Jim C. Hines – Goblin Quest

The first book in the Jig the Goblin series, published November 2, 2004.
Genre: urban fantasy
Cover: fun



When Jig's patrol is ambushed by a group of adventurers, he does what goblins do best: throws down his weapon and surrenders. Thus begins Jig's quest, as the adventurers force him to serve as their guide through the labyrinth of tunnels beneath the mountain. Led by Prince Barius Wendelson, their goal is an ancient magical artifact, hidden here ages past.

As the group moves deeper into the tunnels, Jig finds himself face to face with creatures of goblin legend: ogres, trolls, not to mention the long-dead servants of the dreaded Necromancer, all leading to one final, deadly battle.
To survive, Jig will have to find a way to combine heroism with his own goblin ideals. The result is an unpredictable adventure that will leave readers cheering this unlikeliest of heroes and questioning some of the most basic traditions of fantasy quests.


I loved this book! It is completely different from any other book I have ever read, with its unlikely hero. An ugly little goblin who gets caught by humans looking for a hidden treasure in his mountain. Yes, the humans are the bad guys, and Jig is just a harmless bystander dragged into things. The little “monster” is afraid of the other monsters out there, but he also wants to survive. Jig totally saves the day, so he can go back to his normal life.

It was so much fun to read, a quest, riddles to overcome, danger and monsters to defeat.

If you want something different, go for this one. I especially loved the ending. This is my first Jim. C. Hines book, but certainly not my last!

8 stars.

© 2015 Reviews by Aurian