GOBLIN by Josh Malerman is a novel in 6 parts, where 6 interconnected novellas come together to showcase the town of Goblin in all of its weirdo glory. Each of the stories feature different characters and storylines, and each one gives dimension and body to this strange town that by the end, you’re almost convinced that Goblin is a real place. And certainly one I’d like to visit.

Overall each story is fantastic, but I particularly liked A Man in Slices, where a character sends his girlfriend various body parts as a measure of his love (at her request, of course! Because clearly body parts are better than flowers.), and A Mix Up at the Zoo, where a man works at both the zoo and the slaughterhouse and, well, um, mistakes, uh, happen.

Bottom line — Malerman has quickly become one of my favorites for strange fiction and weirdo horror, and GOBLIN delivered on both accounts. This is a perfect quick read that gives you all the chills and thrills in 6 small doses. 5 stars.

*eARC received courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher.

Welcome to Goblin, a town with a tumultuous inception, a terrifying forest filled with giant, red-eyed owls, an unsettling police force that creeps everyone out, and monstrous topiaries reminiscent of The Shining. It is filled with a cast of unique characters that have a slew of stories to tell and it’s almost voyeuristic the way in which we watch their lives play out on the pages. Fans of Stranger Things will embrace the overall feeling of nostalgia and community, while those who grew up watching The Twilight Zone will revel in the short stories, the deeper undercurrents of thought and moral underpinnings, the overall quirkiness, and questionable denouements. Six stories that are markedly different are brought together and find common ground in this unassuming town with the anomalous name.

An advanced copy of this book was sent to me by the publisher. The opinions are my own.

This is a re-release of Goblin.

There are six stories in total all taking place on a rainy day in the town of Goblin. The prologue started the book off strong and the artwork reminded me of Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark. It was almost whimsical in a way. “A Man in Slices” is probably my favorite from the bunch, but the prologue and epilogue were really good...sometimes I was confused by what happened but the atmosphere was great. I will probably read this again to try to connect all of the stories. I recommend reading it on a rainy night. It will add to the experience.

Special thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for sharing this ARC with me in exchange for my honest review.

I'm a big fan of horror short stories, and I really enjoyed this collection from Josh Malerman. The creepy little town of Goblin has a dark history, people that are hiding some big secrets and a super creepy police department that you don't want to tangle with. This town has my full attention, and now I want to know more. I liked the variety to the stories - some were solidly and profoundly frightening, others leaned more toward dark humor and one was very sad. I thought the stories were well done - each was short and Malerman wasted no time introducing characters and getting into the plot of each one. They were each subtly tied together by the history of the town and the overlapping social circles of some of the residents. I was satisfied with the ending and how the loose ends were addressed. I would love to see this as a gothic anthology series where each episode told one of the stories of this dark and creepy little town. The cover of this book is absolutely gorgeous.
Thank you to @netgalley and @randomhouse for providing me with this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Every small town has its ways indeed- like everyone in Goblin gets buried standing up. There's a witch that lives in the woods that wants to tell you a story. The police force seems...not quite right and they never talk off their shades. Never mind that the main draw is a hedge maze that's never been solved and it rains more there than anywhere else. There is nothing normal about Goblin.

This novel consists of six novellas that follow citizens of the town and their individual stories. There's not much cross-over, but the details about the town you learn in one story might add context to something in the next. What I loved is the balance between the story being told and the history of the town; it never felt like the current tale was put on hold for an info dump and every piece of the puzzle just made things more interesting.

Malerman takes full advantage of the novel's format- all six novellas (and the framing story) have their own distinct tones. Since we get to follow each protagonist for 40+ pages, it's very cool see the town and its, uh...oddities through the eyes of children, delivery drivers, people just scraping by, and people who want for nothing.

Of course there's small town horror here, but each story finds a way to freak you out in a different way. From predators to ghosts, from magic to mental illness- it's all here. There's some truly creepy passages spread throughout and I found that the feeling I felt most was dread. The rules work so differently in Goblin that it's not always easy to spot who or what you should be frightened of, and that felt very fresh to me. I don't know that I've experienced that in anything I've read lately.

