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Goblin

Josh Malerman

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5 stars
862 (15%)
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1,739 (30%)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,118 reviews
Profile Image for Nilufer Ozmekik.
Nilufer Ozmekik
2,883 reviews56.6k followers
September 29, 2021
I’m addicted to Mr. Malerman’s riveting, twisty, extraordinarily creative, shocking writing style and his impressively well developed characters! Now I had a chance to read his stories which consisted of 6 creepy, unputdownable, dark stories and also novellas connected with each other!

And the prologue of the story about delivery guy who’s carrying something terrifying which freezes our blood was one of the best opening and hooked me up immediately. I’m so pleased to find out the book ended where all the madness has started!

The stories are truly rich with weird characters and weirder facts about Goblin!

Let me summarize them quickly with a few sentences:
A man in slices: okay, first thing I gathered from this quirky, outstanding story is town’s rituals like burying its people standing up and it gets weirder when you decide proving your compassion to your loved one: because it means you totally play Van Gogh and you need to cut more than your ear to send her love to win her appreciation! Iykk! It’s getting more weirder each second: but this was truly great introduction to Goblin history and two men’s complex friendship! Charles Ridnour who forms this so intense relationship with the girl needs his friend’s to cut his own finger because he didn’t accomplish to cut his own!

And Kamp also introduces us another awkward character: Walter Kamp who scares shitless of ghosts, covering his own house with traps to catch them without being caught but he also traps himself in his own house.

Happy Birthday Hunter: is a story of accomplished hunter Neal Nash who is about to celebrate his 60th birthday but his obsession about getting the Great Owl finds himself at the North Woods alone to finish his business but it means he can also become a prey as he plans to hunt this special creature because woods can be more dangerous and the Owl is protected by the species of nature!

Presto is about a talented magician’s stopping by the town for his special performance but there’s something creepy about his show: Roman Emperor’s show can contain more dangerous elements you’d hardly imagine!

A Mix Up at the zoo: Dirk Roger has two occupations. One of them at the Goblin zoo and the other at the slaughterhouse but some unexpected mix up can make things more complicated and deadly!

The Hedges: When a smart woman finally solves the mystery of Hedges, it results with cat and mouse chase between owner of the Hedges and Goblin police which ends at the North Woods.

Overall: it was jittery, exciting, riveting bunch of stories help to cure your urgent horror story cravings earned my 4.5 stars rounding up 5 eerie, scary, mind hunting stars!

Special thanks to Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group/ Ballentine/ Del Rey for sharing this digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest opinions.
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megs_bookrack
2,032 reviews13.2k followers
February 13, 2025
Goblin, first published in 2017, was rereleased by Del Rey in 2021 with this stunning new cover. As soon as I set eyes upon it, I knew I had to have it.



It's giving me the colors, ambiance and haunted house vibes that I crave. It has to be incredible, right?

Unfortunately, for me, I never should have judged this book by the cover.



Goblin consists of six novellas, well summarized by the publisher in the book synopsis. It also begins with an interesting Intro and then pulls it all the way through with the Epilogue.

I love the idea behind this. Six separate stories, all set in one creepy town and even though they are separate, there are places, people and themes that keep coming up throughout. These were the aspects that I enjoyed the most.



I think Malerman did a great job of creating this place and the corresponding lore to go with it.

For me, what lost me was the writing of the individual stories. I was just bored. There's really no sugar-coating that. It felt overwritten for what I got out of each one. I just wanted it to end.



While I can appreciate why a lot of Readers enjoyed this one, it never hit for me. The first story was my least favorite and it ended up setting the tone for the rest of my read. I was completely turned off to it after that.

My favorite of the collection was The Hedges, which is the final story before the Epilogue and what I believe the cover is influenced by. Standing on its own, I would give that story 4-stars. It was engaging.



As always, I would encourage you to give this one a go for yourself if you think it sounds interesting. Please do not let my opinion sway you either way.

There's a Reader for every book and a book for every Reader. Unfortunately, this one just wasn't for me.



Thank you to the publisher, Del Rey, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I appreciate having the opportunity to share my opinion.
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Char
1,868 reviews1,786 followers
May 26, 2021
4.5/5 stars!

Creepy town policemen. Graveyards where all the clients are buried standing up. Rain nearly all day every day. This is the town of Goblin and why anyone would want to live there is beyond me.

This is a collection of novellas which all take place in the town of Goblin, except the opening piece where the driver is on his way to Goblin. Some of these tales overlap each other, but combined they come together to paint a picture of Goblin and its often awful history. I've listed the stories I liked the most but to be honest, I liked all of them

PRESTO tells the story of an up and coming magician and what he has to do to make a name for himself in the field of prestidigitation.

