I’ve been reading some pretty heavy books recently, and have been writing some rather hefty reviews to match. So I’ve decided to tackle something a little bit lighter this time, and T Kingfisher has provided.
Nine Goblins is basically the story of two people trying to do their very best: Sergeant Nessilka, leader to her goblin cohort, and Sings-to-Trees the elven veterinarian. The goblins have been at war with the humans for quite awhile; pushed out of their own lands with nowhere else to go, the goblins didn’t really have much of a choice. Unfortunately for the goblins, most of the elves have joined the human side of the conflict.
Usually, Nessilka’s ‘Whinin’ Niners’ would struggle to fight their way out of a child’s birthday party, or maybe a wet paper bag. But after an unfortunate encounter with a mad human wizard on the battlefield, the Niners find themselves falling through a hole in reality, leaving them stranded miles behind enemy lines alongside a sufferer of Arcane Manifestation Disorder. Can they get back to Goblinhome under their own steam? Or will they have to seek help from unusual places?
The goblins here, for the most part, come across the sort of ugly adorable. They are incredibly endearing, although with eight plus Nessilka to keep track of, their personalities have mostly been drawn with the broadest of strokes.
Sings-to-Trees, the elven-vet though, is an absolute delight. This is not an elf who put a facade of being an animal admirer; this vet loves all creatures, great and small. Even if they are ugly. Or scary. Or absolute shits:
“He was saved from being a young maiden’s fantasy—unless she was a very peculiar young maiden—by the fact that he was buried up to the shoulder in the unpleasant end of a heavily pregnant unicorn”
This is a very short novella, and it probably takes a good third of the way through until the plot gets running. And while it takes a slightly darker turn near the end, it also feels slightly rushed.
But it never stops being witty and enjoyable. A lot of fun in a small package, and I hope more authors are as imaginative as T Kingfisher with their goblins and their elves.
For cbr17bingo, this is N. For the Nine Goblins.
And bingo for the vertical center