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Goblin Corps
Welcome to the Goblin Corps. May the best man lose. Morthûl, the dreaded Charnel King, has failed. Centuries of plotting from the heart of the Iron Keep, deep within the dark lands of Kirol Syrreth--all for naught. Foiled at the last by the bumbling efforts of a laughable band of so-called heroes. Still, after uncounted centuries of survival, the Dark Lord isn't about to go down without a fight, particularly in battle against a mortal! No, the Charnel King still has a few tricks up his putrid and tattered sleeves, and the only thing that can defeat him now may just be the inhuman soldiers on whom he's pinned his last hopes. From the Trade Paperback edition.
554 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2011
64 people are currently reading
1209 people want to read
About the author
Ari Marmell
101 books436 followersWhen Ari Marmell has free time left over between feeding cats and posting on social media, he writes a little bit. His work includes novels, short stories, role-playing games, and video games, all of which he enjoyed in lieu of school work when growing up. He’s the author of the Mick Oberon gangland/urban fantasy series, the Widdershins YA fantasy series, and many others, with publishers such as Del Rey, Titan Books, Pyr Books, Wizards of the Coast, and now Omnium Gatherum.
Ari currently resides in Austin, Texas. He lives in a clutter that has a moderate amount of apartment in it, along with George—his wife—and the aforementioned cats, who probably want something.
Ari currently resides in Austin, Texas. He lives in a clutter that has a moderate amount of apartment in it, along with George—his wife—and the aforementioned cats, who probably want something.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 109 reviews
October 25, 2017
ARGH!!! Seriously, what the $&*&?!?!?
This has got to be one of the most frustrating books I have read in quite a while. So, for the first, oh, 95% of the book, I loved it! Five-star read! Engaging characters, well-done action scenes, character development and world building both deeper than they may at first appear, and solid plotting that was gearing up towards several interesting and exciting resolutions...
...which we did not get.
Instead of the epic conclusion we were hoping for, the ultimate plot of the story gets resolved... off-screen. Then there is a time skip. In which the main character is killed... off-screen. The world-rending confrontation between the ? Stuffed into an epilogue and not particularly world-rending. The expected grudge-match, set up since the first pages of the book, between ? We don't get it. much-longed-for comeuppance? Nope.
Basically the ending turns the entire book into a shaggy dog story. It's like Marmell had an epic finale planned out, but was then told no, he had to finish this book in the next twenty pages, so this is what we got. It is PROFOUNDLY annoying, all the more so because the book before that was so good!
You know, I'm just going to pretend the book didn't end the way it did. >_> There was an actual finale and it was epic and grand and I'm just going to ignore the actual conclusion.
This has got to be one of the most frustrating books I have read in quite a while. So, for the first, oh, 95% of the book, I loved it! Five-star read! Engaging characters, well-done action scenes, character development and world building both deeper than they may at first appear, and solid plotting that was gearing up towards several interesting and exciting resolutions...
...which we did not get.
Instead of the epic conclusion we were hoping for, the ultimate plot of the story gets resolved... off-screen. Then there is a time skip. In which the main character is killed... off-screen. The world-rending confrontation between the ? Stuffed into an epilogue and not particularly world-rending. The expected grudge-match, set up since the first pages of the book, between ? We don't get it. much-longed-for comeuppance? Nope.
Basically the ending turns the entire book into a shaggy dog story. It's like Marmell had an epic finale planned out, but was then told no, he had to finish this book in the next twenty pages, so this is what we got. It is PROFOUNDLY annoying, all the more so because the book before that was so good!
You know, I'm just going to pretend the book didn't end the way it did. >_> There was an actual finale and it was epic and grand and I'm just going to ignore the actual conclusion.
January 24, 2012
The Goblin Corps is a dark, dirty, messy, foul-tempered, unruly, and below-the-belt junk shot of a novel — and one of the freshest books i read last year, for all the points cited above. It’s the story of an unlikely group of unlikelier anti-heroes — all members of the monstrous goblin races of the dark land of Kirol Syrreth. Morthûl is the Charnel King who rules that land — an undead-and-loving-it dark lord who keeps one part of his fiendish gaze on world domination, another on the efforts of the Allied Kingdoms to destroy him, and yet another on the mysterious plots of his ambitious and vivacious (in the literal sense) queen. Cræosh is an embittered orc put in charge of a Demon Squad — a war-band of goblins in the service of Morthûl, and who are inexplicably the most inept-seeming group of warriors ever tasked with taking care of the dark lord’s business.
That business is uniformly foul, running the gamut from retrieving lost relics of magic to infiltrating a human city on a mission of kidnapping and assassination (a mission featuring an escape plan whose reading makes a most effective appetite suppressant; you’ll know it when you get there). At the center of things, Cræosh is an antihero with a really bad attitude. Think Elric of Melniboné as played by Denis Leary in Rescue Me. And though the amoral antihero isn’t a new concept for fantasy fiction, Ari Marmell cruises past the Moorcock Avenue off-ramp at high speed to push The Goblin Corps beyond dramatic nihilism and into stomach-churning, violently dark comedy. (At a couple of points, when the Demon Squad find themselves dealing with the court of the duplicitous Queen Anne, Marmell manages to write a stomach-churning, violently dark comedy of manners, which is an interesting feat.)
As i much as i was pretty sure that i would enjoy The Goblin Corps, i was pleasantly knocked out by Ari’s ability to do something that i’m not sure i could have pulled off in the same milieu — solidly empathetic characters. The deft touch displayed in the handling of his uniformly self-centered, self-serving, and objectively unlikable cast ultimately makes the book. Given a narrative that announces its intention from the get-go to avoid any kind of center of morality, engaging the reader becomes a matter of creating a substitute center of ethics — a character story rich enough that even as we see the characters’ actions and respond with a shuddering “You have got to be freaking kidding me…” over and over again, the depth of the story creates the connection to character on which every great novel is built.
