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Jim C. Hines

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Goblin Quest Mass Market Paperback – November 7, 2006

by Jim C. Hines (Author)

4.5 594 ratings

Book 1 of 3: Goblin

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Jig is a scrawny little nearsighted goblin-a runt even among his puny species. Captured by a party of adventurers searching for a magical artifact, and forced to guide them, Jig encounters every peril ever faced on a fantasy quest.

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"If you've always kinda rooted for the little guy, even maybe had a bit of a place in your heart for the likes of Gollum, rather than the Boromirs and Gandalfs of the world, pick up Goblin Quest - just make sure you keep well away from Golaka's stewpot." - The SF Site

About the Author

Jim C. Hines has been a paid juggler, earned a black belt in two different martial arts, performed yo-yo tricks at the top of the Eiffel Tower, and lived with a brain-damaged squirrel. (Only three of those are true.) One of his earliest stories earned first place in the Writers of the Future contest. He’s published more than forty short stories as well as numerous fantasy novels, including the humorous Jig the Dragonslayer trilogy, the Princess series, which re-imagines traditional fairy-tale princesses as butt-kicking action heroines, and the Magic Ex Libris series, about a centuries-old secret society dedicated to the use and control of book magic. In 2012, he won the Hugo for Best Fan Writer. Jim lives in Michigan with his wife, two children, and an unstable number of pets. He can be found online at www.jimchines.com.

Product details

ASIN ‏ : ‎ 0756404002
Publisher ‏ : ‎ DAW; Reprint edition (November 7, 2006)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Mass Market Paperback ‏ : ‎ 352 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 9780756404000
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0756404000
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 6.8 ounces
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 4.21 x 0.93 x 6.71 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #1,433,927 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #15,033 in Sword & Sorcery Fantasy (Books)
- #23,418 in Fantasy Action & Adventure
- #29,610 in Epic Fantasy (Books)

Customer Reviews:
4.5 594 ratings

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Jim C. Hines

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Jim C. Hines is the author of the Magic ex Libris series, the Princess series of fairy tale retellings, the humorous GOBLIN QUEST trilogy, and the Janitors of the Post-Apocalypse trilogy. His standalone books include the Fable Legends tie-in BLOOD OF HEROES and two middle grade novels. He won the 2012 Hugo Award for Best Fan Writer. His short fiction has appeared in more than 50 magazines and anthologies. Jim lives in mid-Michigan.

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Customer reviews

594 global ratings

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Customers find the book humorous and enjoyable. They describe it as an interesting fantasy adventure with a well-crafted plot. The characters are described as wonderful, interesting, and well-developed. Readers appreciate the insightful, quick-thinking protagonist. Overall, they consider the series to be fantastic and a good start to a great trilogy.

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Humor Enjoyment Adventure Character development Insight Series quality Pacing

42 customers mention "Humor"42 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the humor in the book. They find the action entertaining and laugh-out-loud funny. Readers appreciate the amusing descriptions of goblin life and culinary tastes. The book is described as a fun read about a cowardly, heroic goblin on a dangerous quest.

"...I found the adventure wonderful, exciting, and delicious. I look forward to the other two books in the series...." Read more

"...Easy-to-read writing style, plenty of humor (some subtle and some not-so-subtle!) and an overall excellent read...." Read more

"...I love about a fun fantasy tale: a good story, great characters, enjoyable banter, and heart." Read more

"Good characters twisting through an enjoyable quest. All the expected players but few of the expected outcomes...." Read more

36 customers mention "Enjoyment"36 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the book. They find it engaging and enjoyable, saying it's a lot of fun. The trilogy is enjoyable for them.

"I loved this book, it is one of my favorites now and I know I will want to revisit it often. I also bought the other two books in the series...." Read more

"...and an overall excellent read. Will be getting to the next in series sooner rather than later, methinks!" Read more

"What a joy it was to read this book. It had everything I love about a fun fantasy tale: a good story, great characters, enjoyable banter, and heart." Read more

"...Anyone looking to have a good time should read the book." Read more

33 customers mention "Adventure"33 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the adventure. They find the characters engaging and the plot interesting. The humor mixed with adventure keeps them hooked. The story is well-crafted, with no loose ends. Readers appreciate the clever twist on the usual dungeon crawl. There is plenty of action and fun, with an amazing ending.

