After finishing Jim C. Hines's Goblin Quest, I was excited to read the next book in the series, Goblin Hero. Particularly, I was interested in seeing how Hines would continue Jig's adventures since the first book felt more like a one-shot deal rather than the beginning of a trilogy. Plus, I thought Goblin Quest was hilarious and I was looking forward to more trope-bending fun from Goblin Hero. It's not necessary to have read the first book to enjoy the second--both stand alone very well, even if Goblin Hero makes reference to events that took place in Goblin Quest.

The evil dragon as been slain, the caves and tunnels have been safely sealed away from adventuring parties, and peace has been established, more or less, between the races living in and under the mountain; all thanks to a runt of a goblin named Jig, now more commonly known as Jig Dragonslayer. Not that it has really made his life much easier, though he doesn't get picked on quite so much. He really just wants to be left alone, but when the ogres are desperate for his help, he as little choice but to go off on a adventure once again. Along with his god Tymalous Shadowstar, he is aided by Braf (exceptionally dumb, even by goblin standards) and Grell (probably the oldest goblin living). Of course, both of them have instructions to kill him if they get a chance. And then there's Veka, obsessed with magic and becoming a hero in her own right, who's out to make a name for herself with Slash, a hobgoblin who faints at the sight of blood, reluctantly in tow.

It actually took me quite a while to really get into Goblin Hero. I was enjoying it well enough, but it didn't really grab me until I was well over a third of the way through. The humor was at times was even subtler than that in Goblin Quest while at other times it was too obvious. Maybe part of the problem was that if felt like Hines was trying to justify it by using Veka and her obsession with the "hero's quest" to point out just exactly what it was he was making fun of. Regardless, it was still very amusing and silly. Like in Goblin Quest, some of the action sequences were a little unclear, but fortunately to a much lesser extent. Most of the areas explored were from the first book but there are some important additions--ewww. Readers also get a better look at the other major races that were only really mentioned in passing before, particularly the ogres and hobgoblins. Where Goblin Hero really shines is in its characters and the clever twists on fairly standard fantasy tropes. It's marvelous to see such a misfit group of creatures band together, save the day, and even manage to survive. And they don't even like each other that much. The story is told from both Jig's and Veka's point of view, so it is interesting to see both of their perspectives on the situation and on each other.

I wasn't quite as taken with Goblin Hero as I was with Goblin Quest, which is not to say that I didn't enjoy the book, because I most certainly did. It made for excellent light reading in all its silliness. While I didn't find the humor as laugh-out-loud as I did in the first book, I was still greatly amused. Jig and Smudge remain wonderful characters that I will always be fond of, Tymalous Shadowstar continues to make me grin, and I liked the other characters that were introduced in Goblin Hero quite a bit. I'm not in a huge hurry to pick up the last book, Goblin War, but I will definitely get around to it. (It's supposed to be the best of all three.) I'll probably even make a point to check out some of Hines's short stories featuring Jig and the others.

Experiments in Reading ( )

Lost my interest after a page or two. Goofy fantasy without enough of a hook or unique voice for me. ( )

Second in the “Jig the Goblin” fantasy series, featuring the reluctant hero, runty, nearsighted Jig the Dragonslayer. I like this series because it’s different—Goblins aren’t usually a fantasy race that you think of being the hero of a story, but the author pulls it off very well, baldly admitting to the faults of the goblin race in general and Jig in particular, but using those foibles to make Jig all the more endearing. Jig once again has to set out on a dangerous mission at the behest of Kralk, the new goblin chief. He takes with him just a few cohorts—Grell, an ancient goblin who has been in charge of the nursery, Braf, a big and especially stupid warrior, and Veka, a wanna-be heroine and wizard who is jealous of Jig’s notoriety. Along the way, they meet other characters of other races who feature in the story, too. A humorous and well-told story, Goblin Hero manages to dispel that ‘second book curse’ in which the middle book of a trilogy often fares poorly and ends up being a rather ho-hum setup for the finale. This book stands on its own very well, and I enjoyed it just as much if not more than the first in series. Looking forward to Goblin War! ( )

Goblin Hero, by Jim C. Hines, is the sequel to Goblin Quest.

After recovering from his adventures in slaying the Necromancer and the dragon, Jig is now known as "Jig Dragonslayer." Unfortunately for him, an invading army of pixies know about him too. When an ogre comes to the goblins (Jig specifically) for help with a pixie infestation, Jig is forced to lead a group to investigate. But Veka, a wizard-in-training, is jealous of Jig's hero status, and decides to save the day herself. And she just may jeopardize everyone's chance at defeating the invaders to their land.

I was surprised to find that I enjoyed Goblin Hero even more than its predecessor. With even more laughs and excitement, Jig becomes the reluctant hero once again. Every character is unique with wonderful quirks. From the brawny goblin who pretends to be dumber than he is to the hobgoblin warrior who faints at the sight of blood, this fantasy is cleverly written from beginning to end. I can't recommend this series enough. ( )

Jig managed to survive the dragon, and even his fellow adventurers in Goblin Quest, but his chances for survival aren't looking so great this time. With Straum dead, something new has invaded the goblins' mountain, and even the ogres are running scared. Jig the Dragonslayer, cursing his unwanted reputation with every step, is off to see about the new menace -- if he can survive his own companions.

Hines has created a likable, atypical hero. Jig along with his motley pack of companions (and their truly disgusting eating habits) will have to save the day, or the goblins are doomed.

Can't wait to see what poor Jig gets dragged in to next. ( )