BOOK NOOK: The only really good wars are the imaginary ones

As the story begins Galva is with a cohort of medieval fighters who have corvids, very large birds, to help them fight goblins. These goblin wars have been going on for a while. In the previous one, the Threshers’ War, the goblins decimated many of the male human warriors as well as almost every single horse.

The goblins are dastardly creatures, they employ drugs and deadly diseases to conquer humankind. Now as this latest war is underway there are no longer any horses to do battle with the goblins and not that many men either, many of the fighters are now women like Galva.

Galva and her group each have two giant birds they’ve trained to kill goblins. These birds have names-they can also speak. Galva’s corvids, Bellu and Dalgatha are wonderful characters in their own right. Galva also forms a tight bond with another warrior, a woman named Inocenta.

There’s a wizard, Fulvir Lightningbinder, who was involved in the creation of war corvids. His personal assistant is a young man, a peaceful poet, very unwarlike, Galva’s little brother Amiel. She worries about him because Fulvir is still helping in the battle against the goblins and Amiel could be harmed.

Buehlman’s goblin armies are wondrous creations. They smell awful and relish devouring humans. When they capture people they drug them, turn them into zombies, then hold them in cages for gobbling later. Goblins tunnel up from underground. They hate anything that’s square and will damage buildings just to destroy the squareness of them.

Goblins fight fiercely, in large groups they often think with one mind, moving as one to benefit the horde. These formidable foes engage in numerous battles with the humans and Galva proves over and over that she is a brave, relentless fighter.

“The Daughter’s War” is a family story. Galva’s two older brothers are military leaders. One is a drunken ruffian and quite the villain. He possesses a rare living shield which should belong to Galva. He is such a reprobate he once gambled the shield away.

The author’s brilliant pacing moves the story right along. There’s plenty of action, intrigue, and even forbidden love. This novel’s cover proclaims: “goblins, guts, glory,” and that’s exactly what readers will get in “The Daughters’ War.”

Vick Mickunas of Yellow Springs interviews authors every Saturday at 7 a.m. and on Sundays at 10:30 a.m. on WYSO-FM (91.3). For more information, visit www.wyso.org/programs/book-nook. Contact him at vick@vickmickunas.com.