The Outcast Orc

Claimed by the Red Hand #1

by Jordan Castillo Price

Being scooped up by slavers seemed like the worst thing that could happen to me. Then I was bought by a massive green orc.

I used to be the most sought-after horse trainer in the noble houses. But reputation is a fragile thing. One indiscretion made public, and suddenly those same nobles who’d praised my skill couldn't shut their doors fast enough. I thought leaving the city would give me a fresh start. Instead, it landed me in chains.

Now I belong to Marok. Even to an outsider like me, he stands out among his kind—and not just because he's the most imposing beast I've ever seen. The weight of the silence that follows him speaks of old wounds and deeper stories. And though he towers over everyone here, his own people look right through him.

In a world where humans are property and orcs are masters, I should be terrified. But I've never been good at knowing my place – and neither, it seems, has he.

When humans from the civilized lands find themselves claimed by orcs of the fearsome Red Hand clan, passion ignites. These stories weave together clan politics, ancient prophecies, and dangerous adversaries with slow-burn romance. The series follows unlikely heroes as they navigate treachery, cultural clashes, and unexpected attraction in a richly detailed world where survival depends on finding common ground.

Slow burnMedium heatLush worldbuildingForced proximityOpposites attract

Genres: Fantasy, M M Romance, Romance, M M Fantasy, Gay, Queer, Monsters

181 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 13, 2025

About the author

Author and artist Jordan Castillo Price writes paranormal sci-fi thrillers colored by her time in the Midwest, from inner city Chicago, to various cities across southern Wisconsin. She’s settled in a 1910 Cape Cod near Lake Michigan with tons of character and a plethora of bizarre spiders. Any disembodied noises, she’s decided, will be blamed on the ice maker.

Jordan is best known as the author of the PsyCop series, an unfolding tale of paranormal mystery and suspense starring Victor Bayne, a gay medium who's plagued by ghostly visitations.

Reviews

[Audi♡ · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was ok… I feel like the romance was smooshed in the last 20ish%. I wasn't feelin any real connection between them.
I liked how Quinn tamed that warhorse tho. That was cool.

[Tinnean · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful story

This was a real pleasure to read. I liked Marok, Quinn was a hoot, and I'm looking forward to seeing more of Bess and Archie. And the sex wasn't something I huffed about and skimmed over.

Very well done!

[Cleo · Rating 1 out of 5]

Slow burn orc / human m/m romance (and that’s a phrase I wouldn’t have predicted I’d be writing 10 years ago. Romancelandia is never boring).

I wanted to like this more than I did, because I like the author. But I couldn’t get past the consent issues inherent in the set up. And the pretty vivid descriptions of the human MC getting captured and sold into slavery kept this from being the escapist romp I was hoping for.

Edited to add: the more I think about it, the more I realize this was not a 3 star read. I have developed a lot of author trust with JCP, reading her Psycop series for many years, and I truly wanted this to be a better book. But it’s terrible. And it’s too boring to be the entertaining kind of bad book. It’s just bad.

[Joyfully Jay · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Joyfully Jay review.

3.75 stars

The Outcast Orc kicks off Jordan Castillo Price’s new fantasy series, Claimed by the Red Hand. I am a huge fan of this author’s writing and her PsyCop series takes a place on my all-time favorites list. So I was really excited to see Price’s take on this fantasy world, and I found this story a lot of fun. What really shines the most here is the rich and creative world building.

Though I did want more development in places, I found this story a lot of fun and very engaging. I really enjoyed the rich world building and creative take on the fantasy world. The orc society is quite interesting and the set up for the next book has me totally hooked and eager to read on.

Read Jay’s review in its entirety here.

[Grace · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 rounded up

I thought this was an enjoyable read with some interesting characters and world-building. It's under 200 pages, and I do think there was plenty of space to flesh things out a bit more, as I found myself wanting more from the relationship build and some of the plot points. The pacing felt a little rushed in places, but I thought there were good bones, but it did feel a little like a first draft and I wanted more depth. But I enjoyed, and I'll plan to read the next.

[Kat · Rating 4 out of 5]

Honestly, this was better than most orc romances out there, and I was pleasantly surprised. I’m definitely excited for more!