In the end, the book wasn’t without minor quibbles for me (chief among them some of the details of the ending, which i won’t get into for their massive “spoiler alert” potential). As well, as with a lot of fantasy novels, the story of The Goblin Corps is two parts narrative and one part setup for more narrative to come. However, despite crafting an awesomely cliffhanger ending, Ari manages to tie the variously important narrative threads of the book together nicely before all is said and done.
This is not a book for those who feel compelled to skip the icky bits in Game of Thrones, or who are put off by profanity (because the novel contains an awful fucking lot of it). But likewise, prospective readers shouldn’t be put off by The Goblin Corps’ dark tone, because the story that tone wraps is funny, exhilarating, and frantically memorable in equal measure.
That business is uniformly foul, running the gamut from retrieving lost relics of magic to infiltrating a human city on a mission of kidnapping and assassination (a mission featuring an escape plan whose reading makes a most effective appetite suppressant; you’ll know it when you get there). At the center of things, Cræosh is an antihero with a really bad attitude. Think Elric of Melniboné as played by Denis Leary in Rescue Me. And though the amoral antihero isn’t a new concept for fantasy fiction, Ari Marmell cruises past the Moorcock Avenue off-ramp at high speed to push The Goblin Corps beyond dramatic nihilism and into stomach-churning, violently dark comedy. (At a couple of points, when the Demon Squad find themselves dealing with the court of the duplicitous Queen Anne, Marmell manages to write a stomach-churning, violently dark comedy of manners, which is an interesting feat.)
As i much as i was pretty sure that i would enjoy The Goblin Corps, i was pleasantly knocked out by Ari’s ability to do something that i’m not sure i could have pulled off in the same milieu — solidly empathetic characters. The deft touch displayed in the handling of his uniformly self-centered, self-serving, and objectively unlikable cast ultimately makes the book. Given a narrative that announces its intention from the get-go to avoid any kind of center of morality, engaging the reader becomes a matter of creating a substitute center of ethics — a character story rich enough that even as we see the characters’ actions and respond with a shuddering “You have got to be freaking kidding me…” over and over again, the depth of the story creates the connection to character on which every great novel is built.
In the end, the book wasn’t without minor quibbles for me (chief among them some of the details of the ending, which i won’t get into for their massive “spoiler alert” potential). As well, as with a lot of fantasy novels, the story of The Goblin Corps is two parts narrative and one part setup for more narrative to come. However, despite crafting an awesomely cliffhanger ending, Ari manages to tie the variously important narrative threads of the book together nicely before all is said and done.
This is not a book for those who feel compelled to skip the icky bits in Game of Thrones, or who are put off by profanity (because the novel contains an awful fucking lot of it). But likewise, prospective readers shouldn’t be put off by The Goblin Corps’ dark tone, because the story that tone wraps is funny, exhilarating, and frantically memorable in equal measure.
December 14, 2015
This book was going GREAT! It was goofy and fun and fresh. It was like Lord of the Rings from Mordor's perspective.
And then it ended. I'm sorry, the ending killed the entire book.
[Spoilers ahead]
we get this buildup between Katim and Craeosh. She has marked him to be a servitor in the afterlife. Everything goes to shit, because, well, they're the bad guys, so the squad leaves... and Craeosh dies "off screen" by being pushed from a cliff. Wat? Where is the big, final battle? The epic showdown? I'm sorry. That ending was bad and Ari Marmell should feel bad.
And then it ended. I'm sorry, the ending killed the entire book.
[Spoilers ahead]
we get this buildup between Katim and Craeosh. She has marked him to be a servitor in the afterlife. Everything goes to shit, because, well, they're the bad guys, so the squad leaves... and Craeosh dies "off screen" by being pushed from a cliff. Wat? Where is the big, final battle? The epic showdown? I'm sorry. That ending was bad and Ari Marmell should feel bad.
June 25, 2018
A good book with fun moments but also with dull stretches. The ending wasn’t what I expected, and there were a few interesting twists. I enjoyed the characters and their banter the most! The author did a great job with that. Around the middle is where it gets dull but if you push past that I think there’s plenty to enjoy.
October 24, 2018
Der texanische Autor Ari Marmell ist ein waschechter, professioneller Nerd. Obwohl er sich seit einigen Jahren auf seine Karriere als Schriftsteller konzentriert, schrieb er ursprünglich erfolgreich für verschiedene Pen & Paper Verlage in der Rollenspielindustrie. Damit machte er sein Hobby zum Beruf, denn Marmell bekam sein erstes Dungeons and Dragons – Set im Alter von 9 Jahren geschenkt und verfasste später häufig selbst Kampagnen. Sein Low Fantasy – Roman „Die Horde: Die Schlacht von Morthûl“ basiert auf einer solchen Kampagne. Darin betrachtet er die Klischees der Fantasy aus dem Blickwinkel der „Bösen“: Orks, Trolle, Oger und alle, die sonst als Antagonisten herhalten müssen, bekommen hier ihren großen Auftritt.
Wenn Morthûl der Leichenkönig ruft, lässt man ihn besser nicht warten. Egal, ob Ork, Troll, Kobold oder Schrecklicher; ob man gerade metzelt, plündert oder stiehlt – will man überleben, lässt man alles stehen und liegen und tut, was der alte Knacker befiehlt. Besonders, wenn das Schicksal von Kirol Syrreth auf dem Spiel steht. Morthûls Plan, sich mit einem finsteren Ritual an die Spitze der Nahrungskette zu befördern, kam bei den Herrschern der angrenzenden Lande nicht gut an. Jetzt versammeln sie ihre Kräfte hinter dieser spitzohrigen Plage von einem Erzfeind, dem Elfenmagier Ananias duMark, um einen endgültigen Vernichtungsschlag zu führen. Auch Morthûl bündelt seine Truppen, doch es sieht schlecht für seine Horde aus. Seine einzige Chance ist eine geheime Eliteeinheit: das Dämonen-Korps. Er rekrutiert die fiesesten, brutalsten und erbarmungslosesten Kämpfer und erteilt ihnen Sonderaufträge, die seinen Sieg sichern sollen. Wen interessiert es da schon, dass sich seine Champions nicht leiden können und ständig kurz davorstehen, sich gegenseitig umzubringen?
