Staff Pick
A slave boy with no name, two girls named Alice, and a goblin become entangled in an evil plot to overthrow a kingdom. Full of puzzles, humor, and unexpected adventures, The Goblin's Puzzle is an entertaining tale of friendship, unlikely heroes, and one confused dragon. Recommended By Richard C., Powells.com
The Goblin's Puzzle is a joyful, thoughtful blend of fantasy, logic, and humor. A boy with no name searches for his place in the world; a girl strives to prove her intellect and wisdom to a committee of scholars; a princess contends with a usurper to her throne; and a goblin speaks in riddles and cryptic clues, leading the others on a merry, hilarious chase. This wonderful debut from Andrew S. Chilton is not one to miss! Recommended By Madeline S., Powells.com
Synopses & Reviews
Brimming with dragons, goblins, and logic puzzles, this middle-grade fantasy adventure is perfect for readers who enjoyed The Princess Bride or Rump.
THE BOY is a nameless slave on a mission to uncover his true destiny.
THE GOBLIN holds all the answers, but he’s too tricky to be trusted.
PLAIN ALICE is a bookish peasant girl carried off by a confused dragon.
And PRINCESS ALICE is the lucky girl who wasn’t kidnapped.
All
four are tangled up in a sinister plot to take over the kingdom, and
together they must face kind monsters, a cruel magician, and dozens of
deathly boring palace bureaucrats. They’re a ragtag bunch, but with
strength, courage, and plenty of deductive reasoning, they just might
outwit the villains and crack the goblin’s puzzle.
Review
“Witty, wise, and full of adventure, The Goblin’s Puzzle delighted me with every turn of the page.” Liesl Shurtliff, author of Rump: The True Story of Rumpelstiltskin
Review
“Brimming with sarcastic, cheeky, laugh-out-loud humor, this is a smart, original, and completely engaging adventure.” School Library Journal, starred review
Review
“An adventure bursting with wit and charm. The characters are fresh, the
story is thrilling, and the puzzles are downright diabolical. A
wonderful book.” Jonathan Auxier, author of The Night Gardener
About the Author
Andrew S. Chilton drew inspiration for The Goblin’s Puzzle from a wide variety of sources, ranging from The Hobbit to Monty Python to Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics.
As a kid, he gobbled up fantasy novels and logic puzzles, and as an
adult, he spent over ten years as a practicing lawyer before launching
his career as a writer. He lives in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. This is
his first novel.