[Kelan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really loved this. It wasn't deep like my usual 5 stars are, but this author tried something new and knocked it out of the park, so felt it deserved it

[Philip · Rating 3 out of 5]

I always enjoy reading Jordan Castillo Price. Her Psycop series was lots of fun, really loved her Mnevermind series, as well as her outstanding stand-alone The Starving Years. Her newest series, The Outcast Orc was fun. Solid first in a series novel. Not particularly my sub-genre - Fantasy/Monsters, still I enjoyed it.

[Jamie (TheRebelliousReader) · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars. So glad that I purchased this from JCP's site early because there was no way in hell that I could wait any longer. Worth it. Totally worth it. I loved this story so much. Fantastic world building, complex characters and a wonderful slow burn romance between Quinn (a human) and Marok (an Orc). The connection between them was so good and I loved both characters so much. Quinn is snarky and resilient. Marok is fierce but guarded as he is grieving the loss of his mate. The two of them together was magnetic. The side characters were great as well and I just thoroughly enjoyed this. I'm already in desperate need of book two.

[Kassu · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5⭐

JCP writes entertaining tales and this is no different. But it's a bit fast and even abrupt. It's a bit insta-love. And it's very slavery. The orc hero is not a dick, but it's not really enjoyable to follow the suffering of these human slaves and know that even when they get a better station they will still remain slaves to an extent. But this is the world here; the humans are not better, and many of the other fantasy races seem even more monstrous.

Especially because of these difficult issues, I would have wished for them to be addressed more, and a longer build up in general. But this is a fast romantic adventure romp in a harsh fantasy world, and while that's a bit disappointing, it can be enjoyed as it is, and I did. And I will continue the series.

[Ami · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

You know, for a story with orc and human slave - this story was pretty tame (or maybe I set the wrong expectations *laugh*).

The romance was slow-burn and only one rather steamy scene near the end. Mostly it was all about Quinn trying to survive and also experiencing life with orcs as slave, and Marok trying to regain his place among his people after a terrible war-result, while also navigating funny feelings for the "weak" human.

Enjoyable and I look forward for Archie's story next

[Mtsnow13 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Different from what I'm used to from JCP, and a little bit of a slow start for me, but, by the end, I felt an attachment to the characters. Interesting concept and worldbuilding, and I never thought of an orc as a romantic interest, but JCP pulled me in on this one.
I'm looking forward to the next in the series. Highly recommended.

[Jewel · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Stars

[Jax · Rating 2 out of 5]

I went into this doubting I could buy into an orc/human relationship and this didn’t get me past that skepticism. Plus the world was too dreary for me.

[Misty · Rating 4 out of 5]

** 3. 5 Stars **

It was fun to read but a bit too nice for my taste, that being said I'll read Archie's story when it's released!

[Allison · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars mainly because the world building took more of the book than the relationship did, but that makes sense because the World needs establishing.

I love how Quinn always stands up for himself and doesn't doubt his skills or knowledge even if he worries about how his choices have affected his future. I also like how he creates family out of the people, and eventually, orcs he meets. I loved everything about orc society, except for the way Marok was treated, not giving someone a second chance was not great. I also liked that the orcs were better than the humans in most ways, deciding a society is lesser because of the appearance of the beings who live in it is a bad way to live. I liked how Marok and Quinn came to respect and genuinely like each other before they felt attracted to each other, given that Quinn didn't think orcs were real prior to meeting them that felt more realistic. I was surprised by the twist and very happy with the outcome for the villain.

I'm looking forward to the next book in the series, I hope that the series will continue for a long time, there's a lot to explore! Plus, I'm looking forward to seeing another glimpse of Marok and Quinn.

[ReneeLupin · Rating 4 out of 5]

don't look at me like that, I'm surprised myself

[winter · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 stars

I honestly enjoyed this and would’ve rated it higher if it were longer. I feel like their love story was too short and it could’ve been built up even more. The 88% felt like it should’ve been 55%. Perhaps the author was excited to move onto the sequel. Either way an enjoyable story.