Ich bin ein großer Fan davon, die traditionell „bösen“ Völker der Fantasy in den Mittelpunkt zu stellen und sie als Helden zu inszenieren. Mit dieser verschobenen Perspektive lockte mich „Die Horde: Die Schlacht von Morthûl“. Ich hoffte auf eine witzige, erfrischende Lektüre, die mit den Klischees des Genres selbstironisch spielt. Nun, lustig ist das Buch. Darüber hinaus muss ich leider resümieren, dass ich nicht begeistert war. Ich fand die Geschichte belanglos und seicht, unbefriedigend abgeschlossen durch eine Antiklimax, was nach den 636 Seiten der deutschen Ausgabe ein starkes Stück ist. Da schleppt man sich über hunderte Seiten einer dünnen und ziellosen Handlung, um am Ende herauszufinden, dass alles für die Katz war. Ich weiß nicht, warum Ari Marmell dieses Buch geschrieben hat. Es fühlte sich an, als handle es sich bloß um die Vorgeschichte der Geschichte, die er eigentlich erzählen wollte. Vielleicht wäre er gut beraten gewesen, aus seinen Ideen keinen Roman zu konzipieren, sondern eine zusammenhängende Kurzgeschichtensammlung, denn mir erschien „Die Horde“ ohnehin episodisch. Es gibt keinen richtigen Kern; alles dreht sich um das Dämonen-Korps, dessen Mitglieder zu flach und eindimensional charakterisiert sind, um diese zentrale Position überzeugend auszufüllen. Marmell schickt sie von A nach B, ich folgte ihnen von Scharmützel zu Scharmützel und erlebte sie in mal mehr, mal weniger spektakulären Kämpfen, ohne mit inhaltlichen Fortschritten belohnt zu werden. Was außerhalb des Korps geschieht, ist völlig irrelevant. Abschnitte, die sich mit dem Leichenkönig Morthûl und dem Schicksal des Landes Kirol Syrreth beschäftigen, dienen lediglich dazu, Aufgaben für das Korps zu initiieren, um sie weiter durch die Gegend scheuchen zu können. Die Lektüre von „Die Horde“ war ermüdend und ich musste mich stark auf den einzigen Aspekt konzentrieren, der mir Spaß bereitete, um durchzuhalten. Obwohl die Figuren des Korps nie über ihre anfänglichen Rollen hinauswachsen, verändern sich im Laufe ihrer Reisen ihre Beziehungen untereinander. Es war unterhaltsam, ihre fluktuierende Dynamik zu analysieren. Zu Beginn hat niemand Lust, im Dämonen-Korps zu dienen. Niemand kann die anderen Mitglieder leiden. Irgendwann raufen sie sich zusammen und es entstehen bizarre, unerwartete Einzelfreundschaften. Mein persönlicher Favorit ist der Schreckliche Jhurpess, dessen herrlich simpel gestrickter Charakter mich häufig zum Lachen brachte. Er rafft meist gar nichts, überrascht dann allerdings mit erstaunlich sinnigen Einfällen und fungiert als eine Art Maskottchen. Den Zusammenhalt innerhalb seiner Truppe kann jedoch nicht einmal er erzwingen. Ari Marmell zeigt selten Momente echter Kameradschaft oder Loyalität, stattdessen streitet sich das Korps bis zum Schluss permanent, sodass ich den Eindruck gewann, dass sie von unterschwelligen Feindseligkeiten gelähmt werden. Das Dämonen-Korps mag gemeinsam für den Leichenkönig kämpfen – aber sie würden nicht füreinander sterben.
Ich verstehe, dass Ari Marmell seinen Humor zu nutzen versuchte, um den klassischen Antagonisten der Fantasy den Weg in die Herzen seiner Leser_innen zu ebnen. Beinahe jeder zweite Satz in „Die Horde: Die Schlacht von Morthûl“ ist ein Witz oder eine ironische, sarkastische Bemerkung. Er strengte sich wirklich an. Bei mir hatte dieses Konzept leider nur zum Teil den gewünschten Effekt: obwohl ich die Figuren mochte, hatte ich das Gefühl, dass Marmell seine Geschichte nicht ernstnahm. Zugunsten ulkiger Szenen verzichtete er auf die Ausarbeitung einer echten Handlung, wodurch „Die Horde“ Substanz fehlt. Ich habe deshalb lange mit mir gerungen, ob ich 2 oder 3 Sterne vergeben soll. Mir ist bewusst, dass das Buch nicht das Gelbe vom Ei ist und einige Mängel aufweist, speziell bezüglich des Aufbaus. Dennoch hatte ich Spaß mit den Figuren und konnte mich über ihre völkerspezifischen Weltansichten, Prioritäten und Verhaltensweisen amüsieren. Letztendlich habe ich Gnade walten lassen und mich für 3 Sterne entschieden. Im Zweifel für den Angeklagten, das gilt auch für Bücher.
February 25, 2025
This one was a little tough to start. A story where the evil overlord and minions are the protags? A bit on the nose for 2025.
I'm glad I got into it. Far lighter-hearted than I expected, a lot of crude humor, and a fun, new perspective for me.
