What do you think?
Rate this book
Mask and Dagger #1
Goblin Moon
Strange things happen under the Goblin Moon . . .
Tidewaters rise, earthquakes rumble, and hobgoblins crawl out from their dens. A coffin drifts slowly down the river Lunn—in it, a spellbound sorcerer and his forbidden books of magic. A masked man disrupts the hideous rituals of the Knights of Mezztopholeez.
And in the city of Thornburg, where elves, dwarves, and men all live together, not all men are quite as they seem.
Tidewaters rise, earthquakes rumble, and hobgoblins crawl out from their dens. A coffin drifts slowly down the river Lunn—in it, a spellbound sorcerer and his forbidden books of magic. A masked man disrupts the hideous rituals of the Knights of Mezztopholeez.
And in the city of Thornburg, where elves, dwarves, and men all live together, not all men are quite as they seem.
293 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1991
11 people are currently reading
598 people want to read
About the author
Teresa Edgerton
23 books84 followersI believe I began telling stories as soon as I learned to talk. More than sixty years later I am still inventing them.
On paper, my life looks more glamorous than it was in actual fact (most peoples' lives do). My husband and I met at our local Renaissance Faire. I've made and sold puppets, spent twenty years as a professional fortuneteller, worked in a craft store, and been an active member of the Society for Creative Anachronism. My hobbies are Halloween and Christmas.
Currently, I am working as an editor for Tickety Boo Press, heading a new imprint Venus Ascending, which will be publishing fantasy and science fiction romance novels. For submission guidelines http://www.ticketyboopress.co.uk/tere...
My own published work includes eleven fantasy novels, written under my own name and my pseudonym, Madeline Howard, as well as short fiction, reviews, interviews, and articles on writing.
I live with my husband, two adult children, a son-in-law, two grandsons, assorted pets, and more books than you might think would fit in the remaining space.
On paper, my life looks more glamorous than it was in actual fact (most peoples' lives do). My husband and I met at our local Renaissance Faire. I've made and sold puppets, spent twenty years as a professional fortuneteller, worked in a craft store, and been an active member of the Society for Creative Anachronism. My hobbies are Halloween and Christmas.
Currently, I am working as an editor for Tickety Boo Press, heading a new imprint Venus Ascending, which will be publishing fantasy and science fiction romance novels. For submission guidelines http://www.ticketyboopress.co.uk/tere...
My own published work includes eleven fantasy novels, written under my own name and my pseudonym, Madeline Howard, as well as short fiction, reviews, interviews, and articles on writing.
I live with my husband, two adult children, a son-in-law, two grandsons, assorted pets, and more books than you might think would fit in the remaining space.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 55 reviews
Read
November 15, 2018With a setting that melds aspects of Regency and Victorian, and plenty of depth to the worldbuilding, this was an interesting book just for the setting. I'd recommend it generally, though it's not going to be one of my faves because it falls into one of my dislikes that often comes up with this kind of setting: an imbalance in worldliness between romantic partners. Although our female lead is sensible, skeptical, and willing to stick up for herself, she's also so utterly ignorant of what's going on compared to practically every other person in the story that I can't really love the book.
June 29, 2018
Goblin Moon is a book on a second lease of life. Originally published some time ago, and only to a state side audience it has now been reissued, making use of modern technologies, in both a physical and e-book format, and made available to the whole world, which can only be a good thing.
This is a fantasy book, but a fantasy book with a difference. The norm for fantasy seems to be set in a near medieval society, no real technology well we all know...
Goblin Moon bucks that trend giving a fantasy set in the equivalent of the Regency, populated by men and women dressing in flamboyant peacockery, wigs and make-up, lace and frippery and that's just the men. But Edgerton does not forget that there is another side to society, and we get to see both sides of life in this world she has created.
There are guns as well as swords, with a more subtle magic; secret societies and all the other things that come with a society in motion. There is the feeling that this is a real world, slightly askew from our own, with a similar history, different names and with the addition of fantastic creatures, trolls, hobgoblins, fairies and more.
It is not just the world that works so well and feels fresh because it is bravely different, the story itself is different but engrossing. The characters are well drawn, flawed and triumphant in their own right. There is at least one that I wanted to slap, and to draw such a response out of this reader is a talent indeed.
There is more too, this is no world changing epic, menaced by some dark lord, this feels almost personal. We are drawn into a world of individuals, and as traumatic as the events around them are for them, you can imagine all the other people carrying on oblivious.
Even the construction of the book, with chapter headings that are almost notes to the reader, catch the flavour of the period it is based on, making it a read to savour.
It gets five stars, but were I able I'd probably have given it 4 1/2.
It is one of the most different, refreshing books I have read in a long time and may it's new lease of life be a long and successful one, because it deserves to be read.
This is a fantasy book, but a fantasy book with a difference. The norm for fantasy seems to be set in a near medieval society, no real technology well we all know...
Goblin Moon bucks that trend giving a fantasy set in the equivalent of the Regency, populated by men and women dressing in flamboyant peacockery, wigs and make-up, lace and frippery and that's just the men. But Edgerton does not forget that there is another side to society, and we get to see both sides of life in this world she has created.
