Jim C. Hines, Goblin Hero

Goblin Hero

Jim C. Hines

Daw, May 2007, $6.99

ISBN: 0756404428

The mountain is riddled with tunnels created by magic that go anywhere and everywhere and are home to goblins, hobgoblins, and ogres. Before his adventures with Straum the dragon and the Necromancer, Jig the Goblin was the runt of the litter, picked on by everyone and considered the weakest of the weak. That was then; now he is called Jig the Dragonslayer and has the power to heal which makes him valuable to his species.

The Goblin leader Kralk wants Jig dead by stealth means so she asks for the Goblin's help. Something magical is killing the Ogres and they are hepeless to prevent it. Kralk sends Jig, moronic Brof, and Grell the oldest to confront the culprit. As they begin their quest they meet Veko, a wannabe wizard, who begs to join their mission. They soon find pixies from another realm whose queen plans to take over the entire mountain unless Jig and company can find a way to defeat a seemingly invincible foe.

Jim C. Hines has an uncanny ability to make his magical species co-existing inside a mountain seem plausible including residing there. With no human in sight, his characters are unique with none more inimitable than Jig. The pixies are alien (odd to use that term when the focus is a goblin) and 200 proof evil as they do cruel things including a painful death to their enemies. The three goblins are quite the heroic trio as they battle adversaries in which Jig seems happiest when cornered and the other two want to run. GOBLIN HERO is a wonderful fantasy quest tale with humor and wit normally missing with the sub-genre's normal Tolkien grave save the universe quests.

Harriet Klausner