Comments on: PC017: Goblin Lullaby

By: Lessons Learned | Nicolette Jinks

Lessons Learned | Nicolette Jinks — Sat, 16 Nov 2013 16:06:52 +0000

[…] opened my eyes to a variety of voices and tales, including: Goblin Lullaby, a sort of “the other side of the questing adventure” tale; Illuminated Dragon, a tale […]

By: My 5 Favorite Escape Artists Episodes | Barely Controlled Chaos

My 5 Favorite Escape Artists Episodes | Barely Controlled Chaos — Wed, 30 Oct 2013 16:07:45 +0000

[…] Goblin Lullaby Pod […]

By: Escape with three geeky podcasts | Geekend | TechRepublic.com

Escape with three geeky podcasts | Geekend | TechRepublic.com — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 02:01:19 +0000

[…] make Barnes & Noble the most money. Want proof? Well, after listening to Jim C. Hines’s Goblin Lullaby, I find myself under a compulsion to purchase his Goblin Trilogy. It must be a […]

By: Jim C. Hines » Ooh, Awkward…

Jim C. Hines » Ooh, Awkward… — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 13:30:41 +0000

[…] when they do. I do hope, if you like the blog, that you might check out a sample chapter or try one of my stories, but I don’t expect […]

By: Bad Monkey

Bad Monkey — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 01:55:59 +0000

This is a wonderful story, read beautifully! Jim Hines captured the essence of the old goblin woman (grell) perfectly. Christina Ellis reads it so believably it is just a hoot to listen to.

Thanks for your efforts!!!

By: Ernesto Montalve

Ernesto Montalve — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 01:15:24 +0000

interesting point of view, it makes you look twice into some encounters, forcing you to see what evil characters do “accidentally” bey being heroic…

i really moreal issue between being what means to be good or evil…
more of this can be seen in Ninety Nine Nights story where we have 2 paladins… one that would do everything possible in his power to save lives, even disregarding orders… and other that would use any pretext and make pleas of help fall in deaf ears if she has a chance to bring down evil…

really good story

By: Matthew

Matthew — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 01:50:29 +0000

This story had it all the necessary ingredients for a good fantasy short story: the necessary fantasy ingredients (goblins, elves, swords), a grand quest (restoration of the throne), a spunky hero(ine), an insufferably arrogant character, etc. At the same time, this was a radically neo-feminist story, in the same way that Women in Black (womeninblack.org) is a radical neo-feminist organization. What I mean is that this story embodied a feminism–I am not sure what “Wave” we are up to by now–that integrated and advocated for ALL women’s experiences, not just those of aspiring shop-floor supervisors and aspiring bank VPs.

And Christiana Ellis’ reading was dead-on.

By: Spork

Spork — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 10:46:33 +0000

Not bad. Predictable and the same ridicules that have all been done before, but fun all the same.

By: Eric

Eric — Sun, 27 Jul 2008 23:34:13 +0000

Elves really don’t like humans.

By: CaroCogitatus

CaroCogitatus — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 17:43:13 +0000

Loved this story. I agree with Bandersnatch that a fantasy story with elves, boy kings, magic swords, and goblins was long overdue, and I particularly like the change of perspective.
It’s a bit like “Wicked” did for the Wicked Witch of the West. I feel I understand the dirty, smelly little buggers (who are just trying to live their dirty, smelly lives and maybe loot a battlefield once in a while) a little better.
And as a father who still remembers the colicky period of my first born, the ending was very much welcomed.
More like this, please.

By: Ryan B

Ryan B — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 04:33:13 +0000

This was an interesting storytelling device that I haven’t seen before. Everything in the story is mired in a horrible swamp of cliché except for the viewpoint character, whose innate crankiness and down-to-earth nature serve as an anchor in the muck. Through Grell, we get a great story about an interesting character folded into a smart satire of the inanity of the generic fantasy setting. I loved it.

By: Chortle

Chortle — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 20:59:02 +0000

You shouldn’t have sang the Mocking Bird song like Buddy Holly.
I love Jim C. Hines’ goblin stories. The readings on Clonepod and Timetraveler show already convinced me to buy the Goblin books.

By: Travis

Travis — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 14:38:26 +0000

This was a great story. Thank you so much for choosing it. The classic fantasy realm setting was like a breath of fresh air after several stories that seemed more delusions than true fantasy. Not that those were bad stories, in fact some of them were excellent, but I tune into Podcastle to hear stories that take me away for a while into some other world. Goblin Lullaby did exactly that.
I’m really not crazy about permanently cranky or pessimistic characters, but it worked well for this story. Grell was believable as an ugly, dirty goblin while still being someone we can identify with as a protaganist. -And who knows, she might have been a much more pleasant person if not sleep deprived. (Lord knows how cranky I get when I’m tired!) Grell was refreshingly intelligent and witty, and it wouldn’t surprise me if she was the one who came up with the wonderfully practical idea of using the stone witch’s curse to capture animals for food.
Last but not least, I must praise the reading. The crankiness of Grell was captured perfectly, as well as the stuffiness of the elf warrior and the somewhat naive arrogance of the young human “king.” I hope Chrisiana Ellis will be coming back for other readings.

By: Bandersnatch

Bandersnatch — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 08:14:27 +0000

Wonderful! I loved Grell!
Finally, a “Fantasy” story set in a proper “Fantasy” setting with goblins, and elves, an enchanted sword,
a quest, and a witch, and all that medieval magical hoo-ha.
Sure, it was through the eyes of a “female character” and promoted the usual podcastle agenda of a female-social-political
view point on the world. However, the story was witty and crude, and
flavored with proper middle aged cynicism. A wonderful treat.
More like this please!

By: RandyNose

RandyNose — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 06:46:31 +0000

Opps, Quiet not quite. oh well…

By: RandyNose

RandyNose — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 06:45:11 +0000

Awesome story. The world could use more smart semi-cranky old ladies just trying to get some peace and quite in the world.

I suppose the moral of the story is, that he (or she) that know how to fling the poopy diaper at the proper time and place can create peace.

Randy

By: AmberBug

AmberBug — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 22:53:42 +0000

Great story. The reading worked well too. I really identified with this story. I was raising a colicky baby more or less singlehandadly while my husband was deployed to Korea- My neighbors still tell stories about the Wednesday night at Midnight when I stormed out of the house in not but a robe and a glare and demanded that they “Shut it or have it shut for them” loudly enough that not only they but at least two neighbors within hearing range turned down their music/TVs/ conversations to more tolerable levels. A woman will do much for a few snatched hours of rest!

By: Matt’s Bookosphere 7/22/08 « Enter the Octopus

Matt’s Bookosphere 7/22/08 « Enter the Octopus — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 21:58:02 +0000

[…] Review: “The Cactus Eaters: How I Lost My Mind and Almost Found Myself on the Pacific Crest Trail” by Steve Almond Podcast fiction: “Goblin Lullaby” by Jim C. Hines […]

By: LittleLotus

LittleLotus — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 19:04:41 +0000

Wow, just incredible! I love the “other side to the story”, as a reader the other side of the picture is hardly ever shown, and usually the “bad guys” are depicted as ugly and disgusting versus the “good guys” and their beauty and brains. This story gave me a whole new perspective of the goblin’s view, the various quests and trials humans, elves, and other creatures and their effect on others. It made me question who are the good guys, the bad guys and the guys stuck in between. And a surprise ending is always welcome!