There are guns as well as swords, with a more subtle magic; secret societies and all the other things that come with a society in motion. There is the feeling that this is a real world, slightly askew from our own, with a similar history, different names and with the addition of fantastic creatures, trolls, hobgoblins, fairies and more.
It is not just the world that works so well and feels fresh because it is bravely different, the story itself is different but engrossing. The characters are well drawn, flawed and triumphant in their own right. There is at least one that I wanted to slap, and to draw such a response out of this reader is a talent indeed.
There is more too, this is no world changing epic, menaced by some dark lord, this feels almost personal. We are drawn into a world of individuals, and as traumatic as the events around them are for them, you can imagine all the other people carrying on oblivious.
Even the construction of the book, with chapter headings that are almost notes to the reader, catch the flavour of the period it is based on, making it a read to savour.
It gets five stars, but were I able I'd probably have given it 4 1/2.
It is one of the most different, refreshing books I have read in a long time and may it's new lease of life be a long and successful one, because it deserves to be read.
August 29, 2016
If you enjoyed A Darker Shade of Magic, The Lies of Locke Lamora or Sorcery and Cecilia, you'll enjoy this story.
September 11, 2014
I'd like to compare it to The Scarlet Pimpernel, possibly with a bit of Solomon Kane, but as yet haven't read either of those. It's definitely going for a fantasy of manners with swashbuckle elements, set in an analog of 18th century Europe--Euterpe?--on a fantasy Earth. That setting concept in itself was enough to attract my attention, because the usual Medieval mash-up of most fantasy gets tiresome and it's nice to see a mash-up of some other time period.
The story is loosely bound, with a number of threads that one expects would tie together by the end yet never quite do. In addition the story has a slightly digressive nature, introducing at one point a subplot--Lady Ursula's debt woes--which just as suddenly resolves and submerges. Edgerton had no qualms about adding material that doesn't advance the story but fleshes out the setting and the characters. I can't fault the decision but it made it difficult to say where anything was going and how it will tie back into the rest.
I was mildly distracted by the writing style, which seemed to be emulating the period. Each chapter is headed with a summary cheekily written in period style, and some of that style leaks into the narration. Certain oaths are blanked out ("d----d!") and the narrator occasionally referred to Lord Skelbrooke as "My lord".
The story is loosely bound, with a number of threads that one expects would tie together by the end yet never quite do. In addition the story has a slightly digressive nature, introducing at one point a subplot--Lady Ursula's debt woes--which just as suddenly resolves and submerges. Edgerton had no qualms about adding material that doesn't advance the story but fleshes out the setting and the characters. I can't fault the decision but it made it difficult to say where anything was going and how it will tie back into the rest.
I was mildly distracted by the writing style, which seemed to be emulating the period. Each chapter is headed with a summary cheekily written in period style, and some of that style leaks into the narration. Certain oaths are blanked out ("d----d!") and the narrator occasionally referred to Lord Skelbrooke as "My lord".
September 1, 2013
I am so glad that this book is now available on Kindle. It was issued in paperback by Ace in 1991 and is not easily found. It is exactly such gems like GOBLIN MOON that elevate Kindle and other E-Books into their highest purpose. To make availible to all books from the past.
This is a meticulouly researched book is set in a fantasy world equivalent to Poland/Bohemia/Germany in the late 1700's. (Think Geo.Washington: powdered hair, red court heels for men, face patches.) It is not Medieval or Regency. The occult references were period accurate a'la hellfire club, masons, folklore and other sources.
And the writing was excellent, weaving together various threads from disparate people, till they came together in a facinating story that readers of Tolkien, C.S.lewis, and Katherine Kurtz would enjoy.
The uncompromising Sera, our heroine, who wants nothing to do with magic is inundated with people who are up to their necks in occult activites. She is suspicious of the Hero while trusting those with ill intent. So what does she do after being saved? Mistrusts the Hero again. Ouch. The sequel is THE GNOME'S ENGINE which should tie up the loose ends. I love Lord Skelbrooke, and while he needs a practical woman to ground him, he also needs trust.
This is a meticulouly researched book is set in a fantasy world equivalent to Poland/Bohemia/Germany in the late 1700's. (Think Geo.Washington: powdered hair, red court heels for men, face patches.) It is not Medieval or Regency. The occult references were period accurate a'la hellfire club, masons, folklore and other sources.
And the writing was excellent, weaving together various threads from disparate people, till they came together in a facinating story that readers of Tolkien, C.S.lewis, and Katherine Kurtz would enjoy.
The uncompromising Sera, our heroine, who wants nothing to do with magic is inundated with people who are up to their necks in occult activites. She is suspicious of the Hero while trusting those with ill intent. So what does she do after being saved? Mistrusts the Hero again. Ouch. The sequel is THE GNOME'S ENGINE which should tie up the loose ends. I love Lord Skelbrooke, and while he needs a practical woman to ground him, he also needs trust.
January 16, 2011
2.5
This book was recommended to me as a proto-Steampunk. Since there are one, maybe two, elements remotely Steampunkish (i.e. clockwork musicians), and they are mentioned only in passing, I'd say it's very "proto".
So much for what it's not. What it is is a pretty decent story that reminded me of Swordspoint by Ellen Kushner, what with the multiple character perspectives, and the politics and intrigue, and this one's conning that one who's tricking that one, so on and so forth. Except this one reads slightly better than Swordspoint, which I gave a 2 star rating.
