The Eighth Dwarf

by R.A. Goli

A twisted fairy tale of ambition, betrayal, and dark magic.

Everyone is familiar with Snow White's story. What about the story of the dwarf who helped make her stepmother queen?


Tiberius is no hero. Rather a sour blacksmith with lofty aspirations, a tongue sharper than his chisel, and no tolerance for his seven roommates' chirpy, sing-song lifestyles. Hi ho, hell no.

So when a witch offers him power, wealth, and a chance to live like a king in return for crafting an unbreakable coffin? He's in. No questions asked.

(He probably should have asked at least one or two.)

Suddenly he's the unwitting participant in the queen's murder. Nothing works out as planned, and now he's stuck with royal secrets and a vindictive sorcerer whose dark magic could end him if he makes one wrong move. Tiberius merely wants to keep his head, the queen won't remain dead, and the king demands answers.

The Eighth Dwarf is a twisted, humorous, and wickedly entertaining retelling of a dark fairy tale where there are fatal consequences for ambition, no one is innocent, and a happily-ever-after comes with a death toll.

Perfect for fans of The Witcher, Once Upon A Time, and Game of Thrones.

117 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 8, 2025

About the author

R.A. Goli is an Australian reader, writer, gamer and sometime hiker. She writes horror, fantasy, speculative fiction and erotic horror. Hobbies include bugging her pets and husband.

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Reviews

[PAR · Rating 4 out of 5]

I usually don't read prequels - as they tend to be short and often written after the original novel. But this one's title caught my attention. I honestly have to tell you that I was taken by surprise - it was well written - solid storyline and tied into the original story quite well. Yes it is a short read but that is kind of nice once in a while - don't over look this one!

[Debbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this fantasy/horror by R.A.Roli. It was a lot of fun to read! It’s a real page turner and I couldn’t wait to find out what was going to become of the dwarf. I’ve read a number of R.A.Goli’s short stories so I’ve been anticipating this book with enthusiasm and it did not disappoint!

[R.A. Goli]

This is my book so I can't review it :)

[J.M. Williams · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Eighth Dwarf to me seems like a thought experiment of what would happen if you dropped a Tolkien dwarf in with Doc and Dopey and the rest of the bunch. And old-age Tolkien dwarf, one with an unhealthy obsession with gold. Tiberius is that greedy, self-absorbed dwarf, with a sense of superiority over the other seven of his peers; they are happy passing the time in the mines, whereas Tiberius wants money and power, maybe even a title.

This is not your mother's Snow White. There's violence and death and a whole lot of innuendo, if not bypassing innuendo altogether at times, but all done well and serving a clear purpose. What the book is not, is sensationalist. Tiberius is a deeply-flawed, easy-to-hate character who eventually comes to terms with his flaws, due to a chance encounter. Everything that may shock or rouse the reader relates directly to that character struggle.

Overall, the writing is good and the pacing fast. There are a few minor bits that don't make perfect sense, and a few parts that seem rushed, but they do not distract from the core narrative. If there is anything I am disappointed with, it is how little attention is paid to Tiberius seeming to be the only dwarf in the capital. Indeed, he is treated like any other man. For a book with adult content and addressing adult themes, it seems odd to not deal with adult prejudices. Another dwarf does appear later in the story, but as the world has shown us, even a well-populated minority never gets away free of social scars.

All in all, a commendable debut for R.A. Goli.

[Sonya · Rating 5 out of 5]

If I had to choose a song that best describes Tiberius' situation and outcome it would be "Waterfalls" by T.L.C.

Tiberius was a talented blacksmith who lived amongst 7 other dwarves. Tiberius was a little too ambitious for his own good and that ambition is what lead him to a terrible fate. His 7 dwarf roommates worked the mines every day and was happy and chipper about it, but it was simply not enough for Tiberius. For he wanted Power, Wealth, Women and a big Mansion and he dreams soon became a reality but at a terrible cost.

This story shows how one's greed and can be blessing and a curse. This story leaned more into the darker side of Snow White; although this was a retelling, it focused on her evil aunt; soon turned stepmother and the dwarf blinded by his visions of grandeur who played a pivot part in her taking the throne.

In such a short novella the author gives you a bit of everything: Betrayal, Manipulation, Jealousy, Murder, Dark Magic and Regret that has come much too late. Unlike the Happily Ever After told in Disney's rendition this story pays homage to the O.G. Fairytales told by the Brother's Grimm.

