Goblins

September 30, 2013
In a fast-moving and genuinely funny fantasy, Carnegie Medalist Reeve (Here Lies Arthur) introduces Skarper, a practical sort of goblin who has alienated the less sophisticated members of his tribe by being both intelligent and given to talking back. After being fired off in a "bratapult" by his foes and surviving his fallâhe lands rather improbably on a very dense cloudâSkarper meets Henwyn, a foolish 15-year-old apprentice cheesewright who has delusions of becoming a hero ("he'd always felt that he was meant for something more than dairy produce"). After stumbling into several quixotic adventures, the duo teams up with peaceful giant Fraddon, middle-aged princess Eluned (Ned for short), and a gaggle of incompetent sorcerers to defeat the goblins and avert the return to power of the evil Lych Lord. Filled with cheeky surprises, absurd circumstances delivered in a deadpan manner, and magnetic picaresque-style storytelling, this middle-grade novel should readily appeal to fans of The Hobbit, Lloyd Alexander's Prydain series, and Monty Python. Ages 8â12. Agent: Philippa Milnes-Smith, LAW, Ltd.

July 15, 2013
Sundry creatures and an affable aspiring hero stumble and bumble around a magically infused landscape. Skarper the goblin lives in one of seven ruined towers surrounding an ancient, sealed-up Keep. Goblin gangs (including Skarper's) have overrun the towers, fighting each other and scrambling for treasures. As Skarper has learned to read the lettuce (letters) that make up worms (words) and form burks (books)--other goblins use burks as "bumwipe"--he's declared "too clever by half" and launched sky-high from a "bratapult." He survives and meets Henwyn, a rather dimwitted human boy who'd rather be a hero than a cheesewright and seeks "evils to fight: proper ones, not made of cheese." Skarper, Henwyn and others--including a giant, three "self-styled sorcerers" and a gray-haired princess in her 40s who nonetheless needs rescuing (some things never change)--blunder around, fighting baddies while at odds with one another's goals. Some workings go unexplained (how does a one-legged goblin move around? How do characters reach a ship atop a tower?). In a device that doesn't always work, playful humor (Henwyn is "stout of heart and damp of socks") contrasts with the formal epic-fantasy voice Reeve uses for background ("the lands of the west, where men are few and some of the old magic lingers"). That exposition feels far distant, yet it's key to the climax, which features the Keep imploding like Tolkien's Barad-dur. A bit overlong and slapdash-feeling, but amiable. (Fantasy. 8-11)

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December 1, 2013

Gr 4-7-A great romp through fantasy and fable, Goblins delivers a highly descriptive and suspenseful tale that, in the end, proves the power of friendship. The story chronicles the adventures of a too-clever-for-his-own-good goblin and a handsome but hapless hero-wannabe human as they join forces to fight a troll, rescue a princess who doesn't want to be rescued, and thwart the efforts of three inept sorcerers intent on restoring the powers of the evil Lych Lord. At times funny, at times dark, and with just enough gore to keep it interesting, Goblins is a great read.-Kathy Kirchoefer, Henderson County Public Library, NC

Copyright 2013 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

October 1, 2013
Grades 3-5 Skarper, a goblin ejected by catapult from his tribe, and Henwyn, a cheese maker's son and aspirant knight who has been cast from his home after exploding the family factory, form an unlikely duo who rescue a princess, discover hidden tunnels, and save a kingdom. This is a delightful romp through towers, passageways, marshes, and fog, with characters that are lovable but flawed, and a sense of humor that forever lurks near the surface like the troll under the proverbial (and actual) bridge. Reeve has created a charming world where location and character namesDungnutt, Knobbler, Libnogare only a few of the details that add snap to the story. He cracks a few stereotypes along the way, starting with a princess in middle age, rather than dewy youth, who goes by the name of Ned. Engaging, assured writing on Reeve's part makes this an excellent read-aloud for home or school. Conflicts are resolved, but the ending is open enough that a sequel remains a welcome possibility.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2013, American Library Association.)