"...I found the adventure wonderful, exciting, and delicious. I look forward to the other two books in the series...." Read more

"This is a really solid fantasy adventure, filled with characters you'll enjoy spending time with." Read more

"...It had everything I love about a fun fantasy tale: a good story, great characters, enjoyable banter, and heart." Read more

"...The story doesn't have too many loose ends, either and everything is wrapped up , albeit whimsically, in the end...." Read more

23 customers mention "Character development"23 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the character development in the book. They find the main character Jig to be a wonderful and interesting hero with a backstory. The humor is character-driven, mixing adventure with humor. Readers appreciate the anti-heroes and the humorous mix of characters.

"This is a really solid fantasy adventure, filled with characters you'll enjoy spending time with." Read more

"...Great light fantasy read with a wonderful main character and good supporting cast...." Read more

"...It had everything I love about a fun fantasy tale: a good story, great characters, enjoyable banter, and heart." Read more

"Good characters twisting through an enjoyable quest. All the expected players but few of the expected outcomes...." Read more

10 customers mention "Insight"10 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the book's insight. They find the character observant, shrewd, and quick-thinking. The stories are engaging and thought-provoking, keeping readers enthralled from start to finish. Readers also mention that the perspective on Goblins is nice and keeps them engrossed.

"...He has surprising wit, courage, quick-thinking wisdom and acts fast....all traits of an adventuring "hero". According to Jig (due to blind luck)...." Read more

"...being the low Goblin in the Goblin hierarchy, is smarter than most of his fellow Goblins. Considerably smarter, as it turns out...." Read more

"...I absolutely love Jig as a character. He’s observant and shrewd in his own way, and spending time with the adventurers changes him...." Read more

"...and all goblins in general, turned out to be very brave, caring and smart...." Read more

10 customers mention "Series quality"10 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the series. They find the book a good start to a great trilogy. The main character is described as observant and shrewd.

"Hee. Fun idea, well executed. From a little earlier in Hines' career so it's not as tight as his usual prose, but still very enjoyable...." Read more

"...I absolutely love Jig as a character. He’s observant and shrewd in his own way, and spending time with the adventurers changes him...." Read more

"..."Goblin Quest (Goblin Series Book 1)" is surprisingly good...." Read more

"...All of the 'Jig' series are really good...." Read more

8 customers mention "Pacing"8 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the book's pacing. They find the writing well-done and engaging. The action is crisp and entertaining. Readers appreciate the subtle humor and positive portrayal of goblins in a more positive light. Overall, they find the book charming and enjoyable to read.

"...He has surprising wit, courage, quick-thinking wisdom and acts fast....all traits of an adventuring "hero". According to Jig (due to blind luck)...." Read more

"...The quest was full of danger, magic, humour and fast-paced action, which is everything I like to see in a fantasy...." Read more

"...The writing is well done and nicely paced, and the world, viewpoint, and story interesting...." Read more

"...It had everything I love in a humor book; simply written so the action speeds by, laugh-out-loud funny, sufficiently intelligently written to slip..." Read more

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Elaine C McTyer
Better than the Zanth novels
Reviewed in the United States on April 11, 2008
Verified Purchase

I loved this book, it is one of my favorites now and I know I will want to revisit it often. I also bought the other two books in the series. Each book is stand alone great. I laughed so hard I almost fell out of my chair and yet there is also a lesson to be learned in the book. Great read.

Jig is a goblin. He lives with the rest of the goblins in a magic mountain. He is the runt and gets bullied often. A large mean goblin, Porak, forces him to go with his company while they check out the tunnels. They stop to drink and play craps while Jig is forced to wander off further in the tunnels. He comes upon a group of adventurers. Prince Barius, a warrior, Prince Ryslind, a mage, Darnak, a dwarf and a captured young elf girl. She is a thief who was caught by Darnak and is being forced to accompany the trio on their quest.

