The Hunger and the Dusk
J. R. R. Tolkein’s epic fantasy series The Lord of the Rings (with a sizable assist from Gary Gygax’s role-playing game Dungeons and Dragons) helped create many of the fantasy tropes we see today. These include the various races that populate these worlds and, for better or worse, fall within very established stereotypes. There are the stout and stern dwarves, the aloof and ethereal elves, and the brutish and belligerent orcs. G Willow Wilson has taken these tropes and spins at least one of them on its head in The Hunger and the Dusk, Vol. 1, a high fantasy graphic novel illustrated by Chris Wildgoose.
There are no elves or dwarves in this world because they were wiped out by humanoid creatures known as the Vangol, who have their sights set on eliminating the two remaining races: the orcs and the humans. Orcs and humans, at war with each other for centuries, band together to combat this evil, but the distrust between these races runs deep. As a gesture of good faith, the orc leader Troth Icemane, sends his cousin Tara, a talented healer, to join a band of human fighters led by Callum Battlechild. As the Vangol menace spreads across the land, the two peoples must put aside their distrust, among other feelings, to avoid destruction.
Wilson, who has worked on the superhero titles Wonder Woman and Ms. Marvel, has already shown she understands how to blend high-octane action with character depth. That balancing act is on display in this story, which puts the focus on its characters instead of the sword combat. Most of the story focuses on Tara and Callum’s burgeoning relationship that could develop into something more, but it also gives time to leader Troth, who must balance his responsibilities to his people with his newly arranged marriage and own protective feelings for Tara. Wilson also avoids many of the tropes that produce more cringe-inducing fantasy; rather than being simply warlike brutes, the orcs in this universe are organized into clans, have their own kind of magic, and overall seem not too different from humans in their demeanor.
Though there is plenty of character development, meaning a lot of dialogue and enigmatic looks among characters, Wildgoose’s artwork includes the clashing swords and flying arrows that fantasy fans crave. Little is known about the Vangol, save they have come from across the sea, and they are depicted and long-limbed and monstrous, which is appropriate enough for the series’ big bad. Wildgoose also depicts the orcs and humans in very distinct and realistic ways; the humans all look very different from each other and the orcs, looking more like Vikings who happen to have green skin and pointed ears, look similar yet different to their human counterparts.
The Hunger and the Dusk is a high fantasy series that borrows from many different fantasy series and tropes to create something unique; it has the beloved (yet expanded) tropes from Tolkein’s series, it has moments of political intrigue like Game of Thrones (without the more adult, incestuous moments), and it even has the monster fighting of Andrzej Sapkowski’s Witcher series. All these are blended into a high fantasy/adventure cocktail that older teen and adult fantasy fans will want to get lost in.
The Hunger and the Dusk Vol. 01
By G. Willow Wilson
Art by Chris Wildgoose
IDW, 2024
ISBN: 9798887240824
NFNT Age Recommendation: Adult (18+), Older Teen (16-18)
Creator Representation:Â Muslim