A MIX UP AT THE ZOO broke my damn heart. I've had dark days where I go about my business on autopilot. I've never done anything like this though.

THE HEDGES spoke to me because I was attracted to the young girl who was supremely confident at first, but slowly became uncomfortable and afraid.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY HUNTER spoke to me in a different way. In a way that made me want to hurt these characters physically. I really wanted to punch a couple of them right in their ugly faces. In this story a lot of Goblin's history is related and some of its secrets revealed.

Not all of secrets though! What is up with the creepy cops, Mr. Malerman? Why are these people, (Goblinites?), buried standing up? Do you have any intentions of making this right with your readers? Because I think you need to rectify this, stat! (Please.)

I deducted half a star because I thought these important questions would be answered. Sue me. ;)

*Thank you to the publisher and to NetGalley for the eARC of this fabulous book in exchange for my honest feedback. In case you couldn't tell, I loved it!*
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mark monday
1,827 reviews5,985 followers
February 29, 2020
Unhappy Halloween!

Well this was a crashing disappointment. I went mad for Bird Box and I fell in love with A House at the Bottom of a Lake, so hopes were high. But this turned out to be a horrific disappointment.

The town of Goblin never came alive. And that's supposed to be the whole draw of this book: 6 novellas that come together to form a novel about a place called Goblin. But Goblin itself is barely even there. There's a big scary woods next to it that is pretty generic, except for the giant owls. There is a lot of topiary, statues and a maze and the like. And apparently it rains all the time. But Malerman does not make this place real, he doesn't give it a history that fascinates, he doesn't make it a special place. These stories could have taken place anywhere. Such a lack of atmosphere for a series of linked tales set in one locale is a deadly flaw.

The characterization is... taxing. Much like the town itself, the residents of Goblin rarely come alive. There's just something so strained and off about the characters, like they are stuck at the idea phase and didn't make it to the page fully formed. There is an irritating lack of reality to their actions and a lot of the time I felt like Malerman was just table-setting or spinning wheels rather than actually building these characters into people that were real, that I could connect to, understand, be afraid for (or afraid of). And man oh man the dialogue from the little girl in the last story was abominable. I cringed.

The tales themselves felt like the worst sort of shaggy dog stories. Although they clock in at only around 50-60 pages each, they just felt so unnecessarily drawn out and often had these annoyingly predictable gotcha endings. They were a chore to read. I don't like chores!

I do like this author. Bird Box and Lake House were excellent: beautifully written and highly original; ambiguous and unsettling; emotionally resonant and challenging to the mind. Goblin is the opposite of all of that. Hopefully Malerman wrote this in some kind of daze that he has since snapped out of, as I want to see it as an outlier in his work. But I guess I will have to temper my expectations moving forward. Sigh!
Profile Image for LIsa Noell "Rocking the chutzpah!".
LIsa Noell "Rocking the chutzpah!"
730 reviews498 followers
February 8, 2022
My thanks to Random House/Ballentine books, Josh Malerman and Netgalley. I've nothing good to report here. I'm wishy washy when it comes to Mr. Malerman. I loved Bird Box, House in the Bottom of The Lake, and numerous short stories. I expected to love this. A very strange town. I saw reviews that compared it to Castle rock or Derry. That is usually a warning sign for me, but I decided to give this a go. I can't fault Josh on his characters. He does a fine job writing that. My problem is that he "in my opinion" truly sucks skunk spew on his endings! Good stories, but he can't hit the landing! I finally quit this at the 75% mark. I kept thinking that maybe he's saving the best for last! Maybe? I will eventually finish those last 2 stories, and if it gets better I'll update. My biggest questions are obviously not going to be answered. Why are these Goblin citizens buried standing up? I mean, really. That's just down right weird as all get out! Also, what's up with those Goblin town police? Give me some story into that, with a righteous freaking ending, and I'll get on board with that! For now? Boring and nonsensical endings aren't cutting it. Would I recommend this? Only if it's free.
Also, add to my fan club of Malerman books "Mallory." The spelling may be off, but the book was fantabulous!
But, "serious face now!" Goblin stunk! I don't even know. I've had better trips while I was high on acid!
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Montzalee Wittmann
5,043 reviews2,300 followers
March 7, 2021
This is for the new book in May 2021

Goblin
A Novel in Six Novellas
by Josh Malerman
Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine

Goblin is a peculiar town where the citizens are known to be even more peculiar than the town's name. They even bury their dead standing up! This book has six short stories about different citizens of this town. These are not horror stories like Freddie or something that will jump out at you in the dark. These are the type of horror stories that attack your mind. They nibble on your brain. They bring all the taboos, morbid ideas, silent fears, atrocities, built up anguish, and depravity they lurks deep in the soul of some, hearts of others, and minds of all. Most people never think of these dark things, but in Goblin it's a different story.

