A review by mrswhiteinthelibrary
The Assassination of Brangwain Spurge by Eugene Yelchin, M.T. Anderson

4.0

In a word: delightful! Reminiscent of Terry Pratchett's early Discworld books, The Assassination of Brangwain Spurge is a farcical take on the fantasy genre. Centering on the titular historian, Brangwain Spurge is an uppity elf on a mission, so he believes, of diplomatic importance to the goblins, who are ruled by a mysterious dark lord. He is greeted and hosted enthusiastically by his goblin counterpart, Werfel, a fellow scholar who is dying to learn more about elf culture. What ensues is a ridiculous comedy of errors as Werfel tries his best to please his guest, who is insulted by every attempt, and a delicious fantasy adventure as the two unlikely friends eventually come to discover their respective histories may have been rewritten as propaganda. It's funny, quick-witted, clever, and occasionally even touching, with memorable characters. It almost screams for a sequel, but at the same time, is practically perfect as it is.