a matter of weeks away!
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advanced review copy!
I'm looking forward to his next release, which I'm sure is only a matter of weeks away!
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advanced review copy!
February 10, 2023
I had to let this one sit with me for a little while before writing my review. I had some idea what I was in for when I started this novel, but I was not anticipating the wild ride of twists and turns that Tchaikovsky takes us on throughout the story!
The second person narrative is not something I usually enjoy, but in this case it was used in a way that enhanced the storyline and pulled me into the narrative. It didn't give me the option to look away from the page and the themes that were presented in it, and in my opinion that is the most powerful aspect of the storytelling in this novella.
This is a story built around themes, and the impact of those themes. To unpack much of that in this review would be giving away too much of the story, but to say everything that Tchaikovsky packed into this 100 page story strikes deep would be an understatement.
The second person narrative is not something I usually enjoy, but in this case it was used in a way that enhanced the storyline and pulled me into the narrative. It didn't give me the option to look away from the page and the themes that were presented in it, and in my opinion that is the most powerful aspect of the storytelling in this novella.
This is a story built around themes, and the impact of those themes. To unpack much of that in this review would be giving away too much of the story, but to say everything that Tchaikovsky packed into this 100 page story strikes deep would be an understatement.
March 12, 2022
The POV of this novella is very smartly done. We experience everything from the eyes of a main character that has a very narrow field of vision and knowledge of the world he lives in. So we also know very little at first of this seemingly pastoral and feudal world of humans in a society governed by ogres. We take every step of discovery with him. And it’s quite a stunning list of discoveries for him. Very little of what he believes to be true turns out to be real.
I missed emotional expressions. The inner landscape of our main character was laid out in a pretty sterile fashion. I made no real connection to him and found it hard to like or emphasize with him, even during the truly horrible events of his life. Nothing seemed to have a real impact on him. However, the story as such was a very smart one.
The final head twister is a real bummer. Nicely done, Mr. Tchaikovsky!
PS: 2nd person narrative, ugh. I am not a fan of that. But I got over it.
I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher or author through NetGalley. All opinions are my own and I was not required to give a positive review.
I missed emotional expressions. The inner landscape of our main character was laid out in a pretty sterile fashion. I made no real connection to him and found it hard to like or emphasize with him, even during the truly horrible events of his life. Nothing seemed to have a real impact on him. However, the story as such was a very smart one.
The final head twister is a real bummer. Nicely done, Mr. Tchaikovsky!
PS: 2nd person narrative, ugh. I am not a fan of that. But I got over it.
I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher or author through NetGalley. All opinions are my own and I was not required to give a positive review.
September 23, 2023
Look, I understand what Tchaikovsky was doing here, I understand the themes he was exploring. I understand the context of this entire novella. I understand.
But was MONKEY the word he had to pick for the Ogres to use as a pejorative for the "lesser" humans whom they use as a lower working/slave caste? Really? REALLY??
High discomfort aside, I found the forced distance between the reader and the main character hard to overcome. The reveal of why the second person voice was used made sense, but I didn't really like it. The narrative choice was interesting, but I think I would have liked this written from a different approach. There was just such a wide space between reader and character that I didn't really feel anything for the characters or their plight or the overall story.
But was MONKEY the word he had to pick for the Ogres to use as a pejorative for the "lesser" humans whom they use as a lower working/slave caste? Really? REALLY??
High discomfort aside, I found the forced distance between the reader and the main character hard to overcome. The reveal of why the second person voice was used made sense, but I didn't really like it. The narrative choice was interesting, but I think I would have liked this written from a different approach. There was just such a wide space between reader and character that I didn't really feel anything for the characters or their plight or the overall story.
August 7, 2023
This took me much longer to read than it should’ve or would’ve had Habitica not imploded last week.
Anyhoo, whoa!! That ending! I loved the book!
This is an unusual book. It’s not long - novella length. It’s told in 2nd person POV, which is a bit odd at first, but you get used to it. I had no idea where this was going, but I was fascinated from the start. At first it seemed it must be a Fantasy novel, what with ogres present, and huge dogs, but there are elements that crop in that are clearly SF. And as the story progresses, it’s clear that this is SF.
So all you Fantasy hating SF fans out there - don’t be put off by the title.
Otherwise, I can’t say anything about it with out spoiling it and I don’t want to use spoiler tags.
The writing and pacing is excellent, as we can expect from Tchaikovsky.
Thanks to Adrian Tchaikovsky, Penguin and Netgalley for providing the ARC in exchange for an honest review. Sorry that review is late!
Anyhoo, whoa!! That ending! I loved the book!
This is an unusual book. It’s not long - novella length. It’s told in 2nd person POV, which is a bit odd at first, but you get used to it. I had no idea where this was going, but I was fascinated from the start. At first it seemed it must be a Fantasy novel, what with ogres present, and huge dogs, but there are elements that crop in that are clearly SF. And as the story progresses, it’s clear that this is SF.
So all you Fantasy hating SF fans out there - don’t be put off by the title.
Otherwise, I can’t say anything about it with out spoiling it and I don’t want to use spoiler tags.
The writing and pacing is excellent, as we can expect from Tchaikovsky.