My only wish is that we got to glimpse the fallout of these stories. Some pretty major things happen to the town and its inhabitants- things I'd like to know more about. The stories mostly just end and we don't get a lot of closure. That said, what we do get is great and I totally recommend reading this. It's the first book by Josh Malerman I've read and I will be checking out more of his work for sure.

If you're looking to get out of town for the weekend, take a trip to Goblin! Can you find your way out of the hedge maze? Maybe visit the local magic shop and learn to impress your friends. Admire the many topiaries spread throughout the city, or spend the afternoon at the zoo. There's a ton to do! Just remember- dress for rain and don't get pulled over. Trust me.

This was a collection of short stories all set in the fictional (and creepy) town of Goblin. And it was eerie and spooky and basically everything you would expect from a Josh Malerman read.

This is filled with intensely creepy writing that totally amps up in each individual story. I have to say that the story that takes up the introduction and the epilogue is my favorite, followed by the first part of the book, titled A Man In Slices. I mean all of the stories in this book are great, but those two brought the most out in me by way of all out creep-factor.

The town of Goblin is definitely a major character itself in this book. And, with most of these stories leaning heavily on native culture and their displeasure with the way that white men had taken their land and their lives, I found that I certainly wasn't expecting it, but definitely enjoyed the aspect. It brought an originality to the book.

Malerman is a true storyteller. I have enjoyed his previous work, I enjoyed this, and I will most likely enjoy his work to come.

Goblin is a place you won't soon forget. The story is told through six novellas and a prologue and epilogue that ties them together. Everything happens in one night and every character is somehow related. Unlike a lot of short stories or novellas, where each story stands alone, nothing in Goblin is not connected.
The residents are all shall we say unique. I mean this is a town where the dead are buried standing up, and if that isn't enough to make you wonder what the heck is going on in Goblin, I am not sure what will. I felt the same way I feel about Castle Rock, Maine, Goblin is not I place where I would want my car to break down!
I find myself challenged to review each novella without veering into spoiler territory. The best thing I can say is that if you like creepy atmospheric towns, you have chosen the right book. Everything fits together in the end, and if I had to choose my favorite, it would be Presto because I am a sucker for a bit of dark magic.
My favorite Josh Malerman book is still Bird Box, but I did enjoy this weird collection of tales, though I wasn't sad to leave Goblin and its sinister inhabitants behind. 3.5 stars.

Goblin is described as a novel in six novellas. I’d describe it as six loosely connected novellas – the primary connection being the town of Goblin.

I was intrigued by the town and I think I’d like an actual novel set there, but after reading these novellas, I can only describe it as a town where odd things happen and odder people live. But that’s as deep as it gets and I feel like there’s so much more story there.

The novellas themselves are uneven. My favorites were Presto – a very dark dale of even darker magic, A Mix-up At The Zoo – which broke my heart, and A Man in Slices – which was predictable, yet exciting.

The others? Not so much.

I still like the author’s work in general and there are hints here of what makes his work sometimes iconic.

This one, however, just didn’t quite satisfy.

*ARC provided via Net Galley

Okay, I’m throwing in the towel. I’m not finishing. This is the 3rd Josh Malerman release in a row that just hasn’t worked for me, and I guess I’m done with him. These stories aren’t actively terrible—they’re just not clicking with me. I’m finding the town of Goblin not to be sketched out or developed really at all, and the characters that populate the stories I‘ve read thus far just aren’t interesting. This feels like the Creed or Daughtry of horror: pleasant, unchallenging, non-threatening to white folks. Ha!

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC, of course. I’m sure this collection will work for some other readers. It just wasn’t my bag.

Goblin: A Novel in Six Novellas by Josh Malerman sounded like it was going to be right up my alley, but it never quite worked for me. Based on the description, I was expecting the town of Goblin was going to be something like Stephen King's Derry or Castle Rock, Maine, so maybe my expectations were much too high. Either way though I was never sucked in by the town and it never took on a life of its own. On a similar note, the inhabitants never had me coming back for more with each story either. Overall, I liked Malerman's Bird Box, but the novellas of Goblin just never quite fulfilled all of their potential.

