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Book: "GoblinQuest" by Jim C. Hines
Aug. 23rd, 2006 10:06 pmI've finished translating another book and have quite enjoyed myself while working on it. It was "GoblinQuest" by Jim C. Hines. It's your typical "Dungeon and Dragons" sort of fantasy where a group of adventurers takes off to find a treasure, this time the Rod of Creation.
What's not so typical is the fact that the whole adventure is told from the POV of the lowly goblin Jig. The adventurers snatch him when he tries to spy on them and his fire-spider of a pet Smudge sets his hair on fire... Yes, that's your goblin Jig. He is clumsy and short-sighted and small and ugly even for a goblin. He has no friends - but then, no goblin has a friend - and he is still on muck duty even though other goblins his age are already patrolling the tunnels around the lair. Jig is really nothing special... But on the other hand, maybe he is...
So the adventurers, prince Barius, his brother the wizard Ryslind, their teacher the dwarf Darnak and the elven thief Riana are on their way to find the famous Rod of Creation that the wizard Ellnorein hid under the mountain and tunnels full of goblins, hobgoblins, carion-worms, lizard-fish, ogres, trolls etc. etc. Oh, and there is a dragon in there too of course. But since these adventurers are surface dwellers, they need a guide - and thus they feel lucky that they have come across Jig. Said goblin is less than thrilled of course.
You see therein lies the greatest asset of this book - it's funny. Jig is sarcastic and makes fun of the human and dwarven customs that he simply doesn't get. He doesn't understand, why the haughty Barius feels the need to prove himself to his parents, why the bald Ryslind thought it necessary to make his own eyes glow red and why the dwarf has to draw a map of everything... and why do the surface dwellers consider cannibalism disgusting. Food is food after all.
And so they go (or better fall) from one adventure into another and slowly, Jig starts to change. He starts to see where the goblins make mistakes in their everyday lives and what he could improve should he make it home in one piece. And bit by bit - even though he really really really hates his fellow adventurers - he turns from a cowardly goblin into an almost-hero. Oh, and he befriends a god too.
I'm usually not into these "Dungeons and Dragons" sorts of fantasy, but I've enjoyed this one immensely. I think it was the humor that set it apart from the usual boring stuff. Jig's contemplations made me go LMAO more than once. My favorite scene?
Jig to Smudge, the fire-spider, after said spider set his hair on fire because he was scared (when fire-spiders become nervous they turn really hot XD): "What's the matter with you? (...) You have eight eyes. Eight! How could you not see my hand? I'm the blind one. What were you doing up there, daydreaming? I should let Golaka make a pot pie out of you."
I would give this book 4 stars out of 5. This one is definitely a keeper!
What's not so typical is the fact that the whole adventure is told from the POV of the lowly goblin Jig. The adventurers snatch him when he tries to spy on them and his fire-spider of a pet Smudge sets his hair on fire... Yes, that's your goblin Jig. He is clumsy and short-sighted and small and ugly even for a goblin. He has no friends - but then, no goblin has a friend - and he is still on muck duty even though other goblins his age are already patrolling the tunnels around the lair. Jig is really nothing special... But on the other hand, maybe he is...
So the adventurers, prince Barius, his brother the wizard Ryslind, their teacher the dwarf Darnak and the elven thief Riana are on their way to find the famous Rod of Creation that the wizard Ellnorein hid under the mountain and tunnels full of goblins, hobgoblins, carion-worms, lizard-fish, ogres, trolls etc. etc. Oh, and there is a dragon in there too of course. But since these adventurers are surface dwellers, they need a guide - and thus they feel lucky that they have come across Jig. Said goblin is less than thrilled of course.
You see therein lies the greatest asset of this book - it's funny. Jig is sarcastic and makes fun of the human and dwarven customs that he simply doesn't get. He doesn't understand, why the haughty Barius feels the need to prove himself to his parents, why the bald Ryslind thought it necessary to make his own eyes glow red and why the dwarf has to draw a map of everything... and why do the surface dwellers consider cannibalism disgusting. Food is food after all.
And so they go (or better fall) from one adventure into another and slowly, Jig starts to change. He starts to see where the goblins make mistakes in their everyday lives and what he could improve should he make it home in one piece. And bit by bit - even though he really really really hates his fellow adventurers - he turns from a cowardly goblin into an almost-hero. Oh, and he befriends a god too.
I'm usually not into these "Dungeons and Dragons" sorts of fantasy, but I've enjoyed this one immensely. I think it was the humor that set it apart from the usual boring stuff. Jig's contemplations made me go LMAO more than once. My favorite scene?
Jig to Smudge, the fire-spider, after said spider set his hair on fire because he was scared (when fire-spiders become nervous they turn really hot XD): "What's the matter with you? (...) You have eight eyes. Eight! How could you not see my hand? I'm the blind one. What were you doing up there, daydreaming? I should let Golaka make a pot pie out of you."
I would give this book 4 stars out of 5. This one is definitely a keeper!