The world was interesting enough, and I liked Sera and Skelbrooke, 'cause I just have a thing for willful, independent girls and rogues with good hearts, respectively. But, for a book that's less than 300 pages, I still felt it was a bit slow in places.
I might pick up the continuation at some point, but I have no pressing need to get to it in the short term.
This book was recommended to me as a proto-Steampunk. Since there are one, maybe two, elements remotely Steampunkish (i.e. clockwork musicians), and they are mentioned only in passing, I'd say it's very "proto".
So much for what it's not. What it is is a pretty decent story that reminded me of Swordspoint by Ellen Kushner, what with the multiple character perspectives, and the politics and intrigue, and this one's conning that one who's tricking that one, so on and so forth. Except this one reads slightly better than Swordspoint, which I gave a 2 star rating.
The world was interesting enough, and I liked Sera and Skelbrooke, 'cause I just have a thing for willful, independent girls and rogues with good hearts, respectively. But, for a book that's less than 300 pages, I still felt it was a bit slow in places.
I might pick up the continuation at some point, but I have no pressing need to get to it in the short term.
December 29, 2015
An elegant fantasy of intricate parts and faultless manners, in which Seramarias Vorder must defend the honour of her cousin Elsie against the predations of Jarl Skogra and the Duchess of Zar-Wildungen. Set against the backdrop of an alternate middle-Europe, where fashion and patronage rub shoulders with dwarfs, necromancy and Pimpernel-esque derring-do, Goblin Moon takes quite a while to really get going, but Teresa Edgerton draws her world and characters with such fine detail that you'll find yourself halfway through the book without realising it. Once the plot hits its stride however, all of the viewpoints come together in a satisfying race against time to save the day. Of course this is only the first half of the story, and some of the plot does remain left hanging for the sequel but, importantly, it's all done with impeccable manners.
August 9, 2014
Really liked this one, but maybe almost entirely for the supporting hero, Skelbrooke, who is something of a cross between Percy Blakely and... a schizophrenic, drug addict with a noble streak (having trouble thinking of a second apt comparison -- perhaps speaking to this character's uniqueness.) Although the steam-punk setting is pretty cool, the mystery itself, was not particularly gripping, and the scenes without either Skelbrooke or the heroine tended to drag.
I tried reading the follow-up novel, but I couldn't make it through. (Maybe because Skelbrooke only shows up past the midway point.)
I tried reading the follow-up novel, but I couldn't make it through. (Maybe because Skelbrooke only shows up past the midway point.)
June 6, 2016
This is a fantasy novel set in a world of Men, dwarves, gnomes and fairies, but instead of the usual medieval period setting, the milieu is more akin to the eighteenth century. The period detail is fantastic and the writing is sumptuous. The characters are well drawn. There’s an alchemist-turned-bookseller struggling dabbling in the dark arts. There’s his niece who must defend her cousin from her from the eccentric medical plots of her overbearing mother. And then, there’s a dashing Scarlet Pimpernel type who fights occult secret societies and the like. It takes a while for the pieces of the story to coalesce into the plot but the journey makes the wait worth it.
The world building is excellent. The eighteenth century elements (and some of the place names) can blind you that at times, but there was obviously a lot more work and thought put into the setting than a simple transposition of historical and literary detail.
My one quibble would be the recipe of a homunculus only in so far as it pushes the age range for which the book is suitable upward. It didn’t bother me particularly, but I could see it bothering others.
It’s the first part of a duology so there are still matters to be resolved in the sequel, but the conclusion at the end didn’t make me feel short changed.
The world building is excellent. The eighteenth century elements (and some of the place names) can blind you that at times, but there was obviously a lot more work and thought put into the setting than a simple transposition of historical and literary detail.
My one quibble would be the recipe of a homunculus only in so far as it pushes the age range for which the book is suitable upward. It didn’t bother me particularly, but I could see it bothering others.
It’s the first part of a duology so there are still matters to be resolved in the sequel, but the conclusion at the end didn’t make me feel short changed.
August 10, 2020
A bit disappointing. The writing was fine with the exception of plot and pacing, which is a bit of a problem. One set piece was pulled off semi-successfully, the rest rather fell flat, they was a super-abundance of characters and sub-plots and the book would have benefited greatly by having about half the amount. Most of the book felt like set-up, and when I realised (I was on an e-reader) that I had about 10 minutes left, I was stunned--thought I was maybe 60% of the way through--but no, it all wrapped up in a very perfunctory, rushed manner.
The sentences themselves read well, but the sum was less than the parts: it could have been so much better. Hopefully the author improves her pacing in future volumes.
(Note: 5 stars = rare and amazing, 4 = quite good book, 3 = a decent read, 2 = disappointing, 1 = awful, just awful. There are a lot of 4s and 3s in the world!)
The sentences themselves read well, but the sum was less than the parts: it could have been so much better. Hopefully the author improves her pacing in future volumes.
(Note: 5 stars = rare and amazing, 4 = quite good book, 3 = a decent read, 2 = disappointing, 1 = awful, just awful. There are a lot of 4s and 3s in the world!)