The ending is what delayed my review a day. With 25 pages to go, I just couldn't figure out how the story was going to wrap up. It felt rushed, but I think that was the author's intent. This is a book that lends itself well to visualization. Go to the end like it's the last ten minutes of a movie, and I think you'll enjoy it.
I'm gonna keep this one.
I'm glad I got into it. Far lighter-hearted than I expected, a lot of crude humor, and a fun, new perspective for me.
The ending is what delayed my review a day. With 25 pages to go, I just couldn't figure out how the story was going to wrap up. It felt rushed, but I think that was the author's intent. This is a book that lends itself well to visualization. Go to the end like it's the last ten minutes of a movie, and I think you'll enjoy it.
I'm gonna keep this one.
August 24, 2011
If you enjoyed THE CONQUEROR'S SHADOW by Ari Marmell, then THE GOBLIN CORPS is more of the same. Only sillier. I know, I didn't believe it was possible, either, but just read the cover blurb: "The few. The proud. The obscene." Yes, yes he went there.
The source of said hilarity are the main characters, an "elite" group of goblinesque creatures formed by the evil Charnel King for a special mission: there's a troll, a kobold, an orc, a gremlin, a shapeshifter, an ogre, and a bugbear. Put them all together in their various levels of stupidity and prejudices, mix up a few stereotypes, drop them in the middle of a fabricated training mission with no defined leadership, and out pops a big, crazy mess. But then that's the point. They're supposed to be an elite military squad, but it's really just a bunch of bumbling around. It's funny. It's goofy. Eventually everything gets straightened out and they surpass all expectations. Yadda yadda. Until, at last, they learn the real mission they were assembled for.
THE GOBLIN CORPS has some of the same problems that CONQUEROR'S did, the least of which being the unnecessary adjectives cluttering the narrative. There's also the inconsistent PoV switching, which is usually the result of Marmell attempting to cram as many gags as he can into one scene. The characters of the demon squad sound a lot like humans with few cultural and physical details thrown in to differentiate them. The setting is your usual sword & sorcery world, the magic standard fare. The plot could have been pared down—the middle drags on—and the conclusion lacks real punch. As a result, this book bordered on a mediocre rating. However, despite these flaws, either Marmell is growing as a writer, or his new publisher (Pyr) provided him a good editor to help smooth out his storytelling. Whatever the reason, the result is a marked improvement.
Unlike the inconsistent characterization in CONQUEROR'S, THE GOBLIN CORPS has some characters you'll enjoy rooting for, whose motivations make sense. Sure they're the bad guys, and not only do they work for the Charnel King, they aren't very nice people, either. And yet, Marmell's characterization is consistent for most of them, and they progress over the course of novel with his signature campy style. It's kinda hard not to like someone who makes you laugh. Even if said goblin is a jerk.
By the time I got to the climax I looked back over the book and realized something. It feels like one, long dungeon crawl—and a really exhausting one at that. It includes quests for our adventurers to pick up and deliver magical items. Big, bad bosses who seem impossible to kill, who often require unconventional solutions. The group itself consists of a thief, a mage, an idiot with a club...you get the picture. And, of course, no dungeon crawl would be complete without mocking everyone in typical RPG fashion.
All of this could be stuff you've seen before, and therefore THE GOBLIN CORPS may sound like more of the same. And in some ways it is. Except, Marmell really is clever. He comes up with some ingenious situations, locations, and some downright sinister bad guys. Of course, don't forget the twist: our "heroes" are not handsome elves, noble humans, or punt-worthy gnomes. So, maybe, this twisted version is another dungeon worth crawling through.
Recommended Age: 16+ for content
Language: Unlike his first book, which was pretty clean, this one has ubiquitous profanity, including many anatomically impossible threats
Violence: From simple knocking each other around, to a wizard's gruesome magical experiments, to battles with blood and gore, and lots of mean bugs
Sex: Referenced a couple of times
The source of said hilarity are the main characters, an "elite" group of goblinesque creatures formed by the evil Charnel King for a special mission: there's a troll, a kobold, an orc, a gremlin, a shapeshifter, an ogre, and a bugbear. Put them all together in their various levels of stupidity and prejudices, mix up a few stereotypes, drop them in the middle of a fabricated training mission with no defined leadership, and out pops a big, crazy mess. But then that's the point. They're supposed to be an elite military squad, but it's really just a bunch of bumbling around. It's funny. It's goofy. Eventually everything gets straightened out and they surpass all expectations. Yadda yadda. Until, at last, they learn the real mission they were assembled for.
THE GOBLIN CORPS has some of the same problems that CONQUEROR'S did, the least of which being the unnecessary adjectives cluttering the narrative. There's also the inconsistent PoV switching, which is usually the result of Marmell attempting to cram as many gags as he can into one scene. The characters of the demon squad sound a lot like humans with few cultural and physical details thrown in to differentiate them. The setting is your usual sword & sorcery world, the magic standard fare. The plot could have been pared down—the middle drags on—and the conclusion lacks real punch. As a result, this book bordered on a mediocre rating. However, despite these flaws, either Marmell is growing as a writer, or his new publisher (Pyr) provided him a good editor to help smooth out his storytelling. Whatever the reason, the result is a marked improvement.
Unlike the inconsistent characterization in CONQUEROR'S, THE GOBLIN CORPS has some characters you'll enjoy rooting for, whose motivations make sense. Sure they're the bad guys, and not only do they work for the Charnel King, they aren't very nice people, either. And yet, Marmell's characterization is consistent for most of them, and they progress over the course of novel with his signature campy style. It's kinda hard not to like someone who makes you laugh. Even if said goblin is a jerk.
