Goblin King

Now that the hunt for the stag is resolved, Soren is the Erlking – the king of the goblins – and Janneke is his stag. But Janneke is still haunted by Lydian, Soren’s uncle who kidnapped her from the lands of the humans and tortured and abused her before giving her to Soren as a thrall. Lydian is now dead, but Janneke still hears him taunting her asking about some serpent eating his tail. Well, it finally comes out that Lydian was cursed with knowing everything that would happen, and that one of those things was that Soren and Janneke would set off Ragnarok – the end of the world. Unless they can figure out a way to stop it. From Hel, Lydian has been trying to goad them into doing just that.

Reluctantly, they set out on a quest to stop Ragnarok, taking with them only a very small number of their closest friends and allies. But the first thing they must do is journey to Hel to temporarily free Lydian to guide them.

A lot of the book seems to be them journeying over the landscape of Hel and Niflheim. They encounter dangerous situations and dangerous and gross monsters. All of them are injured in some way. But the most important parts of the journey they make are the mental and emotional parts.

I don’t recall that there was a realm called ‘the Permafrost’ in such collections of Norse Mythology as I have read. But with this book, Kara Barbieri has placed her Permafrost – the home of the goblins - firmly among the realms of the Norse Gods.

There was little in the previous book of the series, The White Stag, to indicate that we might be among the legends of the north – unless it might be the brief encounter with the giant goddess Skadi that Soren and Janneke had during their hunt for the stag. Of course, the always cold and barren lands of the Permafrost lend themselves well to the mythology of the north countries.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for a review copy of this book.

I love when a sequel pulls you right back into a world and let's you fall in love all over again.

This is definitely a series I'll keep on my mind for ages to come

Every bit as masterfully written as WHITE STAG, Kara Barbieri’s GOBLIN KING feels like more than the continuation of a fabulous tale, but the beginning of a new chapter in the lives of these amazing characters!
As Janneke discovers that reining in the power she possesses is seemingly beyond her grasp. Is there a reason she is caught in limbo? Her world is dying and her tormentor may hold the key to saving it and unlocking her powers, but isn’t he dead? Janneke must play roulette with the wheel of life, her own happiness in the balance, is she worthy of the spirit of the Stag? Must she confront Lydian and trust him to help her from beyond the veil? Will it cost her everything she holds dear?

Razor-taut, filled to the brim with a world of fantasy-come-to-life, GOBLIN KING is an action-packed tale of turmoil, trust and taking chances when it is difficult to believe in oneself.

Written with passion, Kara Barbieri has clearly poured her love of her craft, her characters and her world into another spellbinding addition to the series! Original, intense and completely engaging!

I received a complimentary ARC edition from Wednesday Books! This is my honest and voluntary review.

This was an amazing sequel to White Stag! This series is quickly becoming one of my favorites, combining Norse mythology and a fae-like court, and plenty of humor and sarcasm.
Janneke is one of the strongest main characters I’ve encountered; she’s been through unimaginable horrors at the hands of Lydian, but despite her physical and mental scars, she perseveres and fights through impossible odds.
She and Soren are unstoppable together, and their relationship is based on trust and communication, which I really appreciated. Soren himself is honestly adorable, despite being the the most powerful goblin in the Permafrost.
The other characters, Diaval, Seppo, and Rose, were all so real and entertaining, Seppo in particular. I didn’t really like Lydian playing a larger role in this book, but I like what happened with his character, as well as how Janneke draws strength from overcoming what he did to her.
Norse mythology plays an even larger role in this book than the previous, as Janneke and her friends fight to stop the end of the world. I really liked the mythological aspects, as some were familiar to me and some were new.
I love these characters and this world so much, and I can’t wait for the next book! 4.5/5 stars

Goblin King by Kara Barbieri is the 2nd book in the Permafrost series. Goblin King picks up about a year after White Stag ends when Soren becomes the new goblin king and Janneke has become the mythical creature known as "The Stag".
Janneke is still trying to learn about the powers she has inherited from the former Stag as well as still deal with being tormented by the shade of Sorens Uncle Lydian. When it is revealed that Soren and Janneke will be the ones to bring about the end of the world they must go on a quest to retrieve Lydian's soul for assistance and try to stop the end of the world from getting a chance to start.
I really enjoyed this book and I had no idea it was about to come out so I was super excited to get a hold of a copy to read and review.
I think the only issue I had with the story is that ended too quickly! I really didn't think I had read through that much and suddenly the story was over with. Needless to say, that's a personal issue and certainly nothing wrong with the story. I was just greedy and wanted more!
I really enjoyed the development of both Soren and Janneke and the group of friends that accompanied them on their quest and I certainly am looking forward to the last book in the series.