The one thing eleven-year-old Jake Lupo loves more than anything else is baseball. However, despite his father being a professional pitcher, Jake’s fear of failing has kept him from competing against children his own age. When his father, who has recovered from a serious arm injury, is invited to pitch for an independent team, Jake and his parents move to Pine Barrows, a far flung forested mountain outpost. Jake is excited about his father’s chance at a comeback, but he soon learns that he is not the only one in Pine Barrows who loves baseball. Goblins love to play baseball, too, and Pine Barrows happens to be chock full of them. Then Jake discovers that the region is occupied by two factions of warring goblins.

Seeking to take control of the goblin kingdom, the leader of the evil goblins kidnaps Jake’s mother and bans baseball, a game which itself is a natural source of power for the goblins.

It turns out that Jake has a secret kinship with the legendary beings, and he is the only one who can save them, their kingdom and his mother. However, Jake must believe in himself and play a winner-take-all game against the best goblin players in Pine Barrows.

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My Review

I chose to read this book after receiving a free e-copy from the author. All opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased.

The Goblin Pitcher is a fantasy that children will enjoy reading. Jake can see goblins! And the reason he can see them is because both of his parents have just a little goblin blood from their ancestors. Unfortunately, the goblins are at war and the leader of the evil goblins kidnaps Jake’s mom!

This story is a page-turner and kids will love the nonstop action. The characters are well-described and their images are still stuck in my head, especially of Garbhan, a monster of folklore who “possessed a single set of body parts.” So, he’s pretty much an 8-foot tall leg!

Everything hinges on a baseball game and it all depends on Jake. Will he be able to save Pine Barrows and his mom? Whether they win the game or not, the book has a great ending.

About the Author

I have authored both fiction and nonfiction books in a variety of genres. As a freelance writer, I often collaborate with individuals on their biographies or memoirs, as well as ghostwrite.

Before I began writing, I studied filmmaking and screenwriting at Columbia College – Hollywood, earned an A.S. in Mortuary Science from Mount Ida College and a B.A. in English from the University of Rhode Island.

I live in Lincoln, RI with my wife and son.

Website https://thegoblinpitcher.com/