Goblin Nation (Dragonlance: The Stonetellers #3)

Okay, when I read this book I hadn’t read the first two books in the series, nor am I generally well disposed to goblin-like creatures. Anyone who’s read my own fantasy novels knows that, for me, goblins and their kin are generally cannon-fodder. Yet, Jean Rabe – always a brilliant writer — grabbed hold of me and made me care about this band of motley creatures that I would, in normal circumstances, merely have stepped on. Does that make me more akin to the Dark Knights than to the heroes in this tale?

I hope not, because the Dark Knights in this volume are pretty despicable (as they should be). The goblins, on the other hand, run the full gamut of human personalities from loving to greedy to brave to selfish, and their near-human friends and allies show the same depths. And though I had not read the first two books in the series, the plot was easy to follow — though never simplictic — and the characters were compelling (even without their full back stories).

In short, this is another fine fantasy novel by Jean Rabe, one of the modern masters of the form. If you like Jean’s work, you’ll surely like this. If you like goblins (and other disgusting creatures), you’ll surely like this. If you like goblins being killed — you’ll surely like this, as the body count is very high. And if you like Dark Knights, well, there are some dandy ones doing dastardly things here. Something for just about every lover of fantasy: bold heroes, vile villains, humans, goblins, half-elves, wizards, druids, healers, traitors, a gnoll, a bit of sex, and even a dragon.

So maybe I would make a fine hobgoblin, after all. Thanks, Jean.

This trilogy always had simplistic characters and plotlines, but granted they are goblins and in the last two books at least they were on the move. This final book has them sticking to one place and it just stagnates.

The characters are still somewhat interesting(the ones that weren’t suddenly killed off), but there is little character development at the time that’s best for it. Character subplots are dropped,suddenly cut off, or-in the most prominant case-given an abrupt and cryptic ending without closure. Vague spoilers here-the ending confrontation is almost laughably anti-climactic, considering how thoroughly the villains are thrashed.

Moreover, while I possibly missed it in the previous books, I’m pretty sure in those the characters were setting out to make a “goblin homeland,” implying that there isn’t one. Now they suddenly mention that there already was a goblin homeland after all…they just want to make another one instead. Maybe I don’t have the full picture, but it seems that the author is backtracking here when it is too late to backtrack, and the driving point of the whole series now comes across as very, very contrived.

It was an interesing idea to star goblins, but roughly executed and poorly concluded in this book.

No one does critters like Jean Rabe does. When I started this book I was afraid for the goblins and hobgoblins that I had met in books 1 and 2. Few writers could make me care about these creatures, but Rabe pulls it off with flair.

And within a few pages I was right in my concerns, because the body count is high. The green dragon on the cover is not there just for looks, let me tell you. Goblins versus Death Knights – I figured I knew what the outcome would be. I was wrong!

Wonderful conclusion to the trilogy!

Excellent Book Jean Rabe never disapppoints

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