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Goblins

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In the 17th Century, the ancient sprawl of Epping forest is bursting with magic and those who go unseen by human eyes: the elves who rule the summer court, and the goblins who rule the winter court. It is said that if a human catches the eye of one of the fey, they are either doomed or blessed.

Contains the stories:

Wulfren and the Warlock: When Wulfren wakes from a strange dream of a human captor with long silver hair, and grey eyes, his brothers tell him they rescued him from a warlock, and take Wulfren back home to the goblin king's palace. But Wulfren isn’t so sure the matter is that simple. Why was he missing so long? What are the strange dreams of the beautiful man with the silver hair? Dalliances with humans are severely frowned upon, especially by Wulfren’s father, but Wulfren is willing to risk the scorn of his family to find the human who haunts his dreams.

Quiller and the Runaway Prince: After a hard winter, Quiller is sent deep into the forest on a family errand, and is surprised when a human stumbles into his path. Quiller swoops in to pester him, perhaps even eat him, but there is something special about the human: his scent is royal, though he protests that he is not, and soon Quiller finds himself agreeing to help the human with his troubles -- in exchange for a kiss.

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Length: 48,924 words.

Kindle Edition

First published September 25, 2013

4 people are currently reading
384 people want to read

About the author

Melanie Tushmore

14 books105 followers
Writer of fiction including themes

Alternative subcultures: goths, punk rockers, rebels and outcasts

Contemporary
Horror
Fantasy
Erotic Fiction
Homoerotica
Male/Male
Slash
Gay
LGBTQ Fiction

and very British Humour


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5 stars
38 (25%)
4 stars
53 (35%)
3 stars
40 (26%)
2 stars
12 (8%)
1 star
7 (4%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
Profile Image for Nova.
254 reviews20 followers
November 9, 2013
At first I wasn’t so sure if I would like a romance with goblins, but I soon changed my mind – they were not at all what I thought they would be!

The two fairytale-like stories in this book were funny and sweet (like the goblins – or at least some of them *g* ) and the few pictures were a nice and beautiful surprise! My favorite story was the second – Quiller’s story (I loved him as a rook!).
And for some reason I really liked the goblin king, even though he is a grumpy and angry (and protective) fellow.

I would love to read more about this world!
Profile Image for Nikyta.
1,461 reviews263 followers
November 18, 2013
This review can be found at The Blog of Sid Love.

When I first started reading this book, I had no idea what it was going to be about. I didn’t even know it was two stories in one because all I literally knew was that it contained goblins. Imagine my surprise when it became a book that I just could not put down.

Wulfren & the Warlock is about the seventh son of the Goblin King who becomes enamored with a self-assured, blond warlock who goes by the name of Ash. While Wulfren’s original intentions with Ash are to annoy him, Ash never takes the bait. Soon enough, Wulfren becomes more than just curious when it comes to the quiet warlock to the point that being captured isn’t as bad as he first thought. Being with Ash means getting sucked into a human life-style and it doesn’t take long for Wulfren’s family to come ‘rescue’ him but Wulfren doesn’t want to be rescued. All Wulfren wants is to live his life with his warlock but with his meddling family, is there anyway to make their strange pairing work?

Quiller & the Runaway Prince is about Quiller, the third son of the Goblin King, and a human named Cashel, he finds injured on the road. Like Wulfren, Quiller becomes captivated by Cashel from the first scent of his ‘royal’ blood to the point of escorting him home and even trying to save his family from a power-hungry noble and his son willing to kill anyone to get what they want. But will Quiller be able to save Cashel and those he loves before things get worse?

As soon as I started, Ms. Tushmore’s writing drew me in. Never having read about goblins before, I wasn’t sure if I’d even like the little creatures. With these, however, I fell in love with them all. They’re mischievous little things that like to cause trouble and with curious natures. I found the world they inhabited was equally amazing. I just could not get enough of it; from the detail of the goblins’ powers to the Goblin King himself, even going as far as the homes Cashel and Ash lived, I was just in love with both stories and everything the characters go through.