July 2, 2012
I appreciate that the author pulled no punches to preserve the fate of any particular character. That lends some mildly surprising elements to the book of which rhythms are off somehow. The romance itself that comes full force near the end feels forced because of very few interactions between the leads. There are a lot left dangling, and though Goblin Moon doesn't wow me, it intrigues me enough to order the sequel, The Gnome's Engine.
August 23, 2015
I really loved this book! It was a great surprise as I purchased it for 75 cents at a used bookstore and, if you go by the old adage "you get what you pay for", I guess I didn't expect much out of it. It has an old-world, victorian feel to it, and I liked the fact that it centered mainly around two young ladies who tried to remain sensible and proper amidst the intrigue and mystery that develops in a town inhabited by humans, fae, gnomes, goblins, and trolls. It was a fun read!
May 16, 2019
Goblin Moon: Mask and Dagger 1 by Teresa Edgerton
I read this novel a while ago and when I saw that the e-book was being re-released by a new publisher I thought I'd check to see if some problems had been taken care of.
This is an excellent read in many senses and it might be considered typical for what they refer to as GasLight Fantasy and GasLight Romance. And it has some very long sentences. I love long sentences and I especially love them when crafted well. This novel has plenty to whet the appetite and I shall show some from the first chapter that contain some of the problems I was looking at. Often the difficulty with long sentences is deciding how to punctuate them and sometimes that all boils down to style preferences. In this instance below the first paragraph seems okay but there was a glitch in my original copy in the second paragraph (that I had hoped would be fixed now), but it appears it made it through to this edition also.
In the paragraph that starts [For by river-wrack... ] at the word [floating] there is a period; which might be an intended semicolon or comma though I suppose that the following [with] might just be a new sentence with the capitol dropped by mistake; though this sentence works both ways and in a small way seems almost incomprehensible either way, unless you include the first paragraph, which is why I included it. Anyway at the very least I’m puzzled by the punctuation.
Quote::
Old Lunn, she was a capricious river, as Jed well knew: restlessly eroding her own banks, making sudden leaps and changes in her course, especially upriver in the country districts where there were no strong river walls to contain her. Swelled by a high tide or by the rains and snow-melt of Quickening, she swept away manors and villages, churches and farmhouses, crumbled old graveyards and flooded ancient burial vaults, dislodging the dead as ruthlessly as she evicted the living. No, the Lunn respected no persons, either living or dead, but the crueler she was to others, she was that much kinder to men like Jed and his Uncle Caleb.
For by river-wrack and by sea-wrack brought in by the tide, off goods salvaged from water-logged bales and salt-stained wooden chests, by an occasional bloated corpse found floating. with money still in its pockets, the scavengers gleaned a meagre existence year 'round, and— especially when the full moon brought high tides and other disturbances— were sometimes able to live in comfort for an entire season off the grave offerings of the pious departed.
Edgerton, Teresa (2014-09-02). Goblin Moon: Mask and Dagger 1 (p. 5). Tickety Boo Press. Kindle Edition.
The scope of these paragraphs and especially the second paragraph even if we split it seem to bring to mind that famous quote from Paul Clifford.
Quote::
It was a dark and stormy night; the rain fell in torrents, except at occasional intervals, when it was checked by a violent gust of wind which swept up the streets (for it is in London that our scene lies), rattling along the house-tops, and fiercely agitating the scanty flame of the lamps that struggled against the darkness. Through one of the obscurest quarters of London, and among haunts little loved by the gentlemen of the police, a man, evidently of the lowest orders, was wending his solitary way.
Bulwer-Lytton, Baron Edward (2012-05-16). Paul Clifford - Complete (p. 9). . Kindle Edition.
I've never understood this to be purple prose; because if read in context it makes sense that it really is moving the story forward and the same holds true when you read each of the long sentences in Goblin Moon.
What I did find in my reading of Goblin Moon is a pattern that accompanied the paragraphs packed with long sentences. Often they contained what might be considered info dump in the form of character or scene description. So rather than have nine sentences it might become three very long and eloquent sentences. Or in some instances one paragraph-long-sentence.
But speaking of Paul Clifford one could draw more than style similarities with just a casual look. Both novels have a roguish man falling in love with young woman of some moderate station and having her inadvertently falling for the rogue. And both novels have a striking similar ending.
Goblin Moon might be described as primarily the story of Sara Vorder and Francis Skelbrooke; but it is also a story of the lives that intersect with theirs and perhaps a bit of a comedy of manners as they navigate the customs and mores of their society and try to save their friends.
Rich in descriptions; I still found Goblin Moon has a solid plot making a satisfying and entertaining read; even though it might be a bit light on character growth.
Great GasLight type Romance for fans of that type of fantasy.
J.L. Dobias
I read this novel a while ago and when I saw that the e-book was being re-released by a new publisher I thought I'd check to see if some problems had been taken care of.
This is an excellent read in many senses and it might be considered typical for what they refer to as GasLight Fantasy and GasLight Romance. And it has some very long sentences. I love long sentences and I especially love them when crafted well. This novel has plenty to whet the appetite and I shall show some from the first chapter that contain some of the problems I was looking at. Often the difficulty with long sentences is deciding how to punctuate them and sometimes that all boils down to style preferences. In this instance below the first paragraph seems okay but there was a glitch in my original copy in the second paragraph (that I had hoped would be fixed now), but it appears it made it through to this edition also.