I found that the stories were intriguing. They had great characters and creative atmosphere. The plots were each unique and held a underlying taboo, fear, atrocities, or such that nibbled on the creep factor. That's what made these stories horrifying. The wickedness that was laid bare. The endings were abrupt but I believe that was intentional. The story made it's point. Now think. The stories stayed with me long after reading.

My favorite story was actually the welcome story! Wow! Terrific!
I want to thank the publisher and NetGalley for the chance to read this wonderful book!
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Debra
3,007 reviews36.1k followers
May 8, 2021
Goblin contains six novellas which all take place in the town of Goblin. With all story collections, there were ones I enjoyed more than others but what does it mean when I enjoy the prologue or introductory novella more than the rest? Collections are hard for me to rate for the simple reason that some stories shine while others were not that impressive. Thus, I gave it a three-star rating which means I enjoyed it.

If you read the synopsis, you are given a summary of the short stories. Each had a creepy and sinister vibe. I learned early on that Goblin is a strange town and the townspeople are even stranger. Just how strange? Read this collection of novellas to find out!

Besides having Goblin in common, each story ends without resolution. Just when things are getting good, *BAM* the novellas ends. I felt as if the rug was being pulled out from underneath me. If you are looking for closure, you will not get it here. I believe Malerman is leaving the endings up to the reader to imagine the outcome.

Interesting collection, and I really hated when the Prologue story ended. I really wished that story would have been the entire book. * hint hint* But then it would not be a collection of novellas but a novel. So, maybe one day he will expand on that story.

The novellas are original, creative dark, and have a tense feel. Fans of Malerman will enjoy this collection.

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group-Ballantine and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com

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Sadie Hartmann
Author 25 books6,829 followers
February 1, 2023
Josh Malerman’s newest book draws its title from the fictional, town in Michigan called, Goblin. Standing in the tradition of other odd spots on the map, Goblin is a weird, spooky place to live much like Castle Rock, Derry, Crystal Lake, Silent Hill, and Twin Peaks.

The book is comprised of six interconnected novellas that take place in Goblin. This collection of sorts could not be more perfectly timed. After the success of Bird Box and the Netflix adaptation starring Sandra Bullock, Malerman released a succession of full-length novels. Each book is an example of Malerman striking out into a new sub-genre of horror. Goblin, as a whole, showcases the full gamut of Malerman’s skill set as a writer.

The prologue introduces us to a greasy-haired character named Tom who is told he must make a fast delivery to Goblin. Tom knows of the town (even mentions Blackwater River which made this reader think of Michael McDowell) and is a little reluctant to make the trip but ultimately relents. His boss gives a cryptic farewell, “Make sure you follow the directions.”

The pages fly. Malerman is a seasoned storyteller and he knows what his fans show up for. Some of the tales are not quite as shiny as some of the others. But the first story “A MAN IN SLICES” sets the stage perfectly. A story about friendship, love, and sacrifice...of parts.
“KAMP” reminded me so much of one of my favorite episodes of Fairytale Theater, THE BOY WHO LEFT HOME TO FIND OUT ABOUT THE SHIVERS. Walter Kamp is a fearful, quirky man afraid of fear itself. The story transitions from a ghost story into folk horror in a manner of minutes.
“HAPPY BIRTHDAY HUNTER!” A man who is so obsessed with big game hunting his friends nicknamed him Hunter. It’s always so much fun to read about protagonists you love to hate. But actually didn’t fully understand the ending--but that’s okay, the journey getting there was entertaining.
“PRESTO” is the story of a magician and the difference between illusion and “that other magic”. This one was dark and relentless.
“A MIX UP AT THE ZOO” is what happens when co-workers switch jobs. One guy is tired of cleaning up after the crowds and the other one is tired of shoveling animal shit. The reader begins to question the sanity of the man called Dirk. Is he alright in the head or is something dark and sinister at work in the zoo?
“THE HEDGES” is my favorite story. One of Goblin’s infamous residents, Wayne Sherman designed a hedge maze lovingly called, The Hedges. Nobody has the stamina to solve the maze, something Wayne takes great pride in until one day-an unlikely person declares that the maze was easy.

