Alex works endlessly in her village while everyone else lazes away the hours. One day, she wakes up in a strange, magical place surrounded by odd looking creatures called Goblins. Alex is shocked by their strange appearance and activeness. Unlike her world, Goblins are constantly working, bustling here and there, to and fro.  

King Crick rules the Goblin world. Alex must go to the castle to greet him or everyone will be punished for her defiance. Will Alex be moved by the suffering around her? Or will she defy Goblin law only to find herself at Crick’s mercy?

The Goblin King is well-written, solid from beginning to end. The descriptions of the Goblins are remarkable and fantastic; the setting is creatively rich with detail. With all of these high-points, I still felt bereft. There are gaps. Alex and Crick’s relationship is totally based on physical attraction, shared views, somewhat kinky sex, but little else. They start off as interesting people and prove to be less because for me they both lacked substance.