Thanks to Adrian Tchaikovsky, Penguin and Netgalley for providing the ARC in exchange for an honest review. Sorry that review is late!
December 20, 2022
Adrian Tchaikovsky has yet to let me down. Ogres is a little more YA than his usual, hence Penguin publishing it I guess, but it feels just like his usual. It's a great story, full of the slow stirring of rebellion at injustice. It's dealt with pretty well. There's a little more tell instead of show, a little heavy on exposition. But that's his often his style.
It was some wonderful world building that kept expanding it's own horizons, and it ended up in a place i did not fully expect.
It was some wonderful world building that kept expanding it's own horizons, and it ended up in a place i did not fully expect.
March 16, 2022
Ahoy there me mateys! I received an eArc of this sci-fi novella through NetGalley in exchange for me honest musings . . .
This novella reminds me of why I need to read more of Tchaikovsky's work. I might not have any idea where the story is going but I always enjoy the experience.
This is written in second person which took some getting used to. It follows Torquell, a headman's son, on his inadvertent hero's journey to fight the ogres i.e. Masters. There is a blend of dystopian, fairy tales (both ogres and Robin Hood), social commentary, and some humor.
I really enjoyed getting to read about Torquell's life and exploits. I also really enjoyed the ogress Isadora and her assistant Minith. The evolving plot kept me intrigued and I really loved the ending. Recommended for sure. Arrr!
This novella reminds me of why I need to read more of Tchaikovsky's work. I might not have any idea where the story is going but I always enjoy the experience.
This is written in second person which took some getting used to. It follows Torquell, a headman's son, on his inadvertent hero's journey to fight the ogres i.e. Masters. There is a blend of dystopian, fairy tales (both ogres and Robin Hood), social commentary, and some humor.
I really enjoyed getting to read about Torquell's life and exploits. I also really enjoyed the ogress Isadora and her assistant Minith. The evolving plot kept me intrigued and I really loved the ending. Recommended for sure. Arrr!
March 15, 2022
"And you’ve struck an ogre. You’ve struck a Master. You’ve done the thing no human may do."
"But when you’re property, it doesn’t matter if your owner treats you well or badly. The ownership is all."
You are Torquell, the son of a village headman - one day, Sir Peter, the landlord and Master Ogre of your village, comes to collect his tax. His son insults and belittles you as naught more than a monkey - you raise your hand to the ogre, the Master, and in so doing your life changes forever.
You know that stupid question that people ask, 'If you could have dinner with anybody, who would it be'? I think my answer would be Adrian Tchaikovsky, and rather than actually holding any conversation with him, I would just ask him to list ideas he's had for stories and novels.
Tchaikovsky seems to so effortlessly conjure up these creative and unique worlds - whether it's the accidentally-engineered intelligent spider society of CHILDREN OF TIME, the bleak and surprisingly intense FIREWALKERS, the majestic galactic terror of the Architects in SHARDS OF EARTH, or the post-apocalyptic expeditionary adventure that was CAGE OF SOULS.
In OGRES, Tchaikovsky creates a succinct but immediately understandable and compelling world where the majority of humanity finds itself under the heels of grotesque ogres, while also using the least used audience perspective; second person.
I can't remember the last time (if ever) I read something written in second person, and it was an odd experience. Torquell is less a protagonist than the player character in a bizarre text adventure - his actions and thoughts are assigned to 'you' and so you think less of Torquell doing it than yourself. It was interesting.
OGRES reads almost like a grim fairy tale, as if being told by a parent - it blends genres, but leans more science fiction than fantasy. The political message isn't exactly subtle, but nevertheless gets you thinking, which I imagine was the point. The world and the slowly revealed mystery behind it is the real star of the show here, though.
A wonderful read that doesn't outstay its welcome. Couple of good twists in the plot, well paced, and a concept which - while simple - I've not seen done before.
Thankyou to NetGalley and Rebellion Publishing for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review! Happy publication day. :)
August 14, 2023
3.5 stars
While I don't necessarily vibe with Tchaikovsky's writing style, this ended up being a lot more interesting than I expected. It's more sci-fi than fantasy and is exploring a lot of ideas related to personhood, rebellion, classism, racism, eugenics and more. I'm curious what exactly the author had in mind writing this because it feels like you could related it to several things like the treatment of Jewish people during WWII, and the treatment of Black people in the United States among others. I'm not sure how I feel about the use of the word "monkeys" for the non-ogres in conjunction with the implications of the ending. I would be very curious to see critical reviews from Black readers or other readers of color because I'm not sure what to make of it. It is thought-provoking though and came together in a way I didn't expect.
While I don't necessarily vibe with Tchaikovsky's writing style, this ended up being a lot more interesting than I expected. It's more sci-fi than fantasy and is exploring a lot of ideas related to personhood, rebellion, classism, racism, eugenics and more. I'm curious what exactly the author had in mind writing this because it feels like you could related it to several things like the treatment of Jewish people during WWII, and the treatment of Black people in the United States among others. I'm not sure how I feel about the use of the word "monkeys" for the non-ogres in conjunction with the implications of the ending. I would be very curious to see critical reviews from Black readers or other readers of color because I'm not sure what to make of it. It is thought-provoking though and came together in a way I didn't expect.
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