Nine Goblins: A Tale of Low Fantasy and High Mischief

Terry Pratchett’s Monstrous Regiment meets All Creatures Great and Small in this quirky novella from Nebula and Hugo award winner Kingfisher (Hemlock & Silver), originally self-published in 2013. The Nineteenth Infantry of the Goblin Army, also called the Whinin’ Niners, are not exactly a crack team. Led by Sergeant Nessilka, their slogan is, “Too dumb to desert. Too smart to die.” When they face off with a wizard mid-battle, he transports the squadron deep behind enemy lines. The hapless band aren’t well equipped to make it back to Goblinhome without being caught—especially not when one of them is kidnapped by perpetually exhausted elf Sings-to-Trees, a magical animal veterinarian. Elves and goblins are technically at war with each other, and with humans, but Sings-to-Trees is more interested in tending to trolls than fighting. Meanwhile, all the humans (and their farm animals) in the area are mysteriously absent, having followed a strange siren call, the source of which the Whinin’ Niners and Sings-to-Trees must band together to defeat before it gets them too. Though the uneven pacing marks this as one of Kingfisher’s early works, her trademark humor is on full display. Fans will have fun delving into the archive. (Jan.)