In the paragraph that starts [For by river-wrack... ] at the word [floating] there is a period; which might be an intended semicolon or comma though I suppose that the following [with] might just be a new sentence with the capitol dropped by mistake; though this sentence works both ways and in a small way seems almost incomprehensible either way, unless you include the first paragraph, which is why I included it. Anyway at the very least I’m puzzled by the punctuation.
Quote::
Old Lunn, she was a capricious river, as Jed well knew: restlessly eroding her own banks, making sudden leaps and changes in her course, especially upriver in the country districts where there were no strong river walls to contain her. Swelled by a high tide or by the rains and snow-melt of Quickening, she swept away manors and villages, churches and farmhouses, crumbled old graveyards and flooded ancient burial vaults, dislodging the dead as ruthlessly as she evicted the living. No, the Lunn respected no persons, either living or dead, but the crueler she was to others, she was that much kinder to men like Jed and his Uncle Caleb.
For by river-wrack and by sea-wrack brought in by the tide, off goods salvaged from water-logged bales and salt-stained wooden chests, by an occasional bloated corpse found floating. with money still in its pockets, the scavengers gleaned a meagre existence year 'round, and— especially when the full moon brought high tides and other disturbances— were sometimes able to live in comfort for an entire season off the grave offerings of the pious departed.
Edgerton, Teresa (2014-09-02). Goblin Moon: Mask and Dagger 1 (p. 5). Tickety Boo Press. Kindle Edition.
The scope of these paragraphs and especially the second paragraph even if we split it seem to bring to mind that famous quote from Paul Clifford.
Quote::
It was a dark and stormy night; the rain fell in torrents, except at occasional intervals, when it was checked by a violent gust of wind which swept up the streets (for it is in London that our scene lies), rattling along the house-tops, and fiercely agitating the scanty flame of the lamps that struggled against the darkness. Through one of the obscurest quarters of London, and among haunts little loved by the gentlemen of the police, a man, evidently of the lowest orders, was wending his solitary way.
Bulwer-Lytton, Baron Edward (2012-05-16). Paul Clifford - Complete (p. 9). . Kindle Edition.
I've never understood this to be purple prose; because if read in context it makes sense that it really is moving the story forward and the same holds true when you read each of the long sentences in Goblin Moon.
What I did find in my reading of Goblin Moon is a pattern that accompanied the paragraphs packed with long sentences. Often they contained what might be considered info dump in the form of character or scene description. So rather than have nine sentences it might become three very long and eloquent sentences. Or in some instances one paragraph-long-sentence.
But speaking of Paul Clifford one could draw more than style similarities with just a casual look. Both novels have a roguish man falling in love with young woman of some moderate station and having her inadvertently falling for the rogue. And both novels have a striking similar ending.
Goblin Moon might be described as primarily the story of Sara Vorder and Francis Skelbrooke; but it is also a story of the lives that intersect with theirs and perhaps a bit of a comedy of manners as they navigate the customs and mores of their society and try to save their friends.
Rich in descriptions; I still found Goblin Moon has a solid plot making a satisfying and entertaining read; even though it might be a bit light on character growth.
Great GasLight type Romance for fans of that type of fantasy.
J.L. Dobias
May 17, 2019
Goblin Moon: Mask and Dagger 1 by Teresa Edgerton
I read this novel a while ago and when I saw that the e-book was being re-released by a new publisher I thought I'd check to see if some problems had been taken care of.
This is an excellent read in many senses and it might be considered typical for what they refer to as GasLight Fantasy and GasLight Romance. And it has some very long sentences. I love long sentences and I especially love them when crafted well. This novel has plenty to whet the appetite and I shall show some from the first chapter that contain some of the problems I was looking at. Often the difficulty with long sentences is deciding how to punctuate them and sometimes that all boils down to style preferences. In this instance below the first paragraph seems okay but there was a glitch in my original copy in the second paragraph (that I had hoped would be fixed now), but it appears it made it through to this edition also.
In the paragraph that starts [For by river-wrack... ] at the word [floating] there is a period; which might be an intended semicolon or comma though I suppose that the following [with] might just be a new sentence with the capitol dropped by mistake; though this sentence works both ways and in a small way seems almost incomprehensible either way, unless you include the first paragraph, which is why I included it. Anyway at the very least I’m puzzled by the punctuation.
Quote::
Old Lunn, she was a capricious river, as Jed well knew: restlessly eroding her own banks, making sudden leaps and changes in her course, especially upriver in the country districts where there were no strong river walls to contain her. Swelled by a high tide or by the rains and snow-melt of Quickening, she swept away manors and villages, churches and farmhouses, crumbled old graveyards and flooded ancient burial vaults, dislodging the dead as ruthlessly as she evicted the living. No, the Lunn respected no persons, either living or dead, but the crueler she was to others, she was that much kinder to men like Jed and his Uncle Caleb.
For by river-wrack and by sea-wrack brought in by the tide, off goods salvaged from water-logged bales and salt-stained wooden chests, by an occasional bloated corpse found floating. with money still in its pockets, the scavengers gleaned a meagre existence year 'round, and— especially when the full moon brought high tides and other disturbances— were sometimes able to live in comfort for an entire season off the grave offerings of the pious departed.