By the time I got to the climax I looked back over the book and realized something. It feels like one, long dungeon crawl—and a really exhausting one at that. It includes quests for our adventurers to pick up and deliver magical items. Big, bad bosses who seem impossible to kill, who often require unconventional solutions. The group itself consists of a thief, a mage, an idiot with a club...you get the picture. And, of course, no dungeon crawl would be complete without mocking everyone in typical RPG fashion.
All of this could be stuff you've seen before, and therefore THE GOBLIN CORPS may sound like more of the same. And in some ways it is. Except, Marmell really is clever. He comes up with some ingenious situations, locations, and some downright sinister bad guys. Of course, don't forget the twist: our "heroes" are not handsome elves, noble humans, or punt-worthy gnomes. So, maybe, this twisted version is another dungeon worth crawling through.
Recommended Age: 16+ for content
Language: Unlike his first book, which was pretty clean, this one has ubiquitous profanity, including many anatomically impossible threats
Violence: From simple knocking each other around, to a wizard's gruesome magical experiments, to battles with blood and gore, and lots of mean bugs
Sex: Referenced a couple of times
November 1, 2011
The best bad-guy POV story I've ever read. Can't wait for a follow-up. Graphically violent, in the very bestest way.
September 29, 2011
Juvenile humour. Slow read. I didn't really see "evil", was just told about it.
April 19, 2024
This is not a book about misfit heroes. More like The suicide squad. A gathering of unwilling individuals of, at the very best, questionable morality. Main story is happening in the background, after heroes of the human-centric countries sabotaged an attempt at the time magic by the undead mage king who's ruled over a multi species country (incl. trolls, orcs, gnolls, ogres etc., species usually assosiated with the forces of the evil, excl. elfs, and with human minority) for centuries. Affected by the spell having gone astray human-/dwarf-/elf-centric countries mount the largest offensive ever against the mage king's kingdom while he's supposedly weekend after having attempted such a large scale spell.
Members of the Goblin Corps are unapologetically true to their character. The hotchpotch mix of a society ruled by the undead king, based on hierarchy of strength doesn't let the reader forget that it's being kept together by the citizenry's fear of the said undead king first and foremost. The characters of goblin corps members are more than what they first appear, this incongruity is 50/50 the expected, e.g. big hairy ape person whose main focus is eating, makes the keenest observations and offers simple but true solution, and the unexpected, e.g. the troll member of goblin corps.
The construction of the story is very hectic. Book starts in the middle of the fight between the heroes and the undead king, followed by a montage of the goblin corps assembling, then diving head first into the series of trial by the fire missions of the goblin corps. Starting the book this plot construction left me dumbfounded and stumbling to follow what's going on. Once the series of suicide missions start prior events take a back seat and focus in on adventure of goblin corps.
Conclusion: 2/5. Listened on Audible included in plus catalogue. Narrated by: James Fouhey. Book is not bad, felt like The Wandering Inn, but without the love the author of TWI has for his work. Great general idea for the fantasy world, exposition introduced in a forced way, right as the event is taking place (the city in the chasm, the (relics of) forgotten gods, etc.). The book suffers from it's construction. Hyper-focused on action, leaving very little time to enjoy the world and let the exposition rather than the dialogue drive the plot. Bad value for the length of the book - 1.61 $/hour (38.00 $ /23 hrs 37 mins ).
Values:
Terrible: >1.66 $/hour
Bad: 1 - 1.66 $/hour
Good: <1 $/hour
Dream: 0.4 - 0.27 $/hour
Members of the Goblin Corps are unapologetically true to their character. The hotchpotch mix of a society ruled by the undead king, based on hierarchy of strength doesn't let the reader forget that it's being kept together by the citizenry's fear of the said undead king first and foremost. The characters of goblin corps members are more than what they first appear, this incongruity is 50/50 the expected, e.g. big hairy ape person whose main focus is eating, makes the keenest observations and offers simple but true solution, and the unexpected, e.g. the troll member of goblin corps.
The construction of the story is very hectic. Book starts in the middle of the fight between the heroes and the undead king, followed by a montage of the goblin corps assembling, then diving head first into the series of trial by the fire missions of the goblin corps. Starting the book this plot construction left me dumbfounded and stumbling to follow what's going on. Once the series of suicide missions start prior events take a back seat and focus in on adventure of goblin corps.
Conclusion: 2/5. Listened on Audible included in plus catalogue. Narrated by: James Fouhey. Book is not bad, felt like The Wandering Inn, but without the love the author of TWI has for his work. Great general idea for the fantasy world, exposition introduced in a forced way, right as the event is taking place (the city in the chasm, the (relics of) forgotten gods, etc.). The book suffers from it's construction. Hyper-focused on action, leaving very little time to enjoy the world and let the exposition rather than the dialogue drive the plot. Bad value for the length of the book - 1.61 $/hour (38.00 $ /23 hrs 37 mins ).
Values:
Terrible: >1.66 $/hour
Bad: 1 - 1.66 $/hour
Good: <1 $/hour
Dream: 0.4 - 0.27 $/hour
August 25, 2020
DNF at 50%
Book club bust. This was so painful, my goodness. I'll just pretend I finished it at our next club meeting, I don't even care.
Book club bust. This was so painful, my goodness. I'll just pretend I finished it at our next club meeting, I don't even care.
February 11, 2021
For when I can't be bothered to write a proper review, (because the rating is either self-explanatory or I just don't feel strongly enough about it) this is how I view the ratings...
My star ratings
(Please note that all ratings are entirely subjective to my mood at the time and in comparison to whatever else I've been reading and are often given more to remind me about the book, so please don't get upset or take them as recommendations!)
1 star - Not for me. Probably a DNF.
Either I'm simply not interested in this book (whether due to the story, characters, subject or writing style), or I absolutely hated something about it. Either way, this rating is just reminding myself not to pick it up/buy it again in the future.
