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    The Assassination of Brangwain Spurge
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    The Assassination of Brangwain Spurge
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    The Assassination of Brangwain Spurge
    Audiobook5 hours

    The Assassination of Brangwain Spurge

    Written by M. T. Anderson and Eugene Yelchin

    Narrated by Gildart Jackson

    4.5/5

    ()

    Currently unavailable

    Currently unavailable

    About this audiobook

    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.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherDreamscape Media Audio
    Release dateOct 17, 2018
    ISBN9781974930395
    Unavailable
    The Assassination of Brangwain Spurge
    Author

    M. T. Anderson

    M. T. Anderson is the critically acclaimed author of many picture books and novels, including Feed, which was a National Book Award finalist, and The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing,, Traitor to the Nation, Volume 1: The Pox Party, which won a National Book Award and was a Michael L. Printz Honor Book.

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    Reviews for The Assassination of Brangwain Spurge

    4.5/5

    79 ratings18 reviews

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    • 5/5
      I loved this book. The book was a fun combination of text and image. Whole chapters are entirely of illustrations which tell the story. There were times I was frustrated with the two characters struggle but the ending more than makes up for it. If your child loves imaginative tales this is a great book to pick up.
    • 5/5
      What a treat! The prologue brought me back to when I first ever saw A Trip to the Moon by Georges Melies and then consequently brought to mind The Invention of Hugo Cabret. I love how Yelchin's illustrations are part of the story and not depictions of what has already been written about. It is match made in literary excellence...a gripping story, full of action, excitement, amazing illustrations and a satisfactory conclusion. I hope there are sequels!
    • 4/5
      The elves and goblins have been at war for as long as most people can remember. In a time of relative peace, when they discover what appears to be a goblin artifact, the elves decide to send it back to the goblin kingdom via ambassador in a gesture of goodwill. The elf chosen for this seemingly illustrious task is weedy historian Brangwain Spurge. Without further ado, Brangwain is sent via cannon shot to the goblin kingdom, with strict orders to report back via magical transmission as often as possible. Eagerly awaiting him is his goblin historian counterpart, Werfel, who is excited to welcome a fellow historian into his home, discuss elven and goblin culture, and show Brangwain around the goblin kingdom. But before they can be friends, Brangwain and Werfel will have to overcome ingrained differences and prejudices -- not to mention two whole kingdoms stacked against them.This was such an interesting book! Told in alternating chapters of Anderson's prose and Yelchin's drawings (similar to The Invention of Hugo Cabret), the two authors create an extremely compelling world. This book is more than just a fantasy story -- the two authors use their storytelling mediums to show how appearances can be deceiving and impressions can be entirely wrong, as sometimes the words and images will totally contradict each other -- just like Werfel and Brangwain's impressions of what is going on. Really well done, and a really quick read once you get into it. I had trouble acclimating to the prose/images style the first few times I tried to start. One thing is certain -- I don't think anything Anderson writes is anything like anything else he has written. Despite that, I've enjoyed all of his books I've read for entirely different reasons.
    • 4/5
      This illustrated novel for young people reads quickly and engagingly -- I polished it off easily in just a couple of hours. The reason for that is one of the book's most interesting features: interstitial chapters that consist entirely of illustrations and move the story along in fascinating and sometimes contradictory ways. How fast you move through the book may depend on how long you linger on the images, more than how fast you read; Yelchin's artistic style is as intriguing as the prose and we follow the path of a certain elfin ambassador to the goblin kingdom from different points of view in each mode. The attentive adult reader will probably see the book's lesson coming from the very first interaction between prose chapter and illustrated chapter -- this is a book about political misunderstandings and the perceptions two cultures hold about each other and anyone in tune with the current moment knows how relevant such a topic might be just now -- and each set shows us that elves and goblins can have very different takes on the same event. The plot is classic folklore/fantasy, with some quite pointed updates that make it feel fresh and pertinent. Anderson and Yelchin share a sharp sense of humor, which reveals itself verbally and visually throughout. While I don't know that such a book will be the thing that many children select off the shelf for themselves, it is well worth reading and well worth handing to the smart kid in your life, so that they can learn the lesson within, and handing to the grown-ups in life so that they can be reminded of what they should have learned long ago.
    • 3/5
