Orconomics, by J. Zachary Pike - Sept 27, 2026

September 27, 2026 - Orconomics, by J. Zachary Pike
Topics: Fantasy, Science Fiction, Humor, Satire

General overview of a meeting
Our meetings start with an icebreaker question and a chance for each person to introduce themselves. We then move to rating the book with a thumbs up/down/sideways. We spend most of the meeting discussing the book, including strong opinions, questioning why the author made the choices they did, personal reactions to the story and characters, and wondering how it could have been improved. We end each meeting by giving everyone the opportunity to propose a book for the next meeting, and voting on the choices.

You don't need to finish reading the whole book to come to the meeting! However, if you haven't finished the book, please be OK with hearing spoilers.

To find us, look for the group with the book of the month displayed on the table.

Dues Announcement
Starting in January 2026, we will start collecting dues at each meeting to cover costs such as Meetup/Bookclubs.com fees and paying for special meeting locations. Donations can be made with cash (preferred) or through a Ko-Fi link. Suggested donation is $2 per person per meeting but never required. We happily accept more $ in dues in order to cover costs for those who cannot contribute. Our goal is to keep the club accessible to all.

Description of the Book
Professional heroes kill and loot deadly monsters every day, but Gorm Ingerson's latest quest will be anything but business as usual.

The adventuring industry drives the economy of Arth, a world much like our own but with more magic and fewer vowels. Monsters' hoards are claimed, bought by corporate interests, and sold off to plunder funds long before the Heroes' Guild actually kills the beasts. Of course, that's a terrible arrangement for the Shadowkin; orcs, goblins, kobolds, and their ilk must apply for to become Noncombatant Paper Carriers (or NPCs) to avoid being killed and looted by heroes.

When Gorm Ingerson, a Dwarven ex-hero with a checkered past, stands up for an undocumented goblin, he inadvertently singles himself out for recruitment by a prophet of the mad goddess to undertake a suicidal quest. But there's more to Gorm's new job than an insane Powerful corporations and governments have shown an unusual interest in the quest. If his party of eccentric misfits can stop fighting each other long enough to recover the Elven Marbles, Gorm might be able to turn a bad deal into a golden opportunity.

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