The characters are a real treat, as well. Wulfren is young in goblin years but older than Ash. However, Ash is an old spirit and has much more confidence and maturity than Wulfren does. He grounds Wulfren and gives Wulfren a purpose in life he didn’t have before. Quiller and Cashel are just about the same but Quiller is the confident (or should I say, cocky) one while Cashel is the innocent one. The two pairs are cute together but the relationships and connections they create are what really made the story for me.

In the end, this was a book that I’m extremely glad I took a chance on. The world, the characters and the plots were something I very much enjoyed reading about but the writing is what brought it all together and made it something that I stayed up all night reading. I can’t wait to read the next book in this series because I’m really looking forward to reading about the other goblin princes! Until then, I’ll content myself with reading more from Ms. Tushmore. Definitely recommended for those looking for something engaging with a fascinating world and great characters.
Profile Image for Sheziss.
1,367 reviews486 followers
November 1, 2014


Goblins.



Yeah.



I don’t know exactly what pushed me to read this. So don’t ask me. Sometimes I think reading something weird is fun. But rarely good. So, yeah, it was entertaining, I didn’t have to think anything intelligent for a while. So, let’s move on.



Oh, it wasn’t a waste, I found lots of good gifs about goblins. Yeah.
Profile Image for Ayanna.
1,632 reviews62 followers
February 17, 2014
The first story is so very perfect in so many ways. It's fantasy with the whimsical edge of fairy tale about it and mysterious and sexy without getting raunchy. Not that raunchy is completely bad, mind you. Not in certain circumstances. It's just nice that I didn't have to suffe-- sit through stroke-by-suck narration on the mechanics of sexual intercourse.

Wulfie is adorable. Ash is mysterious and sexy, but also really sweet. They're basically really adorable together, and there's bondage, and everyone knows that sexy bondage makes everything better.

The universe is really fascinating and cool, although I'm a bit confused about Ash, since I thought he was and elf, or part elf, but it seems he's actually just human? Minor point, though.


I was a bit reluctant to start the second story, 'cause it seems like it's about Quiller and who cares; we wants our Precious...you know, Wulfie and Ash.


It's okay, though. It seems I've waited long enough for me to read the second story.
Yeah, idk what to say. Hmm.. Focused only has one s? Yeah, there's that.

I liked the story. I read part of it, kind of went away, then finished it, so I don't really have much to say about it overall, but I do enjoy Quiller and Cashel, who I refuse to call Michael Danvers.

They weren't bad, but I still find the adorableness of Wulfie adorable, because spells and shit.
Profile Image for Tygati.
Author 8 books63 followers
September 28, 2013
While the first story in the book was not my cup of tea, the second was quite enjoyable. I do like the little details about the Goblins and their world and it's clear that it's been carefully thought out.
Profile Image for DeeNeez.
2,007 reviews13 followers
June 3, 2017
Wonderful fantasy world of goblin brothers in UK historical setting. It's actually two stories, the first of the younger goblin prince who falls in love with a human warlock. A lovely story. But the real intriguing plot and romance is the second one of the goblin prince Quiller. He's witty, charming and so full of character! So much more intrigue to save a royal lord from a murder plot. Great fantasy, magical fey story.
Profile Image for TS.
519 reviews15 followers
March 4, 2017
Uh... Not what I expected. I loved the first part, with Wulfren, but the second part with Quiller was not that great. I would give 4 stars to Part 1 and 2 stars to Part 2.
Profile Image for Cynthia.
141 reviews16 followers
January 18, 2014
To read my full review, please visit http://onsilverwingz.blogspot.com/201...

3.5 stars rounded to 3

First story:

This is a really interesting story about a goblin with missing memory about a human warlock. Wulfren's family insist he was kidnapped and enslaved by the evil warlock, Ash, to fuel his magic, but Wulfren is unsure. He desires the truth and risks punishment to visit the warlock and retrieve his lost memories.

I really like the fantasy elements and worldbuilding. The elves control the summer court and the goblins control the winter court. Human play no part in their world. But the goblin king have many sons and there are not enough duties to keep all of them occupied. Wulfren is one of them who travels beyond their territory and meets a human, who he falls in love with.