Yesssssssssss FINALLY a collection of short horror stories that lived up to my expectations! I have been reading mysteries/horror and short stories in these genres almost my entire life...as a kid I devoured my mom's Ellery Queen magazines and I truly cut my teeth in the (adult) horror genre by reading a lot of Stephen King.

Goblin actually reminded me quite a bit of Stephen King's short story collection Night Shift, which is definitely my favorite of his. Goblin is unique in that each short story is about the town of Goblin and its citizens. Each story is very different from the last, contains creepy moments, interesting psychological meditations, and a dark, dark vibe.

I would love to see a Goblin Part 2 with more stories about this weird little town! Truly entertaining and enjoyable.

Have you ever wondered how urban legends begin? How town traditions get their start? Welcome to Goblin, where both the odd and the normal aspects of small-town living intersect. Where local legends of the past meet up with town notables of modern day. Where the rain never ends, and locals take pride in their shrubbery statues.

In Josh Malerman’s newest novel, six intersecting novellas usher us into the world of Goblin, where nothing is quite as it seems.

In our prologue we meet Tom, a delivery driver. Tom is tasked to deliver a large crate to Goblin, but certain conditions must be met. Right off the bat, something does not feel right about this trip to Goblin.

A Man in Slices- Richard’s life-long best friend Charles asks for his help in securing the affections of his girlfriend who wants “a legendary love,” better than that of Vincent VanGogh’s, and with bigger sacrifices.

Kamp- Kamp is terrified of ghosts. He is terrified of being terrified. He is so convinced that he will see a ghost, that he has rigged his home in every conceivable way to trap a ghost before the ghost can scare him first. Will he catch his ghost or scare himself in the process?

Happy Birthday, Hunter- A wealthy and renowned big game hunter celebrates his birthday with a meat-themed party. What does the hunter who has caught everything want for his birthday? One of Goblin’s famed but protected Great Owls. And he will set out to obtain one—at any cost.

Presto- In the pages of Presto magic magazine, a young boy learns that his favorite magician, Roman Emperor, is giving a one-night only performance in Goblin. Unbeknownst to the boy, the magician’s tricks are real—and he needs a volunteer for his final act.

A Mix Up at the Zoo- Dirk Rogers is a beloved fixture at the Goblin Zoo by day and works at the Goblin Slaughterhouse by night. The workload of two jobs is getting to him and something must give. He needs to decide how to lessen the stress of having two jobs before he breaks down and a tragic accident occurs.

The Hedges- A precocious young girl solves the legendary Goblin tourist attraction, The Hedges. The secret the owner hid at the end of the maze is one of the biggest mysteries of Goblin. The secret will lead the Goblin Police on a wild chase after the maze owner into the forbidden North Woods where nothing is as it seems.

We meet delivery driver Tom again in the epilogue, trying to deliver the crate to its intended recipient. Neither Tom, nor the crate’s recipient, and Goblin for that matter, are prepared for what is inside.

While I genuinely enjoyed this book, I am left with questions that did not get answered, which was a bit disappointing to me. I am also still unsure how I feel about the ending of the book. To me, it feels like there is more story that could be told, but maybe it is best left up to the reader’s own imagination to decide what is to occur in Goblin next.

For me, Goblin was an enjoyable read, and will be enjoyable as a re-read in the future. There was something in the novellas in every range of emotion—humor, chills, anger, and sadness. Malerman did an excellent job of connecting all the stories in the novel without making it feel forced or contrived. There are still so many mysteries and secrets out there in the Goblin rain, should Malerman decide to take us back for another visit someday and I hope that he will.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House-Ballentine for providing me with an e-ARC of this novel for my review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I was approved to receive an e-Galley ARC of Goblin: A Novel in Six Novellas, authored by Josh Malerman, illustrations by Glenn Chadbourne, from NetGalley and the publisher Del Rey for review consideration. What follows below is my honest review, freely given.

