Goblin King: A Permafrost Novel

“ꜱᴏᴍᴇᴛɪᴍᴇꜱ ᴛʜᴇ ꜱᴛʀᴏɴɢᴇꜱᴛ ᴛʜɪɴɢ ᴡᴇ ᴅᴏ ᴀʟʟ ᴅᴀʏ ɪꜱ ᴡᴀᴋᴇ ᴜᴘ ᴀɴᴅ ɢᴇᴛ ᴏᴜᴛ ᴏꜰ ʙᴇᴅ ᴀɴᴅ ᴄᴏɴᴛɪɴᴜᴇ ʟɪᴠɪɴɢ ᴀɴᴅ ꜰɪɢᴜʀɪɴɢ ᴏᴜᴛ ɴᴇᴡ ᴡᴀʏꜱ ᴛᴏ ᴅᴏ ᴛʜᴇ ᴛʜɪɴɢꜱ ᴡᴇ ᴏɴᴄᴇ ᴅɪᴅ.”—Kara BarbieriRich with Norse mythology, this sequel explores some of the unanswered questions from White Stag. Against all odds, Janneke and Soren have become the Stag and Erlking. While they may have won the hunt, the war for the fate of the world has just begun. “What happens when the serpent stops eating its tail?” Lyndian’s famous question is the new focus. And Lydian might be the key they need, even though they sent his soul to Hel. That would mean navigating the other worlds to find him and destroy the harbinger of Ragnarok. Everything comes at a cost.Healing, adventure, and unforgettable friendships are the central focus of this installment. But my favorite aspect was the depth of Norse Mythology portrayed throughout. Goblin King dives deep. Yggdrasil, the tree of life, is the main focus as readers are taken on a journey through the realms of the gods. This installment is centered more around adventure and saving the world, instead of romance. However, Janneke and Soren’s relationship is tested. It also didn’t feel as poetic as the first book, and moved a bit slower in the beginning. For example, in the first book, I highlighted line after line of great text. This one, I didn’t find myself highlighting much.In terms of internal conflict, Janneke is forced to work with Lyndian, the goblin who ruined her life. This is a struggle through which we see her grow. No one should ever have to face someone like Lydian, but Janneke puts aside her pain. She does what needs to be done to save the world. This shows a level of mature growth. Soren, too, faces his own struggles. I liked that we saw him forced into a more difficult position this time around. His character was truly tested.And of course, I have to mention Rose and Seppo. I loved those two. They were sort of the comic relief, because Seppo’s sense of humor and sarcasm. But they added a great dynamic to the story. Aside from Janneke and Soren, they were my other two favorite characters.While I read White Stag in two sittings, this one took about a week. I really didn’t enjoy it as much as the first. Maybe that’s the romantic in me. When there’s a heavy romance storyline, I find myself devouring. This one was much slower. But it also didn’t have as much suspense. IMO, the one thing it really had going for it was the rich portrayal of the Norse mythology.If you’re a Norse mythology lover, this one is for you! Since I already own the hardcover of White Stag, I’m going to go ahead and purchase the hardcover of Goblin King, even though I didn’t enjoy it as much as I’d hoped. The story does leave off in a way that suggested a definite third book. Will I read it? Probably, since I’m invested. MY RATING:3/5⭐️

"Sometimes the strongest thing we do all day is wake up and get out of bed and continue living and figuring out new ways to do the things we once did."I am torn on my feelings towards this sequel. I was absorbed with The White Stag; the depth of emotions, the twisting paths, this unique world with themes that were needed to have. I wanted to love this as much as I did with the first.I wonder if it is partially because the ending of The White Stag was a little too happy and tied up too many loose ends Although a new "villain" is introduced, Janneke's biggest enemy is still her past. Her relationship, and the relationships with all the goblins, felt even more forced with sarcasm coating everything even though the goblins are supposed to lack the ability. In The Goblin King, we had to create the conflict again and, although I loved the idea of Norse mythology tie-ins, it felt odd in the Permafrost. There was little to no information or storytelling with respect to the Erlking and the Stag which I was really looking forward to.I did start enjoying the storyline again in the last ten chapters but it was painstaking to get there and made me feel more incomplete than excited for the next book in the series. I think the most shocking part of reading this installment was that I actually started to appreciate and enjoy Lydian's character so much more. And with the abusive relationship that existed in Janneke's past, I was a little upset that Barberi began to "humanize" him.Will I pick up the third book? Absolutely. I am a completist and I still really want to enjoy this series, but I wouldn't rush for this new release unless you are prepared to be disappointed.***I received this eARC from NetGalley & Wednesday Books in exchange for an honest review.***

I thought I was ordering, I later learned, the brilliant Goblin Emperor, by Katherine Addison. The Goblin King might appeal to those who like the emotional tone of a romance novel. I found it unconvincing. The writing is flawed by occasional mistakes in grammar and usage. If you want it, I’ll gladly send you my copy. Only the first 60 pages or so have been read.