A Goblin’s Mind by J.D. Dresner is a fabulous magical fantasy novella blended with satire. We are transported to a forest in the whimsical Kingdom of Skarsgaard, where Doctor M. Harlow greets us in his den. We join him in the therapy counselling sessions with his patients—Nessy, a pathological kleptomaniac hoarder unicorn-and-woman hybrid; the narcissistic Lord Lionel Ainsworth II, First Wizard of Skaarsgard; Princess Margarete and Master Oen, the Skarsgaard royal couple whose marriage is falling apart; and Biff, an amnesiac adolescent goblin. Suddenly, the doctor's patients start disappearing. With Dr. Harlow’s curiosity amplified by a life-threatening attack by Princess Margarete, Dr. Harlow sets off on a mission to find his patients. But will he solve this mystery?

J.D. Dresner's A Goblin’s Mind is one of the most delightful fantasy stories I've read recently. I liked the motley crew of unique characters and the pervasive humor. Biff, the goblin, is a piece of work and instantly ranked top among my favorite characters—I am hoping for a sequel to reunite with him. I also liked the atmospheric forest setting of Dr. Harlow’s therapy practice and his thought-provoking sessions with his patients. But most of all, I liked the completely unpredictable ending and the postscript sharing how this magical fable came to life. If you like atmospheric, fast-moving, thought-provoking stories enriched with sparkling humor and magical characters, this novella will delight you, especially if you read it over a cup of The Gin Goblin green tea, whose recipe you will discover in the book!

A Goblin's Mind by J.D. Dresner is a fascinating story about a therapist on a small island with a varied group of patients who keep popping in and out of the therapist’s den in the forest. There is a woman-unicorn hybrid with a compulsion to collect things; a wizard who has no luck with women; a royal prince and his wife who can’t stand each other, and the weirdest of all – a goblin with a foot-long tongue with very strange things in his mind. It is all very amusing until things start going strange, people disappear, and the therapist’s control starts slipping. And it all has to do with something in the goblin’s mind. The story is followed by a detailed description of the history of the manuscript, describing the progress from inception to completion.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this unusual story, partly because the author has a supreme command of language, with a large vocabulary and authentic-sounding phrases. The humour soaked into the descriptions is a great plus and makes reading it an enjoyable experience. The pacing is excellent, as the mystery deepens and the reader is constantly challenged to try to guess what’s behind the onslaught of unexpected events. The ending is somewhat surprising but believable in view of all the elements of the puzzle presented by the author. I loved the chapter titles – original! I can highly recommend A Goblin's Mind by J.D. Dresner to readers who like to read the original and the unusual.