Jig is the only one left after the goblins encounter the adventurers and he is forced to lead the party deeper into the mountain. They are in search of the Rod of Creation. Jig knows what a goblin is and does, he is a coward and he runs. Unfortunately that is not possible for our hero. So his great idea is to lead the party into all of the most dangerous places he knows. The only thing is that he only knows the goblin tunnels.

As you can imagine the journey is a hoot and the adventures are swift and deadly. From one death trap to another, Jig has already decided that death is his destination. But as they travel Jig learns things not the least is that Darnak serves a God who helps him, by healing injuries due to battle. Jig thinks that might come in handy if he can find a God who won't mind a goblin worshiper. There must be at least one God who needs a servant.

I found the adventure wonderful, exciting, and delicious. I look forward to the other two books in the series. GOBLIN HERO and GOBLIN WAR if they are as good as GOBLIN QUEST, I will dive in and devour each of them just as I did this one. Great Reading.

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9 people found this helpful

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Stewart F. Hoffman
Entertaining!
Reviewed in the United States on September 18, 2024
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This is a really solid fantasy adventure, filled with characters you'll enjoy spending time with.

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Cheryl A. Reynolds
Great first in series book!
Reviewed in the United States on August 31, 2007
Verified Purchase
First in a series featuring Jig the Goblin, one of "the other guys" in most fantasy novels. Scrawny, nearsighted and cowardly, Jig is content to do muck duty, never really aspiring to go on adventures and be a hero. However, he is thrust into that role when Porak, leader of a pack of swaggering goblin bullies, makes Jig go on patrol and do the work while he and his cronies sit and gamble. When Jig encounters a couple of humans, a dwarf and and elf, he runs back to tell the others, but no one believes him and the rest all end up slaughtered. Jig then ends up as the unwilling guide for the `foreigners' through the tunnels of his underground world on an expedition to find the Rod of Creation, which is guarded by a Necromancer and a ferocious dragon. Along the way, many of Jig's preconceived notions about other races fall by the wayside, and the others learn that not everything you hear about Goblins is true, either.

Great light fantasy read with a wonderful main character and good supporting cast. Easy-to-read writing style, plenty of humor (some subtle and some not-so-subtle!) and an overall excellent read. Will be getting to the next in series sooner rather than later, methinks!

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2 people found this helpful

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D. Battista
Delightful, fun book
Reviewed in the United States on March 29, 2024
Verified Purchase
What a joy it was to read this book. It had everything I love about a fun fantasy tale: a good story, great characters, enjoyable banter, and heart.

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Kindle Customer
Enjoyable read with pleasant twists.
Reviewed in the United States on February 24, 2024
Verified Purchase
Good characters twisting through an enjoyable quest. All the expected players but few of the expected outcomes. Anyone looking to have a good time should read the book.

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kiran
View from the other side of the fence:)
Reviewed in the United States on February 17, 2006
Verified Purchase
I'm a big fan of fantasy and have always admired the heroes(and their sidekicks) who battle hordes of monsters to fulfill their quests. After reading this book,however, I guess I won't be rooting as much for the heroes after all :). Written to depict a typical sword-and-sorcery adventure from a goblin's viewpoint, this is simply one of the funniest and most enjoyable books I have ever read. The goblin isn't glorified or made to look unnaturally kind or brave - on the contrary, the goblin hero is cowardly, scheming and not very honourable. But the writing is good enough that you begin to identify with and root for the goblin by the middle of the book. [ How often have we faced imperious, self-righteous bullies like Barius, the human 'hero' in the book? And how often have we wished, like Jig, the goblin, frequently does, that we could wipe the superior smirks off their faces? ] The story doesn't have too many loose ends, either and everything is wrapped up , albeit whimsically, in the end. My only regret is that no room was left for possible sequels or further series:). Here's hoping Mr.Hines changes his mind and does write more of this kind. :)

All in all , a great book and a must-read for every fantasy fan

(if only to appreciate the 'other side's ' viewpoint) and a funny intro to fantasy for newcomers.