[Harrison Hicks · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have to admit that I was a bit skeptical about this latest tale from Price. How could their particular brand of thoughtfulness be applied in a story about an orc/human romance, I thought? Well, I'm happy to be have been proven wrong as I ended up enjoying "The Outcast Orc" quite a bit.

Quinn, a human from the fortifications, has ended up in the hands of slavers after a series of betrayals. He's sold to an orc warrior and then has to find his way among the orcs, a culture alien to him. And it's with this culture clash that Price excels and brings their typical approach to bear, digging into the orc culture while illuminating the differences between Quinn and Marok, the orc who has bought him from the slavers. The book's examination of orc culture is fascinating, especially with Quinn and Bess constantly reevaluating their own expectations as they learn more about their situation. But, no the book isn't a serious cultural examination as much as it is an adventure variation on the old fish out of water trope.

Quinn and Marok's attraction is fairly believable, if a bit rushed for my tastes towards the end. Indeed, my only quibble with the book was the fact that the ending seemed a bit rushed along with their relationship. In some ways, the book comes across more as the first chapter in a longer story, probably by design, which makes for some tantalizing possibilities even if they're only partially realized in this first installment.

Any fan of Price should find this tale enjoyable- it's an intriguing fantasy with some memorable characters and a slow burn romance that I can recommend heartily. It's an interesting world Price has built here and I'm looking forward to the next installment.

[Sunny Groves · Rating 3 out of 5]

i don't know man. 2.5-3 stars. kinda some mild spoilies below but nothing that'll ruin the story for you

thoughts n feelings:
-number 1 I rly should just stop reading orc romances. they're always just abt humans taking dicks the size of their bicep or like...BUCKETS of jizz and it's simply too much
-ok. i can make a case for including slavery in your fantasy novel I GUESS but I canNOT abide the "i bought this dude and now he's my lover even though he's still enslaved" thing. like at least if someone is buying someone else it needs to be with like...rescue in mind???? or at least a distaste for slavery in general??? like am I supposed to be happy that Bess ends up with a good family but still gets her fucking face branded??? Quinn even says it right at the end -- he's "fine" with being enslaved as long as he and Marok are equal in their home?? no. no no no no no (:
-and even then, like even if the characters are anti-slavery (I can't believe there's an if in front of that sentence), does the story really NEED slavery?????
-the tension between them was hot tho
-I liked the horse taming stuff
-I was pretty impressed with the writing tbh, especially the use of all those weird ancient words? kinda fun. but I mean then he said "I'm gonna nut on you" and that just ruined it for me frankly

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting new direction from an author I enjoy

I downloaded this book after finishing the author’s most recent book in another series. It was something different and I figured I’d give it a try. I enjoyed it even though it’s out of my normal preferred genre. It at its base it is a story about disgraced males finding redemption, finding their similarities when it appears they are very different.

The book begins with a man who is leaving his town (in a very different world and time period) because he has been outed by a hookup. The caravan he leaves with is attacked by slave traders and he is captured and then he is sold to orcs. One of the orcs is a former general who is now shunned and in disgrace because of a failed battle. He is hoping that bringing a trained horseman to his chieftain may get him back in good graces. Many things happen along the way and an u easy alliance begins to form between human and orc. When the crisis moment comes and both prove themselves they realize they are not that different after all. It was a good read and I’ll continue on in the series.

[Mykhe · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm happy to see JCP moving into new territory - I enjoy it when she does. I thought the Mnevermind series was excellent, and I'm a huge fan of the PsyCop series. This is another new series I suspect I am going to become a fan of. It took me a little bit to push past the initial slaver attack on the caravan. This has become an overused trope, but you have to pick somewhere to start. After that I was hooked. As per usual, I could barely stop reading once I got into it. This is almost a shorter M/M focused version of *The Grey Bastards* by Jonathan French. And when I say that it's because of JCP's unique take on Orc culture and well-developed characters and relationships, not because of superficial characters or parallels in worldbuilding - both worlds are unique. My only complaint was that this was way too short -- but then, I also understand the demands and realities of publishing if you don't get on with one of the big 5 publishers. I'm looking forward to the next book with bated tusks.

[MariF · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such story is the last thing I've expected from JCP. I'm a huge fan of the Psycop and Mnevermind series. The ABCs of Spellcraft were a mixed bag for me, and I bowed out of the series with the Comic Sans which I DNF'd.
I read several stories in the anthologies which impressed me but some short novels didn't work.