After the stories, like a return trip home, readers come to the epilogue and everything comes full circle. I’m a fan.
Profile Image for Jon Recluse.
Jon Recluse
381 reviews295 followers
December 23, 2017
Malerman lives up to his reputation as a writer to watch with GOBLIN, a stunning novel of interconnected novellas that pays homage to Oxrun Station and Charles L. Grant's THE ORCHARD.
These six novellas explore the rainy town of Goblin, exploring it's dark history, it's haunted present and expertly weaves the psychological with the supernatural. Malerman beguiles us with the stories of some of this town's residents, and leaves the reader wanting more...particularly the secrets of Goblin's extremely creepy police department, who deserve a novel or two of their own.
Brilliant small town horror.

Highly recommended.
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Vicki Herbert
625 reviews130 followers
June 21, 2024
One Rainy Night in Goblin...

GOBLIN by Josh Malerman

No spoilers. 4 stars overall. This is a collection of six novellas similar to THE GULP by Alan Baxter and HIGHWAY 181 by DS Ullery. Each story is rated individually...

These stories are connected by their location in the small town of Goblin, where it rains frequently and heavily...

Where the police are feared by the citizens and look like cartoon characters. They are currently working the case of the stolen key to the city...

Another oddity is the dead, which are buried standing up in the municipal cemetery...

Goblin's fabled North Woods are said to be haunted by a witch. It is also the natural habitat of Goblin's Great Owl...

A popular tourist attraction is the famous topiary and hedge collection sculpted by local Gobkinite Wayne Sherman...

Our journey begins with an excellent Prologue about truck driver Tom, who is paid triple to deliver a mysterious box to Dean Crawford in Goblin at midnight, but... no peeking!...

Then the novellas begin...

A MAN IN SLICES: 4 stars
Richard and Charles have been friends since childhood. Charles is into mischief and drags Richard along with him until one night, after the boys have grown into young men, Charles confesses something to Richard and asks for his help. What would a friend do?...

KAMP: 3 stars.
Walter Kamp removed all of the walls in his apartment and sleeps on a plexiglass platform as a bed so he can see into every corner where something might hide...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, HUNTER: 5 stars.
A wealthy big game hunter is having a big bash to celebrate his 60th birthday, but he slips out with three close friends to bag his most coveted trophy, which lives in the forbidden North Woods...

PRESTO: 5 stars.
Magician Roman Emperor is the best magician in the world with illusions that no man has discovered his secret to. Roman and his assistant Maggie are into dirty magic...

A MIX-UP AT THE ZOO: 3 stars.
Dirk Rogers works two jobs: at the zoo and the slaughterhouse. One day, Dirk decides to quit one of his jobs...

THE HEDGES: 4 stars.
Wayne Sherman, the celebrated designer of Goblin's topiaries and hedges, lives in a little yellow house next to his masterpiece: a hedge maze that no one has solved until... a little girl buys a ticket and solves the puzzle of the mazes, discovering Wayne's secret hidden at the end... then she goes to the police...

The Epilogue: 5 Stars. Finds our truck driver Tom at his midnight destination and ready to deliver his box...

This was a unique and entertaining mosaic story collection. I loved the way each story was a part of the complete story of the weird little town of Goblin.

What I didn't like was the author's overuse of fluff and filler like that found in A MIX-UP AT THE ZOO, KAMP, and THE HEDGES. THE HEDGES was an excellent story except for all the filler.

Some readers may have an issue with the ending of the stories since most are left hanging.
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William III
Author 39 books595 followers
April 13, 2022
Seems like the author sat down with a big list of horror clichés and added as many as he could into these six "novellas" (they're actually short stories).
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JasonA
369 reviews61 followers
December 11, 2022
A very generous 3 stars.

Goblin is six novellas (plus a wraparound short story) that take place in the town of Goblin, MI and all culminate on the same, stormy night. Each story can be read as a stand-alone, but there is some overlapping details.

Most of the "novellas" were just bloated short stories with way too much extraneous detail. Some of it provided better insight into the characters, but most was just filler to add enough length to get beyond short story territory.

Despite the stretching, almost all of the stories felt like they ended five pages too soon. The wraparound, Welcome/Make Yourself at Home, and A Man in Slices were really the only two I felt had a satisfying conclusion. I'm sure it's not a coincidence that those are the best, and shortest, stories in the book. Hedges would be the next best in the collection; the ending worked alright, but it left so many unanswered questions that it wound up being a bit frustrating. It was also the only one that felt like a true novella. The rest of the stories were fairly forgettable and I'd have to look at the table of contents to even remind me what they were.