I'm not totally convinced on Wulfren and Ash's romance and the jury's still out on whether or not Ash did enslave Wulfren. I think Wulfren was enslaved at least to some degree at the beginning of their relationship and then gradually gave up his magic willingly. The story is unclear here and I don't think their relationship is strong enough to become one of love and trust.

The story mainly focuses on Wulfren's struggle to find the truth behind his missing memories. The fantasy is this story's strongest component and what makes this story an engaging read for me.

Second story:

Quiller meets Cashel, a human, on one of his errands and decides to grant Cashel's wish of saving a duke in return for kisses. Quiller then has to defeat an ex noble and his sons and heal the poisoned duke before the duke dies.

I enjoy reading the story but it leaves me with more questions about how the goblin king will react to Cashel and Quiller's relationship and about Cashel's royal heritage. The goblin king already reacted badly to human relations in the first story, how will he stop Quiller's relationship with Cashel? And Cashel has royal blood but he cannot take on the name for himself because of a human revolution against the monarchy. I don't see how his heritage comes into play.

The most interesting parts of this story are Quiller's culture shock in the human lands and the goblin king's sexual escapades with women of different species (Quiller is half bird, half goblin as a result). He is insecure about this nature and others around him are conscience of his "flighty" behaviors. This greatly affects his personality and disposition.

Overall, this is a great fantasy story. There's not a lot on romance, but it definitely has a lot of fantasy elements, action, and handsome princes.

*review copy received in exchange for an honest review*
Profile Image for Lissette.
54 reviews3 followers
August 31, 2015
I admit, I was hesitant about picking this book up. Goblins? The only goblin I ever liked was David Bowie as the Goblin King. Also, gay goblins? Yeah, I really didn't need that mental image, thanks. But the cover was cute, and the reviews were generally good, so what the heck? Figured I'd give it a shot.

I am so glad I did.

This book is two connected short stories that are adorable, fanciful, and refreshing. "Fantasy" is taken back to a traditional version of European, nature-oriented fey, which is a nice change of pace from the more "modern" versions of elves and fairies.

In the first story, "Wulfren and the Warlock", Wulfren finds himself fascinated with a human warlock who has taken up residence in his woods. It is a little Stockholm-y: the warlock captures Wulfren to use as a source of magic, and then Wulfren inexplicably decides he's all about being bound and captured. I would normally have a problem with this, but Wulfren was so adamant about overcoming every possible obstacle to be with the warlock, and the warlock himself was portrayed as kind and generous, so I actually didn't find it at all abrasive.

In the second story, "Quiller and the Runaway Prince", Quiller comes across a wounded human prince and trades the favor of assistance for the promise of a kiss. The corresponding undertone of crows and carrion, as well as references to the human smelling delectable, kind of gave me a cannibal vibe, which was a nice nuance to add to Quiller's character. Quiller, in fact, is a much stronger character than Wulfren, and I found myself enjoying his casual confidence. There seemed to be more substance to this story than in "Wulfren and the Warlock".

Goblins: Book 1 is a fun duo of stories I definitely will be rereading. I have only two complaints: One, that the characters seemed to fall in love too quickly, and Two (possibly the reason for One), that the stories were too short. If the entire length of Goblins: Book 1 had been dedicated to "Wulfren and the Warlock", leaving a second book to be dedicated to "Quiller and the Runaway Prince", I think both would have been better, if only because there would have been more time to get to know the world and the characters.

I really hope there will be a Goblins: Book 2, especially if it includes Elfren/Selby (Elfren had an engaging personality, but we only catch a glimpse of him in both stories).
Profile Image for Kirsty.
152 reviews8 followers
April 30, 2016
Okay so, this books have two short-ish stories in them. Wulfren & the Warlock and Quiller & the Runaway Prince.

The first one, Wulfren & the Warlock was... okay? It wasn't bad but... It made me feel... iffy at times.
A person falling for their captor is always a little bit of a personal taste but everything happened a little too quickly for my tastes in this. And Wulfren himself was very child like to me. I know he's an adult and that he is the youngest of seven brothers, but it was hard at times to actually see him as an adult. Which was probably my main problem with the first story to be honest. The story also became so sweet it was almost sickly. Which is very odd coming from me because I love sweet, cute and fluffy. Again I think this was because of the child-likeness of Wulfren... It wasn't a bad story... But it didn't set me on fire either.

