I enjoyed reading this book. The heroine was smart and likable. There was enough suspense and adventure in the plot. The only part I didn't like was the way humans were portrayed. The book is about a world that is inhabited by humans and orcs. The orcs are simple and honest while the humans are greedy, cowardly, and disgusting for the most part. The men are especially bad while the women are enslaved by them and do not fight back. There were several humans besides the heroine that weren't too bad, but I felt that there were too few of them. At times the men were so evil that they seemed a bit two dimensional. ( )

I didn't realize men could be so all around shitty...everything's pretty much black or white in this one, but it's reasonably well-written and imaginative - it remains to be seen if I'm interested enough to continue with the series...Which brings me to complain about a modern publishing finagle: dividing one long story into three or four books (voila! a series) - advantage tradehouses and authors, tough luck readers. ( )

Dragged from her home to serve the king, Dar is branded and forced to serve the king's orc allies who insist on having women serve their food. After surviving her first encounter with the orcs, who think all humans stink and throw her in the river to wash, Dar earns the name "Dargu" or weasel in orcish, and gradually comes to realize that her hulking new masters may just be more "human" than the men who manage the orcs. Gradually she learns their language and finds solace and protection in their ranks. But can Dar and her orcs survive treachery from within the king's army?

Not a comfortable book to read, but engrossing. Dar is a strong, savvy heroine. ( )

This is not an unfamiliar tale - peasant girl gets into cruel army, finds terrifying orcs more honorable than the soldiers and bands with them. I liked the character of Dar, the fierce weasel. I didn't mind the cliches, they worked well enough. The writing was a bit clunky, but I will read the next 2. It read a bit like a simple fable than an indepth character development, but it worked well enough B+ ( )

Dar didn't have much of a life, even before the King's soldiers appeared to conscript her, brand her forehead, and march her barefoot for miles to the Orc encampment. Nevertheless, it's her life, and she's not ready to give up what little choice she has. Initially terrifying, in comparison to the human dregs the soldiers in service to the Orc encampment show themselves to be, the Orcs are honorable, if difficult to understand. Christened Dargu, or Weasel, but the huge fighters, Dar learns their language and, as the war drags on and the marches continue, finds what safety she can among them.

The rough treatment Dar and the other women receive, including rape, beatings, and the other usual problems that befall camp followers, as well as the allusions to the incest Dar suffers would make this a suitable book for adults or more mature young adults, which is a shame. In spite of the depressing circumstances, Dar is a strong, engaging heroine, and I look forward to seeing how she handles the challenges of upcoming books. ( )