I rated this novel 5 stars. My favorite Malerman to date! Absolute giddiness when I was approved to review early, the name, the cover art; everything about this screamed perfect story. I was not disappointed. Even the forward, written by James A. Moore, moved me. He is the author of one my favorite under the radar trilogies, the Serenity Falls Series and I loved seeing his thoughts on reading Goblin.

PROLOGUE: WELCOME
Our introduction to Goblin really begins with a delivery man’s warmly recalled memory spoken to his boss when handed his last minute delivery. To me it spoke of a town that could do much, be much; and people would not necessarily feel aversion to the town, even if it was in their best interests.

A MAN IN SLICES
Each novella is more than its story, or the novel that it builds with the other five; beginning here we are given these tantalizing snippets of Goblin, whether modern day or flashes of its history. So we can be forgiven if, while our heart is shuddering for Richard and Charles, our mind is wondering in what way the cops of Goblin move like the dead.

KAMP
Here we given a satisfying dive into the founding of Goblin, from a history teacher with the town in his bones (I love this idiom!), fighting to keep his own fears at bay with a glass of wine and stories at a kind neighbors table.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, HUNTER!
What could be more innocent than a birthday party of bacchanalian and carnivorous delight? But the birthday boy wants a forbidden gift, one last trophy; he is willing to go into the North Woods to find it, and more. At in the corners, the shadows, more odd facts emerge to beguile us of Goblin’s proclivity to strangeness. I’m convinced his wife knew exactly what she was doing (baddest b*tch).

PRESTO
Magic and Goblin, not a match made in heaven—more like dark siblings, bonded together by secrets and pain. I wonder if Pete’s wildly waving hand is answered, and if so, will that be a kinder blessing than not?

A MIX-UP AT THE ZOO
Of all the novellas I think this gutted me the most; Goblin was merely the location of this tragedy, not the cause. I think. But it is a twisted and haunting tale to match its brother and sisters all the same.

THE HEDGES
Some answers give way to more questions, and when it comes to Goblin there will never be complete satisfaction. But out of the mouth of babes will lead us on a merry little chase; such wicked fun to be had, the police will keep us safe.

EPILOGUE: MAKE YOURSELF AT HOME
It’s time for the delivery! I really can’t say anything more, but know that only a Gobliner can partake of the contents. You would be left out in the cold. Sad face.

GOBLIN is amazing! Billed as "A novel in six novellas," it actually has eight conjoined segments. Plus the six novellas, there is a nightmarish,  follow-you-to-the-ends-of-the-earth Prologue [I adored it!] and an Epilogue. Everything is centered on the strangest little town you have ever imagined.  [Yes, Virginia: stranger even than Lovecraft's fishy Innnsmouth, Massachusetts.] Goblin,  Michigan: it should be a routine small Upper Midwestern town. Well, forget that idea.

If you've read ANYTHING by Josh Malerman, you KNOW not to EXPECT,  because Mr. Malerman will turn you upside down, inside out, forward to back and back to front; every which way but loose. (He has that in common with Stephen Graham Jones and John Connolly. ) I can't tell you what to expect of GOBLIN; I actually believe what each reader receives will be different,  individual,  to that reader. For me, it has been especially "Prologue: Welcome, " "A Man in Slices," [should NOT have read prior to sleep], "Happy Birthday, Hunter!" [Recall the arrogant American dentist--Big Game Hunter who prided himself on shooting the aged iconic African lion as a Trophy? Hmmmhmmm. Read on.], "The Hedges, "
and "Epilogue: Make Yourself At Home. "

I feel terrible giving a two-star rating, but what the heck is up with this book?

I admit, unlike most of my fellow horror aficionados, I wasn't blow away by Bird Box. In fact, I had zero interest in reading Malorie, if that tells you anything. But still, horror novels draw me in, and I couldn't resist Goblin: A Novel in Six Novellas when it was offered to me by the publisher.

Josh Malerman started strong. The prologue was creepy, the writing was great...I was in it. I quickly realized each novella was set in the town of Goblin, but introduced different characters and their bizarre stories...mostly focused on one very rainy night. It was a cool concept and I knew it had the potential to be brilliant.