Edgerton, Teresa (2014-09-02). Goblin Moon: Mask and Dagger 1 (p. 5). Tickety Boo Press. Kindle Edition.
The scope of these paragraphs and especially the second paragraph even if we split it seem to bring to mind that famous quote from Paul Clifford.
Quote::
It was a dark and stormy night; the rain fell in torrents, except at occasional intervals, when it was checked by a violent gust of wind which swept up the streets (for it is in London that our scene lies), rattling along the house-tops, and fiercely agitating the scanty flame of the lamps that struggled against the darkness. Through one of the obscurest quarters of London, and among haunts little loved by the gentlemen of the police, a man, evidently of the lowest orders, was wending his solitary way.
Bulwer-Lytton, Baron Edward (2012-05-16). Paul Clifford - Complete (p. 9). . Kindle Edition.
I've never understood this to be purple prose; because if read in context it makes sense that it really is moving the story forward and the same holds true when you read each of the long sentences in Goblin Moon.
What I did find in my reading of Goblin Moon is a pattern that accompanied the paragraphs packed with long sentences. Often they contained what might be considered info dump in the form of character or scene description. So rather than have nine sentences it might become three very long and eloquent sentences. Or in some instances one paragraph-long-sentence.
But speaking of Paul Clifford one could draw more than style similarities with just a casual look. Both novels have a roguish man falling in love with young woman of some moderate station and having her inadvertently falling for the rogue. And both novels have a striking similar ending.
Goblin Moon might be described as primarily the story of Sara Vorder and Francis Skelbrooke; but it is also a story of the lives that intersect with theirs and perhaps a bit of a comedy of manners as they navigate the customs and mores of their society and try to save their friends.
Rich in descriptions; I still found Goblin Moon has a solid plot making a satisfying and entertaining read; even though it might be a bit light on character growth.
Great GasLight type Romance for fans of that type of fantasy.
J.L. Dobias
I read this novel a while ago and when I saw that the e-book was being re-released by a new publisher I thought I'd check to see if some problems had been taken care of.
This is an excellent read in many senses and it might be considered typical for what they refer to as GasLight Fantasy and GasLight Romance. And it has some very long sentences. I love long sentences and I especially love them when crafted well. This novel has plenty to whet the appetite and I shall show some from the first chapter that contain some of the problems I was looking at. Often the difficulty with long sentences is deciding how to punctuate them and sometimes that all boils down to style preferences. In this instance below the first paragraph seems okay but there was a glitch in my original copy in the second paragraph (that I had hoped would be fixed now), but it appears it made it through to this edition also.
In the paragraph that starts [For by river-wrack... ] at the word [floating] there is a period; which might be an intended semicolon or comma though I suppose that the following [with] might just be a new sentence with the capitol dropped by mistake; though this sentence works both ways and in a small way seems almost incomprehensible either way, unless you include the first paragraph, which is why I included it. Anyway at the very least I’m puzzled by the punctuation.
Quote::
Old Lunn, she was a capricious river, as Jed well knew: restlessly eroding her own banks, making sudden leaps and changes in her course, especially upriver in the country districts where there were no strong river walls to contain her. Swelled by a high tide or by the rains and snow-melt of Quickening, she swept away manors and villages, churches and farmhouses, crumbled old graveyards and flooded ancient burial vaults, dislodging the dead as ruthlessly as she evicted the living. No, the Lunn respected no persons, either living or dead, but the crueler she was to others, she was that much kinder to men like Jed and his Uncle Caleb.
For by river-wrack and by sea-wrack brought in by the tide, off goods salvaged from water-logged bales and salt-stained wooden chests, by an occasional bloated corpse found floating. with money still in its pockets, the scavengers gleaned a meagre existence year 'round, and— especially when the full moon brought high tides and other disturbances— were sometimes able to live in comfort for an entire season off the grave offerings of the pious departed.
Edgerton, Teresa (2014-09-02). Goblin Moon: Mask and Dagger 1 (p. 5). Tickety Boo Press. Kindle Edition.
The scope of these paragraphs and especially the second paragraph even if we split it seem to bring to mind that famous quote from Paul Clifford.
Quote::
It was a dark and stormy night; the rain fell in torrents, except at occasional intervals, when it was checked by a violent gust of wind which swept up the streets (for it is in London that our scene lies), rattling along the house-tops, and fiercely agitating the scanty flame of the lamps that struggled against the darkness. Through one of the obscurest quarters of London, and among haunts little loved by the gentlemen of the police, a man, evidently of the lowest orders, was wending his solitary way.
Bulwer-Lytton, Baron Edward (2012-05-16). Paul Clifford - Complete (p. 9). . Kindle Edition.
I've never understood this to be purple prose; because if read in context it makes sense that it really is moving the story forward and the same holds true when you read each of the long sentences in Goblin Moon.
What I did find in my reading of Goblin Moon is a pattern that accompanied the paragraphs packed with long sentences. Often they contained what might be considered info dump in the form of character or scene description. So rather than have nine sentences it might become three very long and eloquent sentences. Or in some instances one paragraph-long-sentence.