Overall, I thought the whole thing was just okay. Individually, all the stories fall into the 2-4 star range. None of them were truly great, but none were absolutely terrible.
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Rachelle
383 reviews97 followers
June 19, 2021
"He wondered if it had something to do with roots. The more roots you had, the more you had to dig up."

Goblin and its citizens will creep into your brain and take you on their chilling journey through a dark and stormy night like no other!
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Fiona Knight
1,382 reviews286 followers
May 22, 2021
Welcome to Goblin - town of rain, ghosts (maybe), an unsettling police presence, and 6 novellas to take you on a tour of it's various peculiarities.

I wavered hard between 2 and 3 stars on this one - there's some really good ideas here, and I'm even already fond of Josh Malerman's previous work (even if I am overdue to catch up on his backlog). While there's an inventively creepy backdrop, not many of these stories stuck the landing - there's a lot of just stopping, rather than truly ending, a little too much ambiguity and not enough decisiveness to take these stories to the level I felt they could have been.

In the end, I just don't know that Goblin will stick enough to get it the extra star. Maybe I'll be back to update this review in a couple of months - the best horror is the kind that won't let you forget it - but it might be that this was, in the end, a minor detour.
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Cody | CodysBookshelf
777 reviews297 followers
May 17, 2021
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.
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Shannara
553 reviews101 followers
June 12, 2021
Of course this is five stars!!!! But I had better think about it for a minute before I settle in on a review.

So it’s been like four or five days since I’ve finished reading this… I’m finally not (as) creeped out by flipping topiaries now… Seriously, Josh Malerman has a talent for the ultimate creep out factor.

As we start, the first story, I started to get chills already!!! I have a fairly high tolerance for these things, but dang, it pulls you in so quickly. Looking over your shoulder and wondering what’s going to happen next!! Great first story, and then you move quickly into the next one. But hold that thought because you’ll get back to that first story eventually…

Oh Walter… a story of paranoia or is it?! This was such an interesting read that I’m not sure how to even get into it. Just get in there with Walter and read this one until the next story. Don’t stop or else you may catch that paranoid feeling too!

So the next story is great because there’s this jerk, the one that most people love to hate and he’s got it all. As it goes on, things just get creepier and creepier. And let me tell you… you’re going to want to know how that one ends!!! One of my favorites!!

Then things really get going!!! Seriously, I had such a hard time stopping after this point. Presto was absolutely fabulous. I mean, it’s creepy just thinking of people getting buried standing up. Right?!?!

A mixup at the zoo is the story that follows and it’s sure to hollow out your heart.

Finally the hedges, which is just spectacular!!!! The cops though!!!!! Wtf!!??!!??? And also, NOOOOO!!! You’ll see when you get there. This one was still a fun one too. Chillingly good time.

Last, but really first, the prologue where we circle back around. It’s just absolutely stellar!!! Like I said, this whole book is awesome and I love every minute of it. I’m not really doing it justice here. Just read it because of its awesomeness.

Thanks so much to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for allowing me to read this book for my honest and unbiased opinion.

Check out this review and the pic I took of this book on my blog @ https://shannarareads.com/?p=511
Thanks!!
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Badseedgirl
1,438 reviews75 followers
April 5, 2023
Josh Malerman may be my 2021 new found discovery author. I read Bird Box prior to the movies release, which came out in 2018, but either I never posted that I read it here on Goodreads, or my review was "lost;" but anyway I (re) read and reviewed it here in 2021. I also read Malorie this year, which I enjoyed, but not as much as Bird Box. Turns out, my library has several of Josh Malerman's books, so I have been dipping my toes in his catalog. This is my favorite book of his so far!
This book consists of 6 short stories, and an intro/outro story. All the stories are about member (or former members) of the community of Goblin, a town I am very intrigued with. In Goblin, everyone is scared of the Goblin police. And there is definitely something sinister about them. The people are buried standing up. There is a hedge maze no one has been able to solve, and a forest that people are scared to walk in, inhabited by black owl, no one ever sees. Goblin has a bloody history.
There is so much meat in the book which could be made into a series of books, and I would read them. The six stories included in Goblin are all connected, not only in location, but with other small links which added immensely to my enjoyment.

Seriously Mr. Malerman, write another book about Goblin.
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Ross Jeffery
Author 29 books347 followers
January 11, 2022
A masterclass in atmospheric and small town horror - welcome to Goblin.

I love the use of the elements to elicit a reaction from my readers, Juniper was scorching heat, Tome was constant rain, my third book in my Juniper series will have plenty of... you’ll have to wait and see! The elements is an underused tool in my opinion, one that should be used more in fiction, it helps create the tone for a book and that’s what Malerman does here. He sets the tone.

