Hang on tight for a wild ride in Christmas on the Goblin Express, a recently released Christmas novella featuring J. J. Fischer’s trademark blend of the creative, the comical, and the profound.

From the back cover:

For Claire Samson, the only way to survive Christmas this year is to escape it.

High-achieving Australian medical student Claire Samson has struggled to enjoy Christmas in recent years, but this is the first Christmas she will be all alone, with her parents overseas and her grandfather in a coma. Claire is desperate to quit med school, but medicine was Grandpa’s dream for her, and her rural hometown desperately needs more doctors—doctors which could have changed her grandfather’s prognosis.

Just when Claire thinks Christmas will be unbearable, a steam train straight out of Platform 9 ¾ appears . . . a train invisible to all but Claire. It’s the Goblin Express, run by Christmas-hating elves and full of washed-up souls from hundreds of worlds who come aboard to escape the holidays. As it turns out, humans aren’t the only species who can loathe their festive seasons.

Upon boarding, Claire befriends several of her fellow travelers, including a mysterious hooded figure who totally gives her Strider vibes and may or may not actually be a night elf. But when the Goblin Express comes under attack, Claire and her new group of mismatched friends must band together to save the train . . . and maybe even find a little bit of Christmas spirit in the process.

Whether you’re like Claire and hoping to escape the holiday season, or you’re as excited as the Red Man himself for all the festivities (albeit for different reasons), this rollicking adventure will find a place in your heart.

It sure found a place in mine. First of all, how many Christmas adventures take place in Australia? Though only portions of the story take place in Down Under, I loved seeing the different landscapes and getting glimpses of the different culture, as well as following an Aussie main character with her reserved-but-spunky personality, a nerd level that trumps even mine, and the fun lingo of Oz.

Second, how many Christmas adventures take place on a magic train? Oh, like the Polar Express? Sort of, but with all your favorite fantasy worlds mashed together on it, with an equally eclectic salad of creatures, characters, and holiday spirits. Plus, the Polar Express didn’t have a twin in motorcycle version (possibly my favorite part of the book, minus the banana puddings as lethal weapons). Nothing could be more zany—and at the same time more realistic—than the Goblin Express. And that’s why I love J. J. Fischer’s writing so much, because she reaches out into the infinite universe of the human imagination to bring us closer to the common experiences of the human heart. Enough said before I get too sentimental.

Finally, how many Christmas adventures take place with a meet-cute couple? Oh, like Hallmark? Sort of, but better: more authentic, slower, and even sweeter—and quite a bit more adventurous too. (Last I checked, Hallmark doesn’t feature trolls, high-speed chases on magic vehicles, or battles between fantasy creatures to protect Christmas. Points docked from Hallmark.) While most romance tropes induce an eye roll or two from this skeptic reader, Christmas on the Goblin Express caught me up in the fun, sweet spirit of shy and dubious Claire meeting, interacting with, and starting—key word: starting—to fall for the mysterious but heroic man in black who might also be falling for her. I want a sequel novella for that first date.  

So even if you don’t like steam trains, or elves, or hilarious adventures with a core of deep reality—and especially if you don’t like Christmas—I encourage you to get your copy of Christmas on the Goblin Express. Consider buying it for yourself—or your Scrooge friend—for Christmas. Maybe even read it on Christmas Day; it’s short enough, you’ll breeze through it in a couple of hours.

And when you step off the Goblin Express at the end, I hope you’ll wave to the fading wisps of magical green steam with, like me, a brighter joy, deeper peace, and warmer appreciation in your heart.

Merry Christmas 🙂