But speaking of Paul Clifford one could draw more than style similarities with just a casual look. Both novels have a roguish man falling in love with young woman of some moderate station and having her inadvertently falling for the rogue. And both novels have a striking similar ending.
Goblin Moon might be described as primarily the story of Sara Vorder and Francis Skelbrooke; but it is also a story of the lives that intersect with theirs and perhaps a bit of a comedy of manners as they navigate the customs and mores of their society and try to save their friends.
Rich in descriptions; I still found Goblin Moon has a solid plot making a satisfying and entertaining read; even though it might be a bit light on character growth.
Great GasLight type Romance for fans of that type of fantasy.
J.L. Dobias
November 9, 2017
I loved the moody atmosphere which I felt in this fantastical 18th century setting, where dark magic was sometimes suspected in a world people shared with gnomes and dwarves, were aware of faeries and avoided if not feared trolls.
There were a number of characters whose lives we followed as we saw their ambitions and felt their emotions, as our mysterious plot(s) gradually wove them together into unexpected and eventful interactions.
I am now reading the 2nd book, Hobgoblin Night, in this duopoly and finding it just as enjoyable and entertaining as this one.
There were a number of characters whose lives we followed as we saw their ambitions and felt their emotions, as our mysterious plot(s) gradually wove them together into unexpected and eventful interactions.
I am now reading the 2nd book, Hobgoblin Night, in this duopoly and finding it just as enjoyable and entertaining as this one.
June 14, 2018
A delightful blend of Goergette Heyer, Scarlet Pimpernel and fantasy, with a sprinkling of supernatural and a dash of steampunk.
I enjoyed every single page of this off-beat story (that required a fair bit of concentration while reading due to the archaic style of the narrative). In an 18th century setting, where dwarves and half-breed fairies are an integral part of society, this is a story about greed, grudges, love and some very nasty trolls.
I enjoyed every single page of this off-beat story (that required a fair bit of concentration while reading due to the archaic style of the narrative). In an 18th century setting, where dwarves and half-breed fairies are an integral part of society, this is a story about greed, grudges, love and some very nasty trolls.
did-not-finish
February 11, 2025DNF at about 15%.
Set in a sort of alt-Netherlands town during the equivalent of a Georgian era, in a world with gnomes and dwarves living alongside humans, Goblin Moon is a well-written, somewhat slice of life novel with a prose style that suits the (fantasy) period.
The only problem is I'm just not that interested in continuing for another 400 digital pages!
Set in a sort of alt-Netherlands town during the equivalent of a Georgian era, in a world with gnomes and dwarves living alongside humans, Goblin Moon is a well-written, somewhat slice of life novel with a prose style that suits the (fantasy) period.
The only problem is I'm just not that interested in continuing for another 400 digital pages!
February 2, 2021
When I was 13 or so ish I got horribly ill and my mom gave me the green lion trilogy by this author and basically they started my love of historical fantasy and reading in general. So basically this author was my JK Rowling without the trans phobia. Anyway 5 stars for one of my favs.
February 25, 2018
Solid writing, excellent dialogue and some interesting characters.
May 16, 2019
This isn’t really the kind of thing that I like. A talky gothic. The description made it sound a bit more muscular.
November 1, 2019
Didn't grab us.
April 1, 2020
Wspaniała młodzieżowa fantastyka.
July 15, 2020
good book...i want free pdf of it....plzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 3, 2021
Great world-building.
February 19, 2023
Vague promises of highwaymen, but the writing was too mannered for me and lacked immediacy; didn't feel engaged.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 2, 2024
I quite enjoyed this book, if you're a fan of Hope Mirrlees 'Lud-in-the-Mist' then you're probably going to like this too.
June 27, 2024
Won't read the second but not terrible.
Stakes seemed very low, even when they should have been very high.
Stakes seemed very low, even when they should have been very high.
Want to read
December 4, 2024A
November 26, 2025
An interesting read, however definitely slow to build up to anything.
Also nothing happens like what is pictured on the cover. The cover is literally why I bought this book 🤣
Also nothing happens like what is pictured on the cover. The cover is literally why I bought this book 🤣
December 14, 2015
Strong language: Some, mild
Drugs: None
Violence: Some, infrequent
Sexual content: None
I was given a copy of this novel by Tickety Boo Press in return for an unbiased review.
Imagine a smattering of Charles Dickens's lyrical phrasing, such as from The Cricket on the Hearth, with a pinch of Terry Pratchett's character design set into a world both of the high society of Downton Abby, with frocks and suits at every occasion, and the grizzled backstreets of Jim Butcher's Dresden Files where you can feel the breath of an unknown monster breathing on your neck as its claws just miss—or was that merely a leaf blowing by in the wind?—then you have a taste of the world inside the pages of Goblin Moon.
The novel starts following an elderly man and his grandnephew (Caleb and Jedidiah) salvaging scrap on a river to try to make a living. They pull in a coffin, believed to hold a dressed dummy from one of the higher classes' bizarre pastimes, and take it to Jenk, a man who may have some interest in the items inside. He takes it, but he knows far more than his casual façade is letting on.
