Hobgoblin (novel)

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Hobgoblin is a 1981 horror novel by American author John Coyne. It follows Scott Gardiner, a teenage boy who becomes obsessed with Hobgoblin, a fantasy role-playing game based on Irish mythology. As Scott spends more time in the game, the lines between his life in the game and his real life begin to blur, and his grasp on reality weakens.

The book is often described as a problem novel about role-playing games, suggesting that such games reveal deep personal issues. Like Rona Jaffe’s Mazes and Monsters, it treats the game world as a mirror for the protagonist’s psychological struggles, with adulthood bringing a move away from gaming.

Hobgoblin was published during a peak of interest in Dungeons & Dragons and after media attention to incidents connected to role-playing games, such as the Egbert steam tunnel story. Coyne has stated in a 2015 interview that the Egbert case did not influence the book. He became curious about D&D after his nephew started playing and even played the game himself to help write Hobgoblin.

Critical reception included a mix of views. Kirkus Reviews described it as skin-deep horror but well crafted. Dragon Magazine also reviewed the book, while Pegasus magazine’s C. J. Henderson praised its intricate plotting and twist, noting that the reader may not see the truth until the end.