Fantasy Book Review: The Legend of Jig Dragonslayer Omnibus

The Legend of Jig Dragonslayer by Jim C. Hines

Jim C. Hines’ charming and funny fantasy series, The Goblin Trilogy, is available today from DAW Books – including Goblin Quest, Goblin Hero, and Goblin War!

Below are the reviews previously posted on this site for the included novels:

Goblin Quest
Jig is a small, even for a goblin, and often gets ridiculed by his peers. While patrolling through neighboring tunnels, Jig stumbles upon a group of adventurers. Captured for his knowledge of the underground tunnel system, Jig is forced to join the group and their search for the Rod of Creation. Legend says that the Rod was made by a dangerous Necromancer and is now supposedly held in a dragon’s lair.

Join Jig on this fun journey of laughs, danger, and magic. In this distinctive fantasy, we get to view life from a goblin’s point of view. As Jig learns more about the world around him, he also begins to learn more about himself. And as Jig’s character develops throughout the story from the different situations and obstacles that he is forced to endure, I found myself growing more attached to the little goblin.

Goblin Quest is a cleverly written adventure fantasy with a not-so-ordinary goblin hero. Goblins are usually viewed as villains in most fantasy stories, so it was humorous to see the reversed roles where the humans are the greedy fortune hunters. I thoroughly enjoyed this fun and exciting fantasy debut and will definitely be following future episodes.

Goblin Hero
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.

Goblin War

Jig has bested a dragon, necromancer, and pixies; but now he’s up against a powerful orc and her army. To make matters worse, Jig has to deal with an army of humans as well. As a long-lost secret is revealed about Tymalous Shadowstar’s forgotten past, can Jig trust his benefactor enough to stand against the most powerful being Jig has ever encountered? Humans and the “uncivilized creatures” lives all may hang in the balance as armies clash and a dark plot unravels.

As a fan of the first two installments, I had high expectations for Goblin War. And I wasn’t disappointed. There is plenty of adventure, humor, and magic contributing to make this a fantastic fantasy. Jig’s character has been slowly developing over the course of the trilogy. And big questions are revealed that have been looming since the beginning. The humor is the most wonderful aspect of this unique series, and this latest had me laughing out loud (especially a certain reference to a Shel Silverstein story). Each of these books has been better than the last. This series is a must-read and one of my all-time favorites!