Unfortunately, it wasn't.

Major plot holes (view spoiler) and nonsensical story endings pushed me right out of this book. By the fifth and sixth stories, I was pretty much over Goblin and her inhabitants. I had to force myself to finish. And remember the creepy prologue I mentioned? The book circled back around and ended with the conclusion to that story, but I'll be damned if I understood what happened. As I was reading, I was all, 'huh?'

Seriously, this could have been a stunning piece of literature, had he found a way to tie everything together and present us with some crazy, mind-blowing conclusion. That didn't happen.

This wasn't a winner for me, and I won't be recommending it.

The re-released GOBLIN will be available May 18, 2021

My sincere thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for my review copy.

I received this free e-copy in exchange for a review. I've read 3 Malerman books now. I own a few more. I'll read another before I make a declaration, but he may be becoming a favorite. I can't do compilations, short stories, or anthologies. I start them, but never finish. I finished this one! The only other one I finished were from "The Witcher" series. I think it was easier because they were from the same setting or same character. This book follows the same theme with a small creepy town as the focal point. I enjoyed all the stories. I only skimmed through the end of the zoo story. All the rest, the truck driver, the magician, the trophy collector, were very engaging. I especially loved how it picked back up with the original story at the end. Each story taught you more of Goblin's history, as a slow build. I loved the atmosphere and would love to check out this spooky town! You know it's a great collection if I finished it.

I'm going to offer what is probably an unpopular opinion of this book: it was just OK.

Now, I love Malerman. 'Unbury Carol' was the first of his books that I ever read and I was fascinated with the originality and creepyness of that story. Of course 'Bird Box' is great. I read Malerman's 'Inspection' and Stephen King's 'The Institute', two similar stories, almost back to back in 2019 and much preferred Malerman over King. So I know he's a great writer. I don't dispute that at all.

This book was just...meh.

The book includes six short stories (they're called novellas but personally I'd just classify them as longish short stories), plus a prologue and epilogue. All stories set in this fictional town of Goblin - what a name!

The prologue is an excellent hook to make you want to know more about this town. It ends on a cliffhanger and I spent the rest of the book hoping the epilogue would finish that story up. And then...

"A Man in Slices" is a great opening story. It's macabre and gross and sort of enjoyably cringey horror.

"Kamp" is where things begin to go downhill. One night in the apartment of man who is scared of being scared to death. The story was so repetitive it became boring fast.

"Happy Birthday, Hunter" continues the trend of repetition. A big game hunter gets drunk and goes for the biggest kill of all on his 60th birthday. But it was so monotonous. I think perhaps Malerman was really trying to convey to atmosphere of the birthday party but I was bored by the time we actually got to the action.

"Presto" is the story of a magician dealing in 'dirty magic' and is a decent story that's maybe just a little too long.

"A Mix-Up in the Zoo" shows the stories start to pick up again, although, once more, too much repetition of mundane details before we get to anything interesting. The first half of the story could have been condensed into a page or two and then the second half was creepy and disturbing. If only.

"The Hedges" is the last official story in the collection and it's back up to being excellent. A man stricken by grief has built a hedge labyrinth and hidden something dangerous at its center. For years no one could solve the maze but finally one little girl does and all sorts of bad things happen.

Then the epilogue comes around, which I had been looking forward to through the whole book, and it was...anticlimactic. That thing in the box you've been wondering about ever since the prologue...not really explained.

And that's the problem with a lot of this book. Not enough is explained. Lots of allusions to creepy things in this town with no explanation. There's a witch in the woods but we know next to nothing about her. The town policeman are possibly the creepiest thing of all but we get no real explanation of what they are or how they came to be. The key to the city holds some kind of power but its only talked about in the vaguest of terms.

I love Malerman. He's a brilliant writer. This book was just not his best. And it makes me sad to have to say that, but there it is.

“Incredible how bringing up the ghosts of Goblin make me forget my own.”