      The Assassination of Brangwain Spurge is an interesting experiment in storytelling, where both text and illustrations contribute to the plot. Spurge, an elf and a scholar, is sent as ambassador to the goblin kingdom where Werfel, his goblin counterpart, will be his host. The basic premise of the plot is that nothing is as it seems. Werfel is not the crude monster that Spurge expects, nor is Spurge a beautiful and graceful elf. Spurge is not an ambassador but an unwitting assassin. The two characters are at odds until both their lives are threatened and they must work together to avert tragedy. After a slow start the pace picks up about half way through the story. There are some very serious ideas hidden in this book but the treatment stays light.
    • 5/5
      Wow.I've read books that are enjoyable and entertaining, and given them five stars. Now I wish I had ranked them lower, because The Assassination of Brangwain Spurge is all of those and more. It is important. This is a book you should read.The basic concept is the contrast between the POV of the two main characters. One is told in text; the other through illustration. It is the disconnect between these two which drives the story, underlying a tale of misperception and cultural interchange and the importance of history. We also see the extent to which the winners write history, and how that can color the beliefs of even the most open-minded person.The writing style is easy and light; the content is weighty and oh so important. Younger readers may start out seeing only a fun story with funny pictures, but older readers will clearly perceive the important message underneath.Highly recommended. One of the best books I've read in 2018.
    • 4/5
      Book is written half in dialogue and half in illistration, Tells the story of good and evil.
    • 4/5
      A quick and clever adventure story about the ways our perceptions and biases impact everything we do. Brangwain Spurge is chosen as a diplomatic envoy to the goblin kingdom, the first one that the elves have ever sent. He is entrusted to deliver a large magical jewel to the goblin king, and to observe as much as he can about the goblin's capitol city (particularly the Well of Lightning, which powers much of their magic). He is given a spell to send his observations back to the elvin court as images, which make up quite a few chapters of the book. The rest of the book is told in normal prose, from the point of view of the goblin scholar Werfel who is responsible for hosting Spurge while he is visiting the goblin kingdom, interspersed with official memos from the elvin spymaster to the elf king. Throughout the story you can watch as Spurge's preconceptions about the goblins color all of his reports and interactions. Despite the title, in my mind Werfel shines as the true protagonist of this story, as throughout the whole thing his goal is only to be kind and hospitable to Spurge, even to the point of placing his own life in danger. However, I encourage you to pay close attention to the art chapters, as through them you can watch Spurge's character grow immensely.Overall, a fun and innovative read, highly recommended.
    • 5/5
      THE ASSASSINATION OF BRANGWAIN SPURGE by M. T. Anderson and Eugene Yelchin explores the endless battle between elf and goblin kingdoms.Told through a combination of illustrated sequences, letters, and short narratives, this unusual fantasy novel follows an elfin historian on his quest to survive in goblin territory. Packed with non-stop action, bizarre situations, and cultural misunderstandings, this novel is a unique combination of political satire and fantasy adventure.Librarians will find readers among young adult readers who enjoy dark fantasy and social commentary. The quirky characters and witty humor will strike a cord with teens who may not understand all the underlying themes, but who will enjoy the outlandish situations. Recommend it for youth who enjoy a balance of witty, thought-provoking themes and goofy fantasy.Published by Candlewick Press on September 25, 2018. ACR courtesy of the publisher.
    • 4/5
      There are some marvelous illustrations in this novel that simultaneously move the narrative along and get the author out of sticky situations! The elf Spurge goes on a diplomatic mission to the goblins and is hostel by Werfel. Spurge is a jerk guest and Werfel is a doormat. But things take a turn for the worst when Spurge is caught spying and the two run for their lives. The tale is a not so subtle commentary on propaganda, underhandedness, and the value of looking beyond stereotypes - but it is a lot of fun at the same time.
    • 5/5
      I won this copy--it's my first won book--and I worried that I might (a) be biased to like it, because of that, or (b) be biased against it, just to be certain I wasn't biased towards it, plus (c) that it might just be dreadful, because I didn't pick it myself on the basis of strong word-of-mouth, it just landed in my lap. I shouldn't have worried. From the get-go it was clear this was something special indeed.I have to give it 5 stars, even if it's not quite perfect, since it has the single best use of illustrations I've ever seen in a book (save, perhaps, for whomever invented the scientific illustration, so much more useful than a longwinded description of anatomy, or flower parts, etc.).The story is from two points of view--and elf visitor to Goblinland, and his goblin host. The goblin writes the written chapters, and the elf transmits his impressions of events back to Elfland, there to be converted into black and white images (which end up as our illustrations). It's brilliant, and necessary, and cunningly reveals the elf's change in attitude as the story advances. The look of the book is almost indistinguishable from a late 19th century / early 20th century high-quality children's book, intentionally so, and is beautiful, hefty, and would make a great gift--you'd really feel you had something special in your hands, and you'd be right.It reads like a middle school book, which is terrific--young adult always feels aimed at teens, but middle school books can appeal to everyone, even if, as in this case, the protagonists are lonely middle-aged men (so-to-speak). I particularly appreciated how divorced from our reality this was. It won't date. It's firmly set in a fairyland of elves and goblins which has no relation to (or mention of) our human world. Absolutely terrific.