2 stars - It was okay.
Either i) it wasn't bad but I probably wouldn't continue/re-read ; ii) some aspects were good but were outweighed by the parts I disliked; iii) it wasn't quite as good as others in the series/similar books in the genre so suffered in comparison (probably contained a part of the story I disliked, or is too similar to previous books); iv) it disappointed after reading previous books/the blurb; or v) I liked it but it had significant issues that I can't ignore. But I would continue in the hopes the series improves.
3 stars - it was good
Either i) I quite enjoyed the book, will continue if it's a series and will probably look for similar books or others by this author; ii) it was a good book but just doesn't suit my current mood/taste or iii) it's one I liked but don't want to admit to ;) (probably something I read when I was younger, or that I really enjoyed despite having issues. And yes, that includes some objectively awful books. Don't judge).
4 stars - really liked this
If I liked the story or characters enough I can overlook many issues! Extra points for novelty factor, new twists on old themes, good imagination or emotional response. Will definitely look for anything else by this author.
5 stars - loved it
Probably stayed up all night cos I needed to know: what happens next?! Will forgive any and all flaws, wait impatiently for sequels and search for everything this author has written or recommended and anything remotely similar!
I actually tend to take more note of 1-3 star reviews, because those are the ones that tell me if the objections to the book are ones that would bother me. So thank you to the reviewers that give honest comments! And sorry to the authors if I don't seem to appreciate all your hard work. I really do.
February 26, 2016
In a parody reminiscent of LOTR, the centuries old Dark Lord wishes to control the entire world. Unfortunately his latest spell goes awry and he is left in tatters. Foiled by a good-two-shoes sorcerer, the Dark Lord decides to strike back at the king of men. Naturally the king is not amused and decides to amass an army to march on the Dark Lord's forces come the spring thaw.
To combat this threat, it is decided to form a Demon Squad to be led by General Falchoin and used by Vigo Havarren, the lord's demon. The lord's queen has her own tasks in mind for the squad however, and while their is a war threatening from abroad, there is also an imbalance within.
This book was fantastic. Too often dark fantasy's fail to deliver because the author feels the need to have a happy ending. (HELLO! Dark. Fantasy.)
Falchion was, above all else, a practical man. And if one man, however revolting, however many centuries dead, was about to conquer the known world--well, Falchion wanted to be on his good side.
Once Falchion and Havarren form the Demon Squad, the queen informs them that she will see to their training. But how can a troll, an orc, an ogre, a gremlin, a doppelganger, a kolbold, and a bug bear come together and work as a team when they can't stand one another? Easily, they do or they die. Horribly. IF they are lucky. So they come together with much sarcasm and many death threats in order to obey commands.
Sent on one mission after another, the squad slowly comes to realize what it is the queen wants them for and when the dark lord finds out...
Vigo Havarren didn't believe in many gods, and he tended to despise those that he did believe in. But now, for the first time in his extremely long life, he felt the urge to pray.
And that is before they learn of the Dark Lord's real plan.
To combat this threat, it is decided to form a Demon Squad to be led by General Falchoin and used by Vigo Havarren, the lord's demon. The lord's queen has her own tasks in mind for the squad however, and while their is a war threatening from abroad, there is also an imbalance within.
This book was fantastic. Too often dark fantasy's fail to deliver because the author feels the need to have a happy ending. (HELLO! Dark. Fantasy.)
Falchion was, above all else, a practical man. And if one man, however revolting, however many centuries dead, was about to conquer the known world--well, Falchion wanted to be on his good side.
Once Falchion and Havarren form the Demon Squad, the queen informs them that she will see to their training. But how can a troll, an orc, an ogre, a gremlin, a doppelganger, a kolbold, and a bug bear come together and work as a team when they can't stand one another? Easily, they do or they die. Horribly. IF they are lucky. So they come together with much sarcasm and many death threats in order to obey commands.
Sent on one mission after another, the squad slowly comes to realize what it is the queen wants them for and when the dark lord finds out...
Vigo Havarren didn't believe in many gods, and he tended to despise those that he did believe in. But now, for the first time in his extremely long life, he felt the urge to pray.
And that is before they learn of the Dark Lord's real plan.
September 12, 2015
What an enjoyable book!
Okay, so there are hokey moments, and occasionally the humor doesn't come off, but all in all it's been a good ride. You find yourself almost rooting for the strangely likable characters, but the author is clever enough to remind you that these are evil creatures fighting to advance an even worse evil's goals. The ending left me feeling unfulfilled though, but that's because while I stop short of rooting for them, I also felt bad for them (well, most of them. Some of them. One of them. Maybe.) Also, why isn't there a movie yet?!
Okay, so there are hokey moments, and occasionally the humor doesn't come off, but all in all it's been a good ride. You find yourself almost rooting for the strangely likable characters, but the author is clever enough to remind you that these are evil creatures fighting to advance an even worse evil's goals. The ending left me feeling unfulfilled though, but that's because while I stop short of rooting for them, I also felt bad for them (well, most of them. Some of them. One of them. Maybe.) Also, why isn't there a movie yet?!
December 6, 2017
Accidently bought this on Amazon (stupid one-click option) but it had been recommended by a co-worker. It is a good book and the characters are great. The ending is what drags this book down. It is very anticlimactic. I does possibly open it up for a second book but is still very lack luster. I would only recommend this as a filler read if you have nothing else you have an aching to read.
March 4, 2013
I have always wanted a book where the main characters are the bad guys and this is it every time you expect a little ray of sunshine they are there to throw it in your face and i cannot be more happy to have it
July 10, 2012
Very dark but very funny fantasy novel about the bad guys. Great for those of us who like to see the typical fantasy story through the eyes of the villains.
November 27, 2012
Very crude - but really liked it. Might have to read it a second time.
