Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Jim C. Hines: Goblin Quest



Story about fairly typical D&D adventure from a Goblin’s point of view. As anyone who has any experience with roleplaying knows, goblins are irritating, stupid, easily killed creatures on the first level of any decent dungeon. But this goblin is different. He is near-sighted, clumsy, has no experience at all in combat, but he isn’t entirely stupid. After a group of adventurers takes him as a prisoner, he is forced to take part in a journey to get a magical “Rod of Creation” from a dragon’s lair. The band of adventurers consists of a human magician, a human warrior, a dwarf cleric(?) and of an elf thief brought on the journey without her full consent. On their journey they meet most of the clichés of role-playing. Book is filled with dry humor and nice one-liners and observations in style of: “He found it peculiar the way these adventurers thought anything they found was “rightfully” theirs.” As a whole fairly good book, especially last half or two thirds. Somehow the writing seems a bit clumsier in the beginning, but as this is the author’s first book it is understandable. As a whole pretty nice book, however maybe best suited juvenile readers and/or D&D players.

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