If I had any advice for Tiberius, it would simply be "Don't Go Chasing Waterfalls, please stick to rivers and the lakes that your use too" had Tiberius been able to find simple pleasure in his daily life like his cheery, roommates he may not have been entangled in a web unlikely to be unraveled.

Thank you, Epic Publishing, for the gifted copy of The Eighth Dwarf.

[Reading by Deb · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tiberius hated his living conditions. At the unfairness of having to share his talents with the seven dwarfs that were way too happy after slaving all day in the mines. He was the artist who turned their finds into works of art and felt like he should get a larger share of the profits and not evenly split as they were now.

As the months passed he just became more discontent and when he ran across the Queen's sister in the middle of the forest he accepted her offer of a place in the royal court if only he built her an enclosed coffin to hold the future Queen.

I loved this story! It is very well written and the characters are fully developed and relatable. This is a retelling of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, but has references to several others woven into Tiberius's story.

This is a story of discontent and greed with danger and court intrigue. Tiberius sold his soul for a life he thought he deserved and wasn't a very likeable character until he finally stood up to the new Queen's demands. It was nice to see that he had a limit to what he was willing to do. Highly recommend this dark fairytale.

[Matthew X Gomez · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fantastic (if quick) read that functions as a prequel to the classic SNOW WHITE fairy tale. R.A. Goli takes what could otherwise be a utterly unsympathetic character and injects him with a palpable humanity, highlighting how a person's self-interest (and selfish desires) can blind you to the true nature of the people around you despite all of the evidence.

Tiberius as a character alternatively made me laugh, cringe, sympathize with, and well, want to punch him at times, and while it is hard to say that he ends up fully redeemed by the end... he's a better dwarf than when he started. Definitely recommended for fans of fairy tale retellings and fantasy stories in general.I am definitely looking forward to what else Goli is able to accomplish in a longer format.

[Amy Reierson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my first book by R.A. Goli and I cannot wait for more as this is said to be a prequel. This is not a Snow White retelling this is a part of the tale you have yet to be told.
I am absolutely obsessed. you will love to hate and hate to love these characters.
Tiberius is our grumpy anti-hero and he just wants something of his own, to be recognized for his talent.
Sypheria a powerful witch and wants much the same as Tiberius and to achieve the power and recognition she's looking for she will enlist his help. Too bad for Tiberius helping the witch may get him exactly what he asked for.

[Kryssy Foss · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an amazing, twisted prequel to Snow White. I was quickly drawn into the book and I have to admit when I first saw Snow White I thought ugh now this story is about to get boring and have some happily ever after. I’m happy I stuck with it because what I thought couldn’t be further from the truth. I absolutely loved all of the darkness, with some humor sprinkled in, of this story. This was very well written and even though it was short I thought it was the perfect length. This is a must read for those looking for a dark fantasy and just something different in general.

[Judi Law · Rating 5 out of 5]

Finished reading ‘The Eighth Dwarf’, I must say I’m super impressed. Kept me entertained until the last page. I love the way you tied the story in as a prequel to the original fairy tale. Love the details too, descriptions of settings and the moods of the characters really drew me into the story, I was transported. I also have a love of the original Grimm stories, they were so much more bloodthirsty than the Disney versions. Well done, you are a master of the word.

[Tanya Rae ~ TaSTy WordGasms · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Eighth Dwarf is the first book that I have read by this author. And I think this is a Prequel from a fairytale retelling of Snow White. I wanted to read this book from the blurb!
I was immediately drawn into The Eighth Dwarf! What an imagination! It’s a short read and this is a twisted tale of how the eighth dwarf named Blacksmith Tiberius makes the evil Queen.

Now I am ready for the rest of the story!

[Annemarie · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a wickedly delightful tale.
I guess you could say that Tiberius got what he deserved, but I believe that fundamentally he was a 'good guy' who knew how dangerous it was NOT doing as the Queen demanded.
This was a very enjoyable read.

I received a free Advance Reader Copy of The Eighth Dwarf through Epic Publishing and have chosen to leave a review.

[Karin Gesell · Rating 4 out of 5]

The title, the synopsis, and that cover grabbed my attention. The story totally kept it. The idea of the 8th dwarf, and the story behind that was quite intriguing. It’s a short read, but completely engaging. So glad I gave it a read!

[Shana Roszko · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was the first book i've read by R.A. Goli and I absolutely loved it. Love how its a like a prequel to the grimm snow white. The characters were unique and love how evil the witch is.

[Annette · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an interesting take on the back story of how the Evil Queen came to be. Very engaging, well written and it's a quick read!