December 7, 2024
I was mildly disappointed that this was not a book about a goblin army. Instead, it is about a team of various monster races referred to collectively as goblin kind (orc, troll, gremlin, changeling, bugbear, kobold, and ogre). The team, known as a Demon Squad, is assigned tasks by their evil rulers during an impending invasion of the goodly kingdom.
This is not a kid’s book. There is some cursing, excessively so in the early chapters, and gruesome violence. Neither of which bothered me. The cursing is mostly from one character and it fits his demeanor. The violence makes sense because this book is about the bad guys doing bad guy things. Both never felt forced for the sake of edginess; it all fits with the narrative.
The team goes on what is basically a series of side quests that are loosely related. The reader gets small glimpses to what is happening in the world in between these quests. I think this story would have been better if it was released as a series of short stories. At 500+ pages the book went on a little to long before getting to the main plot. I never felt invested in the war that was brewing in the background. I did rather enjoy the antics and comical banter of the team.
I enjoyed the unique perspective. I was waiting for the Disney treatment where the bad guys are just misunderstood and their evilness was not their fault. That does not happen. There is no point that the reader thinks these guys deserve any sympathy.
The serial-like way it is written and the main cast will put off traditional fantasy fans. If you are looking for something a little different then this is it.
This is not a kid’s book. There is some cursing, excessively so in the early chapters, and gruesome violence. Neither of which bothered me. The cursing is mostly from one character and it fits his demeanor. The violence makes sense because this book is about the bad guys doing bad guy things. Both never felt forced for the sake of edginess; it all fits with the narrative.
The team goes on what is basically a series of side quests that are loosely related. The reader gets small glimpses to what is happening in the world in between these quests. I think this story would have been better if it was released as a series of short stories. At 500+ pages the book went on a little to long before getting to the main plot. I never felt invested in the war that was brewing in the background. I did rather enjoy the antics and comical banter of the team.
I enjoyed the unique perspective. I was waiting for the Disney treatment where the bad guys are just misunderstood and their evilness was not their fault. That does not happen. There is no point that the reader thinks these guys deserve any sympathy.
The serial-like way it is written and the main cast will put off traditional fantasy fans. If you are looking for something a little different then this is it.
November 16, 2018
I found Ari Marmell through the wonderful tales of Mick Oberon. Upon seeing this cover I had high hopes that were thoroughly dashed upon the mountains the Craebosh "supposedly" died upon.
The beginning and middle of this book were enough to capture me. I thought the combination of the squad was interesting. There were some seriously harrowing situations and rooting for the bad guys was fun. For a time it was genuinely interesting to see how the "good wizard" was such an asshole.
The issues is the ending was absolutely botched. The squad's true purpose unveiled, seemed like a bad case of marriage problems. Even more ridiculous was the death of badass orc Craebosh. We get that the Gnoll was clever and she was always at odds with Craebosh. But I would never, in a million years regardless of whatever ANY author wrote would ever believe that Gnoll lady took the cheap way out by knocking Craebosh off a couple of cliffs. She might have realized herself outmatched, but Craebosh would have either put a fight to a standstill or he would have been smart enough to get out while the getting was good.
All in all, this was a great story, but felt rushed with a difficult ending. I think I'll stick to Mick Oberon from now on.
The beginning and middle of this book were enough to capture me. I thought the combination of the squad was interesting. There were some seriously harrowing situations and rooting for the bad guys was fun. For a time it was genuinely interesting to see how the "good wizard" was such an asshole.
The issues is the ending was absolutely botched. The squad's true purpose unveiled, seemed like a bad case of marriage problems. Even more ridiculous was the death of badass orc Craebosh. We get that the Gnoll was clever and she was always at odds with Craebosh. But I would never, in a million years regardless of whatever ANY author wrote would ever believe that Gnoll lady took the cheap way out by knocking Craebosh off a couple of cliffs. She might have realized herself outmatched, but Craebosh would have either put a fight to a standstill or he would have been smart enough to get out while the getting was good.
All in all, this was a great story, but felt rushed with a difficult ending. I think I'll stick to Mick Oberon from now on.
June 29, 2017
This is fantasy Fluff but really fun fluff. I enjoyed this immensely as the characters were well written and had very distinct personalities that were maintained throughout the story, the plot itself was a nice twist on standard fantasy stuff, and the story just kept chugging along and kept me entertained the whole time. I will admit that it probably could have been shorter as not all of the adventures were totally necessary, but they were very well described and fun to read. I think it was definitely the characters that made this enjoyable as they were not even the slightest bit heroic - they bickered, they fought, and they did what goblins do in every other fantasy story meaning they killed and ate whatever/whoever was in their way. Lots of good action and plot written into a character driven story that just pulled me along and kept me entertained with a very different take on the fantasy genre. What more can I ask for? Highly recommended for someone who is getting bored with standard fantasy.
August 5, 2021
Literature snobs looking for high brow reading will be very disappointed by this pulpy, profane, absurdist thrill ride. But it set out to do something very particular, and it does that thing well enough to be considered a masterpiece.
I’ve spoken to the author on Twitter, he says it was inspired by an actual Dungeons & Dragons campaign... so if it feels like a dungeon crawl, that’s probably intentional. It also feels a little like a grindhouse movie, in the best possible way. As a fan of pulp novels and exploitation films, I’m definitely picking up what Ari Marmell is putting down here.
The best thing about the book is the characters and their dynamics (and often hilarious dialogue). I got the feeling that following this group through most other possible situations would have also been a lot of fun. The worst thing, mentioned in several of the other reviews, is that the ending misses the mark slightly. But in the end, this book is much more about the journey than the destination. And the journey is pretty damn fun.
