Goblin War

Hines sidesteps the main question facing elvers—WWTD, or What would Tolkien do?—with a wink and his usual snort. His goofy elves, orcs, trolls, dwarves, humans and even an evil tree conjure laughter, not screams. Jig Dragonslayer might have a dash of hobbit in him as he reluctantly dashes into his latest adventure (after Goblin Hero ): he would much rather stay home in a comfy cave, hanging out with Smudge, his fire-spider, or Relka, a most excellent cook. But alas, they’re all pressed into a human/elf war against Billa the Bloody, a monstrous orc who’ll do anything to win, even if it means killing her army and human Princess Genevieve’s troops fighting for Wendel, king of Adenkar. Luckily, Jig has a secret weapon thanks to Tymalous Shadowstar, a Forgotten God who communicates with him telepathically. Shadowstar would sacrifice himself for his little goblin priest, but Jig’s amazing courage may not make that necessary. Readers will need familiarity with earlier books in the series, but Hines’s funny bone is sharp and YA-friendly. (Mar.)