Review: This should have been the prologue . . .
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 02 25, 2012
It's starting to become a seriously annoying trend in the PNR genre to have a little "short story" to introduce a new series. Anya Bast's Dark Magick series comes to mind, where you're reading along and you realize that there has to be a short story before. Because while the story is fine, you realize that you're out of the loop and have missed something. Or Kim Harrison's Madison Avery Trilogy. You honestly can not enjoy that series without reading the short story that came out first.So in my mind the same is true for The Goblin King. You don't have to read this short story to get the book. However, if you read The Summons it will help your overall emotional build up. And I'm saying this after just finishing The Summons and jumping right into The Goblin King. Why they just didn't put The Summons as a prologue is beyond me.The Summons is a cute introduction to a Goblin who was once a great king. He fights to maintain what little part of his human soul remains, not just for him but for the last of his warriors. The King is continuously summoned as part of his curse by any who call upon the Goblin King. Once he would have to do all the summoner bids him to do, now he can choose to accept it. It's quite a surprise to him when a girl summons him to her. Both giving each other some child like hope to hold on to.The Goblin King's story is greatly enhanced by this 20 page "short story." It builds an emotional connection that the the author should have realized needs to be there from the get go. It's a sweet and innocent introduction to the beauty and the beast. If you have no intentions of reading The Goblin King, leave this be. If you do have every intention to read it, then this is a must! After all it is a free short story.Sexual Content: Kissing and unwanted male advances. Pretty clean4/5- Great! Really enjoyed it.Originally posted at Book Whispers.