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Amazon Customer
Hee! Nice
Reviewed in the United States on October 9, 2013
Verified Purchase
Hee.

Fun idea, well executed. From a little earlier in Hines' career so it's not as tight as his usual prose, but still very enjoyable. Has to be the first time I've seen a DnD style story that was still fresh and new. And the ending was a surprise, and excellent.

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Sree
Good one day read
Reviewed in India on March 15, 2023
Verified Purchase

Based on the summary of the story , I was expecting much more humor than this book could provide. Still the story is really good though a bit on predictable lines, some nice humor is there without too much slapstick flavours. And the nice adventure journey that we go on with the characters is good too, with some good memorable characters. Remember we look for characters and character stories, not for character outer appearances/ habits/idiosyncrasy.

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Ken wolf
Great story at a price
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 5, 2020
Verified Purchase
The price..most books are cheaper some work out very expensive if it's a long series and I would like to have carried on reading about the character but not at this price..great story though

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Adrian Cervantes
Todos somos Jig
Reviewed in Mexico on November 18, 2016
Verified Purchase
¿Como empezar esta reseña? La verdad es que es dificil describir de forma objetiva cualquier forma de entretenimiento, y de ellas más aún un libro. Tal vez la forma más sencilla sea yendo de afuera hacia adentro, tal como uno se ve inmerso en la vida real en un libro.

Tengo la edición física y Kindle del libro (por si dudaban que me gusta esta historia), y debo decir que la calidad del libro físico es un tanto decepcionante. El papel es pasable y la calidad de la impresión es también bastante estándar, pero la portada es lo que le resta puntos. No la critico por su mérito artístico (si los trasgos de Hines son azules y en mi mente verdes, ¿qué más da?) sino por la calidad de la impresión de la misma. Tras un par de días en mi mochila se decoloró por la fricción, quedándole un montón de manchas blancas.

Pero esta reseña no es en realidad sobre la edición y la manufactura del libro, es de su contenido, y ese es oro puro.

Desde que era pequeño me han fascinado los mitos y la fantasía: historias de héroes y montruos, grandes peligros y tesoros sin par. Uno de los temas más comunes es el heroe abriendose paso a través de interminable oleadas de enemigos como si cortara maleza en un jardín: molestos, dificiles de exterminar, pero ningún problema serio a su integridad y una oportunidad de demostrar de forma segura su destreza con las armas antes de los retos verdaderos. Y a través de los años quienes se han visto más veces del lado equivocado de esa espada, hacha o lanza han sido los trasgos; criaturas aparentemente mezquinas, sucias, repulsivas , egoístas, cobardes, débiles, sin honor ni inteligencia.

A lo largo de mi vida, he visto que a nivel mundial y en particular con nuestros vecinos del norte muchas veces esa es una imagen grabada en el imaginario colectivo cuando menciono que soy mexicano o latinoamericano. Y es esta comparación la que ha vuelto a estas criaturas mis favoritas dentro de todas las que existen en este tipo de literatura. Puedo entender que es ser prejuzgado así; puedo entender que es ver de primera mano que aunque un estereotipo siempre es un prejuicio, muchas veces parecen estar bien fundados por la conducta de muchos de mis compatriotas y nuestra cultura social; y, sobre todo, puedo admirar los logros y el potencial de esa misma cultura cuando algo o alguien se alza por encima de las expectativas y aporta algo valioso al mundo.

Y es este el caso de Jig; un trasgo pequeño, cobarde y débil aún bajo las estándares de su propia raza. Y es esta una historia que nos da esperanza al mostrar que aún con defectos como esos en contra uno puede superarse y superar las expectativas de otros, pero sobre todo que uno tiene de uno mismo.