I was intrigued by the blurb and the orc-human slow burn romance was something I couldn't resist, and I'm glad that I gave it a chance.
It was a very slow burn but I appreciated that author spent time on the worldbuilding and explaining the politics and intricacies of both human and paranormal societies.
The ending has a great hook for the next book and I'm reeled in to see what type of adventures will the author's imagination deliver next.
I'm sold on the premise and it's interesting enough not to feel like the same old...

[Tracey Johns · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was my first foray into this author's work, and I was definitely hooked, impressed, and highly entertained and invested in these characters and the stories they have to share. Marok and Quinn, seemingly completely different from each other, learn with time and proximity that they're really quite similar. Learning their own places within the clan, learning the other by observing & listening, being drawn together by lust, circumstances, and possibly bigger forces than they know, somehow forges a bond between them. It doesn't hurt that together they foil nefarious schemes & traitors are discovered. Love the characters, the world-building, and, most especially, the character development between the MCs, as well as surrounding characters (featured later in the series, I'm sure) Looking forward to reading Archie's story & others in the clan.

[Kristel (hungryandhappy) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed thus orc x human story, sort of romance. I say sort because there was more than half the book dedicated on the humans being taken to the orcs place and then things felt a bit rushed. I would've loved less time travelling and more time spent in the city, with Quinn and Marok spending more time together, little interactions, more talking. That's not to say I didn't like the book, the opposite; it was very interesting. It was just pretty low on the details of a few things I thought were pretty important.
Now I will go read the bonus short story and will await patiently for Archie's book!

[Missjoanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This first book in in a new series by Jordan Castillo Price is a slow burn.
Welcome to a world where humans and Orcs, share a space with other creatures such as goblins, elfs and trolls. Is this a fantasy or nightmare for you.
This book is a slow burn but this is necessary to get a feel for the cultures of the wild we now find ourselves. Quinn the human, ever resourceful and Marok, the Orc, disgraced, down but not out make excellent guides. Be patient and you will be rewarded and invited to a place of adventure, treachery, fortitude and romance.
I look forward to book two as to where Archie adventures will take us.
I hope this becomes an audiobook.

[Gigi S · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's not a smut book, unfortunately

Don't expect a smutty book. Only the last chapter is a bit smut.

If I could chop te book in pieces, it would be this.

1 part: Oh no, I got slave traded. Marok bought me, and now we're on our way to his clan.
2 part: we have arrived at our destination. Was, wash, sleep. Get to know the orc dynamic a little bit.
3 parts: invasion of the neighbouring clan. Deal with it. Reap the benefits and a nice little chapter with smut.

Sooo, I liked it even though it wasn't what I expected it to be. 3.5/5 stars bcz there was so much potential. I was hoping that book 2 would be a continuation of book 1. It's not.

[Susana · Rating 4 out of 5]

A moment of weakness and a wrong decision seems to have changed Quinn’s fate forever… but is it for the worse?
A very interesting starting point for a series, I really like the world created, and the fact that we discover a new reality at the same time of one of the main characters. Both Quinn and Marok are likeable, and if you like to look deeper, you may find more than and adventure/love story, as there are some very interesting reflections about human/animal nature and morals here….
Looking forward to the next one!

[Katherine · Rating 4 out of 5]

An enjoyable story, taking someone who had a good standing in society as long as they ignored their own private desires and casting them out of that society. Meanwhile in orc society it follows an orc cast out for failing at his mission. When the two are set together they have a bit of a confusing attraction, but more importantly they each figure out how to find where they stand in society after these changes and how to stand strong on their own. Some good personal changes and an intriguing relationship.

[Shelley Chastagner · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Jordan's writing. Quinn's luck seemed to turn on him. Rejected by a lover, outed, and losing all job prospects is just the beginning. Leaving home to be set upon by slavers is bad enough but being sold to Orcs is not what he wanted. The stoic Marok is drawn to Quinn but isn't sure why. The two of them work together to bring to light treason and stop a sneak attack by the enemy. I'm looking forward to the next book in the series.

Highly recommended author