I’ve spoken to the author on Twitter, he says it was inspired by an actual Dungeons & Dragons campaign... so if it feels like a dungeon crawl, that’s probably intentional. It also feels a little like a grindhouse movie, in the best possible way. As a fan of pulp novels and exploitation films, I’m definitely picking up what Ari Marmell is putting down here.
The best thing about the book is the characters and their dynamics (and often hilarious dialogue). I got the feeling that following this group through most other possible situations would have also been a lot of fun. The worst thing, mentioned in several of the other reviews, is that the ending misses the mark slightly. But in the end, this book is much more about the journey than the destination. And the journey is pretty damn fun.
January 22, 2025
Two things can be true at once.
Firstly, this book is about the demon squad and AND NOT about the war. So the ending being focused on Craeoush and Katim and the team breaking down is entirely valid.
Secondly, I think the author lost steam because I think this book could have had another 100 pages exploring the transition between the end and the epilogue.
Also my monster fuckery really confused me here because I think Katim and Craeoush should fuck and I mean… the banter…
And finally WHAT DO ORGES DO WITH HONEY? I need answers.
Overall someone said this is Lord of the Rings from the other side and I 100% agree.
I gloriously hilarious wonderous romp.
I have some thoughts on the portrayal of ugliness as evil, woman and stereotypes and Craeoush discovering humanity but really no one needs that minutia. And if you do, I’m happy to expound.
Firstly, this book is about the demon squad and AND NOT about the war. So the ending being focused on Craeoush and Katim and the team breaking down is entirely valid.
Secondly, I think the author lost steam because I think this book could have had another 100 pages exploring the transition between the end and the epilogue.
Also my monster fuckery really confused me here because I think Katim and Craeoush should fuck and I mean… the banter…
And finally WHAT DO ORGES DO WITH HONEY? I need answers.
Overall someone said this is Lord of the Rings from the other side and I 100% agree.
I gloriously hilarious wonderous romp.
I have some thoughts on the portrayal of ugliness as evil, woman and stereotypes and Craeoush discovering humanity but really no one needs that minutia. And if you do, I’m happy to expound.
February 2, 2025
Entertaining, I Suppose
This book was entertaining, but I got the impression the author didn't know what was going to happen from one chapter to the next. The banter between characters was funny at first, but quickly grew stale and just kind of became word garbage that did very little to advance the plot and was clearly only there to garner a laugh.
I also felt the author jumped between character POV too quickly. It would have been better if he just focused on one or two members of the squad and explored them more deeply, in addition to the various antagonists.
I was also not a fan of the ending. Very unsatisfying, rushed, like the author hit the end of their word count max and needed to wrap things up quickly.
All in all, a light, entertaining read that seems more like a DnD game than a novel.
This book was entertaining, but I got the impression the author didn't know what was going to happen from one chapter to the next. The banter between characters was funny at first, but quickly grew stale and just kind of became word garbage that did very little to advance the plot and was clearly only there to garner a laugh.
I also felt the author jumped between character POV too quickly. It would have been better if he just focused on one or two members of the squad and explored them more deeply, in addition to the various antagonists.
I was also not a fan of the ending. Very unsatisfying, rushed, like the author hit the end of their word count max and needed to wrap things up quickly.
All in all, a light, entertaining read that seems more like a DnD game than a novel.
October 8, 2017
Well written with a dark sense of humor, The Goblin Corps is a face paced pulp fantasy novel that examines the 'other side' of the fantasy spectrum with the main characters being an Orc, Troll, Kobold, Goblin and others. My only issue is that Ari Marmell sets up the plot in such a way that when I finished the book I wasn't sure if the Dark Lord had set the war in motion, or the DuMark had himself done the deed. In fact, I was hoping that the epilogue would answer the question and continue with the semi-overarching philosophical question that permeates the book because we are following the traditional 'bad guys.' However, he did not do this, and I was ultimately left wanting more. Having said that, I do recommend the book to those who enjoy dark comedy and pulp fantasy.
May 29, 2018
The Goblin Corpse is in many ways a fun book with unique characters, a great concept, and an interesting story. The problem with the book is its execution.
The Goblin Corpse reads like someone who really wants to impress you with how witty the author is, rather than improve the story with subtle means. The themes are incredibly weak, as they are all terrible "people," and most importantly; the characters are either not that good, or just not fun to follow.
I would recommend it to people who love the concept and likes D&D more than they like a well told story. If it had been edited a bit better, this would have been much more fun.
The Goblin Corpse reads like someone who really wants to impress you with how witty the author is, rather than improve the story with subtle means. The themes are incredibly weak, as they are all terrible "people," and most importantly; the characters are either not that good, or just not fun to follow.
I would recommend it to people who love the concept and likes D&D more than they like a well told story. If it had been edited a bit better, this would have been much more fun.
November 16, 2019
I loved this book. Although crass at times, it showed fantasy from a novel and wholy interesting angle. Watching the moves and strategies used by a group of monsters and evil-based characters as they work to defeat the good wizard and protect their Lich-lord makes me yearn to play an evil campaign in Dungeons and Dragons or at the very least read more books to show the other side of the fantasy coin.
December 14, 2024
Hilariously crude and delightfully dark. I didn't have a lot of expectations going into it, but it constantly left me craving more. One particular part toward the end left me a bit emotional, much to my surprise. You really come to care about the main characters and the relationships they form with each other. And it was nice to see a lot of early threads paid off at the end. If another book ever came out following tales after this one, I'd be all over it without a second thought.
dnf
October 16, 2025This book was super funny and I enjoyed reading it, but I really struggled with the pacing. I also dislike the "complete this test/task to prove yourself ready/worthy" narrative structure, and having two back-to-back really killed my excitement for it. I definitely recommend trying it, and may come back to it at a time when I don't have as much going on academically and professionally. I recommend it to my Dad.
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