    • 5/5
      Another gem from M.T. Anderson, this time in collaboration with Eugene Yelchin. Anderson's story and Yelchin's illustrations work really well together. The premise is not that complicated: the elfin historian Spurge ("The Weed") is crossbowed in a barrel across and over the Bonecruel Mountains into the goblin empire to deliver an old goblin artifact as a gift to the mysterious (and otherworldly) goblin kind, Ghohg. The goblins have an archivist, Werfel, who is charged with hosting Spurge and assessing the authenticity of the gift before Ghohg sends word to see this elfin emissary. Of course, the plot is complicated by the fact that Spurge is really supposed to spy on the goblin kingdom and find out how the tower that gives the goblins many of their magical powers works. The Assassination is really an exploration of the ideas of trust, friendship, home, prejudice, and most importantly, truth, as in historical truth. How and why history is captured and recorded the way it is, and what is our responsibility in witnessing and, if possible, attesting to what really happened. At the height of the information age, when misinformation is the bloodiest and most powerful war being waged in many fronts around the globe, the message of the novel is priceless and one that should be discussed with all children growing into the age of massive deluge of unqualified information.It is also a story of friendship, specifically the friendship between two people who are very much alike, but who belong to warring nations. Anderson does a very good job of bringing the pain and suffering of not only the war, but also the survivors of the war, who live with the memories of lost ones and unfinished lives. Recommended for those who like pets, whimsical aliens, dancing, and opera.Thanks to LibraryThing and the publisher for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review. I enjoyed reading it immensely!
    • 5/5
      I absolutely loved this. I was laughing so much. Plays that are 20 hours long and the witty banter back and forth between the main characters was perfect!
    • 5/5
      I think this would be good if you liked Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy and Good Omens.
    • 5/5
      Two academics, an elf and a goblin, meet as representatives of their eternally-warring kingdoms to learn more about each other. At least, that's what they think. But really, the elf Brangwain Spurge is disliked by his peers and was sent to the Kingdom of Goblins to get rid of him. The elves are using the "research" about goblins that Brangwain transmits back home as intel to plan an invasion. In the Kingdom of Goblins, Brangwain is such a bigoted jerk to all the goblins that he and his host, Werfel the Archivist, goblin historian, have to go on the run together or face execution. But they'll be fine, because the other elves will totally come rescue Brangwain, right?This story is told in three forms. Some scenes are beautiful, black and white, wordless illustrations by Eugene Yelchin which represent the images that Brangwain transmits back to Elfland, other sections are letters from Brangwain's boss to the King of Elfland, and the remaining scenes are straightforward prose narrative from Werfel's point of view. While a fascinating premise, which made the pages fly by, the result felt a little lop-sided. The story is about two educated men realizing that they have been fed propaganda their whole lives, and learning who their "enemy" really is as a person. But that message is a little undercut by having two-thirds of the book from elf POV and one from goblin POV. Brangwain is presented as having a lot more growing to do than Werfel. Also, the goblins are led by a giant octopus that came from another planet specifically to be king of the goblins and this is just never examined??Overall, a very enjoyable read with a great message, though not as poignant as it could be. I'm not sure what age it's exactly written for, but adults will definitely appreciate it.
    • 5/5
      An intriguing mix of graphic novel and young adult fantasy novel—this book was written in a unique collaboration of a novelist and illustrator. Unlike some novels, author M. T. Anderson and illustrator Eugene Yelchin each worked separately on this novel—often creating competing narratives—making for an interesting read. At times the reader is left trying to figure out “who is telling the true history”—but isn’t that always the way. The story begins with elfin historian Brangwain Spurge on a mission—venturing into the goblin kingdom both to be an emissary and a spy. Brangwain’s host, the goblin archivist Werfel, is delighted to show Brangwain around. They could be the best of friends, but a series of double crosses, blunders, and cultural misunderstandings throws these two scholars into the middle of an international crisis that may spell death for them — and war for their nations. The narrative and particularly the black and white illustrations make this novel a delight. I would strongly recommend this novel, particularly to the reader who enjoys graphic novels and fantasy. A 4 ½ out of 5 stars.
    • 5/5
      Weird and hilarious and dark, this fantasy for young readers is about cultural differences and the importance of history and journalism based on truth and compassion, and it celebrates an unlikely friendship. A sort of flipped Tolkiensian world suggesting things are never as black and white as they seem. The illustrations are magnificent! Terry Pratchett would have loved it.
    • 3/5
      Kinda weird, but good. Satirical yet genuine look at fantasy races with a good amount of absurdist humor thrown in.