My Big Goblin Space Program 2

Read Time: 2 Minutes

I am starting to really appreciate a good recap at the start of a sequel. With the number of series I bounce between, a quick refresher goes a long way. This one keeps it brief and to the point, which worked well. That said, I recently sat through a forty seven minute recap and somehow enjoyed that too, so maybe I am just fully converted now.

Book two picks up with Apollo, and by extension his tribe of goblins, continuing their chaotic march toward technological progress. Somewhere along the way they have also founded a religion, borrowing a mix of engineering principles and what feels suspiciously like Bill and Ted philosophy. Measure twice, cut once is practically sacred doctrine at this point. As is being excellent to each other.

From there things escalate in exactly the way you would expect from goblins discovering combustion engines. Vehicles are built with what can only be described as enthusiastic disregard for safety. If it is not on the verge of exploding, it’s not genuine goblin tech.

The story spreads out more this time. There is trading with the efreet, and most of the book set in a run through the desert that leans heavily into Mad Max territory. The orcs we meet along the way are a fun surprise too, feeling less like brutal kill-all-comers mercenaries and more like they wandered in from a Shakespeare production.

For the most part everything eventuallys tie back into the broader goal of getting to the moon. That said, it does feel like we are not all that much closer compared to where book one left off. Technology is still advancing, with things like biplanes and attack helicopters entering the mix, but the pace of that progression feels a bit slower this time around.

It is also a slightly shorter listen than the first, which I did notice. Not a deal breaker, but I was expecting another big chunk of goblin chaos. Possibly why it felt like there was less overall progress.

Jay Aaseng returns on narration and continues to suit the tone well. The delivery leans into the absurdity without overplaying it, which helps keep everything grounded even when things get ridiculous.

Overall, this is another fun instalment. The humour and sheer creativity of the goblin tech still carry it through, and I am learning interesting technological facts along the way. If only school had been this, maybe I’d have been an engineer!

I have already had a bit of a peek at what is coming next, and with this shaping up as a trilogy, I am definitely keen to see how Apollo plans to get
his goblins all the way to the moon. Ad luna!

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