Dejando de lado mis sentimientos personales y lo que la historia despierta en mí, el libro esta escrito de manera sólida. El ritmo es adecuado, dando detalles donde debe y con un gran balance entre acción trepidante, sentido del humor, desarrollo de personajes y de la hsitoria y un sin número de referencias a el género que le sacarán más de una sonrisa a los veteranos sin alienar a los neofitos.

Con un lenguaje simple y una estructura sin complicaciones, este es un libro para leerse y releerse una y mil veces.

Todos somos Jig, o hemos sido Jig, o conocemos a Jig. Ahora solo debemos salir de nuestra zona de comfort y salir a matar nuestro propio dragón.

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Monika Diem
Großartiger Lesespaß für alle Rollenspielfans
Reviewed in Germany on May 31, 2015
Verified Purchase
Die Goblin Reihe von Jim C. Hines ist ein riesengroßer Lesespaß für alle Fans von Rollenspielen. Im Mittelpunkt steht kein edler Held sondern ein Goblin, einer dieser kleinen Übeltäter, die einem sonst in Dungeons das Leben schwer machen.
Hier ist er selbst der unfreiwillige Held, der einer Gruppe Abenteurer gezwungenermaßen durch ein Dungeon helfen muss, um ein ganz besonderes Ding zu finden. Dieser magische Schatz, darüber ist er sich bald im Klaren, darf aber niemals in die Hände dieser Truppe geraten. Doch was kann er, klein, schwach und ihr Gefangener schon ausrichten?
Doch die Abenteurer haben nicht mit der Hinterhältigkeit des Dungeon selbst gerechnet....

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Jon
Fun romp. Cheap price. What's not to like?
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 29, 2014
Verified Purchase
Yes, it's a parody of Dungeons and Dragons and all the gaming tropes that rose from it, but it stands on its own two feet. You don't need to be a gamer to enjoy this.

Don't expect the deep and meaningful, just a fun romp. There are a few reasonable characters, well enough thought through to entertain rather than enlighten. The pet fire-spider was my personal favourite. The plot moves well and is very nicely constructed, leavened with humour that hits the mark nine times out of ten.

I love the way he actually pulls off a literal deus ex machina toward the end. Just goes to show, with enough foreshadowing, anything is possible in a good fantasy. I'd describe this as craftsmanlike rather than genius, but which would you want working on your house?

If you're looking for a pleasant way to while away a few hours, you could do far worse than buy this book. It's the first book by Hines I've read, and it certainly won't be the last. In fact I'm going to get another one right now.

Edited to add:- This the first book of a trilogy. Is it just me who finds Amazon descriptions don't give you the order of books in a series that well? It's Goblin Quest, Goblin Hero, Goblin War and Goblin Tales. Four books in a trilogy? I don't care if Asimov or Le Guin did it first; I blame Douglas Adams!

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Goblin Quest Mass Market Paperback – November 7, 2006

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Jim C. Hines

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Top reviews from the United States

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5.0 out of 5 stars Better than the Zanth novels

4.0 out of 5 stars Entertaining!

5.0 out of 5 stars Great first in series book!

5.0 out of 5 stars Delightful, fun book

4.0 out of 5 stars Enjoyable read with pleasant twists.

5.0 out of 5 stars View from the other side of the fence:)

3.0 out of 5 stars Hee! Nice

Top reviews from other countries

4.0 out of 5 stars Good one day read

5.0 out of 5 stars Great story at a price

5.0 out of 5 stars Todos somos Jig

5.0 out of 5 stars Großartiger Lesespaß für alle Rollenspielfans

4.0 out of 5 stars Fun romp. Cheap price. What's not to like?

Better than the Zanth novels

Entertaining!

Great first in series book!

Delightful, fun book

Enjoyable read with pleasant twists.

View from the other side of the fence:)

Hee! Nice

Good one day read

Great story at a price

Todos somos Jig

Großartiger Lesespaß für alle Rollenspielfans

Fun romp. Cheap price. What's not to like?