The novel then splits off into several sections in very different ways of life, each connected by one character knowing one from another scene. For example, Sera, a seemingly lovely orphan of age has been sent by her uncle, Jenk, to live with her rich cousins in hope of giving her a better life. Jenk has hired Caleb on as staff for his bookstore, leaving Jedidiah out in the cold. But Jedidiah knows Sera from when they were little children. Some other characters get scenes, but this is scarce, especially in the first half of the book. Overall it leads to a feeling of family, getting a chance to know each set of characters well, though never quite being sure which are the main ones.
The story had a nice flow to it, taking time to discover the city and the world round the characters without dawdling or getting overly flowery. It is a very fine line to balance on, but I think Ms. Edgerton has accomplished it. In between these scenes, we'd get scenes of a darker or more action packed nature to keep all happy.
In particular, I found the double life and charismatic influence of Lord Skelbrooke interesting. Watching him go from gentle wooer of Sera to mysterious man of the night had my attention. Because of his seemingly dubious activities, my opinion of him teetered between good and evil for long while. Then I decided I might want to shove a ring on his finger and take him from his romantic interest!
At first you could be forgiven for believing this to be a historical novel, with the dress, the split between the classes, and the unusual pastimes, but as I read on little nooks and crannies revealed the fantasy world hidden beneath, waiting for its chance to burst onto the screen: myths that may not be so fictitious; different races, living so well integrated at times, it’s hard to notice them; dangers lurking on the street corners; and dark magics being practiced. These slowly built up under the more obvious plot until working for a dwarf seemed entirely normal! It wasn't until the end was drawing near that all of these elements popped out of the woodwork and took centre stage, yet still leaving room for the human element and emotions.
I loved the language used by the characters particularly the men when considering a woman as partner, it felt traditionally Victorian upper class done so it still felt relevant. I think you'd find few modern women who wouldn't like to be wooed like Francis woos Sera.
The 411
Overall, I felt the novel was original in its style and mix of faux history and fantasy, making for a lovely in-depth get away from the real world. The characters from various classes kept the world live while magic and fantasy elements built underneath, peering out from behind the stage curtain until the big reveal.
I give this novel well deserved 4.5 which I'm adjusting to 5 for reviewing sites
Drugs: None
Violence: Some, infrequent
Sexual content: None
I was given a copy of this novel by Tickety Boo Press in return for an unbiased review.
Imagine a smattering of Charles Dickens's lyrical phrasing, such as from The Cricket on the Hearth, with a pinch of Terry Pratchett's character design set into a world both of the high society of Downton Abby, with frocks and suits at every occasion, and the grizzled backstreets of Jim Butcher's Dresden Files where you can feel the breath of an unknown monster breathing on your neck as its claws just miss—or was that merely a leaf blowing by in the wind?—then you have a taste of the world inside the pages of Goblin Moon.
The novel starts following an elderly man and his grandnephew (Caleb and Jedidiah) salvaging scrap on a river to try to make a living. They pull in a coffin, believed to hold a dressed dummy from one of the higher classes' bizarre pastimes, and take it to Jenk, a man who may have some interest in the items inside. He takes it, but he knows far more than his casual façade is letting on.
The novel then splits off into several sections in very different ways of life, each connected by one character knowing one from another scene. For example, Sera, a seemingly lovely orphan of age has been sent by her uncle, Jenk, to live with her rich cousins in hope of giving her a better life. Jenk has hired Caleb on as staff for his bookstore, leaving Jedidiah out in the cold. But Jedidiah knows Sera from when they were little children. Some other characters get scenes, but this is scarce, especially in the first half of the book. Overall it leads to a feeling of family, getting a chance to know each set of characters well, though never quite being sure which are the main ones.
The story had a nice flow to it, taking time to discover the city and the world round the characters without dawdling or getting overly flowery. It is a very fine line to balance on, but I think Ms. Edgerton has accomplished it. In between these scenes, we'd get scenes of a darker or more action packed nature to keep all happy.
In particular, I found the double life and charismatic influence of Lord Skelbrooke interesting. Watching him go from gentle wooer of Sera to mysterious man of the night had my attention. Because of his seemingly dubious activities, my opinion of him teetered between good and evil for long while. Then I decided I might want to shove a ring on his finger and take him from his romantic interest!
At first you could be forgiven for believing this to be a historical novel, with the dress, the split between the classes, and the unusual pastimes, but as I read on little nooks and crannies revealed the fantasy world hidden beneath, waiting for its chance to burst onto the screen: myths that may not be so fictitious; different races, living so well integrated at times, it’s hard to notice them; dangers lurking on the street corners; and dark magics being practiced. These slowly built up under the more obvious plot until working for a dwarf seemed entirely normal! It wasn't until the end was drawing near that all of these elements popped out of the woodwork and took centre stage, yet still leaving room for the human element and emotions.
I loved the language used by the characters particularly the men when considering a woman as partner, it felt traditionally Victorian upper class done so it still felt relevant. I think you'd find few modern women who wouldn't like to be wooed like Francis woos Sera.
The 411
Overall, I felt the novel was original in its style and mix of faux history and fantasy, making for a lovely in-depth get away from the real world. The characters from various classes kept the world live while magic and fantasy elements built underneath, peering out from behind the stage curtain until the big reveal.
I give this novel well deserved 4.5 which I'm adjusting to 5 for reviewing sites
Displaying 1 - 30 of 55 reviews