Welcome to the magic of Goblin, the city that is always crying. Where the dead are buried standing up. Where a witch lives in the North Woods. Where the Great Owl exists. Where women outsmart men. Where history is awakened! Told in a series of six novellas, Goblin’s inhabitants have strange obsessions that lead them all down wicked paths. Focused on the city’s historical Original 60 settlers, Gobliners attempt to figure out the secrets behind their creepy desires.

When I first read Josh Malerman’s Bird Box, I was glued to the pages, instantly recognizing that this was an author to watch. Unfortunately, I was let down by his subsequent books. They simply didn’t have the magic of Bird Box. Therefore, I hesitated to request Goblin, as I was nervous that it would be more of the same. However, the absolutely gorgeous cover lured me into this fictional place. Goblin is written as a wicked nod to Alice in Wonderland. While I enjoyed most of the novellas (Man in Pieces, Kamp, Happy Birthday, Hunter! and the Hedges) a few dragged on a bit too much with repetition (Presto and Mix-Up at the Zoo). However, Malerman does a fabulous job of connecting the stories together in the end. It reads as a cohesive book, the ghosts of Goblin reappearing to teach the characters dangerous lessons. The beautiful artwork that accompanied each story was also a pleasant surprise. If you want to lose yourself in a strange new land filled with danger and intrigue, Goblin will trap you in its hold and not let go until the final page. Beware!

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing-Ballantine for the ARC of Goblin in exchange for an honest review.

4/5 stars

Thank you Netgalley for this book!

I love Josh Malerman. I’ve read everything I can get my hands on: Bird Box, Malorie, Inspection, Unbury Carol, A House at the Bottom of the Lake, and Black Mad Wheel. So when I was approved for this one, I was so excited. He’s an author who I read, no matter what. I had no idea what this book was about, didn’t care, didn’t matter. Just was going to read it anyway because it was his. This book is a really fun, twisty one. Six stories are set in the town of Goblin, and all intertwine a bit in plot, characters, etc.

From Goodreads: A MAN IN SLICES: A young man wants to prove to his long-distance girlfriend that they have “legendary love,” better than Vincent van Gogh, so he sends her more body parts than just his ear in the mail.

KAMP: A man so horrified of encountering a ghost that he sets up a series of “ghost traps” all over his apartment, desperate to catch one before it can sneak up on him.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, HUNTER! Big game hunter Neal Nash leaves his own meat-themed birthday bash to go hunting for Goblin’s hallowed (and protected) Great Owl. But the North Woods are unkind at night.

PRESTO: In the pages of Presto magazine, a young boy reads that his favorite magician, Roman Emperor, is coming to town. Problem is, Pete doesn’t know that Emperor’s magic is real, and his latest trick involves audience participation… a little boy volunteer.

A MIX-UP AT THE ZOO: Dirk Rogers works at both the Goblin Slaughterhouse and the Goblin Zoo, but the workload is really getting to him. Will he be able to separate the two jobs on the night he finally breaks down, or will the slaughterhouse and the zoo overlap in his cracked, dark mind?

THE HEDGES: A young girl finally reaches the end of Goblin’s biggest tourist attraction, The Hedges. But what she finds there sparks a mad chase between the owner of the Hedges and the Goblin Police, through the streets of the rainy city and into the terrible North Woods.

Wow! These stories are just so creepy. All are interesting, full of rich characters, and will leave you with chills. I’m usually not a novella/short story reader, but these were great, and I enjoyed them all. Malerman has knocked another one out of the park for me.

*Thank you to Netgalley and to Ballentine Del Rey publishing for the advanced reader's copy of this book*

4.5 stars! This was really creepy, the stories were the perfect length, tied together nicely, and were fun to pick up and read. A Man in Slices was horrifying and had me going WTF the entire time, in the best way. Happy Birthday Hunter was one of my favorites, the ending to me was perfect. A Mix Up at the Zoo and Kamp freaked me out, with the weird dreams and perceived ghosts. This is my new favorite by Malerman, a short story collection is, in my opinion, harder to get right than a novel, and this one was very fun.