PRE-RELEASE REVIEW: “Mr. Rumpel and Mr. Grimm” by Echo Ishii
ABOUT:
Claude Rumpel is a goblin turned human, living a quiet life in his little repair shop at the edge of town. He is in sore need of money to fund his inventions, and a cure for his hands, which he must keep covered at all times.
Daniel Grimm is half elf, descended from a wealthy family but now down on his luck. He is determined to restore his family’s prestige and has a daring plan to do so.
The gold thread that Claude spins, and Daniel’s ability to sell it, seems a perfect plan for their goals. The casual sex is a pleasant bonus. But they are constantly thwarted from all sides: Daniel’s dealing with a powerful witch, the opposing magic of their lineages, and Claude’s dark goblin desires…
REVIEW:
I felt like I was missing something from this story – like background or some sort of info-dump that would introduce me to this world. For example what exactly is the magical Scourge Wars? Or how did Claude Rumpel turn into a human after his early years as a goblin? Maybe it was supposed to be the nature of the fairy tale – that there wasn’t always an explanation and we were supposed to take it as it is? Whatever the author’s reason, I felt that some elements of this story left me in the dark. It’s not a feeling that I enjoy when I’m reading.
However, I could still say that I liked it. I thought it was an interesting fairy-tale story, about a goblin and a half-elf and the dangerous Old Hag. There was one moment that I thought Daniel was being too prideful that he ended up endangering himself – although at the same time I also thought it was really weird that the Old Hag would accept the magic sword (that was able to kill an immortal) near her vicinity. Yes, plot hole, I saw you.
I thought Claude and Daniel had an intriguing relationship – and I actually would love to see how they ended up raising and breeding the dragons. It would be nice to see them becoming like ‘dragon parents’ *smile*
RATING: 3 STARS
BOOK INFO:
Title: Mr. Rumpel and Mr. Grimm
Author: Echo Ishii
Publisher: Less Than Three Press
Length: 23,000 words
Release Date: October 28, 2014
Purchase Links: LT3, ARe, Amazon
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