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Title details for The Assassination of Brangwain Spurge by M.T. Anderson - Available

The Assassination of Brangwain Spurge

by M.T. Anderson
Eugene Yelchin
Audiobook (Includes supplementary content)
2 of 2 copies available
Borrow Listen to a sample Listen to a sample
2 of 2 copies available
Uptight elfin historian Brangwain Spurge is on a mission: survive being catapulted across the mountains into goblin territory, deliver a priceless peace offering to their mysterious dark lord, and spy on the goblin kingdom—from which no elf has returned alive in more than a hundred years. Brangwain's host, the goblin archivist Werfel, is delighted to show Brangwain around. They should be the best of friends, but a series of extraordinary double crosses, blunders, and cultural misunderstandings throws these two bumbling scholars into the middle of an international crisis that may spell death for them—and war for their nations. A hilarious and biting social commentary that could only come from the likes of National Book Award winner M. T. Anderson and Newbery Honoree Eugene Yelchin, this tale is rife with thrilling action and a comic disparity that suggests the ultimate victor in a war is perhaps not who won the battles but who gets to write the history.

  • Creators

  • Publisher

  • Awards

  • Release date

    November 6, 2018

  • Formats

    • OverDrive Listen audiobook

      • ISBN: 9781666574746
      • File size: 156195 KB
      • Duration: 05:25:24

  • Languages

    • English

  • Levels

    • Lexile® Measure: 760
    • Text Difficulty: 3-4

  • Reviews

    • AudioFile Magazine
      Narrator Gildart Jackson brings M.T. Anderson's world of elves and goblins to life from the perspective of one character, an elf. Through his illustrations, artist and coauthor Eugene Yelchin tells a totally different story from the perspective of a different character, a goblin. In order to fully grasp what is going on, listeners must have access to the bonus PDF. Jackson's voice for the titular elf, a scholar, sounds like he is reading a BBC newscast. In contrast, his goblin counterpart, the archivist Werfel, growls and slobbers as if he has too many teeth in his mouth. As the two academics debate each culture's version of history, they hurl insults that might start a new war between the elves and the goblins. There are laughs for listeners of all ages in this middle reader political satire. A.R.F. © AudioFile 2021, Portland, Maine
    • Publisher's Weekly

      Starred review from August 6, 2018
      In a witty, offbeat adventure, elfin historian Magister Brangwain Spurge is sent by Lord Ysoret Clivers, of the Order of the Clean Hand, to the allegedly wicked goblin court of Ghohg the Evil One; once there, Spurge is to present the ruler with a carved gemstone and broker peace. After crossing the Bonecruel Mountains via crossbow capsule, Spurge is welcomed by his host, the unfailingly polite goblin historian Werfel the Archivist, who is eager to make friends with a professional fellow and show him his beloved culture. But most of goblin culture involves rehashing its conflict with Spurge’s people, leading to a chain of interpersonal misunderstandings. Things go sideways when Spurge tries to present his gift to Ghogh the Evil One, and the two must flee the city, then rely on each other to survive murderous bandits and ogres, firestorms, and treachery. Told in narrative and illustrated pages—Werfel’s experiences and Spurge’s visual dispatches back home—the story by Anderson (Feed) and Yelchin (Arcady’s Goal) blends the absurd and the timely to explore commonality, long-standing conflict, and who gets to write a world’s history. Final art not seen by PW. Ages 10–12. Author’s agent: David McCormick, McCormick Literary. Illustrator’s agent: Steven Malk, Writers House.

Formats

  • OverDrive Listen audiobook

subjects

Languages

  • English

Levels

  • Lexile® Measure:760
  • Text Difficulty:3-4

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