Wagons & Wyverns by Z.S. Diamanti

Blurb:

Embark on a wholesome journey of forgiveness and self-discovery. A cozy fantasy tale of forging new friendships and overcoming fears. A quaint quest of adventure and magic.

From behind the throne to trails unknown …

Zarnikorek spent much of his life in the service of a wicked orc king. When a new rebellion seizes control of the kingdom and overthrows the king, Zarni has no choice but to move back to his quaint hometown in the Ghun-Ra valley.

With his life of regal service seemingly in the past, Zarni must live a quiet and inconspicuous life of loneliness to avoid being recognized. But when the new king’s mage adviser pays the goblin a visit, Zarni is tasked with a quest that could change everything.

Teaming up with a jovial halfling wagoner, he embarks on an unforgettable road trip for the ages to follow an ancient and mysterious trail. But as their friendship grows, Zarni might just discover something he thought he’d never find again.

Take to the trail and discover what magic awaits.

Come enjoy the hospitality of dwarven taverns and halfling homes. Meet new friends as you sing with the Griffin Guard, play a game of Castle Brick at the tavern, and enjoy a flapjack breakfast with a mad sorcerer.

“Onward meets Oregon Trail (but nobody gets dysentery)” in this heartwarming, feel-good fantasy.

Review:

Did I think I’d have fun reading about a goblin who has extreme social anxiety and the fear that people would lynch him at a moments notice? Not really, no. But fun I had watching Zarnikorik go from a shy, very socially awkward short goblin to a not so shy, sociable short goblin. And I can see a pattern here. “Guard in the Garden” was about a physically scarred dwarf, this one was about a mentally scarred goblin, each with their own unique little quirks. And if you’ve read “Guard in the Garden”, some familiar faces are bound to appear. I’ll get to that shortly.

But first, if I had to sell this book to a cozy fantasy reader, I’d tell them this:

“Zarni was afraid of his people due to his ties with the late king . And after a year, that’s not changed until he gets dragged out of his shell.”,

knowing full well that I am not telling the full part of the story. Nor am I saying anything about his journey from an extreme introvert with social anxiety to an extrovert who’s okay with interacting with others.

To start off, we have Zarnikorik (Zarni for short), and his journey. He’s a rather short goblin and a wizard with accounting, which got the late Orc king interested in his talents. However, that Ork king was rather abusive, and not very kind to his people, which led to a revolt. All the while though, Zarni was stuck on the books quite near the ruler. So when all’s said and done, he’s left there thinking that everyone will hate him for having worked in close contact with the prior lord. Throughout the story, there’s multiple scenarios of Zarni having learning moments, whereupon he builds more confident character, all with the help of some new friends that he inadvertently gained when he was singled out for a quest.

Which brings me to the plot. It’s a quest to map a trading route a la a very introverted goblin who can draw maps and an overly talkative halfling, with plenty of shenanigans afoot, what with a surly mountain goat and a sneaky companion. All in a wholesome way. There’s some danger, but that is not the focus here. The focus is the healing Zarni gets by being with others. Things are afoot, and there’s some twists and turns here and there, but everything works out alright, leaving the story with a hint of something more to eventually pop up again.

After that, finally, we have the worldbuilding that Z.S. Diamanti has done. There’s a map, and some lore within the book. However, much of what we know of Zarni's world stems from the Stone and the Sky trilogy, where the lore and history of the land was more poignantly displayed. Whereas here, in “Wagons & Wyverns”, it’s more subdued, more to the point of not being touched upon except on the Orcish side. Sure, there’s dragons, griffins, humans, elves, goblins, orcs, dwarves, and everything in between. But in this one, it’s mostly the goblin and orc history that is touched upon. And it’s done quite well.

The only gripe I’d have to mention is that it is too straightforward. But that is also its greatest strength. Because you can sit down with a blanket and a cup of tea and read “Wagons & Wyverns”. However, it’s less high fantasy than the Stone and the Sky trilogy, and unless you’re looking for cozy fantasy mixed with a bit of action, then it might not be as enjoyable. However, that’s my own opinion, and to forge your own, you must experience it yourself. 

If you’re into cozy fantasy, goblins and halflings, map talk and a road trip, this novel is for you.

As always, thank you for reading this review, and I hope I’ve helped nudge you towards your next read, if not then another to add to your TBR pile. If not, there’s plenty of reviews up here on SFF Insiders, with great picks across the isles of genres. Here is a link to a random review up now, and it might be within the cozy fantasy space or somewhere wildly different. Only one way to find out.

Wherever you are reading this, have a good morning, good afternoon, good evening and good night!