Damn he sets it well.

Goblin rains from almost the first page to the very last, it smothers the reader - it drowns the reader and in doing so envelops us in a cold and chilling embrace that sends a few shivers down your spine.

But enough of that on with the review abs my many thoughts - I’ve tried to keep this as spoiler free as possible, so enjoy!

Prologue / Welcome

Tommy gets tasked with delivering something late at night to Goblin, his package is wrapped in secrecy and the person that’s paid for it to be delivered has a long list of stipulations that need to be adhered to. As Tommy sets off to a place he has connections with, he can’t help but think about his cargo and if what he’s doing is right or wrong and what the hells with all the crazy instructions. Does he look? Does he disobey they orders of delivery? It’s a great opening that ups the creep factor and there is one bit in this opening that had me like ‘shit, it’s going to be like that is it Malerman!’

A Man in Slices

Richard has a decision to make, a tough decision that’s summed up by this quote...

‘A priest isn’t guilty of the crimes confessed to him. And neither is a friend.’

Richard has been burdened by recent news from Charles, one of his only friends, his childhood friend whom he feels indebted to, as if it were Richard’s responsibility to care for him. It’s a friendship that was forged so long ago, back when they were children and Charles first showed up at his door. Charles has always been a little odd, a little strange, a little unhinged.

So, Malerman takes us back to their humble beginnings, to see all of what has lead to this moment unfold. How things have become what they are, to before the burden that hangs around Richard’s neck like a noose was disclosed and what he can do to rid himself of this confession.

I loved this opening novella - the way Malerman is able to introduce us not only to these characters but to an additional character Goblin itself - the town almost steals the show here and sets us up for this crazy little town and what awaits us as we press on!

Kamp

Walter Kamp is a scaredy-cat, his life has become full of fear and anxiety, his home a now resembles a prison and Kamp the only cell mate or is he?

Kamp is scared of ghosts but more importantly the act of being scared to death. This fear consumes him on this troubled night and it won’t release its grip.

Malerman does a superb job here at showing us the complexities of Kamp’s fears and anxieties, so much so that at points I felt tired for him, seeing his routines and precautions acted out time and time again, but his anxiety rising even more. It was utterly gripping and I feel that the whole story taking place over one night really helped to ramp up the tension of the piece.

The introduction by Malerman of Mrs. Doris midway through helped to flesh out the story and add more weight to the proceedings. The conversation and observations Doris makes also help to shed light albeit dimly on the proceedings and mental insecurities that Kamp has. These flood the story with the right power at just the right point.

Happy Birthday, Hunter!

Neal Nash might be the best hunter the world has ever seen, he’s the top dog in Goblin that’s for sure. As the townsfolk of Goblin (both the high and the lowly) meet at his house for his sixtieth birthday party it seems that Neal is consumed with the one that got away, the one trophy that’s evaded his grasp for so long.

You see there is a rule in Goblin that you don’t venture into the North Woods, it’s more of a rule it’s a law, one that the Goblin PD and the mayor are keen to keep intact. But Neal needs something from the forest, the last beast to complete his vast collection and to catapult him above all hunters Goblin has ever known. The Great Owl.

As the party continues Neal can’t shake his desire, his birthday wish as he blew out his candles of being the first Gobliner to bag a Great Owl - and so slipping away from the party, readying his hunting buddies - he sets out from his party on a hunting party. He’s going into those woods, but what will be awaiting him when he gets there.

I loved this story, but what I loved more is how this story in particular starts to knit together the various strands of the previous novellas, and quite possibly sets some groundwork for what is to come. I love how Malerman has his characters mention these small breadcrumbs in passing, referencing characters and places and other weird things that happen in the town - it all serves in showing us that this story is just a small cog in the larger machine that Malerman has created in Goblin. And each cog is working to further progress the longer narrative of this beguiling collection of novellas.

Presto

Malerman serves up a sprawling magical tale of misdirection and the dark arts to creat a truly spellbinding coming of age tale.

Pete a young boy who is obsessed with magic discovers that the great Roman Emperor is coming to Goblin. Roman isn’t your typical magician, there are no wires and illusions, there are no top hats and pulling rabbits out of a hat - he’s the real deal, his magic isn’t as cultured as those of his peers but it’s raw and exciting and everything that Pete loves so much.

The backstory to Roman Emperor is delivered masterfully by Malerman in flashback and helps to flesh out this enigma - showcasing why he’s the very best and why the magic circle (for want of a better word) are worried about this upstart who has risen from the ashes like an illusion himself.

