“All you had were pigs and enthusiasm. It’s not your fault.”
The first book Ursula Vernon wrote under the penname T. Kingfisher; she self-published it because trad publishing did not want to subject children to things they felt were “inappropriate.” Meanwhile, she’s over here in her introduction to the new, adorable trad-published version of this book, saying things like, kids would appreciate a dead body or two. And I agree with her!
Anyway, this book is in the tradition of Pratchett, with T. Kingfisher proclivities thrown in. We follow a band of nine goblins who are accidentally transported into enemy territory by a frightened wizard, where they have such adventures as getting a new kitten, befriending an elf veterinarian, being mistaken for murderers, eating lots of zucchini bread, and ultimately saving the day.
As always, there is a core of importance at the center of T. Kingfisher’s gentle, bizarre humor. Issues of indigenous land displacement, disability, mental health, and anti-war sentiments, among other things. And this one is completely free of romance, for all my aro-aces. Happy to have finally read something so far in her backlist.
“The bear not only had a set of stripes sewn on his arm, it was possibly the first teddy-bear in history to have received a medal for service to the elven nation.”
[4.5 stars]