The second story, Quiller & the Runaway Prince was really really good! :D I really enjoyed this one!
Quiller is the third eldest son and has a lot of personality and cheekiness which made him a joy to read. His and his 'runaway princes' story was entertaining to read with all the goings on and I really enjoying the shyness of the 'prince' If there was any problem I would say things happened too quickly... I would have prefered the story took a little longer... so I would have had more to read. lol

(I also liked the hint of Selby and Elfrin in the beginning of the second story... the couple in the next volume maybe? I hope so! Definitely would be interested in reading!)

So a bit of an iffy start but became really enjoyable reading with the second story. I'd definitely try a second book. :) Hopefully a second book will come out... lol
Profile Image for Lemurkat.
Author 13 books51 followers
March 27, 2014
These are two relatively light fantasy stories, back to back in one volume. The writing style is evocative: with lyrical descriptions and a well conceptualised realm. There is a slight fairy tale air as well, whichi s quite delightful.

Wulfren and the Warlock (2 1/2 stars)
Wulf's compliancy bugged me. His relationship with the warlock came across not so much as romantic, but as a complete loss of his self. Relationships are supposed to be two-way streets - with both parties giving and taking, but from what I could see from Wulfren and Ash, Wulf was giving everything: his identity, his magic, and Ash was giving nothing except a warm bed and sex. I kept expecting there to be some twist where-in it was revealed that Ash had been manipulating him all along and was rather disappointed when this was not the case. His angst, disregard for his family's wishes and general submissive demenour did not sit well with me.

Quiller and the Runaway Prince (4 stars)
I must prefered this story, Quiller had more substance as the protagonist and the plot seemed more purposeful, more driven. The quirkiness of his personality was most appealing, and I rather liked Cashel as well. The relationship developed more naturally in this one, and felt much more two-sided.

Overall, an entertaining few hours passed while I read these tales, and I would be interested in delving in further to Tushmore's goblin realms. Maybe the story of the goblin and the elf?

Ebook provided via NetGalley and the publisher, in exchange for an honest review. Thanks!
Profile Image for Sylvia.
Author 8 books13 followers
October 12, 2013

Rating seperately, I'd give 4 stars to Wulfren and the Warlock, and five to Quiller and the Runaway Prince.

I have to say I loved this book (: I loved the descriptions of the goblins and their court, the darkness and magic and mischief. I loved all the shapechanging, the animal qualities of the characters and their relative ignorance, disregard and even disdain of humans and their ways.

Wulf was adorable, very sweet as the younger brother, and a little petulant (aren't all younger siblings?). While I liked him, it was really Quiller that stole my heart. I feel the second story is the stronger of the two, although that by no means makes the first weak; but Quiller has more humour, is more mischievous than his younger brother, and there is more a hint of darkness, of mystery, and of revenge in his story; the human politics of it make it all very exciting, and I love Cashel (and Midnight; always nice to see a horse with a sense of humour).

I cannot wait to read more of these stories, hear about Selby and Elfren and all the rest to come, and will cross my fingers for maybe just a little Quiller cameo.
Profile Image for Ana.
1,247 reviews35 followers
October 30, 2013
I didn't particularly like the 1st story. Reminded me too much of slaves, seemed like Wulf wasn't much more than a glorified servant instead of a lover in equal footing and importance. He did all the chores in the house, didn't have anything of his and was basically on a leash (almost literally) and no matter how much you point out someone's pleasure, it's still considered rape if, in the beggining, the person didn't want to do it. I admit in this book it wasn't particularly clear but the notion still stands. I was, however, masterfully entertained by the 2nd story though. I liked Quiller much more than his brother Wulf. He was more assertive, confident and funny. While Wulf seemed to somehow expect to serve someone better than him, Quiller simply assumed charge without actually being obnoxious or hateful. He was vulnerable in his love for Cashel but not in any other aspect which I liked very much. It was fun reading his pranks and even his punishments but more importantly how everything faded in his eyes when Cashiel was around.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Violet.
87 reviews
January 13, 2014
I just finished reading the first book and I still havent decide if i will read the second one.