Malerman in this novella also helps to flesh out more of Goblin, we again are treated to more rain, which comes into the story toward the final third, helping again to add the feeling and the emotions of the final act. The additional fleshing out of parts of Goblin helps to give the reader more of the place that has become our stomping ground, and adds in small pieces of the jigsaw that’s being assembled before our eyes - the only problem is we are still none the wiser to the image on the jigsaws box, what is Malerman conjuring behind these stories and where will it all end?

A Mix-Up At The Zoo

Dirk - he works at an abattoir (slaughter house and the zoo - he’s an oddball, someone that doesn’t fit in but also someone who feels that he has a higher calling in life, and when he starts working at the zoo people start to notice that Dirk is different, in the way he is, the way the public see him and in the way the animals react to this gentle giant.

It’s not my favourite novella, I felt it dipped in certain places as Malerman details Dirk’s decline into mental illness, but having said that there is still so much to enjoy and appreciate in Malerman’s storytelling and prose. The descent into madness is especially masterful and it reminded me of Taxi Driver and Travis Bickle - the slow burn that leads to a complete and utter madness was expertly out across.

The horror of this story is rampant and the dream sequences that are littered throughout send a chill or two down the spine - their so creepy one can’t help but be affected by them, it’s not just the Goblin rain that makes you feel cold to your marrow in this story!

The Hedges

Since the start of this book Malerman has been leaving us breadcrumbs, he’s been dropping little tidbits for us to savour and hanker for - and in The Hedges we get to feast on the banquet that he’s been preparing the whole time.

In this story we find out more about the mind behind the topiary that’s appeared in many if not all of the stories, we find out about The Hedges (which grace the cover in a hedge maze) we discover the mind behind it all - Wayne Sherman.

Wayne Sherman created the hedges to deal with grief, to do something to honour his late wife - in creating The Hedges - Sherman has written himself into the local lore of the town, he’s crafted something truly magnificent from the ashes of his life. But what resides at the end of the maze and what did the young girl Margot discover when she became the first person to traverse the maze and why is she going to the police?

What I loved about this story are all the small nods to other stories as we reach the stories conclusion - it’s as if Malerman is putting a bow on the top of this wondrous present of a book. I also loved that we get to discover more about the strange police force that operates in Goblin - they’ve been mentioned throughout and it was something I desperately wanted to know about, and in this story we find out exactly what goes on behind the uniform and the aviators.

This for me is the best story in the collection - but that might be because of all that came before, either way it’s bloody faultless in its execution and brilliance.

Epilogue: Make Yourself At Home

We jump back to Tommy and his special delivery to round off this novel of novella’s and what an ending - the epilogue is short, but what I’ll say is damn!!!

Malerman delivers one hell of a book, one I thoroughly enjoyed, the crafting of a town, townsfolk and local lore is something I love and when I started this I expected great things, and Malerman delivers with a masterful turn... Goblin is alive and as strange as it is, I want to visit!
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Chris
340 reviews74 followers
April 27, 2021
Goblin features six interconnected novellas along with an epilogue and prologue all taking place in the town of Goblin. Its residents are a little different, the police force seems otherworldly, it rains a lot, and you don't dare step into the North Woods.

Like all collections like this, some stories are a little better than others. A Man In Slices,l and A Mix-Up at the Zoo I felt were just ok (3 stars), The rest of the novellas I would rate at four or five stars. My favorite novellas were Presto and The Hedges. I would definitely recommend this to anyone who appreciates a creepy, atmospheric read.

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group-Ballentine, Del Rey, author Josh Malerman, and NetGalley for gifting me a digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
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inciminci
581 reviews289 followers
May 24, 2022
With its giant landmark topiaries, its creepy and creature-like police force, flesh eating giant owls, its history and the unusual way they bury their dead, Goblin is surely one of the most peculiar literary horror small towns. In these six interconnected short stories you can get an introduction and full-tour including creepy ending!
I personally wished the stories were a little harder, there was certainly potential for more horror in here but the stories never quite go there. Nevertheless I enjoyed them, especially the second story “Kamp”, which would make a great theater play on its own and I love writing like that.
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Бранимир Събев
Author 35 books200 followers
July 19, 2018
Не останах особено очарован от първия си досег с Малерман - до степен, че не знам кога ще ми е вторият, ако въобще го има. Книгата не е лоша, ама момчето е тръгнал с голямата кошница - да развие тайнствен град с все особеностите му и чудесиите, да накара читателя да е вътре, докато чете. Хубаво, ама това вече сме го виждали, правено по много по-добър начин. Понякога като тръгнеш с голямата кошница и тя вземе, че остане празна.

