It turns out piercing cloves of garlic with a paring knife is the worst of five different ways explored here to peel garlic, at least according to Adam Ragusea. Number four is microwaving the garlic for 20 seconds; number three is shaking the cloves between two bowls; number two is rolling the garlic between your hands, and number one is smashing the clove with the side of a knife. My favorite way is this floppy tube garlic peeler.
Image: YouTube