The first book is about a goblin prince Wulf. Like any other goblins, they like to make mischiefs. One day he and brother decides to pull a big prank on a powerful human mage Ash. But instead Wulf was enamored with Ash's beauty and decides to stalk him until he became overly inlove with the mage and decides to stay for good.

I enjoyed the first part as wulf is really sweet and reminds me very much of my puppie who follows me around unconditionally.

Personally, I would have prefered this story as love between human and his besties. I never understood who the mage really is as everything was told in the point of view of the goblin. Everything Wulf does , stikes me as a puppy- love who has this yerning to be with his owner. They certainly dont stikes as a couples who are both inlove.

Despite its weakness , the first part is well written and world building is good. The fantasy elements is nicely done.
Profile Image for Beau Schemery.
Author 6 books12 followers
October 22, 2014
This pair of stories was delightful. Wulfren's tale was sweet and a little sad though it turned out all right in the end. Wulfren for me was a little too delicate for me to love him but he was definitely a lovely, well-rounded and like able character. And I could completely understand his fascination with the Warlock. Wulf's family really shot this story over the 4 stars for me. They are great and luckily we get to find out more about Quiller who is by far my favorite. A smartassy, sassy prankster. I LOVED him. And his story. While some of the lore seemed a little at opposite with what I generally believe to be true about the fair folk, it did not detract from the story one bit. I would recommend this book to anyone and can't wait for more stories in this world.
Profile Image for blub.
2,040 reviews
August 11, 2018
So far I've only read the first story and I'm not sure when I will read the second since the 1st one didn't grab my attention as well as I expected it to.

Wulf wasn't a character I could particularly like. He came off as too clingy and well weak. Frankly I felt he was a little too accommodating to the wizard. I would have liked to see a bit more spark in him, especially when confronted by his father. Don't get me wrong, I still thought the story was sweet. Wulf's desperation and determination to get back to his wizard was prop worthy.
Profile Image for Jerry.
676 reviews
January 4, 2015
4.5 Stars
I read this for the Rainbow Awards.
Wulfren & the Warlock
Quiller and the Runaway Prince

Plot Development 8
Setting Development 10
Character Development 7
Writing Style 9

Loved the "bad goblins" being attracted to humans and becoming "good". Really great setting details and descriptions of the various Fae and their habitat and life. Cute stories, but not so much character development other than was necessary to make the plot believable. Wished the HEA endings took things further as they almost finish HFN.
Profile Image for Thomaidha Papa.
706 reviews39 followers
December 31, 2013
4.5 Hearts
Review written for MM good Book Reviews

I can’t believe I hadn’t read this one earlier really. What an enthralling read these two stories were. I absolutely adored them. But here, let me walk you through each one separately...

You can find the entire review here.

Thommie
Profile Image for Lily.
1,172 reviews11 followers
October 13, 2013
3.65 stars. The first story was pleasant to read, but felt a bit underdeveloped and unilateral in its approach. The highlight for me was definitely the second one - a playful protagonist, solid and action-driven plot, a touch of romance. I would very much like to read more about Quiller and Cashel.
Profile Image for Lady*M.
1,069 reviews107 followers
November 24, 2013
3.75 stars

Very cute. I'd like some more charater development, but this is well-written, easy read for when you need something light to pick you up.
Profile Image for Richard Nurse.
Author 27 books28 followers
March 28, 2015
Good but not my cup of tea

Never really could get into the stories.. I guess they are right .ever trust a goblin, or in my case read about them.

Profile Image for Elisa Rolle.
Author 107 books237 followers
December 6, 2015
2014 Rainbow Awards Honorable Mention (5* from at least 1 judge)
Profile Image for Emeziel.
348 reviews19 followers
January 4, 2016
so cute, so magical, so original. loved it. waoh. I don't think I'm going to find anything like this again.
Profile Image for T Silver.
168 reviews1 follower
April 3, 2016
Uh... Not what I expected. I loved the first part, with Wulfren, but the second part with Quiller was not that great. I would give 4 stars to Part 1 and 2 stars to Part 2.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews

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