Авторът на моменти се отплесва в излишни описания и повторения на едни и същи събития, хора и случки. Не ми звучеше особено достоверно, не те прави напълно съпричастен с героите и проблемите им, да се идентифицираш с тях. Това му е един от сериозните проблеми - изградил е що-годе добър бекграунд като история и особености, но не е направил достатъчно добри герои като персонажи, които да обикалят в това място. Какво правят, какво целят, защо го правят, интересува ли те и т.н.

Втори проблем - такъв град не се побира в книга от 320 стр. Просто не е възможно, няма как да стане. Остават прекалено много податки, прекалено много разклонения, които са започнати, ала или не са разработени като хората, или просто си висят във въздуха. Обясни бе, брато - защо са там, как, откъде, каква е връзката им с цялото.

И, най-големия недостатък, който ме вбесяваше на моменти - не помня откога (и дали изобщо!) съм чел автор, който така да не си довършва произведенията. Буквално всеки разказ трябва да бъде дописан, къде повече, къде по-малко, че да се превърне в завършена творба. Е бива ли така? Все едно играя демо на компютърна игра.

Не знам, предполагам за фен, който не е чел кой знае колко хорър, това може да се стори добре, ама за такъв като мен, изчел ужаси и чудо и разполагащ със солидна база за сравнение относно други писатели, правещи нещо подобно, ала по много по-добър начин, не ме трогна особено. Силно се надявам да напише още нещо по същата тема, истории за същия град, повече и по-добри, ЗАВЪРШЕНИ, за да развие мястото както си му е реда.
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Sunny Lu
879 reviews5,850 followers
October 12, 2021
kinda mediocre white men don’t write great horror I think
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Paul Ataua
1,976 reviews236 followers
May 24, 2021
I was so impressed by ‘Birdbox’ and ‘A House at the Bottom of a Lake’ that Malerman became a go to read for me. ‘Malorie’ was OK even if a little disappointing, but Goblin really hit the bottom. This book of six novellas coming together in a novel was a tough read for me. I felt my eyes glaze over within ten or fifteen minutes of starting most of the stories, and I kept having to thumb back a few pages to regain my focus. I was convinced the fault was mine and it was just a case of me hitting a period of reader’s block, but having read through a lot of the reviews here, I realized I wasn’t alone.

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Denny
102 reviews10 followers
August 16, 2017
"He hadn't been thinking directly of ghosts but ghosts always hid in the one place with corners he could not remove. His mind."
I feel this is more of a novel than just short stories. And every one is a gem. No spoilers here. I only hope some other larger publisher does an edition so more people can get their hands on it!
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Chad
Author 85 books733 followers
October 13, 2023
4.5 Loved visiting Goblin. Malerman is becoming a favorite...won't be long before I'll officially add him next to King, Ketchum, Lansdsale, Rash, and Joy. Great one, Josh! Really enjoyed my stay.
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Bradley
Author 9 books4,678 followers
January 18, 2022
What we have here are six novellas that take place in a town named Goblin, all ghost stories underlining the individual characters' real-life obsessions.

When I began it, or by the time I got through the first two, I was just feeling pretty okay about the book. I wasn't really falling into it the way I usually do with horrors. A Man of Slices was fine as far as it went, and the same was true for Kamp.

Happy Birthday, Hunter! got a little exciting near the end. I wanted to see him get something nasty. In all three of these novellas, the characterizations were everything. The underlying nature of the town kept everything flowing.

But it was only when we got to Presto and A Mix-up at the Zoo that I fell in love. I think I may have liked Presto, with the deal-with-the-devil in old-school magic show vibes, the most. But A Mix-Up at the Zoo had me chortling the entire time.

The Hedges was also pretty good, but just about at the same level as Happy Birthday, Hunter!

The opening and epilogue narrative tie-up was pretty cool, and overall, I really enjoyed my stay in Goblin. The style had me vibing as if I was reading some of Christopher Priest's deeply eerie alternate reality stuff. Familiar, but OFF, somehow. The tension was great.
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Natalie all_books_great_and_small
2,814 reviews136 followers
November 9, 2023
If you're a fan of Stephen King, you need to pick this book up!
Goblin is a chunky book with six novellas that all have significance to each other and interconnect. The format was genius and had me hooked from the first story about a strange package with even more strange (if not bizarre) instructions. Since reading Bird Box in one sitting on new years eve three years ago, I've been hungry for Josh Malermans books and was really drawn to this from the cover alone. I loved how small pieces of this book (if you pay close attention) slot into place as you read through each novella (like light bulb moments) and click solidly into place at the end of the book. Absolutely genius!
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