Goblins

This endlessly inventive, freewheeling tale begins when young goblin Skarper meets brave-but-naive Henwyn, a hero/cheesewright on his way to rescue Princess Eluned from a giant. Henwyn and Skarper face unusual foes and the temptations of unlimited power before their quest is through. Reeve brings a light comedic tone to his convoluted yet satisfying plot, deftly juggling multiple story lines and characters.

This endlessly inventive, freewheeling tale begins when young goblin Skarper is ejected (literally, via "bratapult") from Blackspike Tower into the wilds of Clovenstone, where he meets brave-but-naive Henwyn, a hero/cheesewright on his way to rescue Princess Eluned from the giant Fraddon. Almost immediately Skarper is co-opted by three sorcerers to guide them to the goblin stronghold and to their destiny as inheritors of the Great Keep; but the goblins don't take kindly to the intrusion. It's only the timely intervention of Henwyn, the (generally nice) giant Fraddon, and (forty-something and not requiring rescue) Princess Eluned (a.k.a. Ned) that gets Skarper and the sorcerers out of hot water. The lure of treasure in the Great Keep proves too seductive, though, and Henwyn and Skarper set out again, facing more unusual foes and the temptations of unlimited power before their quest is through. Reeve brings a light comedic tone to his convoluted yet satisfying plot, deftly juggling multiple story lines and characters while playing an enjoyable game of bait-and-switch with reader expectations. His imagination seems nearly bottomless (with a profligate supply of cheese monsters, rhyming boglins, and the dreaded Dragonbone Men, to name a few), creating a surprising new environment that will amply reward fantasy lovers. anita l. burkam